Shuler Hensley News

Today in 2002, Oklahoma! opened at the Gershwin Theatre, where it ran for 388 performances. Oklahoma! is the first musical written by the team of composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. Set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, it tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance with farm girl Laurey Williams. The original Broadway production opened on March 31, 1943. The 2002 revival featured Josefina Gabrielle as Laurey, Shuler Hensley as Jud, Patrick Wilson as Curly and Andrea Martin as Aunt Eller.

Bradley Cooper, who leads Broadway's The Elephant Man, has earned a 2015 Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and Best Picture for the film American Sniper. To allow Mr. Cooper to attend the award ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 22, The Elephant Man plays its final Broadway performance tonight, February 21, at Broadway's Booth Theatre (222 West 45th Street, NYC). In honor of closing night, BroadwayWorld flashes back to the show's journey to Broadway below!

?BANSHEE returns for its ten-episode third season TONIGHT, JAN. 9 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on CINEMAX. The Emmy-winning show is executive produced by Jonathan Tropper, Peter Macdissi, Alan Ball and Greg Yaitanes.

STING*chronicity offers an unexpected combination of monologues with a stunning variety of musical arrangements of the music of brilliant contemporary songwriter, Sting. The show is "set" in Madison Square Garden on the occasion of the final reunion concert of the iconic band, The Police, which was headed by Sting. STING*chronicity surveys the diverse audience, and their very varied interpretations of his music as the words of his songs are filtered by their unique lives and experiences. "A concert always brings people together who couldn't be further apart."

?BANSHEE returns for its ten-episode third season FRIDAY, JAN. 9 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on CINEMAX. The Emmy®-winning show is executive produced by Jonathan Tropper, Peter Macdissi, Alan Ball and Greg Yaitanes.

The Daily Mail writes that theatre vets and best buds Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart are in talks to appear in Harold Pinter's NO MAN'S LAND in London in 2016.

While being short on appeal for adults, 'HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS: THE MUSICAL' is a decidedly kid-friendly holiday show is the perfect vehicle to introduce children to the wondrous magic of live musical theater.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'The Grinch' opens, Fox Valley bookends Christmas, new shows 'A Christmas Memory' and 'Christmas On The Air,' 'It's A Wonderful Life' times three, plus 'Nutcracker,' 'Nut Cracking,' 'Mary Poppins' and the latest on 'Peter Pan Live!'

By Wheel and By Wing was recently presented in a staged reading at The Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City. Scroll down for photos of some of the Atlanta-area actors in action!

To celebrate HUNCHBACK's run, we've gone in-depth on Disney's animated films that have brought their music, magic, comedy and romance to the stage. Scroll down to learn more, and be sure to tell us which Disney film you'd like to see adapted next!

Encores! Celebrates Rodgers and Hammerstein and Hart, New York City Center's annual Gala tonight, October 27, 2014, will feature the music and lyrics of Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Lorenz Hart, sung by some of Broadway's finest talent, includingKate Baldwin, Kelli O'Hara, Laura Osnes, Steven Pasquale, and Paulo Szot, and with dance performances by Irina Dvorovenko, Chase Finlay, Jared Grimes, and Lauren Lovette.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Monday night's Jeff Awards at the Drury Lane, and 'Amazing Grace' at the BOAT! Plus 2014's other Broadway In Chicago shows, The Grinch at the Chicago Theatre, local productions of 'Parade,' 'Camelot' and 'Mary Poppins,' the new 'A Christmas Memory,' and the sold-out Humanities Festival tribute to the Tonys!

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: IT'S ONLY A PLAY opens tonight and we'll be bringing you the real-life verdict, AMAZING GRACE begins in Chicago, Lucie Arnaz returns to PIPPIN, Elaine Paige says 'farewell' and more!

The producers of Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical have announced today that Shuler Hensley will star as the Grinch in the 2014 production at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. The delightful family musical, which first won over Broadway audiences in 2006 and 2007, returns for a limited holiday engagement from Friday, December 5 to Sunday, December 28, 2014. Hensley will also star in the production in Chicago from Thursday, November 20 to Saturday, November 29 at the Chicago Theater.

According to The Telegraph, Sir Anthony Hopkins and Sir Ian McKellen will unite to lead a new screen adaptation of the play THE DRESSER for the network. Sir Richard Eyre will direct.

8:00pm: VAN HELSING | AMC 9:00pm: AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL | CW 9:00pm: AUSTIN CITY LIMITS | PBS Click for more picks!

Tonight, September 29 (8 pm), Symphony Space will present Sundance...Sings!, spotlighting songs from groundbreaking shows developed with support from the Sundance Institute Theatre Program, sung by a stellar cast. Christine Ebersole, Ann Harada, Annie Golden, Joshua Henry, and fourteen other notables will take the stage at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre in selections from the Broadway oeuvre of Stew + Heidi Rodewald, Scott Frankel, Adam Guettel, Lisa Kron, Michael John LaChiusa, Bill Finn, Steven Lutvak, Duncan Sheik, and others.

Encores! Celebrates Rodgers and Hammerstein and Hart, New York City Center's annual Gala on October 27, 2014, will feature the music and lyrics of Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Lorenz Hart

On Monday, September 29 (8 pm), Symphony Space will present Sundance…Sings!, spotlighting songs from groundbreaking shows developed with support from the Sundance Institute Theatre Program, sung by a stellar cast. Christine Ebersole, Ann Harada, Annie Golden, Joshua Henry, and fourteen other notables will take the stage at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre in selections from the Broadway oeuvre of Stew + Heidi Rodewald, Scott Frankel, Adam Guettel, Lisa Kron, Michael John LaChiusa, Bill Finn, Steven Lutvak, Duncan Sheik, and others.

The Addams Family musical will make its Southeastern premiere at the Savannah Summer Theatre Institute tonight. Directed by Benjamin Wolfe with musical direction by Andrew Austin and choreography by Sarah Claire Smith, The Addams Family runs through July 27.