Stephen Schwartz News

Monday, April 30, 2012 is the day when the Theatre Museum Awards return to the stage to honor and celebrate outstanding achievement in the theatre industry.

The 40th Anniversary production and first-ever Broadway revival of Stephen Schwartz's rock musical GODSPELL is currently playing at Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre. Directed by Daniel Goldstein and choreographed by Tony Award nominee Christopher Gattelli, the show opened on Monday, November 7. Yesterday, January 31, the cast visited Barnes & Noble, where they treated visitors to a special performance and signed copies of the just-released album. Check out photos below!

The 40th Anniversary production and first-ever Broadway revival of Stephen Schwartz's rock musical GODSPELL is currently playing at Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre. Directed by Daniel Goldstein and choreographed by Tony Award nominee Christopher Gattelli, the show opened on Monday, November 7. This afternoon, the cast visited Barnes & Noble, where they treated visitors to a special performance and signed copies of the just-released album. BroadwayWorld was there and brings you highlights from the big event below!

American Opera Projects (AOP) announces that composer Huang Ruo's The Weeping Camel and composer Gregory Spears's Paul's Case are awarded $10,000 each from the National Endowment of the Arts's ART WORKS initiative to support developmental workshop productions with AOP and producing partners. Both operas will be developed through AOP's First Chance series that presents concert readings of new operas in an intimate format that allows for direct conversation between audience and artist. Operas that receive fully-staged premieres after passing through First Chance include Tarik O'Regan's Heart of Darkness (London's Royal Opera House), Jorge Martín's Before Night Falls (Fort Worth Opera), and Stephen Schwartz's Séance on a Wet Afternoon (New York City Opera, Opera Santa Barbara), among many others.

The 10th Annual Nightlife Awards this year honored Terri White (Follies), who spent a great many years as one of New York's most exciting piano bar entertainers. White was honored with a Special Award for her Contributions to New York Nightlife. As is always the case with The All-Performance Nightlife Awards, Terri took the stage to sing. Also returning to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Nightlife Awards by performing were two former Nightlife Jazz Vocalist winners, Allan Harris and Karen Oberlin.

Since 1990 Meredith has originatied and recorded such roles as 'Betty Schaeffer' in 'Sunset Boulevard', 'Lily' in the RSC's 'The Secret Garden' and playing the iconic roles of 'Eponine' in 'Les Miserables' and 'Christine' in 'The Phantom of the Opera'.

The 40th Anniversary production and first-ever Broadway revival of Stephen Schwartz's rock musical GODSPELL officially opened at the Circle in the Square Theater on November 7; the cast album is slated for release today.

Louise Dearman, Oliver Thornton, Russell Grant and Kerry Ellis feature in the one-off show in aid of Crohn's and Colitis UK

Tonight Terri White (Follies), who spent a great many years as one of New York's most exciting piano bar entertainers, will be honored with a Special Award for her Contributions to New York Nightlife.

Joining the already announced performance of the re-united Chris Durang & Dawn, the special 10th Anniversary celebration of the Nightlife Awards will also present 90 year old Jazz Legend Jon Hendricks.

Chris Durang launched a comic nightclub act in 1989 called CHRIS DURANG & DAWNE (John Augustine and Sherry Anderson) that came back to play clubs all over the New York area for the next eight years until they made their last public performance in January of 1996.

Alice Lidelle is a high school senior who loves the band 'The Red Queen' and dislikes a homework assignment from her teacher, Miss Turtle. She attends the concert and meets the band's manager and is sent spiraling down, down, down into a topsy-turvy world.

The cast of the 10th Annual Nightlife Awards reaches critical mass with the addition of Tony Nominee and Nightlife Legend KAREN AKERS and nightlife and recording sensation NELLIE McKAY. They join a cast that already includes TERRI WHITE (Follies), who spent a great many years as one of New York's most exciting piano bar entertainers and will be honored with a Special Award for her Contributions to New York Nightlife. As is always the case with The All-Performance Nightlife Awards, Terri will take the stage and sing. Heralded TV and nightclub comedian, RAY ELLIN, is on tap to perform on Monday night, as are two former Nightlife Jazz Award winners Vocalist winners, ALLAN HARRIS and KAREN OBERLIN.

James William Productions and Stephenie Skyllas will present Kurt Peterson and Victoria Mallory in When Everything Was Possible, A Concert (with comments), for one night only, Sunday April 29th (7:30pm) at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues), as a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. They will be joined by a thirteen-piece band (Michael Rafter, Music Director), playing new orchestrations by Tony Award winner Jonathan Tunick. Larry Moss directs, with musical staging by Joshua Bergasse ("Smash"). Carolyn Wong will provide lighting design, with sound design by Leon Rothenberg and projection design by Telegraphicmedia.

CHRIS ISAACSON has announced the performers for UPRIGHT CABARET's AMERICAN ICON SERIES' second show of their 3rd Season, THE TROUBADOURS, starring American Idol's JACKIE TOHN, MATT WOLPE (The Buddy Holly Story) YVETTE CASON (Dreamgirls, Play On!, Stormy Weather) and JAKE SIMPSON (Star Search Grand Champion, Arena: Born to Rock, Oprah favorite) celebrating the music of Bob Dylan, Carole King and James Taylor!

On October 12, 2012, The New York Pops orchestra - famous for presenting popular programs with a symphony orchestra of the highest quality - will launch its 30th season; a Carnegie Hall series celebrating the stylistic diversity of some of popular music's greatest icons. Music Director Steven Reineke - described by The New York Times as a "polished, welcoming host" who is "young and vigorous, with a playful attitude that has been a pops orchestral tradition since the heyday of Arthur Fiedler" - will lead the orchestra in an exciting season replete with Broadway favorites by beloved duo Rodgers and Hammerstein, an evening of symphonic music starring the musicians of The New York Pops, the ever popular annual holiday concerts, with special guests Pink Martini in the New York premiere of their new orchestral holiday program, songbook classics by Academy Award-winning songwriter Sammy Cahn and a birthday celebration for lyricist and composer Steven Schwartz.

Carolyn Griffin has announced that MetroStage will be presenting the premiere of a new musical, Josephine Tonight, with book and lyrics by Sherman Yellen, and music by Wally Harper, Jan. 26-Mar. 18, 2012.

Worldwide smash musical Wicked is set to open at Austin's Bass Concert Hall on January 25, and its Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Don Amendolia, took the time to answer a few questions for BroadwayWorld.

The Broadway production of GODSPELL will host a special performance to benefit The Actors Fund tonight, January 25, 2012 at 8pm.

After breaking box office records and selling out in record time in 2009, WICKED, Broadway's biggest blockbuster, will return to Austin at Texas Performing Arts Bass Concert Hall, playing January 25-February 12, 2012. Tickets for the return engagement go on sale Saturday, October 22 at 10 a.m.