George Furth News

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Monday, January 19, 2009.

I just got back from Avery Fisher Hall, where Frank Rich was partaking in a fireside chat (sans fireside) with Stephen Sondheim. I scribbled down as much as I could from the 90 minute conversation. Some of the more interesting topics included the inability for most theatre critics to critique the music in a musical and the greater gratification Sondheim gets from composition than lyric writing because of the way language can restrict him from expressing exactly what he wants to say. ('There are very few lyrics that are perfect lyrics.') I wish there was more time to discuss his observation that Jerry Bock's music has the same edginess as Fred Ebb's lyrics and John Kander's outpouring of music matches Sheldon Harnick's elegant lyrics, giving great dramatic tension to the songs of both teams.

South Coast Repertory today announced the cast and creative team for Michael Frayn's ingenious comedic masterpiece, Noises Off. Directed by Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award winner Art Manke, Noises Off will run from Feb. 6 through March 8 on the Segerstrom Stage. Low-priced previews are available from Feb. 6 through Feb. 12. Opening night is Feb. 13. Press night is Saturday, Feb. 14 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets to Noises Off may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office. Noises Off follows the on-and off-stage antics of an inept acting troupe as they stumble from bumbling dress rehearsal to disastrous closing night. Everything that can go wrong does, as actors desperately try to hang on to their lines, their performances and the furniture. Add a slippery plate of sardines and many slamming doors, and you have the most hilarious backstage farce ever written. Art Manke received his fifth Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for directing SCR's West Coast premiere of Bach at Leipzig in 2006. Other work with SCR includes last season's Taking Steps, the world premiere musical version of The Wind in the Willows and choreography for numerous productions. Elsewhere in Southern California, Manke has directed The Constant Wife, Private Lives and the American premiere of Noel Coward's Star Quality for Pasadena Playhouse and the world premiere of The Ice-Breaker at Laguna Playhouse. Manke was a co-founder and artistic director (1991-2001) of A Noise Within where he directed the works of Shakespeare, Moli?re, Wilde, Coward and Sophocles. Other credits include work with Denver Center Theatre Company, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, Old Globe Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, American Players Theatre, among others. The cast features Nancy Bell (Belinda Blair), Bill Brochtrup (Garry Lejeune), Kandis Chappell (Dotty Otley), Winslow Corbett (Poppy Norton-Taylor), Kaleo Griffith (Lloyd Dallas), Brian Hostenske (Tim Allgood), Timothy Landfield (Frederick Fellows), Jennifer Lyon (Brooke Ashton) and Nick Ullett (Selsdon Mowbray). The creative team for Noises Off includes John Iacvelli (Set Design), Angela Balogh Calin (Costume Design), York Kennedy (Lighting Design), Vincent Olivieri (Sound Design), Ken Merckx (Movement Consultant), David Newell (Dialect Coach), Linda Sullivan Baity (Dramaturg) and Jamie Tucker (Stage Manager). Dee and Larry Higby are the Honorary Producers of Noises Off. OC Metro is the Media Partner. Associated events taking place during the run of Noises Off include: POST-SHOW DISCUSSIONS Wednesday, Feb. 18 & Tuesday, Feb. 24 Discuss the play with members of the Noises Off cast during free post-show discussions led by South Coast Repertory's literary team after the 7:30 p.m. performances on Feb. 18 and Feb. 24. INSIDE THE SEASON: Noises Off Saturday, Feb. 21, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. $12 Inside the Season is a series of interactive classes that provide a comprehensive inside look at the theatrical production process. Each two-hour class is led by School and Community Programs Director Linda Sullivan Baity and features creative personnel from South Coast Repertory's current production. Tickets are $12 each and can be purchased by calling the Box Office at (714) 708-5555. (Tickets to Noises Off are sold separately.) TICKETS to Noises Off can be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or by visiting the box office at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. Performances begin on Feb. 6 and continue through March 8. Ticket prices range from $20 to $64. Low-priced preview performances are available from Feb. 6 to Feb. 12. Performance times: Previews: Friday, Feb. 6 and Saturday, Feb. 7 at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 8, Tuesday, Feb. 10 and Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m.; and Thursday, Feb. 12 at 8:00pm. Regular Performances: Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m.; and Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m. Discounts are available for full-time students, patrons 25 years of age and under, educators, seniors and groups of 15 or more. There will be a 'Pay-What-You-Will' performance on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 2:30 p.m. ($10 Minimum) and an ASL-interpreted performance on Saturday, March 7 at 2:30 p.m.

Beloved nightclub and Broadway vet Teri Ralston (Company, A Little Night Music) returns to New York's famed Metropolitan Room on Monday, 17 November, at 9pm to reprise the cabaret show she recorded there, live, this past January, and to celebrate the release of the resulting CD: I'VE GOTTA GET BACK TO NEW YORK.

Beloved nightclub and Broadway vet Teri Ralston (Company, A Little Night Music) returns to New York's famed Metropolitan Room on Monday, 17 November, at 9pm to reprise the cabaret show she recorded there, live, this past January, and to celebrate the release of the resulting CD: I'VE GOTTA GET BACK TO NEW YORK.

