Matthew Risch News

In case this is your first time reading one of my reviews of a Broadway revival of a classic musical, allow me introduce you to my personal prejudice. I completely abhor the now very common practice of revising the book and messing with the score of any musical theatre piece after the authors are deceased. If a composer, bookwriter or lyricist is around to approve of changes, that's swell, but all too often their estates will allow anything from the sparse, but significant, tweaks to South Pacific to the wholesale revisions of The Pajama Game and The Music Man. Even more deplorable is the practice of letting these changes go uncredited, as was done in the three examples just cited, giving audiences no clue that what they are watching is not wholly the musical the original authors wrote.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is pleased to announce the following production as part of their 2009-2010 season, Patrick Marber's After Miss Julie starring Sienna Miller. Directed by Mark Brokaw, After Miss Julie will star Sienna Miller in the fall of 2009. Roundabout in association with Sonia Friedman Productions and Ostar Productions present the American premiere of playwright Patrick Marber's drama After Miss Julie. The play transposes August Strindberg's 1888 play about sex and class to an English country house on the eve of Labour's historic landslide in 1945. Sienna Miller will be making her Broadway debut as 'Miss Julie.'

PAL JOEY stars Stockard Channing and Martha Plimpton will be featured on WNYC's 'The Leonard Lopate Show' on Friday, January 23rd from 12:30-1:00PM on 93.9FM and AM 820. Tune in to hear Stockard and Martha discuss their roles in Rodgers and Hart's classic musical. Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presents a new Broadway production of PAL JOEY starring Stockard Channing (Vera Simpson), Matthew Risch (Joey Evans) and Martha Plimpton (Gladys Bumps). PAL JOEY features a new book by Tony? Award winner Richard Greenberg, based on the original book by John O'Hara, with music direction by Tony? Award winner Paul Gemignani, choreography by Graciela Daniele and directed by two-time Tony? Award winner Joe Mantello at Studio 54 on Broadway. The cast of PAL JOEY features Robert Clohessy (Mike), Jenny Fellner (Linda English), Daniel Marcus (Ludlow Lowell), Steven Skybell (Ernest), Timothy J. Alex, Brian Barry, Kurt Froman, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, Lisa Gajda, Anthony Holds, Nadine Isenegger, Mark Morettini, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Abbey O'Brien, Hayley Podschun, Krista Saab and Eric Sciotto. The design team includes two-time Tony? Award winner Scott Pask (Sets), five-time Tony? Award winner William Ivey Long (Costumes), Tony? Award nominee Paul Gallo (Lights), Tony Meola (Sound), Don Sebesky (Orchestrator), Eric Stern (Dance Arranger) and Paul Huntley (Hair and Wig Design).

PAL JOEY stars Stockard Channing and Martha Plimpton will be featured on WNYC's 'The Leonard Lopate Show' on Friday, January 23rd from 12:30-1:00PM on 93.9FM and AM 820. Tune in to hear Stockard and Martha discuss their roles in Rodgers and Hart's classic musical. Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presents a new Broadway production of PAL JOEY starring Stockard Channing (Vera Simpson), Matthew Risch (Joey Evans) and Martha Plimpton (Gladys Bumps). PAL JOEY features a new book by Tony? Award winner Richard Greenberg, based on the original book by John O'Hara, with music direction by Tony? Award winner Paul Gemignani, choreography by Graciela Daniele and directed by two-time Tony? Award winner Joe Mantello at Studio 54 on Broadway. The cast of PAL JOEY features Robert Clohessy (Mike), Jenny Fellner (Linda English), Daniel Marcus (Ludlow Lowell), Steven Skybell (Ernest), Timothy J. Alex, Brian Barry, Kurt Froman, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, Lisa Gajda, Anthony Holds, Nadine Isenegger, Mark Morettini, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Abbey O'Brien, Hayley Podschun, Krista Saab and Eric Sciotto. The design team includes two-time Tony? Award winner Scott Pask (Sets), five-time Tony? Award winner William Ivey Long (Costumes), Tony? Award nominee Paul Gallo (Lights), Tony Meola (Sound), Don Sebesky (Orchestrator), Eric Stern (Dance Arranger) and Paul Huntley (Hair and Wig Design).

Tomorrow, January 21, tickets will go on sale exclusively to American Express Card members for Roundabout Theatre Company's upcoming Broadway production of Waiting for Godot. Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presents (in order of speaking) Nathan Lane (Estragon), Bill Irwin (Vladimir), John Goodman (Pozzo), David Strathairn (Lucky) and in a new Broadway production of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett and directed by Tony? award winner Anthony Page. Waiting for Godot will begin Friday, April 3rd, 2009 and open officially on Thursday, April 30th, 2009 at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 West 54th Street). This will be a limited engagement. TICKET INFORMATION: Starting tomorrow, January 21, tickets will be available exclusively to American Express Card members online at www.roundabouttheatre.org, by phone at (212) 719-1300, or at the Studio 54 theatre box office (254 West 54th Street). Public on-sale begins Friday, February 6. Ticket prices range from $36.50 to $116.50. Through ACCESS Roundabout, 100 tickets will be available for the first preview performance (April 3rd) for only $10 each. The Waiting for Godot cast will also include Matthew Schechter (Boy). The design team includes Santo Loquasto (Sets), Jane Greenwood (Costumes) and Peter Kaczorowski (Lights).

Tomorrow, January 21, tickets will go on sale exclusively to American Express Card members for Roundabout Theatre Company's upcoming Broadway production of Waiting for Godot. Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presents (in order of speaking) Nathan Lane (Estragon), Bill Irwin (Vladimir), John Goodman (Pozzo), David Strathairn (Lucky) and in a new Broadway production of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett and directed by Tony? award winner Anthony Page. Waiting for Godot will begin Friday, April 3rd, 2009 and open officially on Thursday, April 30th, 2009 at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 West 54th Street). This will be a limited engagement. TICKET INFORMATION: Starting tomorrow, January 21, tickets will be available exclusively to American Express Card members online at www.roundabouttheatre.org, by phone at (212) 719-1300, or at the Studio 54 theatre box office (254 West 54th Street). Public on-sale begins Friday, February 6. Ticket prices range from $36.50 to $116.50. Through ACCESS Roundabout, 100 tickets will be available for the first preview performance (April 3rd) for only $10 each. The Waiting for Godot cast will also include Matthew Schechter (Boy). The design team includes Santo Loquasto (Sets), Jane Greenwood (Costumes) and Peter Kaczorowski (Lights).

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presents (in order of speaking) Nathan Lane (Estragon), Bill Irwin (Vladimir), John Goodman (Pozzo), David Strathairn (Lucky) and in a new Broadway production of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett and directed by Tony? award winner Anthony Page. Waiting for Godot will now begin previews one week earlier on Friday, April 3rd, 2009 and open officially on Thursday, April 30th, 2009 at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 West 54th Street). This will be a limited engagement. The cast will also include Matthew Schechter (Boy). The design team includes Santo Loquasto (Sets), Jane Greenwood (Costumes) and Peter Kaczorowski (Lights).

Roundabout Theatre Company's (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presents a once-in-a-lifetime gala concert reading of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's enchanting, Tony Award-winning masterpiece A Little Night Music tonight Monday, January 12th, 2009 at 7:30PM at Studio 54 (254 West 54th St.)

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is continuing to enhance the experience of Roundabout's subscribers with the launch of MYROUNDABOUT.org on January 7, 2009.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director), is pleased to announce a two-week extension of PAL JOEY starring Stockard Channing (Vera Simpson), Matthew Risch (Joey Evans) and Martha Plimpton (Gladys Bumps), now through March 1st, 2009.

Jill Paice will replace the previously announced Laura Benanti in the role of Anne Egerman in the Roundabout Theatre Company's gala benefit concert reading of A Little Night Music. Laura Benanti, has withdrawn under a doctor's orders because of a serious throat infection. Benanti is currently starring as Louise/Gypsy in the revival of Gypsy. She is expected to continue to perform in her Tony winning role in Gypsy which closes on Sunday January 11th, but the added rehearsals and peformance of 'Night Music' was considered too much in regards to her throat ailment.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Friday, December 19, 2008.

Stars Stockard Channing, Matthew Risch, Richard Greenberg (New Book) and Paul Gemignani (Musical Direction) discuss the classic music of Rodgers & Hart and share a sneak peak into the musical world of Pal Joey: Click here to listen

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director), in association with Marc Platt, presents Stockard Channing (Vera Simpson), Matthew Risch (Joey Evans) and Martha Plimpton (Gladys Bumps) in a new Broadway production of Pal Joey which opened at The Roundabo Theatre on December 18th. BroadwayWorld and Broadway Beat were at Opening Night to capture all the excitement!

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is proud to announce the full cast for the upcoming New York premiere of Distracted, by Lisa Loomer, directed by Mark Brokaw. Distracted will begin previews on Saturday, February 7th and open officially on Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 at the Laura Pels Theatre in the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre (111 West 46th Street).

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is proud to announce John Goodman (Pozzo) and David Strathairn (Lucky) will join Bill Irwin (Vladimir) and Nathan Lane (Estragon) in a new Broadway production of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett and directed by Tony? award winner Anthony Page.

Ritchie Mastascusa was the Gypsy Robe recipient for Irving Berlin's White Christmas at the Marquis Theatre. He passed on the robe to Pal Joey's Eric Sciotto in a fun and emotion filled ceremony. The colorful Gypsy Robe, embellished with mementos from Broadway musicals, is presented to the cast member who has the most Broadway chorus credits.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director), in association with Marc Platt, presents Stockard Channing (Vera Simpson), Matthew Risch (Joey Evans) and Martha Plimpton (Gladys Bumps) in a new Broadway production of Pal Joey with Robert Clohessy (Mike), Jenny Fellner (Linda English), Daniel Marcus (Ludlow Lowell), Steven Skybell (Ernest), Timothy J. Alex, Brian Barry, Kurt Froman, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, Lisa Gajda, Anthony Holds, Nadine Isenegger, Mark Morettini, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Abbey O'Brien, Hayley Podschun, Krista Saab and Eric Sciotto. The Roundabout celebrated the production with a festive cast party. We sent in our BroadwayWorld.com photographer to capture the exciting night!

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director), in association with Marc Platt, presents Stockard Channing (Vera Simpson), Matthew Risch (Joey Evans) and Martha Plimpton (Gladys Bumps) in a new Broadway production of Pal Joey with Robert Clohessy (Mike), Jenny Fellner (Linda English), Daniel Marcus (Ludlow Lowell), Steven Skybell (Ernest), Timothy J. Alex, Brian Barry, Kurt Froman, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, Lisa Gajda, Anthony Holds, Nadine Isenegger, Mark Morettini, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Abbey O'Brien, Hayley Podschun, Krista Saab and Eric Sciotto. The Roundabout celebrated the production with a festive performance and cast party. We sent in our BroadwayWorld.com photographer to greet the starry crowd that came to cheer the company on!

PAL JOEY features a new book by Tony Award winner Richard Greenberg, based on the original book by John O'Hara, with music direction by Tony Award winner Paul Gemignani, choreography by Graciela Daniele and directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello at Studio 54 on Broadway. The Roundabout celebrated the production with a festive cast party. We sent in our BroadwayWorld.com photographer to capture the exciting night!