McDonald News

The Drama League has announced, today, that Taylor Louderman, Ashley Park, andKate Rockwell - the three 'Plastics' from this season's production of Mean Girls - will co-host the 84th Annual Drama League Awards on Friday, May 18, 2018.

Rhinebeck Writers Retreat is presenting a private reading of the new musical, THE PROXY MARRIAGE, book and lyrics by Michele Lowe and music and lyrics by Adam Gwon, on May 7 in New York City, which includes actors Jason Tam (Jesus Christ Superstar Live on NBC, Broadway: A Chorus Line, If/Then), Whitney Bashor (The Bridges of Madison County), Anika Larsen (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Avenue Q), and Daniel Jenkins (Mary Poppins, Billy Elliot, Big River). The reading is directed by Lonny Price (Sunset Boulevard starring Glenn Close) and music directed by Vadim Feichtner (Falsettos Broadway revival).

Stage Entertainment Spain has recently announced ANASTASIA in Madrid in a great press event, including Stephen Flaherty. BroadwayWorld had the chance to speak with the composer about this show, his career on Broadway, his creative process with Lynn Ahrens (lyricist of ANASTASIA) and much more!

Between college productions and the many local theatres we have, it may seem there is always a production of the Kander and Ebb Tony winning classic Cabaret running. However, when you have a wonderful production like the one at BayWay Arts Centre, it indeed warrants another look. Excellently directed by Marion Waller, this superb incarnation, presented by the BroadHollow Theatre Company, runs at the Long Island venue through May 12th boasting a stellar cast

Decca Gold is proud to announce the forthcoming release of Sing Happy, the live performance of the New York Philharmonic's 2018 Spring Gala starring Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award-winner Audra McDonald. Recorded live on May 1 at David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, the recording represents McDonald's first collaboration with Decca Gold - as well as her first solo recording with full orchestra.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has today announced the shortlist for the 2018 BAFTA Student Film Awards. Following the international expansion of the Awards in 2017, this year's shortlisted 60 films have been selected from the 469 submissions by students at film schools in 35 countries across the world, including Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Egypt, Germany, India, Israel, Kenya, Lebanon, Russia, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Charlamos en profundidad con el autor de este nuevo musical que llega a Madrid en octubre

CBS All Access today announced the third season renewal of its hit original drama series THE GOOD FIGHT.

FX has set the premiere date for the second season of Snowfall, the drama series created by John Singleton & Eric Amadio and Dave Andron, it was announced today by Chuck Saftler, President, Program Strategy and COO, FX Networks. The second season will premiere on Thursday, July 19 at 10 PM ET/PT on FX.

WP Theater, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Lisa McNulty and Managing Director Michael Sag, is thrilled to announce WP THEATER'S 40th ANNIVERSARY SEASON GALA honoring game-changing women with the Women of Achievement Awards. The gala, chaired by WP Board Members Laura Beinner and Jenna Segal, will honor Goldman Sachs Treasurer Beth Hammack and Tony Award-winning producer Daryl Roth (Kinky Boots, Indecent, The Normal Heart).

The New York Pops' 35th Birthday Gala, Part of His World: The Songs of Alan Menken was held on Monday, April 30, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall, presented by The New York Pops. Check out photos from the after party below!