After extensive development in New York at the York Theatre and the Vineyard Theatre, the world premiere of the musical 'The Medium at Large' took place Sunday afternoon, October 19, 2008, at the Village Players Performing Arts Center in Oak Park, Illinois, just over Chicago's western border. Starring Tony Award nominee John Herrera (Neville in 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood') as the titular spiritualist, the show shows promise in negotiating a tricky premise and an even trickier payoff.

To celebrate her recently released debut solo CD, I'VE GOTTA GET BACK TO NEW YORK, accomplished cabaret artist and Broadway vet Teri Ralston (Company, A Little Night Music) will make two special appearances in Manhattan this fall. On Wednesday, 15 October, at 6pm, Teri will sign CD's and sing selected songs at the Lincoln Triangle Barnes & Noble Bookstore. Then, on Monday, 17 November, at 9pm, she will perform in concert at the Metropolitan Room, where I'VE GOTTA GET BACK TO NEW YORK was recorded, live, earlier this year.

To celebrate her recently released debut solo CD, I'VE GOTTA GET BACK TO NEW YORK, accomplished cabaret artist and Broadway vet Teri Ralston (Company, A Little Night Music) will make two special appearances in Manhattan this fall. On Wednesday, 15 October, at 6pm, Teri will sign CD's and sing selected songs at the Lincoln Triangle Barnes & Noble Bookstore. Then, on Monday, 17 November, at 9pm, she will perform in concert at the Metropolitan Room, where I'VE GOTTA GET BACK TO NEW YORK was recorded, live, earlier this year.

To celebrate her recently released debut solo CD, I'VE GOTTA GET BACK TO NEW YORK, accomplished cabaret artist and Broadway vet Teri Ralston (Company, A Little Night Music) will make two special appearances in Manhattan this fall. On Wednesday, 15 October, at 6pm, Teri will sign CD's and sing selected songs at the Lincoln Triangle Barnes & Noble Bookstore. Then, on Monday, 17 November, at 9pm, she will perform in concert at the Metropolitan Room, where I'VE GOTTA GET BACK TO NEW YORK was recorded, live, earlier this year.

GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS, a division of Sh-K-Boom Records, is proud to announce the premiere recording of Little Fish, which was called 'a stylish new musical' by The New York Times.

The Laurie Beechman Theatre is very pleased to welcome Broadway's BARBARA WALSH for a one night only concert, as part of our celebrated Voices from the Great White WaySeries. The series has just kicked off with sold out engagements from Becca Ayers (South Pacific),Donna Lynne Champlin (Sweeney Todd) and Luba Mason (Chicago). This one night only concert takes place on Monday, September 8th @ 7pm.

The Laurie Beechman Theatre, located within The West Bank Café (407 West 42nd St.), is pleased to continue our Friday night soiree, THE AFTER PARTY. Now going strong it's second year, THE AFTER PARTY is billed as 'a weekly schmoozefest for the theatrically inclined.' Every Friday from 10:30 pm until the wee hours, pros from Broadway and aspiring stars alike belt it out on the stage of The Laurie Beechman Theatre. Join hosts BRANDON CUTRELL (MAC & Bistro Award winner) and ALYSHA UMPHRESS (XL Star) with RAY FELLMAN (Captain Louie) at the piano for this weekly party in the theatre district. There is no cover charge for this event.

The Laurie Beechman Theatre is very pleased to welcome Broadway's BARBARA WALSH for a one night only concert, as part of our celebrated Voices from the Great White WaySeries. The series has just kicked off with sold out engagements from Becca Ayers (South Pacific),Donna Lynne Champlin (Sweeney Todd) and Luba Mason (Chicago). This one night only concert takes place on Monday, September 8th @ 7pm.

It is with great pleasure that The West Bank Café announces upcoming performances to be presented in The Laurie Beechman Theatre. The West Bank Café is located at 407 West 42nd. St., at Ninth Avenue.

GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS, a division of Sh-K-Boom Records, is proud to announce the premiere recording of Little Fish, which was called 'a stylish new musical' by The New York Times.

It was just confirmed that George Furth, best known the book writer of Company, has passed away. He was 75 years old.

Larry Haines a Tony Award-nominated stage and television actor died July 17 in Delray Beach, FL. He was 89.

During an exclusive live online chat with legendary composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, Roundabout's Artistic Director Todd Haimes announced plans to bring 'Merrily We Roll Along' to Broadway sometime in 2009/2010.

Hal Ackerman takes a frank look at his own mortality in his play Testosterone: How Prostate Cancer Made a Man of Me. The playwright also takes center stage in his autobiographical work, joined by supporting cast members Dennis Lee Kelly and Lisa Robins. Michael Arabian directs a four-week run at The Powerhouse Theatre in Santa Monica April 18 through May 10.

On February 20 at 9PM (ET/PT), PBS 'Great Performances' presents the premiere broadcast of Company, the highly-anticipated and professionally-recorded production of last season's Tony Award-winning Broadway revival. For all the details visit PBS.com