Stephen Schwartz News

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: MATILDA wins big, Signature Theatre honors Patti, Corbin starts as Jesus, and so much more!

On Sunday, May 20 and Monday, May 21, 2012 at 8pm American Opera Projects (AOP) will present COMPOSERS & THE VOICE: FIRST GLIMPSE 2012, the first public presentation of compositions developed during this season's Composers & the Voice program. Audiences will hear songs written by five emerging composers - Sidney Marquez Boquiren, Mikael Karlsson, Robert Paterson, Rachel Peters, and Ronnie Reshef - and one composer/librettist team, Zach Redler and Sara Cooper, who were chosen by AOP to spend a year creating new works focusing on the operatic voice. The performances will be held at South Oxford Space in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, the home of AOP. Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for students/seniors and are available at www.operaprojects.org.

Multiple Academy Award winner Stephen Schwartz will be honored with The Desert Ensemble Theatre Company's inaugural Melpomai Award at "When You Believe: A Conversation With and Tribute To Stephen Schwartz" May 19 at 8:00 pm at The Annenberg Theatre. The event will feature a conversation with Schwartz as well as performances of his stage and movie musical hits performed by Tony nominated Andrea McCardle, Kate Flannery (NBC's "The Office") and more.

The Annenberg Theatre will present Upright Cabaret's RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT on April 27 at 8:00 pm. RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT is the third installment of Upright Cabaret's "American Icon" Series and will star Olivier Award-Winner Lesli Margherita, Lexi Lawson (Rent, In The Heights)) and Rogelio Douglas Jr. (In The Heights, The Little Mermaid)). This high energy, multi-media Cabaret celebrates the music of Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan and Santana and features pop favorites such as Livin' La Vida Loca, Shake Your Bon-Bon, Rhythm Is Gonna Get You, Anything for You, Smooth, Let It Shine, and more, performed live with the Upright Cabaret band!

On April 13th, SILENCE! The Musical received the 2012 Telly Award for Use of Humor in a Television Commercial. The hit Off-Broadway show's new commercial won the prestigious honor at the 33rd Annual Telly Awards over nearly 11,000 entries from around the world. 'The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video,' said Linda Day, Executive Director of the Telly Awards. SILENCE! The Musical's TV commercial illustrates their creativity, skill, and dedication to their craft and serves as a testament to great film and video production.' See the award-winning commercial below!

Mindy Young likes to do imaginative and energetic family shows that children will love but adults will also find witty and appealing. As a guest director for the SCERA Center for the Arts, she believes she has found it with Disney's "My Son Pinocchio," complete with the beloved songs from the Disney film but given even more charm and sophistication with a score of original songs by Grammy and Academy Award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz. Check out production photos below!

The Town Hall's (123 West 43rd Street) critically acclaimed Broadway by the Year's® 12th Season continues with The Broadway Musicals of 1975 on Monday, May 14th at 8PM. 1975 was a year that brought us famous shows by musical theater icons including Marvin Hamlisch, (A Chorus Line), John Kander and Fred Ebb (Chicago), and Richard O'Brien (The Rocky Horror Show), among others. Produced by The Town Hall, The Broadway Musicals of 1975 is created, written and hosted by Scott Siegel.

Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd announces the cast and creative team for the Alley Theatre's new production of Theresa Rebeck's WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST, part of the Alley Theatre's New Play Initiative. WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST runs on the Alley Theatre's Neuhaus Stage May 11 through June 12, 2012.

On the eve of Memorial Day, a star-studded line-up will grace the stage for one of PBS' highest-rated programs, the NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT. The program is co-hosted for the seventh year by Tony Award-winner Joe Mantegna (CRIMINAL MINDS) and Emmy Award-winner Gary Sinise (CSI:NEW YORK)

The company of Broadway's first-ever revival of Stephen Schwartz's rock musical GODSPELL welcomed a new leading man -- stage and screen star Corbin Bleu (Disney's 'High School Musical,' Broadway's In the Heights) -- to the starring role of Jesus last night, April 17. BroadwayWorld was there to capture the star's debut curtain call and caught up with him at the celebratory after party. Click below to hear from Bleu on his opening night!

The company of Broadway's first-ever revival of Stephen Schwartz's rock musical GODSPELL welcomed a new leading man -- stage and screen star Corbin Bleu (Disney's 'High School Musical,' Broadway's In the Heights) -- to the starring role of Jesus last night. BroadwayWorld.com was there to capture the star's first curtain call & party!

The musical Pippin will debut at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre May 18 and 19, 2012. Perfomed by students from the Theatre's Paul and Sandra Goldner Conservatory of Performing Arts, Pippin tells the story of the young prince Pippin and his quest for the secrets of true happiness and fulfillment. He seeks it in the glories of the battlefield, in temptation and the intrigues of political power - but in the end, he finds it in the simple pleasures of home and family.

The company of the second North American tour of WICKED will welcome Christine Dwyer as Elphaba and Billy Harrigan Tighe as Fiyero on Wednesday, May 2 in Durham, NC.

Last night at the Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway and 'Weeds' star Hunter Parrish ended his run as Jesus in the first-ever Broadway revival of Stephen Schwartz's GODSPELL. The show welcomes a new leading man-stage and screen star Corbin Bleu (Disney's 'High School Musical,' Broadway's In the Heights)-to the starring role. Parrish now returns to Los Angeles to begin filming the eighth season of the hit Showtime series 'Weeds.' Check out photos from his final bow below!

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, April 15, 2012 - Sunday, April 15, 2012.

Polaris Productions, a non-profit children's theatre group will present the classic 1960 Tony Award winning musical Bye Bye Birdie starting May 10th at Hudson Guild Theatre. LeCee Galmiche Johnson directs a talented cast of young actors ages 4 through 20. Christopher Cooley is Musical Director. See photos of the cast below!

Tonight at the Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway and 'Weeds' star Hunter Parrish ends his run as Jesus in the first-ever Broadway revival of Stephen Schwartz's GODSPELL. The show welcomes a new leading man-stage and screen star Corbin Bleu (Disney's 'High School Musical,' Broadway's In the Heights)-to the starring role.

What constitutes a Broadway Diva? A Broadway star who's endured the test of time with iconic roles that remain in the minds of fans forever. Well then dear readers, we had a Broadway Diva in town last night as Lea Salonga brought her incredible talent to the Moore Theatre for a one night only concert. But beyond the Diva, Salonga kept such a simple and fun air to the evening that it was more like spending time with an old friend telling stories and enjoying their company.

Eric Rosen has announced his selections for Kansas City Repertory Theatre's 2012-13 season, his fifth year as the theatre's artistic director.