Ben Davis News

Rodgers & Hammerstein's THE SOUND OF MUSIC is one of the most oft-produced and popular musicals of all time and this week has welcomed both spectacular news and saddening news regarding the past, present and future of the beloved family-friendly musical. Iconic original leading man Theodore Bikel passed away at the age of 91 earlier this week, forever closing the book on the first man to ever sing 'Edelweiss', one of the score's most beloved gems, not to mention portray Captain Von Trapp in the original Broadway production. Yet, on the horizon looms a brand new national tour of the tuner set to star a brand new discovery named Kerstin Anderson in the role of Maria Von Trapp alongside a fresh-faced cast including Ben Davis, Ashley Brown, Merwin Foard, Dan Tracy and more, all under the direction of Jack O'Brien. Considering the legendary legacy of the beloved title, now is an ideal time to list ten of my personal favorite things pertaining to the rich history of the musical on stages and screens both large and small.

Below, watch as director Jack O'Brien previews what's to come!

In honor of today's big casting announcement for the new brand new national tour of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien, BroadwayWorld introduces you to the star of the production, PACE student Kerstin Anderson! Check out videos from her official YouTube page below!

BroadwayWorld has just learned that casting has been announced for the brand new production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien. This lavish new production launches this September at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, under the auspices of the Center Theatre Group, and will then tour North America for multiple seasons, playing multi-week and week-long engagements.

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.

The Muny announced today the cast for its production of Oklahoma! (August 10 -16) directed by Rob Ruggiero, choreographed by Susan Stroman and music directed by Kevin Stites. Ginger Thatcher will restage Ms. Stroman's choreography.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and Producers Jake McCoy and Ben Davis present THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, a new folk-rock musical, by Jeremiah Parker Hobbs and Jessica DeMaria. There are only two performances of this special event: Saturday, July 25, 3pm, and Monday, July 27, noon, both at The Laurie Beechman Theatre at the West Bank Cafe located at 407 W. 42nd Street, New York, NY  10036.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? This weekend's big news: THE TONY AWARDS! What else?!

The Muny announced today several principal cast members for the seven shows in its spectacular 97th season, which opens on June 15 with My Fair Lady. Full casts and companies will be announced throughout May.

Totem Pole Playhouse, Pennsylvania's premiere summer stock theatre located in Caledonia State Park between Gettysburg and Chambersburg, has announced the casting for the theatre's 65th Anniversary summer season. Included in the casts will be the star of a current, long-running CBS television series, a star from one of the classic TV sitcoms of the 1970s and '80s, a Tony Award-winning, internationally-acclaimed baritone, and a veteran stage actor offering his final performance in his one-man show directed by an Oscar Award-winning director. Franklin County Visitors Bureau is the season's sponsor.

Broadway Pops International (BPI) presents BOHÈME TO BROADWAY with the West Virginia Symphony featuring BPI artists Ben Davis (Kiss Me Kate, Violet), Teri Dale Hansen (The Music Man, The Boys from Syracuse), and Eric Van Hoven (Candide, Masterclass), and maestro Grant Cooper.

Broadway Pops International (BPI) presents BOHÈME TO BROADWAY with the West Virginia Symphony featuring BPI artists Ben Davis (Kiss Me Kate, Violet), Teri Dale Hansen (The Music Man, The Boys from Syracuse), and Eric Van Hoven (Candide, Masterclass), and maestro Grant Cooper.

Scott Siegel's Town Hall series explores the changes a quarter century can make.

The latest edition covered 1941 to 1965, featuring songs from Oklahoma, Carousel, Finian's Rainbow, Kiss Me Kate, The Pajama Game, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Oliver!, Hello Dolly, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and more. BroadwayWorld brings you highlights from the evening below!

The critically acclaimed Broadway by the Year series fifteenth season will bring 100 years of Broadway history in four incredible evenings.

Scott Siegel, creator/writer/host of Town Hall's (123 West 43 Street and 6th Avenue) Broadway by the Year, continues the critically acclaimed series that has been lovingly hailed as a success by Variety,Time Out New York and virtually every other theatrical paper, magazine and internet site in New York City. Over four concerts this season, Broadway by the Year will cover a century of Broadway history with over one hundred musical stars singing (and often dancing!) the songs that made the Great White Way great.

Following the enormous success of the semi-staged performance of My Fair Lady at the Proms in 2012, John Wilson returned to perform Cole Porter's Tony Award-winning musical Kiss Me, Kate last summer. Joining John Wilson and the John Wilson Orchestra, Broadway stalwarts Ben Davis, Alexandra Silber, Tony Yazbeck and West End star Louise Dearman led the cast in an irreverent reworking of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew -- a play within a play. This was the BBC Proms debut for all four performers as they sang the energetic score in its original 1948 arrangement. Check out highlights from the special event below!

Ben Davis sings 'So In Love' from Kiss Me, Kate, performed at the 2014 Proms and broadcast on the BBC over Christmas.

The Idea Fund, a re-granting program administered by DiverseWorks, Aurora Picture Show, and Project Row Houses and funded by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts announces the Round 7 2015 grantees.

BroadwayWorld is excited to continue our exclusive photo coverage of the recording sessions for this year's album with the cast of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, who sing 'A Very GGLAM Christmas.' Check out photos of cast members Jefferson Mays, Bryce Pinkham, Lisa O'Hare, Lauren Worsham and more below!