Gene Kelly News

The National High School Musical Theater Awards (NHSMTA) has announced that its 5th annual talent showcase will take place on Monday, July 1, 2013 at 7:30pm at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre (200 W 45th St). At this 'Super Bowl' of amateur musical theater, student winners of awards competitions that take place across the United States will perform songs exclusively from the musical theater canon in the quest to win the coveted title of Best Performance by an Actress or Best Performance by an Actor and a Jimmy Award, named for legendary Broadway producer/theater owner James M. Nederlander, in recognition of his generous support of young artists.

The National High School Musical Theater Awards (NHSMTA) has announced that its 5th annual talent showcase will take place on Monday, July 1, 2013 at 7:30pm at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre (200 W 45th St). At this 'Super Bowl' of amateur musical theater, student winners of awards competitions that take place across the United States will perform songs exclusively from the musical theater canon in the quest to win the coveted title of Best Performance by an Actress or Best Performance by an Actor and a Jimmy(TM) Award, named for legendary Broadway producer/theater owner James M. Nederlander, in recognition of his generous support of young artists.

Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) is bringing SPAMALOT back to Houston stages. This locally produced production of the smash hit comedic musical is being directed by Marc Robin. The cast features performers that have previously been in productions of SPAMALOT before and some new to the show altogether. During his Tuesday night dinner break, I got the opportunity to chat with Brian Shepard, who was a member of SPAMALOT's Original Broadway Company, about his career and his experiences with SPAMALOT in New York City and with TUTS.

Paying homage to one of the greatest movie musicals of all time, What a Glorious Feeling comes to Theatre at the Center April 25 through June 2 at 1040 Ridge Road, Munster. Creator Jay Berkow conceived the intimate show, which he calls 'a play with music' and an 'exploration of creative and romantic temperaments' set in the heyday of the MGM movie musicals. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Paying homage to one of the greatest movie musicals of all time, What a Glorious Feeling comes to Theatre at the Center April 25 through June 2 at 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, with a press performance April 28 at 7 p.m. Creator Jay Berkow conceived the intimate show, which he calls 'a play with music' and an 'exploration of creative and romantic temperaments' set in the heyday of the MGM movie musicals.

Masterworks Broadway continues to explore the rich history of its unrivaled Off-Broadway catalogue with the release of two cast recording rarities previously unavailable in CD - Elephant Steps: A Fear Radio Show available May 7th and Clownaround available June 4th.

Happy Birthday Barbra Streisand! Streisand has appeared on Broadway in I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE and FUNNY GIRL, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award. Streisand won the 1968 Academy Award for Best Actress for the role in the film version of the musical. Her next two movies were also based on musicals, Jerry Herman's Hello, Dolly!, directed by Gene Kelly (1969), and Alan Jay Lerner's and Burton Lane's On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, directed by Vincente Minnelli (1970). Additionally, she has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, one special Tony Award, five Emmy Awards including one Daytime Emmy, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award.

Michael Weber, managing artistic director of Porchlight Music Theatre, has announced Porchlight's 19th season. The 2013 - 2014 season includes the Chicago premiere of the new musical farce Double Trouble, August 31 - October 6; the "Fats" Waller revue Ain't Misbehavin', February 1 - March 9, 2014, the Broadway classic How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, April 26 - June 1, 2014 and a new "Lost Musicals" series Porchlight Revisits... taking audiences to a particular time and place in Broadway musical history. All Porchlight Main Stage and Porchlight Revisits… productions take place at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. "Early Bird" discount Season Subscriptions are on sale through July 1. Single tickets for all performances go on sale July 1 at stage773.com or by calling the Stage 773 box office at 773.327.5252. All subscriptions are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by phone at 773.777.9884. Group discounts are available for groups of ten or more by calling Peggy at 773.282.7427.

Michael Weber, managing artistic director of Porchlight Music Theatre, is proud to announce Porchlight's 19th season. The 2013 - 2014 season includes the Chicago premiere of the new musical farce Double Trouble, August 31 - October 6; the "Fats" Waller revue Ain't Misbehavin', February 1 - March 9, 2014, the Broadway classic How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, April 26 - June 1, 2014 and a new "Lost Musicals" series Porchlight Revisits... taking audiences to a particular time and place in Broadway musical history. All Porchlight Main Stage and Porchlight Revisits… productions take place at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. "Early Bird" discount Season Subscriptions are on sale through July 1. Single tickets for all performances go on sale July 1 at stage773.com or by calling the Stage 773 box office at 773.327.5252. All subscriptions are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by phone at 773.777.9884. Group discounts are available for groups of ten or more by calling Peggy at 773.282.7427.

