Isabelle Stevenson News

Richard Ridge of "Backstage with Richard Ridge" recently sat down with the 2015 Isabelle Stevenson Award recipient and renowned composer Stephen Schwartz, to discuss receiving this prestigious award, his work on numerous classic Broadway musicals, and so much more! Check out a sneak peek of the interview in which Schwartz discusses his early success and the history behind writing GODSPELL.

Welcome to BWW's exclusive talk show, BACKSTAGE WITH Richard Ridge. Follow Richard as he visits the theater's best and brightest in their dressing rooms, on their stages and favorite hang outs to talk about their lives, careers and all of the things you don't know, but want to know. In the special interview below, Richard welcomes 2015 Isabelle Stevenson recipient Stephen Schwartz!

The Heartland Men's Chorus honors composer Stephen Schwartz with A Little Bit Wicked at the Folly Theater in Kansas City. The program runs two nights only, Saturday June 13 and Sunday June 14. The chorus if more than 120 singers pays tribute to the 40 years of work by Schwartz with songs from his Broadway and film musicals.

Summer 2015 kicks off with star-power in Provincetown this Memorial Day Weekend. Leading off for Producing Artistic Director Mark Cortale's inaugural Broadway @ Town Hall season is comedian-actress Rosie O'Donnell with Sirius XM radio star Seth Rudetsky as pianist and host, for one show only on Sunday, May 24 at 9:00 PM, and featuring opening guest, indie rocker Melissa Ferrick. Rosie's stage credits include the Broadway productions of "Grease," "Seussical," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Love, Loss and What I Wore," and the Encores! production of "No, No, Nanette." In addition to her acclaimed stand-up comedy and film careers, she is perhaps best known on television as the host and Executive Producer of the Emmy Award winning talk/variety series "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," and more recently for her return to daytime television as co-host of ABC's "The View." Memorial Day weekend also includes the one-two punch of Indie Rock star Melissa Ferrick back for her fifth consecutive season with two shows on May 23 at 6:30 PM & 9:00 PM, and the hysterical brand new drag comedy "Designing Women Meets The Golden Gals" starring Varla Jean Merman, Ryan Landry, Olive Another and Liza Lott will open for a summer-long run on May 23 and 24 at 7:30 PM (running through September 5). For Tickets visit www.ptownarthouse.com  or call 800-838-3006.

The 2015 Tony Award nominations were revealed yesterday and the usual surprises, snubs and expected acknowledgements were on full display - with perhaps more surprises and snubs than in any year in recent memory. While the elaborate production of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS tied with the small-scale FUN HOME for the most nominations of any production, 12, some other new musicals and early favorites were left out in the cold - in the case of FINDING NEVERLAND and FISH IN THE DARK, forgotten entirely. Plus, in a rare tie, the Best Supporting Actor In A Play category is now outfitted with six potential winners as opposed to the traditional allotment of five per category. Besides all of that, the Tony Awards hosts were announced at long last, as well - none other than fellow Tony Award winners Alan Cumming and Kristin Chenoweth. So, for a review of the most notable surprises, snubs and celebratory salutes, read on.

Bruce Willis and Mary-Louise Parker just announced the 2015 Tony Award Nominations LIVE from the Paramount Hotel's Diamond Horseshoe in New York City - also revealing that Kristin Chenoweth (currently starring On the Twentieth Century) and Alan Cumming will officially host the June ceremony. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the big announcement - check out photo coverage below!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: The Tony noms are this morning, Brandy heads to CHICAGO, Porter returns to KINKY BOOTS, FOLLIES lights up Royal Albert Hall and more!

It's a big day for Tony Awards news, less than 24 hours from tomorrow morning's nominations! The Tony Awards® Administration Committee hasjust  announced Stephen Schwartz as this year's recipient for the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award.

Check out the 2015 Tony Award nominees below and follow us throughout the day for exclusive nominee interviews, special coverage and lots more!

SiriusXM today announced that television personality Rosie O'Donnell will host an intimate Q&A session in front of a select group of listeners featuring journalist, author, and gay rights activist Michelangelo Signorile for the SiriusXM 'Town Hall' series on Thursday, April 2.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? This weekend's big news: UNDERLAND begins off-Broadway, Billy Porter brings soul to PBS tonight, Lena Hall plays her final show in HEDWIG, and Easter is upon us!

Eve Enseler's new play O.P.C. -- short for 'Obsessive Political Correctness' -- comes to American Repertory Theatre this fall and continues into A.R.T.'s winter season, running November 28, 2014 through January 4, 2015. Directed by Pesha Rudnick, the show will star Melissa Leo and Olivia Thirlby.

In 2011, BroadwayWorld reported that Brian Hargrove and Barbara Anselmi's new musical IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU, directed by David Hyde Pierce in its world premiere at the George Street Playhouse that year, would be coming to Broadway. Now according to an Equity casting notice, it seems like the show will indeed land on Broadway, with rehearsals set to begin in January 2015. The musical will open on or around March 26, 2015.

TMZ is confirming earlier rumors that former host Rosie O'Donnell is in 'active negotiations' to return as a host for ABC's THE VIEW. Acccording to the site, 'the deal could be sealed shortly and the announcement could be made as early as tomorrow.'

Now that we've all had a sufficient amount of time to recover from the excitement of the big night, treat yourself today to some highlights from ALL of the festivities. Below, BroadwayWorld is excited to bring you a Mega-Roundup of 2014 Tonys coverage!

As part of BroadwayWorld's expansive, record-breaking coverage of the 68th Annual Tony Awards, we have Rosie O'Donnell's pre-broadcast Acceptance Speech for Best Featured Actress in a Musical... wait, that's not right. Someone might want to tell Rosie.

Two legends came together today with BroadwayWorld.com in honor of this Sunday's Tony Awards. Rosie O'Donnell (while en route to Parker's graduation), who will be receiving the 2014 Isabelle Stevenson Award and Grammy, Tony, Emmy award-winner Cyndi Lauper chatted by phone (while on tour with Cher) about the Tonys, Rosie's Theatre Kids, her theatrical favorites, and of course about LAST year's big winner - KINKY BOOTS! The Isabelle Stevenson Award is presented annually to a member of the theatre community who has made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations. If that doesn't describe Rosie, we don't know what does. O'Donnell will be presented with the 2014 Isabelle Stevenson Award for her commitment to arts education for New York City's public school children.

It's almost here! The 2014 Tony Awards will air on CBS Sunday night, June 8 at 8pm and, as usual, BroadwayWorld.com will be your one-stop shop for all things Tonys on Tony Day, Night and Beyond!

It's finally here! Follow along with BroadwayWorld.com ALL night, while you're glued to CBS on TV for all things Tony Awards. We've got not one, not two, but THREE exclusive live blogs from Michael Dale backstage, superfan BroadwayGirlNYC, and BroadwayWorld.com's West End Editor Carrie Dunn with her trademark British snark (or 'Britsnark' as she calls it). Check out our homepage for ALL things Tonys!

Welcome to Michael Dale's 2014 Tony Awards Live Blog! Follow along with him, live from backstage at Radio City Music Hall's press room where he'll be reporting on the winners as they come backstage, scoops and much more!