Joan Marcus News

Heading to Providence Performing Arts Center the other night, I couldn't help but turn to my friend who accompanied me and say, "When was the last time you saw a magic show??" It seems that these days magic shows are less common than they were in our youth. Back in the day, you would often hear about and could witness live the likes of David Copperfield, Doug Henning, The Pendragons and others. Today, it seems, magic shows are relegated to kids' birthdays, college campuses and the Las Vegas Strip (wherefore art thou, Sigfried and Roy?). On the other hand, The Illusionists, a touring show featuring seven different magicians and playing this weekend at PPAC, proves that magic shows are alive and well. And still extremely entertaining, although perhaps in slightly different ways. While magic shows of old seemed to be much more about the grand illusions and massive spectacle, The Illusionists keeps things at a much smaller scale. This may be due, largely or in small part, to the fact that it's a touring show. There's only so many props and set pieces you can fit in the back of a truck.

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week or you're just in the mood for a recap, BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end-of-the-week fix! Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to The West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more. Highlights this week include coverage of new cast members of YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU and IT'S ONLY A PLAY, Cheyenne Jackson at Cafe Carlyle, opening nights of CONSTELLATIONS and HONEYMOON IN VEGAS, and more!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? This weekend's big news: GIGI kicks off in D.C., BEAUTIFUL is on the hunt for its next Carole King, James McAvoy leads THE RULING CLASS revival in the West End and more!

Jason Robert Brown dumps the artsy stuff for a big fat hilarious musical comedy.

Honeymoon in Vegas, the eagerly anticipated new musical comedy with book by Blazing Saddles and Fletch writer Andrew Bergman and score by three-time Tony Award-winner Jason Robert Brown, opens tonight, January 15, at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street). Let's see what the critics had to say...

MAMMA MIA is a show full of many ABBA favorites such as "Winner Takes It All" and "Dancing Queen." The story is endearing and funny as a family tries to unite and work together preparing for the wedding of Donna's only child, Sophie

Inside Broadway's Executive Director Michael Presser has announced that on Thursday, February 12, the Lyric Theatre (213 West 42nd Street) will be visited by thousands of NYC public school students as the theatre arts and education organization presents its popular program Creating the Magic. Featuring the cast and production crew of the Broadway musical ON THE TOWN, the 80 minute program will be offered at 10:45am and 1:15pm.

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL, the hit musical featuring the music of the legendary Motown catalogue and a book by Berry Gordy, ends its Broadway run today, January 18 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. MOTOWN is set to return to Broadway at a Nederlander theatre to be announced in July 2016. Last spring, the first National Tour of Motown the Musical opened to critical acclaim, grossing an impressive $20 Million dollars during a packed sixteen-week run, and is now heading to major markets across the US. MOTOWN will also head to London's West End this summer.

Honeymoon in Vegas, the eagerly anticipated new musical comedy with book by Blazing Saddles and Fletch writer Andrew Bergman and score by three-time Tony Award-winner Jason Robert Brown, opens tonight, January 15, 2015 at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street).

The Toronto production of 'The Heart of Robin Hood' opened to great fanfare yesterday evening at The Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto. The audience leapt to its feet at curtain call to cheer on the cast - and it was well deserved. 'The Heart of Robin Hood' is a great, feel-good night out at the theatre - with a fun twist on the story you probably already know and love.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: HONEYMOON IN VEGAS opens on Broadway, the 2015 OSCAR nominations are revealed and more!

The Public Theater announced a second extension today for the world premiere musical HAMILTON, beginning previews on Tuesday, January 20 in The Public's Newman Theater. Inspired by the book "Alexander Hamilton" by Ron Chernow, with book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and directed by Thomas Kail, HAMILTON will now run through Sunday, April 5 with an official press opening on Tuesday, February 17.

Broadway In Chicago has announced that the 2014 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder, will open its National Tour at the Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe) in September 2015. The show will play two weeks in Chicago September 29 - October 11, 2015 as the start of its 44-week National Tour.

Call Nick Payne's new play If/Then without the music or Sure Thing without the bell.

In an interview with Billboard, Tony-winning Hedwig and the Angry Inch star Neil Patrick Harris talked about this year's Best Musical Theater Album Grammy nomination for the Broadway show's cast recording, plus his overall experience acting in the award-winning production.

Let's see what the critics had to say...

WICKED just welcomed new cast members to the Gershwin Theatre last month. Caroline Bowman (Kinky Boots, Eva in the Broadway revival tour of Evita) stepped into the role of Elphaba, and Kara Lindsay (original cast of Broadway's Newsies) assumed the role of Glinda, directly from playing the role on national tour. Kathy Fitzgerald returned to the Broadway company as Madame Morrible, a role she has played on Broadway and on national tour, and Matt Shingledecker (West Side Story) assumed the role of Fiyero. Two-time Tony Award Nominee Robin de Jesus (In the Heights, La Cage Aux Folles) stepped into the role of Boq. Lindsay recently chatted with BroadwayWorld about her take on Glinda, the challenges of the role, and so much more. Check out the full interview below! Check back tomorrow to read BroadwayWorld's interview with her WICKED counterpart, Caroline Bowman!

The American premiere of Constellations, the acclaimed new play by Nick Payne, directed by Michael Longhurst, starring Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal (Golden Globe nominee for Nightcrawler; Brokeback Mountain) and two-time Olivier Award winner Ruth Wilson (Golden Globe winner for Showtime's 'The Affair;' BBC's and PBS' Emmy nominated 'Luther'), opens on Broadway tonight, January 13 at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street).

Anna Chlumsky and Richard Thomas just joined the hit Broadway revival of YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU on January 6, and BroadwayWorld has a first look at them onstage below!

The American premiere of Constellations, the acclaimed new play by Nick Payne, directed by Michael Longhurst, starring Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal (Golden Globe nominee for Nightcrawler; Brokeback Mountain) and two-time Olivier Award winner Ruth Wilson (Golden Globe winner for Showtime's "The Affair;" BBC's and PBS' Emmy nominated "Luther"), opens on Broadway tomorrow, Tuesday, January 13 at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street).