John Caird News

Muny Executive Producer Mike Isaacson announced today the directors, choreographers and music directors for the Muny's 2014 Season, which opens on June 16 with Billy Elliot The Musical. "We're so happy these exciting artists are creating our 2014 season," said Isaacson. "This is a challenging season, one with incredible variety and power. We're fortunate that such extraordinary talents will be creating our 'Muny Magic.'"

Rehearsals begin Monday, January 13 in New York for Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed new production of Alain Boublil & Claude-Michel Schonberg's Tony Award-winning musical masterpiece LES MISERABLES, which returns to Broadway beginning Saturday, March 1 at the Imperial Theatre. The official opening night for LES MISERABLES is Sunday, March 23. The cast of the new LES MIZ features Ramin Karimloo (West End and current acclaimed Toronto star of LES MISERABLES, and The Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies in London) as Jean Valjean; Will Swenson (Tony Award-nominated star of Broadway's Hair and Priscilla Queen of the Desert) as Javert; Caissie Levy (West End and Broadway star of Ghost and Hair and Elphaba in Broadway's Wicked) as Fantine; Nikki M. James (Tony Award winner for The Book of Mormon) as Eponine; Andy Mientus (who captured the hearts of TV viewers with his portrayal of Kyle Bishop on the NBC series 'Smash') as Marius; talented newcomer Charlotte Maltby as Cosette; acclaimed Canadian actor Cliff Saunders (The 39 Steps) as Thenardier; Tony Award-nominee Keala Settle (Hands on a Hardbody) as Madame Thenardier and Kyle Scatliffe, (the West End production of The Scottsboro Boys) as the revolutionary Enjolras.

Sol Children Theatre, Evening Star Productions, and the companies' artistic director Rosalie Grant are not resting on any laurels. Grant, winner this year of the South Florida Theatre League's newly established Remy Award as the Outstanding Contributor to Children's Theatre, has two productions in the planned for February and March, and another ten in the works through December 2014.

Award-winning Broadway, film and TV actor Tony Plana (Ugly Betty) and actor-singer-comedian Ada Maris are among singers slated to perform the songs of writer/composer Paul Cozby Monday, Jan. 27, at 8 p.m. at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. Lone Star Theatre Co. presents the evening in its "Texas Music/New York Stages" series-Only Humans Like My Music-The Songs of Paul Cozby.

Additional casting was announced today for Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed new production of Alain Boublil & Claude-Michel Schonberg's Tony Award-winning musical masterpiece LES MISERABLES, which returns to Broadway beginning Saturday, March 1 at the Imperial Theatre (249 West 45th Street). The official opening night for LES MISERABLES is Sunday, March 23.

Former Broadway Les Miserables cast members Deborah Bradshaw and Craig Schulman lend a hand in the Cumberland County College Theater Arts Department for their production of Les Miserables.

Move over Grinch; Santa Claus is coming to town and taking up residence at Rubicon Theatre in Ventura! Rubicon's November/ December HOLIDAY CENTRAL calendar offers a sparkling array of more than 35 shows and events for all ages. The festivities begin with the return of a holiday revue with six Broadway singers and a local children's chorus; followed by a late-night adult comedy presented in a cabaret setting; a poetic reading of wartime love letters; and culminating with an enchanting new musical from the Tony and Olivier Award-winning director of Les Miserables and Nicholas Nickleby and the creators of Jane Eyre and Daddy Long Legs, who will have a five-week residency at Rubicon during the holidays.

St. James Theatre & Barry Satchwell-Smith have just announced that one of Britain's most popular musical stars, Marti Webb, will perform the original production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black's classic Tell Me On a Sunday from 7-12 January 2014. Tickets go on sale on Friday 22 November. Press night is on 8 January 2014.

Casting is complete for the leads of the upcoming 2014 Broadway revival of LES MISERABLES, and Cameron Mackintosh announced today that acclaimed Canadian actor Cliff Saunders (The 39 Steps) and Tony Award-nominee Keala Settle (Hands on a Hardbody), will play the Thenardiers in his new production of Alain Boublil & Claude-Michel Schonberg's Tony Award-winning musical.

Rubicon Theatre Company is expanding its reach into several Ventura County communities as it plays host to 150 children and family members from surrounding areas. On November 29th, The Angel Heart Foundation and Marion Witte are sponsoring an afternoon of activities at Rubicon Theatre for families who have not previously been exposed to a live-theatre production. The event will include a matinee production of A RUBICON FAMILY CHRISTMAS, photos with Santa, Frosty and Rudolph, snacks and refreshments as well as a personalized gift bag for each child.

Move over Grinch; Santa Claus is coming to town and taking up residence at Rubicon Theatre in Ventura! Rubicon's November/ December HOLIDAY CENTRAL calendar offers a sparkling array of more than 35 shows and events for all ages. The festivities begin with the return of a holiday revue with six Broadway singers and a local children's chorus; followed by a late-night adult comedy presented in a cabaret setting; a poetic reading of wartime love letters; and culminating with an enchanting new musical from the Tony and Olivier Award-winning director of Les Miserables and Nicholas Nickleby and the creators of Jane Eyre and Daddy Long Legs, who will have a five-week residency at Rubicon during the holidays.

