Ira Gershwin News

The world premiere production of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS opens tomorrow, Wednesday, December 10, at the Theatre du Chatelet and will play through January 4, 2015. The Broadway run of the production will begin previews Friday, March 13, 2015 for a Sunday, April 12, 2015 opening night at the Palace Theatre (Broadway at 47th Street). BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at the cast in action below!

Happy Birthday, Ira Gershwin! A lyricist, Gershwin collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century. With George he wrote more than a dozen Broadway shows, featuring songs such as 'I Got Rhythm', 'Embraceable You', 'The Man I Love' and 'Someone to Watch Over Me'. He was also responsible, along with DuBose Heyward, for the libretto to George's opera Porgy and Bess. The success the brothers had with their collaborative works has often overshadowed the creative role that Ira played. However, his mastery of songwriting continued after the early death of George. He wrote additional hit songs with composers Jerome Kern ('Long Ago (and Far Away)'), Kurt Weill and Harold Arlen.

Once again 2014 was a year to revel in the diversity and accomplishments of the theatrical scene in Maine. The summer and winter seasons yielded a nice balance between adventurous programming and classics. Here is my personal list for 2014, grouped by theatre company and show. 1. MAINE STATE MUSIC THEATRE once again receives my vote for the finest company in the region. Their 2014 season offered four dazzling main stage productions, including the remarkable revival of Chamberlain: A Civil War Romance, a daring and moving music theatre piece, beautifully realized by director-choreographer Marc Robin together with stars James Patterson and Kathy Voytko.

Debby Boone talks with BroadwayWorld about her upcoming White Christmas concert with Michael Feinstein at Davies Symphony Hall.

Get a first look at Broadway-bound AN AMERICAN IN PARIS!

Randy Redd (currently featured in Allegro at Classic Stage Company) has been cast as the male lead opposite Marie Zamora in Manhattan Parisienne, a new play by Alain Boublil, the Tony Award-winning co-creator of Les Miserables and Miss Saigon, which will have its world premiere for a limited engagement from Thursday, December 18 through Sunday, January 4 at 59E59 Theaters. Also joining the cast of Manhattan Parisienne are Jeremy Cohen and Stephen Zinnato. Manhattan Parisienne will be directed by multi-Tony Award-nominated director/choreographer Graciela Daniele.

Stacy Sullivan tells the audience she became interested in Marian McPartland when she was asked to sing at her memorial in 2013. With her show last Saturday night at Don't Tell Mama, On The Air: Songs for Marian McPartland (which enjoyed a late September run of four shows at the York Theatre), the multi MAC-award winning Sullivan has created a beautifully crafted, biographically-driven show featuring the original music, the history, and the life of a jazz icon, who was best known for hosting Piano Jazz on National Public Radio from 1978-2011. Now Stacy Sullivan has made us all interested in the amazing Marian McPartland.

In the all-new video below, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS on Broadway gives you a first look behind the scenes of it's NYC rehearsals in an interview with director and choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and book writer Craig Lucas.

The Library of Congress is celebrating Billy Joel's 50-year career and his selection as the 2014 recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in the nation's capital with a series of events, culminating in a star-studded concert tonight.

Tommy Tune, Colin Donnell, Danny Gardner, Jeff Hiller, Erin Mackey, Patti Murin, Richard Poe, Jennifer Laura Thompson and Kirsten Wyatt will star in George and Ira Gershwin's Lady, Be Good, the opening production of New York City Center's 2015 Encores! season, running for seven performances, February 4 - 8, 2015. Lady, BeGood will be directed by Mark Brokaw and choreographed by Randy Skinner. Founding Encores! Music Director Rob Fisher will return as Guest Music Director, and has supervised the restoration of the Gershwins' original score.

The Broadway run of An American in Paris will begin previews Friday, March 13, 2015 for a Sunday, April 12, 2015 opening night at the Palace Theatre (Broadway at 47th Street). AN AMERICAN IN PARIS is directed and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon. Inspired by the Academy-Award winning film, An American in Paris brings this classic tale to Broadway for the first time with music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin and a book by Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee Craig Lucas. Prior to Broadway, An American in Paris will premiere at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris where previews begin November 22, 2014 for a December 10, 2014 opening night. The production, presented in English, will run through January 4, 2015. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you an exclusive video from cast member Jennie Ford that follows the cast's journey overseas!

