With four Tony Awards and two Grammy Awards, the Juilliard-trained Audra McDonald returns to performing live full-time this month following four seasons playing Dr. Naomi Bennett on ABC's hit television series Private Practice. Currently starring alongside Norm Lewis in A.R.T.'s PORGY AND BESS, the Broadway-bound singer will make a stop at Carnegie Hall as a part of her 20-city concert tour across North America. McDonald will present her trademark mix of show tunes, classic songs from movies, and pieces written expressly for her by leading contemporary composers.
Metropolitan Opera artist Maureen O'Flynn will make her New York cabaret debut at Feinstein's at Loews Regency in At the Crossroads, a sumptuous musical feast for the ears, sung by one of the most thrilling voices to grace the worlds of opera, musical theatre & cabaret.
Playwright Michael Patrick Flanagan Smith focuses on the last thoughts of Woody Guthrie in his new play with music, 'Woody Guthrie Dreams,' directed by Isabel Milenski, that will be presented by Theater for the New City from September 8 to October 1, 2011.
The Lotte Lenya Competition, celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2012, seeks exceptionally talented young singer/actors who are dramatically and musically convincing in a wide range of musical theater styles for the 2012 competition. Contestants will compete for top prizes of $15,000, $10,000 and $7,500; additional special prizes will be awarded.
Metropolitan Opera artist Maureen O'Flynn will make her New York cabaret debut at Feinstein's at Loews Regency in At the Crossroads, a sumptuous musical feast for the ears, sung by one of the most thrilling voices to grace the worlds of opera, musical theatre & cabaret.
Sydney Theatre Company and Asteron present the Malthouse Melbourne and Victorian Opera production of Bertolt Brecht & Kurt Weill's The Threepenny Opera
Theatrica Ltd have announced the complete cast and creative team for the London revival of The Hired Man by Howard Goodall and Melvyn Bragg at The Landor Theatre playing 2nd - 27th August 2011.
AL JOLSON, once dubbed as The World's Greatest Entertainer, will return to North Hollywood at the historic El Portal Theatre in the person of critically acclaimed Broadway actor, MIKE BURSTYN (Winner of Two Israeli 'Oscars'; Broadway: Barnum; Off-Broadway: Lansky) starring in the titular role as Al Jolson. The Los Angeles Premiere of the new musical, JOLSON AT THE WINTER GARDEN, will be backed by a live on stage band and three back-up singers.
After just five sell-out performances at the Young Vic in 2008, Street Scene - winner of the Evening Standard Award for Best Musical - returns for a full run and national tour.
ACT - A Contemporary Theatre offers up something for everyone! Sarah Ruhl's tender, electric new comedy hit, In the Next Room, or the vibrator play lights up the Mainstage, while the Central Heating Lab keeps things cooking with steamy performances all month long!
Today we are talking to DROP DEAD DIVA guest star Sharon Lawrence and discussing her long-awaited return to the series as Bobbie Dobkins in Sunday's "Mother's Day" episode as well as taking a look at her long and varied film and theater career with thoughts on everything from CABARET and CHICAGO onstage to DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, LAW & ORDER: SVU, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM on the small screen and the new Theresa Rebeck play she stars in opening next month at the Mark Taper Forum in LA, POOR BEHAVIOR and much, much more!
Over the course of the next several weeks, we are going to be taking an extensive look at the sights and sounds both onscreen and onset of the hit TV dramedy series DROP DEAD DIVA - new episodes airing Sunday nights at 9 PM on Lifetime - featuring exclusive interviews with the leading lady divas and dashing supporting men on the LA-based supernatural legal series. Featuring a memorable collection of musical performances and Broadway guest stars over the years - Paula Abdul, Rosie O'Donnell, Delta Burke and many more included - DROP DEAD DIVA is the quintessential TV series for Broadway babies looking for some laughs and levity - the latter available in many more ways than one, given the show's heavenly aspirations. DROP DEAD DIVA centers on a legal eagle named Jane whose body acts as the means for the indomitable spirit of a model, Deb, who loses her life, to make a second chance and how the girl inside must learn to adjust to looking like the woman on the outside that she is now. In other words, a model finds out what it means to look like everyone else, in a delightfully quirky twist of fate - and learns to be a lawyer, too. Season Three picks up with the cliffhanger car crash that closed last season in a dark and shocking way. What will Grayson remember of the conversation he had with Jane pre-crash? What will Jane do to save him? What about his engagement (to somebody else)? What will happen back at the office with Teri, Kim and Parker? What about Stacy and Fred? All these questions and many more will most assuredly be answered come Sunday night! Plus, there's always a musical number or two not too far off if you stay tuned - such as this week's BroadwayWorld exclusive world premiere of "Lean On Me" available here!
Be sure to check back often because in the following weeks, we will also feature conversations with DROP DEAD DIVA stars Josh Henderson, Jackson Hurst, Ben Feldman and definitely stay tuned for next week's exclusive chat with featured guest star and Tony-winner, the one and only Faith Prince!
Continuing the BRIDGING TV & THEATRE: DROP DEAD DIVA series, here is my extended conversation with DROP DEAD DIVA guest star Sharon Lawrence in which we discuss her many Broadway credits - CABARET, CHICAGO, ZORBA and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF included - as well as her extensive and varied theater career and acting alongside the likes of Cherry Jones, Marian Seldes and DROP DEAD DIVA guest star and fellow Broadway baby Faith Prince. Additionally, Ms. Lawrence shares her fascinating insights into the art of acting and the role of the actor in society as well as provides detailed insight into her own process and musical theatre versus straight drama - plus, comments on SMASH, GLEE, Weill, Brecht, feminism and much, much more!
Playwright Michael Patrick Flanagan Smith focuses on the last thoughts of Woody Guthrie in his new play with music, 'Woody Guthrie Dreams,' directed by Isabel Milenski, that will be presented by Theater for the New City from September 8 to October 1, 2011.
