Joan Marcus News

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, is pleased to announce the recipients of the Edgerton Foundation New Play Awards for the 2014-15 season. The awards, totaling $858,000, allow 26 productions extra time in the development and rehearsal of new plays with the entire creative team, helping to extend the life of the play after its first run.

Catch up on the week's biggest stories from Broadway and beyond in BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures,' featuring coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights, and more. Highlights this week include coverage of the off-Broadway debut of new musical ONE DAY, BEAUTIFUL's Grammy win for Best Musical Theatre Album, THE LAST FIVE YEARS movie premiere, 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: ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY begins tonight, THE LAST FIVE YEARS movie debuts and Broadway's THE AUDIENCE starts on Valentine's Day!

Last night, Blithe Spirit, starring Angela Lansbury opened in Toronto at the Princess of Wales Theatre. Noel Coward's witty and charming play has stood the test of time and had the opening night audience laughing out loud at the brilliant performances on stage.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Golden Globe and Drama Desk Award winner Michael C. Hall will return to Hedwig and the Angry Inch from Tuesday, February 17 - Saturday, February 21. John Cameron Mitchell will continue in the show through Saturday, February 14 and will then take a one week leave to attend to a knee injury. John will return as 'Hedwig' on Tuesday, February 24 through Sunday, April 26. In honor of his return, BroadwayWorld flashes back to Hall's run in the show below!

The new Broadway production of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's beloved Oscar and Tony Award-winning film and stage musical, Gigi, began its pre-Broadway engagement in the Eisenhower Theater at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. on January 16 and closes today, February 12, 2015. Gigi will open on Broadway in spring 2015 following the D.C. engagement.

Golden Globe and Drama Desk Award winner Michael C. Hall will return to Hedwig and the Angry Inch from Tuesday, February 17 - Saturday, February 21. John Cameron Mitchell will continue in the show through Saturday, February 14 and will then take a one week leave to attend to a knee injury. John will return as 'Hedwig' on Tuesday, February 24 through Sunday, April 26.

Christine Bianco plays over 40 characters, most of them tired cliches.

Broadway In Chicago has announced that Disney's THE LION KING will return to Chicago by popular demand. This exclusive seven-week return engagement at the Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W Randolph) begins December 2, 2015 and plays through January 17, 2016.

The world premiere of Application Pending, a new comedy by Greg Edwards & Andy Sandberg about the hilariously cutthroat world of kindergarten admissions at New York private schools, officially opens tonight, February 10, 2015 at the Westside Theatre. Let's see what the critics had to say...

Last night at the 13th Annual Craig Noel Awards in San Diego, CA, Fiasco Theater's critically acclaimed production of Into the Woods won the Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Touring Production. The ceremony was held at the Museum of Contemporary Arts in La Jolla, CA.

Emma Stone will play only eight more performances of "Sally Bowles" in Roundabout Theatre Company's (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) CABARET. After Stone's final performance on February 15, 2015, Sienna Miller ("American Sniper," After Miss Julie) will take over the role of "Sally Bowles" opposite Alan Cumming in the seedy Kit Kat Klub at Studio 54, beginning February 17, 2015.

Broadway In Chicago has announced that producers Paul Blake and Sony/ATV Music Publishing will be holding a nationwide open casting call for the most sought-after role on Broadway, the title role in BEAUTIFUL-The Carole King Musical, about the early life and career of the legendary and groundbreaking singer/songwriter.

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: APPLICATION PENDING, opening tonight, showcases Christina Bianco's versatility, JOHN & JEN and ROCKET TO THE MOON begin off-Broadway, BEAUTIFUL starts performances in the West End and more!

The world premiere of Application Pending, a new comedy by Greg Edwards & Andy Sandberg about the hilariously cutthroat world of kindergarten admissions at New York private schools, officially opens tonight, February 10, 2015 at the Westside Theatre (407 W 43rd St, New York, NY 10036). Application Pending is playing a limited engagement through April 19, 2015.

Tony® Award-winner Michael Cerveris ('Bruce Bechdel'), three time Tony® Award nominee Judy Kuhn ('Helen Bechdel'), Beth Malone ('Alison'), Obie Award-winner Sydney Lucas ('Small Alison'), Emily Skeggs ('Medium Alison'), and more will reprise their roles from The Public Theater's acclaimed production of Fun Home on Broadway this Spring. Joel Perez and Roberta Colindrez will also return to the cast, with Zell Morrow and Oscar Williams joining the production as Alison's brothers John and Christian respectively. With music by four-time Tony® Award nominee Jeanine Tesori, a book and lyrics by Tony® Award nominee Lisa Kron and direction by Drama Desk nominee Sam Gold, Fun Home will now begin preview performances at the Circle in the Square Theatre (1633 Broadway, NYC) on Friday, March 27th, with an official opening night set for Sunday, April 19th. Check out promo photos of the cast below!

Today we are celebrating the incredibly accomplished multi-award-winning performer, composer and lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Jonathan Christenson's Edgar Allan Poe fantasia suffers from an unyieldingly somber tone.

Women's Project Theater, under the leadership of newly-appointed Producing Artistic Director Lisa McNulty, is pleased to present the World Premiere of BRIGHT HALF LIFE - a new play by Pulitzer Prize nominee Tanya Barfield and directed by Tony Award nominee Leigh Silverman - in a five-week limited engagement at New York City Center Stage II (131 W. 55th Street) from Tuesday, February 17 to March 22, 2015. Opening night is set for Wednesday, February 25. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsal!

This two-man tour de force musical comedy mystery is killing it on stage at The Old Globe in San Diego - or, rather, it's killing someone - and that someone is none other than Great American Novelist, Arthur Whitney. Unfortunately, this is one birthday party the much-hated author will never get to enjoy since he takes a bullet to the head in the first few minutes of the musical with all of his guests in attendance.