Jacques C. Smith News

The new national tour of RENT kicked off on January 6, 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio and runs through August 30, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan. RENT stars Anthony Rapp as Mark Cohen, Adam Pascal as Roger Davies, Justin Johnston as Angel Schunard, Nicolette Hart as Maureen Johnson, Lexi Lawson as Mimi Marquez, Michael McElroy as Tom Collins, Jacques C. Smith as Benjamin Coffin III and Haneefah Wood as Joanne Jefferson, with Karmine Alers, Toby Blackwell, Adam Halpin, Trisha Jeffrey, Telly Leung, Caren Lyn Manuel, Jed Resnick, Andy Senor, Yuka Takara and John Watson.

Justin grabbed the BroadwayWorld microphone for a series of behind the scenes interviews with the talented touring cast of RENT, he'll be checking in with BWW during the tour and will be full of surprises!

The winners of Chicago's Jefferson Awards were announced in a ceremony at the DePaul Merle Reskin Theatre (60 Balbo Drive) in Chicago on November 6th

Stephen Flaherty, Frank Galati, Gary Griffin, Mary Zimmerman, David Ives and James Lapine, as well as performers Tyler Hanes, Rondi Reed, Mary Beth Peil, Hollis Resnik, Anthony Crivello and E. Faye Butler are among the nominees for the 2006 Joseph Jefferson Awards, which recognize achievement in Chicago-area Equity theatre

The Goodman Theatre's staging of the musical Purlie has extended its run through October 30th

Jacques C. Smith, Paulette Ivory, E. Faye Butler and Loretta Devine have all been cast in the Broadway-bound revival of Purlie, which will start performances at the Pasadena Playhouse on June 24th