CHICAGO – Lyric Opera of Chicago presents The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess,conducted by Ward Stare in a revival of the acclaimed production from renowned director Francesca Zambello. It opens on Monday, November 17 with 13 performances through Saturday, December 20. Performance dates are Nov. 17, 19, Dec. 2, 5, 8, 13, 16, and 20 at 7:30pm; and Nov. 23, 26, 28, Dec. 11 and 18 at 2pm.

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess,conducted by Ward Stare in a revival of the acclaimed production from renowned director Francesca Zambello. The production opened last night, Monday, November 17 with 13 performances through Saturday, December 20. Performance dates are Nov. 17, 19, Dec. 2, 5, 8, 13, 16, and 20 at 7:30pm; and Nov. 23, 26, 28, Dec. 11 and 18 at 2pm.

The Old Globe teams with the University of San Diego Graduate Theatre Program to present William Shakespeare's Pericles, Prince of Tyre, directed by Ray Chambers and running tonight, November 15 - November 23 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The 2014 BroadwayWorld Chicago Award nominations are announced, Lyric presents 'Porgy' and 'Carousel,' 'Camelot' opens, 'Ring Of Fire' and 'Annie' return, 'Annie' and 'Ani' hit screens, parodies of 'Guffman,' the Merman/Mormon thing, Rudolph and Tupperware, and a suburban 'Garden!'

The Broadway run of An American in Paris will begin previews Friday, March 13, 2015 for a Sunday, April 12, 2015 opening night at the Palace Theatre (Broadway at 47th Street). AN AMERICAN IN PARIS is directed and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon. Inspired by the Academy-Award winning film, An American in Paris brings this classic tale to Broadway for the first time with music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin and a book by Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee Craig Lucas. Prior to Broadway, An American in Paris will premiere at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris where previews begin November 22, 2014 for a December 10, 2014 opening night. The production, presented in English, will run through January 4, 2015. Vanity Fair just featured images of the cast in rehearsal and you can check them out by clicking below!

American Dance Machine for the 21st Century (ADM21) will present 15 show-stopping musical theater dance numbers performed by stars from the musical theater and dance worlds during its Joyce Theater debut today, November 11-16, announced Nikki Feirt Atkins, Founder and Executive Artistic Director and Margo Sappington, Artistic Director. All performances will feature live music and will be directed by Margo Sappington with musical direction by Eugene Gwozdz.

Tickets for the new Broadway musical An American in Paris are on sale today, Monday, November 10, for MasterCard cardholders who get early access to tickets now through November 23, 2014 via www.Ticketmaster.com/AAIP or by phone at 877-250-2929. Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning December 7, 2014. Group tickets for Broadway on sale now through Group Sales Box Office at http://www.broadway.com/group-sales-box-office/ or by phone at 800-223-7565 or 212-398-8383.

Bay Area Cabaret presents Broadway star and Olivier Award nominee Sierra Boggess in her brand new, critically acclaimed show, Finding the Balance (The Journey Of The Middle Child.) Broadway knows her as Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Christine Daae in The Phantom of the Opera, and as aspiring opera star Sharon Graham in Master Class. London knows her for her Olivier Award-nominated performance in Love Never Dies and Fantine in Les Miserables. Sierra Boggess will return to Broadway in the spring of 2015 in the new musical It Shoulda Been You alongside Tyne Daly, directed by David Hyde Pierce. Bay Area Cabaret presents Sierra Boggess, with musical director Brian Hertz and cellist Summer Boggess, at 5pm, Sunday December 7, 2014 in the Venetian Room of the Fairmont San Francisco, 950 Mason Street, atop Nob Hill, San Francisco. For tickets ($50 general/$30 under 30 w/ID) visit www.bayareacabaret.org or call (415) 392-4400.

Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre, professional Theatre in Residence at the Oakes Center in Summit presents the musical group Marquee Five in their new cabaret performance, Back Porch Swing. Marquee Five has been called 'The Manhattan Transfer for the new Millennium' and will appear at Dreamcatcher on Friday, November 21 at 8 pm and Sunday, November 23 at 2 pm.