Kenneth Posner News

After breaking box office records and selling out in record time in both 2005 and 2007, the smash-hit musical Wicked will return to Denver?s Buell Theatre October 7 ? November 15. Tickets for the return engagement go on sale Sunday, April 19 at 10am.

The Toxic Avenger, the brand new musical about New Jersey's first superhero, features a score by Bon Jovi's David Bryan and Joe Di Pietro. The cast includes Nancy Opel, Sara Chase, Nick Cordero, Demond Green and Matthew Saldivar. Tony Award-winner John Rando directs.

Broadway In Chicago is tickled pink to present LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL. Having won over audiences across the nation, our favorite blonde law student will make her Chicago debut for a four week limited engagement May 12 to June 7, 2009 at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.).

The new Broadway musical-comedy, 9 To 5: The Musical starring four-time Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Allison Janney, Stephanie J. Block, Megan Hilty, and two-time Tony Award nominee Marc Kudisch will begin preview performances on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 and will open Thursday, April 30, 2009, at the Marriott Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway). 9 To 5: The Musical marks the Broadway debut of seven-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and musician Dolly Parton as composer and lyricist.

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) concludes its 2008/2009 Season with the New York premiere of OUR HOUSE, a new play by Pulitzer Prize finalist Theresa Rebeck (The Butterfly Collection and Bad Dates at Playwrights Horizons, Broadway's Mauritius, co-author of Omnium Gatherum).

The Toxic Avenger, the brand new musical about New Jersey's first superhero, features a score by Bon Jovi's David Bryan and Joe Di Pietro. The cast includes Nancy Opel, Sara Chase, Nick Cordero, Demond Green and Matthew Saldivar. Tony Award-winner John Rando directs. The Toxic Avenger began performances on Wednesday, March 18, 2009, at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street). Opening Night is tonight, Monday, April 6th.

roducers Jean Cheever and Tom Polum have announced that Time Life will release the original cast recording of The Toxic Avenger to coincide with the new musical's New York opening night - Monday, April 6th at New World Stages. The CD's will be available at the theatre in advance of the official release date of Tuesday, May 5th. The cast recorded the score on March 9th at Avatar Recording Studios in New York City.

The new Broadway musical-comedy, 9 To 5: The Musical starring four-time Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Allison Janney, Stephanie J. Block, Megan Hilty, and two-time Tony Award nominee Marc Kudisch will begin preview performances on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 and will open Thursday, April 30, 2009, at the Marriott Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway). 9 To 5: The Musical marks the Broadway debut of seven-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and musician Dolly Parton as composer and lyricist.

The first national tour of LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL will begin performances Tuesday, April 21 at 7:30PM and run through Sunday, April 26 at Ovens Auditorium. Tickets are still available online at BlumenthalCenter.org, by phone at 704-372-1000 and at the box office.

roducers Jean Cheever and Tom Polum have announced that Time Life will release the original cast recording of The Toxic Avenger to coincide with the new musical's New York opening night - Monday, April 6th at New World Stages. The CD's will be available at the theatre in advance of the official release date of Tuesday, May 5th. The cast recorded the score on March 9th at Avatar Recording Studios in New York City.

Nigel Planer and Verity Rushworth joined the cast of Hairspray the musical as Penny Pingleton and Wilbur Turnblad.

'American Idol' winner Taylor Hicks and the cast of the GREASE National Tour performed at San Francisco's Hard Rock Cafe on Friday, March 27 to kick off their 4 week engagement in the city.

The producers of the smash hit musical WICKED announced today that Academy Award-winning actress Patty Duke will play the role of ?Madame Morrible' beginning March 24th. Carol Kane, who currently stars as ?Madame Morrible', had always been scheduled for a limited engagement of the opening eight weeks of WICKED's return home to San Francisco. She will give her final performance at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco on Mach 22nd. In addition to the new casting in March, a new block of tickets will be made available beginning March 15th for the open-ended engagement of WICKED.

Complete casting has been announced for the brand new production of GREASE, starring American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, playing the Golden Gate Theatre beginning Tuesday, March 24 through Sunday, April 19. Taylor Hicks made his debut on Broadway in the role of 'Teen Angel' this past summer. This brand new production of GREASE will feature songs from the smash hit 1978 motion picture performed for the first time ever in a Broadway production. GREASE is presented as a part of the 2008-2009 Citibank Best of Broadway series season under the direction of Carole Shorenstein Hays. Tickets on sale now. Taylor Hicks achieved widespread fame in 2006 as a contestant on the hugely successful FOX singing competition 'American Idol.' On May 24, 2006, Hicks was named the winner of the fifth season of 'Idol' with over 63.4 million votes in total. Winning the title over Katharine McPhee, the announcement was made during the live finale episode which aired to a worldwide audience of over 200 million viewers. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Taylor Hicks' passion for music began at an early age. He toured the Southeastern Unites States during his teenage years and released two independent albums. Known for his energetic performances with influences derived from classic soul, blues and R&B music, he quickly grew a large fan base among the millions of viewers and voters who tuned in to 'Idol' each week. His fans ultimately dubbed themselves the 'Soul Patrol.'

Tickets for the brand new production of GREASE, starring American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, go on sale Wednesday, December 17. Taylor Hicks made his debut on Broadway in the role of 'Teen Angel' this past summer. GREASE will play the Golden Gate Theatre beginning Tuesday, March 24 through Sunday, April 19. This brand new production of GREASE will feature songs from the smash hit 1978 motion picture performed for the first time ever on stage. GREASE is presented as a part of the 2008-2009 Citibank Best of Broadway series season under the direction of Carole Shorenstein Hays.

It's time to let your hair down and dance the night away! HAIRSPRAY, Broadway's musical comedy phenomenon that inspired a major motion picture is coming to the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines for one weekend only Friday, March 20 to Sunday March, 22

It's time to let your hair down and dance the night away! HAIRSPRAY, Broadway's musical comedy phenomenon that inspired a major motion picture is coming to the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines for one weekend only Friday, March 20 to Sunday March, 22

The 16th Annual Merritt Award for Excellence in Design and Collaboration program, honoring world class scenic designer Todd Rosenthal (August: Osage County), will take place on Monday, April 27, at the Steppenwolf Merle Reskin Garage Theatre. The doors open at 5:30 p.m. with a viewing of the third annual ?Theater Design Expo' showcasing the works of over 20 Chicago-area emerging theatrical designers and a student portfolio review. Martha Lavey, Artistic Director of Steppenwolf Theatre Company, will moderate an inclusive discussion, 'Moving Chicago Productions to New York and Beyond' with the awardees, Director Anna Shapiro and Joshua Schmidt, composer and librettist, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The brand new production of GREASE, stars American Idol winner Taylor Hicks alongside Eric Schneider as 'Danny' and Emily Padgett as 'Sandy.' Eric made his Broadway debut in Jersey Boys. His previous credits include Altar Boyz (Off-Broadway) and the national tours of Altar Boyz and The Full Monty. Emily made her Broadway debut in GREASE, where she understudied the role of Sandy. Her other credits include Legally Blonde on Broadway and the national tours of CATS. Starring as 'Rizzo' will be Allie Schulz, a contestant on NBC's 'Grease: You're the One That I Want.' Allie comes directly from the Broadway company of GREASE.

The complete cast has been announced for Catch Me If You Can, the much anticipated new musical version of Steven Spielberg's film about young con artist Frank Abagnale, Jr., which will make its world premiere at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, July 23-August 14.