James Joyce News

Tony award winners Karen Ziemba and Donna McKechnie, Urinetown's Jeff McCarthy, City of Angels's Leslie Denniston, and Tony-nominated Lara Teeter will star in Barrington Stage Company's production of James Goldman's and Stephen Sondheim's masterpiece Follies. Broadway veteran Marni Nixon will also be featured. Artistic Director Julianne Boyd will direct and Lara Teeter will choreograph. Follies, presented in celebration of Sondheim's 75th birthday, will run from June 23 through July 16 at the Consolati Performing Arts Center, Sheffield, MA.

An injured Stephanie J. Block will begin performances as Elphaba in the national tour of Wicked on March 25th.

Mercedes Ruehl stars as Peggy Guggenheim, modern art collector and collecter of modern artists

Paper Mill Playhouse will present the musical The Baker¹s Wife with Book by Joseph Stein and Music & Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin, Godspell) based on the film 'La Femme du Boulanger.'

San Diego - The Old Globe is pleased to present the world-premiere musical Himself and Nora, by Jonathan Brielle (composer and co-lyricist) and Sheila Walsh (author and co-lyricist), directed by Globe Associate Artist Joseph Hardy and Jeff Calhoun. This fascinating new piece about James Joyce and his relationship with his lover and 'muse' Nora Barnacle runs in the Old Globe Theatre March 16 through April 24 (press opening: March 24).

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director, John G. Schultz, Executive Director), is proud to announce its third production of the 2004-2005 season: WHAT OF THE NIGHT, an American premiere based on the writings of Djuna Barnes, created for the stage by Jane Alexander, Noreen Tomassi, Birgitta Trommler, directed and choreographed by Ms. Trommler, and starring Ms. Alexander (The Great White Hope; Kramer vs. Kramer; Testament; The Sisters Rosenzweig). The production marks Trommler's New York directorial debut.

We spoke to your favorites to find out what they thought was the most romantic Broadway love song.

Complete casting was announced today for the upcoming Broadway production of LENNON, the world premiere musical based on the life and songs of John Lennon. The cast includes Will Chase, Chuck Cooper, Julie Danao, Mandy Gonzalez, Marcy Harriell, Chad Kimball, Terrence Mann, Julia Murney, and Michael Potts.

The Public Theater, George C. Wolfe, producer; Mara Manus, executive director, announces the New York premiere of THE CONTROVERSY OF VALLADOLID, an exciting new masterwork by French playwright and screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière that brings to life the stunning real-life debates of the Catholic Church in the 16th century, as it tried to determine whether or not natives an ocean away were indeed human.

Paper Mill Playhouse is proud to present the world premiere of 'Harold & Maude: The Musical,' starring Academy Award-winner Estelle Parsons, Eric Millegan, Donna English, Donna Lynne Champlin and Danny Burstein.

The Duplex Cabaret Theatre is pleased to present BELTERS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH, a celebration of the lyrics of Bill Russell, the esteemed lyricist of Side Show, Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens and Pageant, among other projects. Belters. will be performed for two special performances only, Mondays, December 13 and 20 at 7pm.

Broadway star ALICE RIPLEY and her band, Ripley will perform in concert at BIRDLAND (315 West 44th Street, NYC) on Monday, November 22 at 7pm.

Broadway greats Cris Groenendaal (Phantom of the Opera, Sweeney Todd, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum), Marni Nixon (Nine, Follies, The Dead, Cabaret, The Voice of Hollywood), and Sarah Rice (Sweeney Todd, The Fantasticks, The Music Man) share the spotlight in MÉNAGE, an evening of songs celebrating life, love, and the slings and arrows of the outrageousness of relationships.

Based on the life and songs of John Lennon, the new tuner is slated for its Broadway debut at the Broadhurst Theatre, Summer 2005.

Casting has been announced for the Cleveland engagement of Disney's ON THE RECORD. The world premiere will begin performances in Cleveland at the Palace Theatre starting November 9, 2004 as part of the McDonald Financial Group Broadway Series. The press opening is Friday, November 19, 2004 at 7:30 pm. This brand new production is the fourth show from Disney Theatrical Productions, following BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, THE LION KING and Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA.

Photos from Stephanie's sold-out concert debut at Birdland...

Stephanie J. Block, currently co-starring as Liza Minnelli opposite Hugh Jackman in The Boy From Oz, will make her nightclub debut at Birdland on Monday, August 2 at 8pm. The show's musical director is Billy Stritch, with direction by Jim Caruso.

Heather Smith recently sat down with Donna Lynne Champlin to ask her training, experiences both on and off Broadway and more.