Edward Kleban News

Mario Lopez will be making his Broadway Debut in the musical A Chorus Line on April 15th. Mr. Lopez is an 'Extra TV' host and was a finalist on 'Dancing with the Stars'. His first performance will be on Tuesday April 15th, 2008 and he is scheduled to run until Sunday, September 7, 2008. He will be on hiatus from the show from Sunday, May 11, 2008 through Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008.

The Road to Qatar!, a true new musical comedy, will have two staged readings for industry professionals at Chelsea Studios at 1pm and 4:30pm on April 18, 2007. The book and lyrics are by Stephen Cole and the music is by David Krane. Cole and Krane based the show on their real life experience of being commissioned to write the first American musical to premiere in the Middle East. The reading will be directed by Marcia Milgrim Dodge (Lucille Lortel Nominee for Seussical) and features a cast of five including Rob Bartlett (Little Shop of Horrors, The Imus Show), Mary Birdsong (Martin Short-Fame Becomes Me, Hairspray), Brad Oscar (The Producers, Spamalot), Seth Rudetsky (The Ritz), and Ray Wills (The Producers). One day three years ago both Stephen Cole and David Krane (who did not know each other at the time) received an email that read: 'We want you write musical. How much?' This began an unbelievable but true journey that introduced the two 'short Jews' to an alien world of camels, deserts and crazy Egyptian theatrical producers. During the course of this crazy Arab adventure, Stephen and David starred in their own personal Bob Hope-Bing Crosby 'road picture' that took them to Dubai, Qatar, London, Bratislava and back to the USA after writing and presenting a huge original musical for the Emir of Qatar and one thousand of his invited guests. When they returned, they had no other choice but to write their story in the only way they knew how: as a musical! The names have all been changed, but the story is totally true.

Mario Lopez will be making his Broadway debut Tuesday, April 15, in A CHORUS LINE. He is taking over the role of Zach, the demanding director who is casting the chorus roles for a new Broadway Musical.

Before heading to Broadway, Mark Nadler will bring his one-man comedy-in-music adventure, Russian on the Side, to the Royal George Theatre Mainstage, 1641 North Halsted Street in Chicago, for a limited eight-week engagement, April 30 - June 15, 2008. (Previews begin April 22). The official press opening is scheduled for Wednesday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m.

John Breglio for Vienna Waits Productions announced today that 'Extra TV' host and 'Dancing with the Stars' finalist Mario Lopez will make his Broadway debut joining the cast of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning musical 'A Chorus Line' beginning Tuesday, April 15, 2008, at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 W 45th St).

The Original Broadway Cast album of 'Spring Awakening' won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album during the pre-televised 50th Annual Grammy Awards today, Sunday February 10. Tune-in for all the winners tonight on CBS at 8PM.

David Mirvish is delighted to present a total of eight shows in the new 2008/2009 Mirvish Theatre Season. Six of the shows - five acclaimed musicals and one classic drama - will be available in a subscripton package. Two bonus shows, both musicals, round out the season.

The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning musical A Chorus Line celebrates its 500th performance at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, on Friday January 4, 2008

The 50th Annual Grammy Award nominations were announced today, Thursday December 6, 2007. Of the several categories and nominees, these are the listings for Best Musical Show Album and Best Movie Soundtrack.

BMI presents a showcase of new material at Musical Mondays, held December 10 at 6:30PM at the Snapple Theatre Center

The Emelin Theatre, a non-profit performing arts center in Mamaroneck, NY, today announced that Broadway star Karen Mason, who originated the role of Tanya in Broadway's Mamma Mia! - a role for which she received a 2002 Drama Desk nomination for Best Actress - will join the cast of the Emelin's Kleinbort Collection.

The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning musical A Chorus Line celebrates its first year anniversary on Broadway Friday, October 5, 2007, at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre.

A Chorus Line is proud to announce the launch of 'My Life On The Line,' a new blog on the A Chorus Line website (www.achorusline.com). 'My Life On The Line' was inspired by the life experiences shared by students participating in Theatre Development Fund's (TDF) Open Doors program after they had seen the show. These New York City high school students tell their stories of how they have put themselves 'on the line,' much like the characters in the smash hit musical who put themselves 'on the line' by telling their personal struggles during a Broadway audition.

The Emelin Theatre, a non-profit performing arts center in Mamaroneck, NY, today announced its new theatre program for the 2007-2008 season, including the fall 'Theatre in Concert Festival' featuring Emmy Award-winner Penny Fuller, Tony Award-winner Gretha Boston and Grammy Award-winner Marcus Hummon.

The BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop begins September 17 and runs through June 3, 2008. A recipient of the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre Award, The BMI Lehman Engle Musical Workshop consists of approximately 250 composers, lyricists and book writers who are actively writing new works for the musical theatre.

John Breglio has announced the newest members of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning musical A Chorus Line who begin performances Tuesday, July 24, 2007.

One-minute A Chorus Line video blogs of Broadway fans, talking about the biggest risk they ever took or the greatest challenge they ever faced and how it changed them, will be featured on a new series to be seen on a www.chorusline.com.

On behalf of the Kleban Foundation, New Dramatists presented the 17th Annual Kleban Award for the most promising musical theater librettist to Jeremy Desmon, and the Award for most promising lyricist to Joe Iconis. The presentation of the awards took place June 13, 2007 at a private ceremony at BMI.