Harold Prince News

White Plains Performing Arts Center (Jack W. Batman, Executive Producer) is pleased to announce complete casting for the upcoming production of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical A Little Night Music, by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler. The cast of this brand new production of this Broadway masterpiece will feature Tony Award nominees Penny Fuller (Applause, Dividing The Estate) as ?Desiree? and Mark Jacoby (Ragtime) as ?Fredrick,? Broadway veteran Sheila Smith (Follies) as ?Madame Armfeldt,? Laura Osnes (Grease) as ?Anne? and Rachel de Benedet (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Nine) as ?Charlotte.? A Little Night Music will be directed by Sidney J. Burgoyne, who helmed this season?s acclaimed Camelot and last year?s sold-out production of Ragtime for the theatre, with Music Direction by James Bassi with choreography by Melissa Rae Mahon and Sean McKnight.

Carol Ilson, author, psychoanalyst, and director of 'Line,' passed away January 17 in New York at the age of 75. She is survived by her husband Bernie, two sons, and four grandchildren.

The most successful stage musical of all time, the Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Group, Inc. production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince, reached an unprecedented milestone on Monday, January 26, 2009 when it celebrated its Twenty-First Anniversary on Broadway. On that date, playing its 8,732nd performance at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street), it became the first Broadway production ever to have run 21 years. The cast and crew celebrated with a custom-designed cake from Cupcake Cafe in honor of finally being of 'legal' age on Broadway!

On March 12, 2009 at 7:00 p.m., The Collegiate Chorale appears with The New York City Opera Orchestra at the newly renovated Alice Tully Hall in a performance of Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin's 1945 Broadway operetta The Firebrand of Florence. The performance, led by guest conductor Ted Sperling, stars baritone Nathan Gunn, soprano Anna Christy, baritone Terrence Mann, and soprano Victoria Clark. Krysty Swann, David Pittu and Patrick Goss complete the cast, and narration will be provided by Stage Director Roger Rees. Boasting a score by Kurt Weill, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and a book by playwright and screenwriter Edwin Justus Mayer, The Firebrand of Florence had a short run on Broadway in 1945. The work was subsequently not heard for over a half-century until three presentations - Ohio Light Opera (1999), the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London (2000) and the Radio Symphony Orchestra in Vienna (2000) - shed new light on the relatively obscure work. The performances were not only accepted, but widely acclaimed, thus giving hope for a new life in a new century. Variety's theater critic Steven Suskin says 'I have long believed that Firebrand in concert should be a dazzling delight.' Benvenuto Cellini, the great Florentine artist, is sentenced to hang, but he is pardoned when the duke realizes that he has not completed a previously commissioned sculpture. Freed, he is able to turn his attention to his favorite model (and object of his affections), Angela. The Duke also is interested in Angela. In a typical operetta plot, Cellini swashbuckles around the stage, keeping the Duke away from Angela, keeping himself away from the Duchess, and escaping yet another death sentence by fleeing to Paris, as the end of the show recapitulates the beginning.

'Broadway's Golden Couple' Concert Starring Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley will be Saturday, February 28 at 8:00 p.m. Marin Mazzie is a three-time Tony nominee for Passion, Ragtime, and the hit revival of Kiss Me, Kate. Jason Danieley made his Broadway debut in the Harold Prince-directed revival of Candide, going on to make heads turn in The Full Monty and Carnegie Hall's concert version of South Pacific. Tickets: VIP $36, General Admission $27, Senior/Students $22 Mazzie has appeared in the Broadway/West End productions of Monty Python's Spamalot, man of La Mancha, Kiss Me, Kate, Ragtime, Passion, Into the Woods, and Big River. Off-Broadway she has done Kismet, The Vagina Monologues, The Trojan Women: A Love Story, Out of This World and more. Danieley has appeared in Broadway/London productions of Curtains, The Full Monty, The Full Monty, and Candide.

The most successful stage musical of all time, the Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Group, Inc. production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince, will reach an unprecedented milestone when it celebrates its Twenty-First Anniversary on Broadway on Monday, January 26, 2009. On that date, playing its 8,732nd performance at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street), it will become the first Broadway production ever to have run 21 years. The longest-running show in Broadway history (a feat it achieved in January 2006 when it surpassed the run of Cats), the musical is the winner of 7 1988 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Since its Broadway debut on January 26, 1988, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has grossed $715 million, making it the highest-grossing show in Broadway history. Total New York attendance is at 13 million. Having since surpassed Cats? record by a phenomenal 3 years and 1,200 performances, it has now played over 8,700 performances ? the only show in Broadway history to do so ? and all with no end in sight. As a major vote of confidence in the future of the Broadway production, last August the producers took the extraordinary step of installing a brand-new Digital Sound System (at an investment of $750,000) to bring the production?s sound design technology into the 21s Century. The move followed last May?s successful installation of the same new Digital Sound System into the London production.

