Donna Murphy News

On Monday, February 7, 2011, The Drama League will present its 27th annual all-star gala, 'A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF BROADWAY.' This year's black-tie event, to be held in the Grand Ballroom at The Pierre New York (2 East 61st Street at 5th Avenue), will honor two-time Tony Award winner and celebrated Broadway actress-singer Patti LuPone.

Prior to making his Broadway debut in 'Anything Goes' in the spring, Anthony Wayne will present his inspirational evening of song, 'MOMENTS: The POWER of Words and Music' on December 6th, 9:30pm in an anticipated return to The Triad Theatre.

Prior to making his Broadway debut in 'Anything Goes' in the spring, Anthony Wayne will present his inspirational evening of song, 'MOMENTS: The POWER of Words and Music' on December 6th, 9:30pm in an anticipated return to The Triad Theatre.

Once upon a time, in a far-away land called the Upper West Side, there lived a little girl who was scared of Disney movies. She bravely soldiered through 'Toy Story' and 'Cars' with white knuckles for the benefit of her two-year-old brother, but to this day her parents still have to fast forward through the opening scene of 'Finding Nemo'. (You know....where the other-May ies-Day....get it?) So it was with great trepidation that I took this ultra-sensitive daughter of mine to an advance screening of Disney's latest mega-release, 'Tangled'.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Burlesque,' 'Tangled,' Monday night's weekly showtune happenings, 'Miracle On 34th Street,' various holiday theater remounts, 'Boojum!,' more....

Today we are talking to one of the top-tier talents in her field of producing theatre for television, the estimable Ellen Krass who is largely responsible for many of the greatest television captures of theatrical events in the last thirty years, starting with the filming of SWEENEY TODD and continuing with FOLLIES: IN CONCERT in the early 1980s, through to SWEENEY TODD: IN CONCERT, CANDIDE: IN CONCERT, COMPANY and last year's CYRANO starring Kevin Kline and Jennifer Garner. Tonight marks the PBS debut of SONHDEIM! The Birthday Concert and in honor of that momentous occasion, Ms. Krass joined me for a look back at her career that began backstage at the Dick Cavett show and will continue on into next year with COMPANY: IN CONCERT and far, far beyond to be sure!

In a year chock full of star-studded 80th birthday tributes to legendary Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, the March 15-16 gala evenings with the New York Philharmonic at New York's Lincoln Center stood tall.

Today we are taking a look at one of the most exciting DVD/Blu-Ray releases of the year - perhaps ever, at least as far as Broadway connoisseurs are concerned. Taped back in mid-March of this year, a week before the actual central celebratory event itself occurred, comes SONDHEIM! The Birthday Concert, which will also be shown next Wednesday on PBS as part of this season's sensational series of GREAT PERFORMANCES at 9 PM on WNET in New York and across the country. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event that has been ever-so-lovingly rendered on disc in high definition preserving a heavenly host of the very best Broadway talent one could ever possibly ask to be assembled. SONDHEIM! has it all.

Image Entertainment is proud to share a celebration of the life and wondrous work of one of Broadway's greatest legends - the incomparable Stephen Sondheim. For the master composer and lyricist's 80th birthday, scores of the musical theater's brightest stars gathered to perform more than two dozen sensational numbers from Sondheim's unsurpassed canon. Many of these enduring songs are rarely heard and several are performed by the original Broadway cast members. David Hyde Pierce hosts this magical event with Sondheim's longtime collaborator Paul Gemignani conducting the New York Philharmonic. Directed for the stage and television by Lonny Price and filmed live March 15-16, 2010 at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City, this is a must-have addition for every musical theatre aficionado. SONDHEIM! The Birthday Concert is available today, November 16, at an SRP of $24.98 for the DVD and $29.98 for the Blu-ray; the concert is also be available via digital download. Click below for some preview clips!

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is thrilled to announce that Tigers Be Still, a new play by Kim Rosenstock directed by Sam Gold, has completely sold out its extended limited run through Sunday, November 28th!

As BroadwayWorld has reported, The New York Philharmonic's SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert, which took place on March 15-16, 2010 at Avery Fisher Hall, will be broadcast on THIRTEEN'S Great Performances on PBS on Wednesday, November 24 (check local listings). WNET, Channel 13 in New York City, will air the concert at 9:30 p.m. that evening. Today, it has been revealed that the Image Entertainment will release the program DVD and Blu-Ray on November 16, 2010. The concert includes songs and orchestral pieces from Sondheim musical theater favorites such as Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Into the Woods, and Sunday in the Park with George. Today, it has been announced that in addition to the PBS telecast, the concert will be released on DVD in November by Image Entertainment.

