Chad Kimball News

Today we are talking to a two-time Tony Award winning lyricist and book writer who was responsible for the 2010 Best Musical winner, MEMPHIS, and who has since written the libretto of the Gershwin revue NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET and received a well-earned Tony nomination for his efforts; one of the show's ten nods - Joe DiPietro. In this concluding portion of our conversation, DiPietro and I break down the process of creating NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT and he comments on the starry cast - including Matthew Broderick, Kelli O'Hara, Judy Kaye and Estelle Parsons - and the process of collaboration in bringing the 2012 Tony Awards top nominee to the Broadway stage. Additionally, DiPietro fills us in on the future for THE TOXIC AVENGER and its tentative Broadway plans, as well as the upcoming West End mountings of MEMPHIS and, hopefully, NICE WORK - and, a look ahead to his next David Bryan collaboration, CHASING THE SONG, as well. Plus, a glance back at his work on I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT NOW CHANGE, F*CKING MEN and ALLEGRO and his favorite current pop acts.

Today we are talking to a two-time Tony Award winning lyricist and book writer who was responsible for the 2010 Best Musical winner, MEMPHIS, and who has since written the libretto of the Gershwin revue NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET and received a well-earned Tony nomination for his efforts; one of the show's ten nods - Joe DiPietro. Discussing the finer points of his many musicals with a special focus on the two currently running on Broadway - MEMPHIS and NICE WORK - DiPietro eloquently elaborates on the process of creating both shows and the challenges new musicals these days face on their developmental road to Broadway. Additionally, we discuss Montego Glover, Chad Kimball, Matthew Broderick, Kelli O'Hara, Judy Kaye, Adam Pascal and the many other talented individuals onstage and off who have participated in the two hit productions treading the boards eight times a week. Besides the complete 411 on MEMPHIS in Part I and NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT in Part II, DiPietro also opens up about his new musical endeavor with Bon Jovi and MEMPHIS composer David Bryan, THE TOXIC AVENGER, and its star, Constantine Maroulis - and don't miss my exclusive interview with Constantine all about the most recent Alley Theater iteration of the show, available here. Plus, DiPietro shares fond remembrances of shows past - I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE, F*CKING MEN and ALLEGRO - and future - CHASING THE DREAM - and expresses his infectious enthusiasm for the theatrical arts in general by revealing his early theatre memories, favorite scores and general love for the art form. All of that and much, much more! In Part I, DiPietro and I analyze MEMPHIS and take a step-by-step look at its creation and the development of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical. Additionally, DiPietro shares his theatrical influences and the shows and scores that meant the most to him growing up. Plus, he shares his thoughts on GLEE, SMASH and the new movie musical era.

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) welcomes The Directors Company, in association with Chase Mishkin, Barbara & Buddy Freitag, and Invictus Theater Company, with MURDER IN THE FIRST, written by Dan Gordon and directed by Michael Parva. MURDER IN THE FIRST begins performances tonight, Friday, May 25, for a limited engagement through Sunday, July 1. Check out photos of Chris Kimball, Guy Burnet, Larisa Polonsky and more on stage below!

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) welcomes The Directors Company, in association with Chase Mishkin, Barbara & Buddy Freitag, and Invictus Theater Company, with MURDER IN THE FIRST, written by Dan Gordon and directed by Michael Parva. The production is led by Tony nominee Chad Kimball (MEMPHIS) as Willie. Additional cast members include: Joe Adams, Guy Burnet, Richard Fiske, Anthoula Katsimatides, Darren Kelly, Joe Lawless, Larisa Polonsky, Thomas Ryan and John Stanisci. The show opens tonight,5/25

BROADWAY SESSIONS is described as an evening of musical performances, games and open mic featuring a new Broadway guest each week. The show is created and hosted by Ben Cameron (Wicked, Aida and Footloose) and features musical director Joshua Stephen Kartes on piano.

BROADWAY SESSIONS is described as an evening of musical performances, games and open mic featuring a new Broadway guest each week. The show is created and hosted by Ben Cameron (Wicked, Aida and Footloose) and features musical director Joshua Stephen Kartes on piano.

