Mary Testa News

Oklahoma! officially begins previews on Broadway tonight, March 19, at the Circle in the Square Theatre.

The new Broadway production of Oklahoma! begins previews at Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre (1633 Broadway) on tonight, March 19, 2019. Get to know the cast below as they begin Broadway performances!

In 10th Grade, I was in the chorus of a production of Oklahoma! in the auditorium of my synagogue and it was the best theatrical experience I've ever had. I remember getting home from the closing night cast party and crying myself to sleep. I could cry now putting on the movie or listening to 'The Farmer and the Cowman,' or maybe most of all, if I sing a little bit of the introduction to the title song.

Though Stephen Sondheim has written both music and lyrics for some of the finest scores of the 20th century Lyrics & Lyricists puts Sondheim's lyrics in the spotlight for its next production Sondheim: Wordplay.

MAX VERNON - the songwriter described by The New Yorker as "equal parts Bohemia and Broadway" - will continue his first residency at Joe's Pub, Existential Life Crisis Lullaby, on Tuesday, March 19 at 7:00 PM. Following three sold out shows last year, he returns with special guests Lauren Worsham, Margo Seibert, Larry Owens, Maria-Christina Oliveras, and Darius Harper. The spring shows, directed by Ellie Heyman, will continue on Tuesday, April 23. Vernon received the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, three Drama Desk Award nominations, a Jonathan Larson Grant and the Richard Rodgers Award for his musicals The View UpStairs and KPOP, both of which had critically-acclaimed extended Off-Broadway runs last year. KPOP is planning a major new production later this year. Following a sold-out debut at the Kennedy Center in 2017, Vernon has returned to the New York nightclub stage for an exclusive engagement of high spectacle, high fashion, and high belted F sharps.

Okay, this week, I only have to throw out two CDs, but it hurts! I'll never forget May 31, 1992--the 46th Annual Tony Awards. I had just turned 16 and was eagerly tuning in to absorb the Broadway of it all. I didn't really know much about any of the shows, other than that friends and family in New York had flipped for Guys And Dolls and that my parents had loved an earlier incarnation of Jelly's Last Jam when it played the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. Glenn Close was hosting and Patti LuPone was presenting and I was not moving from my seat on the couch until I had a ranked list of the shows I wanted to see when I got to New York to visit my grandparents for Thanksgiving.

Julie Halston hosted her annual benefit BROADWAY BELTS FOR PFF this week and some of Broadway's favorites turned out to lend their talents to the cause. See Ariana DeBose, Lilli Cooper, Santino Fontana, Mary Testa, and more hit the red carpet and the stage on the big night.

Oklahoma! is headed for Broadway! The marquee has gone up at the Circle in the Square. Check out the photos below!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! We're so close to Friday! Power through the rest of your week by catching up on the latest Broadway news!

It's a beautiful day on Broadway! The Bard SummerScape production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, directed by Daniel Fish, is coming to Broadway direct from a critically acclaimed, sold out run at St. Ann's Warehouse this past fall.

The Bard SummerScape production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, directed by Daniel Fish, is coming to Broadway direct from a critically acclaimed, sold out run at St. Ann's Warehouse this past fall.

Full casting has been announced for The Bard SummerScape production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, directed by Daniel Fish, which is coming to Broadway direct from a critically acclaimed, sold out run at St. Ann's Warehouse this past fall.

Frozen's Patti Murin, Summer's Jenny Laroche and Julie Gold (Grammy-Award winner for Song of the Year for 'From a Distance'), join an amazing collection of talent for this year's BROADWAY BELTS FOR PFF!, hosted by actress/comedienne Julie Halston. This year marks the ninth BROADWAY BELTS FOR PFF!, featuring an evening of music and comedy benefitting the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF). The event will take place on Monday, February 25 at 5:30 pm at the Edison Ballroom (240 West 47th Street) in New York City. A limited number of tickets are still available and can be purchased at www.BroadwayBeltsForPFF.org.

Transport Group has announced that its annual A Toast to the Artist gala will honor Tony Award-winning orchestrator Michael Starboin and composer Carmel Dean with the Transporting American Theatre Award. The evening takes place Monday, March 11 at 6:30pm at The Current, Pier 59 @ Chelsea Piers, and includes a cocktail party, seated dinner, performances, dessert reception, and silent and live auctions. The Transporting American Theatre Award recognizes significant contributions to the American Theatre. Past recipients of the Transporting American Theatre Award include Dick Scanlan, Mary- Mitchell Campbell, Michael John LaChiusa, Gretchen Shugart, Barbara Whitman, Beth Williams, Sue Frost, Christian Borle, Paul Huntley, Douglas Carter Beane, Lewis Flinn, A.R. Gurney, Liz Smith, Barbara Frietag, Terrence McNally, and Joe Mantello among others. Tickets are now on sale and may be purchased at transportgroup.org.

MAX VERNON will continue his first ever residency at Joe's Pub, Existential Life Crisis Lullaby, on Tuesday, February 26 at 7:00 PM. Following three sold out shows last year, he returns with special guests Bonnie Milligan, Larry Owens, Kenita R. Miller, Brittain Ashford, and Jaime Cepero.

Rob and Kevin are having a wild, wild party with the brilliant composer/lyricist Michael John LaChiusa whose works include Hello, Again, The Wild Party, First Ladies Suite, First Daughters Suite, Giant, Little Fish, See What I Wanna See, Bernarda Alba, Queen of the Mist, and so many others! 

Ben Rimalower revisits favorite musical theater recordings as he digitizes and declutters his collection. This week's spotlight is on the Original Broadway Cast CD of The Rink starring Chita Rivera and Liza Minnelli, with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb and book by Terrence McNally.

Neil Berg returns to the Van Wezel celebrating a record-breaking decade of annual performances with an exciting, all-new show! 110 YEARS OF BROADWAY recreates the finest moments from the most memorable shows of the century featuring the actual Broadway stars of shows like Jersey Boys, Wicked and Mamma Mia! Backed by an excellent New York-based band, Neil Berg presents skillful arrangements of Broadway classics as well as electrifying numbers from Broadway's freshest hit shows. Don't miss this spectacular performance on Wednesday, January 30 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Reserve your seats today!

Hosted by the actress/comedienne Julie Halston, BROADWAY BELTS FOR PFF! will hold its ninth annual fundraiser, featuring an evening of music and comedy benefitting the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF). This year's event will take place on Monday, February 25 at 5:30 pm at the Edison Ballroom (240 West 47th Street) in New York City. A variety of sponsorship opportunities and tickets are available and can be purchased at www.BroadwayBeltsForPFF.org.

"We'll turn Manhattan into an isle of joy," wrote Lorenz Hart in 1919, at the beginning of his partnership with Richard Rodgers. Now 100 years later Lyrics and Lyricists begins its 49th season with We'll Have Manhattan: Rodgers and Hart in New York, celebrating the team who brought us such enduring classics as "My Funny Valentine," "Isn't It Romantic?," "I Could Write A Book," "It Never Entered My Mind" and over 600 others.