Sarah Brightman News

If you had asked Lauren Molina during her high school days in Detroit what she was going to be when she grew up, the self-described 'brainiac,' would probably have answered, 'A doctor or a vet.' Though not thinking of a life behind the footlights, she did attend arts summer programs at Northwestern, Yale and NYU.

Two dozen wise and witty 'songs of experience' with charming melodies and smartly crafted lyrics. International City Theatre opens its 2016 season with a recently updated version of Closer Than Ever, the Outer Critics Circle Award winner for Best off-Broadway Musical that also netted Drama Desk nominations for lyricist Richard Maltby, Jr. and composer David Shire. Directed and choreographed by Todd Nielsen, with musical direction by Gerald Sternbach, and starring ICT favorites Kevin Bailey (Abigail/1702), Valerie Perri (The Sweepers), Adam von Almen (The Heir Apparent) and newcomer Katheryne Penny, Closer Than Ever opens February 12 at ICT's home in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. Two low-priced previews take place on Feb. 10 and Feb. 11.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? This weekend's big news: Stage stars join the New York Pops for a Christmas concert and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF opens on Broadway!

BroadwayWorld is excited to report that world-renowned vocalist Sarah Brightman's latest collections, RARITIES, Volumes 1-3, will be released on digital download on December 18th, 2015, via Nemo Studios/Believe Digital.

BroadwayWorld spoke with Natasha about her new book and how her dance life and career as a chef intertwine.

Jamie Wilson, Gavin Kalin Productions and Paul Elliott are delighted to present a national tour of the Watermill Theatre production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black's classic musical TELL ME ON A SUNDAY starring Jodie Prenger, opening on Wednesday 2 March 2016, following a season at the Watermill Theatre from Thursday 28 January to Saturday 20 February 2016.  Full tour schedule attached. www.tellmeontour.co.uk

As part of a special five-city tour, legendary tenor Andrea Bocelli will return to the Allstate Arena, for one night only on Friday, June 10, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. The unique performance will feature a new popular repertoire from Bocelli's latest album, Cinema along with Bocelli's beloved repertoire of Arias, love songs and crossover hits.

Below, celebrate the holiday with a 3 minute musical, titled THANKSGIVING: THE MUSICAL, featuring ROCK OF AGES star Lauren Molina, as well as Michele Mais.

Home for the Holidays is a magical experience for the whole family that will dazzle, delight and captivate audiences. Join Australia's rockstars of the opera as they amaze and enthrall with their unique selection of traditional and contemporary seasonal favorites.

The Houston Symphony will be joined by guest vocalists Liz Callaway, Bryce Ryness and Allison Blackwell to pay tribute to Carole King's life and career in a world premiere of Tapestry: The Carole King Songbook at 8 p.m. on November 20 and 21 and 7:30 p.m. on November 22.

The Houston Symphony will be joined by guest vocalists Liz Callaway, Bryce Ryness and Allison Blackwell to pay tribute to Carole King's life and career in a world premiere of Tapestry: The Carole King Songbook at 8 p.m. on November 20 and 21 and 7:30 p.m. on November 22.

The producer of The Tiger Who Came to Tea, We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Hetty Feather and What the Ladybird Heard today announces the world premiere of brand new family musical Mr Popper's Penguins which is making a splash this winter touring around the country from November 2015 to January 2016. Mr Popper and his Penguins will be hopping off to various locations, opening at the Theatre Royal Brighton on Thursday 26 November. The tour continues on to Malvern Theatre and London's Cadogan Hall before settling in at the Lowry Salford for a glittering Christmas season from Thursday 10 December to Sunday 10 January. The tour is completed with a run at Rose Theatre Kingston from Thursday 14 January to Sunday 17 January.

