Jerry Herman News

Today, we are taking a listen to five of the greatest and most deservedly classic-status cast albums of all time, with all five selections also being Tony-winning Best Musicals recently remastered, repackaged and re-released by Masterworks Broadway in time for Tony Award season which this week is finally coming to a close. In salute of Broadway now - and as it was fifty years ago when the first of these scores premiered - we take stock of what we have got, for better or worse. Surely, the strength of these shows' scores speak and sing out loud for themselves: 42nd Street, 1776, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, MAME and CITY OF ANGELS. From Herman to Coleman to Loesser and beyond we go, with a glance to the future and the all-to-recent past...

The Gretna Theatre has announced their 2010 summer season. Productions will include Nunsense starring Sally Struthers, The Marvelous Wonderettes, The Will Rogers Follies, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Peter Pan, Mr. Hobbs' Vacation, and Mame. The season will begin with Nunsense, opening June 3rd.

Opening Reagle Players' 42nd consecutive season on June 18th was the classic Into the Woods starring Broadway powerhouse Rachel York. York recently won the 2009 Irne Award for Best Musical Actress for her critically praised turn as the title character in Reagle's Hello, Dolly! That production was part of the group's 'Salute to Jerry Herman' season last summer. York now returns in mid June to portray The Witch in James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim's original fairy tale Into the Woods.

Theatre By The Sea owner and producer Bill Hanney, Producing Artistic Director Amiee Turner and Managing Producer Joel Kipper are proud to announce the opening of the Tony Award® winning family classic Hello, Dolly! on June 23.

North Coast Repertory Theatre is proud to present The San Diego Premiere of a two-time Tony Award winning musical. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, directed by Rick Simas

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, the 2010 Tony Award winner for Best Musical Revival, broke the house record at the Longacre Theatre last week for the second time. The show grossed $687,824.90 at the 1,057-seat playhouse for the week ending June 20, breaking its previous record of $673,706.50 for the week ending May 11.

The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre is once again preparing to start work on an area premiere production. Having been the first to bring shows such as Jerry Herman's La Cage aux Folles, Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl - The Musical, Mel Brooks' The Producers, as well as a regional theatre premiere production of The Wedding Singer to western Maryland audiences, Way Off Broadway is adding the musical comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to the list of firsts.

Tony, Grammy & Golden Globe Award winner Bernadette Peters and Tony & Emmy Award winner Elaine Stritch will return to Broadway in Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Tony Award-winning masterpiece A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, directed by Tony Award-winner Trevor Nunn.

David Elzer, Peter Schneider and Crooning Crabcakes, LLC are thrilled to announce that their LADCC (Best Production, Best Ensemble, Best Musical Direction), LA WEEKLY (Best Musical) and BACKSTAGE GARLAND (Best Production, Best Ensemble, Best Musical Direction) award-winning, critically-acclaimed (LA Times CRITICS' CHOICE, Backstage CRITIC'S PICK, LA WEEKLY GO!) smash-hit world premiere production of LIFE COULD BE A DREAM, written and directed by Roger Bean (The Marvelous Wonderettes) with choreography by Lee Martino (Reprise On Your Toes, On The Town) and musical direction by Michael Paternostro (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Thrill Me) is EXTENDING AGAIN through SUNDAY, JUNE 20 at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

The Gretna Theatre has announced their 2010 summer season. Productions will include Nunsense starring Sally Struthers, The Marvelous Wonderettes, The Will Rogers Follies, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Peter Pan, Mr. Hobbs' Vacation, and Mame. The season will begin with Nunsense, opening June 3rd.

What was that song they sang at last year's Tony Awards?  Something about letting your freak flag fly?  Something about never hesitating to yell out, 'Hey world, I'm different and here I am?'

Kelsey Grammer, currently starring in his Broadway musical debut in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, will be a guest on CBS' 'The Early Show' on Saturday, June 19. In the New York area, 'The Early Show' airs on WCBS Channel 2 between 7:00 and 9:00 AM. Check local listings.

Landmark on Main Street's 2009-10 Season concludes on Saturday, June 19th with 'Hello, Jerry!' - The Songs of Jerry Herman. Landmark thanks the sponsors of our Main Stage Series Susan Isaacs and Elkan Abramowitz, Jane & Martin Schwartz and Dot & Ed Slade as well as program sponsors Cecile & Jerry Shore.

Today, I am sharing with you Part I of my exclusive InDepth InterView with legendary Broadway star Donna McKechnie who is perhaps best known as the genius director- choreographer Michael Bennett's muse and primary interpreter as well as the originator and inspiration for the character of Cassie in A CHORUS LINE - for which she won Best Actress In A Musical at the 1976 Tony Awards - in addition to her many roles on Broadway and the West End, as well as all over the country on tours of every kind over the years. In Part I of this comprehensive chat we discuss her earliest featured roles on Broadway, working on the groundbreaking COMPANY and her thoughts on collaborators Bennett, Sondheim and Hal Prince; as well as her thoughts on the current state of Broadway, the out-of-town experience in the Golden Age and creating Cassie in A CHORUS LINE. Plus, of course, we discuss her fantastic new show and much, much more!

Opening Reagle Players' 42nd consecutive season on June 18th is the classic Into the Woods starring Broadway powerhouse Rachel York. York recently won the 2009 Irne Award for Best Musical Actress for her critically praised turn as the title character in Reagle's Hello, Dolly! That production was part of the group's 'Salute to Jerry Herman' season last summer. York now returns in mid June to portray The Witch in James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim's original fairy tale Into the Woods.

One of Orange County's newest theater companies, 3D Theatricals, will present HELLO, DOLLY! from July 9 through August 1 at the O.C. Pavilion Theatre in the Arts District of downtown Santa Ana. The hit stage and screen musical marks 3D Theatrical's fourth production for 2010. Starring in the iconic role of Dolly Levi will be Broadway vet (and L.A.-area stage favorite) Ruth Williamson (Guys and Dolls).

The Landmark on Main Street Theater in Port Washington, New York has begun to announce the performers who will appear in its 2010-2011 season.

Opening Reagle Players' 42nd consecutive season on June 18th is the classic Into the Woods starring Broadway powerhouse Rachel York. York recently won the 2009 Irne Award for Best Musical Actress for her critically praised turn as the title character in Reagle's Hello, Dolly! That production was part of the group's 'Salute to Jerry Herman' season last summer. York now returns in mid June to portray The Witch in James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim's original fairy tale Into the Woods.

The Gretna Theatre has announced their 2010 summer season. Productions will include Nunsense starring Sally Struthers, The Marvelous Wonderettes, The Will Rogers Follies, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Peter Pan, Mr. Hobbs' Vacation, and Mame. The season will begin with Nunsense, opening June 3rd.

Opening Reagle Music Theatre's 42nd consecutive season on June 18th is the classic Into the Woods starring Broadway powerhouse Rachel York. York recently won the 2009 Irne Award for Best Musical Actress for her critically praised turn as the title character in Reagle's Hello, Dolly!