Ken Billington News

Now celebrating eleven glorious years of girls, glitz and glamour across the country, the record-breaking smash hit musical CHICAGO is BACK IN TOWN and its PURE ENTERTAINMENT! Tickets for the St. Petersburg engagement of CHICAGO start at $40.00 andare on sale now. Tickets are available at the Progress Energy Center for the Arts - Mahaffey Theater box office (400 1st St S), Ticketmaster locations, by calling 800-982-2787 or online at BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.

Leapin' Lizards! America's most beloved musical, ANNIE, is back in a 30th anniversary tour, giving a whole new generation the chance to experience this classic musical about never giving up hope. The timeless tale of Little Orphan Annie will be coming to the Fisher Theatre in Detroit for eight performances from May 5 - 10, 2009. Tickets will go on sale February 22 at the Fisher Theatre box office, all Ticketmaster locations, by phone at 1-800-982-2787, and online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.broadwayindetroit.com.

Today, Monday, February 16, two-time Tony nominee Tom Wopat returns to CHICAGO in the role of slick criminal laywer Billy Flynn.

Melora Hardin, star of the hit NBC comedy 'The Office,' made her Broadway stage debut this winter as fame-hungry murderess Roxie Hart in the Tony Award-winning smash hit musical CHICAGO. Hardin played a seven-week limited engagement which began Monday, December 29, 2008 at Broadway's Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St.). Melora Hardin performed her final show as 'Roxie' on on Thursday, February 12th and BroadwayWorld was there to cheer her on as she 'Razzle Dazzled' the crowd one last time!

Center Theatre Group's 2009-2010 season at the Ahmanson Theatre is a yearlong celebration of big, lush Broadway hits, including four Tony Award-winning musicals, the 2008 winner of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for Best Play, and a rare, limited engagement of two stage virtuosos.

A brand new production of ?Dreamgirls,? one of Broadway?s most popular shows, will be the fourth production of the new season at the CTG/Ahmanson Theatre, February 24 through April 4, 2010. Opening is set for February 26.

Associated Press Theatre writer Michael Kuchwara is reporting that 'Minsky's,' the musical tale of Depression era burlesque that just opened last week in Los Angeles, is set for a summer or fall Broadway bow, according to its producers.

Annie, the beloved tale of Little Orphan Annie, returns to Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre Thursday, Feb. 12 through Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009 for a limited engagement of four performances. This timeless story is back in its 30th anniversary tour, offering a new generation the opportunity to experience this heartwarming musical about never giving up hope. Individual tickets are on sale now. Annie is presented by Hennepin Theatre Trust as a special addition to its 2008-09 M&I Bank Broadway Across America-Minneapolis season. Visit www.HennepinTheatreDistrict.org or call 1-800-982-2787 to purchase tickets or for more information. The Chicago Sun Times says, 'Ageless Annie is as engaging as ever.' Annie, with music by Charles Strouse and book by Thomas Meehan, is directed by its lyricist, Martin Charnin, who brought the original production of Annie to Broadway in 1977. Tony Award-winning set designer, Ming Cho Lee, also has created a fresh look for this tour. The cast features Madison Kerth as Annie; and Minnesota natives Jeffrey Duncan from Eagan as Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Cheryl Hoffmann from Sleepy Eye as Lily St. Regis. Mikey, a mixed-breed dog rescued from an animal shelter by trainer William Berloni, plays Sandy. The original Broadway production of Annie won seven 1977 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Book and Score. It ran for 2,377 performances and has subsequently been produced all over the world. The original production is one of the top 20 longest running shows in Broadway history, and Annie continues to be one of the most successful musicals ever. It boasts one of Broadway's most memorable scores, including 'It's the Hard-Knock Life,' 'Easy Street,' 'N.Y.C' and the ever optimistic 'Tomorrow.' In addition to Charnin, Meehan, Strouse and Lee, Annie's creative team includes original Broadway musical staging by Peter Gennaro, choreography by Liza Gennaro, lighting design by Ken Billington, costume design by Theoni Aldridge and sound design by Peter Hylenski. Annie is produced by Networks Presentations, LLC. For more information, visit www.annieontour.com.

On Thursday, February 12, the record-breaking worldwide musical smash CHICAGO will once again razzle-dazzle international audiences as it makes its celebrated Thai premiere engagement at the Muang Thai Rachadalai Theatre in Bangkok (through Sunday, February 22). With this latest international premiere, CHICAGO has now played a total of 24 countries in 11 languages since the Tony Award-winning revival first opened on Broadway in 1996.

