Playbill News

Back before I was well-versed in the art of discount theatre tickets, I took myself to Spamalot one hot August afternoon in 2005.

It was another version of 'Circle of Life' on-stage at Broadway's THE LION KING Friday night, September 3, when The Bachelorette's Ali Fedotowsky and fiancé Roberto Martinez were joined by both of their families to take in the show. Following the performance, they joined cast member Dashaun Young (Simba) back-stage where he presented them with a gift from the cast. Ali and Roberto were all smiles when they received the custom-made Playbill in which they got star billing.

ThroughLine Artists with J.J. Kandel and John McCormack will present SUMMER SHORTS 4, their fourth annual festival of new American short plays, at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street). Performances begin Friday July 30th, and continue through Thursday September 2nd.

Westport Country Playhouse will stage the newly revised adaptation of the timeless classic, 'The Diary of Anne Frank,' helmed by award-winning director Gerald Freedman, September 28 through October 30, as part of its 80th Anniversary Season.

Hollywood and Broadway legends Kaye Ballard, Donna McKechnie and Liliane Montevecchi will star in a one-night-only gala performance 'From Broadway with Love' at the historic Lensic Performing Arts Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Broadway performance will benefit Animal Protection of New Mexico, a non-profit organization that has been challenging historic and widespread animal cruelty in New Mexico for more than 30 years. Hilary Knight, internationally renowned illustrator, will design the art for the event.

The Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) has announced its 2010-2011 season of productions. The season kicks off with The Wedding Singer, a rollicking period musical set in New Jersey in 1985, to be performed October 22 and 23 at the Franklin Country Club.

Throughout the month of September, Chicagoland theater-goers will celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Chicago's Theatre District by paying homage to the visionary who has brought the arts to the forefront of the Chicago community.

The sixties are back! Beckie Menzie & Tom Michael celebrate the 50th anniversary of the decade that forever revolutionized popular music. From the idyllic early Motown sound and British invasion to the free love and angst of Woodstock, 'That 60's Show' will feature songs by many of the decades favorite performers including The Beatles, The Supremes, The Everly Brothers, Elvis Presley, Petula Clark, Janis Joplin and many more, all done in Menzie & Michael's unique award-winning style at The Metropolitan Room.

Peter Glebo Gallery is pleased to present Longnecks, an exhibition of large-scale, acrylic-on-canvas portraits of giraffes by Broadway legend Tommy Tune. Opening on Thursday, June 3 and running through Sunday, August 29, the exhibition will serve as the new Chelsea gallery's inaugural exhibition. This exhibition is made possible, in part, by the generous support of Playbill.

Discount tickets for SHREK THE MUSICAL and the 2010-2011 Gexa Energy Broadway series at the Hobby Center will be available during the 17th Annual Theatre District Open House on Sunday, Aug. 29 from 12 to 4 p.m. Saving opportunities include up to 25 percent off the price of a five-show subscription package and $10 off all single tickets for the October 19 and 20 performances of SHREK THE MUSICAL. In addition, the first 50 people in line at the box office will receive a SHREK THE MUSICAL gift bag!

Blackbird Theater, the newest member of Nashville's burgeoning community of theater companies, makes an auspicious debut with the premiere of Wes Driver and Greg Greene's smartly written new script - Twilight of the Gods - now onstage at David Lipscomb University's Shamblin Theatre. Featuring a truly outstanding ensemble performance from the 13-member cast (with particularly impressive turns by Britt Byrd and Patrick Kramer), Twilight of the Gods might best be described as a murder mystery cum drawing room comedy cum intellectual discussion.

Betty Buckley will bring her show Broadway by Request to the Colonial on August 11 at 7:30PM. Tickets are $45 and $25 and can be purchased in person at the Colonial Ticket Office at 111 South Street Monday-Friday 10AM-5PM, performance Saturdays 10AM-2PM, by calling (413) 997-4444 or online at www.thecolonialtheatre.org.

The Hollywood Bowl cast, featuring Vannesa Hudgens, Wayne Brady, Aaron Tveit, Skylar Astin, Tracie Thoms completed its successful weekend run on Sunday night.

The sixties are back! Beckie Menzie & Tom Michael celebrate the 50th anniversary of the decade that forever revolutionized popular music. From the idyllic early Motown sound and British invasion to the free love and angst of Woodstock, 'That 60's Show' will feature songs by many of the decades favorite performers including The Beatles, The Supremes, The Everly Brothers, Elvis Presley, Petula Clark, Janis Joplin and many more, all done in Menzie & Michael's unique award-winning style at The Metropolitan Room.

Tickets to participating shows for a special Halloween KIDS' NIGHT ON BROADWAY (KidsNightonBroadway.com) are currently on sale.

ThroughLine Artists with J.J. Kandel and John McCormack will present SUMMER SHORTS 4, their fourth annual festival of new American short plays, at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street). Performances begin Friday July 30th, and continue through Thursday September 2nd.

200 students from across the United States as well as Australia, Canada and American Samoa are attending this summer's intensive curriculum at Broadway Theatre Project (BTP) to properly prepare them for a professional career in the performing arts.

Theatrical Wig Maker Paul Huntley explains the multitude of advantages of using wigs on stage; how he started his career in theatre; his preference for a natural look; working on the long-running musical Cats; and his ability to be a prolific designer. Huntley demonstrates tying hair to create a new wig; and shows how a wig helps transform an actor into character. This edition of In The Wings was made possible by the generous support of Patricia Crown and Anthony Radice.

ThroughLine Artists with J.J. Kandel and John McCormack will present SUMMER SHORTS 4, their fourth annual festival of new American short plays, at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street). Performances begin Friday July 30th, and continue through Thursday September 2nd.

Betty Buckley will bring her show Broadway by Request to the Colonial on August 11 at 7:30PM. Tickets are $45 and $25 and can be purchased in person at the Colonial Ticket Office at 111 South Street Monday-Friday 10AM-5PM, performance Saturdays 10AM-2PM, by calling (413) 997-4444 or online at www.thecolonialtheatre.org.