Bartlett Sher News

THE KING AND I with two Annas and one King!

The Metropolitan Opera's production of Otello will no longer be performed with its leading character in blackface.  The Met released the following statement:

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, presents DEAR EVAN HANSEN. The original musical, featuring a score by Tony Award nominees Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (Broadway's A Christmas Story, The Musical; Dogfight), a book by Steven Levenson (Masters of Sex) and directed by three-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Broadway's Rent, Next to Normal, If/Then), is a contemporary, intimate story of hope, heartache and the things in life we all need-friends, family and a place to call home. With choreography by Danny Mefford and music supervision, orchestrations and dance arrangements by Tony Award winner Alex Lacamoire, Dear Evan Hansen runs now through August 23, 2015, opening tonight, July 30, in the Kreeger Theater.

The Met season opens with Verdi's masterful Otello, inspired by Shakespeare's play and matching it in tragic intensity. Director Bartlett Sher probes the Moor's dramatic downfall with an outstanding cast: tenor Aleksandrs Antonenko plays the doomed Otello; new soprano star Sonya Yoncheva sings Desdemona, Otello's innocent wife and victim; and baritone Željko Lu?i? plays the evil Iago, who masterminds Otello's demise. Dynamic maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts.

Earlier this month, Jose Llana stepped into the role of the King of Siam in Lincoln Center Theater's Tony Award-winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's The King and I, directed by Bartlett Sher, at the Vivian Beaumont Theater (150 West 65 Street). This marks Llana's second experience in the iconic show, as he made is Broadway debut almost 20 years ago as Lun Tha in the 1996 revival. Llana joins Tony winner Kelli O'Hara for a strictly limited 11-week engagement through Sunday, September 27. Just after he took his first bow on the Vivian Beaumont stage, he checked in with BroadwayWorld to update us on taking on his new role, reuniting with some of his Here Lies Love friends, and so much more. Check out the full interview below!

The marquee for the new FIDDLER ON THE ROOF revival, starring Danny Burstein, is now up! Performances will begin on Thursday, November 12, 2015, with an opening night scheduled for Thursday, December 17, 2015, at The Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway). Rehearsals will start on Monday, September 28, 2015. Check out photos of the marquee below!

Jason Robert Brown's much-loved, though short-lived musical THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, based upon the best-selling novel by Robert James Waller, will soon take its sweeping love story on the road - today, the actors tapped to portray the piece's central love-torn couple have been revealed.

Check out the video below, featuring members of the cast, crew, and team of THE KING AND I lip synching to lip-synch to the iconic tune, 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough.'

Jose Llana just stepped into the role of the King of Siam in Lincoln Center Theater's Tony Award-winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's The King and I, directed by Bartlett Sher, at the Vivian Beaumont Theater (150 West 65 Street). BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at Llana in action below!

THE KING AND I's new king discusses his star turn!

Jose Llana just stepped into the role of the King of Siam in Lincoln Center Theater's Tony Award-winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's The King and I, directed by Bartlett Sher, at the Vivian Beaumont Theater (150 West 65 Street). The actor posted a photo of himself in full costume today, along with the caption 'Hello, Siam,' and you can check it out below!

THE KING AND I honors its new king!

THE KING AND I dances with a new king tonight!

THE KING AND I welcomes a new king tomorrow night!

THE KING AND I prepares to welcome a brand new king tomorrow!

THE KING AND I prepares to welcome a brand new king tomorrow!

Theatre for a New Audience, Founding Artistic Director Jeffrey Horowitz, announces its 2015-16 season, Inimitable Voices, Four plays by Shakespeare and Major American and European authors, at Polonsky Shakespeare Center, 262 Ashland Place.

Des Moines Performing Arts, in partnership with the Des Moines Symphony, is hosting a special guest with Iowa ties at the state's largest single-day concert event. Tonight, July 2, 2015 at the Des Moines Symphony's 22nd annual free Yankee Doodle Pops concert on the Iowa State Capitol's West Terrace, three-time Tony Award®-winning composer JASON ROBERT BROWN will conduct the orchestra in selections from Broadway's THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, for which he wrote the music, lyrics and orchestrations. The musical, winner of the 2014 Tony Award for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations, is famously set in Iowa and will launch its national tour at the Des Moines Civic Center November 28 - December 5.

Producers Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, and Jam Theatricals just announced that Tony nominee JESSICA HECHT (A View From the Bridge, “Breaking Bad,” The Last Night of Ballyhoo) and ADAM KANTOR (The Last Five Years, Next to Normal, Rent) will join the cast of Fiddler on the Roof. Hecht will play the role of Golde and Kantor will play the role of Motel. Further casting will be announced soon.