Mercedes Ruehl News

Dennis Grimaldi will present Tony®Award-winner Len Cariou (Sweeney Todd) in two staged readings ofHarry Townsend's Last Stand, a new play by George Eastman.  Directed by two-time Emmy®Award-winner Peter Scolari (Wicked) and featuring Warren Bub ('Gotham'), the readings will be held on Monday, May 21 and Tuesday, May 22 at 3pm at Nola Studios (250 West 54th Street - 10th Floor/Studio 1).

On Monday, May 7th The League of Professional Theatre Women (Kelli Lynn Harrison & Lisa Rothe, Co-Presidents), an organization which has been leading the gender parity conversation and championing women in the professional theatre for over 35 years, presented the final Oral History event of their 2017-18 season with two-time Tony Award winner Chita Rivera in the Bruno Walter Auditorium at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (111 Amsterdam Avenue at 65th Street). Ms. Rivera talked about her life and illustrious career with Broadway World's lead correspondent, Richard Ridge, host of Backstage with Richard Ridge. 

Second Stage Theater (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Casey Reitz, Executive Director) will celebrate its 40th Anniversary season with a slate of productions throughout the 2018-19 season, including two World Premieres, plus an acclaimed favorite in their new Broadway home.

Obie-Award winning performance group, The Secret City, announces their annual gala, a Gershwin Cabaret held in the penthouse that formerly belonged to Ira Gershwin, next door to the Penthouse lived in by his brother, George. The Gershwin's shared musical output from the early 20th century shaped the course of American popular music and much of their most celebrated work was created in these apartments.

The Group Rep presents Ira Levin's comic thriller Deathtrap directed by Jules Aaron, produced by Larry Eisenberg. One of the great popular successes of Broadway history and Tony nominated for Best Play in 1978, Deathtrap deals with the devious machinations of a writer of thrillers who is prepared to go to any lengths to improve his fortunes. Deathtrap runs April 6 through May 20 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood.

Kenneth Lonergan's Lobby Hero, directed by Trip Cullman and starring Michael Cera, Chris Evans, Brian Tyree Henry, and Bel Powley, officially opened last night, Monday, March 26, at the newly renovated Hayes Theater. BroadwayWorld is taking you on the red carpet as the cast and fellow actors arrived on opening night! Check out the photos below!

BroadwayWorld has teamed up with Broadway alum Ilana Levine, who makes her entrance onto the podcast stage with her new show Little Known Facts. Ilana's unique brand of celebrity interview, 'Podcast Verite,' is unfiltered, raw, honest and uniquely funny.

The League of Professional Theatre Women (Kelli Lynn Harrison & Lisa Rothe, Co-Presidents), an organization which has been leading the gender parity conversation and championing women in the professional theatre for over 35 years, will present the final Oral History event of their 2017-18 season with two-time Tony Award winner Chita Rivera.

Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts is pleased to announce Title Wave at Bay Street: The 5th Annual New Works Festival, May 4 - 6, 2018. All readings are free, but tickets are required, as these events typically sell out. Tickets are available now at baystreet.org or by calling the Bay Street Theater Box Office at 631-725-9500, open Tuesday through Saturday 11 am to 5 pm.

BroadwayWorld has teamed up with Broadway alum Ilana Levine, who makes her entrance onto the podcast stage with her new show Little Known Facts. Ilana's unique brand of celebrity interview, 'Podcast Verite,' is unfiltered, raw, honest and uniquely funny.

Just last night, the Signature Theatre held its Annual Gala at The Pershing Square Signature Center (located at 480 West 42nd Street between 9th & 10th Avenues). The event celebrated the late Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Edward Albee and honored the passionate and visionary leadership of former President of the Signature Board of Trustees, Michael Rauch. 

The Signature Theatre (Paige Evans, Artistic Director; James Houghton, Founder) Annual Gala will take place on Monday, March 12, 2018 at The Pershing Square Signature Center (located at 480 West 42nd Street between 9th & 10th Avenues). The event will celebrate the late Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Edward Albee and honor the passionate and visionary leadership of former President of the Signature Board of Trustees, Michael Rauch. The Gala is taking place on what would have been Edward Albee's 90th Birthday.

Single tickets go on sale to the general public today at 10:00 AM for Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song, the critically adored production that had a sold-out Off-Broadway run, which is coming to Broadway this fall under the direction of Tony Award nominee Moises Kaufman, starring Drama Desk Award winner Michael Urie and Tony and Academy Award winner Mercedes Ruehl. Previews for this limited engagement will begin Tuesday, October 9 ahead of a Thursday, November 1 opening night at Broadway's Hayes Theater (240 West 44th Street).

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: At Home at the Zoo opens off-Broadway tonight at Signature Theatre, and more!

Producer Richie Jackson announced today that the celebrated Second Stage production of Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song will return to the same Broadway stage where the Tony Award®-winning premiere production forever changed the face of popular entertainment and ushered in a new era of American understanding of love and family. On the heels of its sold-out run at Second Stage, the production, directed by Tony Award nominee Moises Kaufman and starring Drama Desk Award winner Michael Urie and Tony and Academy Award® winner Mercedes Ruehl, will transfer to Broadway's Hayes Theater (240 West 44th Street) next season. Opening night for this limited engagement is set for Thursday, November 1.

Bright Colors And Bold Patterns - the hit play hailed as "devastatingly funny" by The New York Times - will extend its current run for a second time after stellar reviews and popular demand. The New York Times raves that new star Jeff Hiller is "riotously funny" and delivers a "surprisingly nuanced performance." RuPaul added "Jeff Hiller is fantastic! Sharp, clever, funny, witty." The show continues its triumphant run Off Broadway at SoHo Playhouse (15 Vandam Street, between 6th Avenue and Varick Street in Manhattan) with Hiller ("Nightcap," "30 Rock," Broadway's Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) through Sunday, March 11. Tickets are on sale at BrightColorsandBoldPatterns.com.

Range of Light presents the world premiere of David Sessions' dark comedy Two Fisted Love, directed by Los Angeles stage veteran Jules Aaron, in a visiting production at the Odyssey Theatre. Opens February 10.

Bright Colors And Bold Patterns - the hit play hailed as "devastatingly funny" by The New York Times - will offer a "F*CK IT, I'M SINGLE!" special for one performance only on Valentine's Day, Wednesday February 14. The show, which continues its triumphant run Off Broadway at SoHo Playhouse (15 Vandam Street, between 6th Avenue and Varick Street in Manhattan), will offer a limited amount of tickets at $14 each. The new star Jeff Hiller ("Nightcap," "30 Rock," Broadway's Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) will perform the starring role in this exclusive six week extension runs through Sunday, February 25. Tickets are on sale at BrightColorsandBoldPatterns.com.

Bright Colors And Bold Patterns - the hit play hailed as "devastatingly funny" by The New York Times - continues its triumphant run Off Broadway at SoHo Playhouse (15 Vandam Street, between 6th Avenue and Varick Street in Manhattan), when new star Jeff Hiller ("Nightcap," "30 Rock," Broadway's Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) opens in the starring role Sunday, February 4. This exclusive six week extension runs through Sunday, February 25. Tickets are now on sale at BrightColorsandBoldPatterns.com.

Range of Light presents the world premiere of David Sessions' dark comedy Two Fisted Love, directed by Los Angeles stage veteran Jules Aaron, in a visiting production at the Odyssey Theatre. Opens February 10.