Brian d'Arcy James News

Kicking off the plot-packed night, Cole Porter's classic KISS ME, KATE showbiz paean "Another Op'nin', Another Show" was given a full-bodied and exciting rendition by Christian Borle - with a gloriously accentuated arrangement courtesy of SMASH songwriter Marc Shaiman; seemingly channeling Barbra Streisand and Peter Matz - and, with that, the SMASH train left Manhattan and hit Boston for the tryout of the musical-within-the-series, BOMBSHELL. While Rebecca Duvall (Uma Thurman) may play the director of the show, Derek (Jack Davenport), better than she does her actual role in the musical - Marilyn Monroe - she is not the only member of the rich and varied ensemble on SMASH to be playing or being played (or both) - or hitting the occasional wrong note or two. With only two episodes left in Season One, the threads are being wrapped up into what is shaping up to be a pleasingly complex and colorful tapestry.

BC and Columbia Records' soundtrack from the first season of NBC's musical hit SMASH (Mondays, 10-11 p.m. ET) will be released today, May 1.

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY continued its Spring 2012 season with Randie Levine-Miller's "SHOWSTOPPER DIVOS - A SWELL PARTY" on April 29 starring Tony Award nominated actor Stephen Bogardus, Drama Desk Award winner Jim Brochu, Bistro Award winner Nicolas King, star lead singer from The Platters Myles Savage, and acclaimed vocalist/actor Kevin Spiritas.

Today we are talking to one of the biggest new stars on Broadway who first burst onto the scene in HAIRSPRAY but has since carved out a place in the great pantheon of theatre history in creating the iconic lead role of Elder Price in the Broadway hit of the decade, THE BOOK OF MORMON, Andrew Rannells. One among many on the incredibly impressive list of performers at Monday night's NY Pops JOURNEY ON gala at Carnegie Hall celebrating the music and lyrics of Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty, Rannells joins many of the other accomplished Broadway/Hollywood crossover stars of modern Broadway as well as those who predominantly tread the boards. Illustrating his journey with the edgy and ribald musical smash THE BOOK OF MORMOM from workshop to Broadway, the Tony Awards and beyond, Rannells paints the picture of the show's road to success and imparts his effervescent enthusiasm and all too apparent joy to be appearing in such a crowd-pleasing and joyous experience eight times a week. Additionally, Rannells shares his thoughts on the upcoming national tour starring Gavin Creel and whether or not there will be a MORMON film version sooner rather than later. Plus, Rannells gives also us the first look at his 21st century parenting and adoption-themed NBC pilot, THE NEW NORMAL, and outlines the finer points of the story, his character and the themes of the hotly anticipated new single-camera comedy series coming from the creator of GLEE, Ryan Murphy. That, his favorite Ahrens & Flaherty songs, favorite shows, future acting plans, what is currently on his iPod - all of that and much, much more!

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY will continue its Spring 2012 season with Randie Levine-Miller's "SHOWSTOPPER DIVOS - A SWELL PARTY" tonight, April 29 starring Tony Award nominated actor Stephen Bogardus, Drama Desk Award winner Jim Brochu, Bistro Award winner Nicolas King, star lead singer from The Platters Myles Savage, and acclaimed vocalist/actor Kevin Spiritas.

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!

Nominations for the 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced at a news conference this morning by Drama Desk winners Donna Murphy and Brian d'Arcy James. The 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards will take place on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 8:00 PM at The Town Hall in Manhattan. BroadwayWord was on hand for the big announcement and we bring you full photo coverage below!

Nominations for the 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced at a news conference this morning by Drama Desk winners Donna Murphy and Brian d'Arcy James. The 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards will take place on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 8:00 PM at The Town Hall in Manhattan.

On Monday, May 7th at 7pm, WNYC's The Greene Space and Theater Communications Group will welcome Chinglish author DAVID HENRY HWANG.

Earlier today, Drama Desk winners Donna Murphy and Brian d'Arcy James announced nominations for the 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you a chart that illustrates the number of Drama League nominees that were subsequently nominated for Tony Awards. Additionally, we calculated the percentage of eligible nominees that earned Tony Awards in the past five years (discounting off-Broadway nominations). Check out the chances that this years DD nominees have at a Tony nod below!

Today we are talking to one of the busiest choreographers on Broadway who was recently represented by four shows running on the Great White Way simultaneously (a new record) - the long-running hit JERSEY BOYS, Pulitzer Prize-winner NEXT TO NORMAL, multi-Tony Award-winning MEMPHIS and THE ADDAMS FAMILY. His most recent Broadway credit is the new Alan Menken/Glenn Slater musical adaptation of the 90s hit Steve Martin comedy LEAP OF FAITH featuring Broadway superstar Raul Esparza in the lead. In addition to discussing the unique demands of his involvement with the aforementioned new musicals with a pronounced focus on his current project, Trujillo opens up about the process of collaborating with a director and what musical staging is all about at its core, as well as outlining his experiences working with a number of notable names on his impressive assortment of projects so far and taking a look back at his own career as a performer, having previously appeared in GUYS & DOLLS, FOSSE and the film version of CHICAGO among other illustrious resume entries. Plus, Trujillo shares his infectious enthusiasm and passionate dedication to his art and reveals what he will be taking on next after LEAP OF FAITH's opening night, which is tonight - a tryout tour of a screen-to-stage adaptation of the iconic 80s hit FLASHDANCE and an original dramatic musical included. All of that and much, much more!

