John Kander News

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Emma Stone was rumored to be in talks to make her Broadway debut in the upcoming revival of CABARET in the role of Sally Bowles. Now according to the New York Times, Stone has pulled out of the upcoming show. Stone's publicist told NYT that she 'has scheduling conflicts with a feature film that prevent her from joining the musical.'

Beginning on Wednesday June 12th, 2013, Playhouse on Park presents the Tony Award winning musical 'Cabaret' book by Joe Masteroff, Music by John Kander and Lyrics by Fred Ebb. Cabaret is an exciting and fun musical that uniquely explores an era where history was in the making!

'The Scottsboro Boys', featuring Music and Lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb and Book by David Thompson, will be directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman at CTG's Ahmanson Theatre. The show opens tonight, May 29. It will conclude its run on June 30, 2013.

SILENCE! THE MUSICAL will play a special added holiday performance today at the Elektra Theatre in the heart of Times Square. The show, which normally plays at 5 PM on Sundays, will have two performances today at 2 & 7 PM. Winner of the 2012 Off Broadway Alliance Award for Best Musical, SILENCE! is the unauthorized parody of THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, with book byHunter Bell, music & lyrics by Jon and Al Kaplan, and direction & choreography by Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli. After opening initially at Theatre 80 on July 9, 2011 to unanimous rave reviews, the show immediately became a sold-out phenomenon and was selected by Time Magazine as one of the year's Top 5 Musicals.

When the residents of the New Sussex Arms, an Upper West Side retirement hotel, discover it's slated to be sold, they know they have to stop it. But how? They can't afford to buy it. Or can they? They hatch a scheme to steal furs from New York City stores, planning to use the profits to buy it themselves. This final presentation of

Today we are presenting a specially-focused InDepth InterView centering upon Audra McDonald's sensational new solo album, GO BACK HOME, which is available now and will be accompanied by a PBS TV special tonight, featuring the five-time Tony Award-winning performer at her very, very best. McDonald and I parse the finer points of GO BACK HOME, analyzing the song selection process itself as well as the meanings behind the myriad masterful musical moments present on the new release and what inspired her exquisite performances of these songs by Broadway's absolute best. McDonald also shares stories and insights into composers covered on GO BACK HOME, including frequent collaborators Stephen Sondheim, Michael John LaChiusa and Adam Guettel as well as Kander & Ebb, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Jule Styne, Comden & Green and many more. In addition to all about GO BACK HOME, McDonald and I also discuss the two brand new compositions on the album originating in the new specially-penned solo musical written expressly for her by LaChiusa, MARLENE DIETRICH'S ABC, and what the future potentially holds for that fascinating stage endeavor and take a look back at her other LaChiusa musicals, MARIE CHRISTINE, SEND (WHO ARE YOU? I LOVE YOU) and specialty material included. Also, McDonald fills us in on her recent and upcoming film appearances, such as last year's RAMPART with Woody Harrelson and the upcoming I FOUGHT THE LAW. Plus, McDonald expresses her enthusiasm for her continuing role as host of LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER, reveals her opinions on the current movie musical renaissance and the popularity of GLEE, as well as clues us in on her iPod favorites, practicing playing the piano to relax and the possibility of even accompanying herself onstage someday, reflections on Laura Nyro and other favorite pop artists, future plans to pursue more Shakespeare onstage (and musings on what parts), the distinct possibility of essaying the title role in GYPSY sometime soon, appearing on the web series IT COULD BE WORSE - and much, much more!

'The Scottsboro Boys' is currently running at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre at the Los Angeles Music Center. Opening night is May 29 and performances run through June 30, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the show below.

New Dramatists, Tony Honor recipient and the nation's premiere playwright development workshop, just honored entertainment lawyer and New Dramatists Chairman of the Board Seth Gelblum with their 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award at its 64th Annual Spring Luncheon tribute, earlier today, May 21 at the New York Marriott Marquis. Among those performing tributes were Tony Award nominee Keith Carradine (Hands on a Hardbody, The Will Rogers Follies) and Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins (Caroline, or Change; Jelly's Last Jam). The event co-chairs are Roger Berlind, Roy Furman, and Barry and Fran Weissler. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the festivities below!

