Pete Townshend News

Jimmy Webb, Chairman of the Songwriters Hall of Fame has announced the slate of 2012 nominees for induction. The organization, which is dedicated to recognizing the work and lives of those composers and lyricists who create popular music around the world, holds annual elections to determine those who will make up the roster of inductees for the following year.

La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club has announced that the New York premiere of Now the Cats With Jewelled Claws by Tennessee Williams and directed by Jonathan Warman, will begin performances Thursday, October 27, at 10pm, at The Club at La MaMa, (74A E 4th Street between 2nd Avenue and Bowery).

Pete Townshend and the Who's seminal rock opera classic TOMMY comes to the stage of the Tower Grove Abbey courtesy of Stray Dog Theatre adorned in steam punk fashion and scenic design. It's an exhilarating show powered by solid performances, a tight band, and engaging direction that never lets the pace slow for a moment. This is one of the few evenings of theatre that left me feeling goosebumps up my spine as the cast took their bows. A definite must see experience!

The Path Fund, Inc. has just announced that Drama Desk Award nominee Cheryl Freeman (The Civil War, The Who's Tommy), Billy Porter (Angels in America, Ghetto Superstar) and Gerry MacIntyre (Once on this Island) will appear in the 18th edition of ROCKERS ON BROADWAY set to take the stage of the Midtown Theatre @ HA! (163 West 46th Street, NYC) for two shows (7:00 PM and 10:00 PM) on Monday October 31, 2011 with proceeds benefitting The Broadway Dreams Foundation, Broadway in South Africa and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club has announced that the New York premiere of Now the Cats With Jewelled Claws by Tennessee Williams and directed by Jonathan Warman, will begin performances Thursday, October 27, at 10pm, at The Club at La MaMa, (74A E 4th Street between 2nd Avenue and Bowery).

The Path Fund, Inc. is proud to announce 'ROCKERS ON BROADWAY - HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR', the latest edition of Broadway's favorite Rock and Roll concert series will take place on Monday October 31st at the Midtown Theatre at the HA! Comedy Club (163 West 46th Street, NYC) with shows at 7PM and 10PM. Proceeds will benefit The Broadway Dreams Foundation, Broadway in South Africa and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Producers Hal Luftig and Scott Sanders announced today that Michael Cerveris will star as Juan Peron in Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's landmark musical EVITA opening on Broadway in the spring of 2012 at The Marquis Theatre, 1535 Broadway. Cerveris joins the previously announced world renowned music artist Ricky Martin (Che) and, in her Broadway debut, Olivier Award Winning Argentinean actress Elena Roger (Eva). Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage and Tony Award winner Rob Ashford will direct and choreograph, respectively. This is the first new Broadway production of the seven-time Tony Award-winning musical since it debuted on Broadway more than 30 years ago.

Experience this generation's most outrageous comedy when TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT comes home on Blu-ray and DVD July 19th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

On Friday June 3rd Des McAnuff's new production of Jesus Christ Superstar opened at Stratford's Avon Theatre as part of the 2011 Stratford Shakespeare Festival's Season. People have been buzzing about it ever since. The rock musical has been re-envisioned by legendary director McAnuff, and BWW is thrilled to bring its readers photos from the show. On stage now through October 29th, 2011.

Stage Left Productions will perform the critically acclaimed musical The Who's Tommy at the Eagle Theatre, located at 208 Vine Street in Hammonton, at 8pm on June 10, 11, 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25 and 3pm on June 12 and 19.

Stage Left Productions will perform the critically acclaimed musical The Who's Tommy at the Eagle Theatre, located at 208 Vine Street in Hammonton, at 8pm on June 10, 11, 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25 and 3pm on June 12 and 19.

In celebration of the band's twenty-year anniversary, Pearl Jam will host and headline a Labor Day weekend concert celebration at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, WI on September 3rd and 4th, followed by a ten-date Canadian tour. In addition to these live shows, the band will release a Cameron Crowe-directed film, Pearl Jam Twenty, which captures the band's journey over its twenty years, along with an accompanying book and soundtrack album this fall.

Stage Left Productions will perform the critically acclaimed musical The Who's Tommy at the Eagle Theatre, located at 208 Vine Street in Hammonton, at 8pm on June 10, 11, 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25 and 3pm on June 12 and 19.

In celebration of the band's twenty-year anniversary, Pearl Jam will host and headline a Labor Day weekend concert celebration at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, WI on September 3rd and 4th, followed by a ten-date Canadian tour. In addition to these live shows, the band will release a Cameron Crowe-directed film, Pearl Jam Twenty, which captures the band's journey over its twenty years, along with an accompanying book and soundtrack album this fall.

Roger Daltrey plans to bring THE WHO'S TOMMY on tour this fall. The Who's Tommy is a rock musical by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff based on The Who's 1969 double album rock opera Tommy, also by Pete Townshend, with additional material by John Entwistle and Sonny Boy Williamson.

Blackfriars Theatre, a not-for-profit mid -sized professional theatre on Rochester's 'Theatre Row' is pleased to announce the opening of 'Tommy,' by The Who (music and lyrics by Pete Townshend, with additional lyrics and music by John Entwistle and Keith Moon. Book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff.)

This weekend marks the opening of his new vampire-centric horror film STAKE LAND, and you can catch him every week on FOX's hit series FRINGE, but Michael Cerveris is certainly best known for his series of stunning performances in some of the finest musical theatre productions of the 21st century - John Doyle's SWEENEY TODD and Joe Mantello's ASSASSINS chief among them - as well as for originating the title role in Pete Townshend's singular Broadway foray, The Who's TOMMY. With a captivating new double-disc concept album - NINE LIVES - out now, it seems that Cerveris has found a way to juggle it all. In this extensive two-part conversation, we take a look back at his experiences in the aforementioned Sondheim musicals, as well as his series of performances in Sondheim shows under the direction of Lonny Price at the Ravinia Festival co-starring Audra McDonald and Patti LuPone, and also touch upon his work in plays, such as his recent Kent in Kevin Kline's KING LEAR at The Public, HEDDA GABLER opposite Mary Louise Parker, and Sarah Ruhl's IN THE NEXT ROOM (OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY). Additionally, he shares his Tony memories, singing SWEENEY TODD at the recent SONDHEIM! Celebration, HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH, TITANIC and much, much more in this compelling and comprehensive conversation. His new feature film STAKE LAND opens in selected cities this weekend and Part II arrives next week!

Blackfriars Theatre, a not-for-profit mid -sized professional theatre on Rochester's 'Theatre Row' is pleased to announce the opening of 'Tommy,' by The Who (music and lyrics by Pete Townshend, with additional lyrics and music by John Entwistle and Keith Moon. Book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff.)

Broadway's Tony nominated actress Ann Crumb, who has originated numerous leading roles on Broadway and in London's West End, will rock out as the Acid Queen in 'The Who's Tommy' at The Media Theatre March 30-May 22.

Grammy and Emmy Award winner, Tony Award nominee and multi-platinum recording artist Harry Connick, Jr. will star in a reimagined production of ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER opening fall 2011 on Broadway at a theatre to be announced. The delightful Tony Award nominated score by Burton Lane (music) and Alan Jay Lerner (lyrics) is enhanced by classics from their film scores for On A Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970) and Royal Wedding (1951). With a new book by Peter Parnell based on the original book by Alan Jay Lerner, the musical is reconceived and directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer. Further casting and creative team to be announced shortly.