John MacInnis News

The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic South Pacific, a universally acclaimed musical theatre masterpiece, is the third show in the 2014 Music Circus season at the Wells Fargo Pavilion, the 64th season for the venerable Sacramento institution. Performances take place tonight, July 22 - 27.

The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic South Pacific, a universally acclaimed musical theatre masterpiece, is the third show in the 2014 Music Circus season at the Wells Fargo Pavilion, the 64th season for the venerable Sacramento institution. Performances take place July 22 - 27.

The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic South Pacific, a universally acclaimed musical theatre masterpiece, is the third show in the 2014 Music Circus season at the Wells Fargo Pavilion, the 64th season for the venerable Sacramento institution. Performances are currently running through July 27. Check out a sneak peek below!

The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic South Pacific, a universally acclaimed musical theatre masterpiece, is the third show in the 2014 Music Circus season at the Wells Fargo Pavilion, the 64th season for the venerable Sacramento institution. Performances take place July 22 - 27.

California Musical Theatre released casting for the remaining shows in the 64th Music Circus season, a roster of actors including Broadway veterans, Tony nominees and audience favorites from previous Music Circus seasons, as well as actors with Sacramento-area ties. The five-show season at the Wells Fargo Pavilion includes the Music Circus premiere of the beloved Disney classic Mary Poppins, which runs through July 13, as well as other Tony Award-winning shows including Rodgers and Hammerstein's lush South Pacific, Lerner and Loewe's mystical Brigadoon, Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein's hilarious La Cage aux Folles, and the singular sensation A Chorus Line, which ended its week-long run on June 29. Music Circus casting for the season is determined after auditions are held in New York City, Los Angeles and Sacramento.

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) announces the cast and creative team for the Houston premiere of Disney's The Little Mermaid, based on the classic animated film of the same title. The musical will run June 13 - 29 in Hobby Center's Sarofim Hall and then play the Atlanta premiere at the Fabulous Fox Theatre from July 8 - 13. TUTS invites everyone to take a trip "under the sea" including all the familiar classic songs plus a few new ones along with a story that charms people of all ages!

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) announces the cast and creative team for the Houston premiere of Disney's The Little Mermaid, based on the classic animated film of the same title. The musical will run June 13 - 29 in Hobby Center's Sarofim Hall and then play the Atlanta premiere at the Fabulous Fox Theatre from July 8 - 13. TUTS invites everyone to take a trip "under the sea" including all the familiar classic songs plus a few new ones along with a story that charms people of all ages!

Disney's Aladdin, a new musical comedy based on the Academy Award®-winning animated film, opened on Broadway last night, March 20th, 2014, at the New Amsterdam Theatre, after beginning performances on February 26th, 2014. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, the show features music by Tony Award® and eight-time Oscar® winner Alan Menken(Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Sister Act), lyrics by two-time Oscar winner Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), three-time Tony Award and three-time Oscar winnerTim Rice (Evita, Aida) and two-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer), with a book by Beguelin, and is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winnerCasey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon). BroadwayWorld was there for all of the magical opening night festivities, and below you can check out full photo coverage from the after party!

Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond's screenplay for the 1959 cult classic film Some Like It Hot relied on one comedy gimmick, that two men, played by Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis, could escape from Chicago mobsters by donning drag and joining a girl band ...and convince everyone around them that they were really women. Could they pull it off? Wilder himself reputedly stated that he never thought the movie would be as successful as it became due to its meager plotline. But... with Marilyn Monroe alongside Lemmon and Curtis as Sugar Kane, the hilarious trio really blended uproariously...and the rest is history. When in 1972 Jule Styne and Bob Merrill collaborated with book writer Peter Stone to create Sugar, their Broadway musical flopped, probably for two reasons. Firstly, Styne's music, with the exception of one or two songs, is not memorable. Secondly, the book, too faithful to the screenplay, has tremendous holes for a stage play and just does not, no offense to composer Styne, come up roses.

Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID will grace the Starlight stage, today, July 23-28. Based on Hans Christian Andersen's famous and timeless tale, Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID is a family musical that features classic songs: 'Part of Your World,' 'Kiss the Girl,' and the Academy Award-winning 'Under the Sea.'

Sugar, a hilarious Tony-nominated musical comedy based on the classic film Some Like It Hot, is the next show in the 2013 Music Circus season, at the Wells Fargo Pavilion from today, July 23 - 28. Like the 1959 film starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, Sugar follows the hysterical antics of two male musicians, disguised as women in an all-female band, as they experience a series of mishaps while fleeing from the mob. The brassy score is by Jule Styne (music) and Bob Merrill (lyrics), composers of the hit musical Funny Girl.

Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID will grace the Starlight stage, July 23-28. Based on Hans Christian Andersen's famous and timeless tale, Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID is a family musical that features classic songs: "Part of Your World," "Kiss the Girl," and the Academy Award-winning "Under the Sea."

Sugar, a hilarious Tony-nominated musical comedy based on the classic film Some Like It Hot, is the next show in the 2013 Music Circus season, at the Wells Fargo Pavilion from July 23 - 28. Like the 1959 film starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, Sugar follows the hysterical antics of two male musicians, disguised as women in an all-female band, as they experience a series of mishaps while fleeing from the mob. The brassy score is by Jule Styne(music) and Bob Merrill (lyrics), composers of the hit musical Funny Girl.

After auditioning performers in New York City, Los Angeles and Sacramento, California Musical Theatre Artistic Director Glenn Casale has announced casting for the 63rd Music Circus season, including Broadway veterans, Tony nominees and audience favorites from previous Music Circus seasons. The five-show season at the Wells Fargo Pavilion includes The Wizard of Oz, Show Boat, Sugar, The King and I and the Music Circus premiere of Chicago.

Hello! This is my first entry as a guest blogger for Broadway World. I am excited to be here and to give you a little glimpse into the beautiful production of Disney's The Little Mermaid in which I currently have the pleasure of playing Ariel! As a child, growing up in Columbus, Ohio, I constantly sang music from the animated film around the house and in the summer pretended to be Ariel in my family's pool, so you can imagine that this is a very big deal for the kid in me! And as for the adult Jessica, it's pretty awesome too.

By Disney standards the year and a half run of the original Broadway production of The Little Mermaid was a bit of a disappointment.  In theory, a competently created musical based on the hit animated film would probably run for a year and a half based on the title recognition alone.  My opinion of that show was higher than most of my colleagues.  I enjoyed it, but mostly for the vaudevillian pleasure of seeing a cast of terrific Broadway performers each getting a star turn or two.  But after some script revisions and a whole new visual concept, director Glenn Casale's production of the new Mermaid that just opened at Paper Mill is a well-crafted, delightfully designed and performed charmer.

Paper Mill Playhouse presents Disney's The Little Mermaid, based on the classic animated film of the same title. The American premiere of this brand new production will feature a revamped script, additional songs, a new physical production and an entirely fresh interpretation of the piece. The show just opened last night and you can check out photos from the after party below!

Paper Mill Playhouse's The Little Mermaid is beautifully imagined in an underwater world full of vibrant colors, aqueous movements, and dazzling visuals.

Paper Mill Playhouse presents Disney's The Little Mermaid, based on the classic animated film of the same title. The American premiere of this brand new production will feature a revamped script, additional songs, a new physical production and an entirely fresh interpretation of the piece. The show just opened last night and you can check out photos from the curtain call below!

Paper Mill Playhouse presents Disney's The Little Mermaid, based on the classic animated film of the same title. The American premiere of this brand new production will feature a revamped script, additional songs, a new physical production and an entirely fresh interpretation of the piece. Below, BroadwayWorld has a first look at the stars in action onstage!