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An Equity staged reading of "The Book Of Merman", a new play with music tracing the ups and downs of the famed Broadway star affectionately known as "the Merm", is currently rehearsing for private presentations to industry producers and insiders.
Producer Scott Rudin announced today that, beginning Tuesday, June 13, two-time Tony Award®-winner and one of Broadway's most treasured stars, Donna Murphy, will step into the role of Dolly Gallagher Levi for Tuesday evening performances of the upcoming Broadway revival of Michael Stewart's (book) and Jerry Herman's (music and lyrics) Hello, Dolly!, starring the legendary Bette Midler. (Ms. Murphy will also take over the role during Ms. Midler's vacations.)
The Ziegfeld Society of New York City presents the second show of its Eighth Season on October 29th, 2016 with CALL MY PUBLICIST! - THE STARRY EDUCATION OF A BROADWAY PRESS AGENT. Billed as "An Insider's View of the Theatre's Glamour and Folly," the autobiographical play with music is written and performed by Josh Ellis, directed by Gretchen Cryer, with musical direction and arrangements by Mark York, on Saturday, October 29th.
David Hyde Pierce talked with Kelly Ripa and guest co-host Matt Bomer about his current Off-Broadway project, A LIFE, at Playwrights Horizons and his starring role in the upcoming production of HELLO DOLLY opposite, Bette Midler.
Producer Scott Rudin announced that, with the addition to the company of Beanie Feldstein, in the role of 'Minnie Fay,' principal casting is now complete for the upcoming Broadway revival of Michael Stewart (book) and Jerry Herman's (music and lyrics) Hello, Dolly!, starring the legendary Bette Midler. Directed by four-time Tony Award® winner Jerry Zaks and choreographed by Tony Award winnerWarren Carlyle, Hello, Dolly! will begin performances at Broadway's Shubert Theatre (225 West 44th Street) on March 15, 2017, with an official opening night of April 20, 2017.
It takes guts to write a parody of 1970s disaster movies. After all, AIRPLANE!, the parody of the AIRPORT series, is one of the most beloved comedies of all time. It also takes guts to write a 1970s jukebox musical. A show you may have heard of called MAMMA MIA! ran for nearly 14 years and 6,000 performances. Nevertheless, into this field of exclamation points flew DISASTER!, a parody of 1970s disaster movies...and a 1970s jukebox musical. The show, co-written by multi-hyphenate Seth Rudetsky (who also plays one of the main roles) and director Jack Plotnick, was perhaps a bit slim for the past Broadway season. Its silliness, specificity, and lack of original songs may have caused it to struggle amid the powerhouse shows surrounding it, and it closed in May after 72 performances. But it did receive some enthusiastic reviews, and in particular acclaim for the breakout performance of Jennifer Simard, who was nominated for a Tony for her performance of a nun with a gambling addiction. (Her big moment in the show, singing 'Never Can Say Goodbye' to a HAWAII FIVE-O-themed slot machine, can be viewed online.) Now Simard will be accompanying the show to London. In the meantime, we have Broadway Records' DISASTER! cast album, which contains 28 (!) songs from the show.
What do Reba McEntire, Ethel Merman and Bernadette Peters have in common? They all starred as sharpshooter Annie Oakley in the Tony Award-winning Broadway smash, Annie Get Your Gun. Hold on to your cowboy hats and get ready for the music, dancing and pageantry of Irving Berlin's musical spectacle when Annie Get Your Gun opens on October 19 live at at the Alhambra Theatre & Dining. Annie Get Your Gun premiered in 1946, when men were returning to the workforce after World War II, and women were returning to the home.
Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical opens officially tonight at Studio 54 (254 West 54th Street). BroadwayWorld will have all the reviews as they roll in. Let's see what the critics had to say:
Varla Jean Merman brings her hilarious new show Varla Jean Merman: A Little White Music ("a honky hit-parade of the whitest music you've ever suffered through!") to Palm Springs' Copa Nightclub and Cabaret on October 14 and 15 at 8PM. Jeffery Roberson aka Varla Jean Merman (who boasts that Ernest Borgnine is her father and Ethel Merman is her mother) is perhaps best known for her role in the independent film Girls will be Girls. She had a co-starring role in the 1997 film, Franchesca Page. Merman was also one of the performers featured in the HBO original documentary Dragtime.
Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, October 2, 2016 - Sunday, October 2, 2016.
Four of the MUNY's favorite former leading ladies are returning to the popular St. Louis venue. This time, they're coming together for the concert series Muny Magic at the Sheldon. The concert, fittingly titled 'Today's Muny Stars Celebrate the Legends,' will celebrate beloved stage icons who have also performed at the MUNY, including Ethel Merman and Bernadette Peters.
This September, Feinstein's/54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.
This September, Feinstein's/54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.
Feinstein's/54 Below is presenting the triumphant return of Rita McKenzie's award-winning Ethel Merman'S BROADWAY, the country's longest-running one-woman musical, tonight, September 28th, at 7 PM.
It's known as one of the most classic American musicals of all time. Broadway productions have starred legends ranging from Ethel Merman, Bernadette Peters, and Patti LuPone. While, the motion picture versions were led by Merman and Bette Midler. Now, Gypsy takes the stage at Reston Community Players October 21-November 12 in an exciting opening to the company's 50th season. Loosely based on the memoirs of the famous striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee, Gypsy focuses on the story of her mother, Rose, called "the ultimate stage mother."
Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.
On Tuesday September 20, Tony Cointreau celebrated the publication of his new book, 'A Gift of Love - Lessons Learned from My Work and Friendship with Mother Teresa' with a party at Michaels in Midtown Manhattan.
With a minimalist set depicting an abandoned stage - brick wall, ladder, random set pieces, and a piano - Music Theatre of Connecticut begins its 30th season with the iconic musical, Gypsy. Written in 1959, Gypsy harnesses the dream-team creative talents of music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and book by Arthur Laurents, plus the original production was directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins. All of these legends combined certainly raises the bar for expectation, and therefore, this show can be a difficult one for any theatre to produce. All in all, MTC did a good job of presenting this whirlwind piece. You should go!
Gallery Players announces its first show of its 50th season with the award-winning show, Gypsy. Featuring a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Gypsy is a show not just for 'Some People' but for everyone.
PRIMARY STAGES has announced the recipient of the inaugural Jeffry Melnick New Playwright Award, established by Jeffry Melnick and administrated by Primary Stages.
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