Des McAnuff News

BroadwayWorld has a first look at SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical on Tour! Check out photos of the cast in action!

Today's top stories: La Jolla stages The Who's Tommy concert tonight, and more!

The North American Tour of SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical celebrated its official tour press opening last night in Cleveland, OH at Playhouse Square, following technical rehearsals and tour kickoff performances at RBTL's Auditorium Theater in Rochester, NY. The musical plays in Cleveland through October 27 and will next travel to the Hollywood Pantages Theater in Los Angeles, CA for an engagement November 5-24. The three actresses that share the role of musical icon Donna Summer, Dan'yelle Williamson as a?oeDiva Donna,a?? Alex Hairston as a?oeDisco Donnaa?? and Olivia Elease Hardy as a?oeDuckling Donna,a?? were presented with bouquets of white roses during Curtain Call and met Mimi Dohler, Donna Summer's daughter.

The only African American lead producers on Broadway for the last 13 years they and their company Front Row Productions have blazed a trail of a?oefirsts,a?? Stephen C. Byrd and Alia Jones-Harvey have brought a unique brand of diversity to Broadway and London's West End by mounting new productions featuring non-traditional casting and diverse voices to the stage. Established in 2006, the Olivier Award Winning and Tony-nominated Producers strive to employ diverse talent, creative teams and management for all of their productions.

Tony Award-winning director/choreographer Kathleen Marshall will join novelist/librettist Rex Pickett and composer Anthony Leigh Adams in collaborating on the development of Sideways: The Musical. 

Jersey Boys just participated in the program, when a red piano (equipped with Jersey Boys-era microphones and quotes from the show) was delivered to its final home at Port Richmond High School on Staten Island. Sing for Hope director Lester Vrtiak led a Citizen Artist Assembly, explaining to the students the story of this piano and explaining how they can be citizen artists in their community. Four cast members were on hand for the event, where they performed a few songs at the new piano and signed autographs for the students (who came to see the show earlier in the month). Check out photos from inside the big day below!

La Jolla Playhouse announces the cast of its upcoming fundraising event: The Who's Tommy: A Staged Concert Benefiting La Jolla Playhouse

Broadway In Boston announced today that tickets will go on sale Monday, September 30 for the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. JERSEY BOYS will play the Emerson Colonial Theatre March 18 a?" 22, 2020 as part of the Lexus 2019-2020 Broadway In Boston Season. 

The 2019/20 Mirvish Theatre Season is one of the company's biggest, with 24 different shows in six downtown Toronto venues.

Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award winning musical Jersey Boys welcomes back Nicolas Dromard as Tommy DeVito tonight, Monday, September 23, at New York City's New World Stages (340 West 50th Street) Stage 1.

Joining the gala are Rachel Potter (The Addams Family, Evita), Jelani Remy (Ain't Too Proud, Smokey Joe's Cafe), Christina Sajous (Baby, It's You, Holler If You Hear Me), Carrie St. Louis (Rock of Ages, Kinky Boots), Alysha Umphress (Smokey Joe's Café, On The Town), Christian Dante White (My Fair Lady, Hello Dolly!) and Teal Wicks (The Cher Show).

Check out photos of new cast members Keith Hines as “Nick Massi” and CJ Pawlikowski as “Bob Gaudio” in the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award winning musical Jersey Boys

The Actors Fund announced that the sensational new Broadway musical Ain't Too Proud a?" The Life and Times of The Temptations is holding a special ninth performance this Sunday, September 15, 2019, at 7:30 p.m. to benefit The Actors Fund at the Imperial Theatre (249 West 45th St.).

On Wednesday, September 11, the national tour of SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical gave a preview performance, and met the press!

On Friday, August 30, the theatre community lost dramaturg Robert Blacker, who passed away suddenly at the age of 71. Longtime collaborator Des McAnuff, who worked with Blacker at La Jolla Playhouse and Stratford Shakespeare Festival, writes a tribute to his friend below:

La Jolla Playhouse announces a special fundraising event: The Who's Tommy: A Staged Concert Benefiting La Jolla Playhouse on Monday, October 14 at 7:30pm in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

Casting and tour dates have been announced for the 2019-20 touring season of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. The cast will be led by Eric Chambliss (Bob Gaudio), Corey Greenan (Tommy DeVito), Jon Hacker (Frankie Valli) and Michael Milton (Nick Massi) as The Four Seasons.

Tickets for the National Theatre's upcoming productions of THE ILLUSIONISTS a?" MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS (December 3-8, 2019), Bartlett Sher's new Broadway revival of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (December 10-15, 2019), and JERSEY BOYS (December 17, 2019 - January 5, 2020) will go on sale to the general public this Friday, September 13 at 10am.

Ain't Too Prouda?"The Life and Times of the Temptations has added a special performance next month to benefit the Actors Fund.

Full casting has been announced for the North American Tour of SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical.