Eric Schaeffer News

The 27th Helen Hayes Awards are being presented at the historic Warner Theatre tonight, April 25, 2011. In addition to 156 theatre artists, ensembles and productions nominated in 26 categories, three special awards will be given.

Yesterday evening, Clement took the stage of the Nederlander Theatre to join the cast of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET in the special encore. Cowboy Jack Clement is a legendary songwriter and record producer. On the date of the 1956 Million Dollar Quartet sessions at Sun Records, Jack was the engineer. Without Cowboy Jack, Presley, Cash, Lewis & Perkin's impromptu recording session would never have been documented on tape. Cowboy Jack has worked with such legends as Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Ray Charles, Carl Perkins, Bobby Bare, Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves, Jerry Lee Lewis, Cliff Richard, Charley Pride, Tom Jones, Dickey Lee, Hank Snow, and Waylon Jennings.

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, Broadway's hit musical, is pleased to announce that Cowboy Jack Clement, will join the cast of the Tony nominated Best Musical for a special performance during the finale of the Thursday evening, April 21 performance at the Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street).

On April 11, 2011, Virginia's Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre honored esteemed stage and screen actress Bernadette Peters with the company's second Stephen Sondheim Award. The award, established in 2009 in honor of America's most influential contemporary musical theater writer and composer, was presented at a black-tie Gala Benefit at the Embassy of Italy. The 2011 Sondheim Award Gala was chaired by Ted and Mary Jo Shen; Honorary Hosts include Stephen Sondheim, Helen Henderson, His Excellency Gary Doer and Ms. Ginny Devine, The Honorable James Moran, His Excellency Giulio Terzi and Ms. Antonella Cinque, and The Honorable Jim Webb and Mrs. Webb. The Sondheim Award Gala helped to benefit Signature Theatre's numerous artistic, education, and community programs. Last year's recipient was stage, screen, and television icon Angela Lansbury. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you official photo coverage of the event. Click here for BroadwayWorld's own recap of the event.

Hunter Foster, who originated the role of 'Sam Phillips' in MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET on Broadway will return to the production on May 3. Robert Britton Lyons, who starred as 'Carl Perkins' in the original London cast, will also join the Broadway production.

The Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre fittingly wraps up its 2011-2012 season by paying tribute to their "signature" composer Stephen Sondheim, with Side by Side by Sondheim, the renowned musical revue celebrating the early works of America's leading composer.

There was a packed house at the Embassy of Italy on Monday night, April 11 as close to 400 Signature Theatre enthusiasts paid $650 and upwards per person for the theatre's annual Gala. And when the evening was over, no one was disappointed.

The Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre fittingly wraps up its 2011-2012 season by paying tribute to their 'signature' composer Stephen Sondheim, with Side by Side by Sondheim, the renowned musical revue celebrating the early works of America's leading composer. Signature's Resident Director Matthew Gardiner directs and choreographs Broadway stars Nancy Anderson (Wonderful Town, A Class Act) and Matthew Scott (Sondheim on Sondheim, Jersey Boys, Signature's Ace), along with Helen Hayes Award-winner and Signature favorite Sherri L. Edelen (Sweeney Todd, Les Miserables, Side Show ). Musical Director Jon Kalbfleisch (Sunset Boulevard, Show Boat, Les Miserables at Signature) and Associate Musical Director Gabriel Mangiante (Signature's [title of show] and Dirty Blonde) round out the cast and will accompany the trio on pianos.

On April 11, 2011, Virginia's Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre will honor esteemed stage and screen actress Bernadette Peters with the company's second Stephen Sondheim Award. The award, established in 2009 in honor of America's most influential contemporary musical theater writer and composer, will be presented at a black-tie Gala Benefit at the Embassy of Italy. The 2011 Sondheim Award Gala is chaired by Ted and Mary Jo Shen; Honorary Hosts include Stephen Sondheim, Helen Henderson, His Excellency Gary Doer and Ms. Ginny Devine, The Honorable James Moran, His Excellency Giulio Terzi and Ms. Antonella Cinque, and The Honorable Jim Webb and Mrs. Webb. The Sondheim Award Gala will help to benefit Signature Theatre's numerous artistic, education, and community programs. Last year's recipient was stage, screen, and television icon Angela Lansbury.

