BroadwayWorld announced yesterday that Lauren Ambrose has landed the coveted role of Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL in the first Broadway production of the musical since it originally opened in 1964. FUNNY GIRL, which features music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Bob Merrill and book by Isobel Lennart, will be directed by Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher.
The news came as a surprise to many, as Ambrose - while a screen favortie and sometimes stage star - is not a regular in the big musical circuit. In fact, the announcement had many asking...can she sing?
Ambrose, in fact, has powerhouse vocals and has been singing since childhood. She is the lead singer of jazz, swing and ragtime-style Leisure Class band, and in trained in opera at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. Many may also recall Ambrose's famous belt-out of the 'Rainbow of Reasons' gag in a 2006 episode of Six Feet Under. The theater world certainly has a lot to look forward to when this soulful songstress reimagines Fanny onstage.
It's just been announced that Lauren Ambrose will star as Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL, in the first Broadway production of the musical since it originally opened in 1964. FUNNY GIRL, which features music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Bob Merrill and book by Isobel Lennart, will be directed by Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher.
The Freddie G. Teacher Experience (named for Music Theatre International's CEO and Chairman Freddie Gershon who, with his wife Myrna, underwrote the awards and weekend) was a weekend devoted exclusively to professional development for theatrical educators held on July 15th- 17th 2011 in New York City.
Eight exceptional educators from schools and performing arts centers around the country will work one-on-one with Broadway greats including Kimberly Grigsby, Warren Carlyle, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul at the 2nd Annual BROADWAY WELCOMES AMERICA'S TEACHERS AT THE FREDDIE G THEATRE EXPERIENCE July 15th-17th in New York. Again this year's event has been underwritten by Freddie ('G') Gershon, Chairman and CEO of leading theatrical licensor Music Theatre International (MTI) and his wife Myrna Gershon. The weekend honors instructors and teachers who are working to make a difference for their students and communities through the process of staging musical theatre productions in their schools and educational theatre groups.
Broadway?s biggest show SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark officially opens Tuesday, June 14th at the Foxwoods Theatre (213 West 42nd Street). The show features creative consultation by Philip William McKinley (The Boy From Oz), original direction by Tony Award-winner Julie Taymor (The Lion King, Across The Universe, Frida), music and lyrics by 22- time Grammy Award-winners Bono and The Edge, and book co-written by Taymor, Glen Berger (Underneath The Lintel) and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Fantastic Four and Spider-Man comics, 'Big Love').
The funny thing about 70 million dollar musicals is that the paper used to write them costs no more than the paper used to write church basement showcases budgeted on the limit of someone's maxed-out credit card. And twenty thousand years from now, when intergalactic societies consider our generation's artistic ambitions based on which words and music written on that paper we chose to support with extravagantly-financed productions viewed by over ten thousand purchasers of high-priced tickets every week, let's hope we don't have to sheepishly shield our faces in our afterlife abodes as they flabbergastedly wonder, 'What the hell were they thinking?'
Catch a sneak peek of 'SpiderMonster, the Musical,' Sesame Street's new spoof of the Broadway show as part of the program's 42nd season. New episodes begin September 2011. Also the butt of a few punches at the Tony Awards last night, SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark officially celebrates it's opening night on tomorrow, June 14 th at the Foxwoods Theatre.
It's the most highly anticipated opening in recent Broadway memory, SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark officially celebrates their opening night on Tuesday, June 14 th at the Foxwoods Theatre. The show features creative consultation by Philip William McKinley (The Boy From Oz), original direction by Tony® Award-winner Julie Taymor (The Lion King, Across The Universe, Frida), music and lyrics by 22- time Grammy® Award-winners Bono and The Edge, and book co-written by Taymor, Glen Berger (Underneath The Lintel) and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Fantastic Four and Spider-Man comics, "Big Love").
The first full video preview footage has been released and we've got a first look at the production that has EVERYONE talking!
In one of the most highly anticipated openings in recent Broadway memory, SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark officially celebrates their opening night on Tuesday, June 14 th at the Foxwoods Theatre. The show features creative consultation by Philip William McKinley (The Boy From Oz), original direction by Tony® Award-winner Julie Taymor (The Lion King, Across The Universe, Frida), music and lyrics by 22- time Grammy® Award-winners Bono and The Edge, and book co-written by Taymor, Glen Berger (Underneath The Lintel) and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Fantastic Four and Spider-Man comics, "Big Love"). The newest production photos have been released and BroadwayWorld brings you a first look below!
James Earl Jones, Roger Robinson and Robert Joy will all perform in the Ensemble Studio Theatre and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation's First Light 2011 series of new plays about science and technology now through April 23 at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 West 52nd Street.
Carolyn Rossi Copeland & AG Funding will present a special invitational reading of the new musical AMAZING GRACE, with music & lyrics by Christopher Smith and book by Mr. Smith & Arthur Giron, for two performances on Thursday, February 10th and Friday, February 11th at 3 p.m. at The New 42nd Street Studios (229 West 42nd Street)
Carolyn Rossi Copeland & AG Funding will present a special invitational reading of the new musical AMAZING GRACE, with music & lyrics by Christopher Smith and book by Mr. Smith & Arthur Giron, for two performances on Thursday, February 10th and Friday, February 11th at 3 p.m. at The New 42nd Street Studios (229 West 42nd Street)
As BroadwayWorld reported last night, according to the NY Times, the Broadway run of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark was rumored to be postponed once again; this time, because of safety issues. inspectors from The New York Department of Labor visited the Foxwoods Theatre to take a look at the flying devices and methods being used. Because they saw only some of the dozens of aerial stunts in the show, delays in the opening are likely. If the Department of Labor approves of the rest of the stunts in the next 10 days, then performances will begin on November 14.
According to the NY Times, the Broadway run of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark might be postponed once again; this time, because of safety issues. As reported previously, inspectors from The New York Department of Labor payed a visit to the Foxwoods Theatre to take a look at the flying devices and methods being used. Because they saw only some of the dozens of aerial stunts in the show, delays in the opening are likely. If the Department of Labor approves of the rest of the stunts in the next 10 days, then performances will begin on November 4.
The New York Times reports this afternoon that a second SPIDER-MAN performer has come forward to report an injury as a result of the show's complicated stunts. This second performer - who is remaining anonymous - claims to have broken both feet during the same catapult stunt from which Kevin Aubin broke both wrists, as BroadwayWorld reported earlier today.
The New York Times reports this afternoon that a second SPIDER-MAN performer has come forward to report an injury as a result of the show's complicated stunts. This second performer - who is remaining anonymous - claims to have broken both feet during the same catapult stunt from which Kevin Aubin broke both wrists, as BroadwayWorld reported earlier today.
Michael Riedel reported in this morning's New York Post that SPIDER-MAN's Kevin Aubin, one of several performs said to be appearing in a SPIDER-MAN outfit had broken both of his wrists during a small presentation for ticket brokers and group sales agents last week.
Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee recently stopped by the Foxwoods Theatre to take in a rehearsal of SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK and chat with the company. Click below to hear just why Lee was so impressed with the production, and why he can't wait to see the show - yes - 100 times.
