Jessica Fallon Gordon News

Happy Friday, BWW Dance! Here are the top dance stories from around the BroadwayWorld you might have missed this week!

Earlier today, the smash musical Waitress celebrates its first anniversary on Broadway with a gravity-defying four-tiered topsy-turvy celebration of all things pie! The four-foot tall custom-made confection was created by the show's pie consultant Stacy Donnelly.  BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the birthday celebration below!

Playwrights Horizons will soon present BELLA: AN AMERICAN TALL TALE, the co-world premiere of a new musical with book, music and lyrics by Obie Award winner Kirsten Childs (The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin at Playwrights, Miracle Brothers).

National Dance Institute (NDI), the non-profit arts education organization founded in 1976 by legendary New York City Ballet principal dancer Jacques d'Amboise, hosted its 41st Annual Gala at PlayStation Theater in New York City last night, April 24. The Annual Gala is National Dance Institute's largest fundraising event, with all proceeds benefitting NDI's award-winning arts education programs. BroadwayWorld has photos from the evening below!

Dan Goggin's internationally acclaimed musical sensation, Nunsense, premiered the sinfully funny pilot episode of 'Nunsense: The TV Series' online, today, April 25, 2017. The new series, which features stars of stage and screen, is now available at www.nunsensetv.com. The pilot was shot at a former monastery in Union City, New Jersey. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the premiere below!

Tony and Grammy Award-Winner Billy Porter has just released his new studio album, Billy Porter Presents The Soul of Richard Rodgers via Bee & El /Sony Masterworks Broadway. To celebrate the release, Porter was joined by four-time Grammy Award-winner Indie.Arie. at Barnes & Noble for a special performance!

Robin's Nest Creator and Host, Robin Westle, is pleased to announce the the 10th edition of Robin's Nest, starring Broadway's Mandy Gonzalez, best known for her current role as 'Angelica Schuyler' in the smash hit,  Hamilton.

Bianca Marroquin, a regular fixture of Broadway's Tony Award-winning hit musical Chicago, announced via twitter today that she will return to the show as 'Roxie Hart' beginning May 1st for a nine-week run through July 2nd at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St., NYC).

After critically acclaimed and award winning productions in Seattle, New Jersey and Boston the new musical, ERNEST SHACKLETON LOVES ME, will begin performances on Friday, April 14, 2017 and officially open on Sunday, May 7, 2017 at Off-Broadway's Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43rd Street). This strictly limited engagement will play through Sunday, June 11th only.

Just last night, MCC Theater presented their annual Miscast gala, celebrating the 30th Anniversary of MCC Theater. The performers included: Tony winners Norbert Leo Butz, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Jennifer Holliday and Kelli O'Hara; Tony nominees Stephanie J. Block, Carmen Cusack, Brian d'Arcy James and Brandon Victor Dixon; plus Dear Evan Hansen breakout Ben Platt and Hamilton star Mandy Gonzalez. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the red carpet below!

WP Theater (formerly Women's Project Theater), under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Lisa McNulty and Managing Director Michael Sag, just presented their 32nd Annual Gala, honoring game-changing women with the Women of Achievement Awards. The gala honored Emmy Award-winning actress and activist Debra Messing ('Will & Grace,' Outside Mullingar) and trailblazing media executive, President of BBC Worldwide North America, Ann M. Sarnoff.

The Original Broadway Cast Album of the hit musical A BRONX TALE will be released by Ghostlight Records beginning today, March 24, 2017. CDs will be in stores beginning in May 12 and the album will be available for streaming beginning June 23. To pre-order the CD, please visit sh-k-boom.com/a-bronx-tale. The cast celebrated the milestone for the show, and BroadwayWorld was there to join in the fun. Check out the photos below!

In honor of World Puppetry Day, the Off Broadway company of AVENUE Q will conduct a Puppet Press Conference at New World Stages in NYC to declare and demand puppet rights be heard. Honorary Puppet Trump & Puppet Hillary reunited with to discuss this years top concerns for the puppet Q-mmunity.

Just last night, March 20, Rodney Ingram made his debut in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, assuming the role of Raoul, the dashing vicomte vying for the heart of the innocent soprano, Christine.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Today's big news: Bernadette Peters and more celebrate Cameron Mackintosh at Signature's Sondheim Gala in D.C., and four 'Lolas' strut their stuff this evening at the TDF HONORS KINKY BOOTS benefit!

In this edition, meet A BRONX TALE star Ariana DeBose's feline friends, Izzy and Freddy!

The third annual Shubert Foundation High School Theatre Festival for New York City Public Schools just took place at Broadway's Music Box Theatre, hosted by Okieriete 'Oak' Onaodowan. More than 100 talented students from five New York City high schools across the city made their Broadway debuts performing from their selected winter musicals or plays.

Yesterday, March 8th was International Women's Day. While many celebrated and demonstrated for women's rights around the world with 'A Day Without A Woman,' ladies on Broadway (in the midst of a two show day) joined activist group Broadway Strong to show their support in a special way.

Lincoln Center Theater Platform Series, a forum for public discussion between Lincoln Center Theater artists and theatergoers, continues today, March 8, with HOW TO TRANSCEND A HAPPY MARRIAGE author Sarah Ruhl and director Rebecca Taichman.

The 2017 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize has been awarded to U.S. playwright Clare Barron for her play Dance Nation. On March 6, New York's Playwrights Horizons hosted a ceremony honoring the winner and finalists of the prize and celebrating the 39th anniversary of the international prize.