Howard McGillin News

George Street Playhouse's IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU opens at the George Street Playhouse.

Gentlemen, Ladies, hurry up! Take your spouse, girlfriend, partner or any one else you are in love with and make a reservation at the ALGONQUIN hotel (first go to the Oak Room and hear Howard McGillin). His show 'ISN'T IT ROMANTIC' is unquestionably one of the finest musical expressions of Romance you will hear in a Cabaret. The tip off to my knowing that I'm experiencing a compelling, poignant and superior musical event, is the tear that occurs when I hear a great voice sing a great song. In Mr. McGillin's show that happened for all of his love songs. Add in the piano artistry of Joseph Thalken and you are transported to a world of uncomplicated and effortless musical perferction. Sitting with Barry Kleinbort as Howard sang his song TIME (Lyrics Kleinbort, Music Thalken) was an additional emotional highlight.

New Brunswick's George Street Playhouse has just announced the full cast for the premiere of new musical IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU- directed by David Hyde Pierce. Joining previously announced Edward Hibbert, Tyne Daly and Harriet Harris are Richard Kline, Howard McGillin, Tom Deckman, Carla Duren, Jessica Hershberg, Curtis Holbrook, Lisa Howard, Mylinda Hull, Matthew Hydzik and David Josefsberg. The show features a book and lyrics by Brian Hargrove and music by Barbara Anselmi, and will run October 4 through November 6.

George Street Playhouse and its Artistic Director David Saint have completed casting for the New Brunswick theatre's 2011-2012 season opener, It Shoulda Been You.

Audiences of all ages will fall in love with Pittsburgh CLO's production of The Sound of Music, July 19-31 at the Benedum Center. T

This week, Broadway stars Howard McGillin, Rachel York and renowned pianist Billy Stritch pay homage to one of the giants of Broadway, jazz and popular music, Cy Coleman.

Howard McGillin, who holds the record for longest run as the Phantom in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, dropped by the Sirius/XM's Live On Broadway radio show yesterday and shared exciting news about his upcoming projects.

Considering the fact that it is Broadway's longest running show - and, not only that, but also the most successful entertainment of all time - the top spot in our 2011 31 Days of the Tony Awards Countdown should be, must be and is: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and its multi-Tony-winning composer and producer, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, its director, Hal Prince - the King of the Tony Awards with 21 wins - as well as the original Phantom himself, Tony-winner Michael Crawford. Now that original PHANTOM composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has written a sequel to the smash hit musical juggernaut - the wildly different LOVE NEVER DIES; two different versions of it, to be exact: one in the West End, and, the exceptionally elaborate Simon Phillips production in Australia - a dicey proposition for a show that, for me, delivers on its premise and possesses a score with the potential to be just as classic as PHANTOM's iconic score undoubtedly is - the world of PHANTOM is reaching a new generation in a whole new way. With clips of Michael Crawford performing alongside Lord Lloyd Webber's then-wife Sarah Brightman - the score's inspiration and the original Christine in the West End and on Broadway - on that year's Tony Awards, as well as the 2006 Tony Awards tribute to PHANTOM's legendary director - as well as EVITA's, also by Andrew Lloyd Webber - the one and only Hal Prince, twenty-one-time Tony Award winner - we also can boast a bevy of clips featuring Tony-winner Michael Crawford singing the show's most famous song, "The Music Of The Night". What a trio - and what a note to go out on -Crawford's in "MOTN" and otherwise!

With an uneventful 6pm coming and going on the evening of May 21st, I rested comfortably that night secure in the knowledge that any predictions of the arrival of Judgment Day were, at the very least, miscalculations.  But the next evening, as I sat watching David Burnham, Sally Mayes, Howard McGillin, Billy Stritch, Lillias White and Rachel York perform eight-five minutes of songs composed by Broadway's heppist hepcat, Cy Coleman, you'd have a tough time convincing me I'd not been raptured into Heaven.

Unless the names 'Noel' and 'Coward' are involved, I tend to be a bit wary about musicals with the book, music, lyrics and direction all by the same person, but Willard Beckham makes a very entertaining go of it with his campy, country/western musical comedy, Lucky Guy.

Last night, May 25, 59E59 Theaters welcomed the Rubicon Theatre in California to Americas Off Broadway with their critically acclaimed production of THE BEST IS YET TO COME: THE MUSIC OF Cy Coleman, devised and directed by David Zippel. THE BEST IS YET TO COME: THE MUSIC OF Cy Coleman began previews on Tuesday, May 18 for a limited engagement through Sunday, July 3. Broadway Beat was exclusively invited to film show highlights! Below, they bring you a look at the special presentation and also take you down the opening night red carpet!

The dictionary gives others words for BEST. EXCELLENT, EFFECTIVE, PERFECT, UNSURPASSED, PREEMINENT, HIGHEST QUALITY etc. None of those are sufficient enough to describe the Songs, the Arrangements, the Performers, the Musicians, David Zippel and of course the great CY COLEMAN in a production at 59E59. From the moment a smiling Billy Stritch (performer, musical director and arranger of the show) entered the stage and went to the piano, it was obvious that a musical tour de force was about to begin and The Best Was Yet To Come!

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) welcomes the Rubicon Theatre in California to Americas Off Broadway with their critically acclaimed production of THE BEST IS YET TO COME: THE MUSIC OF Cy Coleman, devised and directed by David Zippel.

If I Were a Rich Man, Little Tin Box, Til Tomorrow, She Loves Me, Will He Like Me and Sunrise, Sunset are just a few of the tunes that were be brought to life on Monday, May 16, 2011, at New York's legendary National Arts Club. The Theatre Museum paid tribute to legendary Broadway lyricist Sheldon Harnick -- the Museums 2011 Career Achievement Award recipient. The award was presented from longtime colleague Hal Prince, winner of an unprecedented 21 Tony Awards.

Classic tunes from Fiddler on the Roof, Fiorello!, She Loves Me, The Apple Tree, and others will fill the air at New Yorks legendary National Arts Club on Monday May 16, 2011 as The Theatre Museum pays tribute to famed Broadway lyricist Sheldon Harnick -- its 2011 Career Achievement Award recipient.

Every Tony Needs a Tina! BestofOffBroadway.com announced the first annual Tina Award nominations today, honoring the top Off-Broadway productions of the 2010-2011 season.

If I Were a Rich Man, Little Tin Box, Til Tomorrow, She Loves Me, Will He Like Me and Sunrise, Sunset are just a few of the tunes that will be brought to life next Monday -- May 16, 2011-- at New Yorks legendary National Arts Club as The Theatre Museum pays tribute to legendary Broadway lyricist Sheldon Harnick -- the Museums 2011 Career Achievement Award recipient.

Broadway's longest running "Phantom" in Andrew Lloyd Webber's global sensation Phantom of the Opera, Howard McGillin will offer a very special Master Class and Q& A in Bergen County, NJ.