Casey Nicholaw News

Hundreds of thousands of theatregoers and fans weighed in, breaking site traffic records (including last year's record breaking tally) and further solidifying the BroadwayWorld.com Awards place as the largest and most popular online Broadway polling event of its kind, open to all and with fully visible and audited results. So, who what shows, performers and creative teams were the favorites of the theatregoing public? Let's find out...

This week's cover of Newsweek Magaine (dated June 13 and 20) features a cover story profile on Mormon presidential candiate Mitt Romney. The cover art, emulates the show poster for the hit Broadway show - THE BOOK OF MORMON.

The Drama Desk Awards ceremony was hosted by Harvey Fierstein on May 23 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan Center. This year, for the first time, a 90-minute Highlights Special of the Drama Desk Awards Ceremony will be televised nationally on OVATION, the national cable network dedicated to presenting creative arts programming to national TV audiences. The ceremony will be given two primetime broadcasts plus four other airings between June 4 and June 19, 2011.

Voting opened on May 5, 2011 and runs through June 3, 2011 for the 9th Annual BroadwayWorld.com Awards! Here are the current standings as of 6/3

An alum of Encores! and the 'Chorus Line' and 'Color Purple' tours, Anthony makes his B'way debut in the hit revival.

Last week on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,' BOOK OF MORMON star and Tony Award nominee Andrew Rannells stopped by to hit some high notes with Jimmy and Ed Helms. Afterwards, he stuck around to answer some questions from fans via twitter. Click below to hear him talk about averything from goofing lyrics on stage to his favorite cereals!

The 5th Avenue Theatre is thrilled to announce casting for the highly anticipated premiere of Disney's Aladdin, a new stage musical. The show will feature Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed as Aladdin and Jasmine, James Monroe Iglehart as the Genie, and Seattle mainstay Seán G. Griffin as the Sultan. Jonathan Freeman takes the stage to embody the role he originally voiced for the film, the Royal Vizier Jafar. He is joined by comedic favorite Don Darryl Rivera as Iago. Aladdin restores a trio of characters originally conceived by the film's creators: Omar, Babkak, and Kassim, played by Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Brian Gonzales, and Brandon O'Neill, respectively. Broadway's Casey Nicholaw will direct. With book by Chad Beguelin and hit songs including 'Friend Like Me,' 'Prince Ali,' and the Oscar-winning 'A Whole New World' by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, Aladdin will enchant audiences of all ages.

THE BOOK OF MORMON has been nominated for 14 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and is the winner of the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, five Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, Best Music (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Lyrics (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Director (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker) and Best Orchestrations (Larry Hochman, Stephen Oremus), four Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Actor in a Musical (Josh Gad) and Best Director (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker) and the Drama League Award for Best Musical. The show's cast and creators were featured on 'CBS Sunday Morning' on May 29. Click below to check it out!

Voting opened on May 5, 2011 and runs through June 3, 2011 for the 9th Annual BroadwayWorld.com Awards! Here are the current standings as of 5/30

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, May 29, 2011 - Sunday, May 29, 2011.

Casey Nicholaw, co-director, choreographer and Tony nominee for THE BOOK OR MORMON, recently sat down with 'Theater Talk' to discuss his switch from performing to directing.

Yesterday, May 26, The Outer Critics Circle honored Broadway's and Off Broadway's best of the 2010-2011 season. BroadwayWorld was on hand at Sardi's for the ceremony and brings you photo coverage below!

Facebook fans of THE BOOK OF MORMON can now listen to a free stream of the Broadway musical's newly released cast recording from Ghostlight Records. Visit THE BOOK OF MORMON on Facebook at facebook.com/TheBookOfMormonOnBroadway. The cast album stream can be found by clicking on 'Cast Album' in the left-hand column. Fans can listen to a stream of the cast album and share it with friends.

On Monday, May 23, Harvey Fierstein hosted the 56th Annual Drama Desk Awards at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan. Matthew Rodrigues was in the winners room for the evening to catch up with the talent, and to figure out what a 'Drama Desk,' well, is. Click below for the theories (and to hear from the winners, too)!

The Original Broadway Cast Recording for THE BOOK OF MORMON, released digitally by Ghostlight Records on May 17, is the fastest selling digital release of a cast recording in history, according to Billboard Magazine. THE BOOK OF MORMON's cast recording was the #6 digital download of the week. Ghostlight Records will release the CD for THE BOOK OF MORMON on Tuesday, June 7, featuring a booklet which includes color photos, complete lyrics and liner notes by Frank Rich.

Last night on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,' BOOK OF MORMON star and Tony Award nominee Andrew Rannells stopped by to hit some high notes with Jimmy and Ed Helms. Click below to check out the video!

Michael Riedel reports in the New York Post this morning that The Book of Mormon's Andrew Rannells will perform the song 'I Believe' for the Tony Awards ceremony. This was reportedly a plan B for the production, which had wanted to open the telecast by knocking on the doors of nominated celebrities in character, hitting up Neil Patrick Harris last who would also emerge as a Mormon. This idea, according to Riedel, was reportedly nixed and Harris will simply open the show with a musical medley instead.

Last night, May 23, the 2011 Drama Desk Awards Ceremony took place at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan. The Book of Mormon, Anything Goes, War Horse and The Normal Heart were the night's big winners, with favorites Sutton Foster, Norbert Leo Butz, Bobby Cannavale, Frances McDormand, Laura Benanti, John Larroquette, Brian Bedford and Edie Falco taking home the evening's top performance honors. The Awards ceremony was hosted by Harvey Fierstein. BroadwayWorld was there in the winners press room, of course, and brings you celebratory coverage below!

Last night, May 23, the 2011 Drama Desk Awards Ceremony took place at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan. The Book of Mormon, Anything Goes, War Horse and The Normal Heart were the night's big winners, with favorites Sutton Foster, Norbert Leo Butz, Bobby Cannavale, Frances McDormand, Laura Benanti, John Larroquette, Brian Bedford and Edie Falco taking home the evening's top performance honors. The Awards ceremony was hosted by Harvey Fierstein. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the evening's starry opening red carpet and brings you Part 1 of our complete photo coverage below!

The Awards ceremony, hosted by Harvey Fierstein took place last night at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan Center! BroadwayWorld was updating the winners list live throughout the evening. Stay tuned for full coverage!