Helen Hayes News

Starting May 9th, 2019 GALA Theatre in Washington D.C will conclude its' 43rd season with the U.S. premiere of a bilingual adaptation of the unforgettable FAME, The Musical

Alan Cumming said it quite accurately ….'I've known Frances (Ruffelle) for almost 30 years but she never ceases to surprise and amaze me with the ways she reinvents herself, finding new levels of expression and excellence, always with total commitment and her signature sensual passion. I cannot wait to see what she does next.'

Avant Bard Theatre announces the full cast and creative team for its season finale, A MISANTHROPE, a world premiere adaptation of Moliere's The Misanthrope by Manhattan-based playwright Matt Minnicino, directed by Megan Behm in her Avant Bard debut.

BroadwayCon 2017 brought us the premiere of Star Wars Das Musical, conceived and written by Broadway's own Lesli Margherita.

Out of the Box Theatrics presents the Off-Broadway Premiere of THE PINK UNICORN by Elise Forier Edie. Directed by Amy Jones, this site-specific one-woman drama stars Tony Award-winner Alice Ripley (Next To Normal, Side Show, Sunset Boulevard). Previews begin May 9 at the Episcopal Actors' Guild with opening slated for May 15.

The two-time Tony Award nominated play and Pulitzer Prize Finalist What the Constitution Means to Me has announced its second and final extension on Broadway. Initially announced for a 12-week engagement through June 9, 2019, What the Constitution Means to Me previously extended through July 21, 2019 and will now play five additional weeks through August 24, 2019 at the Helen Hayes Theater (240 W 44th Street, New York, NY), for a total run of 24 weeks. What the Constitution Means to Me officially opened March 31, 2019 after beginning preview performances March 14.

Rep Stage, the professional regional theatre in residence at Howard Community College (HCC), closes its 26th season with "The 39 Steps," a comedy adapted by Patrick Barlow, from the novel by John Buchan. Based on the Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece, this fast-paced spoof of the classic 1935 film is a joy for anyone who loves the magic of theatre.

A movement-driven, cyber-punk Richard III will run May 15 through June 16, 2019 at Synetic Theater at 1800 S. Bell St in Crystal City. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased online at www.synetictheater.org or via phone at 866-811-4111. Press Night is Saturday, May 18, 2019. To RSVP email alysa@synetictheater.org.

At the 35th annual Helen Hayes Awards on Monday, May 13 at The Anthem, actress, director, playwright, leader, and professor Jennifer L. Nelson will receive the 2019 Helen Hayes Tribute. Nelson has dedicated her artistic life to increasing access and inclusion of traditionally marginalized theatre artists largely in the Washington area region, and was a Helen Hayes Award recipient for her original play Torn from the Headlines, which received the Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play in 1997.

Dear Evan Hansen comes to Cincinnati's Aronoff Center April 30 - May 12 as a part of Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati's season presented by TriHealth. In advance of the start of performances, the production announced today that it will host a digital ticket lottery offering fans the chance to purchase a limited number of $25 tickets available per performance.

This past Saturday was a great day, and here's why: Alessandro Costantiniand Shakura Dickson from Toronto's production of Dear Evan Hansen took over BroadwayWorld's Instagram Story for a behind-the-scenes look of a two-show day at the Royal Alexandra Theatre! In case you missed all the fun (or just want to relive the adventures of these two friends on a perfect day), we're compiled footage from the takeover for you to enjoy. Check it all out below!

The North American Tour of the Tony Award-winning smash hit Broadway musical COME FROM AWAY will continue touring into the fall of 2020!

The Sarasota Opera House, in conjunction with the Florida Holocaust Museum and the Tampa Jewish Community Centers & Federation presented a reading of The Soap Myth written by Jeff Cohen and directed by Pam Berlin. The story is set more than 50 years after the end of World War II, and dramatizes the warm friendship that develops between a young Jewish journalist and a cantankerous Holocaust Survivor on a crusade about the 'soap' displayed in Holocaust museums. In question is, did the Nazis make soap from the corpses of murdered Jews? The play grapples with the evil of anti-Semitism masquerading as Holocaust denial. The Soap Myth asks provocative questions like 'Who has the right to write history?' and 'How does a survivor survive surviving?' The reading commemorates International Holocaust Remembrance Day and dramatizes the powerful confrontation between a survivor's memory and contradicting historical evidence, or lack thereof.

Alfred Uhry, the playwright most well-known for Driving Miss Daisy, penned The Last Night of Ballyhoo based on his own childhood memories. The Last Night of Ballyhoo is set in Atlanta, Georgia in December 1939. It was originally performed at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre as part of the Summer Olympics Arts Festival. In 1997 it made its way to the Helen Hayes Theatre on Broadway. The play explores questions of prejudice and identity through the eyes of a Jewish family in Georgia, who have assimilated to the culture around them-even displaying a Christmas tree in their house, and Joe Farkas, an Eastern European Jew whose presence forces the family to examine their inter-Jewish racism. The term Ballyhoo in the title refers to a cotillion ball being held at the country club to which the family belongs. The Last Night of Ballyhoo takes on these questions of identity with a healthy dose of southern humor and can be seen now at Oyster Mill Playhouse under the direction of Aliza Bardfield and Michael Hosler through May 12th.

The Tony Awards Administration Committee has announced today that two time Tony Award (Other Desert Cities and The Assembled Parties) and two time Emmy Award-winning actress Judith Light will receive this year's Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award.

April 27th is going to be a great day, and here's why: Alessandro Costantini and Shakura Dickson from Toronto's production of Dear Evan Hansen is taking over BroadwayWorld's Instagram Story for a two-show day! Words fail to describe how excited we are, so be sure to tune in to see these friends on a perfect day!

Today in Times Square, famed Q104 classic rock radio host Jim Kerr climbed out onto the marquee of Hard Rock Cafe to announce that the five-time Tony Award-nominated musical ROCK OF AGES will return to the New York stage this summer in a special 10th Anniversary Production at New World Stages (340 W 50th St). To mark the announcement, and the milestone anniversary, he was joined by alumni from throughout the musical's Broadway run, who performed 'Don't Stop Believin' live above Times Square. The return production of the musical - produced by Michael Cohl/S2BN Entertainment in association with Barry Habib, Scott Prisand/Seth Fass, Tony Smith, and Randi Zuckerberg/Mara Burros-Sandler - begins performances on Wednesday, June 19, 2019, for a 16-week limited engagement through Sunday, September 29, 2019. Tickets are now on sale at Telecharge.com.

The Toronto company of Dear Evan Hansen celebrated their official opening night on March 28th! Check out the video below as the cast performs You Will Be Found on Breakfast Television! 

Today in Times Square, famed Q104 classic rock radio host Jim Kerr climbed out onto the marquee of Hard Rock Cafe to announce that the five-time Tony Award-nominated musical ROCK OF AGES will return to the New York stage this summer in a special 10th Anniversary Production at New World Stages (340 W 50th St). To mark the announcement, and the milestone anniversary, he was joined by alumni from throughout the musical's Broadway run, who performed 'Don't Stop Believin' live above Times Square. The return production of the musical - produced by Michael Cohl/S2BN Entertainment in association with Barry Habib, Scott Prisand/Seth Fass, Tony Smith, and Randi Zuckerberg/Mara Burros-Sandler - begins performances on Wednesday, June 19, 2019, for a 16-week limited engagement through Sunday, September 29, 2019. Tickets are now on sale at Telecharge.com.

Williamstown Theatre Festival announced today additional casting for the 2019 season as well as details about additional programming, commissions, and fellowships.