Joan Marcus News

MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL is a jukebox musical that premiered on Broadway in April 2013, receiving four Tony Award nominations. Based on Berry Gordy's 1994 autobiography To Be Loved: The Music, the Magic, the Memories of Motown, it tells the story of how he founded and ran the Motown record label. It also touches on his relationships with Diana Ross (Allison Semmes), Marvin Gaye (Jarran Muse), and Smokey Robinson (Jesse Nager). Digging deep into the Motown catalog, the show contains over 60 songs. With that many songs one would expect a pretty thin book; however, by wisely placing most of the focus on Gordy (Chester Gregory) and Ross' relationship and the rise and fall of Motown, we are given a compelling portrait of both Gordy and the music industry. MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL is a celebration of the Motown sound… that sound that joined black and white America in ways nothing else has equaled before or since...that magical period in our past when we were invited to go dancing in the street to a brand new beat.

The new musical based on Natalie Babbitt's novel is full of poignancy and good humor, very suitable for families.

Roundabout Theatre Company, in association with Ryan Murphy, presents Eugene O'Neill's LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, starring Academy and Emmy Award winner Jessica Lange as 'Mary Tyrone.'

Producers Kevin McCollum, Doug Morris and Berry Gordy, and Broadway San Jose, a Nederlander Presentation, are proud to announce that MOTOWN THE MUSICAL will play a one-week engagement at San Jose's Center for the Performing Arts (255 Almaden Blvd.) from June 21-26, 2016.

TUCK EVERLASTING, the new musical based on Natalie Babbitt's beloved best-selling novel of the same name, featuring direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw, officially opens tonight, April 26, at the Broadhurst Theatre. Let's see what the critics had to say...

The Broadway blockbuster WICKED is easily one of the most popular musicals of the past several decades, and I write that without any pun intended.

She back! As BroadwayWorld previously reported, the Tony-winning production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch will go on tour later this year. No word yet on who will play the iconic gender-bending role, but some of the tour stops have already been announced!

Pie consultant Stacy Donnelly, delivers an uncooked nine-inch double-crust apple pie twenty minutes before each performance.

Hamilton's Leslie Odom Jr. and choreographer Camille A. Brown will be the recipients of the Princess Grace Foundation-USA's 2016 Princess Grace Statue Awards.

Becky Mode's 1999 Off-Broadway hit has been updated for 2016 Broadway.

TUCK EVERLASTING,the new musical based on Natalie Babbitt's beloved best-selling novel of the same name, with direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (Something Rotten!, Aladdin, The Book of Mormon), Tuck Everlasting officially opens tonight, April 26, 2016 at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street).

Five-time Emmy Award nominee Jesse Tyler Ferguson ('Modern Family,' The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) makes his highly anticipated return to Broadway as nearly 40 outrageous characters in the smash hit comedy, FULLY COMMITTED by Becky Mode, directed by Tony nominee Jason Moore (Avenue Q, Pitch Perfect, Sisters). FULLY COMMITTED officially opens tonight, April 25, 2016, on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre. Let's see what the critics had to say...

TUCK EVERLASTING, the new musical based on Natalie Babbitt's beloved best-selling novel of the same name, is currently playing at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street). With direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (Something Rotten!, Aladdin, The Book of Mormon), Tuck Everlasting will officially open on Tuesday, April 26, 2016. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Five-time Emmy Award nominee Jesse Tyler Ferguson ('Modern Family,' The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) makes his highly anticipated return to Broadway as nearly 40 outrageous characters in the smash hit comedy, FULLY COMMITTED by Becky Mode, directed by Tony nominee Jason Moore (Avenue Q, Pitch Perfect, Sisters).

Jessie Mueller gives a touching performance in Diane Paulus' joyous production.

Broadway's WAITRESS began performances on Friday, March 25 with a bang, setting a house record for a single performance the Brooks Atkinson Theatre and announcing a new block of tickets on sale through January 1, 2017. WAITRESS opens TONIGHT, Sunday, April 24, 2016. BroadwayWorld has a fresh batch of shots from the show below!

As MOTOWN THE MUSICAL continues to tour all over North America, the success of the show is evident. Every city has welcomed the show with open arms and enjoyed the walk down memory lane with iconic figures like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. Allison Semmes has the privilege of being part of the touring company playing Ms. Diana Ross herself and recently shared with BWW her experiences on the road and being part of such a historic show.

Still gushing over Lin-Manuel Miranda and Hamilton winning a Pulitzer Prize? Didn't have time to check in on your favorite Broadway stars? Well don't worry BroadwayWorld has rounded up some of the biggest stories from this week from Broadway and beyond with BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures.'

After seeing a villager shot in the face during a missionary trip to Uganda, Elder Price comes to a stunning revelation in the hilarious musical BOOK OF MORMON: 'Africa is nothing like THE LION KING.'

The completely original, hit musical comedy, Something Rotten! sweetens the 6th Annual Shakespeare's Birthday Sonnet Slam this year with a musical performance of 'Hard to be the Bard' by cast member Eric Sciotto (Broadway credits: Annie Get Your Gun, Aida, Sweet Smell of Success, Sweet Charity and 42nd Street among others).