Douglas Hodge News

The Great British Bake Off host MEL GIEDROYC and comedy actress favourite CAROLINE QUENTIN join the already star studded cast of NEW SONGS 4 NEW SHOWS giving the West End a unique experience of seeing star performances of songs from four new musicals, in this one off Gala Concert at the Lyric Theatre Shaftesbury Avenue on MONDAY 28 NOVEMBER at 7.30pm produced by musical theatre production company The Stable.

The star cast of New Songs 4 New Shows includes: Douglas Hodge (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), Gemma Whelan (Game Of Thrones), Haydn Gwynne (Threepenny Opera), jazz supremo Ian Shaw, Alex Gaumond (We Will Rock You), sublime tenor Hal Cazalet and singer/songwriter Gwyneth Herbret (The A-Z Of Mrs. P).

On Friday, August 5th, the students of Broadway Artists Alliance received a visit from Tony Award winner, Jessie Mueller. She charmed them from the first moment when she sat down for her interview and rescued an eyelash from Artistic Director Jennifer Johns' cheek so that she could make a wish. Mueller's down-to-earth insight and wisdom was welcomed by the students of Broadway Artists Alliance in a Q&A that seemed to fly by. Scroll down for photos!

On July 21st, the students of Broadway Artists Alliance of NYC were tearfully overjoyed by a surprise visit from Hamilton star Renee Elise Goldsberry. Recently winning a Tony Award and Grammy for her role as Angelica Schuyler, Goldsberry spoke about the incredible journey that Hamilton has taken from workshopping a concept, to performing at The Public and moving to the Richard Rodgers Theatre, to earning 16 Tony nominations and winning a Pulitzer Prize. Goldsberry captivated the students of Broadway Artists Alliance during a lively Q&A where she offered generous advice. Scroll down for photos from her appearance!

Tony Award Winner, Laura Benanti, delighted the students of Broadway Artists Alliance's Summer Intensive program with a surprise visit this past Thursday! Benanti, who recently finished up a successful run of She Loves Me (2016 Tony Nomination for Leading Actress in a Musical), was as inciteful and entertaining off stage as she is on, during her Q&A with these aspiring young professionals. Scroll down for photos!

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will bring U.S. audiences their first look a London hit, when it presents the American Premiere of the joyous musical revue The Life of the Party. Directed and co-created by David Babani, the Artistic Director of London's Menier Chocolate Factory, this rollicking musical journey celebrates the songs of Tony Award-nominated composer Andrew Lippa (The Wild Party, The Addams Family, Big Fish) who takes the stage as a featured performer, along with a cast of Broadway and West End veterans, bringing to life a hilarious, uplifting, memorable evening that was declared "Sexy, sophisticated, and funny" and awarded five stars by London's Telegraph. The Life of the Party will be presented by TheatreWorks Silicon Valley August 24-September 18 (press opening: August 27) at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View. For tickets ($19-$80) and information the public may visit www.TheatreWorks.org or call(650) 463-1960.

Tony Award Nominee and School of Rock's leading man, Alex Brightman, visited the students of Broadway Artists Alliance on Thursday, July 7th. Brightman spoke of how his career journey led to originating the role of Dewey Finn, which earned him a Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Musical. Scroll down for photos!

Bay Street Theater has announced MY FAIR LADY, Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, Music by Frederick Loewe, Based on Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw & Gabriel Pascal's motion picture, and Directed by Michael Arden, Tony Award nominee and Outer Critics Circle Award-winner for Best Director of a Musical for the Broadway revival of Spring Awakening is now in rehearsals in NYC. MY FAIR LADY will run August 2 - 28. Check out photos below!

Bay Street Theater has announced the full cast and creative team of MY FAIR LADY, Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, Music by Frederick Loewe, Based on Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw & Gabriel Pascal's motion picture, and Directed by Michael Arden, Tony Award nominee and Outer Critics Circle Award-winner for Best Director of a Musical for the Broadway revival of Spring Awakening. MY FAIR LADY will run August 2 - 28. 

Happy Birthday, Harvey Fierstein! In addition to Torch Song Trilogy, La Cage aux Folles and A Catered Affair, Fierstein's Broadway acting credits include playing the mother, Edna Turnblad in Hairspray (2002), for which he won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. He later replaced Alfred Molina as Tevye in the 2004 revival of Fiddler on the Roof. Fierstein returned to the theatre when he toured as Tevye, replacing Chaim Topol in Fiddler on the Roof starting in December 2009. On February 15, 2011, he replaced Douglas Hodge as Albin/Zaza in the Broadway revival of La Cage aux Folles playing opposite Christopher Sieber. He is nominated for a 2012 Tony Award for the book of Newsies.

Deadline reports that Telsey + Company has commenced casting for a big screen remake of GUYS AND DOLLS at 20th Century Fox. According to the report, Tony Award winner Michael Grandage is set to helm the project.

TODAY'S BIG NEWS: The Drama League Awards are being presented today, hosted by Zachary Levi and Megan Hilty!

Bay Street Theater has announced some of the principal cast of MY FAIR LADY, Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, Music by Frederick Loewe, Based on Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw & Gabriel Pascal's motion picture, and Directed by Michael Arden, Tony Award nominee and Outer Critics Circle Award winner for Best Director of a Musical for the Broadway revival of

The multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre's Spring Season ends with the world premiere of a new play, Schism by Athena Stevens, which opens for a three week limited season on Wednesday, 27 April 2016 (Press Night: Friday, 29 April 2016 at 7.30pm).

The fourth LONDON FESTIVAL OF CABARET (LFoC) this year takes place from April 22 - May 8 and once again will be bringing the capital alive with the sound of sung cabaret and musical theatre shows.

Roundabout Theatre Company presents the first-ever New York revival of Alfred Uhry and Robert Waldman's musical comedy THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM. The production opened just last night, March 13, at the Laura Pels Theatre in the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre (111 West 46th Street). This will be a limited engagement through May 29, 2016. BroadwayWorld was there for opening night and you can check out photos from the red carpet arrivals below!

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) and Columbia University School of the Arts (Carol Becker, Dean of Faculty) have just announced Columbia@Roundabout, an initiative aimed at educating and developing the next generation of playwrights and theatre administrators, as both institutions celebrate their 50th anniversaries. No other collaborative partnership in the New York area brings together an esteemed Ivy League MFA program with a Tony Award- winning not-for-profit theatre. The initiative is made possible by a grant from the Tow Foundation.

Just last night, Roundabout Theatre Company hosted the 50th Anniversary Gala: 'Spring Gala 2016: Celebrating 50 Years of Extraordinary Theatre' in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria (301 Park Avenue, NYC). The evening was a celebration of Roundabout's 50th Anniversary and recognized the accomplishments of six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald and Roundabout's Chairman of the Board Tom Tuft and present them with The Jason Robards Award for Excellence in Theatre. BroadwayWorld was there for the big night and you can check out photos from the red carpet below!

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) and the Board of Directors (Tom Tuft, Chairman) have embarked on a $50 million Anniversary Campaign to ensure the future of the 50- year- old not-for-profit institution. The campaign was announced last night at Roundabout's Spring Gala at the Waldorf Astoria, honoring six-time Tony Award-winner Audra McDonald and Chairman Tom Tuft.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: Forest Whitaker leads HUGHIE, opening tonight on Broadway, and BRIGHT STAR begins performances!