Michael Crawford News

This week we are taking a look at some of the biggest flops of the last decade or so in honor of the new feature on the website of the legendary theatre insider haunt, Joe Allen's Restaurant in the Theatre District in NYC.

The 24th Annual Night of a Thousand Gowns benefit, held on Saturday March 27, honored famed director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell. Featured performers included actors from 'Football Strip' and Stimulus Package,' Broadway star Terri White, music artist Crystal Waters, pop singers Kristine W. and Kelly King, and drag queens Coco Peru and and Jesse Volt. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the celebration.

Reprise Theatre Company's production of 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,' 1962's Tony-Award-winning Best Musical, will play its final performance on March 28 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. Directed by David Lee, the production's book is by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

One of my most cherished theatrical memories is seeing DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES in previews starring an unbelievably talented and brand-new talent named Mandy Gonzalez who has since gone to star in IN THE HEIGHTS, and just this week took the lead role of Elphaba in WICKED...

Andrew Lloyd Webber recently sat down with unrealitytv.co.uk to chat about his new BBC television talent program 'Over the Rainbow' and talk about what qualities his ideal Dorothy should have.

Reprise Theatre Company will open A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, 1962's Tony-Award-winning Best Musical, March 16-28 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. Directed by David Lee, the production's book is by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Single tickets are available for Forum online at www.reprise.org or through the UCLA Central Ticket Office at 310-825-2101.

Cameron Mackintosh's current touring production of Les Miserables, which is making its way around the U.K., is set to return to a familiar home this fall in celebration of the show's 25th anniversary. The production will run at London's Barbican Theatre, it's English-language birthplace in 1985, for 22 performances, September 14 through October 2, 2010. A Queens Theatre staple for nearly 22 years in the West End, this new run will mark the first time in London that the same musical has run simultaneously.

This week we are talking a trip to the Paris Opera and visiting some old friends on the eve of their re-appearance in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical sequel LOVE NEVER DIES, but before that review next week (clue: it's truly phantastic, with an 'f' and a 'ph'!) let us take a look at the best and most notable recordings of the score of the original show, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, including the Original London Cast Recording, the Canadian Highlights recording starring Colm Wilkinson, the 2004 Film Soundtrack, as well as two solo albums by the show's original stars, Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman...

Richard M. Sherman, two-time Oscar and Grammy winning composer of the scores of "Mary Poppins" and "The Jungle Book" and more than 150 songs heard in Disney films and theme parks, will make a rare personal stage appearance, singing and telling the stories behind his songs, in "A Supercalifragilistic Evening with Richard M. Sherman," for three performances only, February 26 and 27 at Hollywood's El Capitan Theatre.

Richard M. Sherman, two-time Oscar and Grammy winning composer of the scores of "Mary Poppins" and "The Jungle Book" and more than 150 songs heard in Disney films and theme parks, will make a rare personal stage appearance, singing and telling the stories behind his songs, in "A Supercalifragilistic Evening with Richard M. Sherman," for three performances only, February 26 and 27 at Hollywood's El Capitan Theatre.

The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, a grand concert showcasing the Tony®, Grammy® and Academy Award®-winning composer's biggest and most memorable hits, makes its way to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for a special one-week-only engagement February 16 - 21 in Segerstrom Hall.

Richard M. Sherman, two-time Oscar and Grammy winning composer of the scores of "Mary Poppins" and "The Jungle Book" and more than 150 songs heard in Disney films and theme parks, will make a rare personal stage appearance, singing and telling the stories behind his songs, in "A Supercalifragilistic Evening with Richard M. Sherman," for three performances only, February 26 and 27 at Hollywood's El Capitan Theatre.

The 2009-2010 season of Reprise Theatre Company continues with 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,' 1962's Tony-Award-winning Best Musical, March 16 to 28 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. Directed by David Lee, the production's book is by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

BroadwayWorld's 2010 Valentine's Day gift to you, the 5th Annual 'What's the Most Romantic Broadway Love Song Ever?' brings you over 500 stars, industry professionals, and personalities from across the globe, and this year Barbra Streisand, Susan Boyle, Bernadette Peters, Cameron Mackintosh, HAIR, GLEE and many, many more!

Jim Caruso's Cast Party is proud to announce that for the first time in New York, singer/pianist Billy Stritch will join forces with the big band of Michael Berkowitz, as part of the Broadway at Birdland concert series.

According to Popeater.com, Neil Patrick Harris may be heading from the small screen back to the Great White Way to star as P.T. Barnum in the musical BARNUM, about the famed showman. According to the site, Harris is the first and only choice for the role.

Richard M. Sherman, two-time Oscar and Grammy winning composer of the scores of "Mary Poppins" and "The Jungle Book" and more than 150 songs heard in Disney films and theme parks, will make a rare personal stage appearance, singing and telling the stories behind his songs, in "A Supercalifragilistic Evening with Richard M. Sherman," for three performances only, February 26 and 27 at Hollywood's El Capitan Theatre.

Where can you see 31 Broadway shows in one hilarious evening? The Connecticut Cabaret Theatre is pleased to announce its production of the musical theatre version of Saturday Night Live, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, directed and produced by Kris McMurray, musically directed by Rebecca Francis and created and Written by Gerard Alessandrini.

Auditions began this weekend for the next star of the West End, as Andrew Lloyd Webber launched his search for the next Dorothy in his upcoming production of the Wizard of Oz. The lucky leading lady will be selected over the course of a several week 'audition' process on the BBC1 reality television show Over the Rainbow. Webber's official website reveals that hundreds of potential candidates headed to the Glasgow town of Hampden to be among the first to audition.

Dinosaurs once again roam the earth in a spectacular theatrical arena show, WALKING WITH DINOSAURS - The Arena Spectacular, based on the award-winning BBC Television Series. WALKING WITH DINOSAURS - The Arena Spectacular is now on tour in North America and will perform 12 performances at Madison Square Garden in New York. More than 3.1 million Americans have already seen the production since it opened in July 2007.