Carmen Ruby Floyd News

Amber Riley ("Glee") joins original cast members Brandon Victor Dixon, Jared Grimes and Adriane Lenox in New York City Center's acclaimed production of Duke Ellington's Cotton Club Parade, returning to City Center for seven performances from November 14-18, 2012. Conceived by Jack Viertel and presented under the auspices of City Center's Tony Award-winning Encores! series, Cotton Club Parade will once again be directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle, with music direction by Jazz at Lincoln Center Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis. The show will feature the Jazz at Lincoln Center All Stars under the direction of Daryl Waters.

Producers of the 2012 Tony Award Winner for Best Revival of a Musical, The Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS, have announced that the show will conclude its limited engagement at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Sunday, September 23, 2012. The show, which had been twice extended, was originally scheduled to end a week later. The new date has been set to make room for the next engagement at the Rodgers, beginning October 4, 2012.

As BroadwayWorld reported yesterday, Audra McDonald, the five-time Tony winning star of PORGY & BESS, will indeed be returning to the show today following a 2-week doctor-mandated hiatus.

A devout theater fan knows no holiday, and thankfully, many of Broadway's most beloved shows and performers nationwide don't either. So what's a theater enthusiast to do on this Independence Day? Check out a sampling of this year's most exciting 4th of July offerings and click below to revisit some of your favorites saluting our nation in song!

Producers of The Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS, the 2012 Tony Award winner for Best Revival of a Musical, announced today that Audra McDonald has been ordered on a period of complete vocal rest by her doctor through the end of the month. As a result of performing with a respiratory infection last week, her vocal cords have become inflamed to a point where she cannot sing. She is scheduled to return to the production on Tuesday, July 3, 2012.

Last night, June 10, Audra McDonald took home her 5th Tony Award for for Best Lead Actress in a Musical for her role of 'Bess' in THE GERSWIN's PORGY AND BESS. Though we'd think she'd be used to the feeling of winning by now, McDonald spoke with BroadwayWorld just moments after her win only to reveal how it still feels 'out of body'. Click below to hear from the Broadway darling herself!

Audra McDonald is the recipient of this year's Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical for her role of 'Bess' in THE GERSWIN's PORGY AND BESS. The award marks McDonald's fifth Tony award win.

THE GERSHWIN'S PORGY AND BESS is this year's recipient of the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.

View members of the cast at yesterday's Barnes & Noble cast recording performance and signing below!

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation presented its annual Born for Broadway benefit, which will take place at the American Airlines Theatre, last night, May 21, 2012. Tony nominated director Marcia Milgrom Dodge (Ragtime) directed alongside Lawrence Yurman (On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, Grey Gardens), who musical directed. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the red carpet and brings you photo coverage below.

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation previously announced that theater and film stars Julie White ("Transformers," "Little Dog Laughed") and Tony Goldwyn ("Ghost," ABC's new hit series "Scandal") would host the third annual Born for Broadway benefit, which takes place at the American Airlines Theatre, 227 West 42nd Street, tonight, May 21, 2012 at 8 PM.

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation has announced that theater and film stars Julie White ("Transformers," "Little Dog Laughed") and Tony Goldwyn ("Ghost," ABC's new hit series "Scandal") will host the third annual Born for Broadway benefit, which will take place at the American Airlines Theatre, 227 West 42nd Street, on Monday, May 21, 2012 at 8 PM.

PS Classics will release the New Broadway Cast Recording of THE GERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS, currently available for pre-order, on May 22. Additionally they are offering a first listen of some of the tracks on their website. Click here to check them out! The full track list is as follows:

The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess is now on Broadway with a cast led by four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald (Ragtime, 'Private Practice') as Bess, Drama Desk nominee Norm Lewis (Les Misérables, Sondheim on Sondheim) as Porgy and two-time Tony nominee David Alan Grier (Race, 'In Living Color') as Sporting Life. In the video below, the audience got a special surprise when the cast welcomed a couple onstage for a heartwarming marriage propsal. Click below to check it out!

The revised book of The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess has been the subject of much discussion since it's debut at A.R.T. last August, and according to Patrick Healy of the New York Times, there is still debate over its Tony eligibility. Last week, when the Tony administration committee made a decision regarding David Alan Grier's eligibility as a featured actor, they 'took no action' with the musical's updated book (by Suzan-Lori Parks and Diedre Murray), thus making it ineligible for a 'Best Book' Tony Award.

Lee Summers' Just A Piano Concert Series celebrates its' sixth year at the Triad Theatre. Since 2006 The Just A Piano Series has presented top artists. The list includes Broadway Stars, such as Roz Ryan, Norm Lewis, Kecia Lewis-Evans, Tituss Burgess, Alton White, Chester Gregory, Shoshana Beane, Julie Reiber, Jerry Dixon, Kevin Anthony, Aisha DaHaas, Carmen Ruby Floyd, Rhett George, Marva Hicks along with Tony Award Winners like Adriane Lenox, LaChanz, Melba Moore and Lillias White, Grammy Winners and Nominees such as Caron Wheeler and Ryan Shaw, guest TV and Film stars such as Mario Cantone and more. Featured pianists include Shelton Becton, Brian Whitted, Zane Mark, Timothy Graphenreed, Michael Mitchell, Jo Lynn Burks, Ray Leslee, Onaje Allen Gumbs and many more! Guest directors have included Tamara Tunie, Leonard Joseph, Leslie Dockery and more!

Gore Vidal's THE BEST MAN opened last night, Sunday, April 1st, 2012 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre for a strictly limited 18 week engagement is directed by Drama Desk Award winner Michael Wilson (The Orphans Home Cycle Part I, II and III, Dividing The Estate). Gore Vidal's THE BEST MAN comes to Broadway in an all-star theatrical event with two time Tony Award winner James Earl Jones, Tony and Emmy Award winner John Larroquette, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Candice Bergen, Emmy Award winner Eric McCormack, Tony Award nominee Kerry Butler, Tony Award winner Jefferson Mays, Drama Desk Award winner Michael McKean and five time Tony Award winner Angela Lansbury. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the arrivals and brings you photo coverage below!

Nikki Renée Daniels, who is currently starring as Clara in The Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS, will release her debut solo recording today, March 27, 2012. Entitled 'Home,' the recording will be available on cdbaby.com and iTunes. The CD features an eclectic mix of gospel, pop and Broadway favorites. For more information and to hear song samples visit www.nikkireneedaniels.com.