Harry A. Jansen News

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The Equity Jeff Awards get it right! 'Scottsboro,' 'Cyclone' and 'Hollywood' serve up new delights, 'Pinafore' does it old school, and 'Goblin Market' and 'Nightmare Before Christmas' scare us. Christmas comes via Kokandy and the Q Brothers, and 'Grease: Live' is set for FOX-TV!

The School of Theatre is bringing the beloved classic A Chorus Line to the stage of the Fallon Theatre October 16-25. This nine-time Tony Award®-winning show delves into the dreams and fears of the characters, revealing what they have done and would do for love. A Chorus Line features a stunning book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, with music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward Kleban. Under the direction of MFA Directing Candidate Jenna Tamisiea, A Chorus Line is sure to delight audiences young and old.

Two theatres in their first year of Equity eligibility received the most awards at the gala 47th Annual Equity Jeff Awards held at Drury Lane Oakbrook on Monday, October 5, which celebrated a season of outstanding productions.

Today in 2006, the first Broadway revival of A Chorus Line opened at the Schoenfeld Theatre, where it ran for 759 performances. A Chorus Line is a musical about Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line. The book was authored by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, lyrics were written by Edward Kleban, and music was composed by Marvin Hamlisch. With nineteen main characters, it is set on the bare stage of a Broadway theatre during an audition for a musical. The show provides a glimpse into the personalities of the performers and the choreographer as they describe the events that have shaped their lives and their decisions to become dancers. The original Broadway production received 12 Tony Award nominations and winning nine of them, in addition to the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

 Merged Work Productions (Lead Producers) and Jack Thomas (Executive Producer) announced today that music-world icons and television stars Steven Van Zandt and Paul Shaffer, along with Maureen Van Zandt and Joe Grano (Jersey Boys), have joined the Broadway-bound musical Piece of My Heart: The Bert Berns Story as lead producers.  It was also announced that Mr. Van Zandt will serve as the show's musical director.  Piece of My Heart will open on Broadway in 2016. 

In an excerpt from his new book 'Razzle Dazzle The Battle for Broadway', writer Michael Riedel discusses the origins of the iconic Broadway musical A CHORUS LINE.

Get ready to be amazed, be inspired, and be moved when BILLY ELLIOT The Musical, the joyous smash hit musical, takes the stage at Bill Hanney's award winning North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT) in an all new production created just for NSMT audiences. BILLY ELLIOT The Musical is playing thru Sunday, October 11. Check out a first look at highlights below!

The People Movers presented their final installment of their inaugural season of CRAWL, a multi-disciplinary arts series. CRAWL's mission is to provide a platform for a diverse range of creative emerging artists to 'radically change the way that contemporary art is seen and experienced.' Set in a warehouse in Brooklyn and featuring works by Dante Brown (Warehouse Dance) and Gregory Dolbashian (The Dash Ensemble), as well as music and poetry by E. Oks (Evan Okun), CRAWL: Chapter 4 did exactly that.

Sull'onda del settecentocinquantesimo anniversario della nascita di Dante Alighieri la regista (qui anche sceneggiatrice) Mariella Zanetti e il compositore Giovanni Santini hanno deciso di scrivere un musical dall'improbabile titolo 'TEENDANTE', che racconta la vita del giovane Dante Alighieri (cioe il Dante dell'epoca della 'Vita Nova'), andato in scena l'1 e il 2 ottobre al teatro LAC di Lugano.

PARA LA LIBERTAD El Musical reestrena este 3 de octubre.

Concluye primera temporada de DIEZ PIANOS ¡VIVA MEXICO! Quiroz Producciones renueva impecablemente el concepto creado por Carlos Herrera.

Today, we focus our Friday Five spotlight on the intriguing Deathtrap trio of Christi Dortch, Dante Greco and Judy Jackson, as interesting a bunch of actors as you'll find in Nashville. Get to know them better, then book your seats to see Deathtrap…

Get ready to be amazed, be inspired, and be moved when BILLY ELLIOT The Musical, the joyous smash hit musical, takes the stage at Bill Hanney's award winning North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT) in an all new production created just for NSMT audiences. BILLY ELLIOT The Musical opens tonight, September 30, and plays through Sunday, October 11. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

This special concert to honour Dante Alighieri took place in Elder Hall at the University of Adelaide.

Company of Fools (COF) will present the critically acclaimed and award-winning play, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tracy Letts for the second show of their 20th Season. Letts's jaw-dropping masterpiece opens tonight, September 30, and runs through October 17, 2015 at the Liberty Theatre in Hailey, Idaho.

Playhouse Theatre Group, Inc. announces the seven plays and musicals that will comprise the 2015-16 Main Stage Season at Playhouse on Park. The award winning theatre continues its mission to ensure every performance in the Main Stage Season educates, entertains, and most importantly, challenges our audiences. Paramount to this mission is our diverse programming, which challenges our patrons to consider theatre in all forms.

Get ready to be amazed, be inspired, and be moved when BILLY ELLIOT The Musical, the joyous smash hit musical, takes the stage at Bill Hanney's award winning North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT) in an all new production created just for NSMT audiences. BILLY ELLIOT The Musical begins tonight, September 29, and plays thru Sunday, October 11. Press/Opening Night is scheduled for Wednesday, September 30 at 7:30 pm.

The box office officially opens today for the World Premiere of School of Rock - The Musical at the Winter Garden Theatre (1634 Broadway). Previews will begin on Monday, November 9, 2015, with an opening set for Sunday, December 6, 2015. Tickets for School of Rock - The Musical are available by visiting the Winter Garden Theatre box office Monday - Saturdays between 10:00 am - 8:00 pm, online at Telecharge.com, or by calling 800-447-7400.

The People Movers, known for creating socially, politically, and culturally relevant works through complex, physical movement, announce the fourth chapter of CRAWL, a new multi-disciplinary, nomadic arts presenting series.

Kevin Smith, a longtime idol of every geek on the planet, comic book fanatic, Batman lover and all around nice guy will be honored with the first ever 'Geek Pioneer' award at The 3rd Annual Geekie Awards. The show will take place at Club Nokia @ LA Live on October 15, 2015, hosted by Andrew Bowen (Summer Forever, MadTV, Magic City, MKX). The live broadcast will be streamed internationally via The Geekies UStream Channel (http://www.ustream.tv/TheGeekieAwards), using LiveU technology, from 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM PST, to include a pre-show live red carpet hosted by Kristyn Burtt (AfterBuzz) at 4:30 PM PST.