Van Hill Entertainment is proud to announce that the Off-Broadway premiere of ROOMS a rock romance, starring Leslie Kritzer and Doug Kreeger, will begin performances on Friday February 27th at New World Stages/Stage 2 (340 West 50th Street). Opening Night is set for Monday March 16th (7 PM). ROOMS a rock romance has music and lyrics by Paul Scott Goodman (Bright Lights Big City) and book by Goodman and Miriam Gordon, and will be directed by Scott Schwartz (Golda's Balcony, Bat Boy: The Musical, tick, tick... BOOM!, Jane Eyre).

The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) will begin previews of Aristocrats by Brian Friel on Friday, January 16, 2009. The production will open on Sunday, January 25, 2009 and is scheduled to close March 8, 2009. Charlotte Moore directs.

The most successful stage musical of all time, the Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Group, Inc. production of Andrew Lloyd Webber?s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince, will reach an unprecedented milestone when it celebrates its Twenty-First Anniversary on Broadway on Monday, January 26, 2009. On that date, playing its 8,732nd performance at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street), it will become the first Broadway production ever to have run 21 years. The longest-running show in Broadway history (a feat it achieved in January 2006 when it surpassed the run of Cats), the musical is the winner of 7 1988 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Since its Broadway debut on January 26, 1988, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has grossed $715 million, making it the highest-grossing show in Broadway history. Total New York attendance is at 13 million. Having since surpassed Cats? record by a phenomenal 3 years and 1,200 performances, it has now played over 8,700 performances ? the only show in Broadway history to do so ? and all with no end in sight. As a major vote of confidence in the future of the Broadway production, last August the producers took the extraordinary step of installing a brand-new Digital Sound System (at an investment of $750,000) to bring the production?s sound design technology into the 21s Century. The move followed last May?s successful installation of the same new Digital Sound System into the London production.

The Broadway production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is extremely pleased to announce that leading lady Jennifer Hope Wills (currently on maternity leave), and her husband, special effects make-up artist Vincent Schicchi, welcomed the birth of a son, Vincent William Schicchi on December 30, 2008. The healthy baby boy, who was born at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, NY, is the couple's first child.

The 2008-2009 Reprise Theatre Company season continues with the classic international hit 'Man of La Mancha,' starring Brent Spiner as Cervantes/Quixote. Julia Migenes, the renowned opera and theatre performer, will play Aldonza/Dulcinea; Valerie Perri will play the role of Aldonza/Dulcinea at matinee performances; and Tony nominee Lee Wilkof will play Sancho Panza.

Broadway in Concert! at The Canyon, an all new Wednesday night series of intimate concerts headlined by the best of Broadway musical theatre stars and Nightclub artists will debut January 7, 2009 at The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, CA, it was announced today by Canyon Club Managing Partner Lance Sterling and Producer Michael Sterling of Michael Sterling & Associates in Los Angeles.

Glenn Close is scheduled to be on Regis and Kelly on January 7th. Close will talk about the drama series 'Damages.' 'Damages' follows the turbulent lives of Patty Hewes (Glenn Close), the nation's most revered and reviled high-stakes litigator and her bright, ambitious young prot?g? Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne).

The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) will begin previews of Aristocrats by Brian Friel on Friday, January 16, 2009. The production will open on Sunday, January 25, 2009 and is scheduled to close March 8, 2009. Charlotte Moore directs.

Andrew Lloyd Webber confirmed his future (and very active) plans for Phantom: Love Never Dies, the sequel to his worldwide mega hit musical The Phantom of the Opera. His statement was posted on his official website, www.andrewlloydwebber.com.

The Times of London has reported some new details regarding PHANTOM: LOVE NEVER DIES, Andrew Lloyd Webber's upcoming sequel to the mega hit musical The Phantom of the Opera. Most interesting so far is that Lloyd Webber hopes is to have a simultaneous premiere of the musical sequel on three continents, a first in the history of the theatre.

Cast members from the Broadway production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, the longest-running show in Broadway history, will sing holiday songs live throughout Good Morning America on ABC, this coming Monday morning December 22. Led by PHANTOM star Patricia Phillips, the first-ever African-American to play opera diva Carlotta Giudicelli, the cast's performances are in recognition of the special 10th Anniversary of Broadway's Greatest Gifts: Carols for a Cure, the annual holiday CD which benefits Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. On this year's CD, the cast of PHANTOM can be heard singing their folk version of 'Away in a Manger,' arranged by cast member and acoustic guitarist Geoff Packard.

Cast members from the Broadway production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, the longest-running show in Broadway history, will sing holiday songs live throughout Good Morning America on ABC, this coming Monday morning December 22. Led by PHANTOM star Patricia Phillips, the first-ever African-American to play opera diva Carlotta Giudicelli, the cast's performances are in recognition of the special 10th Anniversary of Broadway's Greatest Gifts: Carols for a Cure, the annual holiday CD which benefits Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. On this year's CD, the cast of PHANTOM can be heard singing their folk version of 'Away in a Manger,' arranged by cast member and acoustic guitarist Geoff Packard.

The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) will begin previews of Aristocrats by Brian Friel on Friday, January 16, 2009. The production will open on Sunday, January 25, 2009 at 7PM and is scheduled to close March 8, 2009. Charlotte Moore directs.

The China Post has reported that a Taiwan university announced the creation of what could be the world's first robot theater, which will make its debut on Dec. 27th by performing the musical The Phantom of the Opera.