Jerry Bock News

The Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) and Broadway in Columbus today announced the next exciting lineup for the PNC Broadway in Columbus series. The six-show 2020-21 season, supported in part by PNC, includes four productions never before seen in Columbusa?"the Tony Award-winning Come From Away, the dazzling musical production of the beloved movie Pretty Woman: The Musical, Disney's newest spectacular Broadway musical, Frozen, and winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, Hadestown. The season also includes the acclaimed new production of Fiddler on the Roof and the record-breaking, classic musical, CATS.

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Evans Haile, Executive Director), dedicated to the development of new musicals and rediscovery of musical gems from the past, as part of its 50th Anniversary season celebration, will present two added special events during the month of March: York Chat: Musicals in Mufti: 118 and Counting, the second in a series of panel discussions, _An Evening with Sheldon Harnick and Friends_ a special concert featuring Sheldon Harnick, Liz Callaway, and Karen Ziemba. Both special events will take place at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).

 SHE LOVES ME, now playing at San Diego Musical Theatre through March 8th, is a delightfully entertaining and sweet, that will have people leaving the theatre humming and that warm and fuzzy feeling of true love conquering all. 

Hancock Whitney Broadway in New Orleans announced today that individual tickets for the tour of the Tony Award®-nominated Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof will go on sale Friday, Feb. 21 at 10 a.m. Presented by the New Orleans Theatre Association, Fiddler on the Roof is part of the Hancock Whitney Broadway in New Orleans 2019-2020 season and will be coming to the Saenger Theatre from May 12-17, 2020.

There are times when being a theater reviewer is a fabulous gig. Last night at the Providence Performing Arts Center was one of those times. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, running through Sunday at PPAC is not to be missed. It is warm, funny, sad, uplifting, and helps us see the world from the vantage point of the oppressed-it is gorgeous. First, let's give credit to FIDDLER'S creators: Jerry Bock wrote the music, Sheldon Harnick the lyrics, and Joseph Stein the book. Bock and Harnick had previously collaborated on the Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner Fiorello; Stein had been part of the writing team along with Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and Neil Simon on television's Your Show on Shows-these were some talented guys. The original Broadway production of the show, which opened in 1964, had the first musical theatre run in history to surpass 3,000 performances. It held the record for the longest running Broadway musical for almost ten years. The production was extraordinarily profitable and highly acclaimed. It won nine Tony awards, including best musical, score, book, direction and choreography. It spawned five Broadway revivals and a highly successful film adaptation and has enjoyed enduring international popularity.

Though SCR's admirable new production of the 1963 Broadway musical SHE LOVES ME, for the most part, still has many charming, beautifully-staged, and well-sung moments, it also somehow feels like it is slightly reigned in, as if there was a purposeful attempt to downscale some of its built-in whimsy and spirited vivaciousness---particularly in the first act where emotional expressions all seem to sit in the same middle areaa?? never tipping over to too angry or too sad or too happy or too, well, anything. Now on stage in Costa Mesa through February 22, 2020, the production---directed by the theater's own artistic director David Ivers---is genuinely entertaining, but still needs a huge shot of joy, romance, and pep to make it feel complete.

South Bay Musical Theatre presents the charming musical comedy SHE LOVES ME. Described by The New York Times as a?oea bonbon of a musicala?? and a a?oetasty tale of love lost and found at the workplace,a?? the original Broadway production of SHE LOVES ME was nominated for five 1964 Tony Awards; the show has since enjoyed two successful Broadway revivals, in 1993 (Winner, Tony Award a?oeBest Revival of a Musicala??) and 2016. SHE LOVES ME features a book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. It is based on the play Parfumerie by Miklós László (which has also served as the basis for the films The Shop Around the Corner, In the Good Old Summertime and You've Got Mail).

Broadway In Detroit will present the Detroit engagement of the Tony Award®-nominated Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof at the Fisher Theatre from March 10 - 15, 2020.

South Bay Musical Theatre (SBMT) is pleased the announce the full cast and creative team for the Company's first 2020 production, the charming musical comedy SHE LOVES ME. Described by The New York Times as “a bonbon of a musical” and a “tasty tale of love lost and found at the workplace,” the original Broadway production of SHE LOVES ME was nominated for five 1964 Tony Awards; the show has since enjoyed two successful Broadway revivals, in 1993 (Winner, Tony Award “Best Revival of a Musical”) and 2016. SHE LOVES ME features a book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. It is based on the play Parfumerie by Miklós László (which has also served as the basis for the films The Shop Around the Corner, In the Good Old Summertime and You've Got Mail).

