The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The Mosh Pit's exclusive Oscar wrap-up, Billy Zane announced for Lyric Opera, DLO's 'Les Miz' aims high, Porchlight tries 'How To Succeed,' Bailiwick's 'Dessa Rose' begins, as does 'Heartbeat Of Home' from BIC, 'Option Up! ' returns, voice students compete at NATS, and more!
Artistic Director Blake Robison announced the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park's 2014-15 season today. The Playhouse's 55th season - which is Robison's third as artistic director - boasts a homegrown world premiere, two Tony Award-winning plays, recent New York hits and musical tributes to Johnny Cash and Tri-State native Rosemary Clooney.
Atlanta's nationally acclaimed Alliance Theatre and Jennings Hertz Artistic Director Susan V. Booth just announced the 2014/15 Season for the Alliance Stage, Hertz Stage and Theatre for Youth and Families series. The 46th season includes seven exciting world premieres, including two new American musicals.
The 2013 Off West End Theatre Awards were presented tonight at London's Unicorn Theatre, with the Broadway bound production of TITANIC, presented by Southwark Playhouse, taking home four awards. The production won 'Best Musical Production,' Cressida Carre won for her choreography in the production, David Woodhead won for his costumes in TITANIC (as well as LIZZIE SIDDAL at the Arcola Theatre), and Howard Hudson took home the prize for lighting, in addition to working on LIZZIE SIDDAL at the Arcola.
Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC), dedicated to advancing the art and business of live entertainment, has announced the nominees for the 2014 MAC Awards. Winners in twenty-five categories will be voted by the MAC membership by anonymous ballot and announced at the MAC Awards Gala on March 27th at BB King's Blue Club in Times Square at: 237 W. 42 St between 7th and 8th Avenues. Tickets start at $50.00. For additional information on MAC, to become a member, or to order tickets to the event, visit: http://macnyc.com.
The 2014 Adelaide Festival presents a program of outstanding music, theatre and dance events, a stellar literary festival and momentous visual arts exhibitions. The 29th Adelaide Festival line-up features 50 events with 29 premieres and 29 festival exclusives over 17 days, from tonight, 28 February to Sunday, 16 March.
Porchlight Music Theatre and Managing Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the Tony Award-winning and Pulitzer Prize-winning How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, April 26 - June 1 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. The classic musical comedy, with book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert and songs by Frank Loesser features direction by Porchlight Artistic Associate Rob Lindley, music direction by Kory Danielson, in his Porchlight debut and choreography by Porchlight Artistic Associate Brenda Didier. Previews are Saturday, April 26 at 8 p.m., Sunday, April 27 at 2 and 6 p.m. and Monday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. Opening/press night is Tuesday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. The regular run schedule is Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There is an added matinee performance Thursday, May 29 at 1 p.m. Tickets are $30 for previews and $43.50 for all other performances. Single tickets are on sale now and may be purchased online at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by phone at Stage 773, 773.327.5252. Groups of ten or more may receive discounts on tickets purchased via Group Theater Tix at 312.423.6612 or grouptheatertix.com.
Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, will present David Ives' THE HEIR APPARENT, adapted from the play by Jean-Francois Regnard, beginning performances Friday, March 28 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). Directed by John Rando, THE HEIR APPARENT will feature Suzanne Bertish (Madame Argante), Carson Elrod (Crispin), Claire Karpen (Lisette), Amelia Pedlow (Isabelle), David Pittu (Scruple), Dave Quay (Eraste) and Paxton Whitehead (Geronte). The official press opening for THE HEIR APPARENT is Wednesday, April 9. The production will play at limited engagement through Sunday, May 4.
Roundabout Theatre Company has announced Tony Award winner Rosemary Harris will play the role of 'Eleanor Swan' in the Off-Broadway premiere of Tom Stoppard's Indian Ink, directed by Carey Perloff. The production will begin performances on September 4 and open Sunday, September 28, 2014 at the Laura Pels Theatre in the Harold & Miriam Steinberg Centre for Theatre (111 West 46th Street).
The Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, High Museum of Art, and Young Audiences are thrilled to present the inaugural TODDLER TAKEOVER: an arts festival for the very young, May 31-June 2, 2014, at the Woodruff Arts Center. This one of a kind experience will feature performances of all six original productions of the Alliance Theatre for the Very Young, the debut of the Atlanta Symphony's Music for the Very Young, side by side art making at the High Museum of Art, and an interactive play space hosted by Young Audiences artists.
