Hould-Ward News

The Gexa Energy Broadway at the Hobby Center 2012-2013 season contains both new hits and familiar Broadway favorites. The five-show season package includes the most beautiful love story ever told, Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the spectacular new 25th anniversary production of LES MISÉRABLES, the high-flying new musical CATCH ME IF YOU CAN and the feel-good musical with heart and soul, SISTER ACT.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is coming to Columbus as part of the Fifth Third Bank Broadway series. Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production will come to life on stage at the Palace Theatre October 9-14.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the classic musical love story based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature film, returns to Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre, October 16-21, 2012. This elaborate all-new production originated its national tour at the Orpheum in 1995 and is filled with unforgettable characters, lavish sets and costumes and dazzling production numbers including "Be Our Guest" and the beloved title song "Beauty and the Beast." Single tickets are on sale now. Beauty and the Beast is presented by Hennepin Theatre Trust as part of its 2012/13 Broadway Across America-Minneapolis Season. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit HennepinTheatreTrust.org or call 1.800.982.2787.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is returning to Atlanta as part of the 2012-13 Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Atlanta season. Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production will come to life on stage at the Fox Theatre from November 27-December 2. For information on the production, visit www.BeautyAndTheBeastOnTour.com.

Charing Cross Theatre has announced its second season, opening with the world premiere of THE MAN ON HER MIND, followed by the Olivier Award-winning OperaUpClose production of LA BOHEME, and concluding with the UK premiere of the 1969 Jerry Herman musical DEAR WORLD.

As previously reported, Tony Award winner Betty Buckley will be playing the 'Madwoman of Chaillot,' the Countess Aurelia, in a London revival of Jerry Herman's DEAR WORLD at Charing Cross Theatre. The show has an opening date of February 4, running for eight weeks until March 30, 2013.

Throughout the day, company members had taken to social media to express their shock and grief at the news of Hamlisch's death. Hamlisch, one of the most honored music composers in history, had been scheduled to fly to Nashville this week to see the show for the first time. He was last in Nashville at the start of the company's rehearsals in Music City.

Kummer, who has a lengthy resume of Nashville productions he's either music directed or conducted, leads the band onstage when they are assembled on the bandstand for The Nutty Professor's pep rally production number that closes the show. Clad in sparkly purple vests and green ties (the school colors of fictional Korwin University) designed by Tony Award-winning costumer Ann Hould-Ward, it's a rousing moment when the musicians take the stage. Suffice it to say, Nashville audiences have been vocal and expressive in their reactions since the show's first preview performance on July 24.

Fairly exploding onto the stage, The Nutty Professor-the new musical based on the classic 1963 film comedy-opened at Nashville's James K. Polk Theatre last night in a vibrantly told and visually stunning production helmed by Jerry Lewis, the man who co-wrote the movie and, at this moment, is probably booking a ticket to Broadway . The story of nerdy Professor Julius Kelp and his transformation into the suave and sophisticated (if boorish) Buddy Love offers plenty of laughs to be certain, but perhaps surprisingly, there's a whole lot of heart to be found in Rupert Holmes' book, set tunefully to a classic Marvin Hamlisch score.

Tonight's the night: The brain trust behind The Nutty Professor, The New Musical will officially roll out the red carpet for the new musical's opening night at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center's James K. Polk Theatre. Directed by "the king of comedy" himself, Jerry Lewis, upon whose classic 1963 film comedy the brand new musical is based upon, The Nutty Professor company has already delivered a week of preview performances, garnering rave reviews from audience members. Nashville photographer Rick Malkin has captured some of the show's best moments in a collection of photographs we're happy to share with you today, only hours before the opening night curtain.

Tonight's the night: The brain trust behind The Nutty Professor, The New Musical will officially roll out the red carpet for the new musical's opening night at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center's James K. Polk Theatre. Directed by "the king of comedy" himself, Jerry Lewis, upon whose classic 1963 film comedy the brand new musical is based upon, The Nutty Professor company has already delivered a week of preview performances, garnering rave reviews from audience members.

In an ensemble filled with triple threats, Atlanta native Autumn Guzzardi is sure to claim her moment in the spotlight, plus she's a brand-new Nashvillian, moving here recently to make our fair city her homebase. We're thrilled she's here (for now!) and we want you to get to know her so that when she's online, waiting for a table at a local restaurant or trying to figure out where the hell Old Hickory Boulevard really is taking her, you'll know who you're talking to…

In an ensemble filled with impossibly gorgeous and charming triple threats, Kyle Vaughn (who has one deep dimple on the right side of his face) stands out from the crowd-his sunny disposition and leading man good looks are readily apparent, but even when he's standing onstage just waiting for the music to start, you can see that there's a bit of the scamp just itchin' to get out.

Today, our spotlight focuses in on the show's leading lady, the luminously beautiful Marissa McGowan, the actress who plays Stella Purdy, the love interest of the musical's repressed and shy Professor Julius Kelp and his suave and sophisticated doppelganger Buddy Love. During a media look-in at the company's rehearsals, McGowan knocked the socks off of all those cynical folk, delivering a beautiful rendition of a new Hamlisch-penned power ballad that we're likely to hear for years to come.

In fact, in his answer to our very first query, Jason Sparks (who is a swing in the show's ensemble) actually made me laugh out loud as he painted a picture of a childhood fairly brimming over with adventure and happy memories-not to mention an experience that may have destined him to time spent on an analyst's couch. Actually, though, Jason seems enormously well-adjusted and, it should come as no surprise that everyone seems to love him

DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST begins performances tonight, July 3 at Toronto's Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST begins performances Tuesday, July 3 at Toronto's Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

It's supposed to be 108 degrees in the Nashville area by week's end, which means stepping outside will likely leave you melted, quite literally and figuratively. But if you do have to venture out of doors, perhaps a trip to the theater is a good idea…it'll be dark and cool (with any luck, the AC will be working-and you know which theaters we're talking about) and you'll be entertained, perhaps even transported to another world. Or not. In the meantime, we present you with installment number four of Music City Confidential-our continuing effort to create a sense of community and build up some enthusiasm and excitement for the live theater industry here in our alarmingly sweaty region. So, press on, gentle readers and catch up on the latest adventures of the theaterati…

Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is, to quote its famous song lyrics, a "tale as old as time," but don't let those words fool you - the spectacular new NETworks national touring production currently at Washington's National Theatre has given new life to an already magnificent story.