Gower Champion News

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Our Town, October 6 - 16 in the Nafe Katter Theatre, Storrs.

Bill Nabel; a veteran actor of eight Broadway shows with 30 plus years on Broadway with over 9400 performances, a member of the original casts of '42nd Street' and 'Beauty and the Beast' - the latter of which he was the only cast member to do the entire 13 year run; has switched hats and will now see two of his many works mounted within weeks of each other. Utah Shakespeare Festival will present the World Premiere of Mr. Nabel's new play LYING TO SPIELBERG at the Auditorium Theatre (351 West Center Street) in Cedar City, Utah on August 11, 12 and 31. And the Village Theatre will present the West Coast Premiere of TAKE ME AMERICA, a new musical with book and lyrics by Mr. Nabel and music by Bob Christianson from September 14 through November 20 at the Village Theatre of Issaquah, WA and the Village Theatre of Everett, WA.

Starring real-life couple Matthew Ashford (of NBC's 'Days of Our Lives') and Christina Saffran Ashford, I Do! I Do! opens at Sacramento Music Circus August 16-21. With book and lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt (the team behind The Fantasticks), I Do! I Do! will delight audience members of all ages.

Starring real-life couple Matthew Ashford (of NBC's 'Days of Our Lives') and Christina Saffran Ashford, I Do! I Do! opens at Sacramento Music Circus August 16-21. With book and lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt (the team behind The Fantasticks), I Do! I Do! will delight audience members of all ages.

42nd Street Moon, the company renowned for presenting uncommon musical theater, begins its 2011-12 season with a salute to the legendary Cole Porter.

STONEHAM THEATRE'S SEASON 11: GREAT STORIES

Gwen Verdon, one of Broadway's biggest stars during its golden era and beyond, and winner of four Tony Awards, was recently honored by the Dancers Over 40 organization in New York at the star-studded tribute 'Gwen Verdon: I'm not Lola.'

One of Broadway's brightest stars, Bernadette Peters, will be the recipient of the Distinguished Dedication and Service to the American Musical Theater Award, presented by Westport Country Playhouse at the theater's '80th Birthday' gala, 'Playing Our Songs: Celebrating 80 Years of Musical Theater,' on the evening of Monday, September 19.

The year Avenue Q asked Tony Voters to 'Vote Your Heart.'

BroadwayWorld.com shared the sad news last night, July 12th that Tony Stevens, performer, director and choreographer had passed away at 63. We just received a statement from Chita Rivera on his passing which reads that'A huge part of me has left...gone to light the heavens for us as he did on earth. I carry Tony with me. I always have and always will. My god how I will miss him.'

Valarie Pettiford and others who had the pleasure of working with Tony Stevens have shared the news online that the performer, director and choreographer has passed away at 63.

Liza. Four letters say all you need to know about Broadway. She is Broadway, after all, and in many ways the ultimate Broadway icon, just as her mother Judy Garland was the ultimate Hollywood icon. No one in their prime was better. Just recently in Tony Awards history, Miss Minnelli proved she could rock the socks off of the entire world with her magnificent performance of "And The World Goes Round" - the capper of the 2009 Tony Awards opening number, perhaps the biggest of all time. Today, we take a look at Liza at the Tony Awards - and, considering today is Tony's Eve, the timing is just right. How else does a real Broadway baby spend a Saturday night - all alone in your room (or not) - than with Miss Minnelli?

STONEHAM THEATRE'S SEASON 11: GREAT STORIES

Ilyse Robbins adds Director to her resumé with impressive staging of classic Broadway musical. Her choreography is well-served by a talented troupe of tapping chorus boys and girls. Local favorite Kathy St. George gives leading lady Dorothy Brock a makeover.

Reprise Theatre Company presents Barbara Cook in Concert. It will have one performance only on Monday, May 16 at 8:00 pm, at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. Barbara Cook in Concert is the latest in Reprise Theatre Company's tradition of presenting Broadway stars and legendary entertainers in concert, which have included Patti LuPone, Carol Burnett, Sutton Foster, Ben Vereen, Kristin Chenoweth, and Brian Stokes Mitchell.

Los Angeles Ovation award nominee Paul Stroili will star in the classic sex farce, A Flea in Her Ear at the Edgemar Center for the Arts in Santa Monica, California.