Jessica Lewis News

59E59 Theaters, with The Directors Company, in association with Chase Mishkin, Barbara & Buddy Freitag, and Invictus Theater Company is presenting MURDER IN THE FIRST, written by Dan Gordon and directed by Michael Parva. MURDER IN THE FIRST began performances on May 25 for a limited engagement through July 1, and celebrated an official opening night on June 6. BroadwayWorld has just recevieved production highlights and brings you an exclusive look below!

Last night, June 10, Audra McDonald took home her 5th Tony Award for for Best Lead Actress in a Musical for her role of 'Bess' in THE GERSWIN's PORGY AND BESS. Though we'd think she'd be used to the feeling of winning by now, McDonald spoke with BroadwayWorld just moments after her win only to reveal how it still feels 'out of body'. Click below to hear from the Broadway darling herself!

Last night's Tony Awards show last evening may have impressed fans and critics alike but failed to score in the ratings, according to a report in The Hollywood Reporter. Despite little broadcast competition, The Hollywood Reporter reveals: 'The three-hour telecast averaged 6 million total viewers, down nearly 1 million viewers from the 6.9 million who watched in 2011 when the Tonys went up against the NBA Finals, and posted a 1.0 in the ad-coveted 18-49 demo, a 17 percent dip from its previous effort.'

Christian Borle is the recipient of this year's Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for PETER AND THE STARCATCHER. Despite his elite status as a Broadway vet, he was still shocked to hear his name called and hasn't hit the ground yet. Click below to hear from Borle just moments after his big win!

Yesterday evening, June 9th, Music Theatre International Chairman and CEO Freddie Gershon was among the recipients of a 2012 Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre at the 2012 Tony Eve Cocktail Party at the InterContinental Hotel. The Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre were established in 1990 and are awarded annually to institutions, individuals and/or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, but are not eligible in any of the established Tony Award categories.

Tonight may be the big night but last evening, June 9, The Tony Awards Administration Committee hosted the annual Tony Eve Cocktail Party Tony at the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts to celebrate this year's Special Tony Award winners. The Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre were established in 1990 and are awarded annually to institutions, individuals and/or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, but are not eligible in any of the established Tony Award categories. This year's Tony Honors were presented to: Freddie Gershon, CEO and Chairman of Musica Theatre International, Artie Siccardi, Production Supervisor of Arthur Siccardi Theatrical Services, Inc. who has overseen more than 200 Broadway productions, and TDF Open Doors, Theatre Development Fund's arts education program.

BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL is headed to Broadway following a tour that began in 2011. The show will play Broadway's St. James Theater, beginning previews on July 12th, opening August 1st and running through October 7th. Today, the show's first TV spot was released, which will first air nationally on CBS during this Sunday's Tony Awards! Want a sneak peek? Click below.

Second Stage Theatre will conclude its 33rd season with the World Premiere of the new musical, DOGFIGHT, featuring music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, a book by Peter Duchan and directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello. Winner of the prestigious 2011 Richards Rodgers Award for Musical Theatre, DOGFIGHT will be performed at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre this summer.

New York Theatre Workshop's world premiere production of Food and Fadwa, written by Lameece Issaq and Jacob Kader, and directed by Shana Gold, opened last night, June 7. Performance began May 18, 2012. Food and Fadwa is a co-production with Noor Theatre, a company-in-residence at New York Theatre Workshop. Check out photos from the celebratory opening below!

Lost In Love, the new musical based on the hit songs of Air Supply, played the Triad Theatre on June 5, the first live follow-up to an industry-only reading in April of this year. Andrea McArdle and Constantine Maroulis returned to star in this latest installment of the production and BroadwayWorld was on hand to capture some of the musical highlights.

The 2012 Tony Awards ceremony is just days away and this morning, BroadwayWorld was invited inside the Beacon Theatre to catch a glimpse of a tech rehearsal for Peter and the Starcatcher and speak with host Neil Patrick Harris about how the exciting show is shaping up. Want to see what the Starcatchers (sans costumes and make up) were up to today? Click below to watch them in action, and hear from stars Christian Borle, Celia Keenan-Bolger and Neil Patrick Harris!

Roundabout Theatre Company in association with Don Gregory, is presenting the new Broadway production of Mary Chase's Harvey, starring Jim Parsons (Elwood P. Dowd), Jessica Hecht (Veta Louise Simmons), Charles Kimbrough (William R. Chumley, M.D.), Larry Bryggman (Judge Omar Gaffney), Carol Kane (Betty Chumley), Peter Benson (E.J. Lofgren), Tracee Chimo (Myrtle Mae Simmons), Holley Fain (Ruth Kelly, R.N.), Angela Paton (Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet), Rich Sommer (Duane Wilson), and Morgan Spector (Lyman Sanderson, M.D.). The production is directed by Scott Ellis. Production highlights have been released and below, BroadwayWorld brings you a first look!

Lincoln Center's Other Desert Cities, by Jon Robin Baitz, directed by Joe Mantello, will end its limited engagement as scheduled on Sunday, June 17, 2012.

Signature Theatre began performances for MEDIEVAL PLAY, written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan, on May 15 in anticipation of a Thursday, June 7 opening night in The Irene Diamond Stage at the Company's new Frank Gehry-designed home, The Pershing Square Signature Center. Production highlights have been released and BroadwayWorld brings you a look below!

Producers Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel and Howard & Janet Kagan have announced that three-time Academy Award nominee Debra Winger will be making her Broadway debut in the American premiere of THE ANARCHIST, a new play written and directed by David Mamet. Winger's previous stage credits include How I Learned to Drive and Ivanov at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts and The Exonerated in New York.

Yesterday, June 3, the Dramatists Guild Fund hosted their 50th Anniversary Gala at the Mandarin Oriental New York. This year's event, hosted by Jon Cryer, honored Chicago and Cabaret composer John Kander. Performances and tributes were given by well-known members of the theater community including Liza Minnelli, Chita Rivera, Bebe Neuwirth, Christie Brinkley, Stockard Channing, Joel Grey, Rob Marshall, Susan Stroman, Debra Monk, Karen Ziemba and Joshua Henry.

BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was thrilled to sit down and speak with nearly all of this year's Tony Award nominees at the official Tony Brunch on May 2, 2012, and we will be bringing you special coverage on all of them throughout the awards season. Today we bring you Laura Osnes, nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for Bonnie & Clyde.

BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was thrilled to sit down and speak with nearly all of this year's Tony Award nominees at the official Tony Brunch on May 2, 2012, and we will be bringing you special coverage on all of them throughout the awards season. Today we bring you Steve Kazee, nominated for Best Actor in a Musical for Once.

BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was thrilled to sit down and speak with nearly all of this year's Tony Award nominees at the official Tony Brunch on May 2, 2012, and we will be bringing you special coverage on all of them throughout the awards season. Today's the spotlight's on dancing man Christopher Gattelli, nominated for Best Choreography for Newsies.