Dick Latessa News

Although operetta wasn't completely on its way out when Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II brought Music In The Air to Broadway in 1932, the popularity of the genre was indeed waning a bit as jazzy and witty scores by the likes of George and Ira Gershwin, Rodgers and Hart and Cole Porter dominated the decade's theatre music. But the creators of Show Boat, just five years earlier, weren't done quite yet.

Creative Alternatives of New York (225 West 99th Street), celebrating the use of theater to help New York's most vulnerable children and adults, honored Tony Award winner & Board Chairman, Dick Latessa, and Emily Nash, Artistic Director at this year's 25th Anniversary celebration, 'Broadway at the Boathouse,' which held at Loeb Central Park Boathouse (at East 72nd Street entrance) on May 4, 2009.

Huntington Theatre Company's world premiere of David Grimm's ribald sex comedy gets mired in ugly language despite game performances

Huntington Theatre Company Artistic Director Peter DuBois makes his Boston directorial debut with the world premiere of David Grimm's outrageous comedy, 'The Miracle at Naples.' Tony and Drama Desk Award-winner Dick Latessa ('Hairspray') returns to the Huntington to play Don Bertolino Fortunato, the leader of a troupe of commedia players who are down on their luck. Lucy DeVito, daughter of acclaimed actors/comedians Danny DeVito and Rhea Pearlman, makes her Huntington debut as La Piccola, Don Bertolino's long-suffering daughter and member of the troupe. 'The Miracle at Naples' is for mature audiences.

Huntington Theatre Company Artistic Director Peter DuBois makes his Boston directorial debut with the world premiere of David Grimm's outrageous comedy, 'The Miracle at Naples.' Tony and Drama Desk Award-winner Dick Latessa ('Hairspray') returns to the Huntington to play Don Bertolino Fortunato, the leader of a troupe of commedia players who are down on their luck. Lucy DeVito, daughter of acclaimed actors/comedians Danny DeVito and Rhea Pearlman, makes her Huntington debut as La Piccola, Don Bertolino's long-suffering daughter and member of the troupe. 'The Miracle at Naples' is for mature audiences.

Kern and Hammerstein's Music in the Air, the second Encores! production of New York City Center's 2008-09 season, concluded its limited run yesterday, Sunday, February 8th. Music in the Air, a rarely seen 1932 musical, was directed by Gary Griffin with music direction by Rob Berman and choreography by Michael Lichtefeld. The production ran for five performances at City Center, West 55th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues). BroadwayWorld's camera caught the final curtain call of the Encores! treat. The cast includes Kristin Chenoweth, Douglas Sills, Dick Latessa, Marni Nixon, Tom Alan Robbins, Sierra Boggess, Walter Charles, Anne L. Nathan, David Schramm, Ryan Silverman and Robert Sella. Music in the Air, with music by Jerome Kern, book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett, has been restored by the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization and has not been seen in New York in its original form since its premiere Broadway engagement at the Alvin Theatre in 1932. Opening on November 8th of that year, it played for 342 performances in a production directed by the authors. A revised version had a brief revival at the Ziegfeld Theatre in 1951. Music in the Air is a musical romance, with the wit and elegance of an Ernst Lubitsch film. It's the story of a Bavarian music teacher (Robbins), his beautiful young daughter (Boggess), and the daughter's suitor (Silverman), who travel to the big, bad city of Munich where they encounter a cast of self-involved, egotistical theater folk who promise them fame, fortune and romance. Kristin Chenoweth and Douglas Sills play a Diva (Chenoweth) and an egotistical operetta librettist (Sills) who take the young couple under their wings (and claws). Songs include 'I've Told Ev'ry Little Star' and 'The Song Is You.' Photos by Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

Kern and Hammerstein's Music in the Air, the second Encores! production of New York City Center's 2008-09 season, concluded its limited run yesterday, Sunday, February 8th. Music in the Air, a rarely seen 1932 musical, was directed by Gary Griffin with music direction by Rob Berman and choreography by Michael Lichtefeld. The production ran for five performances at City Center, West 55th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues). BroadwayWorld's cameras caught the final curtain call of the Encores! treat.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Friday, February 6, 2009.

Kern and Hammerstein's Music in the Air, the second Encores! production of New York City Center's 2008-09 season runs February 5-8. Music in the Air, a rarely seen 1932 musical, is directed by Gary Griffin with music direction by Rob Berman and choreography by Michael Lichtefeld. The production runs for five performances at City Center, West 55th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues).

