John Kander News

Gary Wilmot will join the cast of the UK National tour of the smash-hit musical 'CHICAGO' to star as ?Billy Flynn' from Monday 15 June until Saturday 21 November 2009. Emma Barton will continue to star as ?Roxie Hart'.

This summer the Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre, one of the nation?s leading forces in musical theater, launches 21/24 Signature Lab, a new initiative for the creation of musical theatre works by emerging young composers which gives audiences a first look at new musicals.

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell Bernard, Trustee) in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is pleased to announce the application is now available online for the sixth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters. The award is named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, who passed away on September 11, 2004.

Emmy Award nominee and 'Grey's Anatomy' star Chandra Wilson is now Broadway's Matron 'Mama' Morton in the smash hit musical CHICAGO, for a four-week limited engagement. She joined the show last night Monday, June 8th and will appear through Sunday, July 5, 2009 at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St.). Her famous friends and fans came out to see her and BWW was there!

Broadway heats up this summer now that three-time Emmy Award nominee and 'Grey's Anatomy' star Chandra Wilson has stepped into the celebrated role of Matron 'Mama' Morton, the reigning cellblock diva of the smash hit musical CHICAGO. Chandra Wilson joins the production for a four-week limited engagement which began last night, Monday, June 8 through Sunday, July 5, 2009 at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St.). BroadwayWorld.com's cameras were there as she took her first bows as 'Mama' Morton!

BroadwayWorld Congratulates the 2009 Tony Award Honorees, Non-Competitive Categories

BroadwayWorld Congratulates Liza's at The Palace...!, 2009 Tony Award Winner, 'Best Special Theatrical Event'

Broadway heats up this summer when three-time Emmy Award nominee and 'Grey's Anatomy' star Chandra Wilson steps into the celebrated role of Matron 'Mama' Morton, the reigning cellblock diva of the smash hit musical CHICAGO, for a four-week limited engagement, Monday, June 8 through Sunday, July 5, 2009 at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St.).

The Tony Administration Committee revealed the names of a quartet of honorees who are to be recognized in the four non-competitive Tony categories. Composer/lyricist Jerry Herman, Virginia's Signature Theatre, and longtime press agent Shirley Herz will be honored at the 63rd annual Tony Awards ceremony on June 7. Actress/writer Phyllis Newman will receive the newest Tony Award for her volunteer work as an advocate for women's health.

Two-time Tony Award winner Chita Rivera graces the stage of Walt Disney Concert Hall for the first time in Chita Rivera: The Secret of Life, Saturday, June 6, at 8 p.m. The triple-threat - singer/actress/dancer - accompanied by her longtime musical trio, performs songs from her legendary Broadway career, including numbers from West Side Story ('America'), Sweet Charity ('Where Am I Going?' and 'Big Spender'), Chicago ('All That Jazz' and 'Nowadays'), Kiss of the Spider Woman, Bye, Bye Birdie and The Rink.

Chance and Chemistry: A Centennial Celebration of Frank Loesser, a concert to benefit The Actors Fund will take place at a Broadway theatre to be announced on Monday, October 26, 2009. The event will be co-chaired by Jo Sullivan Loesser and Sir Paul McCartney.

Launched in 2006, the Edgerton Foundation New American Play Awards have a growing track record for success, with 24 out of 46 plays living on in subsequent productions, many of which are nominated for prestigious awards. ?That?s a remarkable outcome,? said Teresa Eyring, Executive Director of Theatre Communications Group (TCG). ?Dr. Brad Edgerton and his wife Louise are clearly making a contribution to play development that has an impact on the continuing life of new plays.?

Jerry Springer will make his West End stage debut starring as ?Billy Flynn' in the smash hit West End musical 'CHICAGO' at the Cambridge Theatre on Monday 1 June. He will play the part for a six-week season, finishing on 11 July.

Two-time Tony Award winner Chita Rivera graces the stage of Walt Disney Concert Hall for the first time in Chita Rivera: The Secret of Life, Saturday, June 6, at 8 p.m. The triple-threat - singer/actress/dancer - accompanied by her longtime musical trio, performs songs from her legendary Broadway career, including numbers from West Side Story ('America'), Sweet Charity ('Where Am I Going?' and 'Big Spender'), Chicago ('All That Jazz' and 'Nowadays'), Kiss of the Spider Woman, Bye, Bye Birdie and The Rink.

Michelle Williams will make her West End stage debut starring as ?Roxie Hart' in the smash hit West End musical 'CHICAGO' at the Cambridge Theatre from Monday 13 July until 22 August. Michelle Williams, the Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, record producer and actress, rose to fame as one third of Destiny's Child. Destiny's Child, comprising Michelle Williams, Beyoncé Knowles and Kelly Rowland, is the top selling female group of all time.

Signature Theatre presents Partial Eclipse, a rock song cycle by Matt Conner directed by Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer, running June 10 through 13 in Signature?s MAX Theatre. Written by the composer of the musical Nevermore, Partial Eclipse is a fascinating evening of songs about six strangers all on the never-ending quest for love and happiness. With titles ranging from ?Cinderella? to ?Bed and Breakfast? to ?Sympathy,? Conner?s songs evoke visions of love from the simple to the edgy in the straight, gay, and lesbian worlds. Six of Signature?s favorite actor/singers, Kurt Boehm, Eleasha Gamble, Sam Ludwig, Eric Ulloa, Weslie Woodley, and Rachel Zampelli, will perform the song cycle accompanied by a four-man rock band.

NEW DRAMATISTS, Tony Honor recipient and the nation's premiere playwright development workshop, honored the late Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Horton Foote with their 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award at its 60th Annual Spring Luncheon tribute, on Tuesday, May 19th at the New York Marriott Marquis (1535 Broadway, between 45th and 46th Streets). New Dramatists 60th Annual Spring Luncheon has been underwritten by Bob Boyett. BroadwayWorld.com's cameras were there to capture the afternoon event.

The Great White Way continues to heat up this summer when two-time Emmy Award nominee and celebrated TV personality Samantha Harris ('The Insider,' 'Dancing with the Stars') makes her Broadway stage debut in the starring role of Roxie Hart in the Tony Award-winning hit musical CHICAGO for a six-week limited engagement, Tuesday, July 7 through Sunday, August 16, 2009 at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St.).

Dancing with the Stars host Samantha Harris revealed on the final performance show tonight that she will be joining the Broadway production of the long running hit musical 'CHICAGO' this summer in the role of 'Roxie Hart'. Harris announced she'd be performing during July and August, there has been no official confirmation of her appearing at this time from the production.

NEW DRAMATISTS, Tony Honor recipient and the nation's premiere playwright development workshop, proudly announces that the late Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Horton Foote will be honored with their 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award at its 60th Annual Spring Luncheon tribute, to be held Tuesday, May 19th at the New York Marriott Marquis. New Dramatists 60th Annual Spring Luncheon has been underwritten by Bob Boyett.