Ken Billington News

Earlier this week I posted how I voted for this season's Outer Critics Circle Awards, so now here are the picks from my ballot for the Drama Desk Awards, which will be presented Sunday night.

The Constitution is the only document you get more knowledge of it, the drunker you get.  Why?  It was written during a four month drunken binge. The bills from those days show thousands of dollars in wine, port, beer.  They were all drinking.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54thStreet, will present some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. 54 Below also launched its series of late night events. Joining Tuesday nights' popular "Backstage" with Susie Mosher is the "54 Piano Bar," a new vocal competition - 'The Callback," and more:

Winner's Tally for 2 or more: Pippin 7; Kinky Boots 3; Matilda The Musical 2; My Name Is Asher Lev 2 ;The Nance 2; Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike 2;

Five months…  FIVE MONTHS after their previous musical comedy, Jumbo, opened at the Hippodrome, the trio of Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart and George Abbott had a brand new one at the Imperial.  But far from seeming a rush job, their 1936 On Your Toes can easily be argued to be a huge step forward in refining musical comedy into a sophisticated art form.

Some of Broadway's brightest stars came out to cheer Rebecca Luker in her return to 54 Below on Thursday, May 9. Bernadette Peters, Martha Plimpton, Howard McGillin, Ron Raines, Sally Wilfert and Luker's husband Danny Burstein were among those who came backstage to visit with Luker following the opening night of her return engagement, 'Rebecca Luker sings Jerome Kern.' Scroll down for photos from backstage!

Lincoln Center Theater presents Betsy Aidem, Blair Brown, Michael Cerveris, Anthony Cochrane, Lauren Culpepper, Alvin Epstein, Kathryn Erbe, John Glover, Jennifer B. Grace, Katie Kreisler, Stephen Kunken, Haviland Morris, Dale Place, John Procaccino, Gareth Saxe and Alan Schmuckler in the 18-member cast of its world premiere production of NIKOLAI AND THE OTHERS, a new play by Richard Nelson. The play, which was commissioned by Lincoln Center Theater, is directed by David Cromer. BroadwayWorld brings you highlights below!

Lincoln Center Theater presents Betsy Aidem, Blair Brown, Michael Cerveris, Anthony Cochrane, Lauren Culpepper, Alvin Epstein, Kathryn Erbe, John Glover, Jennifer B. Grace, Katie Kreisler, Stephen Kunken, Haviland Morris, Dale Place, John Procaccino, Gareth Saxe and Alan Schmuckler in the 18-member cast of its the world premiere production of NIKOLAI AND THE OTHERS, a new play by Richard Nelson. The play, which was commissioned by Lincoln Center Theater, is directed by David Cromer and opened last night, May 6. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the opening night below!

The 58th Annual Drama Desk awards will take place on May 19th at Town Hall and this morning, the nominees were announced!

In her brand new show at 54 Below, Broadway's Andrea Burns (Beauty & The Beast, The Full Monty, The Ritz, In the Heights, and the forthcoming The Nance) presents a hilarious and at times moving evening that explores finding a state of grace at forty while reasserting that Latinas don't play. Weaving Broadway with pop culture, expect tunes by Sarah Bareilles, Stephen Sondheim, Celia Cruz, Peter Gabriel, and more as Andrea teams up with her In the Heights Musical Director, Alex Lacamoire. Check out photos from her concert below!

For those craving a show after the show, stop by 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street. Loosen your tie and enjoy as Broadway's nightclub expands its late night series. Joining Tuesday nights' popular Backstage with Susie Mosher will be three new late night events featuring bright and upcoming New York talent, including Nick Wyman, Ann Harada, Gwen Hollander, Carey Anderson and more.

For those craving a show after the show, stop by 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street. Loosen your tie and enjoy as Broadway's nightclub expands its late night series. Joining Tuesday nights' popular Backstage with Susie Mosher will be three new late night events featuring bright and upcoming New York talent, including Nick Wyman, Ann Harada, Gwen Hollander, Carey Anderson and more.

