Brooks Atkinson News

Broadway In Chicago is proud to present GREASE, the classic musical that has made generations of audiences root for Sandy and Danny's lighting romance. Tickets are now available for Chicago audiences to bop and jive with the Pink Ladies and the T-Birds at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University during a limited engagement January 6 - 18, 2009. After spending a hopelessly devoted summer with Sandy Dumbrowski (Emily Padgett), the new girl in town, Danny Zuko's (Eric Schneider) world is thrown upside down when Sandy appears at Rydell High on the first day of school. What follows is a rock n' roll celebration of growin' up, cruisin' with friends and goin' steady.

The New Group proudly presents Eugene O'Neill's epic drama Mourning Becomes Electra as the second production in its 2008-2009 season. Directed by Scott Elliott, this production will play a limited Off-Broadway run January 27 - April 18, with Official Opening Night on Thursday, February 19 at 6:00 PM. Headlining a standout cast are Lili Taylor as Christine Mannon, Jena Malone as Lavinia Mannon, Joseph Cross as Orin Mannon, Anson Mount as Brant, Mark Blum as Ezra Mannon, Robert Hogan as Seth. This production will play at The New Group @ Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street) Monday - Saturday @ 7:00 PM and Saturday at 12:00 PM (noon) and features original music by multi-Grammy? Award-winning jazz musician Pat Metheny.

The 2008 Tony Award nominated production of GREASE will play its final performance on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre (256 W 47th Street) on Sunday, January 4, 2009. Upon closing, GREASE will have played 554 performances and 31 previews. The first national tour, starring 'American Idol' winner Taylor Hicks, launched Tuesday, December 2, 2008 at the Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence, RI.

McCarter Theater Center has added new events for 2009. Ben Folds has been scheduled for February 11, 2009 at 8pm. Over the last 15 years, Ben Folds' first-class melodic gifts, irony-laced lyrics, and punk-rock tendency to play piano as if it were a contact sport have earned the North Carolina native a legion of devoted fans of all ages. Kris Kristofferson has been booked for February 27, 2009 at 8pm.

This year will be of particular interest due to the economic situation, which makes the phrase 'more for your hard earned dollar' even harder...

George Street Playhouse begins 2009 with its production of Donald Marguiles' Sight Unseen. When first presented in 1992, the play won the OBIE Award for Best New American Play, was nominated for a Drama Desk, and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. George Street Playhouse Artistic Director will helm the production, slated to run at the New Brunswick theatre January2020 - February 15, 2009. Matthew Arkin, last seen at GSP in their production of Theresa Rebeck's The Scene, leads an ensemble including Heidi Armbruster, Christopher Curry and Kathleen McNenny.

Broadway In Chicago is proud to present GREASE, the classic musical that has made generations of audiences root for Sandy and Danny?s lighting romance. Tickets are now available for Chicago audiences to bop and jive with the Pink Ladies and the T-Birds at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University during a limited engagement January 6 - 18, 2009.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Friday, December 19, 2008.

The producers of ROCK OF AGES announced yesterday that after an extremely successful off Broadway run and the sale of the film rights to New Line Cinema, the new, smash hit musical will transfer to Broadway's Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 256 W. 47th Street, and open on Tuesday, April 7, 2009. Previews begin on Friday, March 20, 2009. Variety is reporting that they might be offering in-seating cocktail service to allow the party feel of the show to truly come alive uptown.

In case this is your first time reading one of my reviews of a Broadway revival of a classic musical, allow me introduce you to my personal prejudice. I completely abhor the now very common practice of revising the book and messing with the score of any musical theatre piece after the authors are deceased. If a composer, bookwriter or lyricist is around to approve of changes, that's swell, but all too often their estates will allow anything from the sparse, but significant, tweaks to South Pacific to the wholesale revisions of The Pajama Game and The Music Man. Even more deplorable is the practice of letting these changes go uncredited, as was done in the three examples just cited, giving audiences no clue that what they are watching is not wholly the musical the original authors wrote.

The producers of ROCK OF AGES announced today that after an extremely successful off Broadway run and the sale of the film rights to New Line Cinema, the new, smash hit musical will transfer to Broadway's Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 256 W. 47th Street, and open on Tuesday, April 7, 2009. Previews begin on Friday, March 20, 2009.

The New Group proudly presents Eugene O'Neill's epic drama Mourning Becomes Electra as the second production in its 2008-2009 season. Directed by Scott Elliott, this production will play a limited Off-Broadway run January 27 - April 18, with Official Opening Night on Thursday, February 19 at 6:00 PM. Headlining a standout cast are Lili Taylor as Christine Mannon, Jena Malone as Lavinia Mannon, Joseph Cross as Orin Mannon, Anson Mount as Brant, Mark Blum as Ezra Mannon, Robert Hogan as Seth. This production will play at The New Group @ Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street) Monday - Saturday @ 7:00 PM and Saturday at 12:00 PM (noon) and features original music by multi-Grammy? Award-winning jazz musician Pat Metheny.

Ashley was a popular finalist on the NBC talent competition series 'Grease: You're the One That I Want.' Ashley's good girl charm and blonde tresses evoked an example of the perfect 'Sandy'. Ashley Spencer came directly from the Broadway company of Hairspray where she starred as 'Amber von Tussle.' She took BWW TV backstage at 'Rydell High' to give us a look at life at Grease!

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey announced its 2009 season of seven Main Stage productions and annual Outdoor Stage production today. 'We had an incredible 2008 season that included a record breaking number of subscribers.' said Artistic Director Bonnie J. Monte. 'I am thrilled to be able to announce an extraordinary 47th Anniversary season that I think will once again thrill our audiences.'

David
 Suchet
 and 
Elizabeth
 McGovern 
will 
join 
Richard
 Dreyfuss
 in 
the world 
premiere 
of 
Joe
 Sutton's 
new 
play 
Complicit 
to
 be 
directed 
by 
Kevin
 Spacey 
in-the-round
 at
 The
Old 
Vic.

Triple Showcase at the West Bank Cafe to Feature Michael Wolff Trio, Creole Jazz Serenaders with Don Vappie, and the Red Clay Ramblers January 10th and 11th. Events are Open to the Public, and Part of APAP Conference as well. Three incredible bands will deliver two nights of top-notch music, with January 10th and 11th showcases at the West Bank Caf? in NYC:

The 2008 Tony Award nominated production of GREASE will play its final performance on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre (256 W 47th Street) on Sunday, January 4, 2009. Upon closing, GREASE will have played 554 performances and 31 previews. The first national tour, starring 'American Idol' winner Taylor Hicks, launched Tuesday, December 2, 2008 at the Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence, RI.

Broadway In Chicago is proud to present GREASE, the classic musical that has made generations of audiences root for Sandy and Danny?s lighting romance. Tickets are now available for Chicago audiences to bop and jive with the Pink Ladies and the T-Birds at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University during a limited engagement January 6 - 18, 2009.

News service WENN reports that Kevin Spacey has enlisted fellow film actor Josh Hartnett to perform at London's 24 Hour Plays Gala. Spacey has assembled an all-star cast to take part in the annual event, which has celebrities tackle the task of rehearsing and performing six new plays in just 24 hours.

Oscar-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss is to star in the world premiere of Joe Sutton' s new play Complicit to be directed by Kevin Spacey in-the-round at The Old Vic.