Prince Hal News

Loni Ackerman joins the cast of DUETS with The Write Teacher(s) Volume 6 at Feinstein's/54 Below on June 22, 9:30pm.

Director Daniel Sullivan's adaptation of HENRY IV, Parts 1 & 2 may only be playing in the Japanese Garden on the VA campus for another three weeks but it is bound to rank as one of the summer's most talked-about events. Why? Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles has saved up a secret weapon for the production, one few can resist.

"Henry IV," staged by Tony Award winning director Daniel Sullivan, features Harry Groener as Northumberland, Tom Hanks in his Los Angeles stage debut as Sir John Falstaff, Hamish Linklater as Hal, Joe Morton as Henry IV, and Tony winner Rondi Reed as Mistress Quickly.

This week, the cast and crew of Shakespeare's Henry IV, starring Academy Award-winner Tom Hanks, came together for the first meet and greet of the production. Check out shots from the event below!

The Atlanta Opera closes its 2017-18 mainstage season with Stephen Sondheim's seminal musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. This production of Sweeney Todd remains faithful to the original Broadway show, and features an all-star cast, including Michael Mayes in his role debut as Sweeney Todd, and Maria Zifchak as Mrs. Lovett. Timothy Myers will conduct in a company debut, and Albert Sherman, who has directed Sweeney Todd under the mentorship of Harold Prince, will serve as production director.

An Irish Cultural Festival brings a celebration of Irish dance, song, and storytelling to the Gateway Playhouse on Saturday, June 16. A dance performance by the Emerald Isle Academy of Irish Dance takes place from 4 to 5 pm, and a concert by songstress Mary Courtney and champion storyteller Marianne McShane follows at 7 pm. Tickets, which include admission to all performances that day, are $35 and $30, depending upon the seat selected. A wine and beer bar featuring local products will be available for an additional charge to patrons 21 years of age and older.

This week, the cast and crew of Shakespeare's Henry IV, starring Academy Award-winner Tom Hanks, came together for the first meet and greet of the production. Check out shots from the event below!

On May 20, The Camelot Theatre in Palm Springs previewed an incredible new documentary, 'The Show Goes On', about the life and career of Broadway, Film and Television Icon Kaye Ballard to a 'more than full house'. In fact, two theatres were opened for the screening since demand far exceeded the number of seats in the main house. With her typically self-deprecating humor, Ms. Ballard proclaims herself 'The Greatest Star You Hardly Knew', and the beautifully constructed 90 minute film details her extraordinary accomplishments from Broadway's 'Carnival', 'The Golden Apple', 'Molly' and 'Pirates Of Penzance' to her stellar nightclub, film and television career including 'The Doris Day Show' and the beloved and  iconic 'Mother's In Law' with Eve Arden. It highlights the extraordinary talents of Ms. Ballard and doesn't shy away from the disappointments and challenges along the way, featuring interviews with Woody Allen, Carol Channing, Hal Prince, Carol Burnett, Michael Feinstein, Joy Behar and more. Hal Prince boldly states 'if Kaye Ballard had been cast as the mother in 'Gypsy,' 'she would have made history.' I had the chance to visit with Ms. Ballard at her home on 'Kaye Ballard Lane' in Rancho Mirage (the home formerly owned by her friend and TV director, Desi Arnaz) to talk about the film and more. Here are a few excerpts from the conversation:

On Monday, June 25 at their annual Broadway Beacon Awards Gala at The JW Marriot Essex House (160 Central Park South), leading NYC arts education nonprofit Inside Broadway (Executive Director, Michael Presser) will honor Tony Award Nominee Ethan Slater (currently starring in the title role of the Tony-Nominated SpongeBob Square Pants the Musical). The evening will also honor Tony Award-winning Broadway producer Orin Wolf (The Band's Visit; President, NETworks Theatrical Presentations), Kenneth G. Alberstadt (Partner, Akerman LLP) and Alexandra Kambouris Alberstadt (Partner, Perkins Coie LLP). The gala will feature a special performance from the Broadway cast of Beautiful - The Carole King Musical and will be hosted by FOX5 reporter Baruch Shemtov.

