Karen Olivo News

With the TONY Awards just around the corner, we're pleased to first share the results of BroadwayWorld's 2009 Theatre Fans' Choice Awards.

Josefina Scaglione is starring as 'Maria' in the 2009 revival of West Side Story. The 21 year old Scaglione is a trained opera singer and has been in a production of Hairspray. She was set to portray Christine Daae in a production of The Phantom of the Opera in Argentina but had to give that lead up for her coveted casting in West Side Story. The story of how her YouTube video won her an audition and then the lead in Arthur Laurents's revival of West Side Story is already on its way to becoming Broadway legend.

Sony Masterworks proudly announces the upcoming release of the New Broadway Cast Recording of WEST SIDE STORY. The recording will be available nationwide on June 2, 2009. The official opening of WEST SIDE STORY, which took place at the Palace Theatre in New York City on Thursday, March 19, 2009, has been greeted with great critical acclaim and sold-out performances. The opening followed a pre-Broadway engagement at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C., where the musical made its original world premiere in 1957.

The 2009 Astaire Awards Ceremony, hosted by Alan Cumming, took place last night, June 1, 7:30pm at The Haft Auditorium at Fashion Institute of Technology (7th Avenue at West 27th Street). Peter Darling (Billy Elliot) took home the award for Best Broadway Choreographer and Longines Fernandes (Slumdog Millionaire) for Best Film Choreographer.

The American Theatre Wing presented its annual spring gala, last night, Monday, June 1, 2009 at Cipriani 42nd Street (110 East 42nd Street). As in years past, the American Theatre Wing Spring Gala will brought together the best of Broadway. Tony Award winner Hugh Jackman served as the evening's Honorary Chair and Mrs. Schuyler G. Chapin, Lucia Hwong Gordon and Anthony D. Leeds served as Gala Co-Chairs. The entertainment portion of the evening was produced by Class Productions and directed by Lauren Class Schneider. All proceeds benefit the education and outreach programs of the American Theatre Wing.

'In the Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams,' a documentary film telling Behind-The-Scenes Story of the 2008 Tony Award-Winning Musical, premieres on THIRTEEN's Great Performances, May 27 on PBS

'In The Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams,' premieres on Great Performances Wednesday, May 27 at 8pm on KETC Channel 9, St. Louis' PBS station. This documentary film tells the behind-the-scenes story of the 2008 Tony Award-winning musical, IN THE HEIGHTS, scheduled to play the Fox Theatre November 10-22, 2009.

On Wednesday, May 27th at 8pm (check local listings for details), Great Performances on PBS presents a dazzling documentary 'In the Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams'. This special will go down as the greatest commercial of all time for a Broadway musical, that took an enormous risk, moving from Off-Broadway to Broadway and running off with the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical.

Sony Masterworks proudly announces the upcoming release of the New Broadway Cast Recording of WEST SIDE STORY. The recording will be available nationwide on June 2, 2009. The official opening of WEST SIDE STORY, which took place at the Palace Theatre in New York City on Thursday, March 19, 2009, has been greeted with great critical acclaim and sold-out performances. The opening followed a pre-Broadway engagement at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C., where the musical made its original world premiere in 1957.

The 54th Annual Drama Desk Awards were held, Sunday, May 17, 2009 in the LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center. Drama Desk nominees received their official Nomination Certificates at a cocktail reception on Friday, May 1st at Il Bastardo restaurant, 191 Seventh Avenue (between 21st and 22nd Streets).

The 75th Annual Drama League Awards Ceremony and Luncheon took place on Friday, May 15, 2009 in the Grand Ballroom of the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square (1535 Broadway at 46th Street). The event was co-hosted by Jeremy Irons (Impressionism) and Cynthia Nixon (Distracted).

West Side Story has returned to Broadway in a new production directed by its two-time Tony Award winning librettist Arthur Laurents. Laurents dicusses the musical with the Advocate, in the feature he reveals the evolution of the classic musical as it makes its return to Broadway.

Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers and commentators for all media covering New York theatre announced today its award winners for the 2008-09 season in 23 categories.

West Side Story has returned to Broadway in a new production directed by its two-time Tony Award winning librettist Arthur Laurents, Karen Olivo, who plays the iconic and passionate 'Anita' in 'West Side Story', earned a 2009 Tony Award nomination for Best Performance By A Featured Actress In A Musical for her dynamic performance.

Nominations in 27 competitive categories for the American Theatre Wing's 63rd Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were announced on Tuesday May 5th by Tony Award Winners Cynthia Nixon and Lin-Manuel Miranda from the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.

BroadwayWorld Presents The 2009 Tony Award Nominees: 'Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical'

Nominations for the 2009 Astaire Awards were announced last night at Elaine?s Restaurant by Michael Riedel of the New York Post. These selections were made by this year?s Nominating Committee; Sylviane Gold (Theater Columnist for Dance Magazine), Anna Kisselgoff (former Chief Dance Critic of The New York Times), Wendy Perron (Editor in Chief of Dance Magazine), Linda Winer (Chief Theater Critic of Newsday) and Damian Woetzel (Former Principal Dancer, New York City Ballet). The producers of the 2009 Astaire Awards, which recognizes excellence in dance on stage and in film, are Patricia Watt and Ron Glucksman.

The 2008-2009 Tony Award nominations were announced this morning May 5th by Tony Award winning actress Cynthia Nixon and Tony Award winning actor Lin-Manuel Miranda at the New York Public Library for Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Bruno Walter Auditorium, 111 Amsterdam Avenue (betw 64th & 65th Street). BroadwayWorld.com spent the following hours checking in with the nominees to get the scoop on how they heard about the happy news and to hear their reactions!

Nominations in 27 competitive categories for the American Theatre Wing's 63rd Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were announced today by Tony Award Winners Cynthia Nixon and Lin-Manuel Miranda from the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.

Awards were handed out for 14 categories and 2 special awards are announced by the Off-Broadway League for the Lucille Lortel Awards recognizing Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway.