Harold Prince News

Listening to the popular theatre critic/journalist Peter Filichia talk about musicals can be twice as entertaining as half the shows on Broadway.  Ever hear his story about the audience reaction at the first preview of Bring Back Birdie?  Or the way he one-upped David Merrick after being tossed out of a preview of 42nd Street?  Or the exact moment he could tell, while watching an out-of-town tryout of Company, that Dean Jones would not be playing Bobby for long?

Now, it's also been picked by the paper amongst the The 10 Best Books of 2010, which honor 5 fiction, and 5 non-fiction titles. About the book, the noted Book Review section writes 'The theater's pre-eminent living songwriter offers a master class in how to write a musical, covering some of the greatest shows, from 'West Side Story' to 'Sweeney Todd.' Sondheim's analysis of his and others' lyrics is insightful and candid, and his anecdotes are telling and often very funny.'

The New York Philharmonic will present Stephen Sondheim's groundbreaking Company, with an all-star cast led by Neil Patrick Harris, star of the hit television series, How I Met Your Mother, on April 7-9, 2011. The award-winning musical will be produced and directed by Lonny Price, who directed and co-produced last season's SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert!, and will be conducted by Sondheim specialist Paul Gemignani, with the original orchestrations for a 35-piece orchestra by Jonathan Tunick. More details will be announced at a later date.

Looking for a truly unique holiday gift this year? How about a once-in-a-lifetime experience? The upcoming Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA), which holds the spotlight for three and a half weeks next spring (April 7 to May 1), has you covered, with a slate of unprecedented programming featuring virtually every artistic genre, targeted to the young and young-at-heart alike. Today, with an eye towards making this year's gift-giving season the easiest yet, festival organizers announce a full menu of special ticket packages sure to please everyone on your list. Additionally, PIFA Holiday Ticket Packages are discounted 10% when bought together vs. single ticket prices. Any or all of the Ten Holiday Ticket Packages, each including 3 diverse programs, can be purchased online at www.pifa.org, or at the Kimmel Center Box office, and the newly re-designed PIFA website provides easy access to detailed information on all PIFA partner organizations and events.

Looking for a truly unique holiday gift this year? How about a once-in-a-lifetime experience? The upcoming Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA), which holds the spotlight for three and a half weeks next spring (April 7 to May 1), has you covered, with a slate of unprecedented programming featuring virtually every artistic genre, targeted to the young and young-at-heart alike.

The Irish Repertory Theatre continues its 23rd Season on December 8 with Dylan Thomas's holiday classic A CHILD'S CHRISTMAS IN WALES

The Irish Repertory Theatre continues its 23rd Season on December 8 with Dylan Thomas's holiday classic A CHILD'S CHRISTMAS IN WALES

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center Speakers series in collaboration with Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) is pleased to announce an evening of engaging conversation about the theater company's upcoming world premiere of A Small Fire, a new play by Obie Award winner Adam Bock (The Drunken City at PH, The Receptionist, The Thugs, Swimming in the Shallows), featuring Mr. Bock, director Trip Cullman (Adam Bock's The Drunken City at PH and Swimming in the Shallows) and Tony Award-winning actress Michele Pawk (Hollywood Arms, Merrily We Roll Along, Chicago, Caberet and Seussical).

Hot off her lauded role debut in San Francisco as Puccini's quintessential New World heroine, soprano Deborah Voigt will once again portray the pistol-packing, poker-playing barmaid Minnie, this time in the Metropolitan Opera's centenary staging of La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West).

Principal cast changes have been announced for the Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, the longest-running show in Broadway history.

Composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim's new book 'Finishing the Hat: Collected Lyrics (1954-1981) with Attendant Comments, Principles, Heresies, Grudges, Whines and Anecdotes' was released on October 26, 2010. The book, which debuted at #11 on the New York Times Book Review Bestseller list, has now made the paper's 100 Notable Books of 2010 list. They write 'Sondheim's analysis of his songs and those of others is both stinging and insightful.'

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center Speakers series in collaboration with Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) is pleased to announce an evening of engaging conversation about the theater company's upcoming world premiere of A Small Fire, a new play by Obie Award winner Adam Bock (The Drunken City at PH, The Receptionist, The Thugs, Swimming in the Shallows), featuring Mr. Bock, director Trip Cullman (Adam Bock's The Drunken City at PH and Swimming in the Shallows) and Tony Award-winning actress Michele Pawk (Hollywood Arms, Merrily We Roll Along, Chicago, Caberet and Seussical).

On Sunday, November 14, 2010, The National Arts Club was the site of a Gala evening honoring Richard Maltby, Jr., David Shire and John Weidman. The VIP guests enjoyed cocktails and a repast featuring the culinary artistry of the talented chefs at The National Arts Club. Guests were then entertained with a variety of music by David Shire and Richard Maltby,Jr. with selections from the musicals of Scott Frankel, Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman and performed by Stars of Broadway, Television and Film, including BD Wong, Karen Ziemba, Mario Cantone, Lynne Wintersteller , Julia Lema and Fred Applegate. Memorable Recollections were provided by theatre greats Susan Stroman and Gala honorary Chairs Maury Yeston and Sheldon Harnick. After the awards presentation guests enjoyed Champagne, coffee and a magnificent array of desserts.

Hot off her lauded role debut in San Francisco as Puccini's quintessential New World heroine, soprano Deborah Voigt will once again portray the pistol-packing, poker-playing barmaid Minnie, this time in the Metropolitan Opera's centenary staging of La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West).

In a big-hearted, gloriously tuneful world premiere musical from a team of celebrated Broadway veterans, Truman Capote's enchanting holiday tale A CHRISTMAS MEMORY springs to life at TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley.

In a big-hearted, gloriously tuneful world premiere musical from a team of celebrated Broadway veterans, Truman Capote's enchanting holiday tale A CHRISTMAS MEMORY springs to life at TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley.

The award-winning York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) hosted its 19th Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre on Monday, November 22, 2010, honoring Tony Award-winning librettist Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray, Elf). The evening was directed by Tony-winning director/lyricist/librettist Richard Maltby and the award was presented by Alice Hammerstein Mathias, daughter of Oscar Hammerstein II.

Although Broadway has a history of great artistic success from adapting existing sources for the musical stage (My Fair Lady, Show Boat, Gypsy...) the past decade's ever-increasing trend of turning popular films, novels that inspired popular films and songwriter's catalogues into musicals has, in many minds, elevated the status of the completely original musical; particularly original musicals by American authors.

The Irish Repertory Theatre continues its 23rd Season on December 8 with Dylan Thomas's holiday classic A CHILD'S CHRISTMAS IN WALES

The award winning York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) will honor Tony Award winning librettist Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray, Elf) with the 19th Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre on Monday, November 22, 2010.