Porchlight Music Theatre presents Pal Joey, book by John O'Hara, music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, tonight, April 20 - May 26, at Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont Ave. Directed by Porchlight Music Theatre's Artistic Director, Michael Weber with music direction by Porchlight Artistic Associate Doug Peck (reuniting with Weber for the first time since their collaboration on Porchlight's triumphant production of Assassins) and choreography by Porchlight Artistic Associate Brenda Didier, Pal Joey stars Adrian Aguliar, 'Joey Evans,' Susie McMonagle, 'Vera Simpson,' Laura Savage, 'Linda English,' Matt Orlando, 'Ludlow Lowell' and Sharriese Hamilton, 'Gladys Bumps.'

BBC Two series THE MANY FACES OF... will pay tribute to one of the most remarkable musical theatre figures of the modern age with a special salute to Michael Crawford today, April 20.

Widely proclaimed to be the greatest movie musical of all time, 'Singin' in the Rain,' with its Academy Award-nominated score, lovable characters, priceless dialogue and memorable songs, is the perfect choice for Pacific Symphony Pops' upcoming presentation of 'A Symphonic Night at the Movies.' A beautifully restored version of the 1952 American classic plays above the stage as the orchestra performs Nacio Herb Brown and lyricist Arthur Freed's music live and in synch with the film.

If you haven't had the chance to catch up on your theater news, look no further than today's recap of all things theater - exclusive features, interviews, reviews and more! - around the Broadway World for the week of April 15!

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein have announced the spring lineup - featuring legendary stars of stage and cinema - for the all-new Feinstein's at the Nikko. Located within Hotel Nikko (222 Mason Street, San Francisco), Feinstein's at the Nikko will present a wide range of local, regional and national entertainers in an intimate 140-seat cabaret setting. Tickets for all performances are on-sale now and available by calling 866.663.1063 or visiting www.ticketweb.com.

BBC Two series THE MANY FACES OF... will pay tribute to one of the most remarkable musical theatre figures of the modern age with a special salute to Michael Crawford this Saturday, April 20.

Saladino Dance Productions' Rome Saladino and Marina Putane have assembled a superb eight-member ensemble to perform Singin' and Dancin' in the Rain, their tribute to Hollywood's legendary song and dance man, Gene Kelly.

Today in 1957, Brigadoon opened at the Adelphi Theatre, where it ran for 47 performances. Brigadoon is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. Songs from the musical, such as 'Almost Like Being in Love' have become standards. The story involves two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, a mysterious Scottish village that appears for only one day every hundred years. Tommy, one of the tourists, falls in love with Fiona, a young woman from Brigadoon. The original production opened on Broadway in 1947 and ran for 581 performances. A 1954 film version starred Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse. A 1966 television version starred Robert Goulet and Peter Falk.

Paying homage to one of the greatest movie musicals of all time, What a Glorious Feeling comes to Theatre at the Center April 25 through June 2 at 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, with a press performance April 28 at 7 p.m. Creator Jay Berkow conceived the intimate show, which he calls 'a play with music' and an 'exploration of creative and romantic temperaments' set in the heyday of the MGM movie musicals. A revealing portrait of the late dancer-actor-director-choreographer Gene Kelly, this Chicago premiere production of What a Glorious Feeling will be directed by Theatre at the Center Artistic Director William Pullinsi with Choreography by Jeff Award-winning choreographer Danny Herman. Herman has choreographed over 50 productions nationally, including The National Tour of Dreamgirls, A Little Night Music and Another Midsummer Night at the Goodman, Elmer Gantry at Ford's Theatre and over a dozen productions at Candlelight Playhouse, including 5 Guys Named Moe and Song and Dance.

Jon Peterson will revive Song Man, Dance Man on Tuesday, May 7 at 7:00 at Stage 72 at The Triad, 158 west 72nd Street near Broadway.

If you haven't had the chance to catch up on your theater news, look no further than today's recap of all things theater - exclusive features, interviews, reviews and more! - around the Broadway World for the week of April 1!