Michael Mayer News

While watching the super-charged, though slightly frustrating Tony-nominated alt-rock musical AMERICAN IDIOT--whose national touring company recently spent a brief week at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Orange County, CA--one can't help but feel genuinely entertained by the spectacle of it all, yet many (myself among them) may find themselves wondering: well, we know we're watching something awesome... but WTF is actually happening? More rock concert than your typical Broadway musical, AMERICAN IDIOT succeeds not as a complete musical stage play but rather as a visually-enhanced showcase for its rousing Green Day score and the staggeringly talented cast tasked to perform it.

AMERICAN IDIOT will make its Seattle premiere tonight, June 5 at Seattle's Paramount Theatre as part of the KeyBank Broadway at The Paramount series.

Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong made a surprise visit last night to the first national tour of Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT. Check out a snapshot below!

Surfside Players has announced open auditions for the first show of our 2012-2013 season, YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN, directed by Rod Savickis.

Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT returns to the Bay Area beginning June 12. A limited number of $25 orchestra pit rush seats will be available for all performances.

CTV has released its season schedule and show descriptions for Fall 2012 and on. See below for details. All times ET. New programs are BOLD. (S) = Simulcast.

Segerstrom Hall welcomes the AMERICAN IDIOT national tour, the punk rock adaptation of Green Day's conceptual album of the same name from tonight, May 28 through June 3.

AMERICAN IDIOT will make its Seattle premiere on June 5 at Seattle's Paramount Theatre as part of the KeyBank Broadway at The Paramount series.

The 2012 Drama Critics Circle aAards were presented at a cocktail reception last night, May 14, at Angus McIndoe Restaurant. Sons of the Prophet, written by Stephen Karam, won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award (NYDCC) for Best Play of the 2011-2012 season. The award for Best Foreign Play went to Tribes, written by Nina Raine. Once received the award for Best Musical. BroadwayWorldd brings you photos from the ceremony below!

The loveable characters from Charles Schulz's iconic comic strip Peanuts learn life's lessons in the musical You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. The production, which is directed and choreographed by Donna Feore, begins previews at the Avon Theatre on May 15.

New York Stage and Film (Johanna Pfaelzer, Artistic Director; Thomas Pearson, Executive Director, Mark Linn-Baker, Max Mayer, Leslie Urdang, Producing Directors) and Vassar College's (Ed Cheetham, Producing Director) Powerhouse Theater have revealed the first casting for their 2012 Powerhouse Season. Chloe Sevigny ("Big Love", Boys Don't Cry, American Psycho) is set to star in Abigail/1702, written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa with direction by David Esbjornson. Abigail/1702 runs from Wednesday, June 27th to Sunday, July 8th.

NBC has released a clip from its new medical drama, DO NOT HARM which will star stage veterans Steven Pasquale, Phylicia Rashad and Michael Esper. View a sneak peek of the new series as well as an interview with Pasquale below!

NBC announced today an ambitious new primetime lineup for the 2012-13 primetime season that combines one of the top-quality returning lineups on television with a new fall edition of the red-hot musical competition 'The Voice' and a crop of six new scripted series in the fall and four at mid-season.

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's ongoing interview series with the stars and creative team of NBC's hit musical drama series SMASH with a Broadway/Hollywood leading man who first made his mark on the stage creating a role in the Tony Award-winning TITANIC after having appeared in BLOOD BROTHERS and CAROUSEL and who has since starred in productions as diverse as SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, NEXT TO NORMAL, SHREK and many more - the jovial and multi-talented Brian d'Arcy James. Discussing all aspects of his role on SMASH as well as cluing us in on what we can expect from Monday's highly awaited season finale, d'Arcy James and I also take a look back at his career onstage thus far and he shares fond recollections of working on TITANIC, SWEET SMELL, SHREK, NEXT TO NORMAL, TIME STANDS STILL and THE WILD PARTY Off-Broadway as well as offers his observations of his collaborators and co-stars in each endeavor. Plus, Brian also reveals his other current TV project: his character arc on Showtime's dramedy THE BIG C, starring his TIME STANDS STILL co-star Laura Linney and previous John Benjamin Hickey, that begins this Sunday and continues through the rest of this month. Additionally, we also discuss his upcoming 54 Below concerts June 26-30 - as well as his thoughtful and candid opinions on some of his favorite songwriters and his own songs. Plus, comments on his film roles in HBO's GAME CHANGE, FRIENDS WITH KIDS, an upcoming short film - and much, much more!

According to published reports, NBC has picked up medical drama, 'Do Not Harm,' which will star stage veterans Steven Pasquale and Michael Esper. Michael Mayer directs the pilot episode, which is written by executive producer David Schulner. Peter Traugott and Rachel Kaplan also produce.

The Winspear Opera House welcomes the AMERICAN IDIOT national tour, the punk rock adaptation of Green Day's conceptual album of the same name from tongiht, May 11 through May 20.