Rob Ashford News

Last week's poll asked which project you're most excited to see on stage. Check out your response below!

Asolo Repertory Theatre closed its production of Noah Racey's Pulse on June 16th, 2013. Tommy Tune made a surprise appearance at the final performance to congratulate the cast and creative team. Click below to watch the exclusive video!

Producers Letty Aronson and Julian Schlossberg have announced initial casting, preview and opening dates for the world premiere production of BULLETS OVER BROADWAY, the new Broadway musical adaptation of Woody Allen's and Douglas McGrath's screenplay of the 1994 film.

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce their annual FREE BROADWAY IN CHICAGO SUMMER CONCERT will take place on Monday, August 5, 2013 at 6:15 p.m. at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park (201 E Randolph St). Hosted by ABC 7 Chicago's Janet Davies, Val Warner and Ryan Chiaverini, the headlining performance will feature cast members from the smash hit Broadway musical MOTOWN THE MUSICAL, as well as Broadway's biggest blockbuster WICKED, and showcase additional cast performances from ELF, EVITA, FLASHDANCE THE MUSICAL, GHOST THE MUSICAL, MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, ONCE and WE WILL ROCK YOU. The Broadway In Chicago Summer Concert at Millennium Park is sponsored by ABC 7 Chicago and produced in partnership with The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.

New BroadwayWorld.com Poll - Which Disney project are you most excited for?

Last week BroadwayWorld reported that Disney Theatrical Productions has been experimenting with bringing a live stage version of THE MUPPETS to Broadway, but according to the New York Times, that's not the only project in the works. Many other shows based on animated Disney classics are being created for the stage including THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Peter Parnell and direction by Scott Schwartz), for which a table reading was recently held. It was announced several year ago that stage adaptations of DUMBO (direction by Stephen Daldry), and Tim Burton's version of ALICE IN WONDERLAND (direction by Rob Ashford) were in the works, though no new information has been released recently on either project.

Asolo Repertory Theatre closed its production of Noah Racey's Pulse on June 16th, 2013. Tommy Tune made a surprise appearance at the final performance to congratulate the cast and creative team. Click below to watch the emotional backstage moment!

National Theatre Live is pleased to announce that the June 13 live broadcast of Peter Morgan's Olivier Award-winning new play The Audience was seen by nearly 30,000 people in North America and nearly 80,000 people in the UK - the largest audience ever for a live broadcast from National Theatre Live. Due to the record-breaking response to the National Theatre Live broadcast of The Audience, many encore screenings have already been added, and more encores will be added throughout the summer internationally. In North America, there are currently 700 screenings scheduled throughout the summer, with additional encores to be added still; in the UK, nearly 800 screenings will take place - the largest number of screenings for a National Theatre Live broadcast in both North America and the UK ever. The Audience played its final performance at London's Gielgud Theatre on June 15, starring internationally acclaimed actress Helen Mirren as The Queen, directed by Stephen Daldry, and won two 2013 Olivier Awards for Best Actress (Helen Mirren) and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Richard McCabe).

Tickets for the stunning new production of Tim Rice's and Andrew Lloyd Webber's EVITA go on sale Monday, June 17, 2013 at 10A at the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) Box Office; the National Tour launches at PPAC and kicks off the 2013/2014 Broadway Season September 8 - 14, 2013.

Artist Series and The Nathan H. Wilson Center for the Arts are proud to present the 8th Annual High School Summer Musical Theatre Experience! This program provides theatre opportunities to 7th-12th graders in the First Coast area and allows them to work hands-on with some of the highest recognized local and regional theatre professionals.

According to the Daily Mail, Gary Barlow (The X Factor), will write new songs for the Finding Neverland musical, which is aiming for the West End in spring 2014. This will be Barlow's first theatre project. PIPPIN's Diane Paulus is also up to direct the production.

Today we are talking to an inordinately talented triple-threat performer who made his name on Broadway in some landmark productions, such as the original multi-Tony Award-winning HAIRSPRAY and THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, in addition to his peerless work in Lincoln Center's lauded SOUTH PACIFIC revival, who now is best known to audiences around the world for his headlining role on FOX's mega-hit musical dramedy series GLEE - the charismatic Matthew Morrison. Sharing stories from his Broadway days as well as looking ahead to the new season of GLEE airing in September, Morrison paints a vivid picture of his musical theatre career thus far and touches upon his experiences in the aforementioned musicals on the Great White Way as well as THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, A NAKED GIRL ON THE APPIAN WAY and more, detailing his ascent from chorus boy to superstar. More importantly, Morrison offers us the complete 411 on his new solo album, WHERE IT ALL BEGAN, discussing its conception, recording, production, and, now, its release - as well as elaborating on working with legendary producer Phil Ramone on it and the song selection process itself. Furthermore, Morrison reveals the most influential artists and performers to him and how that inspiration formed the basis for WHERE IT ALL BEGAN, both the album itself as well as his current concert tour in promotion of it - arriving in NYC at 54 Below this weekend, as a matter of fact - and his PBS special, airing this month. Additionally, Morrison candidly comments on some characters he would enjoy essaying in the future (hint: a demon barber of Fleet Street), reflects on his favorite GLEE moments to date, recounts wild ROCKY HORROR antics involving rock star Sebastian Bach - and much, much more!

The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF) Observership Program grants emerging Directors and Choreographers 25 paid opportunities to observe the work of master Directors and Choreographers as they create productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway and at leading regional theatres across the country.

Internationally regarded Shakespearean Sir Kenneth Branagh is making his mark on one of the Bard's most well-known roles at the Manchester International Festival in July - the Scottish Play itself, MACBETH - and it has now just been announced that the production will be filmed and broadcast as part of NT Live.

Extending this season's hot streak of productions that make bold artistic statements, Asolo Repertory Theatre will present Noah Racey's Pulse. A song and dance celebration that harkens back to the golden age of hoofing, Pulse is written, conceived, and choreographed by Broadway song and dance man Noah Racey in collaboration with Broadway director and two-time Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun. Pulse opens tonight, May 23 with an 8 p.m. curtain. The show runs through June 16, 2013 in Asolo Rep's Mertz Theatre located in The FSU Center for the Performing Arts.

New season subscriptions for the highly anticipated 2013-2014 Broadway Las Vegas series at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts are now available.

Extending this season's hot streak of productions that make bold artistic statements, Asolo Repertory Theatre will present Noah Racey's Pulse. A song and dance celebration that harkens back to the golden age of hoofing, Pulse is written, conceived, and choreographed by Broadway song and dance man Noah Racey in collaboration with Broadway director and two-time Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun. Pulse opens on Thursday, May 23 with an 8 p.m. curtain. Opening night will be preceded by two preview performances on Tuesday, May 21 at 7:30 p.m. and May 22 at 8 p.m. The show runs through June 16, 2013 in Asolo Rep's Mertz Theatre located in The FSU Center for the Performing Arts.

New season subscriptions for the highly anticipated 2013-2014 Broadway Las Vegas series at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts are now available.

Music Theatre International (MTI) has announced that Leap of Faith by award-winning composer Alan Menken (Disney's Beauty and The Beast and Little Shop of Horrors), is now available for licensing. The Leap of Faith score is inspired by the sounds of gospel, country, and American roots music. The creative team also includes book writers Janus Cercone and Tony winner Warren Leight (Side Man) and Grammy winning lyricist Glenn Slater (Tangled).