John Kander News

Williamstown Theatre Festival announced today that this year's Benefit will honor Award-winning director and frequent WTF collaborator Scott Ellis, on Monday, November 18th at 6:30 p.m. at the Edison Ballroom in New York City (240 West 47th Street). The evening will be hosted by Julie White, who won a Tony Award for her performance in the Ellis-helmed production of The Little Dog Laughed, and will include appearances by Tony Award-winners Chita Rivera, Susan Stroman, Rupert Holmes and more.

THE LANDING -- which marks John Kander's first full new theatre collaboration with another writer since the passing of his long-time collaborator Fred Ebb in 2004 --opened on October 23rd at Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) and runs through November 24. In the video below, David Hyde Piece, Julia Murney and more chat about the new show!

Bay Area Cabaret invites audiences to CHITA RIVERA: A LEGENDARY CELEBRATION, lauding a theatrical icon and one of Broadway's greatest triple-threat talents, as the fabulous Chita Rivera returns in a unique solo concert event celebrating her 80th Birthday.

The cast of Chicago has arrived at Leicester's Curve theatre today for the rehearsals of the hotly anticipated Christmas production and centre piece of the theatre's 5th Birthday Season. Check out promo shots below!

CHICAGO returns to PlayhouseSquare for ONE WEEK ONLY, January 7-12, 2014 as part of the U.S. Bank Star Performance Series. Producers Barry and Fran Weissler announce that the suave, debonair, award-winning actor and star of stage, TV & film, John O'Hurley will return to the road to reprise the role of Billy Flynn at PlayhouseSquare in Cleveland.

The Young Vic and Catherine Schreiber opened the UK premiere of The Scottsboro Boys, directed by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman. The production stars original Broadway cast members Colman Domingo, who reprises his Tony Award nominated role of Mr. Bones, and Forrest McClendon, who plays Mr. Tambo. Also in the Young Vic cast fresh from Broadway are Christian Dante-White (Charles Weems) and Clinton Roane (Roy Wright).

Today in 2010, The Scottsboro Boys opened at the Lyceum Theatre, where it ran for 49 performances. The Scottsboro Boys is a musical with a book by David Thompson, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. Based on the Scottsboro Boys trial, the musical is one of the last collaborations between Kander and Ebb prior to the latter's death. The musical has the framework of a minstrel show, altered to 'create a musical social critique.' Despite closing on Broadway in December 2010, the show received twelve Tony Award nominations in May 2011, but failed to win any.

This week, Theater Talk focuses on The Vineyard Theatre's acclaimed production of The Landing, the newest work by Tony Award-winning composer John Kander - and his first full collaboration without his late songwriting partner Fred Ebb. In addition to Kander, the guests are the show's librettist/lyricist Greg Pierce, director Walter Bobbie, and star David Hyde Pierce (who is also Greg Pierce's uncle), who talk to Theater Talk co hosts Michael Riedel and Susan Haskins about creating this production. The Landing is an evening of three one-act chamber musicals, each with a twist, and in this interview Theater Talk's guests each share about his role in bringing the inventive show, that Ben Brantley called "an elegantly slender production," to life.

Last night at the Neptune Theatre, the Puget Sound theatre community celebrated outstanding performances and talents with the largest audience ever! The 5th Annual Gregory Awards included a new house band, a surprised Laura Campbell, recipient of the Melissa Hines Award for outstanding theatre practitioner, a great line-up of local favorites and the following recipients by category:

One of Broadway's greatest productions returns! Alan Cumming ('The Good Wife,' Roundabout's The Threepenny Opera) reprises his Tony-winning performance as the Emcee in Sam Mendes' (Skyfall, American Beauty) and Rob Marshall's (Nine and Chicago, the films) Tony-winning production of Cabaret. Three-time Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn, Brokeback Mountain) also stars, making her Broadway debut as Sally Bowles, alongside Tony nominees Danny Burstein (Follies, South Pacific) and Linda Emond (Death of a Salesman, Life (x) 3). Right this way, your table's waiting at John Kander, Fred Ebb and Joe Masteroff's Tony-winning musical about following your heart while the world loses its way.

Nancy Rhodes, Artistic Director of Encompass New Opera Theatre, and and Honorary Chairs Harold Prince, Stephen Sondheim and Maury Yeston honored legendary lyricist, librettist and composer Sheldon Harnick last night, October 28. Starring in the Musical Salute were Kennedy Center Award Honoree/Tony Award winner Barbara Cook, four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein, Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, record setting multi-Tony Award winner Harold Prince, beloved TV and Stage Icon Charlotte Rae, multiple Academy, Grammy, Drama Desk Award winner Stephen Schwartz, Academy and Grammy Award winner David Shire and nine time Tony Award winner Tommy Tune among others. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from inside the event below!

CHICAGO, which opened to rave reviews on November 14, 1996, now has the distinction of being the longest running American musical in Broadway history and shows no sign of slowing down. The purely entertaining show returns to Segerstrom Center for the Arts January 28 - February 2, 2014 and will star award-winning actor and star of stage, TV & film, John O' Hurley, reprising the role of Billy Flynn.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum will take the stage at the Shakespeare Theatre Company this holiday season. Making his STC mainstage directing debut, STC Associate Director Alan Paul heads up the hilarious and fun musical farce based on the classic plays of ancient Roman playwright Plautus. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum will play at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW) from November 21, 2013-January 5, 2014.

Highlights this week include the Matilda's being drawn at Sardis, A TIME TO KILL, THE LANDING, and FROM HERE TO ETERNITY opening, and a marriage proposal for Allison Case!

Review Roundup: THE LANDING...All The Reviews!

THE LANDING -- which marks John Kander's first full new theatre collaboration with another writer since the passing of his long-time collaborator Fred Ebb in 2004 --opened last night, October 23rd atVineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) BroadwayWorld was there for the opening night festivities and you can check out photos from the after party below!

THE LANDING -- which marks John Kander's first full new theatre collaboration with another writer since the passing of his long-time collaborator Fred Ebb in 2004 --opened last night, October 23rd at Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) BroadwayWorld was there for the opening night festivities and you can check out phoso from the theatre arrivals below!

THE LANDING -- which marks John Kander's first full new theatre collaboration with another writer since the passing of his long-time collaborator Fred Ebb in 2004 --opened last night, October 23rd atVineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) BroadwayWorld was there for the opening night festivities and you can check out photos from the curtain call below!