Bob Avian News

Bob has a new book just released, titled DANCING MAN: A Broadway Choreographer's Journey, written with Tom Santopietro, no lightweight himself, a member of our industry and a longtime friend. And, as you'll learn, Peter Pileski, Avian's husband and partner for 35 years, right there, with guidance, support and plenty of suggestions.

This episode of Broadway Rewind takes you to the opening night celebration of the new production of Michael Bennett's Pulitzer Prize winning musical A Chorus Line. But we start things off at a rehearsal for the one night only Actors Fund Benefit of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, which starred Emily Skinner as Miss Mona and Broadway's original 'Annie' herself, Andrea McArdle as Doatsey Mae. McArdle told BroadwayWorld's own Richard Ridge about her take on the role and her song, 'She reminds me a little bit of that Mabel Normand character. Doatsey Mae is very smart. If it wasn't for that Chicken Ranch in town, she would have been a happening girl. She's overshadowed by all of this tardiness in this tiny little town, (and the song), is a heartbreaking number. It's sweet and a great country number.

The Wick Theatre will present A Chorus Line, the iconic celebration of the Broadway's unsung heroes. The groundbreaking, Pulitzer Prize-winning show made its debut 45 years ago setting a new standard on Broadway. Filled with universal stories, hit songs and dazzling dancing, it remains as relevant, poignant and explosively entertaining as ever.

Casting for Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed new production of Boublil and Schönberg's legendary musical MISS SAIGONa?"a smash hit in London, Broadway and across the UKa?"has been announced for its highly anticipated engagement in West Palm Beach at The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts from March 3 a?" 8. To purchase tickets, visit kravis.org, call 561.832.7469 or visit the Box Office. Ticket prices start at $48.

Tony and Olivier Award-winning Bob Avian's dazzling life story, Dancing Man: A Broadway Choreographer's Journey, is a memoir told in three acts.

The tour of MISS SAIGON is a heartbreaking, epic, sensational production of a problematic show. Restaging MISS SAIGON in 2020 feels more unsteady than it might have 30 years ago. All in all, MISS SAIGON brings devastating, gritty realism to some problematic events. While the show's writing may feel dated at times, the production values and performances are first class, and I'm grateful to OKC Broadway for bringing in these tours of the highest caliber.

Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed new production of Boublil and Schönberg's legendary musical MISS SAIGON-a smash hit in London, Broadway and across the UK-will go on sale Friday, December 13 at 10 a.m. for its highly anticipated engagement at the Fox Cities P.A.C. for one week only February 18-23.

 There has never been a better time for a musical theatre fan to watch Ice Dance!

Complete creative team has been announced for Annie at New Bedford Festival Theatre, which begins its limited engagement at the Zeiterion Theatre on July 24th, 2020. Diane DiCroce will direct the production, which will have choreography by Andrew Winans.

30 years after its stage debut, experiencing MISS SAIGON nowadays exposes just how outdated and out-of-touch it is with our increasingly diverse world view. The musical's original production---which first debuted in the West End in 1989 before transferring to Broadway in 1991---became a global hit despite some loud, very understandable controversy. Most audiences, however, ignored the accusations of orientalism, misogyny, and white-washing and instead focused on the show's epic melodrama and theatrical splendor, much of it powered by the lush music of Claude-Michel Schönberg and the lyrics by Alain Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. The show continues at Orange County's Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa through October 13, 2019.

Casting for Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed new production of Boublil and Schönberg's legendary musical MISS SAIGONa?"a smash hit in London, Broadway and across the UKa?"has been announced for its highly anticipated engagement in Salt Lake City at the Eccles Theater for one week only, October 15-20, 2019. To purchase tickets, visit Broadway-at-the-Eccles.com, call 801-355-ARTS (4787) or visit the box office at 131 South Main Street. Ticket prices start at $40 plus fees.

Casting for Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed new production of Boublil and Schönberg's legendary musical MISS SAIGONa?"a smash hit in London, Broadway and across the UKa?"has been announced for its highly anticipated engagement at Portland's Keller Auditorium for one week only.

Casting for Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed new production of Boublil and Schönberg's legendary musical MISS SAIGONa?"a smash hit in London, Broadway and across the UKa?"has been announced for its highly anticipated engagement at Seattle's Paramount Theatre for one week only.

Now onstage at Clarksville's Roxy Regional Theatre, in a production that is respectful of the material and with emotions reverberating through a heart so true that one is likely to be caught up in a very particular moment in theatrical time, A Chorus Line resonates as deeply in 2019 as it did in 1975.

Director Julie Kramer and choreographer Jessica Hartman have stayed true to the 1975 vision, but also managed to make it more energetic and faster paced. The dancers often seem to defy gravity and levitate during numbers, and it's all gorgeously staged and executed.

Casting for Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed new production of Boublil and Schönberg's legendary musical MISS SAIGONa?"a smash hit in London, Broadway and across the UKa?"has been announced for its highly anticipated engagement at San Jose's Center for the Performing Arts (255 S. Almaden Blvd., San Jose). 

Cameron Mackintosh announced today that Ellie Fishman will assume the role of 'Ellen' beginning on September 24, 2019 at ASU Gammage in Tempe, AZ in his acclaimed new production of Boublil and Schönberg's legendary musical MISS SAIGON-a smash hit in London, Broadway and across the UK-now on North American Tour.

Clarksville's oldest professional theatre is high-stepping into Season 37 of live entertainment on the corner of Franklin and First in Historic Downtown Clarksville with a stunning concept musical capturing the spirit and tension of a Broadway chorus audition.

A five, six, seven, eight! The legendary original production of A Chorus Line celebrates the 44th anniversary of its opening night this week. In honor of the occasion, we're looking back at the opening of the show's revival featuring Tony Yazbeck, Jason Tam, Charlotte d'Amboise, and more! Check out the video to see what the show's cast did for love!

On this day, we celebrate the life and legacy of legendary Broadway choreographer and director, Michael Bennett, who passed away from complications from AIDS on this day in 1987.