Frank Wildhorn News

In its ninth year at Birdland, Jim Caruso will bring his Cast Party back to the big stage at Town Hall for a second year. The Best of Jim Caruso's Cast Party will take place on Thursday, February 23 at 8PM and will be presented by Scott Siegel. Tickets are $25, $50, and $75 and are available by calling 800-982-2787 or visiting TicketMaster.com. A portion of the proceeds will benefit The Actors Fund.

GODSPELL's Morgan James will play a series of free concerts with her rock n' soul band at Rockwood Music Hall (196 Allen Street) on Wednesdays February 15, 22 and 29 at 10pm. The concerts are free with no cover charge.

Direct from the Big Apple, Neil Berg's 101 Years of Broadway features a cast of five Broadway stars accompanied by an all-star New York band, coming to San Jose Rep February 14 - 18, 2012.

From Nick Jonas and Michael Urie to the Ladies of THE VIEW to Adam Pascal, Raul Esparza, Barbra Streisand to Alan Menken, Bernadette Peters to Susan Boyle, Colin Quinn to GLEE and Everything in Between - It's the BroadwayWorld.com 2012 Valentine's Day Special - It's the Biggest Ever!

We reached out to Frank Wildhorn upon the news of the singer's death today at age 48, and he tells BroadwayWorld.com that it's 'So sad and tragic...she was such a big part of my life in the late 80's, and she was such a wonderful soul to work with and such a soulful woman. I only hope she's singing 'up there'. I'm sending my prayers and sympathies for her family.'

The entire entertainment world is reeling. We have lost one of our most iconic pop, R&B and soundtrack performers this evening - as well as a formidable movie star in her own right - Whitney Houston was just reported dead at the age of 48. Having had one of the most successful and most multimedia of careers of any multi-hyphenate star in recent memory, Houston scored multiple Grammys and racked up countless nominations over the course of her multi-decade recording career, yet her most notable contributions to the world of music reside in her outstanding soundtrack work - most of all, the songs for the film in which she made the transition into feature film leading lady, 1992's THE BODYGUARD. The biggest hit from THE BODYGUARD's blockbuster soundtrack was undoubtedly Houston's rendition of a Dolly Parton song originally recorded in 1974 and later made famous by Parton in the feature film version of the Broadway hit THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, "I Will Always Love You". In addition to Houston's sensational work on that mega-selling soundtrack - one of the Top 5 best-selling soundtracks of all time - she also provided her dramatic and vocal skills to the multi-platinum soundtracks to THE PREACHER'S WIFE and WAITING TO EXHALE, both films which she also starred in to much box office success. An Oscar-winning duet with Mariah Carey, "When You Believe" by WICKED's Stephen Schwartz from THE PRINCE OF EGYPT is yet another diadem in Houston's triple crown of accomplishments in the realms of music, film and television - having dominated all. Theatre fans may know Houston best for her incomparable portrayal of the Fairy Godmother in the incredibly successful 1997 ABC TV adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA starring Brandy and produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. In addition to Houston's contributions to THE BODYGUARD, THE PREACHER'S WIFE, WAITING TO EXHALE, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT and CINDERELLA, Houston also rose to fame early in her career for her rendition of "Home" from THE WIZ on THE Merv Griffin SHOW, as well as made a mark with a Cissy Houston duet on the CHESS international smash, "I Know Him So Well" on her second hit album. The last project Houston was working on prior to her death on Saturday night was the feature film musical SPARKLE, co-starring AMERICAN IDOL winner and Broadway standout Jordin Sparks. SPARKLE reportedly completed production of principal photography and soundtrack sessions, though it is not clear when the musical remake will now be released in light of Houston's unexpected death. No matter the circumstances of her life and death, Whitney Houston most surely left a legacy that will never be forgotten by those that adored her for her vast multitude of talents and many notable accomplishments in all areas of entertainment.

The DOMA Theatre Company has announced its first-ever season - a line up of six Broadway-style musicals sure to 'disturb and delightz': The Who's Tommy (March 23-April 15); Songs For A New World (May 11-June 3); Jekyll & Hyde, The Musical (July 6-29); Xanadu (Aug. 17-Sept. 9); Once On This Island (Sept. 21-Oct. 14), and a surprise, Tony Award-winning musical to be revealed at a later date (Nov. 2-Dec. 9).

CENTERSTAGE and Westport Country Playhouse announced today casting for their co-production of Into the Woods, and Broadway fans will be excited to hear that the original Little Red Riding Hood, Danielle Ferland, is making her way back Into the Woods. The production is set to run March 7-April 15 at CENTERSTAGE before moving to Westport Country Playhouse in May. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's beloved fairy tale musical will be directed by Westport Country Playhouse's Artistic Director Mark Lamos.

Showcasing one of the greatest contemporary voices of our time, Linda Eder's diverse repertoire spans Broadway (Jekyll & Hyde),standards, pop, country and jazz. Tom Wopat first came to public attention in the late '70s as the freewheeling Luke Duke on the legendary TV series The Dukes of Hazzard, and has starred many times on Broadway including roles in City of Angels, Guys and Dolls and as Frank Butler in the revival of Annie Get Your Gun. An Evening with Linda Eder and Tom Wopat is a delightful journey through some of our most beloved show tunes and standards, with two of the best, Fri. Feb. 24 at 8 PM.

Broadway/San Diego - A Nederlander Presentation announces its 2012-13 Season today, which includes, for the first time, two shows launching their national tours in San Diego in the same season.

I recently spoke to Tony-nominated ROCK OF AGES leading man about his new show, THE TOXIC AVENGER, and promised to hold this exclusive news before it was officially announced.

Nederlander Presentations, Inc. has announced that the JEKYLL & HYDE will return to Broadway in Spring 2013 following a 25-week National Tour starring Tony Award Nominee Constantine Maroulis in the dual title role of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde. The tour will launch at San Diego's Civic Theatre in San Diego, California on October 2, 2012.

In its ninth star-studded year at Birdland, Jim Caruso will bring his celebrated Cast Party back to the big stage at Town Hall for a second year. The Best of Jim Caruso's Cast Party will take place on Thursday, February 23 at 8PM and will be presented by the one and only Scott Siegel. Tickets are $25, $50, and $75 and are available by calling 800-982-2787 or visiting TicketMaster.com. A portion of the proceeds will benefit The Actors Fund.

Godspell's Morgan James will play a series of free concerts with her rock n' soul band at Rockwood Music Hall (196 Allen Street) on Wednesdays February 15, 22 and 29 at 10pm. The concerts are free with no cover charge.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Russell Crowe's Chicago vocal coach, a hot new Broadway star, three productions at the North Shore Center, 'Show Boat,' Jessie and Darren's dreams come true and more....

On Stage Touring, LLC, in association with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc., announced today an expanded tour schedule for the new theatrical concert experience ELVIS LIVES "The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Event."