Beth Leavel News

N'Kenge, symphony siren and Broadway Diva (Motown: The Musical and Sondheim on Sondheim), is back with Master Pops conductor Jack Everly in "HairSpray : In Concert" at the Baltimore Symphony, Thursday-June 2,2016- 8pm at the Strathmore Theatre, Friday-June 3rd,2016-8pm at the Meyeroff Theatre, Saturday June 4th- 3pm and 8pm at the Meyerhoff, and Sunday-June 5th, 2016- 3pm at the Meyerhoff Hall. 

On June 13th at The Cutting Room in New York City, over a dozen native North Carolina Broadway performers will join renowned composers Stephen Schwartz and Jeanine Tesori for Broadway Voices for NC: a concert and fundraiser aimed at combatting HB2, North Carolina's much publicized 'Bathroom Law'. The evening will feature an array of proud North Carolinians on a mission to celebrate tolerance and acceptance, and prove that #WeAreNotThis. 

Disney Theatrical Productions President Thomas Schumacher and Associate Producer Anne Quart invited the casts of The Book of Mormon, Aladdin, Something Rotten! and Tuck Everlasting to celebrate director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw on the historic occasion of four Broadway shows running simultaneously. BroadwayWorld brings you a look inside the celebration below!

Opera North has announced the principal roles for Tosca, one of its three 2016 mainstage productions. Soprano Sandra Lopez will play the title role of Tosca, while baritones Jeff Gwaltney and Aleksey Bogdanov will play Cavaradossi and Scarpia, respectively. All three are Opera North alumni and have extensive international experience.

Hard to believe, but it's been four years since we sat down with Jeremy Benton, whom we've since referred to as Broadway's Best Tap Dancer every chance we've had, and now it seems as that title has become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Just yesterday, Benton - a native of Springfield, Tennessee - was honored with a nomination for a Fred and Adele Astaire Award in the category for best off-Broadway male dancer, heralding his critically acclaimed role in Cagney, the Musical.

What a thrill it was to hear George Gershwin's opera with the BSO under Maestra Marin Alsop.

N'Kenge (Motown: The Musical, Sondheim on Sondheim), returns to Oklahoma City Philharmonic as a featured soloist to perform in the concert "All That Jazz: A Symphonic Celebration of the Duo Kander and Ebb.' The Philharmonic with conductor Joel Levine will take audiences on a musical journey showcasing the musical genius of this Tony Award Winning Duo featuring songs from their hit shows Cabaret, Chicago, Scottsboro boys and more. N'Kenge will be joined by Tony award winner Beth Leavel, Jersey Boys's Kirsten Scott, Phantom of the Opera's Tedd Keegan and Concert Soloist Ron Remke.

For those of you who have never seen a production of this ode-to-classic-Broadway-musicals-with-a-modern-twist, run to the nearest production to see this campy, clever, and double entendre-filled romp.

Ten Chimneys Foundation has announced Jason Alexander will serve as the Master Teacher for the 2016 Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program, a national program to serve the future of American theatre.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: THE CRUCIBLE and TUCK EVERLASTING bow on Broadway!

The Alliance Theatre, in association with producers Dori Berinstein and Bill Damaschke announced principal casting today for The Prom, the hilarious new musical that will have its pre-Broadway World Premiere at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre in August 2016.

Laura Benanti (Amalia), Zachary Levi (Georg), Gavin Creel (Kodaly), Michael McGrath (Sipos), Jane Krakowski (Ilona) and Byron Jennings (Maraczek) star in Roundabout's new Broadway production of SHE LOVES ME, directed by Scott Ellis, choreographed by Warren Carlyle with musical direction by Paul Gemignani. SHE LOVES ME officially opens tonight, March 17, 2016, and runs through July 10, 2016 at Studio 54 on Broadway. Scroll down to learn more about the company and watch interviews with the cast!

AMERICAN SHOWSTOPPERS, featuring Fred Barton & His Orchestra in 'An Evening with Cole Porter,' took place on Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5 in New York.  The show was produced, orchestrated, conducted and hosted by Fred Barton, with direction and choreography by Scott Thompson. BroadwayWorld has photos from the concerts below!

AMERICAN SHOWSTOPPERS, featuring Fred Barton & His Orchestra in 'An Evening with Cole Porter', stars a cast of today's best Broadway performers. The concerts take place at Pace University's Schimmel Center in New York tonight, March 4 at 7:30 PM and then Kingsborough Community College's 'On Stage at Kingsborough' in Brooklyn tomorrow, March 5 at 8:00 PM.

Tony Award winner Beth Leavel, one of Broadway's brightest stars, will serve as the guest star and co-host for the 17th Annual COLUMN Awards Gala.

Today in 1992, Crazy for You opened at the Shubert Theatre, where it ran for 1622 performances. Crazy for You is a musical with a book by Ken Ludwig, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and music by George Gershwin. Billed as 'The New Gershwin Musical Comedy', it is largely based on the songwriting team's 1930 musical, Girl Crazy, but interpolates songs from several other productions as well. Crazy for You won the 1992 Tony Award for Best Musical. The Broadway production was directed by Mike Ockrent and choreographed by Susan Stroman.The cast included Jodi Benson as Polly, Harry Groener as Bobby Child, Bruce Adler as Bela Zangler, John Hillner as Lank Hawkins, Michele Pawk as Irene Roth, Jane Connell as Mother, and Beth Leavel as Tess.

Broadway stars Lisa Howard (It Shoulda Been You) and John Bolton (A Christmas Story: The Musical) are joining the cast of AMERICAN SHOWSTOPPERS featuring Fred Barton & His Orchestra in 'An Evening with Cole Porter' next month.

Drummer Kenny Hadley is Franklin Performing Arts Company's go-to guy for live music. The company, now celebrating a milestone 25th anniversary, showcases professional musicians for all mainstage productions and presents an ambitious schedule of music series events at THE BLACK BOX, FPAC's new home and performance venue. Hadley's relationship with FPAC goes back to 1995 when the drummer played the debut production of 'Tis the Season!, FPAC's original holiday musical. The company's orchestra contractor since the mid-2000s, Hadley now hires for six FPAC productions annually. At THE BLACK BOX this season, Hadley has played performances ranging from The Addams Family musical and Cabaret Series dates to a reunion gig with the R&B band Soul Kitchen and a Jazz Series presentation with his own critically acclaimed Kenny Hadley Big Band.

Broadway's 40 theatres aren't the only places to catch performances from your favorite stars! Well after Broadway orchestras begin their overtures, ensemble members take their dance breaks, and performers belt out their eleven o'clock numbers, the party continues at various cabaret venues throughout New York City. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you some cabaret highlights for this week as picked by our theatre editors, including: The Songs of Tor & Lisa, ft. Brandon Victor Dixon, and more; New Musicals at 54: Fallout by Kyle Jarrow and Nick Blaemire; Kyle Dean Massey at 54 Below; Jasper In Deadland CD Release Concert; and Broadway Couples Sing I Do! I Do! For Valentine's Day.

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com/Feinsteins or call (646) 476-3551.