Joan Marcus News

BroadwayWorld Chicago sits down with star of "The Book of Mormon" in Chicago and former "American Idol" finalist, Syesha Mercado, to talk about playing Nabulungi, her time in Chicago, and more!

With a cast of over 200 combining professionals and clients from the city's social service organizations, The Tempest rejoices in New York's cultural diversity.

Betsy Wolfe and Adam Kantor will reprise their roles as Cathy and Jamie in Jason Robert Brown's THE LAST FIVE YEARS in a concert version at 54 Below, running October 16 - 19, 2013.

In March 2011, Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone's joyfully irreverent, soulfully blasphemous, and wholly scandalous comedy THE BOOK OF MORMON took Broadway by storm, going on to win 9 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Score. The musical quickly developed a ravenous parish of fans that simply couldn't get enough of the bawdy spectacle, and left many around the nation counting the days until the First National Tour kicked off. After a short two-and-a-half year wait, Houston audiences are getting their chance to experience the production, and judging by last night's reaction, we couldn't be more enthusiastic or pleased. Now holding a coveted spot as one of the best musicals I have ever seen, this show was definitely worth the wait!

Playwrights Horizons presents the New York Premiere Production of Mr. Burns, A POST-ELECTRIC PLAY, a new play by Anne Washburn (The Internationalist), with music by Obie Award winner Michael Friedman (Saved at PH; Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson; the currentLoves' Labours Lost at Shakespeare in the Park), directed by Obie Award winner Steve Cosson (Gone Missing, This Beautiful City, founding Artistic Director of The Civilians). Mr. Burns will be presented as the first production of the theater company's 2013-2014 Season. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Producers Kevin McCollum, Doug Morris and Berry Gordy are proud to announce 'Makin' It Motown,' a nationwide open call casting search for African American singers for both the Broadway production of MOTOWN THE MUSICAL and the upcoming national tour, with a rare opportunity to audition for this hit Broadway musical at the Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph) on Saturday, September 14. The first national tour will launch in Chicago in April 2014 at the Oriental Theatre.

The Broadway blockbuster WICKED will play its 4,093rd performance on Wednesday evening, September 4th, surpassing MISS SAIGON to become the 11th longest-running show in Broadway history.

Writers Theatre opens its 2013-14 season with the Midwest Premiere of The Old Man and The Old Moon, a new play with music by PigPen Theatre Co., directed by Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden and PigPen Theatre Co, and presented by Writers Theatre and TOMATOM LLC. The show runs tonight, September 3 - November 10, 2013, at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The Press Opening is September 12, 2013 at 7:30pm.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: Chenoweth takes over LA, Shakespeare is back on Broadway, VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA ANS SPIKE takes a final bow, and so much more!

The producers of the Broadway hit PIPPIN are pleased to congratulate two-time Tony Award winner Andrea Martin who will depart the production following the Sunday, September 22nd performance to lead the cast of the new Global TV series 'Working the Engels,' which will film in Toronto. A replacement for the role of 'Berthe' in PIPPIN will be announced soon. The show is currently playing at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street).

Signature Theatre presents the world premiere of stop. reset., running August 20 through September 29, 2013 with a September 8 opening night in The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues). Written and directed by Regina Taylor, the play features cast members Michi Barall(Signature's Queens Boulevard, An Oresteia) as Deb, Teagle Bougere (Wings, A Raisin in the Sun) as Chris, Ismael Cruz Cordova ('The Good Wife') as J., LaTanya Richardson Jackson (The Fighting Temptations) as Jan, Carl Lumbly (Jitney, 'Alias') as Alex Ames and Donald Sage MacKay ('Scrubs') as Tim. Check out a first look at the cast in action below!

Houston, it is a new theatre season and Theatre Under the Stars is kicking off theirs with the fabulously fun PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT THE MUSICAL. This heartwarming musical follows a trio of friends as they embark on a life-changing journey to the Australian outback, and it incorporates genuine themes of self-acceptance, belonging, community, camaraderie, and family. Comprised of popular hit songs from the 60's to the 90's, PRISCILLA is one glitzy party from beginning to end with a little something for everyone. Playing Tick/Mitzi, Wade McCollum took time out of his busy schedule to talk PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT THE MUSICAL and to let Houston audiences know what they can expect when the party comes to town.

Horton Foote's THE OLD FRIENDS, directed by Michael Wilson runs now through October 6, 2013 with a September 12 opening night in The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues). BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

A new season rich with laughter and compelling drama was announced today for the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum by Michael Ritchie, CTG Artistic Director.

As of the performance last Friday, August 23rd, the Tony, Olivier and Grammy Award-winning Best Musical JERSEY BOYS surpassed Life with Father with 3,225 performances, becoming the 16th longest-running show in Broadway history.

Beneath the rollicking good time (not to mention the sequined glitz and flashy feathers) of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, the Musical, is a story about the difficulties of living an authentic life when you don't fit into the social norm. In this case that norm is the hetero world of 1990s Australia where two gay men and one trans woman, drag queens all, team up to take a trip through the outback in order to perform at a casino owned by, of all people, the wife of one of the queens. Enter 'Priscilla' a dilapidated bus that's a traveling dressing room and bar for the trio of performers. Road trip! Playing now through August 31 at the Orpheum Theatre, Priscilla Queen of the Desert is boy-sterous, outrageous, campy fun, but it also heartwarming and touching.

Principal cast changes have been announced for the Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, the longest-running show in Broadway history. Produced by Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Group, Inc. and directed by Harold Prince, the musical phenomenon this year celebrated an unprecedented 25 Years in New York, where it plays at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street). The following principal cast updates take effect today.

TUTS Underground announces the final show that will steam up its 2013-2014 season. Murder Ballad, the sultry story of passion's dark side, is set to run in Hobby Center's 500-seat Zilkha Hallfrom April 15 - 27, 2014.

There's an old show business adage that if you give the audience a strong ending, they'll forgive most anything that came before. And it's a good thing that still holds true for "Sister Act" currently playing at the Paramount Theatre as the top of the show was filled with painfully forced dialog and exposition but the show managed to break that habit (pun intended) and end on a much stronger note. Not brilliant but stronger.

SISTER ACT, the family friendly, over the top spectacle with nuns that rock, opens at The Paramount Theatre tonight, August 20th for a limited engagement!