Kenneth Posner News

Casting has been announced for the much anticipated San Francisco return of the smash hit musical WICKED, which begins Tuesday, January 27, 2009 for an open-ended engagement at the Orpheum Theatre. This production is a significant homecoming for WICKED, which premiered in San Francisco before casting its spell on Broadway, winning 20 major awards, including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards.

A day-of-performance lottery for a limited number of $25 orchestra seats will be held daily for WICKED, playing an open-ended engagement at the Orpheum Theatre. Lottery tickets are available for every performance of WICKED beginning Tuesday, January 27 through Saturday, June 27. Each day, 2? hours prior to curtain, ticket buyers can arrive at the Orpheum Theatre box office to have their names placed in the WICKED lottery barrel where thirty minutes later, names will be drawn for these seats. This lottery is available only in-person at the box office, with a limit of two tickets per person, cash only. Each person must have a valid photo I.D. in order to participate. Visit shnsf.com for more information.

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.'

A day-of-performance lottery for a limited number of $25 orchestra seats will be held daily for WICKED, playing an open-ended engagement at the Orpheum Theatre. Lottery tickets are available for every performance of WICKED beginning Tuesday, January 27 through Saturday, June 27. Each day, 2? hours prior to curtain, ticket buyers can arrive at the Orpheum Theatre box office to have their names placed in the WICKED lottery barrel where thirty minutes later, names will be drawn for these seats. This lottery is available only in-person at the box office, with a limit of two tickets per person, cash only. Each person must have a valid photo I.D. in order to participate. Visit shnsf.com for more information. The city that launched the international smash hit musical will get its very own production when WICKED returns home to San Francisco for a sit-down, open-ended engagement beginning January 27, 2009 at the Orpheum Theatre. This production is a significant homecoming for WICKED, which had its world premiere in San Francisco in 2003 before casting its spell on Broadway, winning 20 major awards, including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards. San Francisco audiences feel a special connection with WICKED. The 2003 world premiere in San Francisco followed a long development process during which the entire creative team and cast immersed themselves in the musical's launch at the Curran Theatre. From these roots in the city by the bay, WICKED has gone on to become a worldwide phenomenon that has since redefined theatrical popular culture.

The producers of 'HAIRSPRAY' are delighted to announce that Nigel Planer and Verity Rushworth are to join the cast of the multi-award winning musical, beginning on Monday 2 February. Nigel takes over the role of 'Wilbur Turnblad', husband of larger than life 'Edna' played by Michael Ball.

The announcement was made yesterday that Becky Gulsvig has broken her toe and will be out for 6 weeks and that Laura Bell Bundy & Lauren Ashley Zakrin will be alternating in the role of Elle during Becky's recovery, which includes the St. Louis engagement at the Fabulous Fox Theatre from January 20-February 1.

Roundabout Theatre Company's (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presented a once-in-a-lifetime gala concert reading of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's enchanting, Tony Award?-winning masterpiece A Little Night Music on Monday, January 12th, 2009 at 7:30PM at Studio 54 (254 West 54th St.). The starry cast and crowd arrived at the after party and BroadwayWorld's cameras were there!

Roundabout Theatre Company's (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presented a once-in-a-lifetime gala concert reading of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's enchanting, Tony Award?-winning masterpiece A Little Night Music on Monday, January 12th, 2009 at 7:30PM at Studio 54 (254 West 54th St..)

As BroadwayWorld first reported and broke the story on this past Saturday evening, the star of the national tour of LEGALLY BLONDE Becky Gulsvig, who has received rave reviews for her performance as Elle Woods across the country, sustained a broken toe following the performance on Thursday, January 8th and will be out of the show for the next six weeks.

Roundabout Theatre Company's (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presents a once-in-a-lifetime gala concert reading of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's enchanting, Tony Award-winning masterpiece A Little Night Music tonight Monday, January 12th, 2009 at 7:30PM at Studio 54 (254 West 54th St.)

BroadwayWorld.com has confirmed the news that Laura Bell Bundy will be briefly returning to the role of Elle Woods, taking over the part on tour, temporarily replacing Becky Gulsvig who has broken a toe. Bundy is currently flying to Washington, DC, the tour's current stop through tomorrow and will begin performances on January 13, 2009 in East Lansing, Michigan, the tour's next stop. The length of her stay has not yet been revealed.

Jill Paice will replace the previously announced Laura Benanti in the role of Anne Egerman in the Roundabout Theatre Company's gala benefit concert reading of A Little Night Music. Laura Benanti, has withdrawn under a doctor's orders because of a serious throat infection. Benanti is currently starring as Louise/Gypsy in the revival of Gypsy. She is expected to continue to perform in her Tony winning role in Gypsy which closes on Sunday January 11th, but the added rehearsals and peformance of 'Night Music' was considered too much in regards to her throat ailment.

Mumsnet.com, the UK's leading family website, is delighted to announce that, from Monday 5 January, kids will go free to the musical 'HAIRSPRAY' at the Shaftesbury Theatre. On Mondays, for every full paying adult buying a ticket, Mumsnet will give a child's ticket completely free. This offer is available at www.mumsnet.com/offer or by visiting www.hairspraythemusical.co.uk.

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) begins 2009 with the New York premiere of THE SAVANNAH DISPUTATION, a new play by Evan Smith (Psych and The Uneasy Chair at Playwrights Horizons, Remedial English for the Young Playwrights Festival at Playwrights Horizons, Servicemen at The New Group). This will be Mr. Smith's fourth collaboration with the theater company.

Broadway In Chicago is proud to present GREASE, the classic musical that has made generations of audiences root for Sandy and Danny's lighting romance. Tickets are now available for Chicago audiences to bop and jive with the Pink Ladies and the T-Birds at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University during a limited engagement January 6 - 18, 2009. After spending a hopelessly devoted summer with Sandy Dumbrowski (Emily Padgett), the new girl in town, Danny Zuko's (Eric Schneider) world is thrown upside down when Sandy appears at Rydell High on the first day of school. What follows is a rock n' roll celebration of growin' up, cruisin' with friends and goin' steady.

Broadway In Chicago is proud to present GREASE, the classic musical that has made generations of audiences root for Sandy and Danny?s lighting romance. Tickets are now available for Chicago audiences to bop and jive with the Pink Ladies and the T-Birds at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University during a limited engagement January 6 - 18, 2009.

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) continues its 2008/2009 Season with the New York premiere of THE SAVANNAH DISPUTATION, a new play by Evan Smith (Psych and The Uneasy Chair at Playwrights Horizons, Remedial English for the Young Playwrights Festival at Playwrights Horizons, Servicemen at The New Group). This will be Mr. Smith's fourth collaboration with the theater company.

Casting has been announced for the much anticipated San Francisco return of the smash hit musical WICKED, which begins Tuesday, January 27, 2009 for an open-ended engagement at the Orpheum Theatre. This production is a significant homecoming for WICKED, which premiered in San Francisco before casting its spell on Broadway, winning 20 major awards, including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards.

Roundabout Theatre Company's (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presents a once-in-a-lifetime gala concert reading of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's enchanting, Tony Award?-winning masterpiece A Little Night Music on Monday, January 12th, 2009 at 7:30PM at Studio 54 (254 West 54th St.)

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.