Nathan Lane News

Today's New York Times Arts Beat reports that several Broadway plays are experiencing strong box office grosses so far this summer, a period which is traditionally slower for plays as visiting tourists opt for big production-heavy musicals.

Broadway Sings for Pride will kickoff NYC Gay Pride 2013 by celebrating with their third annual Gay Pride benefit concert. The special one-night benefit entitled ' Unite' with join forces with American Idol and Billboard recording artistic Kimberley Locke, Broadway powerhouse Eden Espinosa (star of Wicked, Rent, Brooklyn The Musical), American Idol and Rent star Anwar Robinson and over 20 members of the Broadway community. The concert will benefit the Hetrick-Martin Institute and Broadway Sings for Pride. There will also be special speakers including a message of hope from Steven Guy and James Clementi of the Tyler Clementi Foundation. The night will be hosted by award winning host from the hit show 'truTV Presents: the World's Dumbest' Scott Nevins with staging by Rachele Rommes (Minnesota Timberwolves choreographer). A live auction will happen before the show.

Primary Stages launches their 29th season with the New York premiere of Harbor by Tony-nominated writer Chad Beguelin (Elf, The Wedding Singer). Directed by Tony-nominated director Mark Lamos (Seascape, The Rivals, The Deep Blue Sea), the production features Erin Cummings (Starz's 'Spartacus: Blood and Sand', CBS' 'Made In Jersey'), Randy Harrison (Showtime's 'Queer As Folk', Broadway's Wicked), Alexis Molnar (world premiere of Harbor at Westport Playhouse), and Paul Anthony Stewart (Broadway's Fiddler on the Roof, The People in the Picture). Harbor runs July 23 - September 8 at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters. Opening night is August 6.

The New Group launches its 2013-2014 Off-Broadway season with the New York premiere of Pulitzer Prize winner Beth Henley's The Jacksonian, arriving in Fall 2013. Directed by Tony Award winner Robert Falls, this production features Ed Harris, Glenne Headly, Amy Madigan and Bill Pullman. The Jacksonian was first produced at the Geffen Playhouse in 2012. In Winter 2014, as the second production in the company's season, The New Group delivers the world premiere of Thomas Bradshaw's Intimacy, directed by Scott Elliott. The third production of The New Group's upcoming season is to be announced.

Shakespeare & Company Artistic Director Tony Simotes announces a special one-night-only Benefit Performance of BROADWAY IN THE BERKSHIRES Monday, July 8th at The Tina Packer Playhouse, 70 Kemble Street, Lenox, MA. Proceeds from the event will benefit Shakespeare & Company's internationally-acclaimed Education and Training Programs.

STAGES ST. LOUIS is thrilled to announce new staff appointments to STAGES' Turley Performing Arts Academy. Broadway Veteran, Vince Pesce will assume the position of Director of Education at STAGES Kent Center for Theatre Arts, the new state-of-the-art facility, effective immediately. Pesce replaces longtime Education Director Rob Grumich, who will remain during the transition through July. Also, Tali Allen Liddell will become the Manager of Community Programs and Partnerships.

Andy Fickman has agreed to develop and direct an adaptation of Douglas Carter Beane's and Lewis Flinn's Off Broadway and Broadway musical Lysistrata Jones. Based on the Aristophenes comedy, had its acclaimed Off Broadway run in 2011 and graduated to Broadway in 2012. Along the way, the show garnered raves from the New York Times, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.

This afternoon, I was given the opportunity to speak with Broadway veterans Angie Schworer and Sara Gettelfinger, stars of Reagle Music Theatre's upcoming production of CHICAGO, about their introduction to the world of acting, their experiences with the greats of Broadway, and their complete love and devotion to the theatre world.

Broadway Sings for Pride will kickoff NYC Gay Pride 2013 by celebrating with their third annual Gay Pride benefit concert. The special one-night benefit entitled ' Unite' with join forces with American Idol and Billboard recording artistic Kimberley Locke, Broadway powerhouse Eden Espinosa (star of Wicked, Rent, Brooklyn The Musical), American Idol and Rent star Anwar Robinson and over 20 members of the Broadway community. The concert will benefit the Hetrick-Martin Institute and Broadway Sings for Pride. There will also be special speakers including a message of hope from Steven Guy and James Clementi of the Tyler Clementi Foundation. The night will be hosted by award winning host from the hit show 'truTV Presents: the World's Dumbest' Scott Nevins with staging by Rachele Rommes (Minnesota Timberwolves choreographer). A live auction will happen before the show.

Leon Rothenberg has won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Sound Design of a Play for THE NANCE.

Today we are concluding BroadwayWorld's 2013 Tony Awards Clip Countdown with a special spotlight focused on Broadway's favorite leading lady, who continues to provide inspiration for divas new and old nearly fifty years after her Broadway debut, the one and only Liza Minnelli.

Funnyman Mel Brooks revealed in a recent interview that he still has 'lots of plans for stage shows' including the long-rumored musical adaptation of 'Blazing Saddles.' Additionally, Brooks is currently in talks to bring Young Frankenstein, which opened on Broadway in 2007, to the West End.

We'll be updating the Tony winners all night long in real-time, including the pre-show and during the commercials creative awards. Keep refreshing for updates!

The divas took all the top prizes at the 2013 Tony Awards, from Cyndi Lauper and Billy Porter (as Lola) of KINKY BOOTS through to Best Directors Diane Paulus and Pam McKinnon to Cicely Tyson, Patina Miller, Judith Light and Andrea Martin in the acting categories to Caroline O'Connor of A CHRISTMAS STORY to MATILDA, CINDERELLA, and beyond in smashing performances. Polished, practiced, poised and primed to deliver, the show was a splendid showcase for Broadway today, fabulously decked out to the nines (and over-elevens).

It's today! The 2013 Tony Awards will air on CBS tonight at 8pm and, as usual, BroadwayWorld.com will be your one-stop shop for all things Tonys on Tony Day, Night and Beyond!

THE 67TH ANNUAL TONY AWARDS are being broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall, tonight, June 9th (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. The show returns to Radio City Music Hall after two years at the Beacon Theatre. Emmy Award winner Neil Patrick Harris returns as host. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you the winners' speeches LIVE! Scroll down to read each winner's acceptance speech!