Shuler Hensley News

Before iTunes and Spotify came along, I used to collect every original cast CD of any Broadway or West End musical that I could lay my hands on, including foreign language cast recordings. By far, my largest collection of non-English cast CDs consists of Japanese cast recordings, many of which were released by Gekidan Shiki (Shiki Theatre Company). Over the last five decades, Shiki has mounted Japanese-language productions of Applause (1972), Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), West Side Story (1974), A Chorus Line (1979), Evita (1982), Cats (1983), The Phantom of the Opera (1988), Crazy For You (1993), Beauty and the Beast (1995), The Lion King (1998), Aspects of Love (1999), Mamma Mia! (2002), Aida (2003), The Little Mermaid (2013), The Sound of Music (2013), Wicked (2013) and Aladdin (2015).

As BroadwayWorld reported last month, the World Premiere of Prince of Broadway, a new musical celebrating the extraordinary six decade Broadway career of producer-director Harold Prince, will play from October 23-November 22, 2015 at Tokyu Theatre Orb in Tokyo, Japan and November 28-December 10, 2015 at Umeda Arts Theater, Main Hall, in Osaka, Japan. Now according to the show's official website, 2015 Tony nominee Tony Yazbeck (On the Town, Gypsy Chicago, A Chourus Line) has joined the company.

The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival's popular reading series, HVSF2, curated by Christine Scarfuto, will highlight the work of some of America's most celebrated playwrights. Members of the HVSF acting company will be featured in the readings along with several renowned stage and film actors. Readings will take place at The Depot Theatre in Garrison on August 5, 7, 12, and 20. All Readings begin at 7:30pm. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased online at the Depot Theater website http://www.philipstowndepottheatre.org/.

TARZAN THE MUSICAL is the latest winner in a string of ambitious musicals by the Dawson producing team at 3-D Theatricals (Gretchen, Daniel, Jeannette and T.J.). Perhaps it isn't surprising that a family run company would know the kind of heart it takes to bring to life a Disney adventure musical about the power of family and finding one's place in the world. In any case, TARZAN is one big show that succeeds beautifully under their care.

Umeda Arts Theater recently announce the cast and creative team for the World Premiere of Prince of Broadway, a new musical celebrating the extraordinary six decade Broadway career of producer-director Harold Prince. The production will play from October 23-November 22, 2015 at Tokyu Theatre Orb in Tokyo, Japan and November 28-December 10, 2015 at Umeda Arts Theater, Main Hall, in Osaka, Japan. In celebration, Prince, director Susan Strom, Shuler Hensley, and Kaley Ann Voorhees recently made the trek to Tokyo to meet the press - BroadwayWorld brings you exclusive photos below!

The creators discuss THE PRINCE OF BROADWAY!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: Two off-Broadway openings and a starry INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO appearance from the Almighty Jim Parsons!

THE PRINCE OF BROADWAY is onstage at last!

Umeda Arts Theater just announced the cast and creative team for the World Premiere of Prince of Broadway, a new musical celebrating the extraordinary six decade Broadway career of producer-director Harold Prince.  The production will play from October 23-November 22, 2015 at Tokyu Theatre Orb in Tokyo, Japan and November 28-December 10, 2015 at Umeda Arts Theater, Main Hall, in Osaka, Japan.

THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS (NHSMTA)/JIMMY AWARDS just announced that 52 high school students from across America will compete for the Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actor and Actress at the seventh annual awards ceremony. The presentation will take place on Monday, June 29th at 7:30PM at the Minskoff Theatre, 200 West 45th Street in Manhattan. Tickets can be purchased by visiting NHSMTA.COM or TICKETMASTER.COM and range from $39 to $79. Premium seats are $175.

ArtsBridge Foundation, the arts education outreach arm of Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, tonight announced the winners of the 2015 Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards - Shuler Hensley Awards during a ceremony at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Award highlights include:  Overall Production - West Forsyth High School for Nice Work If You Can Get It; Direction - Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School's William Patti for Godspell; Leading Actor - West Forsyth High School's Nick Eibler for his role as Jimmy Winter in Nice Work If You Can Get It; and Leading Actress - Milton High School's McKenzie Kurtz for her role as Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins. Additionally, three scholarships and one grant were awarded. 

With his Tony nominated run in Broadway's LES MISERABLES wrapping up, Ramin Karimloo has set his sights on Japan.

At Manhattan School of Music's 2015 gala tonight, which honored Bebe Neuwirth and welcomed special guests Angela Lansbury, Barbara Cook, Marlo Thomas, Phil Donahue, and Tommy Tune in the Broadway Melody at the Rainbow Room, MSM President James Gandre announced that, beginning in fall 2016, MSM will become the first-ever independent music conservatory in New York (and only the second in the country) to offer a degree program in musical theater.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, May 10, 2015 - Sunday, May 10, 2015.

Today in 2006, Tarzan opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, where it ran for 486 performances. Tarzan: The Musical is based on the Disney film of the same name and the story by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The songs are written by Phil Collins and David Zippel, with a book by David Henry Hwang. The production was nominated for a Tony award for Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Natasha Katz). The cast Featured Josh Strickland, Jennifer Gambatese, Shuler Hensley, Merle Dandridge and Chester Gregory.

The Daily Mail writes that Mel Brooks is reimagining the musical adaptation of his film YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN for the London stage. The musical will be making its West End debut (no word yet on when) with help from original Broadway helmer and THE PRODUCERS colleague Susan Stroman.

ATLANTA - (April 23, 2015) - ArtsBridge Foundation, the producer of the 2015 Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards - Shuler Hensley Awards, tonight announced the winners of the 2015 awards during a ceremony at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Award highlights include:  Overall Production - West Forsyth High School for Nice Work If You Can Get It; Direction - Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School's William Patti for Godspell; Leading Actor - West Forsyth High School's Nick Eibler for his role as Jimmy Winter in Nice Work If You Can Get It; and Leading Actress - Milton High School's McKenzie Kurtz for her role as Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins. Additionally, three scholarships and one grant were awarded.

ArtsBridge Foundation, the arts education outreach arm of the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, presents the 2015 Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards - Shuler Hensley Awards. Twenty four (24) public and private schools from throughout the state were nominated in 17 categories. The awards, which showcase the next generation of Georgia's musical theater talent, will be presented live at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre tonight, April 23 in an Awards Show hosted by WSB-TV's Fred Blankenship and Wendy Corona.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announces a one night only performance of Broadway Showstoppers featuring award-winning performing artists Mandy Gonzalez, Cady Huffman, Telly Leung and Alton Fitzgerald White will take place on Monday, May 4, 2015, at 7:30 p.m., Cabaret at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, in Pittsburgh's Cultural District. The TRUST Cabaret Series is presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and provides a unique and intimate opportunity for audiences to experience the finest cabaret acts in the entertainment industry. The evening will include these four talented Broadway stars singing songs on their repertoire from shows in which they have performed. Stephen DeAngelis is the creator, producer and host of Broadway Showstoppers, with musical direction and accompaniment by Eugene Gwozdz.

ArtsBridge Foundation, the arts education outreach arm of the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, today announced the nominees for the 2015 Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards - Shuler Hensley Awards in a live streaming broadcast on WSBTV.com. Twenty four (24) public and private schools from throughout the state were nominated in 17 categories. The awards, which showcase the next generation of Georgia's musical theater talent, will be presented live at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on April 23 in an Awards Show hosted by WSB-TV's Fred Blankenship and Wendy Corona.