Bernadette Peters News

The Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) presents the world-premiere production of Douglas McGrath's play Checkers. CHECKERS, a new play by Douglas McGrath about Richard and Pat Nixon and his landmark "Checkers" speech in 1952, is the first play of the 30th anniversary season at The Vineyard Theatre.

It's time for the newest episode of BWW's exclusive TV series - CHEWING THE SCENERY WITH Randy Rainbow! In this week's episode, Randy sings his own rendition of 'Maybe' from ANNIE, reminisces with Carol Channing about how he spent ANNIE's opening night on Broadway with Bernadette Peters, and more! Click below to watch episode 17!

Annie, the new production of the Tony Award-winning musical, began previews October 3, 2012 and opened last night at the Palace Theatre (Broadway at 47th Street). BroadwayWorld was there for all of the festivities and you can check out coverage from the starry arrivals below!

Today BroadwayWorld is particularly proud to present an exceptionally exciting exclusive byway of this career-spanning chat with two-time Tony Award-winning Broadway legend Bernadette Peters. In this all-encompassing conversation we discuss many aspects of her storied career, with a special focus on her upcoming feature film, COMING UP ROSES, which opens this Friday in NYC - a gritty and uncompromising independent feature offering Peters a searing central role as a struggling actress with a teenage daughter (Rachel Brosnahan) and their shared experiences cohabitating in 1980s era New York City. In what very well could be her finest dramatic performance of the new millennium, Peters does it all in COMING UP ROSES; she even gets to sing in it - the soundtrack features a familiar FIDDLER ON THE ROOF tune, a Kander & Ebb gem and even a stirring original song. Additionally, Miss Peters also sheds some light on her role in Season 2 of NBC's hit musical drama series SMASH. Over the course of the discussion we also look back at her exceptional career on stages and screens large and small, touching upon her theatre work with Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber and what roles of theirs she would consider in the future, as well as her experiences sharing the small screen with stars like Megan Hilty, Anjelica Huston and Carol Burnett and acting on the big screen for Woody Allen in ALICE. Plus, Bernadette gives us a tantalizing glimpse of what we can expect from her role in an upcoming animated feature film co-starring SMASH's Hilty and GLEE's Lea Michele, the highly anticipated DOROTHY OF OZ, and shares her satisfaction with her original, Bryan Adams-penned musical material for the forthcoming film. Yes, indeed, everything is definitely coming up roses today on BroadwayWorld and it's all thanks to the one and only Bernadette!

On April 15, 2013, Virginia's renowned Signature Theatre will honor the multiple Tony Award®-winning Broadway producer and director Harold "Hal" Prince with the company's fourth Stephen Sondheim Award. The award, established in 2009 in honor of America's most influential musical theatre writer and composer, will be presented at a black-tie Gala Benefit at the Embassy of Italy. The Sondheim Award Gala will benefit Signature Theatre's artistic, education, and community programs.

The first 11 o'clock number of the evening came at around 8:05, when Marc Kudisch opened Town Hall's The Best of Broadway By The Year concert by caressing Lerner and Loewe's “If Ever I Would Leave You” with his rich, dramatic baritone and superlative musical acting skills.  It was a very appropriate opening since Kudisch, a regular participant throughout the concert series' twelve-season history, very much represents what these evenings have evolved into; a look at what Broadway could be in a commercially different environment.

Nellie McKay, Cady Huffman, Sean McDermott, and additional guest artists contribute their talents to the public reading of a new play and musical at the William Inge Center for the Arts. The readings are at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. today, Nov. 3 at the William Inge Theatre at Independence Community College, Independence, Kansas.

Tony Award-winning actress Bernadette Peters will perform at the Scottsdale Cultural Council's annual ARTrageous gala on Saturday, Dec. 1, at 8:30 p.m. at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. She will be accompanied by her longtime arranger and musical director, Marvin Laird, and an eight-piece orchestra. Proceeds benefit Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA).

