John Kander News

The Daily Mail reports that director Rufus Norris, fresh off the debut of his film Broken at Cannes, has cast Michelle Ryan as Sally in the upcoming West End revival of Cabaret.

Brent Barrett, SILENCE! The Musical's original Hannibal Lecter, returned to check out the show this past Saturday, May 19th and reunited with his old friends afterward. See below for a photo of Barrett and the cast!

The Boca Raton Theatre Guild's 2012-2013 season will begin with a comedy, and end with a classic. A.R. Gurney's Sylvia, and Kander & Ebb's Chicago will run in September and March at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park.

FREUD'S LAST SESSION, the play by Mark St. Germain, will host a special post-performance discussion at tomorrow's matinee, May 23rd led by one of the show's producers, Jack Thomas, and the production's stars, Mark H. Dold (C. S. Lewis) and Martin Rayner (Sigmund Freud). They will also conduct a Q&A session with the audience.

In celebration of the 100th Chicago performance of the FREUD'S LAST SESSION at the Mercury Theater (3745 N. Southport), the producers will host a Sigmund Freud Look-A-Like contest.

Shuler Hensley, SILENCE! The Musical's newest Hannibal Lecter, took his first look at the show this past Saturday evening, May 19th and he visited his new friends afterward. Hensley is set to star in Off-Broadway's smash hit for four weeks only June 1st through the 24th. See the photos below!

The 20th Anniversary season of New York City Center's Tony Award-winning Encores! series will open on January 30, 2013 with Fiorello!, the show that launched the series in 1994. The season will continue with It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman, followed by On Your Toes. A Gala Encores! at 20 Celebration on November 12, 2012 will star Tony Award nominees and Encores! alumni Rauil Esparza and Kelli O'Hara.

The six-time Tony-winning 1996 Revival of CHICAGO is still earning cheers and packing in audiences both on Broadway (now in its 16th year!) and its still-running national tour--the latter of which has shimmied its way back to L.A. for a return engagement at the Pantages Theatre through May 27. This time, supermodel Christie Brinkley is on board as Roxie Hart. Though it's quite hard not to ignore our lead star's weaker chops, you will no doubt be floored by the incredible, top-notch talent that hovers all around her.

For the very first time, two-time Tony Award winner Chita Rivera brings her concert, Chita Rivera: MY BROADWAY, to The New Jersey Performing Arts Center in the intimate setting of The Chase Room and performs songs from her legendary Broadway career. She will perform two shows only at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM. All tickets are $50 (general admission) and can be ordered by calling 1-888-GO-NJPAC or at www.njpac.org. NJPAC is located at 1 Center Street in Newark, N.J.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: SONS OF THE PROPHET wins big at DCC Awards, Town Hall celebrates 1975, THE NORMAL HEART cast preps for tour, and so much more!

The Muny announced today principal casting for the second show of its 94th season, Chicago (June 25 - July 1), directed and choreographed by Denis Jones.

Life is imitating art for leading man Raza Jaffrey, as CHICAGO producer, Barry Weissler spotted him in the new Steven Spielberg TV series Smash, and immediately offered him the role of Billy Flynn in the West End production of the musical. He just began his run in CHICAGO at the Garrick Theatre and will continue through July 14, playing the role between David Bedella, and Olympian Robin Cousins, who joins on 17 July.

FREUD'S LAST SESSION, the runaway hit play by Mark St. Germain, will celebrate its 700th New York performance tonight, May 18th at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

According to a report by The Daily Mail, Pop Idol star Will Young has been cast in the West End revival of Cabaret, directed by Rufus Norris.

FREUD'S LAST SESSION, New York's smash hit play by Mark St. Germain, invited audience members to have their moms photographed on Dr. Freud's iconic couch after Sunday's Mother's Day matinee, May 13th. The cast happily posed for photos with mothers from all over the country on stage for nearly an hour! Check out the photos below.

The Old Globe is presenting the West Coast Premiere of The Scottsboro Boys, the critically acclaimed musical about an infamous chapter in American history. Nominated for 12 Tony Awards, The Scottsboro Boys features music and lyrics by the legendary team of John Kander and Fred Ebb, libretto by David Thompson, musical direction by Eric Ebbenga and direction and choreography by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman. The Scottsboro Boys began performances on April 29 and runs through June 10 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Official production highlights have been released and below, BroadwayWorld brings you a first look!

The Town Hall's critically acclaimed Broadway by the Year's® 12th Season continued this week with The Broadway Musicals of 1975 on Monday, May 14th. 1975 was a year that brought us famous shows by musical theater icons including Marvin Hamlisch, (A Chorus Line), John Kander and Fred Ebb (Chicago), and Richard O'Brien (The Rocky Horror Show), among others. Produced by The Town Hall, The Broadway Musicals of 1975 was created, written and hosted by Scott Siegel. Casting for The Broadway Musicals of 1975 included Ashley Brown, Lari White, Bob Stillman, Maya Days, Scott Coulter, Carole J. Bufford, Patrick Page and more.

Life is imitating art for leading man Raza Jaffrey, as CHICAGO producer, Barry Weissler spotted him in the new Steven Spielberg TV series Smash, and immediately offered him the role of Billy Flynn in the West End production of the musical. He stars in CHICAGO at the Garrick Theatre from tonight, 16 May to 14 July, playing the role between present Billy, David Bedella, who left the cast on 12 May, and Olympian Robin Cousins, who joins on 17 July.

NEW DRAMATISTS, Tony Honor recipient and the nation's premiere playwright development workshop, today announced that two-time Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters will be honored with their 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award at its 63rd Annual Spring Luncheon tribute, to be held Thursday, May 24th at the New York Marriott Marquis. Among those on the program offering tributes will be Emmy Award-winner Mary Tyler Moore, Peters' Tony Award-winning A Little Night Music co-star Elaine Stritch, and New Dramatists Artistic Director Todd London. Tony and Academy Award-winner Joel Grey and Peters' Tony-nominated Gypsy co-star John Dossett will offer musical tributes.

CHICAGO, the winner of six 1997 Tony Awards® including Best Musical Revival, returns to Los Angeles at the Pantages Theatre for a strictly limited two-week engagement tonight, May 15 through May 27, 2012.