Kern and Hammerstein's Music in the Air, the second Encores! production of New York City Center's 2008-09 season,will run February 5-8. The production runs for five performances at City Center.

Kern and Hammerstein's Music in the Air, the second Encores! production of New York City Center's 2008-09 season,will run February 5-8. Music in the Air, a rarely seen 1932 musical, will be directed by Gary Griffin with music direction by Rob Berman and choreography by Michael Lichtefeld. The production runs for five performances at City Center, West 55th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues).

Marni Nixon has joined the upcoming Encores! presentation of Music in the Air, she replaces Sally Ann Howes who had to drop out due to an illness. Marni Nixon, is known in the popular world as the singing voice behind the stars of West Side Story, The King and I and My Fair Lady. An accomplished singer in her own right, she has has sung opera, classical song and appeared on Broadway. Ms. Nixon worked with Lehmann in a production of Ariadne auf Naxos at the Music Academy of the West and considered her a friend. Besides her singing career, Marni Nixon is also an actress, recently nominated for an Ovation award. She gives master clases throughout the country in musical theater and classical song. She was last seen on Broadway in NINE and The Dead. Music in the Air, a rarely seen 1932 musical, will be directed by Gary Griffin with music direction by Rob Berman and choreography by Michael Lichtefeld. The production runs for five performances at City Center, West 55th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues). Production dates are February 5th through the 8th.

New York City Center Presents Encores! Music In The Air with tickes avaliable for as low as $20.00. Music in the Air, a rarely seen 1932 musical, will be directed by Gary Griffin with music direction by Rob Berman and choreography by Michael Lichtefeld. The production runs for five performances at City Center, West 55th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues). In addition to Kristin Chenoweth, the cast includes Douglas Sills, Dick Latessa, Tom Alan Robbins, Sierra Boggess, Walter Charles, Anne L. Nathan, David Schramm, Ryan Silverman, Robert Sella and Sally Ann Howes. Music in the Air, with music by Jerome Kern, book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett, has been restored by the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization and not been seen in New York in its original form since its premiere Broadway engagement at the Alvin Theatre in 1932. Opening on November 8th of that year, it played for 342 performances in a production directed by the authors. A revised version had a brief revival at the Ziegfeld Theatre in 1951. Music in the Air is a musical romance, with the wit and elegance of an Ernst Lubitsch film. It's the story of a Bavarian music teacher (Robbins), his beautiful young daughter (Boggess), and the daughter's suitor, who travel to the big, bad city of Munich where they encounter a cast of self-involved, egotistical theater folk who promise them fame, fortune and romance. Marin Mazzie and Douglas Sills play a Diva (Mazzie) and an operetta librettist (Sills) who take the young couple under their wings (and claws). Songs include 'I've Told Ev'ry Little Star' and 'The Song Is You.'

Tony Award-winning actress Kristin Chenoweth has joined the cast of Kern and Hammerstein's Music in the Air, the second Encores! production of New York City Center's 2008-09 season, running February 5-8. (Ms. Chenoweth replaces the previously announced Marin Mazzie. Ms. Mazzie is no longer available due to the death of her father.) Music in the Air, a rarely seen 1932 musical, will be directed by Gary Griffin with music direction by Rob Berman and choreography by Michael Lichtefeld. The production runs for five performances at City Center, West 55th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues).

Marin Mazzie, Douglas Sills, Dick Latessa, Tom Alan Robbins, Sierra Boggess, Walter Charles, Anne L. Nathan and Sally Ann Howes have been cast in Kern and Hammerstein's Music in the Air, the second Encores! production of New York City Center's 2008 - 2009 season, playing for five performances, February 5 - 8 at City Center, West 55th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues). Music in the Air, a rarely seen 1932 musical, will be directed by Gary Griffin with music direction by Rob Berman and choreography by Michael Lichtefeld.

Harvey Fierstein will reprise his Tony-winning performance as Edna Turnblad beginning tonight!

East of Doheny has announced that it will present a special invitation-only reading of the new musical Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm today, Monday, November 3, 2008.

Constantine Rousouli is the dreamy new Link Larkin in Hairspray. BroadwayWorld gave Constantine a FLIP video camera and set those swinging hands and hips loose backstage before, during and after performances to show you how those 'Nicest Kids in Town' REALLY behave! You saw Part I, and now there is SOOOOO much more Hairspray FLIP fun in Part II!

Producers of HAIRSPRAY, the Tony winning Best Musical, have announced that the show will close on Jan. 4, 2009.

Constantine Rousouli is the dreamy new Link Larkin in Hairspray. We gave him a FLIP video camera...