Joan Marcus News

The funny and frisky new musical comedy sends a welcome blast of cooling hipness into Broadway's summer.

The Tony Award winning Best Revival of a Musical PIPPIN will help kick off 'Back to School' shopping at Bloomingdale's (1000 3rd Ave, NYC) with a special event today, August 8th from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

ONCE, the Tony and Grammy Award winning Best New Musical, has announced 'ONCE WEEK' Tuesday, August 20; Wednesday, August 21; Thursday, August 22 and Friday, August 23.

Manhattan Theatre Club's sold out, critically acclaimed production of Tarell Alvin McCraney's CHOIR BOY begins its final week of performances tonight at 7:30 PM. The critically acclaimed play with gospel music directed by Trip Cullman currently plays at The Studio at Stage II - Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Series at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street) through Sunday, August 11. When it ends its run on that date, the production will have played 17 preview and 47 regular performances.

My Name Is Asher Lev (www.AsherLevThePlay.com) will conclude its critically acclaimed run at The Westside Theatre (407 W. 43rd Street) on September 1st. My Name Is Asher Lev began performances on November 8, 2012 and will have played 341 performances.

Tune in to see the Arthur Darvill and Joanna Christie, the stars of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning Best musical ONCE, on Fox-5's 'Good Day New York' tomorrow, Tuesday, August 6, in the 9am hour.

This is the last week to see the new musical comedy, NOBODY LOVES YOU, at Second Stage Theatre. The production, which Newsday calls,"Delightful - a refreshing, 90-minute musical for a hot summer night," features book and lyrics by Itamar Moses, music and lyrics by Gaby Alter, choreography by Mandy Moore, and direction by Michelle Tattenbaum. NOBODY LOVES YOU is playing at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43rd Street). For subscription or ticket information, please call the Second Stage Box Office at 212-246-4422 or visit the company's website, www.2ST.com.

Today we salute one of Broadway best-loved leading ladies now that she is back treading the boards as Miss Hannigan in the current revival of ANNIE, the simply divine Faith Prince.

The Tony Award winning Best Revival of a Musical PIPPIN will help kick off "Back to School" shopping at Bloomingdale's (1000 3rd Ave, NYC) with a special event on Thursday, August 8th from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. In addition to unveiling four PIPPIN-themed window displays on 3rdAvenue featuring costumes from the show, cast members will be on hand at 5:30 p.m. to perform a few song selections. The event will also boast fun circus-themed activities for the whole family including face painting, juggling and various contests. Bloomingdale's shoppers who spend $350 or more in women's fashion will receive a voucher, good for two tickets, to see PIPPIN on Broadway, while supplies last.

The Public Theater's production of the new musical LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST, the second show of The Public's 2013 free Shakespeare in the Park season at the Delacorte, recently began previews on July 23. Directed by Alex Timbers, LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST features songs by Michael Friedman with book adaptation by Timbers and will run through Sunday, August 18, with an official opening on Monday, August 12. Check out a first look at the cast in action below!

Sh-K-Boom / Ghostlight Records will release the 2013 Off-Broadway cast recording of the hit Second Stage Theatre production of The Last Five Years, created and directed by Jason Robert Brown, both in stores and via online outlets on September 24. Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) extended this production starring Adam Kantor and Betsy Wolfe three times. To pre-order the album, please visit www.sh-k-boom.com/thelastfiveyears-new.html.

Jason Rabinowitz, Christina Sajous, Jennifer Sanchez, Frederick Weller and Renee Elise Goldsberry have been getting great reviews and audience reactions in I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road, the final Encores! Off-Center presentation of the 2013 season. Today, Michael Riedel reports that the successful response might earn the show a transfer.

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 September 3 - November 10, 2013, at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The Press Opening is September 12, 2013 at 7:30pm.

The producers of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS are pleased to announce that Dominic Scaglione Jr. and Joseph Leo Bwarie will assume the role of Frankie Valli in the Broadway cast today, July 30, 2013.

As BroadwayWorld previously announced, Dominic Scaglione Jr. will assume the role of Frankie Valli in the Broadway cast beginning tomorrow Tuesday, July 30, 2013. A veteran of the Broadway company, Mr. Scaglione previously played this role to great acclaim in the Chicago and Las Vegas productions. BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at Scaglione in action below!

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, will welcome Marni Raab back to the cast as Christine tonight, July 29. The musical phenomenon this year celebrated an unprecedented 25 Years in New York, where it plays at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street).

Lilla Crawford will take her final bow as Broadway's Annie today, July 28 at the Palace Theatre (Broadway at 47th Street). Taylor Richardson and Sadie Sink will share the title role, beginning performances on Tuesday, July 30.

The second wave of feminism not only brought issues of reproductive rights and social inequality into the forefront of American conversation, it also produced the first hit Off-Broadway musical completely written by women.

The Public Theater presents the critically acclaimed world premiere musical Here Lies Love, with concept and lyrics by David Byrne, music by David Byrneand Fatboy Slim, additional music by Tom Gandey and J Pardo, and choreography by Annie-B Parson. Directed by Alex Timbers, Here Lies Love officially opened on Tuesday, April 23 and was extended a fourth and final time to today, July 28.

Joining the production in her PHANTOM debut is Mary Michael Patterson, who will play her first performance on Monday, July 29. Ms. Patterson made her Broadway debut in the recent revival of Anything Goes, including being seen as Hope Harcourt. Her other credits include Liesl in The Sound of Music at Carnegie Hall and leading roles in Regional productions of Sense and Sensibility - The Musical (Marianne Dashwood), White Christmas (Judy Haynes) and Singin' in the Rain(Kathy Selden), as well as seasons at Pittsburgh CLO and The St. Louis MUNY. BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at Patterson in action below!