On Monday night's episode of NBC's musical drama SMASH entitled 'Tech', as Rebecca Duvall (Uma Thurman) gets ready to take center stage when Bombshell goes on the road to Boston, it looks like Ivy may lose Derek once and for all as the production's director looks to continue his track record of bedding his leading ladies. Ivy is overcome with jealous as she sings Rose Royce's 'I'm Goin' Down'. To get a first look at the performance, click here!

Nominations for the 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards will be announced at a news conference on Friday, April 27, 2011, at 9:30 AM at Feinstein's at the Loews Regency, 540 Park Avenue at 61st Street, in Manhattan. Drama Desk winners Donna Murphy and Brian d'Arcy James will announce the nominations in the various categories. Tune in to dramadeskawards.com to watch a live stream of the announcement!

This week on SMASH the show hit its peak insofar as synergy of story, plot, character and music - especially the music. Karen (Katharine McPhee) offered up a touching Snow Patrol cover, "Light Up", but the big musical moments of the show stand alongside the finest on the series so far - at least. Yes, "1001 Nights" and "Second Hand White Baby Grand" were the most captivating musical sequences on the show since the pilot's "National Pastime" and "Let Me Be Your Star", seamlessly weaving together the disparate elements of the series and amplifying the emotion into a heightened, exuberant expression of the character's deepest feelings, thoughts, hopes and wishes - exactly what the best numbers always do in the finest Broadway musicals, which SMASH is ostensibly about, more or less. The eleven episodes leading up to "Publicity" have prepared us perfectly well for the potential plights and victories about to be experienced by the colorful cast of characters as we enter the final triptych of Season One - with this one being a definite standout. Helmed by pilot director Michael Mayer and written by creator Theresa Rebeck, "Publicity" is surefire proof that SMASH has developed into a rewarding experience for the attentive viewers among us - the "1001 Nights" sequence alone so rife with detail pertaining to the entire arc of the character's journey on the show so far; and so much more - and a consistently compelling viewing experience for those seeking out great song sequences done up in a grand style. While the barebones "Second Hand White Baby Grand" was outfitted with merely rehearsal accoutrement, Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty) made her big bid for the role of Marilyn Monroe in the musical-within-the-show and elicited every sentimental, sad, sweet and mournful note of perhaps the finest Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman original ballad yet to appear on the series. Yes, "1001 Nights" was the most extravagant entertainment experience presented thus far on SMASH - as promised by show stars Megan Hilty and Anjelica Huston weeks ago to me themselves - but the heart and soul of the series has always remained in the big ballads - look no further than the pilot's "Beautiful" and aforementioned duet finale coup de tele-theatre - and "Second Hand White Baby Grand" was a stunning moment allowing a soul-barred Marilyn just as the characters begin to find their own new levels of intimacy in their various entanglements - romantic, familial, professional, personal and otherwise. "Publicity" proved SMASH is set to hit high gear for the Boston tryout of BOMBSHELL that will close out the first season over the course of the next three weeks.

Tonight's episode of NBC's musical drama SMASH will be paying homage to 'Bollywood', the colorful movie genre of India. The episode will include an elaborate dream sequence, set to the original song 'A Thousand and One Nights' written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. The dream stems from the strained relationship between Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Dev (Raza Jaffrey). Reveals series creator Theresa Rebeck, 'They have dinner in an Indian restaurant and there are Bollywood numbers playing in the videos on the wall.' Check out the full musical number below!

Today in 1997, Titanic opened at the Lunt-Fonatnne Theatre, where it ran for 804 performances. Titanic is a musical with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and a book by Peter Stone that won five Tony Awards including the award for Best Musical. Titanic is set on the ocean liner RMS Titanic which sank on its maiden voyage on April 15, 1912. Directed by Richard Jones with choreography by Lynne Taylor-Corbett, the cast included John Cunningham, David Garrison, Larry Keith, Alma Cuervo, Michael Cerveris, Victoria Clark, and Brian d'Arcy James.

54 BELOW, the nightclub and restaurant announced earlier this year, today confirmed additional bookings at the new space located at 254 West 54th Street. Taking the 54 BELOW stage will be world famous Tony Award winners, recording artists, as well as new talent from the New York and Broadway stage.

Thanks to the efforts of a cast of high school students under the direction of their artistic mentor Paula Y. Flautt (who's the fine arts director at CPA), I have to admit that Carousel is my favorite musical. It's always been my favorite among all the musical masterpieces created by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, but I found myself so completely moved, so thoroughly enchanted by the production in CPA's Events Center (where it continues through Saturday evening)-which boasts stellar production values, an amazing live orchestra and a production design that rivals some of the best professional mountings we've seen in Nashville-that Carousel has supplanted Gypsy on my list of all-time favorites.

The April 23rd episode of NBC's musical drama SMASH will be paying homage to 'Bollywood', the colorful movie genre of India. The episode will include an elaborate dream sequence, set to the original song 'A Thousand and One Nights' written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

On the April 23 episode of the NBC musical drama SMASH, Megan Hilty will perform an original song by composers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. The tune is a tribute to Marilyn Monroe's most prized possession, her family's white baby grand piano that was auctioned off after her mother was committed to a psych ward.