On June 5, 2018, the Fulton Theatre launches The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the theatre's season finale and biggest production of the 2017/2018 season.  The Hunchback of Notre Dame will also be one of the largest shows in the theatre's one hundred sixty six year history. Over ninety cast and choir members will take the stage amidst soaring bell towers, a gypsy village, and the bustling streets of fifteenth century Paris. Beneath the stage, a fourteen piece orchestra will bring to life the incredible music of the timeless classic.

Ghostlight Records celebrated the release of PRINCE OF BROADWAY Original Broadway Cast Recording with an exclusive in-store event at Barnes & Noble on Friday, June 1. PRINCE OF BROADWAY is a musical celebration highlighting the extraordinary six-decade career of director and producer Hal Prince. Mr. Prince appeared at the event in conversation with three-time Tony winner Jason Robert Brown, who co-produced the album and provided new songs, arrangements, orchestration and music supervision for the show. In addition to a CD signing, members of the original cast performed musical highlights.

Adapted by Don Melander, The Dramatic and Fractured Life of Sir John Falstaff is comprised of scenes from William Shakespeare's Henry IV, I and II, Henry V and The Merry Wives of Windsor. It features a host of Shakespeare's most memorable characters; Mistress Quickly, Doll Tearsheet, Pistol, Nym, Bardolph, Prince Hal and of course that scoundrel John Falstaff.

Los Altos Hills will be alive with The Sound of Music this summer, when multi-award winning Foothill Music Theatre presents the Tony, Grammy, and Academy Award-winning musical. This beloved musical, set in Austria in 1938, follows novice Maria Rainer who becomes the governess for the von Trapp family, capturing the hearts of the seven children and their father, a widowed naval captain. As the Nazis occupy Austria, the family is forced make decisions which forever change their lives, fleeing their home in pursuit of freedom.

Adapted by Don Melander, The Dramatic and Fractured Life of Sir John Falstaff is comprised of scenes from William Shakespeare's Henry IV, I and II, Henry V and The Merry Wives of Windsor. It features a host of Shakespeare's most memorable characters; Mistress Quickly, Doll Tearsheet, Pistol, Nym, Bardolph, Prince Hal and of course that scoundrel John Falstaff.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Robert Pattinson, Sean Harris, Ben Mendelsohn and Lily-Rose Depp have joined Timothee Chalamet and Joel Edgerton in Netflix's upcoming period drama, The King. Sean Harris and Lily-Rose Depp will also co-star in David Michod's Netflix drama.

Folks Operetta's 2018 season kicks off with Emmerich Kalman's operetta The Csardas Princess, July 7 - 22, playing at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. The Csardas Princess features the book written by Leo Stein and Bela Jenbach with music by Emmerich Kalman and an English translation by Hersh Glagov and Gerald Frantzen. The Folks Operetta version is directed by Gerald Frantzen and conducted by Mark Taylor. Opening night is Saturday, July 7 at 7:30 p.m. The regular performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $40 for adults, $35 for seniors (65 years and older) and $25 for students (with student ID).

In her new show A HYMN TO HER at Feinstein's/54 Below, Liz Callaway paid tribute to numerous women who have served as her role models.

BroadwayWorld has teamed up with Broadway alum Ilana Levine, who makes her entrance onto the podcast stage with her new show Little Known Facts. Ilana's unique brand of celebrity interview, 'Podcast Verite,' is unfiltered, raw, honest and uniquely funny.

Opera Australia Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini, Australian theatre producer John Frost and leading UK theatre producer David Ian today announced that their upcoming production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's EVITA will be Melbourne's Summer Musical in 2018-9. 

Many may have heard of the movie AN AMERICAN IN PARIS that starred Gene Kelly and featured such songs as "I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise," "S Wonderful," and "I Got Rhythm." Well, the recent Broadway hit of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS took some of the story, some of the songs, and added to it. What was created was a story that pays tribute to great shows of days gone by as well as adding new parts to make an extraordinary musical. As AN AMERICAN IN PARIS tours around North America, it is preparing to make a stop in Austin, Texas at the Bass Concert Hall from May 29-June 3, 2018. BWW caught up with actress Teri Hansen who plays Madame Baurel. She shared with BWW just what it was that brought her to be part of the amazing tour of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS.