Mary Rodgers News

Tickets for Pittsburgh CLO's Side By Side By Sondheim at the CLO Cabaret are now on sale to the public. Patrons can purchase tickets by calling 412-456-6666, online at CLOCabaret.com or at the Theater Square Box Office. This exciting tribute to the contemporary master first premiered in London before heading to Broadway, and is an absolute must for die-hard fans.

'Once Upon a Mattress' marked the 1959 Broadway debut of later stage and TV legend Carol Burnett, who originated the role of Princess Winnifred. In the performance I attended, the role was played by spunky Hannah-Michelle Provisor who charmingly displayed sass, vulnerability, strength of character, and the great comedic timing needed to carry her songs 'Shy' and 'Happily Ever After' as well as the physical comedy needed for 'Song of Love.' Accomplished in dance and musical harmony, Provisor is one to watch as a future Broadway musical comedy star.

Journey through the last one hundred years of musical theatre through the lives and music of Richard Rodgers (Oklahoma, The Sound of Music), his daughter Mary Rodgers (Once Upon A Mattress) and his grandson Adam Guettel (The Light in the Piazza) in The Sweetest Sounds: A Century of Song from Rodgers to Guettell, a musical retrospective of one of Broadway's most important and enduring musical families. Conceived and written by Adrian Marchuk, the show will be presented for one exclusive performance at Birdland Jazz Club (315 West 44th Street- between 8th & 9th Avenues) tonight, February 3 at 5:00 p.m. (Doors open at 4:30).

Pittsburgh CLO has announced the Pittsburgh CLO premiere of Side by Side by Sondheim at the CLO Cabaret May 23 - August 18. The sophistication, wit, insight, heart and genius of Broadway's most innovative and influential artist is at the center of this tribute to composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim - a perfect introduction to the work of the contemporary master and a must for die-hard fans. Following Side by Side by Sondheim will be the eagerly-anticipated return of Defending the Caveman, back by popular demand after a sell-out run at the Cabaret in 2011.

Journey through the last one hundred years of musical theatre through the lives and music of Richard Rodgers (Oklahoma, The Sound of Music), his daughter Mary Rodgers (Once Upon A Mattress) and his grandson Adam Guettel (The Light in the Piazza) in The Sweetest Sounds: A Century of Song from Rodgers to Guettell, a musical retrospective of one of Broadway's most important and enduring musical families. Conceived and written by Adrian Marchuk, the show will be presented for one exclusive performance at Birdland Jazz Club (315 West 44th Street- between 8th & 9th Avenues) on Sunday, February 3 at 5:00 p.m.

When it comes to the number of award shows staged in a given season, the film, TV and recording industry no longer leave New York Cabaret in the stardust. Kicking off a 10-week period during which the Big Apple cabaret scene will now feature four award ceremonies (including the first-ever BroadwayWorld.com Awards on February 21, the 28th annual Bistro Awards on March 4, and the 27th annual MAC Awards on March 21), the 11th annual Nightlife Awards (voted on by a select group of cabaret and nightlife writers and critics) was staged at The Town Hall on January 14 and, for the most part, was a pleasantly entertaining event. Co-produced by Max Weintraub and nightlife impresario Scott Siegel (Broadway by the Year, 11 O'Clock Numbers at 11 O'Clock, Broadway Ballyhoo, et al), this year's show featured the usual mix of nightclub singing legends, budding cabaret stars, solid veterans of musical theater, outstanding jazz vocalists, stellar instrumentalists, and quirky comedians, almost all delivering the goods under the smooth direction of Scott Coulter.

Making it on Broadway is one thing - but staying on Broadway is quite another. Four Broadway legends - Joel Grey, Barbara Cook, Sheldon Harnick and Mary Rodgers - visit 92Y on Monday, Jan. 21 to share unique and intimate insights on how they endured as entertainers over the long haul, and how they remain active and relevant in their octogenarian years. The talk, moderated by WNYC's Leonard Lopate, is part of 92Y's ongoing "Relevant Octogenarians" series. It also includes Dennis S. Charney, M.D., Dean of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and co-author of the new book, Resilience. Dan Kaplan, former 92Y Board Chairman and President who has produced many 92Y galas, is the event's producer and the creator of the "Relevant Octogenarians" series.