This week the 2012 Tony Awards Nominations were announced! I always get up early to watch the nominations on NY1; but my favorite part of the noms is the day after, when the nominees meet the press. Here are excerpts from my favorite nominee reactions in recent years.

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) welcomes The Directors Company, in association with Chase Mishkin, Barbara & Buddy Freitag, and Invictus Theater Company, with MURDER IN THE FIRST, written by Dan Gordon and directed by Michael Parva. The production will be led by Tony nominee Chad Kimball Kimball as Willie.

Partial casting was today announced for Dan Gordon's MURDER IN THE FIRST, coming to 59E59 Theaters.

The Buell Theater is set to welcome the national tour of the Broadway hit MEMPHIS, for a limited engagement. The tour will perform for Denver audiences in October, from the 10th through the 21st. More information on the national tour of Memphis can be found at www.memphisthemusical.com. For tickets to the tour's stop in Denver, www.denvercenter.org.

Hockadoo! The 2010 Tony Award winning Best Musical MEMPHIS just celebrated 1,000 performances on Broadway yesterday, March 14th at the 2pm matinee performance. Memphis stars Montego Glover, Chad Kimball, Adam Pascal, Derrick Baskin, James Monroe Iglehart and John Jellison were in attendance, as well as Memphis book and music writers Joe DiPietro and David Bryan, Memphis choreographer Sergio Trujillo, and Rent's Anthony Rapp. BroadwayWorld has your coverage of the event with interviews with past and present stars of Memphis. Watch the video below!

Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW presented BACK TO METHUSELAH:PART TWO - a comedy of epic proportions by George Bernard Shaw - last night, February 27 at The Players Club. Now in its seventh sold-out year, Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW made history in December 2009 as the first company ever to present every play (including full-length works, one-acts and sketches) written by George Bernard Shaw.

Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW will present BACK TO METHUSELAH:PART TWO - a comedy of epic proportions by George Bernard Shaw - on Monday, February 27 at 7pm at The Players Club (16 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. David Staller produces and directs.

Broadway's Memphis, winner of four Tony Awards® including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book and Best Orchestrations, comes to THIRTEEN's Great Performances Friday, February 24 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). Featuring the original Broadway cast, including Tony nominees Chad Kimball and Montego Glover, as well as Derrick Baskin, J. Bernard Calloway, James Monroe Iglehart, Michael McGrath and Cass Morgan. Memphis is the historic first Best Musical Tony Award winner to air on U.S. national television with its original principals while simultaneously continuing a successful Broadway run and national tour.

The Inspire Change Talkback Series celebrating Black History Month, minorities, and their impact on the entertainment industry, will begin on Thursday, February 9th. Immediately following 7pm performances of MEMPHIS on Thursdays in February, patrons will be invited to participate in a talkback about the role of minorities in various aspects of the performing arts including dance, music and theater. Each talkback will feature a guest moderator along with cast members from the show.

From Nick Jonas and Michael Urie to the Ladies of THE VIEW to Adam Pascal, Raul Esparza, Barbra Streisand to Alan Menken, Bernadette Peters to Susan Boyle, Colin Quinn to GLEE and Everything in Between - It's the BroadwayWorld.com 2012 Valentine's Day Special - It's the Biggest Ever!

The first of these talkbacks will be tonight (Thursday, February 9th) and the topic will be dance. MEMPHIS welcomes The Ailey School to the show.

The producers of the 2010 Tony Award winning Best Musical MEMPHIS announced today that the Inspire Change Talkback Series celebrating Black History Month, minorities, and their impact on the entertainment industry, will begin on Thursday, February 9th.

Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW will present BACK TO METHUSELAH:PART TWO - a comedy of epic proportions by George Bernard Shaw - on Monday, February 27 at 7pm at The Players Club (16 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. David Staller produces and directs.

Broadway's Memphis, winner of four Tony Awards® including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book and Best Orchestrations, comes to THIRTEEN's Great Performances Friday, February 24 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). Featuring the original Broadway cast, including Tony nominees Chad Kimball and Montego Glover, as well as Derrick Baskin, J. Bernard Calloway, James Monroe Iglehart, Michael McGrath and Cass Morgan. Memphis is the historic first Best Musical Tony Award winner to air on U.S. national television with its original principals while simultaneously continuing a successful Broadway run and national tour.