Ken Billington News

Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers covering New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers, national publications and other media beyond Broadway publicly announced the nominees for the 2009-10 season on Monday, April 26th at the historic Algonquin Hotel. Outer Critics Circle posted award nominations in 23 categories and are the first major Broadway/Off-Broadway award nominees of the New York theater season. BrpadwayWorld was there to capture real-life siblings, Broadway stars Hunter and Sutton Foster make the announcements.

This fresh, entertaining reboot of the Tony® Award-winning stage musical DREAMGIRLS (now playing at the Orange County Performing Arts Center through May 2) is exquisitely vintage, yet surprisingly modern all at the same time. It's a reverent homage to the soulful musical roots of pop music, displayed with a knowing wink and a contemporary eye that aims to be enthralling to both longtime fans of the original stage production and to new fans that have discovered it recently, thanks to Bill Condon's splashy Oscar®-lauded 2006 film adaptation. The iconic, memorable score that accompanies its all-too-familiar story, performed by truly gifted actor-singers within a vividly-conceived backdrop, all mesh together to make this new DREAMGIRLS quite a satisfying revamp.

Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers covering New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers, national publications and other media beyond Broadway publicly announced the nominees for the 2009-10 season on Monday, April 26th (11AM) at the historic Algonquin Hotel (59 West 44th Street). Outer Critics Circle posted award nominations in 23 categories and are the first major Broadway/Off-Broadway award nominees of the New York theater season.

Sondheim on Sondheim's Euan Morton will be featured on WNYC's 'Soundcheck' on Thursday, April 22nd from 2:00-2:30PM on 93.9FM and AM 820.

Roundabout Theatre Company's (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) Sondheim on Sondheim opens officially on Broadway tomorrow Thursday, April 22nd at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 West 54th Street).

To enhance Orange County theater-going when the national tour of the smash hit musical DREAMGIRLS visits April 21 - May 2, the Center has scheduled two post-performance talkbacks with cast members on April 22 and 29. During the talkbacks, which will follow the performances in Segerstrom Hall, audience members can speak to the cast and ask questions. The talkbacks are free, but tickets to the April 22 and 29 performances of DREAMGIRLS are required.

Today, Vanessa Williams performed Sondheim on Sondheim on ABC's 'LIVE! With Regis & Kelly' on channel 7.

During what was called 'Andrew Lloyd Webber week' of the seventh season of the hit TV talent competition American Idol, Webber predicted to an audience of millions that Syesha Mercado will 'bring the house down' with a sexy, splashy take on one of his many musical hits. And that, she did. Then 21, she eventually lasted on the show to become the second runner-up. Fast forward two years later, and she is now in the midst of a multi-city national tour of the rebooted DREAMGIRLS stage musical, where she nightly plays Deena Jones, the beautiful and eventual front-woman of the semi-fictional musical group The Dreams. Before she takes the stage of The Orange County Performing Arts Center (April 21-May 2), Mercado spoke with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos about life on the road, her American Idol roots, and what it takes to become Deena Jones night after night.

Tomorrow Wednesday, April 21st, tune in to watch Vanessa Williams perform on ABC's 'LIVE! With Regis & Kelly' on channel 7 between 9:00-10:00AM.

Stephen Sondheim gave an interview to The Today Show, during which he discussed his career, Sondheim on Sondheim and Oscar Hammerstein II.

CHICAGO, the winner of six 1997 Tony AwardsŽ including Best Musical Revival which is now celebrating its eleventh year touring the United States, returns to the Pantages Theatre for a strictly limited three week engagement April 20th through May 9th.

To enhance Orange County theater-going when the national tour of the smash hit musical DREAMGIRLS visits April 21 - May 2, the Center has scheduled two post-performance talkbacks with cast members on April 22 and 29. During the talkbacks, which will follow the performances in Segerstrom Hall, audience members can speak to the cast and ask questions. The talkbacks are free, but tickets to the April 22 and 29 performances of DREAMGIRLS are required.

SAGE has announced that it will present the legend himself, Stephen Sondheim, with their first ever 'Lifetime Achievement in Theatre' Award during a pre-show cocktail reception at Brasserie Cognac Restaurant at 6 pm, followed by an 8 pm performance of Sondheim on Sondheim at Studio 54.

To celebrate DREAMGIRLS' upcoming visit to the Center, Bloomingdale's South Coast Plaza is creating a special 'Get the Look' boutique inspired by the stunning costumes from the sensational new stage production direct from Harlem's world-famous Apollo Theater in New York City.

Vanessa Williams recently spoke with The New York Times and discussed her daily pre-show rituals. Williams is currently starring in the Broadway production SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM, set to begin performances April 22nd.

LOOPED, the new comedy starring Valerie Harper, written by Matthew Lombardo and directed by Rob Ruggiero, will close Sunday, April 11. It will have played 27 previews and 25 regular performances at the Lyceum Theatre, 149 West 45th Street. Previews began on February 19 and it opened on Sunday March 14.

Producer John Breglio and Broadway Across America-Seattle will end the Seattle stint of DREAMGIRLS on April 11th.

ANYONE CAN WHISLTE is an experimental satire that takes aim at every target on the American cultural scene of the moment-conformity, psychology, race relations, greed, religion and politics. It divided the critics, thrilled the emerging counter-culture, baffled the masses, and became an instant legend-one that has grown over the years along with Sondheim's reputation. The title song and 'With So Little to Be Sure Of' have survived as cabaret classics, but the rarely heard complete score is a riot of jazzy, show-biz razzmatazz, waltzes, gospel numbers and Broadway pastiche, as full of variety and surprise as the show that gave birth to it.

Sondheim on Sondheim opens officially on April 22nd, 2010 at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 West 54th Street). This will be a limited engagement through Sunday, June 13th, 2010. Here - Broadway stars and Sondheim-show veterans share their memories and thoughts on the man himself.

Sondheim on Sondheim opens officially on April 22nd, 2010 at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 West 54th Street). This will be a limited engagement through Sunday, June 13th, 2010. Here - Broadway stars and Sondheim-show veterans share their memories and thoughts on the man himself.