Brian d'Arcy James News

Looking for a quick roundup of this week's events in the theatre world? Look no further - here are some of the best articles the week had to offer!

Today we are kicking off BroadwayWorld's month-long salute to the 2012 Tony Awards with a clip sure to set even the bleakest, darkest and blandest of nights alight - Liza Minnelli capping off the most spectacular opening number in Tony Awards history, the 2009 Tony Awards opening number, with a little aid from Elton John, Dolly Parton, Sutton Foster, Brian d'Arcy James and many more.

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's ongoing interview series with the stars and creative team of NBC's hit musical drama series SMASH with a Broadway/Hollywood leading man who first made his mark on the stage creating a role in the Tony Award-winning TITANIC after having appeared in BLOOD BROTHERS and CAROUSEL and who has since starred in productions as diverse as SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, NEXT TO NORMAL, SHREK and many more - the jovial and multi-talented Brian d'Arcy James. Discussing all aspects of his role on SMASH as well as cluing us in on what we can expect from Monday's highly awaited season finale, d'Arcy James and I also take a look back at his career onstage thus far and he shares fond recollections of working on TITANIC, SWEET SMELL, SHREK, NEXT TO NORMAL, TIME STANDS STILL and THE WILD PARTY Off-Broadway as well as offers his observations of his collaborators and co-stars in each endeavor. Plus, Brian also reveals his other current TV project: his character arc on Showtime's dramedy THE BIG C, starring his TIME STANDS STILL co-star Laura Linney and previous John Benjamin Hickey, that begins this Sunday and continues through the rest of this month. Additionally, we also discuss his upcoming 54 Below concerts June 26-30 - as well as his thoughtful and candid opinions on some of his favorite songwriters and his own songs. Plus, comments on his film roles in HBO's GAME CHANGE, FRIENDS WITH KIDS, an upcoming short film - and much, much more!

In a follow-up to Part 1 of our in-depth with Brian d'Arcy James, one of Broadway's favorite leading men for nearly two decades, Brian gets candid about his theatrical career, including TITANIC, SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, NEXT TO NORMAL, SHREK, and more. For all of Brian's fans, the star will be taking the stage at the new cabaret venue, 54 Below on June 26, 2012, in his first New York City solo concert appearance. For all of Brian's fans, the star will be taking the stage at the new cabaret venue, 54 Below on June 26, 2012, in his first New York City solo concert appearance. This week-long engagement runs through June 30, 2012. CLICK HERE to re-visit Brian's thoughts on his new concert act and click below to follow him through his celebrated career!

SMASH's Megan Hilty recently visited 'Last Call With Carson Daly' and discussed her role in SMASH, her Broadway debut in WICKED, and more.

In a special two-parter, we bring you an exclusive chat with Smash star and Shrek himself, Brian d'Arcy James, one of Broadway's favorite leading men for nearly two decades. In Part 1, featured below, Brian gets candid about Smash, his early days starring in industrials, and his upcoming concert at the brand new Manhattan performance space, 54 Below. Be sure to tune in soon for Part 2, as Brian takes us through his theatrical career.

Nominations for The 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced on Friday, April 27, 2012 at Feinstein's at Loews Regency by Drama Desk Award winners Brian d'Arcy James and Donna Murphy, with Death Takes a Holiday, Follies and Nice Work If You Can Get It leading the pack. Yesterday, May 8, all of the nominees were celebrated at a special reception and BroadwayWorld was there to capture it all.

On last night's episode of SMASH, viewers finally got their first look at 'Bombshell,' the Marilyn Monroe musical at the heart of NBC's new musical drama. The show opened for a test run in Boston. In the episode entitled 'Previews', the writing team of Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing) scrambled to fix the show when the first preview fell short, and Frank (Brian d'Arcy James) had to adjust to the unwelcome return of Michael Swift (Will Chase) to his life. Dev (Raza Jaffrey) seeked reconciliation with Karen (Katharine McPhee), but explosive information about Ivy (Megan Hilty) lurked just beneath the surface.