As Sir Robin carols merrily to King Arthur in Monty Python's Spamalot, 'In any great adventure, if you don't want to lose...you won't succeed on Broadway if you don't have any Jews.' Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy is a new, 90-minute documentary by Michael Kantor, creator of the Emmy-winning series, Broadway: The American Musical. The special just aired on Great Performances yesterday, January 1 on PBS. Click below to watch!

As Sir Robin carols merrily to King Arthur in Monty Python's Spamalot, 'In any great adventure, if you don't want to lose…you won't succeed on Broadway if you don't have any Jews.' Eric Idle's cheeky lyric, which unfailingly generated knowing guffaws from Broadway audiences, proves to be more than a little grounded in truth, as BROADWAY MUSICALS: A JEWISH LEGACY convincingly attests.

The 1978 musical is back for a limited run off-Broadway, courtesy of Prospect Theater Company.

Today in 1996, the first Broadway revival of Once Upon a Mattress opened at the Broadhurst Theatre, where it ran for188 performances. Once Upon a Mattress is a musical comedy with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. The play was written as an adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Princess and the Pea. Once Upon A Mattress marked the Broadway debut of later stage and TV legend Carol Burnett, who originated the role of Princess Winnifred.

The 17th annual ASCAP Foundation Awards Event took place at Jazz at Lincoln Center last week. Among the musical theater-related awards presented was the Mary Rodgers-Lorenz Hart Award to lyricist Marcy Heisler and the Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award to the composer-lyricist team of Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner. Check out photos of highlights from the award events inside!

WORKING, from the book by Studs Terkel, is adapted by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso, with additional contributions by Gordon Greenberg. Songs are by Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Rodgers & Susan Birkenhead, Stephen Schwartz, and James Taylor. Directed by Gordon Greenberg and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, Prospect Theatre Company's WORKING began performances on Saturday, December 1 for a limited engagement through Sunday, December 30. Opening Night is tonight, December 12 at 7:15 PM. Check out just-released highlights below!

Prospect Theater Company will present a staged reading of Rob Urbinati's original play Death By Design, a witty and wonderfully mysterious whodunit inspired by Noel Coward and Agatha Christie, today, December 8, 2012 at 2:15pm.

Prospect Theater Company will present a staged reading of Rob Urbinati's original play Death By Design, a witty and wonderfully mysterious whodunit inspired by Noel Coward and Agatha Christie, on Saturday, December 8, 2012 at 2:15pm.

Due to ticket demand, 59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) announces added performances for the Prospect Theater Company production of WORKING. There is an added evening performance on Sunday, December 9 at 7:15 PM and added Saturday matinee performances on December 15, 22, and 29 at 2:15 PM. Check out just-released production shots below!

At The Acting Company's 40th Anniversary Ruby Ball tonight, December 3, 2012 at Capitale, James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director of the Signature Theatre and the Richard Rodgers Director of Juilliard's Drama Division, will accept the John Houseman Award recognizing his profound commitment to the development of American actors and an audience for the theater.

59E59 Theaters presents the Prospect Theater Company production of WORKING, from the book by Studs Terkel, adapted by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso, with additional contributions by Gordon Greenberg. Songs are by Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Rodgers & Susan Birkenhead, Stephen Schwartz, and James Taylor. Directed by Gordon Greenberg, WORKING begins performances today, December 1 for a limited engagement through Sunday, December 30.

The untold story of 'The Princess and the Pea', ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, will play today, 29th November 2012 - 5th January 2013 at the Union Theatre, featuring music by MARY RODGERS, lyrics by MARSHALL BARER and book by JAY THOMPSON, DEAN FULLER and MARSHALL BARER.

As Sir Robin carols merrily to King Arthur in Monty Python's Spamalot, 'In any great adventure, if you don't want to lose...you won't succeed on Broadway if you don't have any Jews.'