Gene Kelly News

Pittsburgh CLO to Hold Auditions For Summer Season 2009, Singers, dancers and character actors - ages 18 and older. Auditions for the ensemble and character roles for Pittsburgh CLO's 2009 Summer Season productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Swing!, Les Miserables, Barry Manilow's Copacabana and Into the Woods. Productions run from May 26 - August 9.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director), is pleased to announce a two-week extension of PAL JOEY starring Stockard Channing (Vera Simpson), Matthew Risch (Joey Evans) and Martha Plimpton (Gladys Bumps), now through March 1st, 2009.

Theater veterans Mark Lamos and Michael Ross have been named artistic director and managing director, respectively, of Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, Connecticut, as the historic theater enters its 79th season. The new leadership team will assume their positions on February 1, 2009.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Friday, December 19, 2008.

In case this is your first time reading one of my reviews of a Broadway revival of a classic musical, allow me introduce you to my personal prejudice. I completely abhor the now very common practice of revising the book and messing with the score of any musical theatre piece after the authors are deceased. If a composer, bookwriter or lyricist is around to approve of changes, that's swell, but all too often their estates will allow anything from the sparse, but significant, tweaks to South Pacific to the wholesale revisions of The Pajama Game and The Music Man. Even more deplorable is the practice of letting these changes go uncredited, as was done in the three examples just cited, giving audiences no clue that what they are watching is not wholly the musical the original authors wrote.

Ritchie Mastascusa was the Gypsy Robe recipient for Irving Berlin's White Christmas at the Marquis Theatre. He passed on the robe to Pal Joey's Eric Sciotto in a fun and emotion filled ceremony. The colorful Gypsy Robe, embellished with mementos from Broadway musicals, is presented to the cast member who has the most Broadway chorus credits.

Audition details for Pittsburgh CLO's production of 'My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra' Two male (deep baritone and high baritone) and two female singer/actors (mezzo soprano and soprano) ages 20 to 50. At 2 p.m. by appointment, Sunday, December 14, 2008 Callbacks will be held Monday, December 15, time TBD

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director), in association with Marc Platt, presents Stockard Channing (Vera Simpson), Matthew Risch (Joey Evans) and Martha Plimpton (Gladys Bumps) in a new Broadway production of Pal Joey with Robert Clohessy (Mike), Jenny Fellner (Linda English), Daniel Marcus (Ludlow Lowell), Steven Skybell (Ernest), Timothy J. Alex, Brian Barry, Kurt Froman, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, Lisa Gajda, Anthony Holds, Nadine Isenegger, Mark Morettini, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Abbey O'Brien, Hayley Podschun, Krista Saab and Eric Sciotto. The Roundabout celebrated the production with a festive cast party. We sent in our BroadwayWorld.com photographer to capture the exciting night!

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director), in association with Marc Platt, presents Stockard Channing (Vera Simpson), Matthew Risch (Joey Evans) and Martha Plimpton (Gladys Bumps) in a new Broadway production of Pal Joey with Robert Clohessy (Mike), Jenny Fellner (Linda English), Daniel Marcus (Ludlow Lowell), Steven Skybell (Ernest), Timothy J. Alex, Brian Barry, Kurt Froman, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, Lisa Gajda, Anthony Holds, Nadine Isenegger, Mark Morettini, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Abbey O'Brien, Hayley Podschun, Krista Saab and Eric Sciotto. The Roundabout celebrated the production with a festive performance and cast party. We sent in our BroadwayWorld.com photographer to greet the starry crowd that came to cheer the company on!

PAL JOEY features a new book by Tony Award winner Richard Greenberg, based on the original book by John O'Hara, with music direction by Tony Award winner Paul Gemignani, choreography by Graciela Daniele and directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello at Studio 54 on Broadway. The Roundabout celebrated the production with a festive cast party. We sent in our BroadwayWorld.com photographer to capture the exciting night!

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director), in association with Marc Platt, presents Stockard Channing (Vera Simpson), Matthew Risch (Joey Evans) and Martha Plimpton (Gladys Bumps) in a new Broadway production of Pal Joey with Robert Clohessy (Mike), Jenny Fellner (Linda English), Daniel Marcus (Ludlow Lowell), Steven Skybell (Ernest), Timothy J. Alex, Brian Barry, Kurt Froman, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, Lisa Gajda, Anthony Holds, Nadine Isenegger, Mark Morettini, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Abbey O'Brien, Hayley Podschun, Krista Saab and Eric Sciotto.

Feinstein's at Loews Regency, the nightclub proclaimed 'Best of New York' by New York Magazine and 'an invaluable New York institution' by The New York Post, will continue its 10th Anniversary season with the return of the club's founder Michael Feinstein for an exclusive engagement from December 2 - 30. Musical Director John Oddo will lead a 17-piece band featuring Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, Jim Saporito on drums, and David Finck on bass.

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to present Broadway's surprise hit musical XANADU at Chicago's Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place beginning Friday, January 16, 2009. The press opening is Wednesday, January 28, 2009. Individual and group tickets are currently on sale for this fabulously fun, out-of-this-world musical confection.

Multi-talented, multi-award winning song and dance man Jon Peterson brings his brand new show, Song Man, Dance Man to The Triad Theater for a one night only performance on Tuesday, November 25th at 9:00 pm. If theater is your thrill, then the rush that you get from that rare creature, the all-round entertainer, thrills you to bits! You are invited to join us for this very special one night only event that features one of today's most talented and dynamic forces -- Jon Peterson.

Audition details for Pittsburgh CLO's production of 'My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra' Two male (deep baritone and high baritone) and two female singer/actors (mezzo soprano and soprano) ages 20 to 50. At 2 p.m. by appointment, Sunday, December 14, 2008 Callbacks will be held Monday, December 15, time TBD

Feinstein's at Loews Regency, the nightclub proclaimed 'Best of New York' by New York Magazine and 'an invaluable New York institution' by The New York Post, will continue its 10th Anniversary season with the return of the club's founder Michael Feinstein for an exclusive engagement from December 2 ? 30. Musical Director John Oddo will lead a 17-piece band featuring Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, Jim Saporito on drums, and David Finck on bass. This September, Michael sold out a week at the club celebrating his new CD 'The Sinatra Project.' By popular demand, he will bring back the great romantic songs performed by 'Ol' Blue Eyes' and combine them with seasonal classics into the new program 'The Sinatra Holiday Project.' Antonia Bennett, the acclaimed vocalist, will be his special guest for the run. All shows take place at the Regency Hotel (540 Park Avenue at 61st Street).

Pittsburgh CLO has announced that 18 local young performers have been chosen to star as the 2008-2009 Pittsburgh CLO Mini Stars. These talented youngsters have appeared in numerous productions for Pittsburgh CLO, the Pittsburgh Opera, the Pittsburgh Playhouse, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater and the Pittsburgh Public Theater.

Just announced! Multi-talented, multi-award winning song and dance man Jon Peterson brings his brand new show, Song Man, Dance Man to The Triad Theater for a one night only performance on Tuesday, November 25th at 9:00 pm. If theater is your thrill, then the rush that you get from that rare creature, the all-round entertainer, thrills you to bits! You are invited to join us for this very special one night only event that features one of today's most talented and dynamic forces -- Jon Peterson.

Tickets for My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra, at the CLO Cabaret are on sale Friday, November 14, at pittsburghCLO.org, by calling (412) 456-6666 or at the Box Office at Theater Square.

Pittsburgh CLO Academy has announced that Broadway veterans Michael McGurk and Gina Philistine will teach a master class for students at the Academy's annual Musical Theater Extravaganza from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, November 2.