Richard Rodgers News

Carnegie Hall today announced the complete cast for its gala benefit performance of The Sound of Music on Tuesday, April 24 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage. New to the cast are Mary Michael Patterson (Anything Goes) as Liesl von Trapp, Nick Spangler (The Book of Mormon) as Rolf Gruber, Cotter Smith (Next Fall) as Herr Zeller, Drama Desk and Obie Award recipient Reed Birney as Admiral von Schreiber, and Joel Hatch (Billy Elliot) as Franz, The Butler.

Noted performer and music historian, Benjamin Sears has an unprecedented familiarity with both Irving Berlin's work and the writings about him, much of which he has brought together in the new, The Irving Berlin Reader, part of the Readers on American Music Series from Oxford University Press, available in stores on April 6, 2012.

The Birmingham Hippodrome today announced full season information for its forthcoming 2012/13 season, which includes Cape Town Opera's PORGY AND BESS and Cameron Mackintosh's new production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, THE KING AND I, WONDERFUL TOWN, DIRTY DANCING, SISTER ACT and BLOOD BROTHERS.

American Theater Company (ATC), together with About Face Theatre, presents a co-production of Jonathan Larson's Rent, directed by David Cromer. Rent will run April 27, 2012 - June 17, 2012 at ATC, 1909 W. Byron. The press openings are Sunday, May 6, 2012 and Monday, May 7, 2012 at 7 pm.

This breathtaking new production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC is based on the 2008 Tony Award® winning Lincoln Center Theater production, directed by Bartlett Sher. Based on James Michener's Pulitzer Prize winning book Tales of the South Pacific, Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC has music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan.

Lakewood Theatre Company will celebrate its 60th anniversary season with six productions on its Mainstage and three productions on its Side Door stage beginning July 13, 2012. Season tickets for the 2012-2013 season are on sale now and prices for the six-show season range from $170.00 - $160.00. Performances are Thursday -Saturday at 7:30 PM, Sundays at 7:00 PM and some Sunday matinees at 2:00 PM. Season tickets can be purchased at the LTC Box Office at 368 S. State Street in Lake Oswego. Box Office hours are 9-5 weekdays and 10-4 on Saturdays. Call 503-635-3901 to charge your order by phone. Season tickets may also be purchased on line beginning April 14th at http://www.lakewood-center.org.

Theo Ubique has added six more weeks to the original extension of its production of "The Light in the Piazza." The show, which opened March 11, will now run through Saturday, June 23.

BroadwayWorld.com's SHOW BIZ: Rush, Lottery & Standing Room Only Ticketing Policies - updated on 4/6/2012.

The Daily Mail UK reports that Julian Ovenden will star in a musical version of the film Finding Neverland, which starred Johhny Depp and Kate Winslet and followed the the story of J.M. Barrie's inspiration for his famous children's book, Peter Pan.

The Carolina Actors Studio Theatre (CAST) in Charlotte, North Carolina will present the regional premiere of FLOYD COLLINS April 12-May 12, 2012. The musical by playwright Tina Landau and composer Adam Guettel is based on the true story of the heroic, but ultimately unsuccessful, struggle to free explorer Floyd Collins from a Kentucky cave in 1925. The tragedy was covered by newspapers throughout the United States for two weeks, and drew thousands of spectators to the remote rescue site, making it one of the most sensational news events of the early 20th century and inspiring one of the most unusual stage productions ever written.

The new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Pulitzer Prize-winning musical SOUTH PACIFIC, based on the 2008 Tony Award® winning Lincoln Center Theater production directed by Bartlett Sher, plays the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Tues. April 3 & Wed. April 4 at 8 PM. Derived from James Michener's Pulitzer Prize winning book Tales of the South Pacific, Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC has music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan.

Today in 2008, the first Broadway revival of South Pacific opened at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre, where it ran for 996 performances. South Pacific is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. The musical centers on an American nurse stationed at a U.S. Naval base during World War II who falls in love with an expatriate French plantation owner but struggles to accept his mixed-race children. A second romance concerns a U.S. Lieutenant who falls in love with a young Asian woman. The musical premiered in 1949 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950.

Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) presents "Ballerina Assoluta: A Tribute to Natalia Makarova" on Saturday, April 28 at 7:00 PM at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. This evening of dance will illustrate Natalia Makarova's contribution to the art of ballet by presenting some of her most iconic roles performed by today's leading dancers. Performers include Marcelo Gomes (American Ballet Theatre), Natalia Osipova (American Ballet Theatre/Mikhailovsky Theatre St. Petersburg), Sergei Polunin (formally of The Royal Ballet), Tamara Rojo (The Royal Ballet), Yuan Yuan Tan (San Francisco Ballet), Ivan Vasiliev (American Ballet Theatre/Mikhailovsky Theatre St. Petersburg) and Diana Vishneva (American Ballet Theatre/Mariinsky Ballet). Ms. Makarova will narrate the program, reflecting on her experiences as a dancer. In addition, rare photos and archival footage will be shared. Tickets for the performance are $20, $37, $45, $75, $100, $150.

The new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Pulitzer Prize-winning musical SOUTH PACIFIC, based on the 2008 Tony Award® winning Lincoln Center Theater production directed by Bartlett Sher, plays the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Tues. April 3 & Wed. April 4 at 8 PM. Derived from James Michener's Pulitzer Prize winning book Tales of the South Pacific, Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC has music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan.

Stephen Schwartz, the three-time Academy Award-winning Broadway legend and composer, and Broadway icon Andrea McArdle will appear in Palm Springs on May 19 in "When You Believe: A Conversation With and Tribute To Stephen Schwartz" at the Annenberg Theater at the Palm Springs Art Museum.

With several Tennessee theaters prepping new productions of Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic The Sound of Music over the upcoming months, one would be well-advised to make the trip to Crossville to see director Weslie Webster's (and music director Ron Murphy's) take on the Von Trapp family musical. Webster, one of Cumberland County Playhouse's most accomplished leading ladies, takes the helm of The Sound of Music with clear-headed confidence and commitment, giving the time-honored musical the added gravitas-the dramatic heft-of historical context, which all too often is glossed over and regretfully forgotten in lesser revivals.

BroadwayWorld.com's SHOW BIZ: Rush, Lottery & Standing Room Only Ticketing Policies - updated on 3/30/2012.

Songwriting team Matt Gould and Griffin Matthews have been invited to perform selections from their Richard Rodgers Award winning musical, Witness Uganda at the New York Stock Exchange on March 30th as part of TEDxWallStreet.

Tony-nominated actor Brian Lane Green (Starmites) joins the lineup of Broadway talent performing in the March 30th concert with John Bucchino. In addition to Lane is Broadway funnyman Todd Buonopane (…Spelling Bee) and renowned singer/songwriter Lindy Robbins.