Fanny Brice News

Music Theater Works (formerly Light Opera Works) presents GYPSY, the tale of an ambitious stage mother fighting for her daughters' success, at Cahn Auditorium in Evanston, August 19 through 27. A 25-piece orchestra accompanies such well-known songs as "Everything's Coming Up Roses," "Let Me Entertain You" and "Some People."

Broadway favorite Shoshana Bean has launched a PledgeMusic Campaign to raise money for the release of her fourth studio album, with 5% of the money raised going to Education Through Music Los Angeles.

Funny Girl, which enjoyed critically acclaimed and record-breaking sold-out runs at the Menier Chocolate Factory and Savoy Theatre, returns to Manchester Palace Theatre in August to complete its national tour. Playing opposite Sheridan Smith is Darius Campbell as Nick Arnstein.

The 9th Annual Broadway Meows Concert for the Humane Society of New York will be presented at Don't Tell Mama, Monday, July 17th at 7pm. 

'We wanted to go big and grand. We knew we had Christine [Mild] with her powerhouse performance and Charis [Leos] so we wanted to play it large and create an environment that would support them. The production concept we came up with turned out to be a wonderful envelope to wrap around the show and the entire staging fell into place.' Co-director/choreographer Marc Robin was talking about his and Curt Dale Clark's vision for their new staging of Always, Patsy Cline, which opened Maine State Music Theatre's 2017 season on June 7th. Robin was part of a panel that also featured Patsy star Christine Mild and stand-by Heidi Kettenring, MSMT Charge Scenic Artist Sean Cox, and MSMT Board Vice President Kristine Ganong. The discussion on June 14th, moderated by Broadway World Maine editor Carla Maria Verdino-Sullwold was the first in the now four-year-old summer series of free public forums, A Peek Behind the Curtain, held at the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick. The series, designed to give theatre-goers insight into the creative processes of producing each of the summer main stage shows, featured a lively and far-reaching conversation about Patsy Cline, MSMT's Theatre for Young Audiences program, and the theatre's burgeoning role in the community.

Today, BWW looks back on some of those fresh-faced, up-and-comers and finds out, 'Where are they now?' (Not surprisingly, they've done quite well for themselves!)

On this episode of West of Broadway, Will Armstrong and Lara Scott speak with the amazing Shoshana Bean. Shoshana is a veteran of the Broadway stage having made her debut in the original cast of HAIRSPRAY and starring as the very first replacement for Elphaba in WICKED. Most recently she appeared as Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL and in the pre-Broadway production of the new musical BEACHES as CeeCee Bloom, for which she earned a Jeff Award Nomination for best lead actress in a musical.

CHEERS TO SARAJEVO, a drama written by Aimée Goldsmith and Lidija Marelic and directed by Ashleigh Harvey, will play a winter season at the Alexander Bar's Upstairs Theatre. The war drama is performed by Aimee Goldsmith, Stephen Jubber and Lamar Bonhomme, and runs from 26 June - 8 July at 19:00.

Over half a century since the original production, the Fugard Theatre's forthcoming, brand new production of the legendary South African musical KING KONG is fully cast, with rehearsals commencing on 12 June.

'It's all in the way she placed her voice. I like to call it the Kermit the Frog place - the soft palate at the back of the throat, and that's what activates the yodel, the catch, the cry, the growl which are the iconic hallmarks of her singing. Patsy Cline wasn't really a technical singer; this all just came naturally to her, but for me as an actress and technical singer who has to do the show eight times a week, I have to make sure I am singing in a healthy, safe way and understand how to make that happen. So if I place the voice right - if I place it in the 'Patsy place'- it all happens without trying.'

I'm Not Famous - a Musical Journey with Barbara Minkus, a dynamite world premiere musical starring 'tiny, talented terrific Barbara Minkus' (backstage) extends at Santa Monica Playhouse with added days and dates.

Grammy Award-winning rock band Imagine Dragons and Broadway star Shoshana Bean are set to perform at the TrevorLIVE New York fundraising gala June 19 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square, The Trevor Project announced today.

BroadwayWorld has a first look at the Donny Osmond voiced production of THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES! Pioneer Theatre Company previously announced Donny Osmond's involvement in the upcoming production of the musical The Will Rogers Follies: A Life in Review, running May 5 - 20, 2017.

Darius Campbell returns to Glasgow and the King's Theatre this month to star in the critically acclaimed production of Funny Girl.

A new play by Deborah Bruce, THE HOUSE THEY GREW UP IN, will premiere at Chichester's Minerva Theatre, directed by Jeremy Herrin in a co-production with Headlong. Running from 14 July - 5 August, the press night will be on 21 July. The cast includes Daniel Ryan and Samantha Spiro.

As previously announced, Tony Award-winners Barry Bostwick and Joanna Gleason will revisit Nick and Nora in a reunion concert presented by Feinstein's/54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, tonight, May 2nd, 2017.

Stars of stage and screen will illuminate the night sky when the Pasadena Symphony and POPS presents its annual free Music Under the Stars concert on Saturday, June 3 at Pasadena City Hall's Centennial Square.

The Fugard's first new musical production of 2017 puts FUNNY GIRL on South African stages, and the results are delightful - with a powerhouse performance from Ashleigh Harvey as Fanny Brice, the stage, radio and film personality around whom everyone and everything in the show revolves.

Lea Michele stopped by this morning's GMA to discuss her new album 'Places' and reveal which musical she's ready to star in 'right now'!

The cast album for Chip Deffaa's hit gay musical, 'Mad About the Boy,' which broke box-office records at New York's historic 13th Street Repertory Theater, is out now.