Eugene Lovendusky News

Mercedes Ruehl is no stranger to the high-stakes of mother/daughter on-stage drama. In her 1991 Tony Award-winning performance as the intriguing 'special' daughter Bella in Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers, she stood-up to her stern mother on more than one occasion. Only now, the tables have turned! Ms. Ruehl finds herself on Broadway as the mighty matriarch in Richard Greenberg's family-feud 'The American Plan.'

This Veteran's Day, as America takes a moment to remember those brave men and women who have served our country, Roundabout Theatre Company opens David Rabe's award-winning and stirring play, STREAMERS. Brad Fleischer stars as Billy, a wide-eyed and sentimental young man, struggling to understand his new army-life as the Vietnam conflict escalates. Tensions rise over race, sexuality and class, culminating in an explosive act that changes them forever...

An all-star benefit concert performance of DRIFT, with music and lyrics by Jeremy Schonfeld and directed by Lauren Kennedy, will be presented at BB King Blues Club & Grill on Monday, November 3 at 8PM. The rock-musical weaves raw and gracefully honest songs together to tell the story of one man's divorce and reconciliation. DRIFT - In Concert boasts the talents of Adam Pascal, Adam Kantor, Terrence Mann, Jarrod Emick and Julia Murney.

Fresh on the heels of Columbus Day... and a breath before Thanksgiving... 'Don't Quit Your Night Job' returns to New York City for another year of mayhem! BroadwayWorld had the entertaining opportunity to chat with the fantastic foursome- Steve Rosen, David Rossmer, Sarah Saltzberg and Dan Lipton - at The Zipper Factory in anticipation of their 3rd rompous season, opening Thursday October 30!

Most soldiers go off to war to defend their country with guns... Kahlil Ashanti defended with his humor in BASIC TRAINING, now playing at the Barrow Street Theatre. As a member of the elite US Air Force troupe Tops In Blue, Kahlil served his country in Iraq by entertaining the troops on the front-line. Often hysterical and many times dangerous, Ashanti knows true fear... but nothing was quite as scary as turning his focus back home to face the childhood he tried to forget.

'Monty Python's Spamalot' recently welcomed Michael Siberry to the Broadway company after originating the role of King Arthur in the national tour and performing it for two years. Between hunts for the Holy Grail and calculating the distance a swallow can fly whilst carrying a coconut, Michael Siberry found a moment to chat with BroadwayWorld about his time performing the gilded role in the hyperbolic (and supremely comical) Kingdom of Camelot...

'Broadway In South Africa: The Concert' is a star-studded evening featuring world-premiere songs created by award-winning Broadway composers, performed by Broadway stars on Monday, October 6, 2008 at Symphony Space. This benefit concert will raise money for the January 2009 South African initiative of Broadway in South Africa (BSA), a new, not-for-profit organization. Participating artists Kate Shindle, Adam Kantor, Stanley Bahorek, Sean Bradford, Lisa Nicole Wilkerson and director Jen Bender chatted with BroadwayWorld about their ambitious project!

Celebrating their Platinum 70th Anniversary, the beloved Paper Mill Playhouse kick-started their season with a hoot-n-hollerin' production of an American classic: Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'Oklahoma!' Following a rousing Opening Night, stars Brynn O'Malley (Laurey), Megan Sikora (Ado Annie), Adam Monley (Curly), Jonathan Brody (Ali Hakim) and Brian Sears (Will Parker) toasted the occasion by chatting with BroadwayWorld!

We all know we're going to die someday… just not today. So, why are we here and is there more to our journey? Those questions were the inspiration behind Tony Award-nominated writer Jack Murphy's new play 'Gods of Autumn,' which makes its world premiere at Hot Summer Nights at the Kennedy on Wednesday August 20, 2008; starring Jarrod Emick and Jessica Phillips. Murphy also directs.

'Broadway Stands Up for Freedom!,' a benefit concert to support the youth programs of the NYCLU, returns Monday, July 21 at 7:30PM in the NYU Skirball Center to shine-light on the NYCLU's dedication to reproductive rights and other civil liberties issues relevant to young people. Jen Bender directs a star-studded cast through a night of musical treats, superb story-telling and poetry, with musical direction by Seth Rudetsky. BroadwayWorld spoke to Donna Lieberman (Executive Director of NYCLU), Jen Bender (Director), Daniel Goldstein, Todd Buonopane and Celia Keenan-Bolger about this special event!

This summer, real-life Broadway brothers Matthew Bogart and Dan Bogart will star as stage-brothers in Sam Shepard's 'True West,' directed by Lauren Kennedy at Hot Summer Nights in Raleigh, NC from July 2-13, 2008.

When Jared Gertner played The Lion in his high-school's 1996 production of 'The Wiz,' he won a Rising Star Award from Paper Mill Playhouse. Twelve years later, Jared returns to Millburn to finally step into the leading-man's shoes as the lovable geek Seymour in 'Little Shop of Horrors.' Just goes to show, ya never know!

A favorite Broadway vixen, Emily Skinner premieres her new act 'Broadway, My Way' at Feinstein's at Loews Regency on Sunday, June 1 & 8. Emily pulls some of her favorite (and arcane) tunes from the classic song-book... with the signature Skinner-style twist! Plus, Emily will direct the season finale 'Broadway By The Year - 1979' concert on Monday, June 16!

Nominated for the 2008 Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards, 'From Up Here' premiered at Manhattan Theatre Club this spring with a flurry of praise for a great cast, engaging story and an impressive new playwright... Liz Flahive!

In their newest collaborative-album, 'One Ounce of Truth,' sultry vocalist Capathia Jenkins and inspired composer Louis Rosen shape a fresh and enthralling 13-song mix around the vivid poetry of Nikki Giovanni, the renowned female African-American writer and poet. Jenkins and Rosen celebrate their CD-release with 4 concerts at Joe's Pub on May 12, 18, 19 & 26.

With their Platinum Anniversary just around the corner, Paper Mill Playhouse is celebrating the abundance of springtime with a musical comedy favorite, Cole Porter's 'Kiss Me, Kate!' James Brennan's 'wunderbar' direction and 'too darn hot' choreography by Patti Columbo take center-stage with the hard-working and high-energy cast led by Mike McGowan, Michele Ragusa, Amanda Watkins and Timothy J. Alex!

Kenny, portrayed by the stirring Tobias Segal, is the juvenile under-the-microscope in Liz Flahive's 'From Up Here,' directed by Leigh Silverman, now playing MTC in collaboration with Ars Nova. Segal discusses the effects of portraying his deep role in this striking new dark family comedy about love, forgiveness and the actualities of today's youth at home and school...

After over 1,000 performances as Broadway's favorite big-girl Tracy Turnblad, Shannon Durig will take her final 'Hairspray' bow on Sunday, April 13, 2008. Amidst teasing-up her towering hair and busting-down TV segregation, Shannon has fostered a loving family among the nicest kids in town...

From the pen of young playwright Itamar Moses, helmed by young director Pam MacKinnon and interpreted by young actors Michael Esper and Gideon Banner - MTC presents 'The Four Of Us' - a story of male companionship that reverberates for audiences young and old! Banner and Esper discuss their amiable characters in this delightful new comedic drama that shines a soft blue light on the intimacy and fragility of friendship...

On Monday, March 31, 2008, Broadway belter Sherie Rene Scott, currently starring as the notorious eight-armed sea-witch Ursula in Disney's 'The Little Mermaid,' will concoct an experiment in truth-telling in her new and original one-woman show 'You May Now Worship Me.' The one-night-only concert at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre benefits Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative.