Cirque du Soleil News

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: Stars help Wesley Taylor 'BRIDGE THE GAP' for The Actors Fund tonight, DGF and Abingdon host their annual galas, and more!

The circus is in town and I ain't talking about Barnum & Bailey! The national tour of the 2013 revival of PIPPIN made its way to the Bayou City and I'm hippopotamusly happy to see this tour! When creative geniuses such as Bob Fosse and Stephen Schwartz are at the helm of the original material, there's no denying that a musical theatre maven such as myself would be overzealous.

BroadwayWorld has learned that The Drama League has just added Tony Award winner Annaleigh Ashford, Tony Award nominee Marin Mazzie, and lauded director Diane Paulus to the roster of special guest performers for The Drama League Centennial Gala, celebrating the organization's 100 years of service.

BroadwayWorld has learned that Ruby Lewis will make her Broadway debut as the leading lady in Cirque du Soleil - PARAMOUR, the organization's first production created specifically for Broadway.

Tonight, executive producer Neil Meron and actors Shanice Williams, Elijah Kelley, David Alan Grier, and NE-YO got together for a Q&A on NBC's THE WIZ LIVE! at the Apple Store in Soho. BroadwayWorld is excited to give you the scoop on what the team revealed at the event!

As BroadwayWorld reported yesterday, 'REAL HOUSWIVES' star NeNe Leakes will soon return to Broadway in the Tony Award-winning, record-breaking hit musical Chicago. Leakes will take the stage for 4 weeks only in the role of Matron 'Mama' Morton, beginning November 23, 2015. She will perform through December 20, 2015 at the Ambassador Theatre. In honor of her Broadway return, BWW takes a look back at her time in CINDERELLA, the moves she displayed while on ABC's DANCING WITH THE STARS, and a quick glimpse at her notorious comedic charm she'll undoubtedly bring to CHICAGO!

She's back! BroadwayWorld has just learned that Tony Award-winning, record-breaking hit musical Chicago will welcome actress and TV sensation NeNe Leakes (Bravo's 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta')returning to Broadway for 4 weeks only in the role of Matron 'Mama' Morton beginningNovember 23, 2015. She will perform through December 20, 2015 at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St., NYC).

Enter your video to win a prize pack from NBC's The Wiz Live! in honor of The Wiz's 40th Anniversary!

Tonight, October 22 (8PM) join executive producer Neil Meron and actors Shanice Williams, Elijah Kelley, David Alan Grier, and NE-YO for a discussion and Q&A about 'The Wiz Live!', at the Apple Store, Soho (103 Prince Street). To attend the special event, register at: https://s.apple.com/dE0c9J2R7g.

Get ready to ease on down the road! NBC will air the highly anticipated holiday production THE WIZ LIVE! on Thursday, December 3, with an encore telecast set for Saturday, Dec. 19 (8-11 p.m. ET).  Below, check out just-released art that celebrates the show's 40th anniversary!

Today, BWW catches up with Alison Dooley, Williams' Rahway High drama teacher who has been in close contact with her former student since rehearsals for the production got underway.

Some performers push the envelope. In the case of Kim David Smith, no avant-garde, gender-bending, or mainstream artist dancing in the cabaret arena today takes more risks. Never was this more in evidence than in his brand new show, Stargazing at Joe's Pub on October 8. Few artists work harder to express themselves through the increasingly visible alt-cabaret genre than Smith. He doesn't just break glass ceilings he crashes them with a jackhammer. To accomplish this, he seamlessly re-imagines Weimar-era, neo-classicism and Berlin-channeling cabaret at every turn the likes of which have not been seen since Marlene Dietrich in the 1930 film, The Blue Angel.

From the creative minds behind Cirque du Soleil's Corteo and Cirque Eloize's Rain comes La Verita - a dreamlike, acrobatic poem and surrealist circus extravaganza brought to life on Arts Centre Melbourne's State Theatre stage from 21 - 23 January 2016. The latest creation by internationally renowned writer and director Daniele Finzi Pasca, La Verita is a visually breathtaking circus work inspired by a backdrop created by surrealist painter Salvador Dali.

On Thursday, October 22 (8PM) join executive producer Neil Meron and actors Shanice Williams, Elijah Kelley, David Alan Grier, and NE-YO for a discussion and Q&A about 'The Wiz Live!', at the Apple Store, Soho (103 Prince Street). NBC embarks on its latest musical holiday tradition with a live TV production of the groundbreaking Tony Award-winning Broadway show that gave a new voice to the vivid world of Oz in a fresh, funky, sing-a-long journey down the yellow brick road. To attend the special event, register at https://s.apple.com/dE0c9J2R7g

Cirque du Soleil has brought its newest touring show, KURIOS - Cabinet des Curiosites under the iconic blue-and-yellow Big Top to Southern California, beginning October 15 in Costa Mesa at the OC Fair & Event Center, followed in Los Angeles by Cirque du Soleil's first visit to Dodger Stadium beginning December 10, 2015. And while I have seen several other Cirque presentations before, nothing compares to the phenomenal acrobatics and dazzling artistic presentation which will engulf you in a world of awe and wonder.

Abrons Arts Center is pleased to announce the extension of 2015 MacArthur Fellow Basil Twist's Sisters' Follies: Between Two Worlds.

Astounding lights and sounds blend together with rhythmic, athletic feats in the upcoming performance of SERENITY by the ME Dance company.

Three time Grammy and Emmy nominee, comedian Margaret Cho will bring her 'psyCHO Tour: There's No I In Team, But There's a CHO In Psycho' to Treasure Island, tonight, October 16 at 9 p.m.

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer; Brian Beirne, Managing Director) is thrilled to welcome Ground UP Productions with the NY premiere of H2O written by Jane Martin and directed by West Hyler. H2O begins performances on Friday, November 27 for a limited engagement through Sunday, December 13. Press opening is Tuesday, December 1 at 7:15 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7:15 PM; Friday at 8:15 PM; Saturday at 2:15 PM & 8:15 PM; and Sunday at 3:15 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets are $35 ($24.50 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or go to www.59e59.org.