There's a mist of romance in the air as South Bay Music Theatre automizes a scent of romance with the hit musical a?oeShe Loves Mea??.  This scintillating tale of love lost and found at the workplace was the 1993 Tony Award winner for best revival. Written by Joe Masteroff (book), Jerry Bock (music) and Sheldon Harnick (lyrics), this SBMT production, directed by Martin Rojas Dietrich, it's sure to charm and delight (especially for date night)!.

The national tour of Bartlett Sher's recent Broadway revival of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, currently playing at the Eccles Theater, has a stark elegance in its design and direction, which are at once new and familiar.

Everyone loves a good Romantic Comedy, and when people find a good one, they latch onto it. Such a RomCom was the 1937 play a?oeParfumeriea?? by Miklos Laszlo. Now, if you're not familiar with that one maybe you're more familiar with some of the films that were based on it. There was the 1940 James Stewart-Margaret Sullavan film a?oeThe Shop Around the Cornera??, or how about the 1949 Judy Garland-Van Johnson musical version a?oeIn the Good Old Summertimea??. No? Well I'm sure you remember the 1998 Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan feature a?oeYou've Got Maila??. And beyond those, the play also spawned one of the most underrated and underappreciated shows in American Musical Theatre, a?oeShe Loves Mea?? by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick with a book by Joe Masteroff, currently playing at Village Theatre. a?oeShe Loves Mea?? has been revived on Broadway since it's 1963 beginnings twice, plus a concert version in 1977, but still there are too many people who don't know the glory of this show. Well, Dear Readers, let's try and change that.

On Sunday, January 26, 2020, Encompass New Opera Theatre (Nancy Rhodes, Artistic Director), The Board of Trustees and The Encompass Honorary Gala Chair, Sheldon Harnick will pay tribute to Academy Award and Tony Award-winning luminaries, ESTELLE PARSONS and MAURY YESTON, with a star-studded musical salute. The elegant evening - hosted by Midge Woolsey of Thirteen/WNET and WQXR Radio - will feature recollections and tributes by well-known Musical Theatre and Opera personalities and friends. Dazzling musical entertainment will feature stars of stage and screen.

Family, tradition, and community, are three words used to describe the incredible production of Fiddler On The Roof that stopped by the Morrison Center. Fiddler on the Roof follows the story of Tevye, a poor milkman and his family as they work through the traditions of their people. Tevye struggles to decide which is more important, his family or his devotion to God. Despite the things that enter the path, From weddings being destroyed to a daughter leaving home. It seems each event that happens, pulls Tevye further and further from his breaking point. Though he communicates often with the audience and God through one-liners, we see him slowly being torn more and more. He soon learns to try to keep a balance between God, and the changing world can be compared to a fiddler on a roof.

The 2020-21 Carnegie Theatre Season will be filled with laughter, nostalgia and a few surprises. Audiences will be introduced to a fast talking plant, relive a jam session at the historic Sun Records, celebrate traditions in changing times and experience the debut of a new script by a local arts leader.

The North American Tour of Fiddler on the Roof performs at the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) February 11 - 16, 2020, starring Israeli theatre, film and TV actor, Yehezkel Lazarov as Tevye.

Broadway at The Paramount will present the Seattle engagement of the Tony Award®-nominated Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof at The Paramount Theatre from January 14 - 19, 2020. The tour launched October 17, 2018 in Syracuse, New York at Landmark Theatre.

Broadway cellist Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf (Bridges of Madison County, A Little Night Music) will host an evening that explores beautiful melodies from Broadway and beyond. With Scots-born guitarist Steve Gibb, Mairi will also celebrate Robert Burns Night by weaving in some of Scotland's most beloved melodies, and inviting her guests to perform their own versions of Burns' timeless poetry. 

Broadway in Portland presents the Portland engagement of the Tony Award-nominated Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof at Keller Auditorium from January 7 a?" 12, 2020. The tour launched October 17, 2018 in Syracuse, New York at Landmark Theatre.

This holiday season; skip the presents under the tree. All I want is tickets to Fiddler on the Roof at the National Theatre.