Jeff Calhoun News

Pittsburgh CLO's 2011 Summer Season will fill the Benedum Center with performances audiences will remember well into 2012. In addition to favorite local performers, this summer will be highlighted by talented Broadway stars, accomplished recording artists and veterans of the stage and screen.

Pittsburgh CLO's 2011 Summer Season will fill the Benedum Center with performances audiences will remember well into 2012. In addition to favorite local performers, this summer will be highlighted by talented Broadway stars, accomplished recording artists and veterans of the stage and screen.

Right from the opening few notes of "9 to 5: The Musical", now performing at the 5th Avenue Theatre, the show wants to draw you back to connect with the original film. And while the show is a solid bit of fluff and definitely improved from the last time I saw it (but we'll get to that in a minute) occasionally those moments of connection get a little cheesy and desperate.

9 to 5: The Musical arrives at The 5th Avenue Theatre, just in time to brighten the final grey days of spring. Based on the wildly popular 1980s film of the same name, this outrageously funny Broadway delight features the original movie's blockbuster title tune, plus more than a dozen new songs by the queen of country music, iconic songwriter, movie star, and entrepreneur -- Dolly Parton!

Sara Chase joins Michel Weiner, and Darren Le Gallo returns this week, on Then we got HELP! Creator Julie Ann Emery (Hitch, 'Damages', 'Dexter') pulls a ‘Roseanne' by putting Chase in the role of Ashley, last season played by Broadway's Brandi Burkhardt, who was unavailable this season.

First reported exclusively by BroadwayWorld.com this morning, it's now been officially announced that Chase Brock has joined the SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off the Dark team. As we reported earlier, Brock will primarily be working on the new and revised scenes being added to the show. In a statement by the show's producers, Cohl and Harris said 'We were looking for someone with theater and opera experience, but who specializes in cutting-edge contemporary dance. We found everything we were looking for, and much more, with Chase.'

Following smash hit productions in Australia, London and Toronto, PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT THE MUSICAL began previews on Broadway on February 28 and opened on Sunday night, March 20, 2011. Here's part two of our photo coverage of the show's starry opening night red carpet arrivals!

9 to 5: The Musical arrives at The 5th Avenue Theatre, just in time to brighten the final grey days of spring. Based on the wildly popular 1980s film of the same name, this outrageously funny Broadway delight features the original movie's blockbuster title tune, plus more than a dozen new songs by the queen of country music, iconic songwriter, movie star, and entrepreneur -- Dolly Parton!

9 to 5: The Musical was nominated for four 2009 Tony® Awards including Original Score and received a record breaking 15 Drama Desk nominations including Outstanding Musical.

Fifty years after her legendary Carnegie Hall debut, The New York Pops remembers Hollywood icon Judy Garland with a song-for-song re-creation of the 1961 performance that is referred to by so many as "the greatest night in show business history".

Michael Donald Edwards, Asolo Rep producing artistic director, and Greg Leaming, Asolo Rep associate artistic director and director of The FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training, announced today their selections for the 2011-2012 season

Jane Austen's Emma - A Musical Romantic Comedy with music, lyrics and book by Tony Award nominee Paul Gordon will close the Winter Season on February 27, 2011. Directed by Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun.

Fifty years after her legendary Carnegie Hall debut, The New York Pops and Music Director Steven Reineke pay tribute to Hollywood icon Judy Garland on Friday, March 11 at 8:00 PM, with a song-for-song re-creation of the 1961 performance referred to by so many as 'the greatest night in show business history'. Reineke has announced the newest addition to the concert's lineup of stunning artists, acclaimed entertainer - and daughter of Judy Garland - Lorna Luft.

Jane Austen's Emma- A Musical Romantic Comedy with Music, Lyrics and Book by Paul Gordon and Directed and Choreographed by Jeff Calhoun runs through January 15, 2011 - March 6, 2011 at the Old Globe Theatre. BroadwayWorld reporter Audra Stafford went backstage at the Old Globe and spoke to the show's creators about how they musicalized and staged this timeless tale. Click below for the spot!

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee- Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) announced their 2011-2012 season, featuring four musicals, one play, and something for everyone. Paper Mill Playhouse will open its 2011-2012 season with the premiere of a new Disney stage musical, Newsies (September 15, 2011 - October 16, 2011). Featuring music by eight-time Academy Award®-winning composer Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Sister Act, The Little Mermaid), lyrics by Jack Feldman and a new book by four-time Tony® Award winner Harvey Fierstein (La Cage aux Folles, Torch Song Trilogy), Newsies is adapted for the stage from the live-action Disney feature film musical. The production will be directed at Paper Mill by Tony® nominee Jeff Calhoun (The Will Rogers Follies, Grey Gardens).

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee- Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) is proud to announce the Millburn, New Jersey theater will open its 2011-2012 season with the premiere of a new Disney stage musical, Newsies. Featuring music by eight time Academy Award®-winning composer Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Sister Act, The Little Mermaid), lyrics by Jack Feldman and a new book by four-time Tony® Award winner Harvey Fierstein (La Cage aux Folles, Torch Song Trilogy), Newsies is adapted for the stage from the live-action Disney feature film musical. The production will be directed at Paper Mill by Tony® nominee Jeff Calhoun (The Will Rogers Follies, Grey Gardens).

The 1980 movie Nine to Five was a pretty big hit when it came out, and one reason is because it touched a nerve with its tale of three secretaries (Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton) who extract revenge from their chauvinistic boss, superbly played by Dabney Coleman, who made a career out of playing the man you love to hate in a number of comedies from that period. And since there are still issues of inequality in the workplace with regards to the salaries and opportunities that are afforded to women (even though there's certainly been some progress made in those areas in the last 30 years), I can see why this material might still seem pertinent enough to launch a stage musical. Even though it runs a bit long, and loses momentum about halfway through, it was obvious to me that most of the audience in attendance found 9 to 5: THE MUSICAL to be a very entertaining show. The current production playing the Fox Theatre is served well by a talented and enthusiastic cast that appears to be having a great deal of fun.

The producers of 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL are pleased to announce the cast for the First National Tour that stops at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis for a two-week engagement February 8-20, 2011.

Chuck Cooper, Daniel Breaker, Patina Miller, Sharon Washington, Daniel Gerroll, John Douglas Thompson and Sherry Boone have been cast in Lost in the Stars, the second Encores! production of the New York City Center season, running February 3 - 6 at City Center.

Fifty years after her legendary Carnegie Hall debut, The New York Pops remembers Hollywood icon Judy Garland with a song-for-song re-creation of the 1961 performance that is referred to by so many as "the greatest night in show business history".