Will Chase and Malcolm Gets, stars of the new Broadway musical, THE STORY OF MY LIFE appeared on the February 9th episode of FOX TV's 'Good Day New York', you can watch the segment right here on BWW TV's STAGE TUBE!

Designed to provide theatergoers with an exclusive, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of CHICAGO, the nlast 'Talkback Tuesdays' on Tuesday, February 10th, 2009 offered a chat with Tony Award winner and the revival's original Velma Kelly, Bebe Neuwirth. BroadwayWorld's cameras were there to capture the post show razzle dazzle!

The Broadway company of CHICAGO is pleased to announce details for the February installment of 'Talkback Tuesdays,' the unique new series offering post-show discussions and audience Q&A sessions with past and present members of the Broadway company of the record-breaking hit musical. Designed to provide theatergoers with an exclusive, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of CHICAGO, the February 'Talkback Tuesdays' offering is set for Tuesday, February 10, 2009, featuring a post-show conversation with Tony Award winner and original Velma Kelly, Bebe Neuwirth. For her performance as Velma Kelly, Neuwirth won the 1997 Tony Award, the Drama Desk Award and the Fred Astaire Award. A decade after originating the role of Velma on Broadway, Neuwirth returned to CHICAGO to great acclaim in the role of Velma's rival, merry murderess Roxie Hart.

'MINKSY'S' book writer Bob Martin is featured on Toronto's TheStar.com chatted about his work on the new musical 'Minsky's', Bob Martin created and starred on Broadway in The Drowsy Chaperone.

The Empire State Building glows red on February 6th through the 8th in honor of Go Red for Women and National Wear Red Day, a day of action aimed at raising awareness of heart disease, the leading killer of New York City women.

Minsky's opens February 6, 2009, at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre and continues through March 1 (previews began January 21). Featuring music by three-time Tony Award-winning composer Charles Strouse (Bye Bye Birdie, Annie, Applause) and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead (Jelly's Last Jam and Triumph of Love), Minsky's is Center Theatre Group's second collaboration with Tony Award-winning writer Bob Martin and director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw (The Drowsy Chaperone).

'Minsky's' opens February 6, 2009, at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre and continues through March 1 (previews began January 21).

THE STORY OF MY LIFE, starring Will Chase and Tony Award nominee Malcolm Gets will be Broadway's first new musical of 2009 when it begins performances this February at the Booth Theatre. Tony Award winner and Broadway veteran Richard Maltby, Jr. (Ain't Misbehavin', Song & Dance) directs this original story about friendship, success and the choices we make at the turning points in our lives. THE STORY OF MY LIFE is written by Broadway newcomers Neil Bartram (score) and Brian Hill (book). Previews begin Tuesday, February 3rd with opening night set for Thursday, February 19th at 7:30PM.

This month, the record-breaking worldwide musical smash CHICAGO will welcome two favorite leading ladies to headline the Broadway company. First, direct from the London and South Africa companies of CHICAGO, Amra-Faye Wright joins the Broadway cast as Velma Kelly on Monday, February 2. And on Friday, February 13, two-time Tony Award nominee Charlotte d'Amboise steps back into the role of Roxie Hart on Broadway, prior to headlining the upcoming engagement of the CHICAGO National Tour at Chicago's Ford Center for the Performing Arts (February 26 - March 8).

This month, the record-breaking worldwide musical smash CHICAGO will welcome two favorite leading ladies to headline the Broadway company. First, direct from the London and South Africa companies of CHICAGO, Amra-Faye Wright joins the Broadway cast as Velma Kelly on Monday, February 2. And on Friday, February 13, two-time Tony Award nominee Charlotte d'Amboise steps back into the role of Roxie Hart on Broadway, prior to headlining the upcoming engagement of the CHICAGO National Tour at Chicago's Ford Center for the Performing Arts (February 26 - March 8).

Broadway In Chicago and the producers of CHICAGO The Musical are thrilled to announce that Charlotte d'Amboise will star as Roxie Hart in a limited engagement of the hit musical. Starring with Ms. d'Amboise will be John O'Hurley as Billy Flynn. The award-winning show will play Chicago's Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.) February 25 - March 8, 2009.