Emily Skinner News

Looking for a quick roundup of this week's events? Look no further - here are some of the best articles the week had to offer!

Eric Schaeffer, Artistic Director of Signature Theatre, today announced the lineup for the company's 2012/2013 season. The Tony Award®-winning company, long renowned for staging bold and innovative productions of classic musicals, will be reinventing four legendary Broadway favorites for their exciting 23rd season. In addition to a co-production with Ford's Theatre of the 10-time Tony Award®-winner Hello, Dolly!, Signature will be bringing the uproarious musical comedy The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and the inspirational award-winning musical Dreamgirls to the intimate MAX Theatre. Signature, the Theatre most closely associated with producing definitive productions of Stephen Sondheim, will also present the quintessential musical on love and marriage, Company, for the first time in twenty years.

The story of the controversial 'Mad Monk,' Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin is now the subject of the new rock musical Brother Russia, which makes its world premiere at the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre. The new musical features Music by Dana Rowe and Book and Lyrics by John Dempsey - the award-winning creators behind The Fix (1998) and The Witches of Eastwick (2007). Directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer, the production will star John Lescault (Signature's Art and The Lieutenant of Inishmore) as the infamous and enigmatic Rasputin, Natascia Diaz (Kiss of the Spider Woman at Signature, and Savage in Limbo at MetroStage), Doug Kreeger (Signature's The Visit), Amy McWilliams (Signature's The Witches of Eastwick and Urinetown), and Tracy Lynn Olivera (Les Misérables and Merrily We Roll Along at Signature). Erin Driscoll, Stephen Gregory Smith, Rachel Zampelli, Russell Sunday, Kevin McAllister, and Christopher Mueller round out the cast for this world premiere event. Brother Russia will play at Signature's MAX Theatre from March 6, 2012 through April 15, 2012. Tickets are now on sale. Check out production shots below!

Today we are completing our triptych look at the leading ladies of the new BAM production of RICHARD III, directed by Sam Mendes and starring Kevin Spacey, with a solo spotlight on a stage and screen star known for her wide range of roles in dramas, comedies, musicals, television and film - the one and only Haydn Gwynne. In addition to all about her intense preparation for her role in the searing and prescient Shakespearean historical tragedy, Gwynne also recounts her experiences working with Mendes, Spacey and the previous ladies who have participated in this RICHARD III spotlight with whom she shares the stage every night now through March 4, Gemma Jones and Maureen Anderman. Besides all about RICHARD III and its international tour begun at the Old Vic in London's West End and ending up in New York at BAM, Gwynne and I also discuss her recent stage work in Elton John and Lee Hall's Tony-winning international hit BILLY ELLIOT and working with theatre and film director Stephen Daldry on it, as well as some remembrances of her other notable stage and screen roles, old and new - prior musicals (such as CITY OF ANGELS), as well as her recent guest-starring stint on the hit BBC series SHERLOCK included, as well as a look ahead to her new feature film, HUNKY DORY, starring Minnie Driver. All of that and much, much more!

The Tokyo production of Jekyll & Hyde will open on March 6, and you can go behind the scenes of rehearsals in the video below!

From Nick Jonas and Michael Urie to the Ladies of THE VIEW to Adam Pascal, Raul Esparza, Barbra Streisand to Alan Menken, Bernadette Peters to Susan Boyle, Colin Quinn to GLEE and Everything in Between - It's the BroadwayWorld.com 2012 Valentine's Day Special - It's the Biggest Ever!

The Town Hall (123 West 43 Street) has signed Award-winning Jazz singer Marilyn Maye, Tony Award winner, Ben Davis (Baz Luhrmann's La Boheme), Dameka Hayes, Audelco Award Nominee for It Ain't Nothing But The Blues and Jessie Mueller, who made her Broadway debut in On a Clear Day…, to perform in THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1946 on Monday, February 13, 2012 at 8pm.

