Scott Ellis News

Second Stage Theatre's 35th Anniversary Gala celebration will honor Carole Rothman, Artistic Director of Second Stage Theatre, for her 35 years of supporting new works and artistic development in New York City theatre. This year's rock n' roll themed gala will be attended by over 250 Second Stage Alumni who have worked at Second Stage Theatre during the past 35 years, from Brooke Adams and Polly Draper who appeared in the very first season, to cast members from the currently running The Substance of Fire and the upcoming American Hero which will make its New York premiere this summer at Second Stage Uptown. Special guests participating in the evening's festivities include Lynn Nottage, Cynthia Nixon, Tony Goldwyn, and more. Co-Chairs for this year's gala are Tony James, Tony Kiser, and George Loening.

Two River Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst, announces the lineup of productions for its 2014/15 Season. The year will include world-premiere plays and musicals that have been developed at the theater, including Your Blues Ain't Sweet Like Mine, a new play written and directed by Tony Award-winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson; and Be More Chill, a musical by Joe Iconis and Joe Tracz, adapted from the novel by Ned Vizzini and directed by Scott Ellis. The season will also include a range of world masterpieces and American classics, and work for audiences ages three and up

According to the New York Times, James Earl Jones will return to Broadway later this year- this time in the Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy You Can't Take It With You. The play will open at a Shubert theatre on September 28, 2014, with previews beginning in August. Scott Ellis is set to direct the revival.

Todd Haimes and the entire Roundabout Theatre Company staff mourn the loss of an extraordinarily talented member of our family, James Rebhorn. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.

Blake Hackler, assistant professor of theatre at SMU Meadows School of the Arts, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholars Grant to conduct teaching and research in Bulgaria. Hackler will be in residence at New Bulgarian University in the capital city of Sofia from January through June, 2015, where he will teach and direct theatre, focusing on physical acting techniques. He will also observe and work with the Sfumato Theatre Laboratory, an internationally recognized theatre based in Sofia that produces highly physical interpretations of classic plays.

La Jolla Playhouse is the recipient of three prestigious and highly-competitive grants to support its world-premiere production of The Who & The What, by 2013 Pulitzer Prize winner Ayad Akhtar, directed by Kimberly Senior, running February 11 - March 9 in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre. The grants include the Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award, as well awards from The Laurents/Hatcher Foundation and The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation Theatre Visions Fund.

Tony Award winner Debra Monk turned her 65th birthday into an all-star party with her closest friends on Monday, February 24, 2014, delivering a non-stop evening of rock, pop and laughter produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The concert, billed as 'Totally Hot and a Little Dirty,' raised $140,355.

Just last night, beloved stage and screen star Debra Monk celebrated her 65th birthday in a free-wheeling rock 'n' roll concert produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Debra Monk Birthday Bash (#debrabday) featured the Tony Award winner and some of her most talented friends rollicking through a collection of their favorite rock and pop hits. Among those were two-time Tony nominee Charlotte D'Amboise, Tony nominee Brandon Victor Dixon, six-time Tony nominee Scott Ellis, four-time Tony nominee and six-time Emmy nominee Victor Garber, two-time Tony and Emmy Award winner Andrea Martin and Tony and Emmy nominee Ron Rifkin. BroadwayWorld bring you photos from the concert below!

Happy Endings alumna Elisha Cuthbert is taking on another comedy with Happy in the title. After fielding multiple offers, Cuthbert has been tapped as the female lead opposite Nick Zano in NBC's multi-camera pilo tOne Big Happy, from Warner Bros TV and Ellen DeGeneres' A Very Good Production.

Beloved stage and screen star Debra Monk celebrates her 65th birthday February 24, 2014, in a free-wheeling rock 'n' roll concert produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. BroadwayWorld has just launched a ticket special that could give you a chance to celebrate up close with Debra and company! Use the code 'BWW' here, when purchasing two tickets to enter for a VIP ticket upgrade and an invite to the cast party!

Beloved stage and screen star Debra Monk celebrates her 65th birthday February 24, 2014, in a free-wheeling rock 'n' roll concert produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was in the rehearsal room with Debra and the gang to preview the show, and you can check out an exclusive interview with Monk below!

Beloved stage and screen star Debra Monk celebrates her 65th birthday February 24, 2014, in a free-wheeling rock 'n' roll concert produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was in the rehearsal room with Debra and the gang to preview the show, and you can check out an exclusive interview with Andrea Martin below!

According to Deadline, Broadway director Scott Ellis has signed on to direct NBC's upcoming comedy from Warner Bros. and executive producer Ellen DeGeneres, ONE BIG HAPPY. The show is about 'two platonic friends since childhood, a lesbian, Lizzy, and her straight male best friend, Luke (Zano) who have been living together and have been trying to have a baby via artificial insemination for some time. They finally get pregnant - just as Luke meets and impulsively marries the love of his life.'

Beloved stage and screen star Debra Monk celebrates her 65th birthday February 24, 2014, in a free-wheeling rock 'n' roll concert produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. In the behind-the-scenes video below, Debra Monk and Andrea Martin take us into the rehearsal room and explain what it means to be 'totally hot and a little dirty.' Click below!

Beloved stage and screen star Debra Monk celebrates her 65th birthday February 24, 2014, in a free-wheeling rock 'n' roll concert produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was in the rehearsal room with Debra and the gang to preview the show, and you can check out an exclusive interview with Jim Newman below!

Stage and screen star Debra Monk and several of her other superbly talented friends will celebrate Monk's 65th birthday at a February 24, 2014, rock 'n' roll concert produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The 'totally hot and a little dirty' Debra Monk Birthday Bash (#debrabday) will feature Charlotte D'Amboise, Scott Ellis,Victor Garber, Andrea Martin and Ron Rifkin. BroadwayWorld was in rehearsal with Monk yesterday and you can check out complete photo coverage below!

Stage and screen star Debra Monk and several of her other superbly talented friends will celebrate Monk's 65th birthday at a February 24, 2014, rock 'n' roll concert produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The 'totally hot and a little dirty' Debra Monk Birthday Bash (#debrabday) will feature Charlotte D'Amboise, Scott Ellis, Victor Garber, Andrea Martin and Ron Rifkin. BroadwayWorld was in rehearsal with Monk today and you can check out a photo preview from the special event below. Check back later for complete coverage!

Tony Award nominee Brandon Victor Dixon, who's currently starring in the Broadway hit Motown The Musical, will join stage and screen star Debra Monk and several of her other superbly talented friends to celebrate Monk's 65th birthday at a February 24, 2014, rock 'n' roll concert produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.