Hugh Wheeler News

Bloodshed is par for the course during Tony Awards season, especially as it reaches its peak in the last handful of weeks leading up the big annual ceremony feting theatre's best, so today we take a look back at some of the absolute most brutal and tight Tony Award races for Best Musical in history. Although comparing a group of musicals - alike as dissimilar as they may be - may be an unfair proposition in practice, there is only one way a winner is decided when the Tony Awards rolls around and it unfortunately always finds fan favorites, critical darlings and a few commercial hits vying for top honors. There can only be one Best Musical - well, except for 1960 when there were actually two mainstage entertainments given the prize; THE SOUND OF MUSIC and FIORELLO, with no less than GYPSY ending up an also-ran. Who will claim the trophy on June 7? Tune in then to see!

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) presents Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's rapturous and seductive musical, A Little Night Music. Filled with Sondheim's signature wit and some of his most gorgeous melodies -- including the beloved and haunting treasure 'Send in the Clowns' -- A Little Night Music will feature Tony Award winner Karen Ziemba (Bullets Over Broadway, Contact) as Desiree Armfeldt; Tony Award nominee Emily Skinner (Billy Elliot: The Musical, Side Show) as Charlotte; and Patrick Cassidy (42nd Street, Sondheim's Assassins) as Federick Egerman.

While Broadway is heaven for theatergoers around the world, especially when the season reaches its fever pitch as it is right now, it can also be hell in the right hands. And, that's a good thing. As the exceedingly well-received new play HAND TO GOD which opened earlier this month proves, audiences adore a good scare - particularly when it is supported by a rich and dynamic dramatic basis upon which the horror-show can play out, which HAND TO GOD undoubtedly has in spades (and pitchforks). Needless to say, many of the most popular and successful musicals of all time have also dealt with demonic presences - even if in the case of Broadway's two biggest hits, they are misunderstood monsters. Indeed, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA remains the longest-running show in Broadway history, approaching its 20th year on the Great White Way, while Oz-themed witch-centric musical mega-hit WICKED remains one of the hottest tickets in town. With this week's news of Hollywood heartthrob Jake Gyllenhaal starring in an upcoming Encores! special limited-run production of cult hit and famous Off-Broadway mainstay LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS - not to mention the big news of a brand new small screen version of the ultimate cult movie musical, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, being revived for a new generation - it seems more than merely appropriate to turn our attention to the scariest, bloodiest and best horror-themed musicals to date.

Das Program der Jubilaumsspielzeit 2015/2016 steht nun fest, und enthalt neben zahlreichen anderen Produktionen zwei Musicals: Stephen Sondheim's DAS LÄCHELN EINER SOMMERNACHT und HAIR. Als Wiederaufnahmen der vergangenen Spielzeit werden außerdem auch SINGIN' IN THE RAIN und TSCHITTI TSCHITTI BÄNG BÄNG erneut zu sehen sein.

A massive 12,000-pound moving steel platform – and the Vancouver Opera Orchestra – will dominate the Queen Elizabeth theatre stage for VO's innovative new production of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, opening April 25, 2015 for only 6 performances through May 3.

Sweeney Todd first bowed on Broadway in late 1979. Fortunately, I was in New York to witness the brilliant achievement of Hugh Wheeler and Stephen Sondheim, Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou and the entire creative team. Kelrik Productions is presenting the masterwork for the first time, hardly an easy task in a small intimate theatre space such as the Monroe Forum Theatre of the El Portal. Well, let me tell you, they may be exceedingly proud of this production, as it replicates just about everything that the original achieved, minus a full orchestra. Every detail, every move and every musical beat are in line with wonderful musical director Joe Lawrence at the piano. With a perfect cast and brilliantly inventive direction and staging from Kristin Towers-Rowles, this Sweeney Todd could not be better.

SWEENEY TODD, the Tony Award-winning musical, sails into the Monroe Forum Theatre @ El Portal tonight, April 10 to May 10, 2015. Based on a version of SWEENEY TODD by Christopher Bond, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Hugh Wheeler, it's a tragicomic tale of murder, mayhem, and meat pies.

Continuing its 2014-15 season, American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) presents Let There Be Love, an intimate and disarmingly honest play from Kwame Kwei-Armah, one of England's most distinguished contemporary playwrights.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Artistic Director Carey Perloff announced today the full cast for the upcoming production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's rapturous and seductive musical, A Little Night Music.

Bryn Terfel and Emma Thompson lead the cast as Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett in Lonny Price's production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, A Musical Thriller at the London Coliseum. Joining them are Matthew Seadon-Young as Anthony Hope, Katie Hall as Johanna Barker, Philip Quast as Judge Turpin, Jack North as Tobias Ragg, Alex Gaumond as Beadle Bamford, Rosalie Craig as Beggar Woman and John Owen-Jones as Pirelli.

Lonny Price directs Bryn Terfel and Emma Thompson in Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, A Musical Thriller, the first production in a major new long term partnership between English National Opera (ENO) and the GradeLinnit Company. Joining Bryn Terfel and Emma Thompson who will lead the cast as Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett are Matthew Seadon-Young as Anthony Hope,Katie Hall as Johanna Barker, Philip Quast as Judge Turpin, Jack North as Tobias Ragg, Alex Gaumond as Beadle Bamford, Rosalie Craig as Beggar Woman and John Owen-Jones as Pirelli.

Lonny Price's production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, A Musical Thriller begins tonight, 30 March 2015 the London Coliseum.

Actor's Express announces its 28th Season of stunning plays including six works, three of which are world premieres, and one classic musical.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) is thrilled to present Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown's (Parade, Honeymoon in Vegas, The Bridges of Madison County) powerful and intimate musical, The Last Five Years, for a special concert presentation tonight, March 27 (8 p.m.) and Saturday, March 28 (2 p.m. and 8 p.m.).

SWEENEY TODD, the Tony Award-winning musical, sails into the Monroe Forum Theatre @ El Portal April 10 to May 10, 2015. Based on a version of SWEENEY TODD by Christopher Bond, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Hugh Wheeler, it's a tragicomic tale of murder, mayhem, and meat pies.

The Demon Barber is back! With the seal approval of the highest authority in musical theatre, Tooting Arts Club have transported their pie shop from SW17 to W1 to recreate one of 2014's smash hits.

Broadway luminaries and Riverdale's most talented performers will join forces for a Gala concert production of the Stephen Sondheim/Hugh Wheeler musical A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. The one-night only event will feature an onstage 21-piece orchestra, and will be performed at the Riverdale YM-YWHA on Sunday, March 29, 2015 at 7:30pm.

Due to unprecedented public demand, an extra performance has been scheduled on Sunday 5 April at 3pm for Lonny Price's production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, A Musical Thriller at the London Coliseum. Tickets for the 5 April performance, including 300 seats at £10 each, will go on sale today (3 March 2015) at 10am. Sales for Sweeney Todd broke English National Opera box office records last September and the few remaining seats for performances from 30 March are available through the box office.

Continuing its 2014-15 season, American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) will present Let There Be Love, an intimate and disarmingly honest play from Kwame Kwei-Armah, one of England's most distinguished contemporary playwrights.

Today in 1973, A Little Night Music opened at the Shubert Theatre, where it ran for 601 performances. A Little Night Music is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, it involves the romantic lives of several couples. Since its original 1973 Broadway production, the musical has enjoyed professional productions in the West End, by opera companies, in a 2009 Broadway revival, and elsewhere, and it is a popular choice for regional groups. It was adapted for film in 1977, with Harold Prince directing and Elizabeth Taylor, Len Cariou, Lesley-Anne Down and Diana Rigg starring.