Scott Suchman News

Signature Theatre once again mounts a World Premiere musical with success. You'll have a rockin' good time.

Now back in Los Angeles where it all began, the five-time Tony Award nominated 80's musical ROCK OF AGES is once again rockin' the stage of the Pantages Theatre for a strictly limited one-week engagement through March 25. Right before the show's L.A. return, BroadwayWorld subjected ROCK OF AGES' leading lady Shannon Mullen to a series of silly, rapid-fire questions.

How lucky we are in the DC area. Rich with culture, the region has an especially vibrant theater scene. Arena Stage is a prominent part of that scene and this year they are treating us to something special - The Eugene O'Neill Festival. Arena is working with other area venues to present the festival for two months. They have kicked off the festival with O'Neill's comedy, Ah, Wilderness!

As the final of three mainstage productions during the two-month Eugene O'Neill Festival spearheaded by Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, Long Day's Journey into Night rounds out this celebration of O'Neill's life and work. The English-born and Canadian-based director and former Stratford Festival Artistic Director Robin Phillips makes his Arena Stage debut to direct his fourth production of this Pulitzer Prize-winning play in a theatrical career spanning more than 50 years.

South Florida theater fans are in for an array of Broadway hits as the awesomely cool, ROCK OF AGES, opens the all musical Broadway in Miami 2012 - 2013 season at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami Dade County. Scheduled to launch the season with a bang, from October 9-14, ROCK OF AGES will be followed by the high-stepping Broadway Musical for the entire family, MARY POPPINS, set to bring in the New Year, January 1-6; the return of the world's greatest musical, LES MISÉRABLES, in a brand new 25th anniversary production, February 26 - March 3; the outlandishly colorful PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT will keep audiences on their feet with its parade of dance-floor favorites, April 2-7; and Best Musical Tony Winner of 2010 MEMPHIS will make its triumphant Miami debut with its explosive dancing and powerhouse songs, May 7-12.

Singing knights, flying cows and a killer rabbit are just a few things you can expect from Spamalot, the Tony Award winning musical that has landed in DC at the Warner Theatre. Silliness abounds in this show, which is based on the 1975 movie, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail."

The story of the controversial 'Mad Monk,' Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin is now the subject of the new rock musical Brother Russia, which makes its world premiere at the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre. The new musical features Music by Dana Rowe and Book and Lyrics by John Dempsey - the award-winning creators behind The Fix (1998) and The Witches of Eastwick (2007). Directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer, the production will star John Lescault (Signature's Art and The Lieutenant of Inishmore) as the infamous and enigmatic Rasputin, Natascia Diaz (Kiss of the Spider Woman at Signature, and Savage in Limbo at MetroStage), Doug Kreeger (Signature's The Visit), Amy McWilliams (Signature's The Witches of Eastwick and Urinetown), and Tracy Lynn Olivera (Les Misérables and Merrily We Roll Along at Signature). Erin Driscoll, Stephen Gregory Smith, Rachel Zampelli, Russell Sunday, Kevin McAllister, and Christopher Mueller round out the cast for this world premiere event. Brother Russia will play at Signature's MAX Theatre from March 6, 2012 through April 15, 2012. Tickets are now on sale. Check out production shots below!

Salt Lake City feels the "noize" of a jet-fueled ROCK OF AGES. The Broadway Across America cast is more Broadway-ready than nonEquity tour.

The national tour of the hit Broadway musical ROCK of AGES rolls into Salt Lake City's Kingsbury Hall on March 2-3. Broadway World interviews the tour's Stacee Jaxx, played by Matt Nolan.

Check out what's playing Cleveland and Akron for the month of February!

Unlike any TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA you have ever seen

A play that certainly deserves the title: much ado about nothing!

Expect your face to hurt from all the laughter

Two Word Premiere Musicals in Rotating Repertory

The new DC area theatre season begins in September. Over 50 shows are opening in our professional and community theatres. But before we move on to the new season and what's opening in September, let's look back at my personal favorite musicals, plays, and performances in both musicals and plays in the DC area - from August 2010 to August 2011.

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! For last week's biggest events: visit THIS WEEK IN PICTURES: August 6- 12 !

Ford's Theatre presents the Washington premiere of the Tony-winning musical drama 'Parade,' directed by Stephen Rayne, September 23 though October 30, 2011. The centerpiece of this year's programming for The Lincoln Legacy Project, Parade is based on the true story of Leo Frank's trial and lynching in early 20th-century Atlanta. Ostracized for his faith and Northern heritage, Jewish factory manager Leo Frank is accused of murdering a teenaged factory girl the day of the annual Confederate Memorial Day parade. Alfred Uhry's award-winning book and Jason Robert Brown's rousing, colorful and haunting score illuminate a circus of conflicting accounts, false testimony and mishandled evidence in a town reeling with social and racial tension. Isolated from the world, Leo develops a new and deeper love for his wife, who tirelessly crusades for his freedom. Tony-Award nominee Euan Morton stars as Leo Frank with Jenny Fellner as Lucille Frank in this compelling and provocative tale of justice miscarried. Check out photos from the production below!

The Theater of the Stars is proud to announce that THE COLOR PURPLE, The Musical about Love, will play at Atlanta's Fox Theatre Wednesday, June 15 through Sunday, June 19 for seven performances only. Tickets, which range from $20 to $75, are available at www.theaterofthestars.com.

The Knights who say Ni, Tim the Shrubber, the Holy Hand Granade, and a Killer Rabbit. If these mean anything to you then you are already familiar with the hit cult movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. But even if you aren't familiar with the movie, but love funny, exciting and colorful musical theatre you will soon have the chance to find out more when Theater of the Stars presents Spamalot at the Fabulous Fox Theatre. On June 3, for just 5 performances only, Atlanta audiences will have the chance to go on their own irreverent quest with King Arthur and his Knights and possibly even find their own grail. I caught up with Caroline Bowman who plays the Lady of the Lake.