Gwen Verdon News

The Fred Ebb Foundation has announced that its 2016 donation to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will total $1.675 million dollars, bringing the foundation's total contribution to BC/EFA to $13.325 million since it began 12 years ago. The foundation, which is funded by royalties from the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb's vast catalogue of work, makes an annual donation to BC/EFA.

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell S. Bernard, Trustee) in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) will present the twelfth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Thomas Mizer and Curtis Moore, tonight from 6-8pm at a by-invitation-only ceremony in the Penthouse Lounge of The American Airlines Theater. The award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, will be presented by Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley.

Ever since it opened in 1966 as the Broadway production that made the Palace Theatre go legit, the final scene of Neil Simon (book), Dorothy Fields (lyrics) and Cy Coleman's (music) hyper-swinging Sweet Charity has been a trouble spot.

The Steps Beyond Foundation, Steps on Broadway's non-profit arm committed to connecting artists and the community through dialogue, performance, and artistic collaboration, will present a benefit performance of "Call Fosse at the Minskoff" on December 3 at 8:00pm. The one-woman play, written and performed by Mimi Quillin, will be for one night only in the Steps Studio Theater.

MainStage Irving-Las Colinas opens its 2016-17 Razzle Dazzle season with the #1 longest-running American musical in Broadway history, CHICAGO. The production opens November 4 and runs through the 19 at the Irving Arts Center's Dupree Theater (3333 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving, TX 75062). All evening performances are at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. Single tickets range from $21-31 and go on sale October 1 at the Irving Arts Center Box Office (972.252.2787/ www.irvingartscenter.com). Ticket discounts are available for seniors and students. 

The Fred Ebb Foundation in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company will present the twelfth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Thomas Mizer and Curtis Moore. 

MainStage Irving-Las Colinas opens its 2016-17 Razzle Dazzle season with the #1 longest-running American musical in Broadway history, CHICAGO. The production opens November 4 and runs through the 19 at the Irving Arts Center's Dupree Theater (3333 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving, TX 75062). All evening performances are at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. Single tickets range from$21-31 and go on sale October 1 at the Irving Arts Center Box Office (972.252.2787/ www.irvingartscenter.com). Ticket discounts are available for seniors and students.

One of the neat things about writing a column for Broadway World is that you get a chance to interview some folks whose work you've been enjoying and admiring for many years. One of today's subjects first came on my radar way back in 1980 with the Broadway revival of West Side Story. Debbie Allen played Anita in that production and her Her performance deservedly garnered her a Tony Award nomination and a Drama Desk Award. A few years later she wowed me again playing the lead role in Sweet Charity, which resulted in yet another Tony Award nomination.

Timed to the 50th Anniversary of the classic musical, musical theatre fans are gearing up for an off-Broadway production of Dorothy Fields and Cy Coleman's, 'Sweet Charity'.

New York's Broadway and London's West End have long been the biggest destinations for live theater, and now, a new exhibition opening at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts honors the rich creative talent and award-winning productions in both cities. Co-curated by The Library for the Performing Arts and the V&A, where the exhibition debuted earlier this year, in partnership with the Society of London Theatre (SOLT), Curtain Up: Celebrating the Last 40 Years of Theatre in New York and London highlights how the theatre districts of both cities have flourished and developed since 1976. The exhibition, which opens at The Library for the Performing Arts in Lincoln Center onOctober 31, 2016  and is on display through June 30, 2017.

The ninth ornament in Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS annual Broadway Legends series is the magnificent Patti LuPone in her Tony Award-winning role as Eva Peron in Evita.

2016 United Solo Festival will present writer/performer Mimi Quillin in her solo piece, Call Fosse at the Minskoff, on Saturday, September 17 at 2pm, Thursday, September 22 at 9pm, Friday, September 23 at 9pm and Monday, September 26 at 9pm at The Studio Theatre @ Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street - just east of Broadway). 

2016 United Solo Festival will present writer/performer Mimi Quillin in her solo piece, Call Fosse at the Minskoff, today, September 17 at 2pm, Thursday, September 22 at 9pm and Monday, September 26 at 9pm at The Studio Theatre @ Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street - just east of Broadway). 

2016 United Solo Festival will present writer/performer Mimi Quillin in her solo piece, Call Fosse at the Minskoff,  on Saturday, September 17 at 2pm, Thursday, September 22 at 9pm, Friday, September 23 at 9pm, and Monday, September 26 at 9pm at The Studio Theatre @ Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street - just east of Broadway.) Tickets are $20.25 and may be obtained through Telecharge.com or (212) 239-6200.  September 22 and September 26 performances are sold out. More info: http://unitedsolo.org/us/callfosse-2016/.

2016 United Solo Festival will present writer/performer Mimi Quillin in her solo piece, Call Fosse at the Minskoff, on Saturday, September 17 at 2pm, Thursday, September 22 at 9pm and Monday, September 26 at 9pm at The Studio Theatre @ Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street - just east of Broadway). 

Ken Bloom, who is a leading authority on American popular song and musical theatre, has written SHOW AND TELL: The New Book of Broadway Anecdotes to be released October 3, 2016.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director/CEO) has just announced the Broadway premiere of Marvin's Room, by Scott McPherson and directed by Obie Award-winning director, Anne Kauffman (Detroit) making her Broadway debut.

Broadway veterans are stepping into roles inspired by the lives of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon, and the movement style that they developed in a choreographic presentation of part of a new musical at New York Theater Barn's Choreography Lab.

Today in 1977, Chicago closed at the 46th Street Theatre (now the Richard Rodgers 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. Chicago's 1996 Broadway revival holds the record for the longest-running musical revival on Broadway and is its fourth longest-running show.

MainStage Irving-Las Colinas opens its 2016-17 Razzle Dazzle season with the #1 longest-running American musical in Broadway history,CHICAGO. The production opens November 4 and runs through the 19 at the Irving Arts Center's Dupree Theater (3333 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving, TX 75062). All evening performances are at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m.