Paper Mill Playhouse has just announced casting for Damn Yankees, directed by Paper Mill Playhouse's Producing Artistic Director, Mark S. Hoebee, with choreography by Denis Jones. The cast features Howard McGillin (Applegate), Chryssie Whitehead (Lola), Christopher Charles Wood (Joe Hardy), Joseph Kolinski (Joe Boyd), Patti Cohenour (Meg Boyd) and Nancy Anderson (Gloria Thorpe). Damn Yankees begins performances on Wednesday, March 7, 2012, and runs at the Millburn, New Jersey theater through Sunday, April 1, 2012.

Signature Theatre is now offering theater lovers everywhere the ultimate backstage pass with Brother Russia Presents, a six-session seminar that goes behind-the-scenes of the world premiere rock musical Brother Russia, from the award-winning creators of the hit musicals The Fix and Witches of Eastwick.

The story of the controversial "Mad Monk," Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin is now the subject of the new rock musical Brother Russia, which makes its world premiere at the Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre. The new musical features Music by Dana Rowe and Book and Lyrics by John Dempsey - the award-winning creators behind The Fix (1998) and The Witches of Eastwick (2007). Directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer, the production will star John Lescault (Signature's Art and The Lieutenant of Inishmore) as the infamous and enigmatic Rasputin, Natascia Diaz (Kiss of the Spider Woman at Signature, and Savage in Limbo at MetroStage), Doug Kreeger (Signature's The Visit), Amy McWilliams (Signature's The Witches of Eastwick and Urinetown), and Tracy Lynn Olivera (Les Miserables and Merrily We Roll Along at Signature). Erin Driscoll, Stephen Gregory Smith, Rachel Zampelli, Russell Sunday, Kevin McAllister, and Christopher Mueller round out the cast for this world premiere event. Brother Russia will play at Signature's MAX Theatre from March 6, 2012 through April 15, 2012. Tickets are now on sale.

Signature Theatre's flagship Education Program 'Signature in the Schools' will present local high school students performing in Un-American, a world premiere work by award-winning playwright Joe Calarco.

Signature Theatre today announced that the run of Hairspray will be extended for one week, through February 5th.

Signature Theatre is offering a special "20 for $20" ticket special to see the world premiere of the Generation Me tragic comedy Really Really by Paul Downs Colaizzo.

The Town Hall (123 West 43 Street) has signed Award-winning Jazz singer Marilyn Maye, Tony Award winner, Ben Davis (Baz Luhrmann's La Boheme), Dameka Hayes, Audelco Award Nominee for It Ain't Nothing But The Blues and Jessie Mueller, who made her Broadway debut in On a Clear Day…, to perform in THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1946 on Monday, February 13, 2012 at 8pm.

Chris Durang launched a comic nightclub act in 1989 called CHRIS DURANG & DAWNE (John Augustine and Sherry Anderson) that came back to play clubs all over the New York area for the next eight years until they made their last public performance in January of 1996.

Welcome to THE FRIDAY SIX: Q&As With Your Favorite Broadway Stars. Want to know what hooked them to a career in the theater? Their dream roles? Their Broadway crushes? Read on! In this next edition, we caught up with Emily Skinner of the former hits, BILLY ELLIOT, THE FULL MONTY and SIDE SHOW!

Signature Theatre is offering a special "20 for $20" ticket special to see the world premiere of the Generation Me tragic comedy Really Really by Paul Downs Colaizzo.

The exquisite John W Engeman Theater of Northport hosted yet another glorious evening in their ongoing concert series 'Broadway Spectrum'. During their dark week between shows, the Engeman brings together Broadway performers for a one night engagement. The performers divulge little antidotes about their careers and sing selections from their favorite roles. The incredible cast this time around included Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Sara Jean Ford, Shuler Hensley, Andrew Samonsky, and Emily Skinner.

Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW presents BACK TO METHUSELAH: PART ONE - a comedy of epic proportions by George Bernard Shaw - on Monday, January 23 at 7pm at The Players Club (16 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. David Staller produces and directs.

The John W. Engeman Theater at Northport previously announced its next special event in their ongoing Broadway Concert Series tonight, January 21 at 8 PM with Broadway Spectrum.