Rob Ashford News

A longtime member of the 'Mamma Mia' cast on tour and Bway, Erica's now performing in her 2nd straight Rob Ashford-choreographed show.

According to Perez Hilton, EVITA star Ricky Martin is staying in New York to continue his Broadway career. 'Do I want to come back to Broadway? I would love to do Broadway the rest of my life! Because it's challenging, because it makes me grow as an actor, as an entertainer, as an artist, and that's what I need, that's what I'm hooked on,' Martin told reporters. 'I AM staying here in New York! Those are my plans.'

Fire Island Dance Festival, the premier cultural event of the season on Fire Island, returns tonight, July 20-July 22, 2012, for its 18th edition and will feature debut performances and stunning encores by some of the hottest dance companies in the industry, spanning ballet to Broadway, all performed outdoors against the dazzling backdrop of the Great South Bay.

Humorist, actor and writer Mo Rocca will host Fire Island Dance Festival 18, landing on the shores of the Great South Bay this weekend - July 20-22, 2012. This year's festival, featuring 10 dancers, dance companies and choreographers is produced by and benefits Dancers Responding to AIDS, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

As previously reported, Julian Ovenden and Rosalie Craig will star in a new musical version of the film Finding Neverland, which starred Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet. The musical will feature Ovenden as Barrie, a role he played in two London workshops last winter, and Craig as Sylvia. The show begins rehearsals July 30 with a four to five week run scheduled at the Curve Theatre in Leicester. Performances will begin on September 21 and will run through October 18, 2012.

On March 10, 2012, stars of Broadway joined some of the biggest names in entertainment at a black-tie gala for the Opening Night of the new Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas. Highlights from the event were taped for a PBS special entitled FROM DUST TO DREAMS: Opening Night at the Smith Center for Performing Arts, which will air on September 21 on PBS.

MASTERWORKS BROADWAY announces that the New Broadway Cast Recording of Evita hasdebuted at #1 on Billboard's Cast Album chart. Produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Nigel Wright with Tim Rice as Executive Producer, this is the first complete English language stage recording of the show since the original 1979 Broadway cast album.

CNN anchor and syndicated talk show host Anderson Cooper has decided to publicly come out that he is gay. In an email to the Daily Beast's Andrew Sullivan, the long time journalist revealed the news and explained that he never intended to give the impression he was hiding anything from the public.

Check out this behind-the-scenes look at Ricky Martin and Elena Roger recording 'High Flying Adored' for the complete New Broadway Cast Recording of EVITA. The video will be released everywhere tomorrow, June 26, where you will then be able to watch it below. But to view it now, visit the AOL Music Blog (http://blog.music.aol.com/2012/06/25/ricky-martin-high-flying-adored-video-premiere-exclusive/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed)!

BroadwayWorld rounds up yesterday evening's 'Saturday Intermission Pics' below! The cast of Godspell and regular participants Nick Adams and Ellyn Marsh from Priscilla, Queen of the Desert take their farewell SIPs. Both shows close on Broadway today, June 24 (check out BWW's Priscilla and Godspell flashbacks). We wish them well!

Humorist, actor and writer Mo Rocca will host Fire Island Dance Festival 18 on the shores of the Great South Bay July 20-22, 2012.

Masterworks Broadway will release the complete New Broadway Cast Recording of Evita, the first complete English language stage recording of the show since the original 1979 Broadway cast album. The two-CD set, produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Nigel Wright, with Tim Rice as Executive Producer, is set for release June 26, 2012. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you photos of Ricky Martin, Elena Roger, Michael Cerveris, Michael Grandage and the cast of EVITA in the recording studio!

Goodspeed Musicals will proudly honor the Hoffman Auto Group on Saturday, August 11, 2012 with the very first Goodspeed Musicals Arts & Business Partnership Award. Goodspeed will also honor Emmy and Tony-Award winner Kristin Chenoweth with The Goodspeed Award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre.

MASTERWORKS BROADWAY will release the New Broadway Cast Recording of Evita on June 19. It is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com. The track-list for the album is as follows:

According to the Daily Mail, RAGTIME's Rosalie Craig will join the new stage musical Finding Neverland, about J.M. Barrie's encounter with the Lewelyn Davies family, which inspired him to write Peter Pan.

MASTERWORKS BROADWAY will release the New Broadway Cast Recording of Evita, set be be available on June 19. It is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com. Go inside the recording studio with the cast of the musical in the video below!

LEAP OF FAITH might have taken its final bow back in May, but sources in the cast tell us that an album is in the works. The cast will gather tomorrow, June 13 to record the original cast album. A release date has not yet been announced.

On Twitter Watch, Neil Patrick Harris wrote ' Finally got some rest. The Tonys are over! Had a blast. Thanks so much for watching! Happy to answer any questions... "@CinWicked: How uncomfortable was the Spiderman rig?" Not so bad when upside down. Upright? Hulk Smash! "@Chris_M_Stern: what's next for you?? Any features?" Yup. I'm back in Montreal, still filming the Smurf sequel. "@caseyimperial: What does Steve Kazee smell like?" Heaven. "@CulbeK: did you write the songs?" No, David Javerbaum & Adam Schlesinger: opening and closing. Michael John Lachiusa: mid show mashup.'

Acclaimed director and choreographer Rob Ashford has joined The Old Vic as Associate Director.

A new commercial for EVITA, featuring scenes from the Broadway production starring Ricky Martin, Elena Roger and Michael Cerveris has just been released. Check it out below!