Arlington VA's Signature Theatre has announced that their 2011-2012 season will feature the world premiere of 5 new works that include two new musicals that will run in repertory as part of the American Musical Voices Project Repertory Series. The season will also feature some old favorites such as HAIRSPRAY and XANADU and the Washington area premiere of GOD OF CARNAGE.

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, Broadway's hit musical, is pleased to announce that Cowboy Jack Clement, will join the cast of the Tony nominated Best Musical for a special performance during the finale of the Thursday evening, April 21 performance at the Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street).

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, the new smash hit musical that's winning nightly standing ovations at London's Noël Coward Theatre, is pleased to announce the addition of a further 6 months of performances. Tickets are now on sale until Saturday 28 April 2012.

A simple white canvas. A 200,000 franc price tag. The real cost? A 15-year long friendship. Virginia's Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre presents Yasmine Reza's (God of Carnage) scathing dark comedy Art. Translated by Christopher Hampton, Reza's play examines the pressures friends place on one another and asks the question - are you who you think you are or are you who your friends want you to be? Signature Theatre's Resident Director Matt Gardiner will direct the award-winning play. Produced worldwide and performed in over thirty languages, Art won the 1998 Tony Award® for Best Play and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy.

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, the hit Broadway musical, will mark its 400th regular performance on Broadway following the Saturday evening, March 26 performance at the Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street).

Signature Theatre will be hosting their traditional "Pride Night" on Friday, March 25, 2011 - a special event for members of the GLBT community.

Million Dollar Quartet, the hit Broadway musical, announced last month that Jared Mason would assume the role of Jerry Lee Lewis at the Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street) starting Tuesday, March 15. Now, understudies Erik Hayden and Victoria Matlock will play Carl Perkins and Dyanne, respectively, full time.

On April 11, 2011, Virginia's Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre will honor esteemed stage and screen actress Bernadette Peters with the company's second Stephen Sondheim Award. The award, established in 2009 in honor of America's most influential contemporary musical theater writer and composer, will be presented at a black-tie Gala Benefit at the Embassy of Italy. The 2011 Sondheim Award Gala is chaired by Ted and Mary Jo Shen; Honorary Hosts include Stephen Sondheim, Helen Henderson, His Excellency Gary Doer and Ms. Ginny Devine, The Honorable James Moran, His Excellency Giulio Terzi and Ms. Antonella Cinque, and The Honorable Jim Webb and Mrs. Webb. The Sondheim Award Gala will help to benefit Signature Theatre's numerous artistic, education, and community programs. Last year's recipient was stage, screen, and television icon Angela Lansbury.

Bella Vita Entertainment, with Anthony Gruppuso, Calvin Remsberg, and Tricia Stabile announces the Los Angeles premiere of Glory Days. Glory Days has music and lyrics by Nick Blaemire and book by James Gardiner, and will be directed by Calvin Remsberg. Glory Days will preview at 8 pm on Thursday, March 17 and Friday, March 18 with opening night at 8:00 pm on Saturday, March 19 and run through April 24 (Thursday through Sunday) at the Lillian Theatre.

Signature Theatre will be hosting their traditional "Pride Night" on Friday, March 25, 2011 - a special event for members of the GLBT community.

Virginia's Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre has announced the artistic team behind the upcoming world premiere of the musical comedy And the Curtain Rises (formerly known as Wheatley's Folly), which begins performances on Thursday, March 17, 2011. And the Curtain Rises marks the third production presented as part of Signature's groundbreaking American Musical Voices Project, the largest commissioning program for new musicals in the country, following Michael John LaChiusa's Giant in 2009 and Ricky Ian Gordon's Sycamore Trees last year.