Laurence Olivier News

On October 12, 2010, Olivier Award nominee Tony Sheldon ('Bernadette'), Tony Award nominee Will Swenson ('Tick'/ 'Mitzi') and Nick Adams ('Adam'/'Felicia') will take the stage at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto as the trio of friends on a heart-warming, uplifting adventure who hop aboard a battered old bus searching for love and friendship in the middle of the Australian outback and end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed in PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT.

Whoopi Goldberg will rejoin the cast of the hit musical comedy SISTER ACT in October to complete her run as Mother Superior. She will perform the role on the evening of Friday 22 October, at two shows on Saturday 23 October and at two shows on Monday 25 October. Whoopi's previous run, her West End debut, was a huge critical success and saw fans camping overnight at the box office and daily queues around the block at the London Palladium for tickets. During Whoopi's run Sister Act also broke the record for the highest weekly gross of any musical ever at the Palladium. She was unable to complete that run, which was to end on August 31, when she had to return to the USA due to a family emergency.

Get ready for big hair and big heart from this beautiful, bubbly Broadway hit! Theatre Under The Stars will open their 43nd Sensational Season of musical theatre with the TUTS' debut of Hairspray, October, 5 - 17, at the Hobby Center for Performing Arts in Downtown Houston.

WICKED, the 'West End phenomenon' (The Sunday Telegraph) that tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz, flies into its 5th year this month at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre where it continues to experience year-on-year financial growth at the Box Office

According to a report by Mail Online, in addtion to Nigel Lindsay, who will be playing the title character, Nigel Harmen, Richard Blackwood, and Amanda Holden will be joining the upcoming London production of Shrek as Lord Farquaad, Donkey and Princess Fiona respectively.

Producers Associates, Inc. announces its season for 2010, the 44th consecutive season of the Woodminster Summer Musicals. This summer the shows will be "Hairspray," "The Music Man," and "Paint Your Wagon." The organization has also announced a new $10 Preview Night as part of its ongoing effort to offer inexpensive ways for people to enjoy live theater.

Kenny Leon and True Colors Theatre Company are proud to announce a World Premiere Musical about the life of Bessie Smith written and directed by former Alliance Theatre Associate Artistic Director, David H. Bell.

Glen Hagen Theatrical, a newly created theatrical production company presents Stephen Adly Guirgis' Den of Thieves, directed by David Triacca. Den Of Thieves opens August 19, 2010 and runs through August 29, at The American Theater of Actors, The Chernuchin Theater, 2nd floor, 314 West 54 Street, New York, New York 10019.

Emily Bruni (Harriet), Lucy Cohu (Sylvia Gellburg), Nigel Lindsay (Dr Harry Hyman), Madeleine Potter (Margaret Hyman) and Brian Protheroe (Stanton Case) join previously announced Antony Sher (Philip Gellburg) in Arthur Miller's Laurence Olivier Award winning play Broken Glass, directed at the Tricycle Theatre by Iqbal Khan.

Emily Bruni (Harriet), Lucy Cohu (Sylvia Gellburg), Nigel Lindsay (Dr Harry Hyman), Madeleine Potter (Margaret Hyman) and Brian Protheroe (Stanton Case) join previously announced Antony Sher (Philip Gellburg) in Arthur Miller's Laurence Olivier Award winning play Broken Glass, directed at the Tricycle Theatre by Iqbal Khan. Broken Glass, designed by Mike Britton with lighting by Matthew Eagland, sound by Tom Lishman and music by Grant Olding runs from 30 September - 27 November, with press night on 6 October 2010.

Rep Stage, the professional Equity theatre in residence at Howard Community College (HCC), kicks off its 18th season with Giles Havergal's adaptation of Graham Greene's 'Travels With My Aunt.'

The Actors Fund, a national human services organization that helps all professionals in performing arts and entertainment, is pleased to announce that the producer, cast, and management of Disney's The LION KING have added a special performance to benefit The Fund on Wednesday, August 25 at 2:00pm in Salt Lake City.

Beowulf Alley Theatre, 11 South 6th Avenue, begins the new season with the Tony Award- nominated, Arizona premiere of SHINING CITY by Conor McPherson. Preview is Friday, September 10th with Opening Night on Saturday, September 11th and will run until the 26th. They will be a reception after opening and a post-show discussion on the 12th. General admission tickets are $23 ($14 for preview) at the door and by phone; discounted tickets are available only online at www.beowulfalley.org.

As BroadwayWorld has previously reported, the pre-Broadway North American company of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical, written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott and directed by Simon Phillips will star Olivier Award nominee Tony Sheldon ('Bernadette'), Tony Award nominee Will Swenson ('Tick'/ 'Mitzi') and Nick Adams ('Adam'/'Felicia') as the trio of friends on a heart-warming, uplifting adventure who hop aboard a battered old bus searching for love and friendship in the middle of the Australian outback and end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed.

Drury Lane Theatre continues their acclaimed 'Year of the Director' by presenting award-winning director and choreographer David H. Bell's exuberant international smash hit musical HOT MIKADO. Bell, the original creator of the musical that has now been produced across the world, directs and choreographs the not-to-be-missed piece.

TheatreSquared will kick off the 2010/11 Fifth Anniversary Season with The 39 Steps, a live comedy thriller adapted by Patrick Barlow from Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 film and John Buchan's spy novel.

Glen Hagen Theatrical, a newly created theatrical production company presents Stephen Adly Guirgis' Den of Thieves, directed by David Triacca. Den Of Thieves opens August 19, 2010 and runs through August 29, at The American Theater of Actors, The Chernuchin Theater, 2nd floor, 314 West 54 Street, New York, New York 10019.

Off-Broadway's eleven-time Obie Award-winning Soho Rep - which the New York Times calls the 'downtown powerhouse' - will kick off its 2010-2011 season with Gregory S. Moss' (author of PUNKPLAY) new play ORANGE, HAT & GRACE, directed by Soho Rep Artistic Director Sarah Benson (BLASTED, THAT FACE) with previews beginning September 15 prior to an official press opening of September 23; followed by JOMAMA JONES: RADIATE, directed by Kym Moore, with Music Direction by Bobby Halvorson and previews beginning December 28 prior to an official press opening of January 4, 2011; and concluding with the U.S. premiere of Debbie Tucker Green's landmark play BORN BAD directed by Leah C. Gardiner, with previews beginning March 30, 2011 prior to an official press opening of April 7 - all at Soho Rep (46 Walker Street).

Complete casting has been announced for the pre-Broadway North American company of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical, written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott and directed by Simon Phillips.

According to a report by Whatsonstage.com, Sally Dexter is set to replace Whoopi Goldberg as Mother Superior in the West End production of SISTER ACT. Dexter will be staying with the show until it closes on October 30.