Ken Billington News

Society for the Performing Arts (SPA) is proud to present the award-winning musical CHICAGO from June 4-9 in Jones Hall for the Performing Arts. SPA and CHICAGO will welcome NFL Legend, Heisman Trophy winner and former Houston Oiler Eddie George starring in the role of "Billy Flynn."

Society for the Performing Arts (SPA) and the touring company of the Tony Award-winning, record-breaking hit musical CHICAGO will welcome NFL Legend, Heisman Trophy winner and former Houston Oiler Eddie George making to the role of "Billy Flynn."

The York Theatre Company presents the return engagement of the hit Off-Broadway musical Enter Laughing: The Musical

The York Theatre Company has announced the cast and creative team for the return engagement of the hit Off-Broadway musical Enter Laughing: The Musical with book by Joseph Stein and music and lyrics by Stan Daniels, based on the play Enter Laughing by Joseph Stein from the novel by Carl Reiner. 

BroadwayWorld has learned that Susan Stroman (currently working on Marie, Dancing Still in Seattle) will stage DreamWorks' Kung Fu Panda Spectacular Live at the Venetian Theatre in Macau, a leading destination resort in Asia.

A new StageAround production of the legendary musical West Side Story will debut at IHI Stage Around Tokyo, Japan in August 2019. West Side Story, a musical with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim based on a conception of Jerome Robbins, will be directed by David Saint with choreography restaged by Julio Monge, who recently staged an outdoor production of West Side Story in Sydney, Australia.

Dear Readers, in my capacity as a reviewer and as a musical theater geek at large, I've been privileged to witness more than a few out of town tryouts, those plucky wanna-be Broadway shows taking a shot in another city. Both here at home and abroad, I occasionally get a glimpse at greatness in the making, and yes, some at the 5th Avenue Theatre. I remember marveling at the glory of 'Memphis' and not being able to contain my enthusiasm or stay in my seat during the curtain call of 'Hairspray'. But not all are winners. (I'm looking at you, 'Princesses'.) So, each and every time the 5th Avenue announces their next great new musical, I'm a little trepidatious even when the show is from two of my favorite composers, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, not to mention directed and choregraphed by the indomitable Susan Stroman. So along came 'Little Dancer' which many whom I mentioned it to thought was an Elton John jukebox musical. (Wrong lyric, guys. That's 'Tiny Dancer'.) Then the show was changed to 'Marie', possibly owing to such confusion and finally to 'Marie, Dancing Still'. But whether they want to call it 'Little Dancer', or 'Marie, Dancing Still' or 'How Degas Got His Groove Back', what they have is a bona fide, must see, must cry throughout, accept no substitutes, hit in the making and a definite addition to my list of shows I was honored to catch early on.

It has been confirmed today that the multi-award winning, record breaking musical CHICAGO is coming to Melbourne next summer! Produced in Australia by John Frost and Suzanne Jones, this Australian production will premiere at Sydney's Capitol Theatre in August before the Brisbane season in November at QPAC's Lyric Theatre and culminating in a season at the State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne from December.

March Madness may be in town but Midlands stages are still open for business!

Broadway Asia, one of the largest production, management and distribution companies in the global markets, led by Executive Producers Simone Genatt and Marc Routh, and DreamWorks Theatricals, a division of Universal Theatrical Group, today announced the launch of DreamWorks' Kung Fu Panda Spectacular Live - a thrilling new live action entertainment at The Venetian Theatre in Macao. It combines the best of Hollywood, Broadway and circus. The five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman will bring her legendary talents to one of the most successful animated films of all time, Kung Fu Panda.

Sydney has secured the 2019 premiere of the multi-award winning, record breaking musical CHICAGO. Produced in Australia by John Frost and Suzanne Jones, this Australian production will premiere from August 20 at Sydney's Capitol Theatre.

Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce tickets for CHICAGO, starring NFL legend Eddie George, will go on sale on Friday, March 8. CHICAGO will play Broadway In Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph) for a limited one-week engagement May 7-12, 2019.

Producers of the Tony Award-winning, record-breaking hit musical Chicago announced today that actress Haley Swindal joins the Broadway production in the role of "Matron "Mama" Morton" starting tonight. She will play a two week limited engagement at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St.) through Sunday, March 17th only.

State Theatre New Jersey presents Chicago The Musical for four performances today, February 15, 2019 at 8pm, Saturday, February 16, 2019 at 2pm and 8pm, and Sunday February 17, 2019 at 2pm. Tickets range from $35-$98.

A man who sells his soul for worldly gain finds a perfect home in the Beltway as Washington National Opera stages Charles Gounod's 1859 opera Faust,performed in French with projected English titles. After a 25-year absence from its stage, WNO resurrects the French classic filled with depression, damnation, and demons in the Kennedy Center Opera House. Immortalized by Goethe's dramatic work, Gounod set the legendary German tale of Faust to music with libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carre. The opera follows the aging Dr. Faust who is willing to exchange Heaven's rewards for Earth's mortal pleasures. After a pact with Mephistopheles that restores his youth, Faustpursues the lovely Marguerite only to learn his salvation is tragically bound to others, especially for those he loves most. In the tradition of grand French opera and featuring a storybook aesthetic and memorable music, including Marguerite's "Jewel Song," the Soldiers' Chorus and the final trio, Faust returns for six performances, March 16-30, 2019, with tickets starting at $45.

Chicago announced today that actress Veronica Dunne will return to the Broadway production in the role of "Roxie Hart" beginning Tuesday, February 12. She will play a 6-week limited engagement at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St.) through Sunday, March 24, 2019.

Jenna, a small town waitress and genius pie maker, is broke, pregnant, and stuck in an abusive marriage. When she finds out about a baking contest held in a nearby county that offers a $25,000 award, she begins to see her pies as her a ticket out of a dangerous marriage and a pathway to a new life.

CHICAGO is BACK IN TOWN and its PURE ENTERTAINMENT! With a legendary book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, CHICAGO is now the #1 longest-running American musical in Broadway history -- and it still shows no sign of ever slowing down!

WAITRESS is a 2015 musical with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles and a book by Jessie Nelson, which is based on the 2007 film of the same name, written by Adrienne Shelly. It tells the story of Jenna Hunterson (Christine Dwyer), a waitress in an abusive relationship with her husband Earl (Matt DeAngelis). When Jenna unexpectedly becomes pregnant, she begins an affair with her gynecologist, Dr. Jim Pomatter (Steven Good). Looking for a way out, she sees a pie contest and its twenty thousand dollar grand prize as her only chance.