David Zinn News

Rehearsals began last week for XANADU at La Jolla Playhouse in anticipation of its West Coast debut on November 23, 2008 directed by Artistic Director Christopher Ashley. Xanadu's cast joins the creative team of the surprise hit Broadway musical at the Playhouse before embarking on a national tour. Xanadu will have its first performance November 11, 2008 and run through December 31 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

Rehearsals began last week for XANADU at La Jolla Playhouse in anticipation of its West Coast debut on November 23, 2008 directed by Artistic Director Christopher Ashley. Xanadu's cast joins the creative team of the surprise hit Broadway musical at the Playhouse before embarking on a national tour. Xanadu will have its first performance November 11, 2008 and run through December 31 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

Executive Producers Barbra Russell and Ron Sharpe will close Jill Santoriello's sweeping musical epic, 'A TALE OF TWO CITIES' on Broadway today, Sunday, November 9th at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street - between 8th & 9th Avenues). The musical moved the date of closing up a week from the originally announced final performance of November 16th. The early closing was confirmed to BroadwayWorld by a spokesperson for the production.

Executive Producers Barbra Russell and Ron Sharpe will close Jill Santoriello's sweeping musical epic, 'A TALE OF TWO CITIES' on Broadway on Sunday, November 9th at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street - between 8th & 9th Avenues). The production originally announced a closing date of November 16th, but has now chosen to move up the final performance to this Sunday, November 9th.

Toro's self titled CD features an array of favorite Broadway show tunes, all with an inspired and eclectic spin, A special CD release party is to be held on November 23rd, 7:30 PM at Canal Room at Canal and West Broadway in the East Village.

Itamar Moses' BACK BACK BACK, the opens at MTC at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street) on Tuesday, November 18

Executive Producers Barbra Russell and Ron Sharpe will close Jill Santoriello's sweeping musical epic, 'A TALE OF TWO CITIES' on Broadway on Sunday, November 16th at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street - between 8th & 9th Avenues).

As the Phillies and the Rays duke it out in the World Series, Manhattan Theatre Club celebrates the final innings of the baseball season with a special offer to baseball fans for their upcoming production of Itamar Moses' BACK BACK BACK, the stirring new baseball drama.

Acclaimed British playwright Edward Bond, will reunite with acclaimed American director Robert Woodruff for Theatre for a New Audience's New York premiere production of Mr. Bond's Chair featuring Stephanie Roth Haberle beginning previews Friday, December 5, at 8:00pm for an opening Wednesday, December 11, at 8:00pm for a run through December 28 at The Duke on 42nd Street, a New 42nd Street® project, 229 West 42nd Street.

Manhattan Theatre Club's production of Itamar Moses' BACK BACK BACK begins performances Thursday, October 30 at MTC at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street) in preparation for a Tuesday, November 18 opening night

As the Phillies and the Rays duke it out in the World Series, Manhattan Theatre Club celebrates the final innings of the baseball season with a special offer to baseball fans for their upcoming production of Itamar Moses' BACK BACK BACK, the stirring new baseball drama.

Manhattan Theatre Club's production of Itamar Moses' BACK BACK BACK began rehearsals on October 2nd, 2008. This New York premiere will begin performances Thursday, October 30 at MTC at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street) in preparation for a Tuesday, November 18 opening night.

Rehearsals began last week for XANADU at La Jolla Playhouse in anticipation of its West Coast debut on November 23, 2008 directed by Artistic Director Christopher Ashley. Xanadu's cast joins the creative team of the surprise hit Broadway musical at the Playhouse before embarking on a national tour. Xanadu will have its first performance November 11, 2008 and run through December 31 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

Manhattan Theatre Club's production of Itamar Moses' BACK BACK BACK begins rehearsals today. This New York premiere will begin performances Thursday, October 30 at MTC at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street) in preparation for a Tuesday, November 18 opening night

Although I hadn't read any of the first wave of reviews, by the time I was seated for my post-opening night press performance at the Hirschfeld it was pretty much common knowledge to the entire Broadway community that the new (and from the looks of her Playbill bio, the only) creation from bookwriter/composer/lyricist Jill Santoriello brought out gobs of that legendary New York theatre critic acid wit among the great majority of my colleagues.

XANADU in Chicago will star Elizabeth Stanley as 'Kira' (played in the film version by Olivia Newton-John), Max Von Essen as 'Sonny,' Sharon Wilkins and Joanna Glushak as the evil Muses 'Melpomene' and 'Calliope,' respectively, and Larry Marshal as 'Danny' (played in the film version by Gene Kelly). XANADU's cast also features Tallia Brinson, Amy Goldberger, Vince Rodriguez III, Jason Michael Snow, Kristofer Stock, JB Wing and Chicagoland-natives Julius Thomas III and Tiffany Topol.

XANADU, Broadway's surprise musical hit, has moved up the date of its closing to Sunday, September 28. The show is playing at the Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 West 44th Street.

Casting is announced for the anticipated Chicago and Midwest premiere of the surprise hit Broadway musical XANADU at the Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place. Performances are scheduled to begin January 16, 2009 and individual tickets are now on sale.

Brandi Burkhardt has starred in the Los Angeles Reprise! Production of Li'l Abner and in Jekyll & Hyde: Resurrection. In A Tale of Two Cities she stars as Lucie Manette, she is also making her Broadway debut in the role. BWW TV discussed with her what a pivtol role her character plays in the story, the magic of Charles Dickens words and how excitied she is to be a part of this epic production.

As an actor Ron Sharpe made his mark on Broadway in such shows like Les Miserables, The Civil War and The Scarlet Pimpernel, he has just returned to the Great White Way, but not as a performer, this time he is the executive producer, along with his wife, actress Barbara Russell, of A Tale of Two Cities, the new musical which opened on Broadway Thursday, September 18th. BWW TV spoke to him on the eve of the show's opening night about his nine year adventure in bringing A Tale of Two Cities and his Broadway dreams to life.