Robert E. Wankel News

It could be a new 'Tradition'..... For the first time in over 30 years, the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Fiddler On The Roof is coming to Philadelphia! The national touring production will open on Tuesday, October 23 at the Academy of Music. 

The Actors Fund held a ribbon-cutting on October 5, 2018 to celebrate the launch of Looking Ahead in New York City, a program which originated in 2003 in Los Angeles and is designed to help young professional performers and their families thrive amid the unique challenges of working in the entertainment industry. The Paul Libin Center serves as the home for the Looking Ahead program in New York City, and is located in Times Square at the main offices of The Actors Fund at 729 Seventh Avenue on the 12th floor.

On November 1, 2018, The New York Landmarks Conservancy will host its 25th Living Landmarks Celebration at The Plaza.  In addition to Chita Rivera, this year's honorees are Stephen S. Lash, Lynden B. Miller, Liz & Jeffrey Peek, Thomas Sculco MD, Ruth Lande Shuman, Michael I. Sovern and Peter Stangl.  The host for the evening is Living Landmark David Patrick Columbia, and music will be provided by Living Landmark Peter Duchin and his Orchestra.  Living Landmarks Arie L. Kopelman and Leonard Lauder are Honorary Co-Chairs for the evening.  More than 500 guests are expected to attend this 25th annual tribute.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the independent, not-for-profit affiliate of SDC, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, today announced unique plans for its 2019 award evening, which will feature original choreographic pieces resulting from a special commissioning program, with the application period now open. SDCF also announced that Victoria Traube would receive a special 'Mr. Abbott' Award at the event, to be held March 25 at the French Institute Alliance Francaise (FIAF).

High energy, enthusiasm and a night of incredible fundraising were dealt in spades when Broadway stars, industry insiders and fans raised a record $295,100 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS on Monday, May 14,2018, at the fourth edition of Broadway Bets, Broadway's official poker tournament.

The Shubert Organization and movie/television/theatre producers Craig Zadan & Neil Meron, fresh off their juggernaut NBC television event 'Jesus Christ Superstar LIVE,' announced today that they have acquired the coveted rights to adapt Some Like It Hot as an all-new musical for the stage from Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios.

The 13th annual Shubert Foundation/Music Theatre International Broadway Junior Student Finale will take place on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street).

The 13th annual Shubert Foundation/Music Theatre International Broadway Junior Student Finale will take place on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street). The event will be hosted by Kelvin Moon Loh and Vasthy Mompoint, stars from Broadway's new hit, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, The Broadway Musical. The Shubert Foundation / MTI Broadway Junior partnership is a groundbreaking musical theatre mentorship program that helps public schools affect school culture change through building sustainable theatre education programs. Hundreds of participating students will share musical numbers from their fully produced school shows at the Finale. For many, their first musical theatre experience performing will be on Broadway.

Broadway and television stars, theatre fans, poker pros and game-faced novices alike will come together when Broadway Bets, Broadway's official poker tournament, returns on Monday, May 14. The event is produced by and benefits Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and The Shubert Organization are pleased to announce the 2018/19 Broadway Philadelphia season, featuring an outstanding lineup of highly-anticipated Broadway shows, including the Philadelphia premiere of Hamilton. The monumental upcoming season boasts a prodigious collection of award-winning productions which have garnered a collective 47 Tony® Awards and 25 Drama Desk Awards - the highest number of shows holding awards to ever grace one Broadway Philadelphia season!

One hundred and fifty talented NYC public school students made their Broadway debuts last night at the 4th annual SHUBERT FOUNDATION HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE FESTIVAL for NYC Public Schools at the fabled Shubert Theatre (225 W. 45 St. -- currently home to the Broadway smash HELLO, DOLLY!) This high-energy arts and education experience for students is presented by The Shubert Foundation and NYC Department of Education.

One hundred and fifty talented NYC public school students made their Broadway debuts last night at the 4th annual SHUBERT FOUNDATION HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE FESTIVAL for NYC Public Schools at the fabled Shubert Theatre (225 W. 45 St. -- currently home to the Broadway smash HELLO, DOLLY!) This high-energy arts and education experience for students is presented by The Shubert Foundation and NYC Department of Education.

Place your bets on an unforgettable evening of cards and camaraderie at this year's Broadway Bets, Broadway's official poker tournament, on Monday, May 14. The event is produced by and benefits Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

The Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDSBoard of Trustees, at its February 22, 2018, meeting, honored Paul Libin, its president for the last 24 years, with a special $100,000 grant to The Actors Fund to create the Paul Libin Center. The center will be the New York City home for Looking Ahead, a program that helps professional young performers build community and make a healthy, successful transition to adulthood.

The Broadway League has announced that Thomas Schumacher, President & Producer, Disney Theatrical Productions, was elected as Chairman of the Board of The Broadway League today.

The Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) will once again recognize an exemplary teacher with the Excellence in Theatre Education Award, to be presented at the 2018 Tony Awards on Sunday, June 10, 2018. CMU alumnus, actor and producer, Zachary Quinto, will serve as the award's official ambassador and will take part in the selection committee.

The Broadway League and The Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds (COBUG) present the ninth annual Broadway Salutes ceremony tonight, November 7, 2017 at Sardi's Restaurant (234 West 44th St). This year's ceremony will be hosted by Tony Award winner David Hyde Pierce, who is currently starring in Hello, Dolly! on Broadway.

The Broadway League is coordinating efforts of its New York members who are in the process of introducing new technology to provide an improved theatergoing experience for audience members who are deaf, or who experience hearing or vision loss. These new services, in addition to currently available assistive listening devices, are provided to theatergoers free of charge.

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts will be partnering with TD Bank for a city-wide book drive to benefit Philadelphia Reads and the School District of Philadelphia. Finding Neverland makes its Philadelphia debut at the Academy of Music from November 21-November 26, and the book drive will be taking place across four Center City TD Bank locations from November 1-November 26.

The Broadway League and The Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds (COBUG) have announced that the ninth annual Broadway Salutes ceremony will take place on Tuesday, November 7, 2017 at Sardi's Restaurant (234 West 44th St).