Rob Berman News

Check out Broadway's Douglas Sills and Alexandra Socha, along with Rob Berman on the piano, preview 'I Won't Send Roses' from the Encores! production of Mack & Mabel.

Today's top stories: Sabrina Carpenter will join Mean Girls, Six has announced 60 rush and lottery tickets for preview performances, and more!

New York City Center today announced complete casting for the Encores! production of Love Life. Joining previously announced cast members Kate Baldwin (Susan Cooper) and Brian Stokes Mitchell (Sam Cooper) are John Edwards (Hobo), Sara Jean Ford (Miss Ideal Man), Isabella Houston (Elizabeth Cooper), Owen Tabaka (Johnny Cooper), and Clarke Thorell (Bill/Mr. Cynic).

New York City Center today announced complete casting for the Encores! production of Mack & Mabel. Joining previously announced cast members Douglas Sills as Mack Sennett and Alexandra Socha as Mabel Normand are Major Attaway (Fatty Arbuckle), Michael Berresse (William Desmond Taylor), Lilli Cooper (Lottie Ames), Ben Fankhauser (Frank Wyman), Jordan Gelber (Mr. Kessel), Evan Kasprzak (Freddy), Raymond J. Lee (Andy), Kevin Ligon (Eddie), Janet Noh (Ella), and Allen Lewis Rickman (Mr. Bauman).

Lyrics & Lyricists opens its new season with a salute to Yip Harburg, who appeared on the 92nd Street Y stage for L&L's first show in December 1970. Harburg was a master lyricist, poet, and book writer who worked with more than 40 composers in writing over 600 songs, including such classics as 'April in Paris,' 'Old Devil Moon,' 'Lydia, the Tattooed Lady,' 'Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?,' 'Paper Moon,' and, of course, 'Over the Rainbow.' Mikaela Bennett, Clifton Duncan, Desi Oakley, Megan Sikora and Nick Spangler bring Harburg's story to life-from his Lower East Side childhood to being blacklisted by HUAC. Matt Kunkel's direction, with musical direction by Paul Masse and a script by Jon Marans, weaves together Harburg's comedic and political sides.

Ghostlight Records has announced that the new cast album of Cole Porter's The New Yorkers - The New York City Center Encores! 2017 Cast Recording is available on CD, digital and streaming formats today, Friday, December 6. The release is the first major cast album of the 1930 musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Herbert Fields, and based on a story by Peter Arno and E. Ray Goetz. The 2017 production from New York City Center (Arlene Shuler, New York City Center President & CEO) Encores! was directed by John Rando, with musical direction by Encores! Music Director Rob Berman and choreography by Chris Bailey.

Broadway audiences last experienced the greatness that is Victoria Clark in the 2015 revival of Gigi, and though it's been almost five years since she last graced the stage, she is keeping plenty busy.

Following an initial reading presentation in March 2018, Luna and the Gold River Docks, a musical by Eric Dietz inspired by the documentary The Whale by Michael Parfit and Suzanne Chisholm, will present two developmental reading presentations on Tuesday, November 5 at 11:30am and Wednesday, November 6 at 11am, by invitation only.

New York City Center today announced select casting for the 2020 Encores! season.

Jack Viertel, who has run New York City Center's Encores! series for the past twenty years, has just announced that he will resign from his position as Artistic Director at the end of the 2020 season.

Theatre Row, the venerable five-theatre Off-Broadway complex at 410 West 42nd Street, has recently undergone an extensive six-month renovation as part of a larger re-imagining of Theatre Row's role in the non-profit theater community. The new Theatre Row was just unveiled with a dedication ceremony last night, June 17, featuring performances from resident companies Epic Theatre Ensemble and Keen Company.

New York City Center today announced programming for the 2019 - 2020 season, which will include Mack and Mabel (Feb 19-23), Kurt Weill's Love Life (March 18-22) directed by Victoria Clark, and a 'new version' of Thoroughly Modern Millie (May 6-10), featuring edits by the playwright Lauren Yee and led by 2018 Tony nominee Ashley Park.

Television through the years: shared musical memories through a magical box. Lyrics & Lyricists closes its 2019 season with a loving look at the songs written for or introduced on the small screen that shaped our culture and connected us all. The set we watched together in the den gave us songs by great musical theater writers such as Rodgers & Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim and Cole Porter, specials by Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra, nights with Ed Sullivan and theme songs whose lyrics have a permanent place in our hearts. Live and In Living Color  includes songs such as "Love and Marriage", Steve Allen's "This Could Be the Start of Something", songs from Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, and a medley of beloved TV theme songs.

Just last night, New York City Center concluded the Encores! season with High Button Shoes. The production featured Aidan Alberto (Stevie), Jennifer Allen (Shirley Simpkins), Kevin Chamberlin (Mr. Pontdue), Carla Duren (Fran), Chester Gregory (Papa Longstreet), Mylinda Hull (Nancy), Marc Koeck (Oggle), Matt Loehr (Uncle Willy), Wayne Pretlow (Elmer Simpkins), Michael Urie (Harrison Floy), and Betsy Wolfe (Sara Longstreet).

Michael Arden, who originated the role of Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, stopped by Good Morning America to sing 'Out There' from the musical.

This week, New York City Center presents the final Encores! production of the City Center 75th Anniversary Season, High Button Shoes. The production features Aidan Alberto (Stevie), Jennifer Allen (Shirley Simpkins), Kevin Chamberlin (Mr. Pontdue), Carla Duren (Fran), Chester Gregory (Papa Longstreet), Mylinda Hull (Nancy), Marc Koeck (Oggle), Matt Loehr (Uncle Willy), Wayne Pretlow (Elmer Simpkins), Michael Urie (Harrison Floy), and Betsy Wolfe (Sara Longstreet).

That crazy cacophony of choreographic chaos that careens across the City Center stage shortly after the commencement of Act II is the main reason for Encores! to bring back the smash hit 1947 musical comedy High Button Shoes.

This week, New York City Center presents the final Encores! production of the City Center 75th Anniversary Season, High Button Shoes. The production will feature Aidan Alberto (Stevie), Jennifer Allen (Shirley Simpkins), Kevin Chamberlin (Mr. Pontdue), Carla Duren (Fran), Chester Gregory (Papa Longstreet), Mylinda Hull (Nancy), Marc Koeck (Oggle), Matt Loehr (Uncle Willy), Wayne Pretlow (Elmer Simpkins), Michael Urie (Harrison Floy), and Betsy Wolfe (Sara Longstreet).

Next week, New York City Center will present the final Encores! production of the City Center 75th Anniversary Season, High Button Shoes. The production will feature Aidan Alberto (Stevie), Jennifer Allen (Shirley Simpkins), Kevin Chamberlin (Mr. Pontdue), Carla Duren (Fran), Chester Gregory (Papa Longstreet), Mylinda Hull (Nancy), Marc Koeck (Oggle), Matt Loehr (Uncle Willy), Wayne Pretlow (Elmer Simpkins), Michael Urie (Harrison Floy), and Betsy Wolfe (Sara Longstreet).

New York City Center will soon present the final Encores! production of the City Center 75th Anniversary Season, High Button Shoes. The production will feature Aidan Alberto (Stevie), Jennifer Allen (Shirley Simpkins), Kevin Chamberlin (Mr. Pontdue), Carla Duren (Fran), Chester Gregory (Papa Longstreet), Mylinda Hull (Nancy), Marc Koeck (Oggle), Matt Loehr (Uncle Willy), Wayne Pretlow (Elmer Simpkins), Michael Urie (Harrison Floy), and Betsy Wolfe (Sara Longstreet).