Michael Bennett News

David Geffen's far-reaching influence - as agent, manager, record industry mogul, Hollywood and Broadway producer, and philanthropist - has helped shape American popular culture for the past four decades. Notoriously press and camera-shy, Geffen reveals himself for the first time in the new two-hour documentary American Masters Inventing David Geffen, premiering nationally Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 8 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings). Two-time Emmy®-winning filmmaker, American Masters creator and executive producer Susan Lacy paints an unflinching portrait of Geffen, who narrates his unorthodox rise from working class Brooklyn boy to billionaire entertainment power broker in extensive interviews.

Today we are thrilled to be talking to a nine-time Tony Award-winning performer/director/choreographer all about his illustrious career onstage and behind the scenes working on classic musicals such as THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, NINE, GRAND HOTEL, THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES and many more as well as all about his new solo piece premiering at Feinstein's At Loews Regency this weekend - the one and only Tommy Tune. Taking a look back at his near-peerless legacy as the top director of the 1980s and 1990s on Broadway, Tune imparts his candid insights about show business and reflects upon many aspects of the aforementioned hit shows - from their inception and creation to their critical and public reception and their ultimate legacy - as well as shares stories about his time as a performer, both then and now, with the star-studded tales cumulatively involving such legendary luminaries as Gene Kelly, Barbra Streisand, Michael Bennett, Hal Prince, Maury Yeston, Ken Russell, Jane Krakowski, Sutton Foster and many more. Plus, Tune gives us an enticing glimpse of his new Feintein's At The Regency showcase, TAPS, TUNES AND TALL TALES, playing November 18-26, and casts his sights on the future, near and far, and discusses the types of projects he would like to tackle next - including, first up, finding the perfect NYC location for his environmental new theatre piece, 54. All of that, tons of taps, top hats and tails and much, much more!

Today BroadwayWorld is particularly proud to present an exceptionally exciting exclusive byway of this career-spanning chat with two-time Tony Award-winning Broadway legend Bernadette Peters. In this all-encompassing conversation we discuss many aspects of her storied career, with a special focus on her upcoming feature film, COMING UP ROSES, which opens this Friday in NYC - a gritty and uncompromising independent feature offering Peters a searing central role as a struggling actress with a teenage daughter (Rachel Brosnahan) and their shared experiences cohabitating in 1980s era New York City. In what very well could be her finest dramatic performance of the new millennium, Peters does it all in COMING UP ROSES; she even gets to sing in it - the soundtrack features a familiar FIDDLER ON THE ROOF tune, a Kander & Ebb gem and even a stirring original song. Additionally, Miss Peters also sheds some light on her role in Season 2 of NBC's hit musical drama series SMASH. Over the course of the discussion we also look back at her exceptional career on stages and screens large and small, touching upon her theatre work with Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber and what roles of theirs she would consider in the future, as well as her experiences sharing the small screen with stars like Megan Hilty, Anjelica Huston and Carol Burnett and acting on the big screen for Woody Allen in ALICE. Plus, Bernadette gives us a tantalizing glimpse of what we can expect from her role in an upcoming animated feature film co-starring SMASH's Hilty and GLEE's Lea Michele, the highly anticipated DOROTHY OF OZ, and shares her satisfaction with her original, Bryan Adams-penned musical material for the forthcoming film. Yes, indeed, everything is definitely coming up roses today on BroadwayWorld and it's all thanks to the one and only Bernadette!

This week's topics: Broadway shows became tourist attractions, Nudity on Stage, DROOD Audience Voting Result Chart, Best use of audience participation, miscasting that damaged a show, Anne Hathaway at the Public, First Preview of The Performers

First off, let me give another rousing shout out to 'The Other Josh Cohen', currently running at the SoHo Playhouse. What a great night of unique, inspired theatre! I have no connections to the show, other that having worked with a couple of folks involved, so I'm not a shill.

Tonight, October 22nd, 2012, Henry Krieger, composer of Dreamgirls and the cult-classic Side Show, will take part in Kaufman Center's Broadway Close Up series at Merkin Concert Hall.

On October 22nd, 2012, Henry Krieger, composer of Dreamgirls and the cult-classic Side Show, will take part in Kaufman Center's Broadway Close Up series at Merkin Concert Hall.

THIRTEEN's American Masters presents the first film biography of media mogul David Geffen. The Emmy-winning filmmaker Susan Lacy's new documentary features candid interviews with Geffen, Cher, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Elton John, Don Henley, Neil Young, Jackson Browne, Nora Ephron, Mike Nichols, Clive Davis, Irving Azo

Twenty-five years after passing on, Michael Bennett still gets entrance applause in A Chorus Line.

A Chorus Line Book by James Kirkwood & Nicholas Dante/ Music by Marvin Hamlisch/ Lyrics by Edward Kleban Conceived and Originally Directed and Choreographed by Michael Bennett; Original Direction and Choreography Restaged by Mitzi Hamilton at the Paper Mill Playhouse

Paper Mill Playhouse's production of A Chorus Line, directed and choreographed by Mitzi Hamilton, one of the dancers in Michael Bennett's original taped workshop that inspired the 1975 musical began performances October 3 and opened Sunday with a tribute to composer Marvin Hamlisch. View photos from opening night below!