David Arnsperger wird bei der Premiere von DAS PHANTOM DER OPER am 12. November im Stage Metronom Theater die Titelrolle spielen. Er ersetzt fur die Premiere Brent Barrett, der sich bei den Proben verletzt hat. Arnsperger, der bereits in Hamburg die Rolle des Phantoms gespielt hat, befindet sich derzeit auf einer Tour der Welsh National Opera durch das Vereinigte Konigreich, wo er die Titelrolle in Stephen Sondheims Musical SWEENEY TODD spielt. Eigentlich sollte der preisgekronte Sanger David Arnsperger die Rolle des Phantoms erst im Marz 2016 ubernehmen. Nun ersetzt er kurzfristig den verletzten Kollegen schon bei der Premiere in zwei Wochen: „Mir tut es sehr leid fur Brent. Aber da ich diese unglaubliche Rolle ab Marz ubernehmen werde, sehe ich die Premiere fur mich als vorgezogenes Weihnachtsgeschenk."

Home for the Holidays is a magical experience for the whole family that will dazzle, delight and captivate audiences. Join Australia's rockstars of the opera as they amaze and enthrall with their unique selection of traditional and contemporary seasonal favorites.

Today, our Friday Five features focuses on the pair of actors portraying the scions of the Addams Family: daughter Wednesday and son Pugsley. Read all about the actors portraying the two iconic characters – Katie Callaway and 2014 First Night Most Promising Actor Will Lasley – then ring up the box office and secure your tickets to the show which promises to be one of Towne Centre's finest…

The Off-Broadway cast recording of the new Bock and Harnick musical, Rothschild & Sons, an intimate reimagining of the Tony nominated musical The Rothschilds, will be recorded and released by JAY Records.  Produced by John Yap, the recording will feature the original cast of The York Theatre Company production who will gather at The Avatar Studios on Monday, October 26, 2015 to lay down the tracks for the recording scheduled for release on JAY Records in early January.  Executive Producers are John Yap and Arnold Mittelman.

After a sold-out engagement in January, Broadway veteran Franc D'Ambrosio returns to Feinstein's at the Nikko to ring in the holiday season with his acclaimed show, Franc D'Ambrosio's Christmas in New York, for one performance only - Thursday, November 19 at 8 p.m. Franc D'Ambrosio's Christmas in New York is a joyous celebration of the magic of the holiday season filled with seasonal pop standards from the Great American Songbook and other favorites, including 'We Need A Little Christmas' and 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.' Familiar carols and the beloved 'Ave Maria' and 'O Holy Night' round out the program. Tickets for Franc D'Ambrosio range in price from $25 - $40 and are available by calling 866.663.1063 or visiting www.ticketweb.com.

To kick off Segerstrom Center for the Arts' brand new 2015-2016 Spotlight Series, the O.C. theatrical institution will welcome cast members of the Tony Award-winning New York company of the hysterical FORBIDDEN BROADWAY for the show's latest touring incarnation entitled Alive and Kicking! for a limited four-performance engagement at the Center's Samueli Theater from October 1-4. One of the show's longtime stalwarts is Trisha Rapier, a 12-year veteran of the show who also happens to hail from Orange County! She agreed to answer a few questions from BWW So. Cal. contributing editor Michael L. Quintos before her O.C. homecoming.

Frank Giordano, President of The Philly POPS, is proud to announce a landmark concert with Andrea Bocelli. For the first time in over a decade, Andrea Bocelli will return to Philadelphia as part of his December 2015 North American tour accompanied by The Philly Pops and conducted by Eugene Kohn. Tony and Grammy Award winner Heather Headley will be the special guest along with Soprano Aida Garifullina. The concert will take place on Saturday, December 12, 2015 at 8 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Center. Bocelli brings his unmatched repertoire of soaring arias, famed love songs, and crossover hits to his Philadelphia fans who have waited for more than a decade for the Tenor's return. The Philly POPS Subscribers and Patrons will receive special presale opportunities. Special VIP packages will also be available through the Philly POPS.

Internationally known singer, actor, and the world's longest-starring PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Franc D'Ambrosio, is bringing his vibrant legato voice to the annual Dinner-Show fundraiser of the Elizabeth W. Pouch Center for Special People, on October 21 at the Hilton Garden Inn.