Sheldon Harnick News

As Sir Robin carols merrily to King Arthur in Monty Python's Spamalot, 'In any great adventure, if you don't want to lose…you won't succeed on Broadway if you don't have any Jews.' Eric Idle's cheeky lyric, which unfailingly generated knowing guffaws from Broadway audiences, proves to be more than a little grounded in truth, as BROADWAY MUSICALS: A JEWISH LEGACY convincingly attests.

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell Bernard, Trustee) in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) will present the eighth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Sam Willmott. The award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, will be presented by David Hyde Pierce tonight, November 26th from 6-8pm at a by-invitation-only ceremony in the Penthouse Lobby of The American Airlines Theater.

The York Theatre Company lst night honored legendary Broadway Music Director and Conductor Paul Gemignani with the Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre at the 21st Annual Oscar Hammerstein Award Gala. BroadwayWorld was there for the festivities, and we bring you complete photo coverage below!

Neile Adams show Wasn't It Good! Wasn't It Fine! at Tom Rolla's Gardenia in West Hollywood was nothing short of 'AMAZING'. The choice of her material was absolutely delicious, as you will soon find out.

The Actors Fund presents a very special Musical Monday, an evening with five grand ladies of musical theatre in LADIES OF AN INDETERMINATE AGE on December 10, 2012. Anne Jeffreys, Jane Kean, Pat Marshall, Patricia Morison and Charlotte Rae - join together on the same stage to sing songs from their careers, talk about their co-stars, directors and composers and stray into their wicked (or not-so-wicked) adventures in the great tradition of "No Business Like Show Business."

The York Theatre Company honors legendary Broadway Music Director and Conductor Paul Gemignani with the Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre at the 21st Annual Oscar Hammerstein Award Gala tonight, November 19, 2012 at The Edison Ballroom (240 West 47th Street).

Jack Gindi's new play, Best Friends, will have a staged reading at 2:00pm on Friday, November 16th at Theatre 54 inside Shetler Studios. David Glenn Armstrong directs this four-person contemporary comedy/drama which stars Josh Adam Davis, Sarah Nedwek, Graham Powell, and Leah Wagner.

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell Bernard, Trustee) in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) will present the eighth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Sam Willmott. The award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, will be presented by David Hyde Pierce on Monday, November 26th from 6-8pm at a by-invitation-only ceremony in the Penthouse Lobby of The American Airlines Theater.

Tony® Award-winner George Hearn (La Cage Aux Folles, Scandoulous) joins the The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director), to honor legendary Broadway Music Director and Conductor Paul Gemignani with the Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre at the 21st Annual Oscar Hammerstein Award Gala to be held next Monday, November 19, 2012 at The Edison Ballroom (240 West 47th Street).

Luna Stage presents last season's hit holiday show Mi Casa, Tu Casa with a few new surprises. It features a five-member band and a pair of host storytellers who guide their guests through a lively and engaging line-up of folksongs and fables, seasonal poems, holiday musical favorites, and personal anecdotes of family traditions. Even audience members become part of la fiesta in this unique interactive experience.

Due to the impact of Hurricane Sandy, the Dramatists Guild of America is cancelling their 2012 Awards Night on Monday, November 5 at The Players Club. The Dramatists Guild will reschedule the Awards Night to a later date, which will be announced in the coming weeks. The Guild's thoughts and well wishes are with everyone affected by the storm and they are most appreciative of your understanding during this difficult time..

Nellie McKay, Cady Huffman, Sean McDermott, and additional guest artists contribute their talents to the public reading of a new play and musical at the William Inge Center for the Arts. The readings are at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. today, Nov. 3 at the William Inge Theatre at Independence Community College, Independence, Kansas.

The critically acclaimed first Off-Broadway revival of the of Closer Than Ever, with lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. and music by David Shire, will end its extended run with its 150th performance on Sunday evening, November 4, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. at The York Theatre at Saint Peter's (Entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue) where performances began June 5, 2012.

Due to the impact of Hurricane Sandy, the Dramatists Guild of America is cancelling their 2012 Awards Night on Monday, November 5 at The Players Club. The Dramatists Guild will reschedule the Awards Night to a later date, which will be announced in the coming weeks. The Guild's thoughts and well wishes are with everyone affected by the storm and they are most appreciative of your understanding during this difficult time.

Nellie McKay, Cady Huffman, and Sean McDermott and additional guest artists contribute their talents to the public reading of a new play and musical at the William Inge Center for the Arts. The readings are at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sat. Nov. 3 at the William Inge Theatre at Independence Community College, Independence, Kansas.

Georg, the manager of Maraczek's Parfumerie, is carrying on a romance by mail with a woman he's never met. Amalia, a newly-hired clerk at Maraczek's, is similarly romantically involved. And they can't stand each other. Or so it seems. Do they actually have more in common than they suspect? That's at the heart of She Loves Me (book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick), beginning its run (and the 34th Season) at Fort Worth's Stage West tonight, November 1.

Philadelphia Theatre Company opens its 2012-2013 season with the world premiere of the new musical song cycle Stars of David October 17 - November 18 at Philadelphia Theatre Company's home, the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets). BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

Stars of David is a world premiere musical based on Abigail Pogrebin's book, Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish. Nancy is a journalist who doesn't feel a connection with her Jewish heritage and decides to embark on a book project to interview well-known figures about their cultural identity. The interviews result in words, videos and musical portrayals of Gloria Steinem, Leonard Nimoy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Joan Rivers, Aaron Sorkin, Tony Kushner, Fran Drescher and more.

The Dramatists Guild of America has just announced the recipients of their annual awards, which will be presented at an awards ceremony hosted by Lisa Kron on Monday, November 5, 2012, at the Players Club in New York. Performers include Amanda Green, Mary Testa, and Kenita Miller.

Celebrating the American Spirit, performed by Essential Voices USA (EVUSA) and conducted by Judith Clurman along with guest artists, Broadway stars Kelli O'Hara and Ron Raines and composer-arranger Larry Hochman, represents an American songbook for the 21st century.