'The Scottsboro Boys' begins previews tonight, May 21 at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre at the Los Angeles Music Center. Opening night is May 29 and performances run through June 30, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

Phone rings. Door chimes. In comes Company, one of legendary composer Stephen Sondheim's most beloved musicals, produced at Signature Theatre for the first time in twenty years and directed by Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer. The cast of fourteen, led by Matthew Scott (First You Dream: The Music of Kander & Ebb; Side By Side By Sondheim) in the role of Bobby, features many of Signature's most well-known stars in an enchanting, deeply funny exploration of love and marriage.

'The Scottsboro Boys' begins previews tonight, May 21 at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre at the Los Angeles Music Center. Opening night is May 29 and performances run through June 30, 2013.

New Dramatists, Tony Honor recipient and the nation's premiere playwright development workshop, has announced that they will honor entertainment lawyer and New Dramatists Chairman of the Board Seth Gelblum with their 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award at its 64th Annual Spring Luncheon tribute, to be held today, May 21 at the New York Marriott Marquis. Among those performing tributes will be Tony Award nominee Keith Carradine (Hands on a Hardbody, The Will Rogers Follies) and Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins (Caroline, or Change; Jelly's Last Jam). The event co-chairs are Roger Berlind, Roy Furman, and Barry and Fran Weissler.

Broadway favorite Audra McDonald is set to release 'Go Back Home', her first solo record in seven years on May 21. BroadwayWorld brings you an exclusive listen to one of the album's tracks, 'Go Back Home' from The Scottsboro Boys with music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb.

Theater Latte Da announced yesterday that a season of four adventures in musical storytelling and the continuation of a major new work development program will comprise its 16th Season. Slated for production are Steerage Song at The Lab Theater (September 25 - October 20, 2013), All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 at the Pantages Theatre (December 19-22, 2013), Cabaret at the Pantages Theatre (January 15 - February 9, 2014), and Our Town at The Lab Theater (March 12 - April 6, 2014). In spring 2014, the company will bring back NEXT: New Musicals in the Making, their program to develop new works for the musical theater canon.

Off-Broadway's sellout sensation SILENCE! THE MUSICAL will celebrate its 500th performance at the 2 PM matinee today, May 18th at the Elektra Theatre in the heart of Times Square.

Today we are talking to a five-time Tony Award-winning director/choreographer celebrated for her stupendous work on CRAZY FOR YOU, THE PRODUCERS, CONTACT, THE FROGS, THOU SHALT NOT, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS and many more - the master musicals director Susan Stroman. In discussing a vast array of topics, Stroman and I touch upon many of her past projects as well as look ahead to her current and future endeavors - that is: the forthcoming Broadway bow of the new musical BIG FISH, starring Norbert Leo Butz, as well as the world premiere of Ahrens & Flaherty's LITTLE DANCER next year. Most importantly, Stroman shines a light on her enduring artistic partnership with Mel Brooks in bringing to life the screen-to-stage musical adaptations of both THE PRODUCERS and YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, with BLAZING SADDLES on the way - their rich collaboration also being highlighted in this week's AMERICAN MASTERS tribute to Mel Brooks on PBS. Additionally, Stroman reflects on some of her lesser-known entities and casts a light on some of her foremost influences as well as candidly discusses her specialty work for a bevy of major stars - such as at SONDHEIM: A CELEBRATION AT CARNEGIE HALL in 1992 - and the finer points of working with Stephen Sondheim and Nathan Lane on Sondheim's most recent original Broadway musical, THE FROGS. Plus, Stroman shares first details of her upcoming collaboration with comedy master Woody Allen on the musical stage adaptation of Allen's Academy Award-winning BULLETS OVER BROADWAY and also offers the 411 on the upcoming Los Angeles and West End productions of Kander & Ebb's THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS - including the real-life role the musical has played in the pardoning of the originally accused nine just last month. Stroman also comments on her work with Hal Prince on the career revue PRINCE OF BROADWAY, opening in Japan in 2015, and also touches upon her ongoing desire to pursue a film adaptation of her multi-Tony Award-winning and genre-redefining 2000 Best Musical, CONTACT. All of that and much, much awaits in this wide-ranging conversation!

Tony Award-winning composer/lyricist and rock icon Pete Townshend attended the revival production of his seminal rock opera TOMMY at the Stratford Festival in Canada last night and joined the cast onstage for the curtain call.