Rory O'Malley News

Theater Talk, the series devoted to the world of the stage, is co-hosted by Michael Riedel, Broadway columnist for the New York Post and series executive producer Susan Haskins.

'South Park' fans attending this week's Comic-Con at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA will have three chances to win a free pair of tickets to see THE BOOK OF MORMON. Enter to win at the 'Ultimate South Park Fan Experience' at Comic-Con, in addition to the chance to win other merchandise prizes. One pair will be given out daily on Thursday, July 21, Friday, July 22 and Saturday, July 23.

Theater Talk, the series devoted to the world of the stage, is co-hosted by Michael Riedel, Broadway columnist for the New York Post and series executive producer Susan Haskins.

Givenik.com recently launched the Givenik Ambassadors program. Through the website as part of the program, cast members of hit shows are able to discuss the causes and charities they support in short video blogs. The series has kicked off with Reeve Carney (Spider-Man) in support of Partnership for the Homeless, Joel Grey (Anything Goes, The Normal Heart) in support of Friends In Deed, and Rory O'Malley (The Book Of Mormon) in support of Broadway Impact. Click below to hear from O'Malley on why he supports Broadway Impact and how you can help.

New York's Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director) and Joey Parnes have announced that cast members from the critically acclaimed first national tour of HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical, now on Broadway at the St. James Theatre for a 'Summer of Love' run, will hold a 'Be-In' performance to benefit Broadway Impact and help celebrate the recent victory for marriage equality in New York state on Sunday, July 24th at 9:00 p.m. Rockwood Music Hall in NYC (196 Allen Street). July 24 also marks the first day gay couples in New York State can legally wed.

Gingold Theatrical Group continued its sixth sold-out year of PROJECT SHAW yesterday with Shaw's first commercial success, the rarely produced satire FANNY'S FIRST PLAY which was initially written anonymously.

The Broadway company of 'The Book of Mormon' has announced that they will add an additional performance to their schedule in order to perform a benefit 'Special Performance' on Sunday, August 28 at 8 pm. All proceeds will go to The Actors Fund.

The new Disney animated feature WINNIE THE POOH was just released in theaters nationwide last week, and composer for the film and BOOK OF MORMON creator Robert Lopez recently chatted with Time Magazine about both projects. When asked about the difficulty of switching from writing for MORMON to POOH, Lopez responded: 'Pretty easy. I'm the type of guy who likes to kind of pad about and look for things to eat. I actually play the part of Pooh's tummy. I'm the uvular trill that's his tummy growl.'

The American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) and Broadway Impact have announced the Broadway premiere of '8', a play chronicling the historic trial in the federal legal challenge to California's Proposition 8, written by AFER Founding Board Member and Academy-Award winning writer Dustin Lance Black and directed by Tony Award-winning actor and director Joe Mantello.

Gingold Theatrical Group will continue its sixth sold-out year of PROJECT SHAW with Shaw's first commercial success, the rarely produced satire FANNY'S FIRST PLAY which was initially written anonymously,on Monday, July 18 at 7pm at The Players Club (16Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. David Staller produces and directs.

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week, or you're just in the mood for a recap of everything theatre, BroadwayWorld's new feature, 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end of the week fix. Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to the West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more!

Yesterday at a press conference in front of Broadway's St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street), Broadway Impact co-founder Rory O'Malley (2011 Tony Award® nominee) announced that several same-sex couples from the Broadway community will get married onstage at the St. James Theatre on July 25 immediately following that evening's performance of HAIR. These unions will be among the very first in New York State, following the landmark bill recently passed by state legislators. The press conference also included Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis, Jujamcyn Theatres President Jordan Roth and the cast of HAIR.

Yesterday at a press conference in front of Broadway's St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street), Broadway Impact co-founder Rory O'Malley (2011 Tony Award® nominee) announced that several same-sex couples from the Broadway community will get married onstage at the St. James Theatre on July 25 immediately following that evening's performance of HAIR. These unions will be among the very first in New York State, following the landmark bill recently passed by state legislators. The press conference also included Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis, Jujamcyn Theatres President Jordan Roth and the cast of HAIR. BroadwayWorld was there, and brings you full coverage of the announcement below!

Earlier today at a press conference in front of Broadway's St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street), where the Tony® Award-winning revival of HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical officially opens tonight, Broadway Impact co-founder Rory O'Malley (2011 Tony Award® nominee) announced that several same-sex couples from the Broadway community will get married onstage at the St. James Theatre on July 25 immediately following that evening's performance of HAIR. These unions will be among the very first in New York State, following the landmark bill recently passed by state legislators. The press conference also included Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis, Jujamcyn Theatres President Jordan Roth and the cast of HAIR.

On Twitter Watch, Givenik.com wrote '@RoryOMalley announces @HAIRTribeOnTour & @BroadwayImpact will present some of the first gay marriages in NYC on the stage of the St. James! Broadway Impact is a grassroots organization of the theatre community and its fans, mobilizing in support of marriage equality. Founded by Gavin Creel, Rory O'Malley and Jenny Kanelos, it aims to educate and inspire the community into action. Broadway Impact operates as a 501(c)3 non-profit under Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS guidance. www.broadwayimpact.com Givenik.com is redefining theatergoing, one ticket at a time. The revolutionary service offers discount, full-price & premium tickets to dozens of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, as well as group rates to all shows, and donates 5% of the ticket price to the charity of the ticket-buyer's choice. Give money, save money, see a show-it's a win-win-win situation. '

Yesterday, July 12, The New York Times awarded Kristoffer Diaz the 2011 New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award for his play 'The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity,' produced in New York by Second Stage Theatre.

On Saturday, July 9, 2011, Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters hosted the 13th annual BROADWAY BARKS!, a star-studded dog and cat adopt-a-thon benefiting New York City animal shelters and adoption agencies. The event, produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is sponsored by official charity partners, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), Newman's Own® Organics: The Second Generation®, with additional sponsorship by the New York Times. In the video below, Peters chats with the ladies of NY Live about the big event!

While the Harry Potter fan community is preparing for the big premiere of the final big screen installment on July 15, former Billy Elliot's Tessa Netting (HP super fan) has created an amazing Potter parody of Broadway's THE BOOK OF MORMON. Click below to watch the Potter characters sing 'Mormon's opener, 'Hello.'

On Saturday, July 9, 2011, Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters hosted the 13th annual BROADWAY BARKS!, a star-studded dog and cat adopt-a-thon benefiting New York City animal shelters and adoption agencies. The event, produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is sponsored by official charity partners, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), Newman's Own® Organics: The Second Generation®, with additional sponsorship by the New York Times. The event will take place in Shubert Alley (located between 44th and 45th Streets, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue).

On Saturday, July 9, 2011, Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters hosted the 13th annual BROADWAY BARKS!, a star-studded dog and cat adopt-a-thon benefiting New York City animal shelters and adoption agencies. The event, produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is sponsored by official charity partners, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), Newman's Own® Organics: The Second Generation®, with additional sponsorship by the New York Times. The event will take place in Shubert Alley (located between 44th and 45th Streets, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue).