Billy Wilder News

I grew up listening to the music and lyrics of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and I've always had a warm spot in my heart for their tuneful pop confections. So, it was with a considerable amount of anticipation that I looked forward to getting a chance to see a production of their 1968 hit PROMISES, PROMISES, which combines their songs with a funny and touching script by master comedy scribe Neil Simon (a rare adaptation by the finicky writer of I.A.L. Diamond and famed film director Billy Wilder's original screenplay from their Oscar-winning film, The Apartment). Stages St. Louis has put together a stunning production that completely captures that swinging 60's vibe. An exceptional cast and sparkling direction combine to make this a must-see event.

Today, July 21, PROMISES, PROMISES celebrates its 100th performance on Broadway. BroadwayWorld was on hand to capture stars Sean Hayes, Kristin Chenoweth, Tony Award winner Katie Finneran, Tony Goldwyn, and Dick Latessa host a champagne toast to their successful run so far. See below for photo coverage!

PROMISES, PROMISES and MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET will hold special performances to benefit the Actors Fund.

Get ready for your close-up! The Ogunquit Playhouse is the first fully staged Regional theatre in the nation to produce an all new production of Sunset Boulevard starring Stefanie Powers as Norma Desmond, July 28 through August 14, complete with the Tony Nominated costumes by the Academy Award winning designer, Anthony Powell and an all new set designed exclusively for the Ogunquit stage by Todd Ivins.

The Stages St. Louis production of PROMISES,PROMISES will be produced and presented from the original script and score that premiered on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in 1968. Adapted from Billy Wilder's 1960 Oscar-winning film The Apartment, PROMISES,PROMISES focuses on a rising executive, Chuck Baxter, who tries to curry favor with his superiors by letting them borrow his apartment for romantic trysts. Set in the Mad Men era of Manhattan's Madison Avenue, Promises, Promises remains slick, hip and timeless. With its propulsive score, eye-catching dances, dazzling designs, and laugh-out-loud hilarity, PROMISES,PROMISES is a show you will long carry in your heart.

On Friday, July 16th, BURLESQUE-A-PADES will kick off a 15 city Summer tour with a performance at Coney Island's Burlesque At the Beach! It will mark the first time in two years since the PONTANI SISTERS have performed as part of the BURLESQUE AT THE BEACH SERIES.

On December 1, 1968, Promises, Promises, the musical version of Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond's The Apartment, opened at the Shubert and took Broadway by storm. The show was such a breath of fresh air, with its hilarious book by Neil Simon, and pop-sounding and brilliant score by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. When that overture began, you knew the sound of Broadway had just changed forever - it was electric in the best way.

Every Thursday in July, Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, is hosting 'Girls' Night Out' at the hit musical comedy SUGAR. Enjoy a summer evening with friends for a special $100 four-pack rate which includes

New Village Arts Theatre announces the opening of its TENTH SEASON of producing Ensemble-driven theatre! George Axelrod's classic American comedy THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH opens the season in high style with Equity Actor and Ensemble Member Daren Scott as Richard Sherman, a 1950's advertising man who sends his wife and son off to the beach for summer vacation and is left alone in his New York City apartment with an overactive imagination.

The Stages St. Louis production of PROMISES,PROMISES will be produced and presented from the original script and score that premiered on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in 1968. Adapted from Billy Wilder's 1960 Oscar-winning film The Apartment, PROMISES,PROMISES focuses on a rising executive, Chuck Baxter, who tries to curry favor with his superiors by letting them borrow his apartment for romantic trysts. Set in the Mad Men era of Manhattan's Madison Avenue, Promises, Promises remains slick, hip and timeless. With its propulsive score, eye-catching dances, dazzling designs, and laugh-out-loud hilarity, PROMISES,PROMISES is a show you will long carry in your heart.

Why watch a movie at home when you can celebrate cinema the way it was meant to be seen! This August, the Palace Theatre will once again play host to screening classic cinema from Hollywood's Golden Era of the 1930's through the special effects laden 1980's!

Stefanie Powers to Star as Norma Desmond in Ogunquit Playhouse Production of Sunset Boulevard The Ogunquit Playhouse announces that the legendary star of stage and screen Stefanie Powers will portray Norma Desmond in this summer's production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's International sensation Sunset Boulevard on stage July 28 through August 14.

Yesterday, June 24, Sean Hayes, Kristin Chenoweth, Tony Goldwyn, Katie Finneran and Dick Latessa hosted a special 'Talk Back' and Q&A sessions as well as a CD signing in celebration of the new Broadway cast recording of Promises, Promises at Barnes and Noble in Lincoln Triangle. The Cast album is available now via online and retail outlets. BroadwayWorld was on hand to capture the event and brings you coverage below.

Local Equity Principal Auditions (EPAs) for Pioneer Theatre Company's 2010-2011 Season will be held on Friday, June 25th, 2010. Auditions are for actors ages 18 and up. Audition time slots are from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. If these slots are 75% filled in advance, additional time will be made available.

The new Broadway Cast Recording of PROMISES, PROMISES was released nationwide physically and digitally on June 22, 2010 and is produced by Grammy Award winners David Caddick and David Lai. For the first time in over forty years PROMISES, PROMISES returns to the stage starring Emmy Award winner Sean Hayes and Tony and Emmy Award winner Kristin Chenoweth. Directed and choreographed by Tony and Emmy Award winner Rob Ashford, this new production of PROMISES, PROMISES, with Neil Simon's funny and touching book and Burt Bacharach and Hal David's hit-packed score, opened at the Broadway Theatre Sunday, April 25, 2010.

Promises, Promises Sean Hayes, Kristin Chenoweth, Katie Finneran, Tony Goldwyn, and Dick Latessa will be at Barnes & Noble on June 24 at 5PM for a performance and CD signing of the new Promises, Promises Cast Recording.

Yesterday, June 22, Sean Hayes, Kristin Chenoweth, Tony Goldwyn, Katie Finneran and Dick Latessa hosted a special 'Talk Back' and Q&A sessions as well as a CD signing in celebration of the new Broadway cast recording of Promises, Promises (available now via online and retail outlets. BroadwayWorld was on hand to capture the event.

MASTERWORKS BROADWAY proudly announces the upcoming release of the New Broadway Cast Recording of PROMISES, PROMISES. The recording is available nationwide physically and digitally on June 22, 2010 and is produced by Grammy Award winners David Caddick and David Lai. For the first time in over forty years PROMISES, PROMISES returns to the stage starring Emmy Award winner Sean Hayes and Tony and Emmy Award winner Kristin Chenoweth. Directed and choreographed by Tony and Emmy Award winner Rob Ashford, this new production of PROMISES, PROMISES, with Neil Simon's funny and touching book and Burt Bacharach and Hal David's hit-packed score, opened at the Broadway Theatre on Sunday, April 25, 2010.

Three films on CAPA's 2010 Summer Movie Series at the Ohio Theatre will offer audio description for visually impaired patrons at no extra charge. Audio description allows visually impaired theatre-goers to hear a scene-by-scene narration of the on-screen action while they listen to movie dialogue.

Following the resounding success of RAGTIME, Drury Lane Theatre continues their celebration of ‘the year of the Director' with Jim Corti's dazzling production of the musical comedy SUGAR which previewed at Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, on June 3, and opened June 12 at 8:30 p.m. and runs through August 1.