Dorothy Loudon News

Theatre World Award Alumni Courtney B. Vance, Anika Noni Rose, Ben Vereen, Christine Lahti, Tony Sheldon, Lea Salonga, Isabel Keating, Phillip Boykin, Jessie Mueller, Jackie Hoffman, Wesley Taylor, Patricia Elliott, Meg Bussert, Crystal A. Dickinson, with special guest Nathan Lane, all took part in the 69th Annual Theatre World Awards Ceremony last night, June 3, 2013 at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street), home of the current Broadway revival of Pippin. BroadwayWorld was there for the celebration and you can check out a highlight from the ceremony below featuring presenter Jackie Hoffman and honoree Shalita Grant!

Theatre World Award Alumni Courtney B. Vance, Anika Noni Rose, Ben Vereen, Christine Lahti, Tony Sheldon, Lea Salonga, Isabel Keating, Phillip Boykin, Jessie Mueller, Jackie Hoffman, Wesley Taylor, Patricia Elliott, Meg Bussert, Crystal A. Dickinson, with special guest Nathan Lane, all took part in the 69th Annual Theatre World Awards Ceremony last night, June 3, 2013 at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street), home of the current Broadway revival of Pippin. BroadwayWorld was there for the celebration and you can check out photos from the arrivals below!

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's 2013 Tony Awards Clip Countdown with a special spotlight focused on a multi-Tony Award-winning choreographer, director and performer who was involved with many landmark musicals of the 20th century - Michael Bennett.

Theatre World Award Alumni Courtney B. Vance, Anika Noni Rose, Ben Vereen, Christine Lahti, Tony Sheldon, Lea Salonga, Isabel Keating, Phillip Boykin, Jessie Mueller, Jackie Hoffman, Wesley Taylor, Patricia Elliott, Meg Bussert, Crystal A. Dickinson, with special guest Nathan Lane, have been announced as presenters and performers at the 69th Annual Theatre World Awards Ceremony on Monday evening, June 3, 2013 beginning at 6:45 p.m. at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street), home of the current Broadway revival of Pippin. Mother and daughter, Rosemary Harris and Jennifer Ehle, both Theatre World Award Alumni, are 2013 Honorary Co-Chairs.

Director Michael Keegan brings Totem Pole's opener some welcome comic relief in a new production of Michael Frayn's beloved farce

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's 2013 Tony Awards Clip Countdown with a special spotlight focused on a beloved seven-time Tony Award-winning Best Musical, ANNIE!

Theatre World Award Alumni Courtney B. Vance, Anika Noni Rose, Ben Vereen, Christine Lahti, Tony Sheldon, Lea Salonga, Isabel Keating, Phillip Boykin, Jessie Mueller, Jackie Hoffman, Wesley Taylor, Patricia Elliott, Meg Bussert, Crystal A. Dickinson, with special guest Nathan Lane, have been announced as presenters and performers at the 69th Annual Theatre World Awards Ceremony on Monday evening, June 3, 2013 beginning at 6:45 p.m. at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street), home of the current Broadway revival of Pippin. Mother and daughter, Rosemary Harris and Jennifer Ehle, both Theatre World Award Alumni, are 2013 Honorary Co-Chairs.

The 2013 Honorees for Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway Debut Performance, the 5th Annual Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater for an Outstanding Performance in a Broadway or Off-Broadway Production, and the newly established John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, were announced today. The winners will be celebrated at the 69th Annual Theatre World Awards Ceremony set for a new day and time, representing a change from past years, on Monday evening, June 3, 2013 beginning at 6:45 p.m. at the Music Box Theater (239 West 45th Street), home of the current Broadway revival of Pippin.

The power may have been lost at McKinley High on FOX's hit musical dramedy series Glee last night, but there was no shortage of mega-wattage musical magnificence to set the night alight anyway - particularly for the Broadway babies among us, given the major tributes to A CHORUS LINE and ANNIE. Yes, indeed, 'Lights Out' was Glee at its very best. Oh, yeah - and Frida Romero, too (you read that name right)!

'This is like children's theatre for 40-year-old gay people!'

Tony nominee Stephanie D'Abruzzo, rising cabaret star Jennifer Sheehan, and multi-award-winning star of ZOMBIE, Bill Connington, appeared in a sold-out staged reading of The Importance of Being Earnest ('A Trivial Comedy for Serious People') by Oscar Wilde. Joining them were Gayton Scott (Gypsy), Brian Charles Rooney (Threepenny Opera), Annmarie Benedict (Robeson) and Michael Keyloun (Tartuffe). The staged reading was site-specific, and was performed in the white and gold gilded ballroom of a private Eastside club. The evening was produced by Razors Edge Productions. Scroll below for photos from the performance!

