Marc Shaiman News

With Annie returning to Broadway in 2012, Broadway Artists Alliance of New York City will present the second of several Annie-themed master classes. They are thrilled to announce that Broadway's original Annie, Andrea McArdle, will be leading the class on Monday, July 25th. A representative from Telsey & Co., the casting directors for the revival, will also be present to lead an audition technique class. Space is limited, and only a few spots remain available.

Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever felt like you don't belong? Do you have twenty dollars? If the answer to any of those questions is 'yes', then get your tickets now for RYAN RAFTERY'S IT GETS WORSE!

The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities presents HAIRSPRAY, starring Jim J. Bullock. Known for his work on Broadway, Off-Broadway, LA Theater and Television, including the series Too Close for Comfort and The New Hollywood Squares, Jim previously performed the role of Wilbur Turnblad on Broadway. This time Jim takes the Arvada Center stage as the favorite 'Mother of the 50's forced into the 60's', Edna Turnblad. This fully staged regional production of Hairspray closes July 17, 2011.

Red Mountain Theatre Company brings you Broadway's big, fat musical comedy hit, HAIRSPRAY, July 14-August 7, 2011, at the Virginia Samford Theatre (1116 26th Street South).

The New York Times reveals today that director Michael Mayer, a consulting producer on the upcoming NBC series, Smash, has invited the creative team involved in crafting SMASH's workshop episodes to his own developmental lab of On A Clear Day You Can See Forever at the Vineyard. According to the report, attendees include 'Mr. Grant, a former writer and producer on the ABC series 'Brothers and Sisters' who is also a playwright and Tony-nominated actor ('Angels in America'); Ms. Reingold, also a playwright ('String Fever') who most recently wrote for HBO's 'In Treatment'; Jason Grote ('Civilization'); and Elisa Zuritsky and Julie Rottenberg, a writing team who worked extensively on HBO's 'Sex and the City.' Head SMASH writer Teresa Rebeck will also be on hand.

The cast of the highly anticipated musical drama SMASH, recently visited NBC's upfronts, where they chatted up the new series. In the video below, Debra Messing, Anjelica Huston, Raza Jeffery and more talk about what to expect from the series!

Beck Center for the Arts presents the Tony Award-winning hit musical, Hairspray, on the Mackey Main Stage, July 8 through August 14, 2011. Show times are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays. Buy tickets online at www.beckcenter.org or call 216.521.2540 x10.

Chanhassen Dinner Theatres brings its audiences another new Main Stage show with contagiously delightful Broadway musical, HAIRSPRAY! Winner of eight Tony Awards (out of thirteen nominations) including Best Musical, HAIRSPRAY offers two weeks of preview performances from August 5 - 18, with the official Press Opening Night on Friday, August 19.

The John W. Engeman Theater is proud to announce the cast and creative team for Hairspray, the first show of their 5th Season. Previews begin on Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 8:00 p.m., officially opening on July 9, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. and running through August 28, 2011. Hairspray is based on the film written and directed by John Waters, music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan.

If you're looking for a quick roundup of all of this week's events in the theatre world, look no further: here are some of the best news articles that the week had to offer!

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week, or you're just in the mood for a recap of everything theatre, BroadwayWorld's new feature, 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end of the week fix. Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to the West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more! For last week's biggest events: visit THIS WEEK IN PICTURES: June 25- July 1!

The New York Civil Liberties Union today announced a star-studded lineup of award-winning performers for Broadway Stands Up for Freedom, its annual benefit show scheduled for Monday, July 25 at the NYU Skirball Center for Performing Arts.

The New York Civil Liberties Union today announced a star-studded lineup of award-winning performers for Broadway Stands Up for Freedom, its annual benefit show scheduled for Monday, July 25 at the NYU Skirball Center for Performing Arts.

Even with all the bases covered and loaded given this stupendous creative team, a cast of veritable Broadway all-stars and a surprise bottom of the ninth pop fly play courtesy of Norbert Leo Butz's fresh Tony win, CATCH IF YOU CAN can't seem to get the break it deserves on Broadway. Sure, it just passed the hundred performance mark and it is alive and well, but it deserves far more praise than it has been given. After all, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's score is every bit as ingratiating and endearing as their work on the Tony-winning Best Musical HAIRSPRAY and for that fact alone CATCH ME IF YOU CAN commands the utmost attention from any cast album collector or Broadway baby interested in keeping up with all the scores and stats of Broadway‘s best. And, yes, indeed, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN possesses a score among the very best of the 21st century and the best new score on Broadway this season. The songstack as represented on the brand new Original Broadway Cast Recording is even more entertaining and enlivening than the show's songs onstage - although they have all their own allure there - and that is a huge credit to the fiercely talented songwriting team who knocks each and every pitch clear out of the park; here, just as always. CATCH ME IF YOU CAN is a fully-decked game of far-flung, fun, and not-so-frivolous fantasy ably aided by some of the most inspiring leading male performances in musical theatre in many years thanks to the wonderful work by the aforementioned Butz, plus impossibly charismatic leading player Aaron Tveit and a sensitive and suave Tom Wopat.

Last month, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN released a new promo video for the show, which featured leading man Aaron Tviet, his female co-stars, and the music of Adele! Now the show has launched a video contest that gives fans the opportunity to win tickets to the show! To enter, sinply use the footage of Tveit and his lovely ladies and pair it with a song of your choosing. Then post your video creation to Youtube and post it on the show's Facebook page.

Yesterday, July 6, the cast of Catch Me If You Can celebrated 100 performances on Broadway. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event, as were Susan Lucci and Laura Linney, and below we bring you photo coverage of the backstage celebration!

The John W. Engeman Theater is proud to announce the cast and creative team for Hairspray, the first show of their 5th Season.

'Hairspray' opens at Chattanooga Theatre Centre on July 1st and runs through the 24th, 2011. The Broadway musical is written by Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnell with music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Whitman. This musical is based on the 1988 film of the same name by John Waters and is based on Water's experiences growing up in Baltimore.