4000 Miles by Amy Herzog tells a complicated story that involves a young man and his grandmother. Leo arrives at his grandmother's (Vera) New York apartment in the middle of the night after riding across the country on his bicycle. He ultimately stays with her for months and their relationship takes on many levels during this time. Leo is grieving and recovering from the loss of a friend and Vera has to get use to someone else in her apartment after the death of her husband. This production was able to find a balance between emotional and funny, which can be a hard thing when the scene never changes and only has 4 actors.
For DIRECTOR'S CHOICE, the fourth program of Pacific Northwest Ballet's 2013-2014 season, Artistic Director Peter Boal selects from his roster of acquisitions and increases them by one: The captivating mixed-bill program will feature a much-anticipated world premiere by Alejandro Cerrudo, resident choreographer of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. The program also reprises audience favorites TAKE FIVE…More or Less, Broadway-darling Susan Stroman's sunny slice of jazz-infused Dave Brubeck fun; and Susan Marshall's distinctive aerial duet, Kiss. Rounding out the lineup is Molissa Fenley's State of Darkness, a tour-de-force solo performance set to Stravinsky's riot-inducing The Rite of Spring. DIRECTOR'S CHOICE runs for seven performances only, March 14 through 23 at Seattle Center's Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Tickets start at just $28 and may be purchased by calling the PNB Box Office at 206.441.2424, online at PNB.org, or in person at the PNB Box Office, 301 Mercer Street.
Megan Mullally is a two-time Emmy-winning star of TV's Will & Grace, and star of Broadway's Young Frankenstein. Tonight, February 22 she debuts Broadway@ The Broad: Megan Mullally, her live music and comedy concert special, in Santa Monica, CA's - for two shows only.
Atlanta's nationally acclaimed ALLIANCE THEATRE will present Shrek the Musical, based on the beloved Dreamworks film character and William Steig's 1990s book, today, February 22 through March 16, 2014 as part of its Alliance Stage Family Series. Rosemary Newcott, the Sally G. Tomlinson Artistic Director of Theatre for Youth and Families, directs this enchanting production which ran for 12 months on Broadway and is now adapted to a family friendly one-act experience.
Jamie Lloyd is directing the UK premiere of URINETOWN The Musical, with music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann and book and lyrics by Greg Kotis. The musical runs at the St James Theatre from tonight, 22 February until 3 May 2014, with opening night on 11 March 2014.
The Oakland East Bay Symphony and Music Director/Conductor Michael Morgan will continue their 25th anniversary season with a concert featuring the world premiere of Bay Area composer-pianist-vocalist Mary Fineman's song cycle, It's About Love, featuring guest vocalist Wesla Whitfield, and the Symphony's Young Artist Competition winner Matthew Linaman performing Bloch's Schelomo tonight, February 21, 2014.
Broadway/TV star Linda Purl and the award winning Lee Lessack return to Harris Center in a cabaret show that spans the Atlantic, bridging romance from two of the world's most cosmopolitan cities- New York and Paris.
Virgin America, the California-based airline already known for its award-winning cuisine and international-grade First Class cabin, today announces a new enhanced First Class menu and service that will launch on its long-haul business flights between San Francisco and Los Angeles to Newark, New York, Boston and Washington, D.C. (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) as of March 4, 2014. To supplement the traditional after-takeoff cocktail service, the new menu will include the addition of cocktail hors d'oeuvres of roasted tomato, marinated artichoke heart, olive and mozzarella skewer, served with warmed mixed nuts as well as a choice of two appetizers and three entrees in-flight. The 'cherry on the top' of the new service is the debut of the airline's first custom ice cream flavor, developed in collaboration with San Francisco's cult favorite ice cream maker, Humphry Slocombe. The artisanal ice cream will be hand-delivered daily to the airline's sleek home base at San Francisco International Airport's (SFO) Terminal 2 to be served to First Class guests on the airline's eastbound flights from SFO. Today, the airline is inviting its 'foodie' travelers to help decide the soon-to-be signature Virgin America ice cream flavor by casting their vote via Twitter for one of three exclusive ice cream flavors created for the airline by Humphry Slocombe. Travelers in any cabin can also score a free scoop of Humphry Slocombe's ice cream at either of the outlet's two San Francisco locations (The Ferry Building & Mission) by presenting their Virgin America boarding pass from March 4-June 30th. The airline is also updating its First Class service settings, with hot towel and linen table service available on all flights. Full menu highlights are listed below.