Tony nominee Stephanie D'Abruzzo, rising cabaret star Jennifer Sheehan, and multi-award-winning star of ZOMBIE, Bill Connington, will appear in The Importance of Being Earnest ('A Trivial Comedy for Serious People') by Oscar Wilde. Joining them will be Gayton Scott (Gypsy), Brian Charles Rooney (Threepenny Opera), AnnMarie Benedict (Robeson) and Michael Keyloun (Tartuffe). The staged reading will be site-specific, in the white and gold gilded ballroom of a private Eastside club, today, February 13th. The evening is produced by Razors Edge Productions.

Tony nominee Stephanie D'Abruzzo, rising cabaret star Jennifer Sheehan, and multi-award-winning star of ZOMBIE, Bill Connington, will appear in The Importance of Being Earnest ("A Trivial Comedy for Serious People") by Oscar Wilde. Joining them will be Gayton Scott (Gypsy), Brian Charles Rooney (Threepenny Opera), Annmarie Benedict (Robeson) and Michael Keyloun (Tartuffe). The staged reading will be site-specific, in the white and gold gilded ballroom of a private Eastside club, on Wednesday, February 13th. The evening is produced by Razors Edge Productions.

Lawrence Edelson, Producing Artistic Director of American Lyric Theater, announced today the national expansion of the company's core initiative, The Composer Librettist Development Program (CLDP). Through the use of newly acquired HD teleconferencing technology, gifted emerging artists with an interest in writing for the opera stage will be able to participate in the CLDP, regardless of where they live in the country.

Abingdon Theatre Company - which has produced more than 78 new American plays in its 20-year history - continues its 2012-2013 Season with the world premiere of BODEGA BAY by Elisabeth Karlin (THE MOONCALF), set to begin previews tonight, January 25, prior to its official press opening February 3, at the Abingdon Theatre Company's Dorothy Strelsin Theatre (312 West 36th Street). Sturgis Warner, who recently helmed Najla Said's PALESTINE, directs. Performances run through February 17.

Abingdon Theatre Company - which has produced more than 78 new American plays in its 20-year history - continues its 2012-2013 Season with the world premiere of BODEGA BAY by Elisabeth Karlin (THE MOONCALF), set to begin previews January 25, prior to its official press opening February 3, at the Abingdon Theatre Company's Dorothy Strelsin Theatre (312 West 36th Street). Sturgis Warner, who recently helmed Najla Said's PALESTINE, directs. Performances run through February 17.

Annie, the new production of the Tony Award-winning musical, began previews October 3, 2012 and opens tonight at the Palace Theatre (Broadway at 47th Street). Annie stars two-time Tony Award winner Katie Finneran as Miss Hannigan, Australian star Anthony Warlow making his Broadway debut as Daddy Warbucks and 11-year-old Lilla Crawford as Annie. Let's see what the critics had to say...

Jennifer Sheehan reprises her critically acclaimed '60s show, "I Know a Place," for three nights this month at the Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street.

Today we are talking to one of Broadway's biggest homegrown stars who has appeared in the original New York productions of many memorable modern-day classics, among them THE WHO'S TOMMY, AIDA, THE LAST FIVE YEARS and DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, in additions to highly-regarded turns in the first replacement cast of RENT, the Tommy Tune/Jeff Calhoun revival of GREASE, the Off-Broadway curiosity DEBBIE DOES DALLAS, the first (and only) LA mounting of Randy Newman's FAUST, as well as her starring role in the recent Lincoln Center Theater's production of WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, and, of course, her own rapturously-received, award-winning solo showpiece, EVERYDAY RAPTURE - the convivially mesmerizing, one-of-a-kind Sherie Rene Scott. Discussing the major transitions in her life, including her transformation from ingenue to leading lady to solo performer, Scott illustrates a unique and varied career as well as opens up about the themes, songs, stories, experiences and encounters that formed the basis for her new solo piece premiering at 54 Below this week, PIECE OF MEAT. Additionally, Scott touches upon her work as the co-owner of the revolutionary Sh-K-Boom Records with her husband, Kurt Deutsch, as well as her own album work over the years, in addition to stories related to the recording of many of their most celebrated titles and the composers whose work is prominently featured on their releases - Tom Kitt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Michael John LaChiusa and many more included. All of that, plus Mennonites, music and meat - and much, much more!

Jennifer Sheehan reprises her critically acclaimed '60s show, "I Know a Place," for three nights in October at the Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street.