Jack Viertel News

Encores! will close out its season with the musical Me and My Gal. Watch Artistic Director Jack Viertel and Victoria Clark discuss how this truly British musical fit into the 25th anniversary season of Encores below!

Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. introduces Fraver by Design: Five Decades of Theatre Poster Art from Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Beyond.

True Colors Theatre Company (Kenny Leon, Co-Founding Artistic Director) and Jujamcyn Theaters (Jordan Roth, President; Jack Viertel, Senior Vice President) are proud to announce the panel of celebrity judges for the 10th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition, taking place on Monday, May 7th at 7:00 p.m. at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street).

The Ogunquit Playhouse kicks off its 86th season with the all-new incarnation of the sizzling song and dance celebration Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller on stage May 16 to June 9. This exuberant production of the record breaking Broadway smash hit is directed and choreographed by Emmy Award-winner and Tony Award-nominee Josh Bergasse who will bring new life to more than 30 classic songs including 'Stand by Me,' 'I'm a Woman,' 'Hound Dog,' 'Fools Fall In Love,' 'On Broadway,' 'Yakety Yak,' 'Pearl's a Singer,' 'Treat Me Nice,' 'There Goes My Baby,' 'Love Potion #9,' 'Jailhouse Rock,' and 'Spanish Harlem.' The all-new production heads to Stage 42 (422 West 42nd Street, NYC) following its Ogunquit run.

The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music awarded a record $99,000 at the 2018 Lotte Lenya Competition, which took place at Kilbourn Hall at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY on April 14, 2018. This year's competition brought the total distributed to young singers to more than $1 million in awards, prizes, and grants in the twenty-year history of the contest.

The New York-bound production of Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber & Stoller today announced the vibrant young cast who are set to reinvent the record breaking show at Stage 42 (422 West 42nd Street) this summer.

A starry line-up of talent that was on hand to celebrate the AMAS Musical Theatre's 49th Anniversary Gala Benefit honoring Broadway casting director, producer and director Jay Binder, Tony-nominated composer and lyricist Micki Grant and Leonid Poretsky, MD, a leading endocrinologist and founder of the Friedman Transgender Health & Wellness Program at Lenox Hill Hospital.

Schiffer Publishing will release FRAVER BY DESIGN: Five Decades of Theatre Post Art from Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Beyond by Frank 'Fraver' Verlizzo on May 28, 2018. The Drama Desk Award-winning artwork of Frank 'Fraver' Verlizzo includes over 250 of his theatre poster designs from Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional and international productions. Graphic designer Frank Verlizzo, known professionally as FRAVER, takes you behind the scenes for a glimpse into the world of theatrical advertising and poster design. He created the logo designs for hundreds of theatrical productions from The Lion King to Agatha Christie'sThe Mousetrap. Over 20 of Fraver's poster designs for the works of theatre legend Stephen Sondheim are spotlighted including: Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, Getting Away With Murder, and the landmark 2002 Sondheim Celebration. His posters encompass those created for Rodgers & Hammerstein, The Kennedy Center, and New York City Center's Encores! series. Fraver by Design also features an additional 40 unpublished poster sketches never before seen for some of Broadway's favorite shows. Playbill called Frank 'Fraver' Verlizzo 'the theatre poster legend.'

Schiffer Publishing will release FRAVER BY DESIGN: Five Decades of Theatre Post Art from Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Beyond by Frank 'Fraver' Verlizzo on May 28, 2018.  The Drama Desk Award-winning artwork of Frank 'Fraver' Verlizzo includes over 250 of his theatre poster designs from Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional and international productions.

True Colors Theatre Company (Kenny Leon, Co-Founding Artistic Director) and Jujamcyn Theaters (Jordan Roth, President; Jack Viertel, Senior Vice President) are proud to announce the 10th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition will take place on Monday, May 7th at 7:00 p.m. at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street).

On this day in 2008, Patti LuPone opened as the greatest stage mother in history, 'Mama' Rose Hovick, in Arthur Laurents' Broadway revival of Gypsy!

Me and My Girl, the final production of the Encores! at 25 season at New York City Center will star Christian Borle, Suzzanne Douglas, Mark Evans, Harriet Harris, Edward Hibbert, John Horton, Simon Jones, Laura Michelle Kelly, Lisa O'Hare, Ken Page, and Don Stephenson.

Kim H. Kowalke, President of the Kurt Weill Foundation, has announced the finalists for the 2018 annual Lotte Lenya Competition, its twentieth anniversary year. Fifteen performers from Canada, Germany, Israel, Italy, and the United States will compete for top prizes of $20,000, $15,000, and $10,000.

Producers and Presidents of the Prom Committee Dori Berinstein, Bill Damaschke, Jack Lane and Timothy Laczynski announced today that the hilarious new Broadway musical comedy THE PROM will begin performances on Sunday, October 21, 2018 and officially open on Thursday, November 15, 2018 at the Cort Theatre (138 West 48th Street).

The original producers of Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber & Stoller, Broadway's longest running musical revue, announced today that the show will return to New York this summer following a limited engagement at Maine's Ogunquit Playhouse. Preview performances will begin at New York's Stage 42 (422 West 42nd Street) on July 6 and opening night is set for July 22. Tickets will go on sale on Monday, March 12 through telecharge.com and the box office will open on June 25. Casting is to be announced.

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: a sneak peek of Escape to Margaritaville, an interview with the cast of Cruel Intentions, and more!

Encores! Artistic Director Jack Viertel today announced casting for the Encores! production of Grand Hotel, The Musical, directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes.

Kim H. Kowalke, President of the Kurt Weill Foundation, has announced the semifinalists for the 2018 annual Lotte Lenya Competition, its twentieth anniversary year. The Foundation received 235 audition videos, from singer/actors ages 19-32, hailing from thirty-one US states and Puerto Rico, and sixteen countries on five continents. From that pool, fourteen men and fourteen women from the US, Canada, Austria, Germany, Israel, Italy, and Slovenia have been selected to perform at the semifinals at the Manhattan School of Music on 8 and 9 March.

This week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.

When the subject of New York City Center Encores! comes up among musical theatre enthusiasts, the conversation almost invariably steers to what shows they should be presenting in their series of concerts. Although several of their productions, like the mega-hit revival of CHICAGO, have transferred, a night out at Encores! is, to many, most satisfying when they revive shows that, although significant in one way or another, are unlikely to find themselves back on Broadway.