Nikki M. James News

2011 was nothing if not fruitful for Broadway's famous females. Sutton Foster won her second Tony. Brooke Shields, Kim Cattrall, Tyne Daly and more found their way back to the Great White Way after being gone too long. UK's First Lady of Musical Theatre, Elaine Paige, graced Broadway for only the second time in her career as the fearless 'Carlotta Campion' in Follies. And, music icon Alicia Keyes fully initiated herself as the newest A-lister on the block.

Christmas 2011 is just days away and in celebration of the holiday season, we reached out to the stars of Broadway to find out what traditions they like best about the holiday season. Between spending time with family and friends, blasting Christmas music and Christmas tree decorating, eating Chinese food and watching movies, the stars seem to love it all!

In the video elow, Hugh Jackman, Robin Williams, Sutton Foster, Jan Maxwell, Nikki M. James, Josh Gad, and Dan Lauria send a special holiday message from Broadway Cares. Help Broadway Cares fund more than 400 AIDS and family service organizations across the country and seven vital programs of The Actors Fund. What we do together makes a difference. Tomake a donation, visit: https://www.broadwaycares.org/holiday2011

GOP candidate Mitt Romney, who is currently busy preparing for the 2012 election and also happens to be a Mormon, recently told the New York Times that he wants to see Broadway's THE BOOK OF MORMON. Romney told NYT: "I actually encouraged the guys that did that play, 'The Book of Mormon,' because I thought that'd be really helpful." He continued, "I do want to see it, sure," he said. "It's a Tony-award winner, big phenomenon - yeah, I want to see it someday. But I don't have a lot of time for Broadway shows."

Tony nominee and 'The Book of Mormon' star Josh Gad, who is a regular correspondent at 'The Daily Show' stopped by last night where he took art in a scit about the history of Christmas. Click below to check it out!

USA Network's Character Approved Blog (characterblog.com) has chosen Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch The Throne, the film The Tree Life, Spotify and Miss Piggy as some of the biggest cultural influencers, trends and ideas of 2011.

Since their inception in 1996, The Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) Rising Star Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater have ignited the careers of many notable performers, all of whom attended high school in New Jersey.

The National Tour of THE BOOK OF MORMON, winner of nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, will make its West Coast premiere in a strictly limited 12-week engagement from September 5 through November 25, 2012 at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles. The National Tour comes to LA after its premiere in Denver, where it will play from August 14 through September 2, 2012 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS' 23rd Annual Gypsy of the Year, which was presented Monday, December 5 and Tuesday, December 6 at the New Amsterdam Theatre, featured performances by 17 of the hottest Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, a 40-year reunion of the original Broadway cast of Grease, a tribute to national touring companies and appearances by more than 300 actors, singers and dancers. BroadwayWorld was there for the celebration and brings you full photo coverage from the performances below!

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS' 23rd Annual Gypsy of the Year, which was presented Monday, December 5 and Tuesday, December 6 at the New Amsterdam Theatre, featured performances by 17 of the hottest Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, a 40-year reunion of the original Broadway cast of Grease, a tribute to national touring companies and appearances by more than 300 actors, singers and dancers. BroadwayWorld was there for the celebration and brings you full photo coverage from the performances below!

The opening number featured the original Broadway cast of Grease reuniting for a special 40-year anniversary tribute. Among the stars returning to the stage from one of the most popular musicals in Broadway history are Barry Bostwick (Danny), Carole Demas (Sandy), Adrienne Barbeau (Betty Rizzo), Alan Paul (Teen Angel/Johnny Casino) and Walter Bobbie (Roger). Also joining the opening number reunion are original cast members Don Billett (Vince Fontaine), James Canning (Doody), Daniel Douglas (Burger Palace Boy), Katie Hanley (Marty), Tom Harris (Eugene Florczyk ), Ilene Kristen (Patty Simcox), Joy Rinaldi (Pink Lady) and Mews Small (Frenchy). Grease, with book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and WarRen Casey, garnered seven Tony Award nominations and played 3,388 Broadway performances before closing April 13, 1980.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS' 23rd Annual Gypsy of the Year, which was presented Monday, December 5 and today, Tuesday, December 6 at the New Amsterdam Theatre, featured performances by 17 of the hottest Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, a 40-year reunion of the original Broadway cast of Grease, a tribute to national touring companies and appearances by more than 300 actors, singers and dancers.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS' 23rd Annual Gypsy of the Year, to be presented Monday, December 5 (4:30 PM) and Tuesday, December 5 (2 PM) at the New Amsterdam Theatre (214 W. 42nd Street), will feature performances by 17 of the hottest Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, a 40-year reunion of the original Broadway cast of Grease, a tribute to national touring companies and appearances by more than 300 actors, singers and dancers.

The Original Broadway Cast Recording for THE BOOK OF MORMON was nominated for the 2012 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. The recording on Ghostlight Records made history earlier this year as the first Broadway cast recording to chart in Billboard's Top 10 since Hair in 1969 and was also cited by Billboard as the fastest selling digital cast recording release of all time. The 54th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 12, 2012 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and broadcast on the CBS Television Network.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS' 23rd Annual Gypsy of the Year, to be presented Monday, December 5 (4:30 PM) and Tuesday, December 5 (2 PM) at the New Amsterdam Theatre (214 W. 42nd Street), will feature performances by 17 of the hottest Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, a 40-year reunion of the original Broadway cast of Grease, a tribute to national touring companies and appearances by more than 300 actors, singers and dancers.

Producers of THE BOOK OF MORMON, winner of nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, announced today that the Broadway production has recouped its capitalization during the week ending November 27, 2011. THE BOOK OF MORMON plays at Broadway's Eugene O'Neill Theatre, where it has broken the house record 22 times since the March 24, 2011 opening.

Created stitch by loving stitch, The AIDS Memorial Quilt remains an uplifting symbol of hope and a stirring memorial to lives cut short from the ongoing disease, which has become a major staple of our generation. On the heels of World AIDS Day, a new star-studded theatrical gala will commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the HIV/AIDS crisis, and the 25th Anniversary of The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt.

Is THE BOOK OF MORMON headed for the silver screen? 'I can tell you that it will most likely happen one day,' Josh Gad, currently starring in the hit show, told The Hollywood Reporter.

THE BOOK OF MORMON's Josh Gad will guest star in the next episode of 'Modern Family,' entitled 'Punkin Chunkin' and airing tonight, November 23 (9:00 PM ET) on the ABC Television Network.

THE BOOK OF MORMON's Tony Award nominee Andrew Rannells will join Tony and Emmy Award winner Ellen Barkin and host Andy Cohen on tonight's edition of Bravo's "Watch What Happens: Live," Monday, November 21. "Watch What Happens: Live" airs on Bravo at 11:00 PM Eastern / 10:00 PM Central.