Move over Grinch; Santa Claus is coming to town and taking up residence at Rubicon Theatre in Ventura! Rubicon's November/ December HOLIDAY CENTRAL calendar offers a sparkling array of more than 35 shows and events for all ages. The festivities begin with the return of a holiday revue with six Broadway singers and a local children's chorus; followed by a late-night adult comedy presented in a cabaret setting; a poetic reading of wartime love letters; and culminating with an enchanting new musical from the Tony and Olivier Award-winning director of Les Miserables and Nicholas Nickleby and the creators of Jane Eyre and Daddy Long Legs, who will have a five-week residency at Rubicon during the holidays.

Today we are talking to a top-tier Tony Award-winning talent known for an incredibly accomplished resume ranging from noted performances in original musicals to reinvented revival roles and beyond - the dignified and dynamic Victoria Clark. Discussing many of her most celebrated dramatic, comedic and musical turns to date, Clark recalls an astounding life in the theatre - ranging from her Broadway debut in the unforgettable original production of Sondheim's iconic SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE to the hit revivals of GUYS & DOLLS and HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING to originating memorable parts in the Broadway productions of TITANIC, THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, SISTER ACT and CINDERELLA, to name just a few of the highlights so far. On the latter note, Clark outlines her experiences in her most recent Broadway musical foray, that of the beloved Fairy Godmother in Rodgers & Hammerstein's classic CINDERELLA, as well as illuminates her acclaimed run in the Los Angeles transfer of the most recent revival of FOLLIES and her Sondheim work in general (SWEENEY TODD, too). Most importantly, Clark sheds some light on her compelling character in the new drama THE SNOW GEESE and relates candid stories of sharing the stage with co-stars and fellow vets Danny Burstein and Mary-Louise Parker, among others. Plus, Clark looks ahead to the upcoming TITANIC reunion concert and imparts her excitement for the project as well as comments on some of her most memorable film roles while also sharing first news of future plans - which include directing herself - and muses on some potential roles she would enjoy bringing to the stage in the future, near and far; HELLO, DOLLY! or MAME, maybe? All of that and much, much more in this career-spanning conversation with one of Broadway's best grande dames!

Florida Studio Theatre announces its 13-14 Mainstage Season. Bringing up the front is the Tony Award winning musical MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT, followed by the eye-opening show THURGOOD, the musical DADDY LONG LEGS and finishing out the season is the regional premiere of TWO POINT OH.

Cameron Mackintosh announced today that Andy Mientus, who captured the hearts of TV viewers with his portrayal of Kyle Bishop on the NBC series 'Smash' and talented newcomer Charlotte Maltby will play Marius and Cosette in his acclaimed new production of Alain Boublil & Claude-Michel Schonberg's Tony Award-winning musical masterpiece LES MISERABLES, which returns to Broadway beginning Saturday, March 1 at the Imperial Theatre (249 West 45th Street). Mientus and Maltby join recently announced cast members Ramin Karimloo (Jean Valjean); Will Swenson (Javert); Caissie Levy (Fantine) and Nikki M. James (Eponine) The official opening night for LES MISERABLES is Sunday, March 23. Additional casting, including the roles of Enjolras and the Thenardiers, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Only the greatest opera companies in the world have the resources and orchestral forces to mount the massive and complex masterpieces of Richard Wagner. This month Lyric Opera of Chicago is doing just that with a new production of the German composer's final masterpiece, Parsifal.

Only the greatest opera companies in the world have the resources and orchestral forces to mount the massive and complex masterpieces of Richard Wagner. In November Lyric Opera of Chicago will do just that with a new production of the German composer's final masterpiece, Parsifal.

For anyone who has ever wondered what the view looks like for the actors about to go on from below the vast stage of the West End production of mega-musical sensation LES MISERABLES - the longest-running musical in West End history - then look no further than a new behind-the-scenes glimpse at the legendary trap doors utilized so effectively in Trevor Nunn and John Caird's epic staging of the gigantic show.

November sees Thomas Hampson - a recent inductee into the Gramophone Hall of Fame - return to Lyric Opera of Chicago to help celebrate the Wagner bicentennial, singing Amfortas in the company's new production of Parsifal (Nov 9-29). Wagner's conflicted ruler is one of the baritone's signature roles, and earlier this month he joined Christoph Eschenbach and the National Symphony for a concert rendition of the opera's final act. The results, according to the Washington Times, were a 'revelation.' Awarding the concert full marks, the review singled out Hampson's performance as 'genuinely electrifying, yet moving at the same time.' Similarly, while impressed by the concert as a whole, the Washington Post nonetheless felt that 'it was Thomas Hampson's Amfortas who showed everyone how it is done. ... He effectively carried the end of the evening.' The Washington Times spoke for many in concluding: 'We can confidently assure Lyric Opera patrons that their Amfortas will not disappoint.'

After opening to the season's best reviews and playing to wildly enthusiastic capacity crowds, Cameron Mackintosh's new production of Boublil & Schonberg's masterpiece LES MISERABLES is extending its limited Toronto engagement by six more weeks. LES MISERABLES will now play until February 2, 2014 at the Princess of Wales Theatre. This will be the production's final extension.