Ron Simons News

University of Washington alum Brandon Ivie will direct the second annual production of the newly established Musical Theater Program at the University of Washington. The production, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, will unite working professionals like Ivie and musical director Jordyn Meeker with undergraduates enrolled in the program.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) will celebrate its 24th year as a not-for-profit service organization with its annual gala, the TRU Love Benefit. This year's theme is Making Our Gardens Grow, and a stellar lineup of Broadway stars has joined the cast: Bryce Pinkham (The Heidi Chronicles, Tony nominee for A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder), Tony Award Winner and Grammy Nominee Milly Shapiro (Matilda), and more.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) will celebrate its 24th year as a not-for-profit service organization with its annual gala, the TRU Love Benefit. This year's theme is MAKING OUR GARDENS GROW, recognizing three people who are each helping to change the landscape of theater in highly individual ways.

The celebrated new production of D.L. Coburn's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, The Gin Game, directed by Leonard Foglia and starring legendary actors James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson, will add four performances in December and January, BroadwayWorld has learned.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) will celebrate its 24th year as a not-for-profit service organization with its annual gala, the TRU Love Benefit. This year's theme is Making Our Gardens Grow, recognizing three people who are each helping to change the landscape of theater in highly individual ways. The 2015 TRU Spirit of Theater Award, given to a member of the producing community who has demonstrated exceptional generosity, support and kindness to others in the business, will be awarded to producer Patrick Blake (The 39 Steps, Bedlam Theatre's Hamlet/St. Joan, Play Dead, My Life Is a Musical, The Exonerated, In the Continuum), also the founder of Rhymes Over Beats, a game-changing new hip hop theater company; the TRU Humanitarian Award will be presented to Teresa Eyring on behalf of one of American theater's pre-eminent service organizations, Theatre Communications Group (TCG); and the TRU Entrepreneur Award, given for consistency, unique thinking and innovation, will be presented to Linda Amiel Burns for 38 years of The Singing Experience, a unique cabaret workshop that helps ordinary people blossom into singing 'stars.'

'Don't let football get between you and your life.'

Death is but the next great adventure for Broadway's A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER. BroadwayWorld learned this evening that the Tony Award-winning Best Musical will play its final performance on the Great White Way on Sunday, January 17, 2016. Producer Joey Parnes announced the news today. The musical's record-breaking run at the Walter Kerr Theatre will have played nearly 1,000 performances on Broadway, and its Tony Award-winning star, Jefferson Mays, will have died more than 6,000 deaths as various members of the illfated D'Ysquith family.

The 15th anniversary season of The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH) (Ty Jones, Producing Artistic Director; David Roberts, Managing Director) continues with CTH's free, summer, uptown production of William Shakespeare's The Tempest, presented in partnership with City Parks Foundation's SummerStage festival. The Carl Cofield-directed production, which stars New York theater and Broadway veteran Ron Cephas Jones, will transform the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater in Marcus Garvey Park into an enchanted Caribbean island where the magic takes flight, with an elaborate aerial design elements planned. The third annual CTH Under the Stars presentation holds previews tonight, July 3, and Saturday, July 4. Performances, which are free and open to the public, run from July 5 through 26.

Judy Blazer joins the cast of the Tony Award winning Best Musical, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, in the role of 'Miss Shingle' tonight, June 30.

The 15th anniversary season of The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH) (Ty Jones, Producing Artistic Director; David Roberts, Managing Director) continues with CTH's free, summer, uptown production of William Shakespeare's The Tempest, presented in partnership with City Parks Foundation's SummerStage festival. The Carl Cofield-directed production, which stars New York theater and Broadway veteran Ron Cephas Jones, will transform the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater in Marcus Garvey Park into an enchanted Caribbean island where the magic takes flight, with an elaborate aerial design elements planned. The third annual CTH Under the Stars presentation holds previews on Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4. Performances, which are free and open to the public, run from July 5 through 26.

It was announced today that Judy Blazer will join the cast of the Tony Award winning Best Musical, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, in the role of Miss Shingle.  She will begin performances on Tuesday, June 30.  Carole Shelley, who currently fills the role, will play her final performance on Sunday, June 28.

It was announced today that two-time Olivier Award nominee Scarlett Strallen will take over the role of 'Sibella' in A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, which won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Musical, beginning Tuesday, February 10, 2015. Her predecessor Lisa O'Hare exits the production on February 8, 2015 after originating the role at Hartford Stage, then in San Diego at The Old Globe, and finally on Broadway at The Walter Kerr Theatre.

It was announced today that Catherine Walker will take over the role of 'Phoebe D'Ysquith' in A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, which won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Musical, beginning Tuesday, October 28.

It was announced today that Tony Award-winner Carole Shelley will join the cast of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, which won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Musical. She will be stepping into the role of Miss Shingle on October 28th. Jane Carr, who originated the role, will play her final performance on October 26th.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) invites writers to meet more than eleven real producers face-to-face at the Writer-Producer Speed Date: The Art of the Pitch on Sunday, July 27, 2014 at 5:30pm and 6:30pm at The Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, 3rd Floor NYC. The deadline to apply is Saturday, July 19, 2014. If accepted, the cost to participate is $75 ($65 for TRU members). For more information and an application, visit http://www.truonline.org/WriterSpeedDateJuly14.htm.

Now that we've all had a sufficient amount of time to recover from the excitement of the big night, treat yourself today to some highlights from ALL of the festivities. Below, BroadwayWorld is excited to bring you a Mega-Roundup of 2014 Tonys coverage!

The 80th Annual Drama League Awards Ceremony and Luncheon is being held this afternoon, May 16, at the Marriott Marquis Times Square, where winners will be announced for Distinguished Production of a Play, Distinguished Production of a Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and the much coveted Distinguished Performance Award. This year's event, which began at noon, is hosted by Broadway veteran Jesse Tyler Ferguson. BroadwayWorld is updating the winners live! Check back in to find out who took home the big awards!

SimonSays Entertainment, helmed by Ron Simons, a three-time Tony Award nominee and a two-time Tony Award winner, has joined the producing team of "5 Lesbians Eating A Quiche.' SimonSays Entertainment is a production company which develops projects of underrepresented communities for film, television, and live theatre, has joined lead producers Chicago Commercial Collective and Pinckard Production Partners. The show having previously run to rave reviews in Chicago and New York City opened today at the Chopin Theatre in Chicago. The New York Times said the work's "raw and magnetic dementia seems destined to attract a cult following."

Check out the show's cast and crew celebrating the good news with their take on Pharrell Williams' hit single 'Happy!'

Co-Hosts Judith Light and Christopher Sieber announced the nominations for the 2014 Drama League Awards, including Distinguished Production of a Play, Distinguished Production of a Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and the much coveted Distinguished Performance Award. The 2014 Drama League Nomination announcement begins the month of celebrations leading up to the 80th Annual Drama League Awards, which will be held at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway) on Friday, May 16, 2014 at noon hosted by Broadway veteran Jesse Tyler Ferguson.