On Monday, May 14, 2018, Third Street Music School Settlement (Third Street), the nation's longest running community school, will honor Grammy Award-winning Singer and Songwriter Rosanne Cash, Tony and Oscar Award-winner Joel Grey, and long-time Board Member and Award-winning Architect Byron Bell at its Annual Spring Gala. Graham Parker, President of Universal Studios Classical Music Labels, will serve as master of ceremonies and Lydia Fenet, Senior Vice President of Christie's Auction House will host the live auction. Members of the cast of SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical also will perform. Held at Capitale (130 Bowery) in New York City, the gala will bring together hundreds of luminaries from the arts, culture, education, media, business, finance and philanthropy worlds to pay tribute to the honorees for their contributions to and leadership in arts and music education. Funds raised through attendance, live and silent auction participation will help support Third Street scholarships and financial aid services. With its roots in the settlement movement, Third Street today serves more than 5,000 New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds by providing high quality, accessible music and dance instruction in more than 25 instruments and voice. More than 75% of Third Street students receive financial aid or scholarships through the school's Partners program, which sends teaching artists into community centers and public schools throughout New York City. Alumni include well-known artists Bobby Lopez, Jessie Montgomery, Irving Caesar, among others. This year's honorees join a roster of previous honorees that includes The Roots, Sting, Yoko Ono, Harold Prince, Philip Glass, and Audra McDonald. Rosanne Cash will be presented with Third Street's Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Arts and Joel Grey will receive Third Street's Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts. 'Third Street is founded on the principles of artistry, diversity, and community. We believe music connects us and that it is crucial to support programs that enable accessibility to the arts for people of all backgrounds,' said Third Street Music School's Anna-Maria Kellen Executive Director, Valerie G. Lewis. 'We are proud to celebrate our 123rd Anniversary with music visionaries, Joel Grey and Rosanne Cash, along with a long-time supporter of Third Street, Byron Bell. They have been incredible advocates for the arts, fostering artistic creativity in their communities and beyond,' she said. Gala Co-chairs are Jeannie Park and Larry Hackett, Kara Saxon and Amit Malhotra, and Kate and James Vanek. Anniversary Co-chairs include Beau Everett and Stephanie Goodman, Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation, Tatiana Serafin and Mick Kalishman, Felipe Toews and Yuu Fujita. Honorary Co-chairs include Barbara E. Field, Philip Glass and Harold Prince. Event sponsors include Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation, Baldor Specialty Foods, Ernst & Young LLP, Putney, Twombly, Hall & Hirson LLP, Industry City, JD Carlisle Development Corporation, Steinway & Sons, and Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP. For more information visit thirdstreetmusicschool.org/gala or contact Katharine Nemeth at 212-777-3240 ext. 26 or gala@thirdstreetmusicschool.org. Tickets start at $500 per person and $5,000 per table. About Third Street Founded in 1894, Third Street Music School Settlement is the nation's longest-running community music school. Celebrating 123 years of service, Third Street works to enrich lives and communities by providing access to high quality music and dance instruction to students of all ages and backgrounds, regardless of artistic ability or socio-economic circumstances. As a pioneer of community arts education in the United States, Third Street today serves more than 5,000 students in our primary location on East 11th Street, and through partnerships with nearly 25 public schools and community centers throughout New York City. Third Street alumni include violist Masumi Per Rostad of the acclaimed Pacifica String Quartet; Ray Chew, musician and music director of Dancing with the Stars and American Idol; Irving Caesar, composer of the 1920's hit 'Tea for Two'; Bobby Lopez, co-creator of the hit Broadway musical Avenue Q and Academy Award-winning writer of 'Let It Go' from Disney's Frozen and 'Remember Me' from Disney's Coco; Ingrid Michaelson, pop singer/songwriter with hits on the Top 40 charts; and Jessie Montgomery, recipient of the Sphinx Award. Visit http://www.thirdstreetmusicschool.org/ for more information, and follow Third Street on Instagram @3rdstreetnyc and twitter @Third_Street.

The New York Pops' 35th Birthday Gala, Part of His World: The Songs of Alan Menken was held on Monday, April 30, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall, presented by The New York Pops.

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in the Berkshires (Pittsfield, MA) under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, is pleased to announce initial casting for the 2018 Season.

City Winery at the Riverwalk, 11 W. Riverwalk South, announces a free performance by She's Crafty on Thursday, May 17 at 5:30 p.m. Raffles and proceeds from two specialty cocktails will benefit Chicago Period Project and Gilda's Club Chicago.

The xx are set to play a pair of intimate shows at Washington, D.C.'s 9:30 Club this summer on July 26and 27, between their headlining sets at FYF in Los Angeles and Panorama in New York. The dates are the band's first in the U.S. since their wildly successful I See You tour last fall.

Now on stage at Canton Village Theatre is Spotlight Players' production of the musical ANNIE. Directed by John Sartor, this version adds wonderful scenes that improve the storyline even better than before. During the awkward moments when the curtain was down and set changes were being made, Sartor had little boys walk about the stage, selling apples - it was a brilliant use of time. Sartor also added interesting scenes, such as FDR reading a fireside speech from one of the side satellites, opening the show with Annie's parents dropping her off at Hudson Street home for girls as an infant, an amazing subway set where pedestrians rose to the stage from the pit as if exiting the subway line, and a climax with jetted streamers and pyrotechnics.

Whitney Houston broke more music industry records than any other female singer in history. With over 200 million album sales worldwide, she was the only artist to chart seven consecutive U.S. No. 1 singles. She also starred in several blockbuster movies before her brilliant career gave way to erratic behavior, scandals and death at age 48. The documentary feature Whitney is an intimate, unflinching portrait of Houston and her family that probes beyond familiar tabloid headlines and sheds new light on the spellbinding trajectory of Houston's life. Using never-before-seen archival footage, exclusive demo recordings, rare performances, audio archives and original interviews with the people who knew her best, Oscar®-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald unravels the mystery behind 'The Voice,' who thrilled millions even as she struggled to make peace with her own troubled past.

Broadway Records today announced that Hello Again (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) will be released digitally and in stores on today, April 27, 2018. The album is currently available for pre-order.