Howell Binkley News

Tony Award-Nominated Rock of Ages director Kristin Hanggi is set to create and direct the new multi-million dollar musical extravaganza SURF THE MUSICAL, written by Burton Young. The new production, featuring songs of The Beach Boys, will premiere at Las Vegas' Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino this summer.

The Festival renews its long-standing Gilbert and Sullivan tradition this season with The Pirates of Penzance. Directed by Ethan McSweeny, this new production begins previews at the Avon Theatre on May 3.

While it may look through its world through "rose colored glasses", MEMPHIS celebrates a time when race music was beginning to catch on with a white, mostly teenaged audience. It's a crackling, amusing, and fast-paced show (book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro, music and lyrics by David Bryan) that takes you on a musical journey through the eyes of young Huey, a wannabe DJ, who gets his wish, and may get his girl, if they can survive the glare of the fifties, when mixing of the races was against the law. Does this all sound heavy? Well it's not, not by a long shot. Instead, it's a bouncy and bluesy production that's easy to take and listen to. It's currently playing the Fox Theatre (through May 13, 2012), and there's a reason this show is so successful, it's just edgy enough to appeal to the jaded, and it lightens the tone of this historical racist behavior just enough to succeed with the masses.

The Pantages Theatre will host the touring productions of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES and MEMPHIS this Summer.

The producers of MAGIC/BIRD announced today that the show will play its final performance on Saturday May 12th.

ROZ RYAN will play Miss Bea Haven and as Lucille, Liberace's secretary and Nurse Lil'Lil in Alexander DeJong's pre-Broadway workshop presentation of ALL THAT GLITTERS. The musical is aiming for an April 2013 Broadway Opening.

Four students representing the Education Through Music Foundation and the cast of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET will be the highlight of the Education Through Music's Annual Gala held tonight, May 1, at the Grand Hyatt (109 East 42nd Street). The four children working with the MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET cast are middle school students at St. Anselm School in the South Bronx, an Education Through Music partner school since 2007.

The tour of the Broadway revival of West Side Story is coming to New Jersey. West Side Story opens at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center tonight, May 1, 2012. Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents' Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. Mr. Saint is also the artistic director of the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

MEMPHIS, the 2010 Tony® Award Winner for Best Musical, opens at the Fabulous Fox Theatre tonight, May 1, for a limited engagement.

Today, the still Broadway-bound production has released an official statement noting that "The PRINCE OF BROADWAY company and creative team has been informed that production on the show will continue without Dancap's involvement. Further details will follow shortly."

The Tony, Grammy, and Olivier Award-winning musical JERSEY BOYS will make its much-anticipated return to Providence to play the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 through Sunday, September 2, 2012. Tickets will go on sale Sunday, May 6 at 8am.

The 50th Anniversary production of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical comedy HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, will host "University Week: HOW TO SUCCEED In The Arts" from today, April 24 to April 26 at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street).

The tour of the smash-hit Broadway revival of West Side Story is coming to the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. West Side Story will open at the Center on April 24. Tony Award®-winning librettist Arthur Laurents' Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the associate director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

Casting has been announced for the Atlanta return engagement of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, playing the Fox Theatre May 22-June 10 as part of the Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Atlanta 2011-12 season. The cast of JERSEY BOYS will be led by Brandon Andrus (Nick Massi), Colby Foytik (Tommy DeVito), Jason Kappus (Bob Gaudio) and Brad Weinstock (Frankie Valli) as The Four Seasons, with Barry Anderson and Thomas Fiscella.

The tour of the smash hit Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY is coming to Columbus, opening at the Ohio Theatre on Tuesday, April 17. Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents' Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

Yesterday, April 18, MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, the hit musical now playing at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street), celebrated the beginning of its 3rd electrifying year in New York and the 300th performance of the show at New World Stages. BroadwayWorld was there for the celebration and brings you full photo coverage below!

Tomorrow, April 18, MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, the hit musical now playing at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street), will celebrate the beginning of its 3rd electrifying year in New York and the 300th performance of the show at New World Stages. Following tomorrow's matinee performance, the cast will celebrate the landmark with four students representing the Education Through Music Foundation.

Broadway Records will release an EP of Nick Jonas performing five tracks from the smash hit musical HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING. The CD will be released Tuesday, May 8, 2012, and will be available in the Hirschfeld Theatre the week of May 1. Pre-orders are now being taken at amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007V3N0KG/ref=cm_sw_su_dp. Produced by six-time Grammy nominee Robert Sher who produced the Grammy nominated Daniel Radcliffe/John Larroquette HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUR REALLY TRYING cast album, the new Nick Jonas recording is executive produced by Van Dean and Kenny Howard of Broadway Consortium (Executive producers of the Radcliffe/Larroquette album) and Ken Mahoney.