Paul Tazewell News

Jennifer Cody was the Gypsy Robe recipient for Shrek, the Broadway dynamo passed the robe on to Guys and Dolls ensemble member Lorin Latarro in a fun and emotion filled ceremony. BroadwayWorld's camera shared in the excitement as the cast cheered her on!

The producers of THE COLOR PURPLE are proud to announce that American Idol Season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino will reprise her starring role of Celie for the Washington, D.C. engagement. The Kennedy Center will host the first North American Touring production of THE COLOR PURPLE for five weeks, June 30 - August 2, 2009. Tickets are on sale now.

It was announced today that MEMPHIS, a new musical about the birth of rock 'n' roll in the turbulent 50s which recently played a critically acclaimed and sold-out engagement at Seattle?s 5th Avenue Theatre, is aiming to open on Broadway in the fall of 2009. Based on a concept by George W. George (producer of the Tony nominated Bedroom Farce & film: My Dinner With Andre), MEMPHIS features a book & lyrics by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change), and music & lyrics by Bon Jovi founding member David Bryan, in his Broadway debut. The new musical is directed by Tony nominee Christopher Ashley (Xanadu) and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys).

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Monday, March 2, 2009.

The New York Times is revealing that while the current Broadway revival of 'Guys and Dolls' opened on Sunday night to widespread negative reviews, the producers held discussions today about the show's future and have decided to keep it running as they believe in the quality of the production. The first step post opening is to focus on advertising and marketing as the reviews give those department less than helpful quotes to nab for media attention.

Guys and Dolls stars Oliver Platt ('Nathan Detroit'), Lauren Graham ('Miss Adelaide'), Craig Bierko ('Sky Masterson') and Kate Jennings Grant ('Sarah Brown'). The first joint Broadway project by two-time Tony Award winning director Des McAnuff and choreographer Sergio Trujillo since their collaboration on the Tony Award winning musical Jersey Boys, Guys and Dolls began previews on February 5, 2009 at Broadway's newly refurbished Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street). The cast celebrated Opening Night on March 1, 2009 and BroadwayWorld's cameras joined the 'dames and gents' as they partied after the show!

Guys and Dolls stars Oliver Platt ('Nathan Detroit'), Lauren Graham ('Miss Adelaide'), Craig Bierko ('Sky Masterson') and Kate Jennings Grant ('Sarah Brown'). The first joint Broadway project by two-time Tony Award winning director Des McAnuff and choreographer Sergio Trujillo since their collaboration on the Tony Award winning musical Jersey Boys, Guys and Dolls began previews on February 5, 2009 at Broadway's newly refurbished Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street). The cast celebrated Opening Night on March 1, 2009 and BroadwayWorld's cameras greeted the starry arrivals.

Guys and Dolls stars Oliver Platt ('Nathan Detroit'), Lauren Graham ('Miss Adelaide'), Craig Bierko ('Sky Masterson') and Kate Jennings Grant ('Sarah Brown'). The first joint Broadway project by two-time Tony Award winning director Des McAnuff and choreographer Sergio Trujillo since their collaboration on the Tony Award winning musical Jersey Boys, Guys and Dolls began previews on February 5, 2009 at Broadway's newly refurbished Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street). The cast celebrated Opening Night on March 1, 2009 and BroadwayWorld's camera's rolled the dice with the starry group as they took the first night bows!

Oprah Winfrey, Scott Sanders and the producing team of the Broadway smash hit 'The Color Purple' are proud to announce that Ordway Center for the Performing Arts will host the first North American touring production of 'The Color Purple' from March 17 - 29, 2009. Tickets are on sale at ordway.org.

Lynn Nottage, whose critically acclaimed new play RUINED is playing an extended engagement at MTC, will be this week's featured guest on NY1's 'On Stage.' 'On Stage' will air on NY1 (Time Warner Cable Channel 1) Saturday, February 21 and Sunday, February 22 at 9:30 AM and 7:30 PM, and Monday, February 23 (early Tuesday) at 12:30 AM.

Tony Winner Lin-Manuel Miranda played his final performance as 'Usnavi' in his acclaimed Broadway hit, IN THE HEIGHTS on Sunday, February 15th, 2009 at 7pm. After his emotional final performance the cast and crew let loose to celebrate Lin-Manuel's inspirational journey in the role and BroadwayWorld's cameras caught at the festive fun

Tony Winner Lin-Manuel Miranda played his final performance as 'Usnavi' in his acclaimed Broadway hit, IN THE HEIGHTS on Sunday, February 15th, 2009 at 7pm. BroadwayWorld's cameras cheered on his final Broadway bow and he bid his show farewell.

Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller and Jill Furman, the producers of the 2008 Tony Award-winning Best Musical In The Heights, announced that Javier Munoz will take over the role of 'Usnavi' on Monday, February 16, 2009 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 West 46th Street). Javier Munoz joined In The Heights for a reading in 2005 and has been involved ever since, in the ensemble and as understudy for ?Usnavi? at the O?Neill Theater Workshop and in the 2006 Off-Broadway and current Broadway productions. Lin-Manuel Miranda?s last performance will be Sunday February 15, 2009.

Tony Winner Lin-Manuel Miranda will play his final performance as 'Usnavi' in his acclaimed Broadway hit, IN THE HEIGHTS on Sunday, February 15th, 2009 at 7pm. IN THE HEIGHTS opened to critical acclaim, going on to win four 2008 Tony Awards (Best Musical, Best Score, Best Choreography, Best Orchestrations), and garnering a 2008 Grammy Award nomination for the original cast album. In November, 2008, Universal Pictures acquired the rights to produce a feature film based on IN THE HEIGHTS.

Manhattan Theatre Club has announced that the critically acclaimed production of RUINED by playwright Lynn Nottage and director Kate Whoriskey has been extended by popular demand through Sunday, April 12.

The first preview for Guys and Dolls will now take place on Thursday, February 5th at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street). The production is delaying its first preview to allow for an extra day of needed technical rehearsal. Audience members scheduled for the February 4th preview performance will be contacted and accommodated for another performance.

Legendary designers WILLIAM IVEY LONG and BOB CROWLEY are among the four recipients of the 2009 TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards. Five-time Tony Award winning costume designer William Ivey Long will receive the 2009 TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award for theatrical costume design, and, for his achievements as both a costume and scenic designer, Bob Crowley (also a five-time Tony Award winner) will receive the TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards' special Robert L. B. Tobin Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatrical Design at a ceremony on Friday, March 27, at the Hudson Theatre in New York City.

The first joint Broadway project by two-time Tony Award winning director Des McAnuff and choreographer Sergio Trujillo since their collaboration on the Tony Award winning musical Jersey Boys, GUYS AND DOLLS will now begin previews on February 4, 2009 at Broadway's newly refurbished Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street). Opening Night is March 1, 2009.

The first preview for Guys and Dolls will now take place on Thursday, February 5th at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street). The production is delaying its first preview to allow for an extra day of needed technical rehearsal. Audience members scheduled for the February 4th preview performance will be contacted and accommodated for another performance.

The first preview for GUYS AND DOLLS will now take place on Thursday, February 5th at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street). The production is delaying its first preview to allow for an extra day of needed technical rehearsal. Audience members scheduled for the February 4th preview performance will be contacted and accommodated for another performance.