Julia McKenzie News

Ghostlight Records will release the original cast recording of The Public Theater's production of A SECOND CHANCE online and in stores August 5.

Today we are saluting a versatile and unique figure in theatre history who grew up as the daughter of one of the most important composers in musical theatre and contributed recognizable and fondly remembered works of her own, as well - Mary Rodgers Guettel.

This week, in honor of BroadwayWorld's simply spectacular charity concert celebration of the men behind the music to most of the most important and indelible musicals of the last 50 years at Monday night's THE LORD & THE MASTER: BROADWAYWORLD.COM SINGS ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER & STEPHEN SONDHEIM, we turn our attention to the sole clip of the two modern musical theatre marvels performing side by side.

The cast for the project has been announced and will include Michael Gambon, Keeley Hawes, Rory Kinnear, Monica Dolan, Julia McKenzie and Abigail Lawrie.

The West-End's Garrick Theatre played host to some of the UK's hottest upcoming musical talent at the eighth annual Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year Competition. The final saw 12 drama students from colleges across the UK deliver top-class performances of some of the stage's trickiest songs in front of a packed and very excited crowd.

The finals of this year's Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer Of The Year Competition 2014 (SSSSPOTY) took place this afternoon (Sunday 18 May 2014) in London's West End, and was won by 20 year old CORRINE PRIEST (London School of Musical Theatre), with her outstanding performance of 'Don't Laugh' from the musicalHotspot.

The finals of this year's Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer Of The Year Competition 2014 (SSSSPOTY) took place this afternoon (Sunday 18 May 2014) in London's West End, and was won by 20 year old CORRINE PRIEST (London School of Musical Theatre), with her outstanding performance of Sondheim's "Don't Laugh" from the musical Hotspot.

The passion, complexity and pure joy of singing SONDHEIM knows no bounds for a performer, but for the 12 finalists of this year's The Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer Of The Year Competition 2014 (SSSSPOTY), all will be revealed as they sing their hearts out competing for the title on SUNDAY 18 MAY at 3pm at the West End's GARRICK THEATRE. As if that weren't enough for them to sing in one afternoon, at SONDHEIM's request, the 12 finalists will also be singing the 12 new musical songs that are competing for The Stiles & Drewe Best New Song Prize.

The passion, complexity and pure joy of singing SONDHEIM knows no bounds for a performer, but for the 12 finalists of this year's The Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer Of The Year Competition 2014 (SSSSPOTY), all will be revealed as they sing their hearts out competing for the title on SUNDAY 18 MAY at 3pm at the West End's GARRICK THEATRE. As if that weren't enough for them to sing in one afternoon, at SONDHEIM's request, the 12 finalists will also be singing the 12 new musical songs that are competing for The Stiles & Drewe Best New Song Prize.

The passion, complexity and pure joy of singing SONDHEIM knows no bounds for a performer, but for the 12 finalists of this year's The Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer Of The Year Competition 2014 (SSSSPOTY), all will be revealed as they sing their hearts out competing for the title on SUNDAY 18 MAY at 3pm at the West End's GARRICK THEATRE. As if that weren't enough for them to sing in one afternoon, at SONDHEIM's request, the 12 finalists will also be singing the 12 new musical songs that are competing for The Stiles & Drewe Best New Song Prize.

The Public Theater will begin previews for the New York premiere of A SECOND CHANCE on Tuesday, March 18. Directed by Jonathan Butterell with book, music, and lyrics by Ted Shen, this new musical will run through Sunday, April 13 in the Shiva Theater, with an official press opening on Sunday, March 30.

London Theatre Workshop is delighted to announce that it will be opening the doors to a new, fully functional, 65 seat boutique theatre in the heart of Fulham, on 10 March, 2014.

Featuring a classic score overflowing with standards and a certain rat-a-tat syncopation and sassy style all its own, Frank Loesser's indelible musical comedy GUYS & DOLLS is one of the greatest musicals of all time and the incredibly exciting cast just announced for the upcoming Carnegie Hall concert is icing on the cake insofar as an ideal presentation of it - Nathan Lane as Nathan Detroit, Megan Mullally as Adelaide, Patrick Wilson as Sky Masterson and Sierra Boggess as Sarah Brown.

Classic musical comedy GUYS & DOLLS, international hit WAR HORSE, Tom Stoppard's ARCADIA and a legendary Judi Dench-led production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC top a poll of the finest productions presented in the last half-century by the vaunted National Theatre in London's West End.

Today we are talking to a three-time Laurence Olivier Award-winning actress who has made a major mark on the West End with her peerless string of richly varied performances - ranging from premiere UK productions of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE and PASSION to LADY IN THE DARK, RAGTIME and THE WOMAN IN WHITE, as well as her various solo engagements, who now also excels as a director of theatre and opera, as well - the gifted Maria Friedman. Discussing all aspects of the recent West End production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's anomalous musical experiment MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG - cited by the master himself as the best production of the show to date - and now the fantastic Fathom film presentation of it arriving in movie theaters nationwide (and around the world) on October 23. Detailing the finer points of the reverse-chronological tale of show business ambition and its effects on friendships and relationships, Friedman paints a vivid portrait of her process in bringing the emotionally bracing and musically thrilling stage show to the big screen byway of this passionately played, dramatically captivating and incredibly detailed film preservation. Additionally, Friedman also sheds some light on participating in the Haymarket Theatre production of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG herself as an actress nearly twenty years ago and the effect, if any, that experience has had on her perception of the dense and fiercely idiosyncratic musical now, as a director of the piece. Plus, Friedman also touches upon some of her most celebrated roles to date in other Sondheim shows as well as abundantly imparts her deeply held appreciation and affection for his work and personal friendship in her own life, citing his elemental influence on MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG as well as her career in general. All of that and much, much more awaits!

Fans of the short-lived and relatively obscure Stephen Sondheim/Arthur Laurents musical comedy ANYONE CAN WHISTLE are now witness to a miracle of our very own - the long-awaited JAY Records complete recording of ANYONE CAN WHISTLE has been announced to be completed and a generous thirteen-minute-plus sample from the recording has now, at long, long last been released!

Click below to watch a medley featuring 'I Dreamed a Dream', 'Bring Him Home' and 'One Day More' from LES MISERABLES, performed at the Laurence Olivier Awards in December 1985!

Dancer, choreographer and director Gillian Lynne will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at this month's Oliviers. In recognition of her work, we've got access to archive clips that show her in action throughout her career.

Casts of Cabaret, A Chorus Line, Top Hat and The Bodyguard also to feature!

The Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year Competition (SSSSPOTY), now in its seventh year, was created to give musical theatre students a platform to showcase their work before graduation.