Tony Award winning, Kennedy Center Honree and Broadway and concert legend Barbara Cook (The Music Man, She Loves Me, Candide, Sondheim on Sondheim), Tony Award-winner Steve Kazee (Once, 110 in the Shade, Spamalot), Tony, Oscar, Grammy and Emmy Award-winning orchestrator Jonathan Tunick (A Chorus Line, Follies, A Little Night Music, Blazing Saddles, Sweeney Todd) with vocalist Rebecca Faulkenberry (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Rock Of Ages) all previewed their upcoming engagements at 54 Below earlier this week and BroadwayWorld's Randy Rainbow was there for the festivities. Check out sneak peeks of their shows below!

Lincoln Center Theater presents Betsy Aidem, Blair Brown, Michael Cerveris, Anthony Cochrane, Lauren Culpepper, Alvin Epstein, Kathryn Erbe, John Glover, Jennifer B. Grace, Katie Kreisler, Stephen Kunken, Haviland Morris, Dale Place, John Procaccino, Gareth Saxe and Alan Schmuckler in the 18-member cast of its upcoming world premiere production of NIKOLAI AND THE OTHERS, a new play by Richard Nelson. The play, which was commissioned by Lincoln Center Theater, is directed by David Cromer and opens Monday, May 6. Check out photos of the cast in action below!

One of the all time great voices, Barbara Cook, comes to 54 Below for two very special weeks this April and May, debuting a brand new evening of music. Her pure soprano, haunting tone, and warm onstage presence make any evening with Barbara Cook an unforgettable nightlife experience. Not only are Ms. Cook's concert and cabaret performances the stuff of New York legend, but her life in the theatre has stretched from the creation of the leading female roles in the Broadway classics Candide, The Music Man, and She Loves Me, to her recent appearance in Sondheim on Sondheim, and a whole lot in between! Among a heavy mantle of awards, Ms. Cook has been honored with the Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk, and Drama Critics Circle Awards, has been inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame, and was recently presented with the Kennedy Center Honor. Cook just gave a special preview of her concert at 54 Below and you can check out photos below!

Tony Award winning, Kennedy Center Honree and Broadway and concert legend Barbara Cook (The Music Man, She Loves Me, Candide, Sondheim on Sondheim), Tony Award-winner Steve Kazee (Once, 110 in the Shade, Spamalot), Tony, Oscar, Grammy and Emmy Award-winning orchestrator Jonathan Tunick (A Chorus Line, Follies, A Little Night Music, Blazing Saddles, Sweeney Todd) with vocalist Rebecca Faulkenberry (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Rock Of Ages) all previewed their upcoming enagements at 54 Below earlier today. Check out a photo preview below!

The sparkling new high-tech production of the Tony and Academy Award winning musical DREAMGIRLS will electrify audiences in Jacksonville as Big League Productions, Inc. brings this high-energy Broadway hit show to the Times-Union Center's Moran Theater on Tuesday, May 21st at 7:30PM for one performance only!

As Rita Wilson continued her week-long engagement at 54 Below, a starry audience came to cheer her on. Attendees included Elvis Costello, Rosie O'Donnell, Julianne Moore, Kristin Chenoweth, Allison Williams, Brian Williams, Jane Stoddard Williams, Kathy Najimy, Natasha Lyonne, Bart Freundlich, Bryan Cranston, Peter Scolari and more. Scroll below for photos of the guests backstage with Wilson!

Rita Wilson's recent appearance at 54 Below, she revealed her expressive, denim-and-suede vocals in a nostalgic throwback to the soft rock of Los Angeles. Wilson performed songs from her critically acclaimed debut Decca Records solo album, AM/FM, featuring iconic hits from the 60s and 70s, ranging from classic love songs to folk-rock tunes. The LA born actress, producer, and writer made her Broadway debut as Roxy Hart in Chicago. Check out phtoos of Wilson in action below!

11 - Pippin; 9 - Kinky Boots; 8 - Chaplin: The Musical, Cinderella; 6- Golden Boy, The Nance; 5- Dogfight, Matilda the Musical; 4- Here Lies Love, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Trip to Bountiful, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; 3- Bad Jews, Hands on a Hardbody, The Whale