This weekend I spoke to multi-Academy Award-winning composer and Broadway tunesmith Alan Menken about everything from his early stage work with lyricist and director Howard Ashman on LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS to their tenure virtually re-inventing the movie musical with their string of stirring scores for Disney animated films starting with THE LITTLE MERMAID in 1989, through to BEAUTY & THE BEAST, ALADDIN and, following Ashman's death, working with Stephen Schwartz on THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, POCAHANTAS and, most recently, ENCHANTED. Menken has also participated in adapting almost all of those projects to the stage in the intervening years, oftentimes composing several new songs. His newest stage projects to reach Broadway will be this season's SISTER ACT and the recent out of town tryout eyeing Broadway, LEAP OF FAITH. In this exciting conversation, we touch upon nearly all of these projects, plus discuss casting possibilities for his new Broadway shows and the projects on the horizon - among them, stage adaptations of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, NEWSIES and ALADDIN - and, at some point soon, ENCHANTED 2! Plus, will Angela Lansbury reunite with her BEAUTY & THE BEAST Academy Award-garnering collaborator to do SISTER ACT on Broadway? Over the course of our discussion, the Mouse Maestro - this melodic mastermind known as Menken - proved himself to be as easily enjoyable and affably likeable as his many multi-award-winning melodies for those marvelous film and stage musicals - for many of us born in the eighties, our very first introduction to musical theatre.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is pleased to announce the full company of The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore, by Tennessee Williams, directed by Michael Wilson. The cast will include Curtis Billings (Giulio), Elisa Bocanegra (Simonetta), Olympia Dukakis (Flora Goforth), Edward Hibbert (Witch of Capri), Maggie Lacey (Frances Black), Darren Pettie (Christopher Flanders).

Today we are talking to the talented and visionary directors of the new Disney Digital 3D animated feature film musical adventure TANGLED, Nathan Greno and Byron Howard. In this informative conversation, we discuss their affection for animation and what the two-year-plus process of creating this film has been like coming after the resounding success of BOLT! Plus, a thorough discussion of the story, structure, style and characterizations brought to the film thanks to the vocal talents - musical and otherwise - of Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi and Donna Murphy. TANGLED will be released in movie theaters nationwide on November 24th so be sure you don't miss the newest animated musical film - one with a score by five-time Oscar-winner Alan Menken and lyrics by David Zippel - being added to the classic, iconic, Disney canon.

One of the most beloved and enduring characters in the history of American popular culture is aiming to finally make her way to the Broadway stage. Hazel - the saucy maid whose wry attitude, infallible wisdom and heart of gold has captured the hearts of millions for more than 60 years - will be in the spotlight again in an exciting new Broadway musical with music by composer Ron Abel and lyrics by Chuck Steffan. The veteran duo has acquired the rights to Hazel from the estate of creator Ted Key and are hoping to bring the show to the Great White Way in 2011.

Tune in to WOR's 'Joan Hamburg Show' on Tuesday, November 9th from 12:00-2:00PM (710 AM) to listen as Joan celebrates Roundabout Theatre Company's 2010 - 2011 Season.

The conference entitled "Musical Theatre in the USA: American Musical Elements - From Page to Stage" will take place within the International Festival for Musical Performing Arts "Life is Beautiful" in Bucharest, Romania.

Tune in to WOR's 'Joan Hamburg Show' on Tuesday, November 9th from 12:00-2:00PM (710 AM) to listen as Joan celebrates Roundabout Theatre Company's 2010 - 2011 Season.

The conference entitled "Musical Theatre in the USA: American Musical Elements - From Page to Stage" will take place within the International Festival for Musical Performing Arts "Life is Beautiful" in Bucharest, Romania.

New York City Opera has announced that Cheyenne Jackson (XANADU, ALL SHOOK UP, FINIAN'S RAINBOW) will join the fall concert's cast of Lucky to Be Me: The Vocal Music of Leonard Bernstein, on Saturday, November 6 at 8 pm and Sunday, November 7 at 1:30 pm. The concert, which will be held at the David H. Koch Theater, is directed by Ted Sparling and conducted by City Opera music director George Manahan. This exciting concert examines the work of one of America's most influential composers, including music from the Kaddish Symphony, Mass, Songfest, Wonderful Town, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, On the Town, West Side Story, and more. It will feature the musical talents of Jackson and other Broadway favorites: Victoria Clark, Christine Ebersole, Kelli O'Hara, Donna Murphy, Michael Cerveris, Darius de Haas and Michael Urie. Marty Thomas (XANADU, WICKED, THE SECRET GARDEN) will host intermission and post-show festivities.