Fran Weissler News

New images have been released of Lee Mead starring as Billy Flynn in the UK and Ireland tour of CHICAGO.

Tony Awards season is officially underway! With the announcement yesterday of the nominations, BroadwayWorld will be bringing you continuous coverage, stories, and exclusive interviews leading up to the big night in June.

Playhouse Square Board of Trustees Chair Amy Brady honored noted lyricist Sir Tim Rice with the organization’s highest award, the Playhouse Square Star Award for Achievement in the Performing Arts, at its annual Chairman’s Dinner on May 4.

The Broadway company of Chicago will welcome Tony and Grammy Award winning Broadway legend Jennifer Holliday back to Broadway in the role of “Matron Mama Morton” beginning Thursday, June 9, 2022. Find out how long Holliday will be in the show and how to get tickets.

Today's top stories include final Tony Award eligibility rulings for Funny Girl, A Strange Loop, and more. Plus go inside the opening performance for Into The Woods at Encores!, starring Neil Patrick Harris, Sara Bareilles, and more!

Actors’ Equity Association has opened a grievance against Barry and Fran Weissler and the National Artists Management Company (NAMCO), the licensors of Waitress, for double-breasting – profiting from union and non-union workers at the same time. 

The touring production of Waitress, playing a limited engagement at Playhouse Square’s Hanna Theatre May 26 – June 26, is looking for two young girls to alternate performing the role of “Lulu” during the five-week run. Auditions for Lulu will take place on Monday, May 9th, at Playhouse Square.

The Broadway company of the Tony Award-winning, record-breaking hit musical Chicago will welcome “The Search for Roxie!” winner Emma Pittman, making her Broadway debut in the role of Roxie Hart beginning Monday, June 6, 2022.

Get a first look at photos of Pamela Anderson in costume starring as Roxie Hart in Chicago on Broadway and the rest of the cast!

The Drama League today announced the 2022 Drama League Awards Nominees and we've got all the nominations for for Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, Outstanding Direction of a Play, Outstanding Direction of a Musical, and the much-coveted Distinguished Performance Award.

Star of stage and screen Lee Mead will play the role of 'Billy Flynn' in the acclaimed UK and Ireland tour of the international smash hit musical CHICAGO. Lee joins the previously announced Gemma Collins as 'Mama Morton', Faye Brookes as 'Roxie Hart', Djalenga Scott as 'Velma Kelly', Jamie Baughan as 'Amos Hart' and B.E. Wong as 'Mary Sunshine'.

The name on everybody's lips is gonna be Pamela! The Broadway company of the Tony Award-winning, record-breaking hit musical Chicago will welcome actress and activist Pamela Anderson making her Broadway debut in the role of Roxie Hart beginning tonight, April 12, 2022. She will play an 8-week limited engagement at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St., NYC) through Sunday, June 5, 2022.

Lana Gordon and Drama Desk nominee Ryan Silverman will return to Chicago in the roles of Velma Kelly and Billy Flynn, respectively, on Tuesday, April 12 at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St.; New York, NY). They join Tony Award nominee Brenda Braxton, who previously played Velma Kelly and now takes on the role of Matron “Mama” Morton.

TV personality Gemma 'The GC' Collins will star as 'Mama Morton' in the acclaimed UK and Ireland tour of the international smash hit musical CHICAGO.

The National Tour of Chicago, which shut down as the pandemic began, will relaunch later this year. Dates and cities for the tour are yet to be announced, but BroadwayWorld has confirmed the production has confirmed dates coming up in fall 2022.

Today Broadway celebrates the 95th birthday of John Kander, the Tony-Award winning composer of Chicago. To pay tribute to the legendary composer, the cast and crew of Chicago, with surprise guest Lin-Manuel Miranda, released a special performance of “New York, New York,” Kander & Ebb’s song that became the official anthem of New York City.

The producers of Waitress and Blumenthal Performing Arts announced casting for the hit Broadway musical, which will return to Charlotte for a special five-week engagement April 19–May 22, 2022 in the Booth Playhouse, followed by a five-week engagement at Cleveland’s Playhouse Square May 26–June 26, 2022 in the Hanna Theatre.

Stephanie Torns will star in the lead role as Jenna Hunterson after understudying the role at the American Repertory Theater, prior to the Broadway run, as well as on Broadway. Stephanie also played supporting and ensemble roles throughout the original Broadway run and the show's restaging in 2021.

The name on everybody's lips is gonna be Pamela! The Broadway company of the Tony Award-winning, record-breaking hit musical Chicago will welcome actress and activist Pamela Anderson making her Broadway debut in the role of Roxie Hart beginning Tuesday, April 12, 2022. She will play an 8-week limited engagement at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St., NYC) through Sunday, June 5, 2022.

The production features Emanuelle Araujo, in the role of sarcastic Velma Kelly; Paulo Szot, as  the charming and unscrupulous Billy Flynn (a role he currently played on Broadway); and Carol Costa as the “innocent” and surprising Roxie Hart. L. Candido (Mary Sunshine), Lilian Valeska (Mama Morton) and Eduardo Amir (Amos Hart) complete the main cast.