Audra McDonald News

110 in the Shade, a richly evocative and touching musical about desperation, desire, and hope, opens at Palm Beach Dramaworks on Friday, August 14 (8pm) and heats up the Don & Ann Brown Theatre through August 23. The show, with music by Harvey Schmidt, lyrics by Tom Jones, and a book by N. Richard Nash based on his play The Rainmaker, will be presented in concert, with direction by Clive Cholerton, choreography by Michelle Petrucci, and musical direction by Howard Breitbart.

Sam Harris, starred on Broadway in The Producers, Grease and The Life. He was also the first ever Grand Champion of TV's Star Search, and joins the star-studded lineup of Broadway @ The Art House this weekend, July 24 & 25 for two shows only at 7PM.

Audra McDonald, who starred in the role of 'Sarah' in the original Broadway production of RAGTIME, for which she earned her third Tony Award, turned to Twitter to express her sorrow over today's news. 

Audra McDonald lends her voice to a tiny tin airplane pilot named Bess, a historical toy created in the likeness of the famous African-American female pilot, Bessie Coleman

Darren Criss will conclude his limited 12-week engagement in Broadway's HEDIWG AND THE ANGRY INCH, the Tony Award winning Best Musical Revival, today, July 19.

The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra will perform Michael Giacchino's breathtaking orchestral score of Star Trek in synch with 2009 blockbuster film Star Trek (PG-13) at the Taft Theatre tonight, July 18 at 7:30 p.m.

The American Theatre Wing has just announced new appointments to its Board of Trustees and Advisory Committee, BroadwayWorld has learned.

Jonathan Demme's musical dramedy RICKI AND THE FLASH, starring Meryl Streep, will open the 68th Locarno Film Festival. The film was written by Diablo Cody (Juno) will have its world premiere on August 5 at the Festival's Piazza Grande.

With breaking news arising late last week of Glenn Close being considered for a return to her Tony Award-winning role in Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Black and Christopher Hampton's Tony Award-winning Best Musical SUNSET BOULEVARD as well as the show's anniversary of its original West End world premiere opening on July 12, now is an absolutely opportune time to turn back the clock to 1993 and see what precisely makes SUNSET BOULEVARD so spectacular - and muse on some of the major talent that could bring the type of big-time attention that would warrant a major revival of the musical, whether on Broadway, the West End or even the silver screen. Given that the original Billy Wilder film was penned with Gloria Swanson in mind and ultimately became a roman a clef of sorts for the unique star as well as considering the sordid history of original lead Patti LuPone and her odyssey in starring in the show, not to mention the victorious and memorable highs achieved by the leading ladies who have headlined the show - which, post-Close, included Betty Buckley, Rita Moreno, Diahann Carroll, Elaine Paige and more - the role is ripe for a star of epic proportions to introduce one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most acclaimed musicals to a new generation. And, the time is now. The possibilities are virtually endless, but here are some particularly delectable ideas as we begin to consider who would be absolutely ideal for a new Norma Desmond fit for 2015.

The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra will perform Michael Giacchino's breathtaking orchestral score of Star Trek in synch with 2009 blockbuster film Star Trek (PG-13) at the Taft Theatre on Saturday, July 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Sirius XM Radio host & Broadway personality Seth Rudetsky paid a visit to renowned Catskill theater camp French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts this week. Broadway's Mandy Gonzalez joined Seth for an evening full of backstage stories and songs from her Broadway repertoire including Wicked & In The Heights.

Sam Harris, starred on Broadway in The Producers, Grease and The Life. He was also the first ever Grand Champion of TV's Star Search, and joins the star-studded lineup of Broadway @ The Art House on July 24 & 25 for two shows only at 7PM. This will be the first time that Harris is paired with Sirius XM Radio's Seth Rudetsky as interviewer and pianist. Given the pair have known each other for twenty years since the Broadway revival of Grease, the evening should prove to be hilariously entertaining and filled with incredible music. For tickets please visit www.ptownarthouse.com, or call 1-800-838-3006.

Composer Steve Marzullo will premier his song cycle 'To Marz And Back' this Sunday, July 12th as part of The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) concert series this summer.

Inspired by BroadwayWorld.com's Friday Six, welcome to BroadwayWorld Nashville's latest installment of The Friday Five: five questions designed to help you learn more about the talented people you'll find onstage throughout the Volunteer state. Today, we introduce you to Philip Boston, who Friday night makes his debut as Mark in PACT's embattled production of Rent in Tullahoma.

Women's Voices Theater Festival organizers today announced that First Lady of the United States of America Michelle Obama will serve as Honorary Chair of the Women's Voices Theater Festival, which unites more than 50 professional theater companies in the nation's capital region, September through October 2015. She joins a prestigious group of theater artists and advocates on the Honorary Committee supporting the Festival's mission to celebrate the work of women in theater. Additionally, eight ancillary events sponsored by The Washington Post have been announced during the Festival, to be hosted by the seven originating theaters-Arena Stage, Ford's Theatre, Round House Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Signature Theatre, Studio Theatre and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company-along with Festival participant Theater J.

GFour Productions, winners of 54 Drama Desk and 44 Tony Awards, today announced the cast of leading ladies for the Memphis production of the international hit show Menopause The Musical, which will play the Orpheum Theatre for 3 performances, August 1-2, 2015. Tickets are available for purchase online at the official Orpheum Theatre website, www.orpheum-memphis.com, The Orpheum Box Office (901.525.3000), the ticket counter at The Booksellers at Laurelwood, and all Ticketmaster centers (901.743.ARTS).

Today in 2011, the first Broadway revival of Master Class opened at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, where it ran for 67 performances. Master Class is a play by Terrence McNally, which opened on Broadway on November 15, 1995 at the John Golden Theatre, where it ran for 598 performances. The original cast included Zoe Caldwell, Audra McDonald, Karen Kay Cody, David Loud, and Jay Hunter Morris. Caldwell and McDonald won Tony Awards for their performances in 1996. Tyne Daly starred as Callas in a summer 2011 revival of the play at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

Up-and-coming composer Adam Gwon recently spoke with BroadwayWorld about his musical ORDINARY DAYS, the 100th production and Utah premiere of which will be staged by Utah Repertory Theater Company from July 10 to 26 at the Sugar Space Studio Theater in Sugar House.

Happy Birthday Audra McDonald! The actress earned three Tony Awards by the age of 28 - for her performances in Carousel, Master Class, and Ragtime. She was nominated for another Tony Award for her performance in Marie Christine before she won her fourth in 2004 for her role in A Raisin in the Sun. She reprised her Raisin role for a 2008 television adaptation, earning her a second Emmy Award nomination. Her first Emmy nod came in 2001 for her performance in HBOs Wit. Fans of the small screen also recognize McDonald from her work on ABC's Private Practice. She most recently starred on Broadway in Porgy and Bess and Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill- she won Tony Awards for both performances.