Sammy Williams News

As BroadwayWorld reported earlier today, composer Marvin Hamlisch passed away Monday evening at 68 years old following a brief illness. We celebrate the life and career of the legend with even more photos below.

STATE OF THE ARTS (SOTA), the critically acclaimed weekly performing arts radio series which previously, since its May 31, 2010 premiere, aired live on Mondays from 4:00 - 4:50 pm PST on the LATalkRadio.com Network, is moving its weekly broadcast to Thursdays beginning today, July 19, 2012, it was previously announced by State of the Arts co-producer/co-hosts and theatre professionals MICHAEL STERLING & Paul Stroili.

STATE OF THE ARTS (SOTA), the critically acclaimed weekly performing arts radio series which previously, since its May 31, 2010 premiere, aired live on Mondays from 4:00 - 4:50 pm PST on the LATalkRadio.com Network, is moving its weekly broadcast to Thursdays beginning Thursday, July 19, 2012, it was announced today by State of the Arts co-producer/co-hosts and theatre professionals MICHAEL STERLING & PAUL STROILI. Guests on July 19 will include TV, Broadway star and Tony Award nominee CHRISTOPHER SIEBER (Shrek The Musical, and co-star with George Hamilton in the U.S. National Tour of La Cage Aux Folles; and Film and Television star ESAI MORALES (La Bamba, NYPD Blue, Caprica - Syfy TV's prequel to the series Battlestar Galactica).

A Chorus Line, the powerful and emotion-filled musical about the trials and tribulations of forging a life in the theater, will play in Pittsburgh tonight, June 15 through June 24 at the Benedum Center. Directed and choreographed by original A Chorus Line cast member Baayork Lee, this bona fide Broadway hit features an incredible ensemble cast composed of exciting Broadway stars and Pittsburgh CLO veterans.

A Chorus Line, the powerful and emotion-filled musical about the trials and tribulations of forging a life in the theater, will play in Pittsburgh June 15-24 at the Benedum Center. Directed and choreographed by original A Chorus Line cast member Baayork Lee, this bona fide Broadway hit features an incredible ensemble cast composed of exciting Broadway stars and Pittsburgh CLO veterans.

Continuing our extensive countdown considering many of Broadway's best clips as represented on Tony Awards telecasts recent and distant, today we look to the third and final clip from a Michael Bennett musical on our countdown - and, many would argue, the creme de la creme of them all - the only; the one; A CHORUS LINE. A 5, 6, 7, 8...

The first four new production photos have been released, along with photos of the cast members who made the treck west from Broadway!

James Goldman and Stephen Sondheim's Follies, which was just nominated for eight Tony Awards, begins previews tonight, May 3 at 8 p.m. at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. Performances of the exclusive Los Angeles engagement of the Kennedy Center's critically acclaimed Broadway production of Follies will continue through June 9, 2012. Opening is set for May 9.

Coming to the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre direct from Broadway for six weeks only, the Kennedy Center's critically acclaimed Broadway production of James Goldman and Stephen Sondheim's "Follies," has now completed casting. "Follies" stars four-time Tony Award nominee Jan Maxwell as Phyllis Rogers Stone, Tony Award winner Victoria Clark, two-time Tony Award nominee Danny Burstein as Buddy Plummer, three-time Emmy Award nominee Ron Raines as Benjamin Stone and Olivier Award winner Elaine Paige as Carlotta Campion. Maxwell, Burstein, Raines and Paige are all returning to the roles they originated on Broadway.

Upon the conclusion of six weeks of intense competition which began January 8, nearly a thousand patrons supported 20 of Southern California's newest and most dynamic, young musical theatre performers in LA's Next Great Stage Star 2012 at Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's in Studio City, CA.

