Benjamin Schrader News

Rory O'Malley has announced on his Facebook page today that he will be exiting the Tony-award winning musical BOOK OF MORMON. According to the post, his last performance will be on Sunday, January 27th.

In the words of EVITA's Max von Essen, 'Holy ?#SIP? it's Saturday!!!', and that means its time for BroadwayWorld's 'Saturday Intermission Pics' round-up! Today's photos feature EVITA's Michael Cerveris and Ricky Martin with an Saints tribute, a hilarious parody of The Lord of the Rings from BOOK OF MORMON and some face-time with Jared Gertner on tour, BRING IT ON's muscular men's ensemble, the usual antics from NEWSIES, a NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT bridal shower, a first SIP for CHAPLIN (now in previews), farewell SIPs from MAMMA MIA!'s national tour, a first and last SIP from SISTER ACT, the swings of PORGY AND BESS, Goodspeed's CAROUSEL and much more!

As first reported exclusively by BroadwayWorld, ANASTASIA - A New Musical is being brought to the stage in a 29-hour reading, which entered rehearsals last week, based on the hit 1997 animated motion picture from Fox Animation Studios. The musical, which is in its early stages of development, will feature the five songs from the film along with fifteen new songs written for the stage. Joining the creative team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty will be bookwriter Terrence McNally and music director Ben Cohn. Joining the previously announced cast is Kelli Barrett in the title role of Anya (Anastasia). Patrick Page once again dons the role of the villain, Vladimir. Angela Lansbury will reprise her role from the film as the Empress Maria, and Aaron Tveit will play Dimitri.

Tony Award-Nominated 'Smash' star Brian d'Arcy James will star in a closed developmental reading of playwright/composer Asa Somers' new rock musical, Something As Big As This, July 2. The star-studded cast includes Emma Hunton (Rent, Spring Awakening), Jenn Colella (Urban Cowboy, High Fidelity), Preston Sadleir (Next to Normal), Kingsley Leggs (Sister Act, Color Purple), Benjamin Schrader (Book of Mormon, Avenue Q), Wayne Duvall (Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, O Brother, Where Art Thou?), F. Michael Haynie (Carrie, Dogfight), Jared Zirilli (Lysistrata Jones, Wicked), Dennis Holland (The Music Man), Elyse Knight, Naama Potok and Broadway and screen veteran Joyce van Patten.

Tony Award-Nominated 'Smash' star Brian d'Arcy James will star in a closed developmental reading of playwright/composer Asa Somers' new rock musical, Something As Big As This, July 2. The star-studded cast includes Emma Hunton (Rent, Spring Awakening), Jenn Colella (Urban Cowboy, High Fidelity), Preston Sadleir (Next to Normal), Kingsley Leggs (Sister Act, Color Purple), Benjamin Schrader (Book of Mormon, Avenue Q), Wayne Duvall (Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, O Brother, Where Art Thou?), F. Michael Haynie (Carrie, Dogfight), Jared Zirilli (Lysistrata Jones, Wicked), Dennis Holland (The Music Man), Elyse Knight, Naama Potok and Broadway and screen veteran Joyce van Patten.

Tony Award nominee Josh Gad has confirmed on Twitter that his final performance in Broadway's THE BOOK OF MORMON will be tomorrow afternoon's fan performance, June 6.

Do you ever wonder what your favorite Broadway, Off-Broadway, National Tour and regional stars are doing during intermission? Thanks to NEWSIES' Andrew Keenan-Bolger (@KeenanBlogger), dedicated performers and excited fans, now you can see for yourself.

THE BOOK OF MORMON opened one year ago tonight on, Thursday, March 24, 2011 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre to RAVE reviews. Here's a look back at the cast and creative team at the opening night after party at Gotham Hall in New York City!

THE BOOK OF MORMON, winner of nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, will celebrate its first anniversary on Broadway on March 24. In celebration of the show's first year on Broadway, the production today announced a free fan performance, which has been scheduled for Wednesday, June 6 at 2:00 PM, for entrants of the show's wildly popular ticket lottery.

THE BOOK OF MORMON's Tony nominee Josh Gad just visited 'Chelsea Lately' last night, March 13, where he chatted about starring in the hit musical, being mistaken for John Belushi, and more. Click below to check out the full interview!

THE BOOK OF MORMON with book, music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone, revovles around two Moromn missionaries whose faith get tested as they find themselves in far-way Uganda. In the hilarious video below, the musical gets a makeover with a Jewish twist- titled 'The Book of Purim.' Click below to check out the spoof!

Today, The Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye reports that THE BOOK OF MORMON will open at the Prince of Wales Theatre in March of 2013. Casting is set to begin shortly in the UK.

The 2012 Grammy Awards were last night, and the nominees for 'Best Musical Theater Album' were THE BOOK OF MORMON, ANYTHING GOES, and HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING. This year's winner was THE BOOK OF MORMON, and you can check out the acceptance speech from Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Stephen Oremus below!

The 2012 Grammy Awards are tonight, and the nominees for 'Best Musical Theater Album' were THE BOOK OF MORMON, ANYTHING GOES, and HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING.

Well, we went straight to the source and in a joint statement, Scott Rudin and Jordan Roth said, 'We're longtime partners and good friends and have always had a great relationship. The Book of Mormon is a very happy tenant with a very happy theatre owner.'

THE BOOK OF MORMON's original principal cast, Josh Gad, Andrew Rannells, Nikki M. James, Rory O'Malley, Michael Potts, along with Lewis Cleale and Brian Tyree Henry, have extended their contracts with the Tony Award-winning musical through February 2013. THE BOOK OF MORMON will celebrate its first year on Broadway on February 24, 2012.

There's been speculation since it opened on Broadway that the undeniable hit THE BOOK OF MORMON would be headed for a West End debut. The Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye reports today that THE BOOK OF MORMON is indeed headed for London - and will move into the Prince of Wales Theatre in early 2013.

National Public Radio's "Fresh Air," hosted by Terry Gross, will rebroadcast their interview with THE BOOK OF MORMON's co-authors Trey Parker and Matt Stone on tomorrow's show, Friday, December 30.

GOP candidate Mitt Romney, who is currently busy preparing for the 2012 election and also happens to be a Mormon, recently told the New York Times that he wants to see Broadway's THE BOOK OF MORMON. Romney told NYT: "I actually encouraged the guys that did that play, 'The Book of Mormon,' because I thought that'd be really helpful." He continued, "I do want to see it, sure," he said. "It's a Tony-award winner, big phenomenon - yeah, I want to see it someday. But I don't have a lot of time for Broadway shows."

Tony nominee and 'The Book of Mormon' star Josh Gad, who is a regular correspondent at 'The Daily Show' stopped by last night where he took art in a scit about the history of Christmas. Click below to check it out!