StudentsLive and Japanese Girl Group AKB48 have announced the final Broadway Showcase of FROM TOKYO TO BROADWAY as part of the 2012 Passport to Broadway: Japan program.

According to Newsday, Tony Award nominee and Broadway star Brian d'Arcy James, who is currently starring in the world premiere of the musical Giant at The Public Theater through December 2, will return to NBC's 'Smash' in the premiere episode of season 2 as Debra Messing's husband 'Frank Houston'.

Nellie McKay, Cady Huffman, and Sean McDermott and additional guest artists contribute their talents to the public reading of a new play and musical at the William Inge Center for the Arts. The readings are at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sat. Nov. 3 at the William Inge Theatre at Independence Community College, Independence, Kansas.

Violinist and artistic director Gil Morgenstern's acclaimed Reflections Series continues the 2012-2013 season on Monday, November 19 at 7:30pm with Nacht und Traume, "Night and Dreams." Celebrating five years of innovative programming in its intimate home at WMP Concert Hall (31 East 28th Street, NYC), Morgenstern will be joined by Tony Award Winner Maryann Plunkett and pianist Donald Berman.

Weddington Street Productions in association with Summerwind Productions proudly presents Christmas My Way - A Sinatra Holiday Bash! starring Luca Ellis, Jason Graae, Heather Lee and Beth Malone; directed by David Grapes with musical direction by Vince di Mura. The holiday celebration will be December 15 - December 31, 2012, at the historic El Portal Theatre Mainstage in the NOHO Arts District, North Hollywood, CA.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported the second season of SMASH will include a growing list of high-profile guest stars, including the just-announced Nikki Blonsky of Hairspray, as well as Jesse L. Martin, Jeremy Jordan, Sean Hayes and Jennifer Hudson. Now according to Vulture, Bernadette Peters, who guest starred last season as Ivy's (Megan Hilty) mom, will return in season two. The Broadway favorite will begin filming soon in New York City.

Gray Line New York, New York City's premier double-decker bus, motorcoach and entertainment company, honored iconic duo Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock of Air Supply last Saturday, October 13, as the inaugural inductees for its prestigious Ride of Fame campaign as part of its new chapter, 'Immortal, It, Imminent," or 'Iii." Check out photos of the duo below!

The award-winning J*Company Youth Theatre, a program of the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS, has announced the musical theatre line up for its 20th Anniversary Season.

Broadway's Carols for a Cure, Volume 14, goes on sale Friday, October 19 with the voices of major talents, including Ricky Martin, Chita Rivera, Cyndi Lauper and more.

Due to overwhelming popular demand, the producers of Gerard Alessandrini's brand- new FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: ALIVE AND KICKING have announced the show will be extending its run at the 47th Street Theatre (304 West 47th Street - just west of Eighth Avenue) through April 28th, 2013. The production is co-directed by Phillip George. FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: ALIVE AND KICKING opened on September 6th after a three-year absence from New York.

Viacom brands MTV, VH1, CMT, BET, Logo, TV Land, TeenNick and Paramount Pictures will join the hosts of Good Morning America, the cast of Days of Our Lives, Dianna Agron, Chaz Bono, Pauly D, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, Jenni "JWoww" Farley, Fran Drescher, Paris Hilton, Jimmy Kimmel, Joel McHale, Reba McEntire, Sir Ian McKellen, Maria Menounos, the New York Stock Exchange, hosts of CNBC, Facebook and millions of Americans in 'going purple' for Spirit Day on October 19 in a stand against bullying and to show their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth, GLAAD announced today. The National Basketball Association (NBA), NASCAR Diversity, Major League Baseball (MLB), Major League Soccer and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) will also participate through social media.

Triple-platinum recording artist Aaron Carter, scheduled to complete his run as Matt in The Fantasticks on October 21, 2012, will remain with the production through January 27, 2013. A new block of tickets is now on sale at Ticketmaster.com.