"It's always gorgeous when you sing," and so the same goes for NBC's musical drama series SMASH. This week's penultimate episode of the first season order of fifteen gave us a long-awaited real look at the actual production of the musical-within-the-show live onstage in the form of the first Boston preview in the out-of-town tryout of BOMBSHELL. Up until this point, we have only been provided with sporadic glimpses into the mind's eye of the director of the show as he stages and rehearses the various song sequences. With last night's "Previews" episode we got our third major iteration of "Let Me Be Your Star" - following the full-out song at the conclusion of the pilot episode and the subsequent ballad opening number version shown in Episode 2 - with Rebecca Duvall (guest star Uma Thurman) belting it out to mixed results. Mixed results is the kindest way to say that the volatile and kooky movie star character simply does not work in any way as Marilyn Monroe in the bio-musical about her life being created - not physically, tonally and certainly not musically. Croaking out the sumptuous and richly melodic Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman gems that have been specifically created for SMASH's BOMBSHELL - songs dutifully doled out in sparingly small doses of one or two each week - is near-sacrilege when one ponders the talent even on the very same stage; Ivy (Megan Hilty) or Karen (Katharine McPhee) could both kill the role, as wee have seen. So, who will ultimately make it to the stage that now, in the eleventh hour, the star of the show has walked? Of course, the sure-to-be action, drama and music-filled finale to Season One arrives next Monday at the same SMASH place and same SMASH channel - will the Marilyn musical be a bomb or a smash? Will the show even go on at all given the unforeseen obstacles? A lot remains to be answered, but the fever pitch fans and viewers have been yearning for has definitely entered, stage right. Next week we will see who truly sparkles, who really shines - and who ends up exploding.

The new featured song from tonight's episode of NBC's musical drama series 'Smash' (Mondays, 10-11 p.m. ET), is now available from NBCUniversal Television.

Ten schools across the nation have been selected for the second phase (Fall, 2012) of 'NBC's 'Smash': Make a Musical.' The philanthropic initiative, sponsored by NBC's hit musical drama series 'Smash' and administered by iTheatrics' Junior Theater Project, works with under-served schools across the country to stage their own productions and implement self-sustaining theater programs.

Tonight, May 7th at 7pm, WNYC's The Greene Space and Theater Communications Group welcomes Chinglish author DAVID HENRY HWANG.

Two Time Tony Nominee Brian d'Arcy James, who stars on NBC's Smash and is appearing this May on The Big C on Showtime, announced today that he will be performing a week of concerts at the new space 54 Below from June 26 - June 30th.

On next week's episode of SMASH, viewers will finally get their first look at 'Bombshell,' the Marilyn Monroe musical at the heart of NBC's new musical drama. The show will open for a test run in Boston. In the episode entitled 'Previews', the writing team of Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing) scramble to fix the show when the first preview falls short, and Frank (Brian d'Arcy James) must adjust to the unwelcome return of Michael Swift (Will Chase) to his life. Dev (Raza Jaffrey) seeks reconciliation with Karen (Katharine McPhee), but explosive information about Ivy (Megan Hilty) lurks just beneath the surface. Check out 'Gotta Be a Smash' from the episode below!

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: Tony nominees celebrate, Broadway sings Adele, the POPS turns 29, and so much more!

The Tony Awards Film Series will open on Saturday, May 12th with the world premiere of Stephanie Riggs' 'The Standbys.' The Standbys follows actors Ben Crawford (standby for Shrek), Merwin Foard (standby for Gomez in The Addams Family) and Aléna Watters (standby for Anita in West Side Story). Get a first look at the film below!

On this Monday's episode of SMASH, viewers will finally get their first look at 'Bombshell,' the Marilyn Monroe musical at the heart of NBC's new musical drama.

Theatre legend Patti Lupone will open the new nightclub and restaurant 54 BELOW (254 West 54th Street) with a two-week engagement from June 5 - 16. The June entertainment line-up also includes Jackie Hoffman, Mx Justin Vivian Bond and Brian d'Arcy James, as well as late-night lounge entertainment Tuesday - Thursday, a Monday night new composers series, and an informal cocktail hour on Sunday evenings.

Monday, April 30, The New York Pops marked its 29th birthday with a grand gala evening titled 'Journey On' honoring Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Award-winning and Oscar-nominated songwriting team of such renowned Broadway musicals as Ragtime, Once On This Island, Seussical, My Favorite Year, A Man of No Importance, The Glorious Ones and the feature film Anastasia.

Last night's episode of SMASH was full of surprises for the cast and crew of 'Bombshell'. If you missed any of the drama, be sure to catch up now!