Gwen Verdon News

Happy Birthday, Bob Fosse! Fosse won an unprecedented eight Tony Awards for choreography, as well as one for direction. He was nominated for an Academy Award four times, winning for his direction of Cabaret. Amonst his many Broadway credits are The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees, Sweet Charity, Pippin, Chicago, Dancin' and many more.

Batter up! Just in time for the thick of baseball season comes the muscular musical about baseball super-fan Joe Boyd. Joe is transformed into a star slugger after he makes a deal with the devil and his sexy associate, Lola, for a chance to lead his home team to victory in the pennant race against the New York Yankees.

Legendary Broadway star, Lee Roy Reams, makes his Feinstein's at the Nikko debut with his one-man show, Song and Dance Man, today, Thursday, June 9 at 8 p.m.

Today in 1975, Chicago opened at the 46th Street Theatre (now the Richard Rogers Theatre), where it ran for 936 performances. Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago, with music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the 'celebrity criminal'. The original cast starred Chita Rivera as Velma Kelly, Gwen Verdon as Roxie Hart, Jerry Orbach as Billy Flynn and Barney Martin as Amos Hart.

After watching O.J. Simpson getting found not guilty, the public seemed more willing to accept the musical's cynical look at life.

New Dramatists, Tony Honor recipient and the nation's premier playwright development laboratory, just celebrated six-time Tony Award winning actress, Audra McDonald with their 2016 Distinguished Achievement Award at its 67th Annual Spring Luncheon tribute. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from inside the special day below!

New Dramatists, Tony Honor recipient and the nation's premier playwright development laboratory, will celebrate six-time Tony Award winning actress, Audra McDonald with their 2016 Distinguished Achievement Award at its 67th Annual Spring Luncheon tribute.

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.

Today in 2005, the second Broadway revival of Sweet Charity opened at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, where it ran for 279 performances. Sweet Charity is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse starring his wife and muse Gwen Verdon alongside John McMartin. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1966, where it was nominated for 12 Tony Awards, and also ran in the West End as well as having revivals and international productions. THe 2005 revival starred Christina Applegate in he title role.

When Tuesday night the formidable Chita Rivera opens her debut Cafe Carlyle show, An Evening of My Favorite Songs, with "I Won't Dance" (Jerome Kern/Dorothy Fields/Jimmy McHugh), it's like watching a thoroughbred nose the racing gate. There's too little space on the small stage to do much more than shimmy, twirl, and display Bob Fosse-like arm moves; the performer exudes an urge to cut loose. At the ripe age of we-all-aspire-to-that-kind-of-unquenchable-joie-de-vivre, she shoots off sparks.

Jane Krakowski was an emerging Broadway star when she first gained national attention for 'Ally McBeal.'

Legendary Broadway star, Lee Roy Reams, will make his Feinstein's at the Nikko debut with his one-man show, Song and Dance Man, on Thursday, June 9 at 8 p.m.

Raise the roof! Broadway's tallest tapper comes to Landmark on Main Street in TAPS, TUNES & TALL TALES tonight, Friday, April 15 at 8 PM.

The Fred Ebb Foundation, in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company, will present the twelfth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters.  Applications for the award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, will be accepted from June 1- 30, 2016.  The winner will be selected in November of 2016.  Eligibility criteria and Application forms can be found at the foundations website: www.fredebbfoundation.org.

? Broadway's Loni Ackerman is set to take her one-woman show to the Bickford stage on Saturday, April 30 at 7:00PM. This annual fundraising event will include great food and beverages, a 50/50 cash raffle, the always popular wine "Cork Pull," and a theatre ticket raffle.

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report that actress and singer Shannon Bolin Kaye passed away Friday, March 25, in New York City. She was 99.

Amas Musical Theatre, New York City's award-winning pioneer in diversity and multi-ethnic casting in the performing arts since 1968, celebrates its 47th Anniversary at a gala benefit tonight, Monday, March 28th, 2016 at the Baruch Performing Arts Center(East 25th Street between Lexington and 3rd Avenues). Honorary Chair for the event is Tony Award winning actress, singer and dancer Donna McKechnie.  The master of ceremonies for the evening is noted theatre journalist Peter Filichia.

Audra McDonald received her very own video category on Friday night's JEOPARDY, titled 'Audra McDonald on Broadway.' The show also asked McDonald, 'Given all your successes, is there a role you still long to play?

Raise the roof! Broadway's tallest tapper is coming to the Landmark on Main Street in TAPS, TUNES & TALL TALES on Friday, April 15 at 8 PM.

He's back! Ten-time Tony Award winner Tommy Tune (that's a well-deserved mouthful!) is collaborating with a Tony-winning playwright on the musical adaptation of a book and major film set in 'the world's fastest-growing film market,' according to Deadline.