Francesca Zambello News

In conjunction with the second edition of his hit book How Does the Show Go On?, Broadway producer Thomas Schumacher gave the keynote address at the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta. The national festival dedicated to groups working with elementary and middle school aged young people, ran from January 16 -18, 2009. Schumacher's presentation (on Sunday, January 18), much like his book, enlightened more than 1,500 theater lovers about what goes into putting on a Broadway show. Child actor Henry Hodges, who starred as ?Michael Banks' in the original Broadway cast of Disney & Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins joined Schumacher. Schumacher's much heralded book, How Does the Show Go On?, was originally released in 2007 and went on to sell over 50,000 copies. A second edition was released in late 2008 and has been updated to include Broadway's The Little Mermaid and the stage production of the mega-hit High School Musical. A library edition of How Does the Show Go On? is also available. The book, written with Jeff Kurtti, gives readers the opportunity to meet the cast of characters who work onstage and behind the scenes to deliver unforgettable performances, and explore the inner workings of the theater building itself.

In conjunction with the second edition of his hit book How Does the Show Go On?, Broadway producer Thomas Schumacher will give the keynote address at the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta. The national festival dedicated togroups working with elementary and middle school aged young people, runs January 16 -18, 2009.Schumacher's presentation (on Sunday, January 18) will, much like his book, enlightenmore than 1,500 theater lovers about what goes into putting on a Broadway show.

Disney Theatrical Productions recently celebrated the one-year Broadway anniversary of THE LITTLE MERMAID on Saturday, January 10, 2009 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street, NYC). A new casting notice on Disney's web site states: 'Disney on Broadway is casting a new star for our sparkling new musical, THE LITTLE MERMAID...'

Jurors for The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) for the 2009 Next Link Project will include lyricist Susan Birkenhead, composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown, producer Robyn Goodman, and director Francesca Zambello. The New York Musical Theater Festival is currently accepting open submissions for its Next Link Project for the sixth annual festival taking place September 28 ? October 18, 2009. Twelve of the Festival?s full production slots are reserved for participants in The Next Link Project, NYMF?s primary writer service program. The Next Link Project empowers emerging musical theatre writing teams as both artists and entrepreneurs by providing the training and relationships needed to help them move their musicals from mere readings to fully-realized productions and to advance their careers by maximizing the exposure they receive in the Festival. A meet and greet to answer any questions from those interested in applying will be held Wednesday, January 28, 6-8pm at the Irish Rogue (356 West 44th Street, between 8th and 9th Ave). NYMF staff members will be on hand to answer questions about the Next Link Project submissions process and chat about other ways to get involved with the Festival.

Lamont Dozier, part of the famous songwriting team Holland-Dozier-Holland who is writing the score for the Broadway-bound musical FIRST WIVES CLUB, recently sat down with Billboard to talk about Motown's 50th Anniversary and the upcoming FIRST WIVES CLUB which will premiere at The Old Globe in San Diego July through August 23, 2009.

In conjunction with the second edition of his hit book How Does the Show Go On?, Broadway producer Thomas Schumacher will give the keynote address at the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta. The national festival dedicated togroups working with elementary and middle school aged young people, runs January 16 -18, 2009.Schumacher's presentation (on Sunday, January 18) will, much like his book, enlightenmore than 1,500 theater lovers about what goes into putting on a Broadway show.

Disney Theatrical Productions proudly celebrates the one-year Broadway anniversary of THE LITTLE MERMAID on Saturday, January 10, 2009 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street, NYC).

Disney Theatrical Productions proudly celebrates the one-year Broadway anniversary of THE LITTLE MERMAID on Saturday, January 10, 2009 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street, NYC).

Disney Editions has released an updated edition of How Does the Show Go On?, Broadway producer Thomas Schumacher's introduction to the theater for young people.

The Broadway production of THE LITTLE MERMAID, based on the animated Disney film and the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, welcomes new cast members to the company: Rogelio Douglas, Jr. (?Sebastian?), Eric LaJuan Summers (?Jetsam?), Robert Creighton (?Chef Louis?) and Heidi Blickenstaff (?Ursula?).

'The Dido Project' takes Henry Purcell's legendary English opera, Dido and 'neas, to new heights by setting it in our current, high-tech, information-driven world. Through a combination of video projections, audio recording and live performance, we will witness Dido's actions and glimpse her inner thoughts and feelings on her journey from untouchable power to absolute ruin. Led by theatre and opera director Pat Diamond, 'The Dido Project' features the creative talents of some of the most original artists in music and theatre today, including the renowned Sybarite Chamber Players and rising opera stars David Adam Moore and Blythe Gaissert. This will be a rare opportunity to see a project of high musical and visual quality as a free, public installation. By bringing together music, visual art, theatre and technology, 'The Dido Project' will carry the beauty, humanity, and emotion of Purcell's opera into the twenty-first Century and make it accessible and relevant to today's audiences.

THE NEW YORK CITY GAY MEN'S CHORUS launches its 29th season with a time-honored New York tradition: under the Artistic Direction of Charles Beale, NYCGMC presents The New York City Gay Men's Chorus Holiday Spectacular 'Celebrate Me Home' at Carnegie Hall on Tuesday December 9th, 8:00PM.

It has been confirmed that [title of show] star Heidi Blickenstaff will be replacing Sheri Rene Scott as 'Ursula' in the Disney musical THE LITTLE MERMAID on Broadway.

Sierra Boggess (Ariel), Sean Palmer (Prince Eric), Norm Lewis (King Triton) and Brian D'Addario (Flounder), stars of Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID, will lead a 3-song medley created especially for the Today Show Halloween broadcast on Friday, October 31st during the 8AM hour.

Disney Editions announced today that they will release an updated edition of How Does the Show Go On?, Broadway producer Thomas Schumacher's introduction to the theater for young people.

Lou Spisto, Executive Producer of the Tony Award-winning Old Globe, is pleased to announce the Theatre's complete 2009 Summer Season.

Producers Ben Sprecher and Louise Forlenza of the newly formed production entity GLOBAL BROADWAY Inc. officially signed a deal this evening with the Vereinigte Buhnen Wien Theatre to bring the hit musical REBECCA to Broadway in 2010. The signing took place in front of the sold-out re-opening night audience for REBECCA following the performance with Sprecher, Forlenza, VBW Artistic Director Kathrin Zechner and Manager Thomas Drozda. REBECCA, based on the classic Daphne Du Maurier novel (and later turned into an Oscar-winning film by Alfred Hitchcock) features book and lyrics by Michael Kunze, music by Sylvester Levay, and direction by Francesca Zambello, director of Broadway's The Little Mermaid and the new musical Little House on the Prairie, which just had its world premiere at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis.

The Globe will play host next summer to 'The First Wives Club - A New Musical,' a world-premiere work based on the 1996 movie about a trio of vengeful ex-wives.

Disney Editions announced today that they will release an updated edition of How Does the Show Go On?, Broadway producer Thomas Schumacher's introduction to the theater for young people.

All eyes right now are on the Guthrie's production of Little House on the Prairie as it now adds national tour to its list of future endeavors.