Richard Rodgers News

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein are proud to welcome singer/songwriter John Bucchino to Feinstein's at the Nikko for one night only - Saturday, February 8 at 7 p.m. Called "a new American pop master" by the Houston Chronicle, Bucchino's songs have been performed and recorded by renowned pop (Art Garfunkel, Judy Collins), theatre (Liza Minnelli, Patti LuPone, Kristin Chenoweth, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald), cabaret (Barbara Cook, Michael Feinstein), and classical (Yo-Yo Ma, Deborah Voight, Nathan Gunn) artists as well as The Boston Pops, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in venues including Carnegie Hall, The Metropolitan Opera, The Hollywood Bowl, The Kennedy Center, The Sydney Opera House, London's O2 Arena and The White House. San Francisco audiences will have a rare opportunity to hear Bucchino perform his songs in an intimate setting, and share stories of what inspired them. Buchhino will be joined by two guest singers: Nanci Zoppi and Maggie Hollinbeck. Tickets for John Bucchino range in price from $25-$35 and are available now by calling 866.663.1063 or visiting www.ticketweb.com.

Broadway In Chicago just announced that RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA, the 2013 Tony Award®-winning Broadway musical from the creators of South Pacific and The Sound of Music, will play the Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W Randolph) for a limited engagement from December 16, 2014 through January 4, 2015.

The York Theatre Company has announced complete casting for the season opener of the Winter 2014 Musicals in Mufti Series Celebrating Sheldon Harnick: A World to Win, a new revue with Lyrics & Book by Sheldon Harnick and Music by Jerry Bock plus David Baker, Larry Hochman, Michel Legrand, Richard Rodgers and Mr. Harnick.

Today in 2011, In the Heights closed at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, where it ran for 1184 performances. In the Heights is a musical with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegria Hudes. The story explores three days in the characters' lives in the New York City Dominican-American neighborhood of Washington Heights. The Broadway production was nominated for thirteen Tony Awards, winning four: Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Choreography (Andy Blankenbuehler), and Best Orchestrations (Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman). It was also a finalist for the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Pop star Carly Rae Jepsen just shared a photo on Instagram and another on Twitter of her stepping into CINDERELLA's gown and slippers for the first time in preparation for her Broadway debut in February. Currently playing at the Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway in NYC), Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA began previews in January of 2013 and opened on March 3.

DONNA VIVINO, the rising Broadway and vocal star, will celebrate the release of Beautiful Dreamer - her debut solo album from Ghostlight Records - with a special performance at 54 Below on Thursday, January 23 at 9:30 PM. The veteran of Broadway's "Wicked" and "Les Miserables," Vivino will reprise her solo concert "It's Not Easy Being Green" with special numbers from the new recording. She will be joined by Musical Director Ken Levinsky on piano and Jeff Ganz on bass. The album was released in stores and via online outlets December 10, 2013.

The producers of the hit musical CINDERELLA on Broadway announce new cast members who will join the company in the coming weeks: starting January 28, Joe Carroll begins performances as Prince Topher, taking over the role from original cast member and Tony Award nominee Santino Fontana, who concludes his year-long run in the musical. Also beginningJanuary 28, Todd Buonopane will replace original cast member Greg Hildreth as the rebel Jean-Michel; and CINDERELLA ensemble member Stephanie Gibson will replace Marla Mindelle as stepsister Gabrielle. On January 21, Tony Award winner Victoria Clark will return as Cinderella's Fairy Godmother Marie, which she originated and for which she received a Tony Award nomination. Tony nominee Rebecca Luker has performed the role of Marie since September.

Today in 1985, the second Broadway revival of THe King and I opened at the Broadway THeatre, where it ran for 191 performances. The King and I is the fifth musical by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The work is based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon and derives from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, who became governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s. The story deals with the experiences of the British schoolteacher, who is hired as part of the King's drive to modernize his country. The relationship between the King and Anna is marked by conflict through much of the play, as well as by a love that neither is able to express. The musical premiered on March 29, 1951 at Broadway's St. James Theatre.

THE HINTERLANDS, a free online musical web series about a bullied gay teen, was nominated for four International Academy of Web Television (IAWTV) Awards, including 'Best Dramatic Series.' Connor Russell (Disney's Aladdin world premiere), star of THE HINTERLANDS, was nominated for 'Best Male Performance in a Drama.' Danny Larsen and Michelle Elliott, the co-creators of the show, were nominated for 'Best Writing (Drama).' Mr. Larsen was also nominated for 'Best Cinematography.' The IAWTV Awards recognize the best in original online programming and honor the content creators driving today's rapidly evolving digital entertainment industry. The 2014 IAWTV Awards will take place tonight, January 7, 2014 in Las Vegas.

Maureen McGovern has been called the singer with 'The Stradivarius Voice,' so tremendous is her talent. Her 40-year career has encompassed recording, song writing, concerts, radio, television, film and Broadway, and is about to begin her second show-stopping stint with The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies, appearing tonight, January 7 through March 8, 2014. McGovern made her Broadway debut in The Pirates of Penzance in 1981.

Performers from the Musical Theatre and Classical communities will gather to raise funds and awareness for Broadway Impact (www.broadwayimpact.org), the organization of theatre artists and fans mobilized in support of marriage equality.

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University announced today the cast and creative team for the world premiere production of Witness Uganda, created by Matt Gould and Griffin Matthews, directed by A.R.T. Artistic Director Diane Paulus, with choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie. The production begins performances at the Loeb Drama Center at 64 Brattle Street, Cambridge on February 4, and will run through March 16. It is available for press viewing from Wednesday, February 12, at 7:30pm.

The Landor Theatre is delighted to announce its first production for 2014, a revival of American musical comedy No Way to Treat a Lady, which will play at the Landor Theatre from Tuesday 21 January 2014 (press night Friday 24 January at 7.30pm). On sale now.

TMZ is reporting that movie star Barbara Lawrence, known for her portrayal of 'Gertie Cummings' in the 1955 movie version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical OKLAHOMA!, passed away from kidney failure on November 13, 2013. She was 83.

This is certainly the best production of South Pacific that I have seen, and I have seen quite a few, including being involved with three productions myself.

Theatre Rhinoceros presents the Bay Area Premiere of the Stephen Sondheim Musical ROAD SHOW, featuring Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and Book by John Weidman, and running today, January 2 - 19, 2014.

South Coast Repertory has announced its upcoming shows, January through April 2014. Details below!

Come celebrate this New Year's Eve in luxury at New York City's opulent Russian supper club, Kazino (45th Street between Times Square and 8thAvenue) with food, drink, music, dancing and Tolstoy's hottest young lovers. Enjoy a 4-course Russian feast and a performance of one of Time Magazine's Top 10 Musicals of 2013, NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, followed by a New Year's Eve party with a DJ and open bar until 2am.

For the past week, BroadwayWorld has been counting down the final days of 2013 with video tributes to our 13 favorite musical moments of this year. Now that the ball has dropped and 2014 has officially arrived, we shift gears and look ahead to what is to come in 2014. Below, we count-up to the 14 theatrical events of 2014 that we are most excited for!