Kurt Peterson News

The 2022 American Songbook Association Gala will honor Stephen Schwartz on Monday, May 9 -An interview with ASA co-founder Carolyn Montgomery

American Songbook Association has announced that Broadway stars Christine Andreas, Liz Callaway, Jason Graae, and Sally Mayes have joined the lineup of their Third Annual Gala to honor Stephen Schwartz on Monday, May 9 at 7:30 PM.

Brisbane based company Circa present a double act at the reimagined Theatre Royal in Sydney. They offer a show for all ages in school holiday hours, WOLFGANG’S MAGICAL MUSICAL CIRCUS. At night they it’s the adult viewing CIRCA’S PEEPSHOW.

This week I saw productions of two decades-old musicals, each written by one of theatre's great composer/lyricists, which, in their original productions, ran a combined total of nine performances on Broadway.

American Songbook Association has announced that their Third Annual Gala will honor Stephen Schwartz on Monday, May 9, 2022 at 7:30 PM. Schwartz – the Oscar, Grammy and Tony-winning composer and lyricist of Wicked, Pippin, Godspell and more – will receive the 2022 ASA Lifetime Achievement Award.

This weekend, BroadwayWorld was saddened to report the passing of beloved Broadway veteran Harvey Evans, who passed away at 80 years old. We're rounding up some of Evans' interviews and performances over the span of his extensive career.

Follies at 50: A Conversation with the Cast and Crew of the Original Broadway Production is a one-time event, featuring a panel of people involved in the creation of one of the most groundbreaking musicals of all time, Follies.

a?oeTogether We Can: A Celebration Of Arts Educationa??, a commercial-free, hour-long televised variety special on Saturday, June 27 at 7:00 pm. The production is produced, staged and directed by David Green, founder and Director of Musical Theatre University, which is one of the school district's most treasured arts programs. a?oeTogether We Cana??  is co-hosted by Emmy Winning Comedian and Actor Bruce Vilanch and local CBS Personality Patrick Evans and will showcase the PSUSD's vibrant performing and visual arts programs and make the case for the critical need for arts education in our schools, as the district faces probable budget cuts due to the Covid-19 crisis. This special event is the kick-off to a year-long fundraising campaign by The Foundation For The Palm Springs Unified School District called a?oeTogether We Will; Protect The Artsa??. 

We also dropped by a rehearsal for Cameron Mackintosh's new production of the landmark musical Les Misérables, directed by John Caird. It starred Alexander Gemignani, Aaron Lazar, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Gary Beach and Norm Lewis. Mackintosh told Ridge, 'I'm delighted to have the opportunity. The only thing I never expected or dreamt of was getting such a wonderful cast as this. Everybody we ever dreamt of wanted to be in it. We found some marvelously talented people that we didn't know, and I think it's one of the strongest casts of Les Miz that's ever been anywhere.'

Fifty years ago this summer, dozens of Springer patrons flew to New York to see hometown star Victoria Mallory make her Broadway debut in the leading role of Maria in West Side Story.   She was only 20 years old.

Fifty years ago this summer, dozens of Springer patrons flew to New York to see hometown star Victoria Mallory make her Broadway debut in the leading role of Maria in West Side Story.   She was only 20 years old.

Last summer, Columbus theatre-lovers flew to New York to see Springer favorite Michael Stiggers make his Broadway debut in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.  There was a cheering crowd waiting outside the stage door, then dinner, toasts and speeches at Sardi's Restaurant.

The 2017 awards honor productions which opened between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. Nominations were completely reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended October 31, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors.

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top events: the final day of the off-Broadway toy drive is today! Donate and receive free tickets! Pasadia Familiar closes off-off-Broadway today. And more!

The original production of Follies will reunite at BroadwayCon 2018, ahead of the original Broadway production's 47th anniversary. Moderated by Jennifer Ashley Tepper (The Untold Stories of Broadway), Follies: The Original Production Reunion will bring together Steve Boockvor (original cast), Ted Chapin (original production assistant, author of Everything Was Possible), Mary Jane Houdina (original Young Hattie, assistant to Bennett), Denise Pence (original swing), Kurt Peterson (original Young Ben), and Jonathan Tunick (orchestration) and more as they share stories about when life was fun but oh so intense.

The 2017 awards honor productions which opened between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. Nominations were completely reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended October 31, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors.

The 2017 awards honor productions which opened between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. Nominations were completely reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended October 31, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors.

'Disney's Newsies' has been making headlines all this summer at America's regional theaters, from the MUNY in St. Louis to the Music Theatre of Wichita. Others 'carrying this banner,' Tony-winning musical have included the Wagon Wheel in Indiana, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Red Mountain Theatre Company in Alabama, the Maine State Music Theatre and Orlando REP in Florida.

ZERO HOUR, Jim Brochu's acclaimed play about the life of theatre legend Zero Mostel, returns to its original home, opened last night, Wednesday June 14th, at the Theatre at Saint Clement's (423 West 46th Street, between Ninth & Tenth Avenues) for a limited engagement through July 9th only. The performance was followed by a gala celebration at Sardi's with guests including Sondra Lee, Tony Sheldon, Charles Busch, Howard McGillin, Donna McKechnie, Lee Roy Reams, Billy Stritch, Jim Caruso, David Staller, Lynn Sher (ABC News), Jeanne Lehman, Kurt Peterson, Blake Zolfo, and more. BroadwayWorld has photos from the festivities below!

ZERO HOUR, Jim Brochu's acclaimed play about the life of theatre legend Zero Mostel, has returned to its original home, the Theatre at Saint Clement's (423 West 46th Street, between Ninth & Tenth Avenues) for a limited engagement through July 9th only.