George Abbott News

On The Town choreographer Joshua Bergasse choreographed a performance of the show's iconic opening number, 'New York, New York,' featuring the Top 20 finalists.

This fall, one of America's classic musical comedies is back on Broadway - ON THE TOWN! Below, check out a promo for the show filmed throughout New York City.

Critically acclaimed choreographers Larry Keigwin and Jerry Mitchell will host the 20th Anniversary of Fire Island Dance Festival (#fidance), the most anticipated cultural event of the season on Fire Island. Some of the most-talked-about dancers and dance companies will perform an exciting mix of Broadway, ballet, Hawaiian and modern dance July 18-20.

Just in time for the country's favorite pastime, the award-winning 3-D Theatricals of Orange County, CA will not only present a rousing revival of the eternally effervescent American Broadway classic Damn Yankees at the historic Plummer Auditorium in Fullerton, CA July 11 - July 27 for eleven performances, but an additional six performances at South Bay's Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center in Redondo Beach, CA August 2 - 10, 2014.

Today in 1976, the second Broadway revival of Pal Joey opened at the Circle in the SquareTheatre, where it ran for 73 performances. Pal Joey is a musical with a book by John O'Hara (from his novel of the same title) and music and lyrics by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart based on a character and situations O'Hara created in a series of short stories published in The New Yorker. The original 1940 Broadway production was directed by George Abbott and starred Gene Kelly. There have been several revivals since, including a 2008-09 Broadway run, and a 1957 film adaptation starring Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak. The 1976 cast featured: Christopher Chadman (Joey), Harold Gary (Mike), Terri Treas (Kid), Janie Sell (Gladys), and Gail Benedict (Gail).

NJTV, New Jersey's public television network, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) announced the artists who will perform in the second season of American Songbook at NJPAC, to be taped before a live audience at the Arts Center for a series to air on NJTV, WLIW and THIRTEEN this fall.

The producers of ON THE TOWN announced today that Megan Fairchild(New York City Ballet Principal Dancer), Alysha Umphress (American Idiot) and Elizabeth Stanley (Company) will join the critically-acclaimed Broadway revival of ON THE TOWN, directed by John Rando (Tony Award® for Urinetown) and choreographed by Joshua Bergasse (Emmy Award winner for 'Smash'). Fairchild, a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, will make her Broadway debut playing 'Ivy Smith'. Umphress will play 'Hildy' and Stanley will play 'Claire', both reprising their performances from last summer's acclaimed Barrington Stage production.

El Portal Theatre presents Ms. Neile Adams in The Lives of Me, A Musical Celebration of her memories and the stages of her life! Directed by Ted Sprague with Musical Direction by Andy Howe, The Lives of Me runs this weekend, May 24 & May 25 for 2 shows only, at the Monroe Forum Theatre at the historic El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd. in the heart of the NoHo Arts District.

NEW DRAMATISTS, Tony Honor recipient and the nation's premiere playwright development workshop, proudly announces that they will honor five-time Tony Award winning director/choreographer Susan Stroman with their 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award at its 65th Annual Spring Luncheon tribute, to be held today, May 22 at the New York Marriott Marquis.

NEW DRAMATISTS,Tony Honor recipient and the nation's premiere playwright development workshop, will honor five-time Tony Award winning director/choreographer Susan Stroman with their 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award at its 65th Annual Spring Luncheon tribute. The sold out event will be held tomorrow, today, May 22 at the New York Marriott Marquis.

Tony Yazbeck (Gypsy, A Chorus Line), Jay Armstrong Johnson (New York Philharmonic's Sweeney Todd, Hands On A Hardbody, Hair), and Clyde Alves (Bullets Over Broadway, Nice Work If You Can Get It) will play the roles of 'Gabey,' 'Chip,' and 'Ozzie' - the sailors on 24-hour shore leave who take on the Big Apple in the critically-acclaimed Broadway revival of ON THE TOWN, directed by John Rando (Tony Award for Urinetown) and choreographed by Joshua Bergasse (Emmy Award winner for 'Smash'). Yazbeck, Johnson, and Alves will reprise their performances from last summer's acclaimed Barrington Stage production. Yazbeck first thrilled audiences with his portrayal of 'Gabey' in John Rando's presentation of ON THE TOWN at City Center Encores in 2008.

Broadway In Chicago, The Nederlander Organization and Estefan Enterprises, Inc have announced that On Your Feet! - a new musical based on the life story of seven-time GRAMMY winning international superstar Gloria Estefan and her husband, legendary producer-musician-entrepreneur Emilio Estefan - will have its Pre-Broadway World Premiere in Chicago in Summer 2015 with Broadway In Chicago theater and performance schedule to be announced. It will open on Broadway in Fall 2015 at a Nederlander theatre to be announced.

The Nederlander Organization and Estefan Enterprises, Inc have announced that On Your Feet! - a new musical based on the life story of seven-time GRAMMY-winning international superstar Gloria Estefan and her husband, legendary producer-musician-entrepreneur Emilio Estefan - will premiere on Broadway in Fall 2015 at a Nederlander theatre to be announced, following a Summer 2015 World Premiere engagement in Chicago.

In 1950s America, love is in the air at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory as handsome new Superintendent Sid Sorokin (Michael Xavier) falls head-over-heels for firebrand Union rep Babe Williams (Joanna Riding). Sparks fly when the employees are refused a seven-and-a-half cents raise, leaving Sid and Babe deliciously at odds as the temperature rises. . . Will love, eventually, conquer all? Let's see what the critics had to say...

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF) opens the nomination process for The Zelda Fichandler Award on May 14, 2014. This award presents an unrestricted grant of $5000 to an outstanding director or choreographer making an exceptional contribution to the national arts landscape through theatre work in a region. In 2014, the award will honor achievement in the Eastern region, comprised of Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia.

Tickets for the new Broadway revival of ON THE TOWN - the musical-comedy love letter to New York City - are now available exclusively to Audience Rewards members through Sunday, May 11 (www.audiencerewards.com). Beginning Monday, May 12, tickets will be available for purchasewith a special pre-sale code sent to Ticketmaster customers. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Monday, May 19 and will be available at Ticketmaster.com.

Today in 1954, Damn Yankees opened at the 46th Street Theatre (now the Richard Rodgers Theatre), where it ran for 1019 performances. Damn Yankees is a musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story is a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., during a time when the New York Yankees dominated Major League Baseball.

Strong performances highlight this production. Beach, who created the role of Henry in The Great American Mousical at Goodspeed's Norma Terris Theatre in 2012 is a comic genius (loved him in the original Urinetown on Broadway). He's sleazy enough to be believable as the devil, yet sarcastic enough to be likable.

Goodspeed Musicals kicks off its 2014 season at the Goodspeed Opera House with the home run hit Damn Yankees. Goodspeed brings a unique New England flavor to its production, setting it in 1955 Boston and pitting the storied Yanks against the beloved Boston Red Sox. This ace musical comedy runs now through June 21 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn.

42nd Street Moon, San Francisco's only resident professional musical theatre company, has announced the lineup for its 22nd season of presenting rare and uncommon musical theater. Says Producing Director Stephanie Rhoads, "For 2014-2015, we're offering ESCAPADE! - a season of capers, sprees, hijinks, japery, and intrigues, to help audiences escape their day-to-day troubles with five spectacular American musicals from Broadway greats such as Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, Stephen Sondheim, Charles Strouse, Richard Maltby, Sandy Wilson, Frank Loesser, George Abbott, Dorothy Fields and Arthur Laurents."