Joan Marcus News

Previews are underway for A Soldier's Play, which opens officially on January 21, 2020. This is a limited engagement at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway (227 West 42nd Street).

Lincoln Center Theater, under the direction of André Bishop is producing the new musical FLYING OVER SUNSET during its 2019-2020 season.  FLYING OVER SUNSET, with a book and direction by James Lapine, music by Tom Kitt, and lyrics by Michael Korie, will feature choreography by Michelle Dorrance, and will begin previews March 12, 2020 and open on Thursday, April 16, 2020 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater (150 West 65 Street).  Carmen Cusack, Harry Hadden-Paton and Tony Yazbeck will head the cast.

Today's subject John Bell is currently living his theatre life as the musical director for the Bartlett Sher directed touring production of My Fair Lady which plays in the Opera House at the Kennedy Center now through January 19th.

Lin-Manuel Miranda's epic masterpiece Hamilton - the Broadway behemoth that continues to take the theater world by storm one city at a time, one stage at a time - has settled into its multi-week run at Nashville's Tennessee Performing Arts Center.

The first national tour of the MEAN GIRLS musical has arrived in Chicago, and it's totally fetch. Original screenwriter Tina Fey has partnered with composer Jeff Richmond (her husband), lyricist Nell Benjamin, and director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw to create a show in line with its pop musical contemporaries. MEAN GIRLS has an unabashedly pop score, filled with a combination of big belty numbers and upbeat tunes. Benjamin's lyrics cleverly recreate many iconic moments from the original 2003 film through music, while Fey's book also introduces many new jokesa?'particularly when it comes to the use of social media. Cady Heron's initiation into the vicious halls of North Shore High, and her encounter with reigning clique The Plastics, will surely delight fans of the movie.

Jersey Boys, directed by Des McAnuff, is a typical, fast paced jukebox musical full of popular songs, but the storyline doesn't hit the right notes.

'These are songs that really did shape a generation...and I think people will really connect with the story as well as the songs.'

Broadway power couple, publicist Adrian Bryan-Brown and photographer Joan Marcus, are featured in this episode of 'THEATER: All the Moving Parts', hosted by Patrick Pacheco. Adrian is a publicist who, with his business partner, Chris Boneau, runs a press office which has been responsible for over 400 award-winning productions. Joan has photographed hundreds of plays and musicals, on Broadway, Off-Broadway and around the world. And they share the distinction of being the first couple to be awarded individual Tony Honors for their contributions. Hear them tell delightful stories about how they respectively do their best work as they try to maintain a sane home life. The show dazzles with Joan's photographs of top plays and musicals, among them 'The Ferryman', 'The Rose Tattoo', and a?oeHamilton.a?? i??

Today's subject Corey Greenan is currently living his theatre life in a show he is very familiar with. He portrays Tommy DeVito in the current National Tour of Jersey Boys. Read on to see how many performances of the show he has under his belt. The show is currently playing at the National Theatre and will continue there through Jan 5 2020.

The North American tour of Lincoln Center Theater's critically-acclaimed production of Lerner & Loewe's My Fair Lady will open tomorrow, Thursday, December 19, at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production! Check out all new photos and video!

Broadway actress Jennifer Damiano will perform at Holmdel Theatre Companys Broadway at the Barn Series on January 4.

Good news! BroadwayWorld has just learned that Shoba Narayan will join the company of Wicked tonight, December 16, as Nessarose. She steps into the silver shoes of Gizel Jiménez, who departs the show to star in Bliss at Seattle 5th Avenue Theatre.

There is indeed a lot of plot in the world premiere of 'The Plot' at the Yale Repertory Theatre now through December 21, especially for a play by Will Eno. The author of 'Thom Pain (based on nothing),' 'Wakey, Wakey,' and 'Title and Deed' confused and confounded audiences with those plays, while impressing them with a precision of language that earned him the title of 'a Samuel Beckett of the Jon Stewart generation.'

Do you want to see Jonalyn Saxer fit her entire fist into her mouth? Actually, I don't know if the actor can do that, but she is showcasing her talents in the principal role of Karen Smith in the national tour of MEAN GIRLS (Fans of the original 2003 film will recognize that opening line as one of Karen's many now famous tidbits). Now, Saxer is delivering Karen's signature brand of humor eight nights a week—and singing many of the jokes. With book from original screenwriter Tina Fey, music by Jeff Richmond, lyrics from LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL lyricist Nell Benjamin, and direction and choreography from Casey Nicholaw, the first ever national tour of MEAN GIRLS arrives in Chicago on Christmas Day. I caught up with Saxer in advance of the show's arrival to talk about her experiences with the musical and how she found her unique voice in the role of Karen.

This holiday season; skip the presents under the tree. All I want is tickets to Fiddler on the Roof at the National Theatre.

Today's subject Ted Sperling is very well represented this holiday season here in DC. He is the Musical Director/New Orchestrator for Fiddler on the Roof which plays through December 15th at the National Theatre. Beginning December 17th his work as Musical Supervisor can be heard on My Fair Lady at Kennedy Center. That show runs through Jan 19th.

Yale Repertory Theatre (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) presents the world premiere of THE PLOT by Will Eno, directed by Oliver Butler, November 29-December 21, at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street). Opening Night is Thursday, December 5.

Once on this Island is a beautiful and heart-wrenching story of love, loss, belief, and sacrifice. With music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, Once on this Island won the 1995 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical. Director Michael Arden describes their process of working on the revival, explaining, 'Once On This Island is the story of how one seemingly insignificant girl becomes myth and legend for survivors of a wounded and healing island and how the good we do can echo and reverberate long after our lives are over.' As part of the North America tour, Once on this Island is playing at Hershey Theatre through December 8th.

Producers Simon Painter, Tim Lawson, MagicSpace Entertainment, and The Works Entertainment have once again brought The Illusionists – Magic Of The Holidays back to Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre (250 W. 52nd Street) for a record fifth holiday season of fun and amazement for the whole family to enjoy.

Time stands still but life goes on might be one way of looking at Will Eno's charming and sweetly philosophical The Underlying Chris, receiving a fine premiere production directed by Kenny Leon at Second Stage.