Richard Ouzounian News

Dani Girl is a new musical by New York writing duo Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond, and it opens this weekend in Toronto. The show tells the story of a nine year old girl battling terminal cancer, and explores how she uses music and her imagination to handle her disease. BWW sat down to speak with Gabi Epstein (who plays 'Dani') about what the show means to her, the challenges associated with the difficult subject matter, and having Richard Ouzounian as her director.

Currently playing Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre is the national tour of THE ADDAMS FAMILY, which features an original story and it's every father's nightmare. Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. A man her parents have never met. And if that weren't upsetting enough, she confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he's never done before - keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday's 'normal' boyfriend and his parents.

Hugh Jackman, who is back on stage with his record-breaking, one-man show on Broadway, will be a guest on 'The Martha Stewart Show' (10 AM on The Hallmark Channel) and 'Conan' ( 11 PM on TBS) today, Tuesday, November 1. 'Conan' is broadcasting this week from New York's Beacon Theatre.

Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway broke The Broadhurst Theatre box office record last week with a gross of $1,210,974. Previous members of the Broadhurst's million dollar club are: 700 Sundays starring Billy Crystal (week ending 5/22/05): $1.061 million; Hamlet starring Jude Law week (week ending 12/6/09): $1.000 million; The Merchant of Venice starring Al Pacino (week ending 1/2/11): $1.175 million.

Private Lives, the highly anticipated pre-Broadway production of Noel Coward's play, just opened in Toronto on September 25th. Starring Kim Cattrall as Amanda (fresh off her run in the same role on the West End) and Canadian favourite Paul Gross as Elyot, this new production will have a limited run in Toronto before opening on Broadway November 17th at the Music Box Theatre.

On June 27th Toronto celebrated the 32nd Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards which honour excellence in Canada theatre. BWW was on hand for the complete event, including the VIP reception where nominees mingled with sponsors and patrons, the award show itself and of course, the happening after-party which shut down Front St for most of the night. We are thrilled to bring you exclusive coverage of the entire night.

Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions in association with Weinstein Live Entertainment - have announced today that there are some new additions to the Toronto cast of BILLY ELLIOT, now in its fifth month at the Canon Theatre. Over the coming weeks, five Canadian actors will join the cast, three in major roles.

The first winners of the Toronto Theatre Critics' Awards - decided by John Coulbourn (the Toronto Sun), Richard Ouzounian (the Toronto Star), Robert Cushman (the National Post), and Kelly Nestruck (the Globe and Mail) - were announced today. Among the winners were Tony Sheldon, now Tony-nominated for PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT, and SOUTH PACIFIC, which was produced by Lincoln Center Theatre.

HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING opened on Sunday, March 27, 2011, at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre. So did the critics fall in love with the 50th Anniversary production of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING? Let's find out...

THE BOOK OF MORMON opened Thursday, March 24 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre. THE BOOK OF MORMON features book, music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone. Parker and Stone are the four-time Emmy Award-winning creators of Comedy Central's landmark animated series, 'South Park.' Tony Award-winner Lopez is co-creator of the long-running hit musical comedy, Avenue Q. The world premiere musical is choreographed by three-time Tony Award-nominee Casey Nicholaw (Monty Python's Spamalot, The Drowsy Chaperone) and directed by Nicholaw and Parker.

BroadwayWorld.com was the first to report that multiple critics from major newspapers have indeed purchased tickets in recent days to SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off the Dark, and they have come out in force. All but a few papers have filed reviews timed to tonight's performance which was, until the most recent delay, scheduled to be the show's opening night. Here are all the reviews for SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off the Dark to date and we'll keep updating as new ones come in.

Well, the major critics haven't gone in (yet) but now the Toronto Star is the latest paper to break the gentleman's agreement of holding reviews until after the official opening, an agreement which generally assumes a typical amount of previews. Critic Richard Ouzounian writes that 'The only truly amazing thing about Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, is how unequivocally awful it is...'

Direct from a sold out engagement in Toronto, Rebecca Northan ("Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" ) stars in the U.S. Premiere of BLIND DATE Featuring Jamie Northan & Bruce Horak

ROCK OF AGES is unlike any other musical, taking Toronto by a storm with amazing eighties rock music and mind-blowing performances night after night. The party continues every Sunday from October 3 until December 19, with Sunday Night Parties, where all tickets, all seats to the 7pm performances are only $50.

Due to high demand and audiences' continued desire to rock out, ROCK OF AGES, is extending its stay in Toronto once again. A new block of tickets is now on sale through December 19. ROCK OF AGES had its Canadian Premiere on Tuesday, May 11, 2010, almost blowing the roof off the historic Royal Alexandra Theatre.

Direct from a sold out engagement in Toronto, Rebecca Northan ("Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" ) stars in the U.S. Premiere of BLIND DATE Featuring Jamie Northan & Bruce Horak

Direct from a sold out engagement in Toronto, Rebecca Northan ("Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" ) stars in the U.S. Premiere of BLIND DATE Featuring Jamie Northan & Bruce Horak

'A flight of theatrical fancy that is absolutely magical,' Richard Ouzounian, The Toronto Star Direct from a critically-acclaimed, sold-out engagement in Toronto comes the new comedy BLIND DATE - which Richard Ouzounian of the Toronto Star called 'a flight of theatrical fancy' and Now Magazine labeled 'the perfect marriage of theatre and comedy' - being given its U.S. premiere Off-Broadway with previews beginning December 2 prior to the official press opening on December 6 at the Ars Nova building 511 West 54 Street Created by and starring Rebecca Northan, BLIND DATE is presented by Tony Award-winning producer Kevin McCollum.