Matthew Wilder News

Legacy Entertainment Partners, LLC has announced its collaboration with Matthew Wilder to bring Morning Has Broken to international film audiences - based on true events, this is the story of a young runaway girl who moves in with a seemingly harmless, elderly, Academy Award-winning songwriter. It all seems perfectly normal...until his dark side unleashes a chain reaction of ghastly events. A very darkly comic treatment of an unfortunately very true Hollywood crime saga.

What a renaissance - again! Although the period beginning with THE LITTLE MERMAID in 1989 through to the doubleheader of POCAHANTAS in 1995 and THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME in 1996 and ending with MULAN in 1997 is considered by House Of Mouse superfans and many entertainment enthusiasts as the official Disney Renaissance era - meaning the company once again came to major prominence as a direct result of its animated musicals - it very much looks as if an entirely new type of Disney rebirth is in the process of occurring, spurred on by the worldwide success of the esteemed company's most successful animated feature to date, the highly theatrical and Broadway pedigreed FROZEN. Of course, in any way matching an era which in addition to MERMAID, POCAHANTAS, HUNCHBACK and MULAN shepherded BEAUTY & THE BEAST, ALADDIN and THE LION KING from inspiration to actuality would be a high order, if not outright impossible, yet it seems that the recent, current and upcoming spate of ingenuously timed and expertly devised projects that Disney possesses at the moment could put them in that stratospheric level of uber entity once again in the industry - and in the hearts and minds of millions around the world, as well.

The 5th Avenue Theatre has announced a major new musical commission. Based on the spell-binding novel by Anne Rice, Cry to Heaven is a dramatic new musical with music and lyrics by three-time Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe nominee Matthew Wilder and a book by Roy Freirich and Debrah Neal. The show will be developed through The 5th Avenue's New Works Program focusing on early stage cultivation of new musicals, one of seven musicals in various stages of development.

Every year, despite a litany of warnings they come to the Big Apple with big dreams. Warnings like: “You have to pay your dues.” “It's a tough business, kid.” “How are you going to survive?” There's no such thing as an overnight success, yet still they come to be at “the top of the heap,” as Kander and Ebb so eloquently put it. The four young performers featured here haven't yet vaulted to the top of the cabaret heap, but they've certainly made their marks with excellent shows during 2014, while exhibiting the potential to get there. The spotlight is already shining on Chrysten Peddie, Angela Dirksen, Rembert Block, and Kristoffer Lowe.

Pumpkin Theatre has announced their 47th Season - A Season of Princes and Princesses . Performances are Saturdays and Sundays, 1 &3pm and will take place at 2905 Walnut Ave, Owings Mills MD 21117. Our 47th Season is as follows:

Yoshi's San Francisco has announced its upcoming lineup, now through March 9, 2014. Details below!

Flat Rock Playhouse and YouTheatre presents the popular Disney musical, Mulan Jr., from today, November 15 -24 at the Flat Rock Playhouse Downtown presented by Todd Webb, CPA and Ken Adams/Edward Jones.

Flat Rock Playhouse and YouTheatre presents the popular Disney musical, Mulan Jr., from November 15 -24 at the Flat Rock Playhouse Downtown presented by Todd Webb, CPA andKen Adams/Edward Jones. BroadwayWorld has a first look at star Eleanor Palmer as Mulan below!

Flat Rock Playhouse and YouTheatre presents the popular Disney musical, Mulan Jr., from November 15 -24 at the Flat Rock Playhouse Downtown presented by Todd Webb, CPA and Ken Adams/Edward Jones.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

What do Broadway's Lindsay Mendez (Broadway's Elphaba), Sierra Boggess (Broadway's Little Mermaid), Patti Murin (Broadway's Lysistrata Jones), Marissa Perry (Broadway's Tracy Turnblad), Mary Faber (H2$'s Smitty) and Jenny Fellner (Broadway's Sophie in Mamma Mia) have in common? Ten years ago this October, they all began their New York careers as Princesses.

Performers from three upcoming concerts at 54 Below, including THE LAST 5 YEARS IN CONCERT (10/16-19), PRINCESSES THE MUSICAL, A CLASS REUNION (10/21), and SIN TWISTERS (10/9) recently met the press for a special performance preview. BroadwayWorld brings you highlights from the festivities below!

What do Broadway's Lindsay Mendez (Broadway's Elphaba),Sierra Boggess (Broadway's Little Mermaid), Patti Murin(Broadway's Lysistrata Jones), Marissa Perry (Broadway's Tracy Turnblad), Mary Faber (H2$'s Smitty) and Jenny Fellner(Broadway's Sophie in Mamma Mia) have in common? Ten years ago this October, they all began their New York careers as Princesses.

What do Broadway's Lindsay Mendez (Broadway's Elphaba), Sierra Boggess (Broadway's Little Mermaid), Patti Murin (Broadway's Lysistrata Jones), Marissa Perry (Broadway's Tracy Turnblad), Mary Faber (H2$'s Smitty) and Jenny Fellner (Broadway's Sophie in Mamma Mia) have in common? Ten years ago this October, they all began their New York careers as Princesses.

In his two decades of professional DJing, DJ Chicus has been championing diverse musical styles across the board from pop classics to underground dance music, merging them in a fresh, tasteful and unexpected way. Recently his musical focus has been tied with the two record labels he runs -- Redbud Records [Reggae] and Dither Down Records [Nu-Disco/House/Indie]. His latest mix, Moombahton De Las Ochentas (80s Moombahton) is a prime example of his dancefloor sensibilities with its consistent momentum and infectious hooks. Click below for a first listen!

The Tuacahn Center for the Arts us currenyly presenting Disney's MULAN: The Stage Musical, a new 75 minute show and BroadwayWorld.com was there to cover the show. The production is directed by Ryan Norton, with choreography by Veronica Yeager.

Summer programs have just begun at RTC, celebrating all ranges of theater for youth. Between now and August there will be fun for the whole family. MULAN JR. will be directed by CAROLANNE MARANO, with musical direction by MIRIAM ARICHEA. Get a sneak peek at the cast in the photos below!

According to Deadline.com, Broadway and Smash executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron of Storyline Entertainment have just signed a two-year contract with Sony Pictures Television to produce several TV movies and miniseries.

Today, as a well-earned holiday surprise for all of the millions of Broadway babies who read Broadway World all year long, we have a sneak preview of next year's upcoming InDepth InterView with leading lady stage superstar Sierra Boggess, best known to Broadway and West End audiences for her creation of the title role in THE LITTLE MERMAID, as well as originating the role of Christine in both PHANTOM VEGAS - the Las Vegas iteration of the international sensation THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by original helmer Hal Prince - and LOVE NEVER DIES, the recent Andrew Lloyd Webber-penned musical sequel to the original thriller/romance tuner, as well as her most recent essaying of the role in the absolutely phantastic 25th anniversary production THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL, which will be released on Blu-ray and DVD in the US in 2012. Before we get to all about PHANTOM 25 - lest we forget, Ms. Boggess was also generous enough to tell us all about the show when it was still in rehearsals (you can read that chat here) - Boggess shares her affection for another recent InDepth InterView participant who shared the stage with her at the thrilling encore for PHANTOM 25 - the one and only Phantom of legend himself, Michael Crawford, as well as all about her participation in the yearly ASTEP charity concert CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK CITY and the cast recording of it featuring herself along with Raul Esparza, Andy Karl, Orfeh, Constantine Maroulis and many more! Plus, insight into her preparations for her next Broadway role, that of Rebecca in the lavish stage spectacular REBECCA and much, much more!

You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who isn't familiar with YouTube and other online video websites which showcase on a daily basis the good, the bad and the ugly. For several years now, BroadwayWorld has lead the theatrical community by providing regular Stage Tube videos featuring everyone from top Broadway and Hollywood celebs to kids barely out of diapers. In this new regular column, I'll be hand-picking videos from 'Around the Broadway World' which will highlight noteworthy theater-related videos. From backstage to onstage - from Amateur to Professional - and from anywhere and everywhere in the world.