Paper Mill Playhouse presents A Chorus Line, the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical conceived, choreographed and directed by Michael Bennett, with book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, music by Marvin Hamlisch, and lyrics by Edward Kleban. The official press opening was yesterday, October 7, and it included a special tribute to composer Marvin Hamlisch. Check out photos from the curtain call below!

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee- Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) has announced that the New Jersey Theater will tribute A Chorus Line composer Marvin Hamlisch at the official opening of the show tonight, October 7th at 7:00pm.

Paper Mill Playhouse will present A Chorus Line, the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical conceived, choreographed and directed by Michael Bennett, with book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, music by Marvin Hamlisch, and lyrics by Edward Kleban. The production will be directed and choreographed by Mitzi Hamilton, one of the dancers in Bennett's original taped workshop that inspired the 1975 Musical. John O'Neill will serve as Music Director/Conductor. A Chorus Line started performances last night, October 3. Check out highlights from the show in the video below!

Paper Mill Playhouse will present A Chorus Line, the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical conceived, choreographed and directed by Michael Bennett, with book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, music by Marvin Hamlisch, and lyrics by Edward Kleban. The production will be directed and choreographed by Mitzi Hamilton, one of the dancers in Bennett's original taped workshop that inspired the 1975 Musical. John O'Neill will serve as Music Director/Conductor. A Chorus Line started performances last night, October 3. BroadwayWorld brings you some first shots from the production below!

Paper Mill Playhouse will present A Chorus Line, the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical conceived, choreographed and directed by Michael Bennett, with book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, music by Marvin Hamlisch, and lyrics by Edward Kleban. The production will be directed and choreographed by Mitzi Hamilton, one of the dancers in Bennett's original taped workshop that inspired the 1975 Musical. John O'Neill will serve as Music Director/Conductor. A Chorus Line will begin performances on October 3. The cast just met the press, and BroadwayWorld was there for all the festivities. Check out complete photo coverage below!

Paper Mill Playhouse will present A Chorus Line, the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical conceived, choreographed and directed by Michael Bennett, with book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, music by Marvin Hamlisch, and lyrics by Edward Kleban. The production will be directed and choreographed by Mitzi Hamilton, one of the dancers in Bennett's original taped workshop that inspired the 1975 Musical. John O'Neill will serve as Music Director/Conductor. A Chorus Line will begin performances on October 3. The cast just met the press, and BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was there to chat with the whole gang. Check out what they had to say by clicking below!

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee- Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) has just announced that the New Jersey Theater will tribute A Chorus Line composer Marvin Hamlisch at the official opening of the show on Sunday, October 7th at 7:00pm. Kelly Bishop joins director Mitzi Hamilton along with Donna McKechnie and dozens of A Chorus Line cast members from 1975 through 1990. Directly following the curtain call, A Chorus Line Broadway alumni will join the Paper Mill Playhouse cast on stage as they reprise a section of the "Finale" in tribute to Mr. Hamlisch. Any cast member from the Broadway production of A Chorus Line from 1975-1990 is encouraged to call Kelly Stevens at Paper Mill Playhouse at 973.315.1640 or email at kstevens@papermill.org to reserve their free tickets. Following the tribute there will be a red carpet, cast/reunion party in Downtown Millburn.

Open auditions for the first London revival of the legendary Broadway production of A Chorus Line will commence on Monday 1 October at 10am - 6pm at the London Palladium (main entrance on Argyll Street) with registration from 9am - 12noon.

Today we are talking to a terrifically talented stage and screen performer who has appeared in dozens of film, TV and stage projects over the course of his forty-year career, the thoughtful and charming Treat Williams. In this all-encompassing conversation, Williams and I discuss the many stages of his career thus far, from his early roots co-starring alongside the likes of John Travolta and Marilu Henner in GREASE and OVER HERE! on Broadway in the 1970s, to leading the film adaptation of Terrence McNally's THE RITZ to headlining Milos Foreman's stirring film version of HAIR to starring in handful of other iconic films from his heydey at the top of the Hollywood heap - Steven Spielberg's 1941, Sergio Leone's ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA and Sidney Lumet's PRINCE OF THE CITY included - and even working with Woody Allen on the caustic HOLLYWOOD ENDING. In addition to sharing candid and observant behind-the-scenes stories from the sets of those landmark properties, Williams also reveals his role in the STAR WARS sequel THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and reflects on his brief time in London with Carrie Fisher, George Lucas and company. Plus, Williams shares his recollections of working with many of his most memorable theatrical collaborators, with some especially intriguing anecdotes surrounding his time spent playing Buddy in the 2001 Roundabout revival of Stephen Sondheim & James Goldman's FOLLIES - with some tales involving the man behind the musical, as well as the ghost of David Belasco - and his insights into his work with David Mamet on OLEANNA, BOBBY GOULD IN HELL, TEXAN and others. As if all of that were not enough - most pertinent of all - Williams gives us the 411 on his season-long arc on USA's hit nighttime drama WHITE COLLAR and imparts his enthusiasm for working with similarly multi-talented many-format star Matt Bomer and the rest of cast and crew while also revealing some details on where his dastardly character is headed in tonight's episode and all the way into 2013 when the show picks up after the hiatus coming up. Also, Williams sheds some light on his spate of upcoming projects. All of that and much, much more!