As BroadwayWorld reported earlier, The Public Theater's production of the Award-winning American musical Fun Home, following its sold-out, critically acclaimed world premiere, will receive a much-anticipated Broadway premiere this spring.
Broadway legend Chita Rivera makes her Williamstown Theatre Festival debut opposite Festival favorite and former Artistic Director Roger Rees in the newest incarnation of Kander and Ebb's THE VISIT, the musical based on the 1956 tragicomedy by Swiss playwright Friedrich Durrenmatt, with book by Terrence McNally. Director John Doyle has reimagined it as a one-act with a focus on the love story, and his collaboration with Choreographer Graciela Daniele results in a show that makes movement a vital component to convey elements of the narrative without words.
Williamstown Theatre Festival presents The Visit, running on the Main Stage from tonight, July 31 through August 17, 2014. Check out a first look below!
Williamstown Theatre Festival will soon present The Visit, which runs on the Main Stage from July 31 through August 17. In her Festival debut, Broadway legend Chita Rivera embodies Claire Zachanassian, the oft-widowed richest woman in the world, in The Visit. When Claire returns to the hardship-stricken town of her birth, the locals pray that her wealth will bring them a new lease on life, but the carefully plotted renewal she offers carries a dreadful price. Sardonic and morally complex, The Visit asks: What can your heart afford? Go inside rehearsals with the video below!
PS Classics' Original Broadway Cast Recording of Audra McDonald in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill topped four of the Billboard Charts in its first week of release: #1 in Cast Albums, #1 in Jazz, #1 in Traditional Jazz and #1 in Heatseekers. According to Billboard, the album is McDonald's highest-charting solo release ever.
'I Think About You' is the cabaret version of Anthony de Mare's latest initiative, 'Liaisons: Re-Imagining Sondheim from the Piano.' July 18-19, 2014, during Bear Week 2014, will mark the premiere of 'I Think About You,' which is exclusively tailored for Provincetown audiences, directed by Jef Hall-Flavin.
New York City is the place where stars flock to take their turns on the grandest stages in the world. Throughout the past year, Broadway has welcomed such film and television stars as Daniel Radcliffe, Patrick Stewart, Bryan Cranston, Debra Messing and Ian McKellen, as well as a slew of celebrated Broadway favorites such as Sutton Foster, Audra McDonald, Neil Patrick Harris and many more.
The Great White Way isn't the only place for stars to shine on stage though. During the summer months, many cherished performers travel to regional theatres around the country to share their extraordinary talents with the rest of America. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you a roundup of this summer's starriest productions at a theatre near you!
Are you the next Broadway or pop sensation? The Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA is looking for the next 'Signature Idol,' as the popular Signature Idol Competition returns for one day only during the theatre's annual Open House on August 2nd. Held in Signature's MAX Theatre, the competition enters its fifth year with a panel of three celebrity judges in search of the best undiscovered singers in the DC region.
Williamstown Theatre Festival Producer Stephen M. Kaus just announced the full cast and creative team for The Visit, which runs on the Main Stage from July 31 through August 17.
Virginia's Signature Theatre opens its' air-conditioned doors once again for the annual Sizzlin' Summer Nights Series. For two and a half weeks, Signature's intimate cabaret venue hosts an eclectic mix of Signature favorites, DC-area stars, and some of New York's most exciting performers. The cabaret series runs today, July 9 through July 26, with a different performance each night.
'I Think About You' is the cabaret version of Anthony de Mare's latest initiative, 'Liaisons: Re-Imagining Sondheim from the Piano.' July 18-19, 2014, during Bear Week 2014, will mark the premiere of 'I Think About You,' which is exclusively tailored for Provincetown audiences, directed by Jef Hall-Flavin.
Virginia's Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre closes out its 2013/2014 season with the world premiere musical Cloak and Dagger, directed by Signature Theatre's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer (Broadway's Follies, Million Dollar Quartet). From Helen Hayes Award Winner Ed Dixon (Signature's Sunset Boulevard) comes this screwball musical comedy send-up of the 1950s film noir.
Classic Stage Company has announced that Dave Quay, who appeared in the company's recent production of David Ives' The Heir Apparent, is this year's recipient of the Rosemarie Tichler Fund grant.
Today in 1993, the first Broadway revival of She Loves Me opened at Criterion Center Stage Right, where it ran for 354 performances. She Loves Me is a 1963 musical with a book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and music by Jerry Bock. The plot revolves around Budapest shop employees Georg Nowack and Amalia Balash who, despite being consistently at odds with each other at work, are unaware that each is the other's secret pen pal met through lonely-hearts ads. The Revival cast featured Boyd Gaines as Georg, Judy Kuhn as Amalia, Sally Mayes as Ilona, Howard McGillin as Kodaly, Lee Wilkof as Ladislav, Brad Kane as Arpad, and Louis Zorich as Mr. Maraczek. A revival cast recording was released by Varese Sarabande.
Presenters and musical performances have been announced for the 59th Annual Drama Desk Awards, taking place Sunday, June 1st at The Town Hall. Presenters and performers for this year's Drama Desk Awards include: Christian Borle, Michael C. Hall, Toni Collette, Sutton Foster, Laura Osnes, Billy Porter, Julie Halston, Tracey Letts, Judy Kuhn, Marge Champion, Liz Larsen, Diane Paulus, John Cameron Mitchell, Stephen Trask, Jane Greenwood, David Korins, Marin Ireland, Sam Gold, Oliver Butler, Joe Masteroff, David Byrne, Leigh Silverman, Joshua Henry, Rachael Bay Jones, Sydney Lucas, Jessie Mueller, Steven Pasquale, and Kyle Riabko.
Virginia's Signature Theatre opens its' air-conditioned doors once again for the annual Sizzlin' Summer Nights Series. For two and a half weeks, Signature's intimate cabaret venue hosts an eclectic mix of Signature favorites, DC-area stars, and some of New York's most exciting performers. The cabaret series runs July 9 through July 26, with a different performance each night.
The 59th Annual Village Voice Obie Awards, celebrating achievement in the Off-Broadway and off-off Broadway theater, were given out at a ceremony last night at Webster Hall in Greenwich Village. The awards ceremony was co-hosted by Tamara Tunie and Hamish Linklater. The awards were presented by Betsy Aidem, Harvey Fierstein, Lena Hall, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Andy Karl, David Bar Katz, Cristin Milioti, Kelli O'Hara, Lily Rabe and Stephen Trask. BroadwayWorld was there for the ceremony and you can check out backstage photo coverage below!
Happy Birthday, Judy Kuhn! Kuhn made her Broadway debut was in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. She then played Cosette in the 1987 multiple award winning Broadway production of Les Miserables brought her the first Tony Award nomination. The following year, Kuhn took on a transfer from London's West End, playing one of the main roles (Florence Vassy) in the Trevor Nunn-directed Chess, with music by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus (formerly of ABBA) and lyrics by Tim Rice. Later in 1993, Kuhn played the role of Betty Schaefer in the U.S premier production of Sunset Boulevard at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles. Kuhn sang the title role in the 1995 Disney animated film, Pocahontas, the film included her rendition of the song Colors of the Wind, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for its composers Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. On October 23, 2007, Kuhn returned to the Broadway Production of Les Miserables after 20 years, but this time assuming the role of Fantine.