Harold Wheeler News

While it may take a village to raise a child, an impressive team of award-winning celebrities along with The Juilliard School, New York State Governor David A. Paterson, and other notables have taken the lead to collaborate in support of students of color at Juilliard via a scholarship benefit concert honoring legendary Juilliard alumnus, Luther Henderson, Mr. Henderson, who died in 2003, was a gifted American arranger, composer and orchestrator with an extraordinary talent for creating music for choreographic movement.

Today, an Equity casting notice was put up for a revival of the musical Dreamgirls. According to the notice, rehearsals will begin September 21, 2009 with performances starting in early November 2009.

Michael Ball has extended his run playing the role of 'Edna Turnblad' in the smash hit award-winning musical 'HAIRSPRAY' by another six months. He will now be starring in the role until Saturday 25 April 2009, marking the longest continuing contract that Michael, one of the UK's leading stage stars, has ever performed.

The previously-announced production schedule for the upcoming Broadway revival of Ntozake Shange's acclaimed play 'For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf' is being temporarily delayed, producers Whoopi Goldberg and DreamTeam Entertainment Group announced jointly today.

Whoopi Goldberg and DreamTeam Entertainment Group are pleased to announce that two-time Grammy Award winner India.Arie will make her Broadway stage debut this fall in a new, re-envisioned production of Ntozake Shange's acclaimed play, FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENUF.

The smash hit award-winning musical HAIRSPRAY at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London has recouped its entire £3.5 million capitalization in a record-breaking 29 weeks.

There will be access performances for the smash hit award-winning musical 'HAIRSPRAY' on 3, 10 and 17 April.

Michael Ball has extended his run in the hugely popular role of 'Edna Turnblad' in the smash hit award-winning musical Hairspray by six months. He will now be starring in the role until Saturday 25 October 2008.

The much anticipated new musical Roller Derby, being presented as part of this year's New York Musical Theatre Festival, is rolling uptown to a new venue.

The premiere West End cast of the smash hit multi-award winning Broadway musical Hairspray has been announced. Michael Ball will star as Edna Turnblad, Mel Smith as Wilbur Turnblad, Leanne Jones as Tracy Turnblad and Ben James-Ellis as Link Larkin . Hairspray open at the Shaftesbury Theatre on Tuesday October 30, following previews from October 11.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF), now in its fourth year, is a three-week event in NYC that has premiered over 90 musicals in its first three years, becoming the largest musical theatre event in America. Tickets for NYMF productions are available at www.nymf.org or by calling 212-352-3101. This year's Festival will run from September 17 through October 7 with the following schedule of events...

Michael Ball, Mel Smith and newcomer Leanne Jones will star in the multi-award winning musical Hairspray, which will open at the Shaftesbury Theatre on Tuesday, October 30, following previews from October 11.

The new musical Roller Derby, which will be presented at this year's New York Musical Theatre Festival, has finalized its cast.

Mel Smith will make his West End musical debut starring as 'Wilbur Turnblad' in the smash hit multi-award winning musical Hairspray, which will open at the Shaftesbury Theatre on Tuesday, October 30, following previews from October 11

The New York Musical Theatre Festival, Dale Olson & Eugene Harbin will present Roller Derby, an original musical about the hard-hitting sports phenomenon, born in Chicago from the Dance Marathons and Walkathons of the Great Depression

More casting has been announced for Atlanta's Theater of the Stars's 25th Anniversary production of Dreamgirls, with Jennifer Holliday reprising her iconic Tony-winning performance as Effie.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) has announced 12 additional new musicals to join the 18 musicals previously announced as part of the 4th annual Festival from September 17 through October 7, 2007 in New York City.

The national tour of the scamming, scheming, double-crossing hit Broadway musical, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, will play Chicago's Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, July 31 through August 12, 2007.

The SHN-SF 2007-08 Best of Broadway season includes 'The Color Purple,' 'The Wiz,' 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' and 'The Drowsy Chaperone.'

The National Tour of the scamming, scheming, double-crossing hit Broadway musical Dirty Rotten Scoundrels will play Chicago's Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, July 31 through August 12, 2007