Richard H. Blake News

The Music Theatre of Wichita is scheduled to bring LEGALLY BLONDE to audiences from August 8th through the 12th. Tickets and more information for LEGALLY BLONDE are available at www.mtwichita.org.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: Bernadette visits SMASH, The Acting Copany honors Patti, MEMPHIS hits 1000 shows, and so much more!

Last night, March 14, the casts of GODSPELL and WICKED gathered outside the Gershwin Theatre to wish Stephen Schwartz a happy birthday, which he celebrated last week. On hand for the festivities were Hunter Parrish (GODSPELL), Wallace Smith (GODSPELL), Lindsay Mendez (GODSPELL), Jackie Burns (WICKED), Richard H. Blake (WICKED) and more. BroadwayWorld also stopped by for the photo op and brings you coverage below!

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week, or you're just in the mood for a recap of everything theatre, BroadwayWorld's feature, 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end of the week fix. Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to the West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more! For last week's biggest events: visit THIS WEEK IN PICTURES: September 17-23!

Beginning today, Jackie Burns and Chandra Lee Schwartz will assume the roles of Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, in the Broadway cast of Wicked. Ms. Burns and Ms. Schwartz come to Broadway directly from Wicked's First National Tour. The Broadway company currently features Richard H. Blake as Fiyero, Kathy Fitzgerald as Madame Morrible, Tom McGowan as The Wizard, Etai BenShlomo as Boq, Cristy Candler as Nessarose, and Tom Flynn as Dr. Dillamond.

Beginning performances on Tuesday, September 27, 2011, Jackie Burns and Chandra Lee Schwartz will assume the roles of Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, in the Broadway cast of Wicked. Ms. Burns and Ms. Schwartz come to Broadway directly from Wicked's First National Tour. The Broadway company currently features Richard H. Blake as Fiyero, Kathy Fitzgerald as Madame Morrible, Tom McGowan as The Wizard, Etai BenShlomo as Boq, Cristy Candler as Nessarose, and Tom Flynn as Dr. Dillamond.

Beginning performances on Tuesday, September 27, 2011, Jackie Burns and Chandra Lee Schwartz will assume the roles of Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, in the Broadway cast of Wicked. Ms. Burns and Ms. Schwartz come to Broadway directly from Wicked's First National Tour. The Broadway company currently features Richard H. Blake as Fiyero, Kathy Fitzgerald as Madame Morrible, Tom McGowan as The Wizard, Etai BenShlomo as Boq, Cristy Candler as Nessarose, and Tom Flynn as Dr. Dillamond.

If you're looking for a quick roundup of all the events in the theatre world this week, look no further: here are some of the best articles the week had to offer!

The best of Broadway is being presented free on six consecutive Thursdays this summer with '106.7 Lite fm's Broadway in Bryant Park 2011' - a lunchtime series that began on Thursday July 7th on the Bryant Park Stage. Sponsored by Bank of America, and Clean Air NY, and hosted by Lite fm's on-air personalities, the eleventh annual presentation of open-air, On- and Off- Broadway lunch hour performances runs through August 11th.

Beginning performances on Tuesday, May 3, TOM McGOWAN will assume the role of The Wizard in the Broadway company of WICKED. He joins a cast which includes Teal Wicks as Elphaba, Katie Rose Clarke as Glinda, Kathy Fitzgerald as Madame Morrible, Richard H. Blake as Fiyero, Etai BenShlomo as Boq, Jenny Fellner as Nessarose, and Tom Flynn as Dr. Dillamond.

Buzzing around the theatre community this weekend was this video of an 11 year-old belting out the Act 1 finale of LEGALLY BLONDE. Click below to check out the awesome performance of 'So Much Better!'

Beginning performances on Tuesday, March 29, RICHARD H. BLAKE will assume the role of Fiyero in the Broadway company of WICKED. He joins a cast which includes Teal Wicks as Elphaba, Katie Rose Clarke as Glinda, Kathy Fitzgerald as Madame Morrible, P.J. Benjamin as The Wizard, Etai BenShlomo as Boq, Jenny Fellner as Nessarose, and Tom Flynn as Dr. Dillamond. Kyle Dean Massey, who is currently playing the role of Fiyero, will play his final performance on Sunday, March 27.

Beginning performances on Tuesday, March 29, RICHARD H. BLAKE will assume the role of Fiyero in the Broadway company of WICKED. He joins a cast which includes Teal Wicks as Elphaba, Katie Rose Clarke as Glinda, Kathy Fitzgerald as Madame Morrible, P.J. Benjamin as The Wizard, Etai BenShlomo as Boq, Jenny Fellner as Nessarose, and Tom Flynn as Dr. Dillamond. Kyle Dean Massey, who is currently playing the role of Fiyero, will play his final performance on Sunday, March 27.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards Celebration, 'Wicked,' 'The Story Of My Life,' 'The Apple Tree,' 'Hello, Dolly!,' 'Working,' Ann Reinking, more....

Priscilla Queen of the Desert opened on Tuesday night in Toronto to rave reviews and an ecstatic audience! Mirvish Productions and Toronto have a very beautiful and glittery hit on their hands! The show will play 12 weeks at The Princess of Wales Theatre before heading for The Great White Way, where it will play The Palace Theatre (official opening March 20th, 2011) Grab your best frock and join BWW as we journey behind the scenes and into the 'heart of fabulous' at Priscilla's opening night party in Toronto.

Wicked is a fun , entertaining show and the touring production on view at the Canon Theatre has enough magic to make one forgive some of the inadequacies, but it isn't as sharp a production as was previously seen here. * * * 1/2 (OUT OF 5)

The company of the first North American tour of WICKED welcomes Gene Weygandt as The Wizard on Tuesday, September 14 in Boston, MA. Weygandt, a WICKED veteran, has previously played The Wizard in Chicago and on Broadway. On Broadway, he created the role of Paul in big: The Musical and is a three-time recipient of Chicago's Jefferson Award. Mr. Weygandt's many film and TV credits include: The Birdcage, The Babe, 'The Beast,' 'Cybill,' 'Home Improvement,' 'Murphy Brown,' 'Drew Carey,' 'Ellen,' 'Coach' and 'USA High.'

The company of the first North American tour of WICKED welcomes Gene Weygandt as The Wizard on Tuesday, September 14 in Boston, MA. Weygandt, a WICKED veteran, has previously played The Wizard in Chicago and on Broadway. On Broadway, he created the role of Paul in big: The Musical and is a three-time recipient of Chicago's Jefferson Award. Mr. Weygandt's many film and TV credits include: The Birdcage, The Babe, 'The Beast,' 'Cybill,' 'Home Improvement,' 'Murphy Brown,' 'Drew Carey,' 'Ellen,' 'Coach' and 'USA High.'

Jackie Burns and Chandra Lee Schwartz deserve top billing in the latest touring company of the beloved Broadway smash hit musical. See it for the first time or the umpteenth time and you'll be enchanted by this production.

On Monday, August 23, the national touring company of Wicked will host 'Our Wicked, Wicked Ways,' an evening of cabaret performances. Held at AXIS Nightclub, the event will feature performances from the company's cast and crew with the net proceeds benefitting BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS.