David Merrick News

According to the Daily Mail, Kevin Whately and Lara Pulver are in talks to join the cast of GYPSY, led by Imelda Staunton as Rose at the Chichester Festival Theatre this October. Whately would play Herbie, Rose's love interest and manager, and Pulver would star as Louise Hovick, a.k.a. Gypsy Rose Lee. The production will be directed by Jonathan Kent.

Merman's Apprentice, a new musical fable with Book and Lyrics by Stephen Cole (Inventing Mary Martin, After the Fair, The Night of the Hunter, The Road to Qatar!) and Music by David Evans (Birds of Paradise, Children's Letters to God) has been chosen to be the opening show as part of London's Landor Theatre's 'From Page to Stage Festival' today, February 11th and 12th at 7:30pm.

Recognizable stage and screen star Anita Gillette returns to the West Coast with her solo show AFTER ALL this Friday with a gig scheduled for Feinstein's At The Nikko.

Merman's Apprentice, a new musical fable with Book and Lyrics by Stephen Cole (Inventing Mary Martin, After the Fair, The Night of the Hunter, The Road to Qatar!) and Music by David Evans (Birds of Paradise, Children's Letters to God) has been chosen to be the opening show as part of London's Landor Theatre's 'From Page to Stage Festival' on February 11th and 12th at 7:30pm. There will be an additional presentation for industry professionals on Feb. 13th at 2:30pm at The Concert Artistes' Association at 20 Bedford Street, London WC2E 9HP.

Aria Entertainment is delighted to announce first casting today for the second annual From Page To Stage Festival, a season of new musical theatre at the Landor Theatre from Monday 10 February to Sunday 9 March 2014. Full casting is now confirmed for the Season's three showcase readings of Merman's Apprentice, Claus The Musical and The Return of the Soldier, as well as the repertory cast for three Showcase Nights of musicals in development. Final casting for the two Headline Musicals Before The Night Is Through and The Mistress Cycle will be announced next week.

Celebrity Series of Boston will present Broadway and film star Brian Stokes Mitchell tonight, January 23, 2014, at 8pm at Sanders Theatre, Memorial Hall, Harvard University, 45 Quincy Street, Cambridge.

Over the weekend, Richard Skipper kicked off a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of HELLO, DOLLY! with members of the original Broadway cast! In attendence for the special reunion were Nicole Barth (Original cast), Paul Berne (dancer, Original Company), Carleton Carpenter and Johnny Beecher (Sheridan (Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker: Mary Martin International Company), Wayne Clark (first National Company with Carol Channing), John Anthony Gilvey, David Hartman (Rudolph and Stage Manager: Original Company), Charles Karel (Original cast), Jan LaPrad (Original Company dancer), Joan 'Buttons' Leonard (original company), Bob Lydiard (Cornelius Hackl, Carol's first Broadway Revival), Lee Roy Reams (Cornelius Hackl 1977 tour and Broadway Revival, director 1996 Broadway tour and Revival),Megan Thomas (Carol's last tour), Andrea Bell (started with Carol Channing, as Ermengarde at the age of seventeen, in Carol's FIRST national tour as well as other productions.) Ron Young (dancer original cast). BroadwayWorld was there for the special event and you can check out photos from the reunion below!

Richard Skipper is kicking off a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of HELLO, DOLLY! with members of the original Broadway cast! Scheduled to appear: Nicole Barth (Original cast), Paul Berne (dancer, Original Company), Carleton Carpenter and Johnny Beecher (Sheridan (Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker: Mary Martin International Company), Wayne Clark (first National Company with Carol Channing), John Anthony Gilvey: Author, Before the Parade Passes By: Gower Champion and the Glorious American Musical (click here), David Hartman (Rudolph and Stage Manager: Original Company), Charles Karel (Original cast), Jan LaPrad (Original Company dancer), Joan 'Buttons' Leonard (original company), Bob Lydiard (Cornelius Hackl, Carol's first Broadway Revival), Lee Roy Reams (Cornelius Hackl 1977 tour and Broadway Revival, director 1996 Broadway tour and Revival), Megan Thomas (Carol's last tour), Andrea Bell (started with Carol Channing, as Ermengarde at the age of seventeen, in Carol's FIRST national tour as well as other productions.) Ron Young (dancer original cast).

Richard Skipper is kicking off a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of HELLO, DOLLY! with members of the original Broadway cast!

Richard Skipper will be kicking off a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of Hello, Dolly with members of the original Broadway cast! Flea market: 12:30 - 2:00- Great place to find music sheets, tapes, CD's etc. Members may bring their CD's to sell at the CD table.

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein will present Tony Award Nominated star of stage and screen, Anita Gillette, as she presents her new one-woman show, After All, a wonderful evening of music and memories that takes an intimate, touching, and hilarious look behind the scenes from Broadway to Hollywood on Thursday, January 30, 2014 (8 p.m.). An autobiographical work, After All takes audiences backstage with Gillette as a young showgirl starting out in the original cast of Gypsy with Ethel Merman onwards into the worlds of David Merrick and Gower Champion in Carnival through a building career that leads to a Tony nominated performance in the Neil Simon comedy Chapter Two. From major feature films playing roles such as Ms. Mona in 'Moonstruck,' co-starring in hit television shows like 'Quincy' and Game Show classics, to playing Tina Fey's mother in '30 Rock' and Annie Fitzsimmons in the multiple award winning hit 'Modern Family,' Gillette will surprise and delight in this production that is certain to entertain! Tickets for Anita Gillette range in price from $30-$40 and are available now by calling 866.663.1063 or visiting www.ticketweb.com.

Celebrity Series of Boston will present Broadway and film star Brian Stokes Mitchell on Thursday, January 23, 2014, at 8pm at Sanders Theatre, Memorial Hall, Harvard University, 45 Quincy Street, Cambridge.

The Little Orchestra Society presents Music Under the Big Top, an evening of entertainment and musical acrobatics for audiences of all ages at Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center on December 10, 2013. This first of its kind program for The Little Orchestra Society, conducted and co-hosted by new Music Director James Judd, will feature the Orchestra performing an eclectic array of classic and contemporary pieces in the ring of the Big Apple Circus joined by the talented violinist and composer Daniel Roumain. See Judd andRoumain discuss the upcoming concert on The Little Orchestra Society's YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/LittleOrchestraSoc.

The Little Orchestra Society presents Music Under the Big Top, an evening of entertainment and musical acrobatics for audiences of all ages at Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center on December 10, 2013. This first of its kind program for The Little Orchestra Society, conducted and co-hosted by new Music Director James Judd, will feature the Orchestra performing an eclectic array of classic and contemporary pieces in the ring of the Big Apple Circus joined by the talented violinist and composer Daniel Roumain. See Judd andRoumain discuss the upcoming concert on The Little Orchestra Society's YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/LittleOrchestraSoc.

While more Americans would be familiar with Bart's adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist from its Oscar-winning film version, the stage show is a craftier invention.

Katy Lipson of Aria Entertainment and Robert McWhir of The Landor Theatre are delighted to announce the full programme of work for the second annual From Page To Stage Festival, a season of new musical theatre at the Landor Theatre from Monday 10 February to Sunday 9 March 2014.

This week, Theater Talk focuses on the current Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie, featuring two cast members, Cherry Jones and Celia Keenan-Bolger, who share their exciting Boston-to-Broadway odyssey with co-hosts Michael Riedel and Susan Haskins. Then Broadway press agent Susan L. Schulman shares stories about stars and shows from her newly-published book, Backstage Pass To Broadway: True Tales from a Theatre Press Agent and explains to the uninitiated what a press agent actually does.

This week, Theater Talk focuses on the current Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie, featuring two cast members, Cherry Jones and Celia Keenan-Bolger, who share their exciting Boston-to-Broadway odyssey with co-hosts Michael Riedel and Susan Haskins. Then Broadway press agent Susan L. Schulman shares stories about stars and shows from her newly-published book, Backstage Pass To Broadway: True Tales from a Theatre Press Agent and explains to the uninitiated what a press agent actually does.

This week, Theater Talk focuses on the current Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie, featuring two cast members, Cherry Jones and Celia Keenan-Bolger, who share their exciting Boston-to-Broadway odyssey with co-hosts Michael Riedel and Susan Haskins. Then Broadway press agent Susan L. Schulman shares stories about stars and shows from her newly-published book, Backstage Pass To Broadway: True Tales from a Theatre Press Agent and explains to the uninitiated what a press agent actually does.

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein are proud to announce the upcoming lineup at Feinstein's at the Nikko for January 2014. Artists include actor and singer Tom Wopat, star of stage and screen Cheyenne Jackson, Broadway and West End star Sierra Boggess, Emmy Award winning actor and comedian Leslie Jordan, and more! Tickets for all performances are on-sale now and available by calling 866.663.1063 or visiting www.ticketweb.com.