Harold Prince News

You're sure to catch the spirit of the season when you come to see our big holiday musical, Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS," states Christopher B. Manos, Producer of Theater of the Stars.

Currently the record-holder for being the longest-running show in Broadway history (and still counting), Andrew Lloyd Webber's most widely-seen masterwork THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has now taken up residence at Los Angeles' historic Pantages Theatre in Hollywood for the national tour's final engagement of shows, ending fittingly on Halloween night, October 31. After more than two decades of award-winning, capacity-crowd performances across several continents in several languages, the traveling troupe will soon hang up their masks and corsets after a continuous, highly-successful trek of 17 years.

I will say upfront that I have never been a great fan of Phantom. I have always found it hokey in part, even though it has pretty music and some dazzling effects. This touring production, I must admit, has held up fairly well after so many years, and the production is fresh and vibrant - more vibrant, with one major exception, than the production that I first saw in LA in the late eighties (1986-first performed in the UK).

Producer Orin Wolf and Off the Aisle Productions have announced that It Must Be Him, a new comedy by Kenny Solms, co-creator and writer of the legendary, Emmy Award-winning 'Carol Burnett Show,' will premiere this summer at the Peter J. Sharp Theatre (416 West 42nd Street). Directed by Daniel Kutner, It Must Be Him began performances on Tuesday, August 24, and officially opened on Wednesday, September 1. The limited engagement ends Sunday, September 26.

Following sell-out concerts in New York, Tony Award-winning composer Jason RobertBrown will make his West End concert debut for two nights only on Friday 24 September and Saturday 25 September at the Garrick Theatre, joined for the first time outside of theUS by Anika Noni Rose, the Tony Award-winning star of Caroline, or Change, the motion picture Dreamgirls, and the voice of the Princess in Disney's The Princess and the Frog, who makes her West End and UK debut alongside him.

Following sell-out concerts in New York, Tony Award-winning composer Jason RobertBrown will make his West End concert debut for two nights only on Friday 24 September and Saturday 25 September at the Garrick Theatre, joined for the first time outside of theUS by Anika Noni Rose, the Tony Award-winning star of Caroline, or Change, the motion picture Dreamgirls, and the voice of the Princess in Disney's The Princess and the Frog, who makes her West End and UK debut alongside him.

Today we are taking a listen to one of the most hotly anticipated albums of the year from one of the biggest stars in entertainment history - Hollywood, Broadway and beyond - the incomparably divine Liza Minnelli and her new studio album CONFESSIONS. Having appeared in countless films, concerts, television specials and seemingly every other form of media over the years - not to mention her many appearances on Broadway, among them a 2009 Tony Winner for LIZA'S AT THE PALACE - this lady of the stage and screen needs no introduction. But, if pressed: CABARET, CHICAGO, NEW YORK NEW YORK, ALFIE, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT - and so many more. Surely, we thought she had done it all - and with very good reason - but then comes this moment, this album, this Liza. It's everything you would not expect - plus a few glorious things you would - which makes it the ultimate meta-Minnelli album. Music fans surely won't want to miss this truly Holy CONFESSIONS. Liza-lujah!

Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Theatre Company, Inc. have confirmed that the third national tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA , known as the Music Box Company, will play its final performance on Halloween Night -- Sunday, October 31, 2010 -- at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles.

30 Rock's Jack McBrayer, who plays Kenneth the page on the hit NBC TV show has just been cast to make his Broadway debut in the staged reading of The Normal Heart on October 18th, reports the New York Times.

BroadwayWorld has learned that Stephen R. Buntrock will take over for Alexander Hanson in the role of Frederick Egerman in the Broadway revival of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC on September 28, 2010. Hanson will take his final bow on September 26, 2010.

Rock 'n' roll and a whole lot more are at the soul of Broadway Rocks!, the special Broadway Showstoppers program opening Peter Nero and the Philly Pops' exciting 2010-11 season (October 6, 8, 9, and 10, 2010).

The Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Theatre Company, Inc. production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, directed by Harold Prince, returning to the Benedum Center, August 25-September 19, 2010, has announced casting for the production's farewell Pittsburgh engagement.

Goodman Theatre celebrates its 10th season in Chicago's North Loop Theatre District with a fresh take on an enduring masterpiece- Candide, Voltaire's effervescent, picaresque adventure, newly adapted and directed by Chicago's own Mary Zimmerman, the Goodman's Manilow Resident Director. A cast of 19 and an orchestra of 12, under the direction of Music Director Doug Peck, bring to life nearly 30 songs in Leonard Bernstein's glorious score, and recreate Voltaire's satirical story of Candide (Geoff Packard)-a young optimist shipwrecked, soldiered, swindled and separated (repeatedly) from his true love, Cunegonde (Lauren Molina). For this major revival, Zimmerman has tapped her signature design team-Daniel Ostling (Set), Mara Blumenfeld (Costumes), T.J. Gerkens (Lighting) and Richard Woodbury (Sound). Danny Pelzig choreographs the cataclysmic events that ensue.

Today I conducted an illuminating InDepth InterView with legendary producer and director Harold Prince in which we discussed his singular career, having won more Tony Awards than any other person on the planet for his near one-hundred productions since his start as George Abbott's assistant producer over fifty years ago.

Rep Stage, the professional Equity theatre in residence at Howard Community College (HCC), kicks off its 18th season with Giles Havergal's adaptation of Graham Greene's 'Travels With My Aunt.'

The much-ballyhooed collaboration of Amanda Palmer and Director Steven Bogart results in a very dark, psychologically complex creation that is best described as devastatingly good

Producer Daryl Roth announced today that the first cast members are in place for the Joel Grey-directed, 25th anniversary staged reading of Larry Kramer's ground-breaking play, The Normal Heart, at the Walter Kerr Theatre (219 West 48th Street) on Monday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m. Victor Garber, Jason Butler Harner, John Benjamin Hickey, Joe Mantello, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Patrick Wilson are set to star in the one-night-only event on Broadway that will benefit The Actors Fund and Friends In Deed. Additional casting news will be announced shortly. This reading comes on the heels of the sold-out, acclaimed reading of The Normal Heart at Los Angeles' Geffen Playhouse in September, which was also directed by Mr. Grey.

PNC Broadway Across America presents THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at Benedum Center. Performances began Wednesday, August 25 and run through Sunday, September 19.

Produced by Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Group, Inc. and directed by Harold Prince, The Phantom of the Opera is in its 23rd year in New York, playing at The Majestic Theatre. Last night, Broadway favorite Hugh Panaro returned to the title role alongside former Phantom National Tour star Sara Jean Ford as Christine. BroadwayWorld was on hand and brings you photo coverage below.

NEXT TO NORMAL stars, and real-life married couple, Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley are offering a pair of VIP tickets to the show and a backstage meet and greet for the highest bidding fan via CharityBuzz to benefit Rosie's Broadway Kids. Bidding is now open, currently at $350. The estimated value is listed at $1,500. Bidding closes on September 29, 2010. Click here to bid on a chance to meet Mazzie and Danieley following a performance of NEXT TO NORMAL and support Rosie's Broadway Kids!