On Sunday February 12 LA's Next Great Stage Star brought its annual six-week singing competition to a rivetingly pulsating conclusion @ Sterling's Upstairs @ Vitello's. Twenty contestants who began on Sunday January 8 performed, and 14 judges then narrowed the group to five finalists. Not an easy task, as this year's contestants were all immensely talented vocalists who gave their all to every single performance! Once the five finalists were announced, each performed one more time in order for the judges to pick a winner. Lovely Chelsea Emma Franko from Apple Valley took the top prize. In second place is Carrie St. Louis. Tyson Pyles and David Michael Laffey tied for third place, and in fourth, sweet, petite Justine Huxley. Audience had assigned points to the contestants for the first five weeks and the judges weighted these results as part of the final voting.

Here's a chance to take another trip over the rainbow with everyone's favorite diva, Judy Garland!

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) has announced the selections for its 22nd Annual Festival of New Musicals taking place on Thursday, October 21 and Friday, October 22, 2010 in New York City.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) has announced the selections for its 22nd Annual Festival of New Musicals taking place on Thursday, October 21 and Friday, October 22, 2010 in New York City.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) has announced the selections for its 22nd Annual Festival of New Musicals taking place on Thursday, October 21 and Friday, October 22, 2010 in New York City.

Six Degrees of Marvin Hamlisch - An All Star Celebration was presented yesterday, October 4th at Symphony Space. Produced by Murphy Cross, Paul Kreppel and Bonnie Kole, the starry evening will benefit The Actors Fund and honored longtime Broadway Musical Director and keyboardist Fran Liebergall who is living with MS. Guests who appeared with Mr. Hamlisch included Lucie Arnaz, Kelly Bishop, Liz Callaway, Victor Garber, Lesley Gore, Robert Klein, Priscilla Lopez, Robert LuPone, Donna McKechnie, Donna Murphy, Jack Noseworthy, Donald Pippin, Billy Stritch, Sammy Williams and more. Ron Abel served as the evening's Musical Director. The evening was directed by Ms. Cross & Mr. Kreppel.

Six Degrees of Marvin Hamlisch - An All Star Celebration was presented yesterday, October 4th at Symphony Space. Produced by Murphy Cross, Paul Kreppel and Bonnie Kole, the starry evening will benefit The Actors Fund and honored longtime Broadway Musical Director and keyboardist Fran Liebergall who is living with MS. Guests who appeared with Mr. Hamlisch included Lucie Arnaz, Kelly Bishop, Liz Callaway, Victor Garber, Lesley Gore, Robert Klein, Priscilla Lopez, Robert LuPone, Donna McKechnie, Donna Murphy, Jack Noseworthy, Donald Pippin, Billy Stritch, Sammy Williams and more. Ron Abel served as the evening's Musical Director. The evening was directed by Ms. Cross & Mr. Kreppel.

Six Degrees of Marvin Hamlisch - An All Star Celebration was presented yesterday, October 4th at Symphony Space. Produced by Murphy Cross, Paul Kreppel and Bonnie Kole, the starry evening will benefit The Actors Fund and honored longtime Broadway Musical Director and keyboardist Fran Liebergall who is living with MS. Guests who appeared with Mr. Hamlisch included Lucie Arnaz, Kelly Bishop, Liz Callaway, Victor Garber, Lesley Gore, Robert Klein, Priscilla Lopez, Robert LuPone, Donna McKechnie, Donna Murphy, Jack Noseworthy, Donald Pippin, Billy Stritch, Sammy Williams and more. Ron Abel served as the evening's Musical Director. The evening was directed by Ms. Cross & Mr. Kreppel.

Lucie Arnaz, Robert Klein, Victor Garber, Donna Murphy and more...all under the same roof for one night with Marvin Hamlisch...a theatregoers dream which will come to fruition on October 4th. It's all part of Six Degrees of Marvin Hamlisch - An All Star Celebration, to be presented on Monday, October 4 at 7:30pm at Symphony Space. Murphy Cross and Paul Kreppel will direct the event, which will have musical direction by Ron Abel and serve as a benefit for The Actors Fund.