Harvey Fierstein News

It often seems today that life is fraught with apathy and complacency and Newsies becomes a great conversation starter for young and old alike. This musical essentially becomes what the original newsboys strike of 1899 was: a call to action.

Tom Viola, Executive Director of BC/EFA, recently joined the cast of KINKY BOOTS in presenting Cyndi Lauper with a "big check" representing the $150,000 donated to TRUE COLORS FUND by BC/EFA from over $1.2 million in resources raised by the show since opening in April 2013. Scroll down for photos!

Christopher Gattelli's superb choreography - spirited and athletic, amazingly theatrical and awe-inspiring - may be reason enough to see Disney's Newsies, the show now ensconced at TPAC's Andrew Jackson Hall through Sunday, where it's entertaining audiences and eliciting some of the loudest responses we've ever heard in that cavernous space.

A star-studded countdown to the 69th Annual Tony Awards® ceremony begins on CUNY TV with the all-new special, 2015 TONY AWARDS PREVIEW, co-hosted by entertainment reporter Pat Collins and four-time Tony winner Harvey Fierstein.  Collins and Fierstein team up at Sardi's in Times Square, and introduce segments consisting of clips and interviews in all of the leading categories, including Best Play, Best Musical and Best Revivals.  With exclusive interviews totaling 28 Tony nominees, the special debuts Friday, May 29 (2015) on CUNY TV* at 10am, 3pm and 8:30pm; is repeated Sunday 5/31 at noon and Friday 6/5 at 10am, 3pm and 8:30pm, and returns as part of a multi-show Tony Marathon on Sunday, June 7, leading right up to the Tony Awards telecast.  Beginning May 29, the program also may be viewed anytime on www.cuny.tv. 

Awards shows are catnip for entertainment enthusiasts around the world not only because they are a celebration of the best of the breed in whatever medium or genre the presentation recognizes but also because a live telecast with so many stars and so many categories allows for ample room for entertainment - and error. In Tony Awards history, there have been a few unmistakably unmissable moments that live on thanks to the magic of YouTube for a variety of reasons - thrilling battles to the finish in tight categories, chilling reactions from non-winners when the top prize is announced, and, of course, some very unusual albeit unforgettable ties and inconsistent category tweaks. Nevertheless, the Tony Awards is always the biggest night of the year for Broadway babies and this year should prove to be no exception with the hot competition and spectacular stars scheduled to appear on June 7 at Radio City Music Hall and presented to the world, once again, via CBS at 8 PM.

Disney's Newsies will claim Nashville as their own hometown with a weeklong run at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center beginning Tuesday, Osborne and Eppler's Southern Fried Nuptials takes the stage in Woodbury, and local favorite Geoff Davin unveils his latest theatrical creation - Adamenses Huckster…and there's plenty of theater continuing this week to keep you occupied all week long!

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening around us that it's difficult to keep track of it all. Thus, we are happy to present a new feature: The Nashville Theater Calendar, which is a comprehensive listing of theatrical openings,that will be updated each week, for the 2015/16 season.

Disney Theatrical Productions and the Tennessee Performing Arts Center announce that the Tony Award-winning smash hit musical, NEWSIES, will make its Nashville debut with a limited one-week engagement at TPAC's Andrew Jackson Hall, May 26-31.

Tim Firth and Geoff Deane first picked up the true story of W J Brooks and Co., a fifth generation Northamptonshire shoe factory that survived the 1990's by switching from classic brogues to footwear for drag queens after cheap imports flooded the market. The 2005 film Kinky Boots starred Joel Edgerton as factory owner Charlie Price.

It's the official kick-off to summer, what with the Memorial Day Weekend upon us already - seriously, where did the time go? - and while we're certain your calendar is filled with cookouts, fireworks (we don't save all the sparklers for July 4th do we?) and swimming (if it warms up enough here in frosty Tennessee, where it's in the 50s as I type). But being the theatrical fanatic that we (using either the editorial "we" or the royal "we"…just take your pick) are, we would like to humbly suggest you make your way to the theater in the next few days to get some artistic inspiration.

The public is invited to an Open House and Preview Event showcasing the Fabulous Fox Theatre's 2015-2016 U.S. Bank Broadway Series on Sunday, May 31 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Fox Theatre, 527 N. Grand Blvd. Visitors will be treated to live previews of MATILDA THE MUSICAL and BEAUTIFUL-THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL along with video previews from the other season shows.  

BWW has confirmed today that NBC will host an open casting call for 'Dorothy' in THE WIZ LIVE in NYC next month.

They just loaded in to their new space and you can check out photos of the new marquee below!

Mmmkay Productions is proud to present Harvey Fierstein's moving and critically-acclaimed play, 'On Tidy Endings' as a part of the 2015 Hollywood Fringe Festival at The Complex's East Theatre, located at 6468 Santa Monica Blvd.. The play will be directed by Sara Wagner and will star Kimberly Patterson, Michael Mullen, Kristin Towers-Rowles, and Andrew Fox.

Below, watch Nick Jonas perform his hit song 'Jealous' at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards.

FUNNY...SHEESH has announced the production of Jason S. Grossman's LOVE ME, directed by Rachel Klein. LOVE ME will play a limited engagement at The 4th Street Theatre, (83 East 4th Street, New York, NY). Performances begin Thursday, April30 and continue through Today, May16. Opening Night is Today, May2 (7:30 p.m.).

Goodspeed has just announced the cast of its upcoming production of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES. Check out the full cast below! Get ready for "a little guts and a lot of glitter" as Goodspeed Musicals delivers a sassy, joyous production of La Cage aux Folles beginning June 26th at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn. Beyond its popularity as a heartwarming and beloved musical, it is a record-setter. La Cage aux Folles is the only musical that has won the Tony Award for Best Production (Best Musical or Best Revival of a Musical) for each of its Broadway productions.

The Drama League welcomes the star of Broadway's smash production of Hand to God, Steven Boyer, 2015 Drama League Distinguished Performance nominee, as the host of the 81st Annual Drama League Awards, alongside his special guest Tyrone. One of the high points of the season, the Drama League Awards Luncheon will be held today, May 15, 2015 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway) beginning at 12:00 p.m.

New Dramatists, Tony Honor recipient and the nation's premier playwright development laboratory, just honored Tony Award winning actor and Chairman of the Board of The Actors Fund, Brian Stokes Mitchell with their 2015 Distinguished Achievement Award at its 66th Annual Spring Luncheon tribute. The event featured musical performances from some of Mitchell's most memorable shows by Tony Award winner Leslie Uggams (King Hedley II, Hallelujah Baby), Nicolette Robinson (Brooklynite, TV's 'The Affair,' 'Hart of Dixie') and Leslie Odom, Jr. (Hamilton, NBC's 'Smash'), and Tony nominated Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Avenue Q, Carnival at City Center Encores!). BroadwayWorld brings you photos from inside the event below!

NEW DRAMATISTS, Tony Honor recipient and the nation's premier playwright development laboratory, will honor Tony Award winning actor and Chairman of the Board of The Actors Fund, Brian Stokes Mitchell with their 2015 Distinguished Achievement Award at its 66th Annual Spring Luncheon tribute.