Steve Hendel News

Producers Alan D. Marks, Barbara Marks, Wade Turnbull, Steve Hendel, Ruth Hendel, and Tom Kirdahy have just announced that COTTON CLUB PARADE, the Encores! Special event that played two acclaimed runs at New York City Center, will arrive on Broadway this fall.

About Face Theatre will present a special concert event of the new neo-soul musical CLEAR by AFT Artistic Associate Paul Oakley Stovall, with additional music by STEW (Passing Strange), directed by Krissy Vanderwarker, playing tonight, October 11 - 13, 2012 at 7 pm at The Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago's Millennium Park. Featuring a seven-piece band, performers include Yassmin Alers, Dietrich Gray, Celisse Henderson, Tyshaun Lang, Jesse McQuarters, Leenya Rideout, Brad Simmons, Paul Oakley Stovall and Jon Patrick (JP) Walker. Admission is free. Reservations can be made at www.aboutfacetheatre.com or by calling (773) 784-8565 ext. 111.

About Face Theatre will present a special concert event of the new neo-soul musical CLEAR by AFT Artistic Associate Paul Oakley Stovall, with additional music by STEW (Passing Strange), directed by Krissy Vanderwarker, playing October 11 - 13, 2012 at 7 pm at The Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago's Millennium Park. Featuring a seven-piece band, performers include Yassmin Alers, Dietrich Gray, Celisse Henderson, Tyshaun Lang, Jesse McQuarters, Leenya Rideout, Brad Simmons, Paul Oakley Stovall and Jon Patrick (JP) Walker. Admission is free. Reservations can be made at www.aboutfacetheatre.com or by calling (773) 784-8565 ext. 111.

Now gracing the cover of the latest Billboard Magazine, Beyonce reveals that her upcoming ablum, entitled 4, is largely inspired by the late Fela Kuti - subject of last season's Broadway hit Fela! produced by her husband Jay-Z. The album is set for release next month.

Dixon Place in association with Hendel Productions, Wayne Brady, Michele Crowley, Shotgun Productions and Earl Dax presents the New York workshop debut of CLEAR: A new musical experience. CLEAR features a book, music & lyrics by Paul Oakley Stovall, with additional music by Stew, Ryan Link, Christo Willis and Irv Johnson. Danieal Goldstein will direct the production.

Dixon Place in association with Hendel Productions, Wayne Brady, Michele Crowley, Shotgun Productions and Earl Dax presents the New York workshop debut of CLEAR: A new musical experience. CLEAR features a book, music & lyrics by Paul Oakley Stovall, with additional music by Stew, Ryan Link, Christo Willis and Irv Johnson. Danieal Goldstein will direct the production.

The Creative Tony Award Winners Ceremony, streamed live on TonyAwards.com has wrapped and the broadcast is underway! MEMPHIS won big with prizes for best book, score and orchestrations. AMERICAN IDIOT took home prizes for best set and best lighting. Additional winners include Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Scarlett Johansson, Eddie Redmayne, Michael Grandage, Terry Johnson and more! CLICK HERE to view all of the winners on BroadwayWorld, being updated throughout the night!

Fela!, the critically acclaimed musical that had audiences on their feet during its world premiere last summer at Off-Broadway's 37 Arts, will arrive on Broadway this fall where it begins performances at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street) on Monday, October 19. The official opening is set for Monday, November 23. This new musical, based on the life of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti, is directed and choreographed by Tony® Award-winner Bill T. Jones (Spring Awakening), with a book by Jim Lewis and Bill T. Jones. Sahr Ngaujah will return in the title role for which he received universal acclaim, while the world renowned Antibalas and other members of the NYC Afrobeat community, under the direction of Aaron Johnson, will again perform Kuti?s rousing music live onstage. Winner of this year?s Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, Fela! was conceived by Bill T. Jones, Jim Lewis and Steve Hendel.

Fela!, the critically acclaimed musical that had audiences on their feet during its world premiere last summer at Off-Broadway's 37 Arts, will arrive on Broadway this fall where it begins performances at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street) on Monday, October 19. The official opening is set for Monday, November 23. This new musical, based on the life of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti, is directed and choreographed by Tony® Award-winner Bill T. Jones (Spring Awakening), with a book by Jim Lewis and Bill T. Jones. Sahr Ngaujah will return in the title role for which he received universal acclaim, while the world renowned Antibalas and other members of the NYC Afrobeat community, under the direction of Aaron Johnson, will again perform Kuti?s rousing music live onstage. Winner of this year?s Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, Fela! was conceived by Bill T. Jones, Jim Lewis and Steve Hendel.

Fela!, the critically acclaimed musical that had audiences on their feet during its world premiere last summer at Off-Broadway?s 37 Arts, will arrive on Broadway this fall where it begins performances at the Eugene O?Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street) on Monday, October 19. The official opening is set for Monday, November 23.

Fela!, the critically acclaimed musical that had audiences on their feet during its world premiere last summer at Off-Broadway?s 37 Arts, will arrive on Broadway this fall where it begins performances at the Eugene O?Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street) on Monday, October 19. The official opening is set for Monday, November 23.

Fela!, the critically acclaimed musical that had audiences on their feet during its world premiere last summer at Off-Broadway's 37 Arts, will arrive on Broadway this fall where it begins performances at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street) on Monday, October 19. The official opening is set for Monday, November 23. This new musical, based on the life of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti, is directed and choreographed by Tony® Award-winner Bill T. Jones (Spring Awakening), with a book by Jim Lewis and Bill T. Jones. Sahr Ngaujah will return in the title role for which he received universal acclaim, while the world renowned Antibalas and other members of the NYC Afrobeat community, under the direction of Aaron Johnson, will again perform Kuti?s rousing music live onstage. Winner of this year?s Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, Fela! was conceived by Bill T. Jones, Jim Lewis and Steve Hendel.

The only negative thing I'll say about Fela!, the Off-Broadway docu-musical inspired by the life of Nigerian political activist and musical revolutionary Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, is that it never engaged this martini-swilling Manhattanite who entered the theatre unschooled in the culture and politics of the protagonist's homeland. The professionalism, exuberance and entertainment value of the piece is undeniable and I imagine many of my dear readers would have a terrific time visiting 37 Arts these days. But unless you're going in with a full knowledge of and an emotional attachment to its controversial subject, you may find, save for a well done moment late in the game, there is little dramatic pull to the proceedings to sustain interest for its two and a half hours. An audience full of fans of this internationally known artist who died in 1997 might understandably be thrilled by Fela! but while its potent message of the power of music to combat oppression is certainly universal, it took a review of the text's stage directions and a bit of Googling for this neophyte to get a fuller picture of the life and culture on display.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center will present its annual Monte Cristo Award to Pulitzer Prize and triple Tony Award-winning playwright Neil Simon, in recognition of his distinguished accomplishments and contributions to the American theater, exemplifying Eugene O'Neill's standard of excellence. The Award will be presented to Mr. Simon at a gala dinner in the Rainbow Room's Pegasus Suite on Monday, April 21st at 6:30 p.m.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center will present its annual Monte Cristo Award posthumously to Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Wendy Wasserstein in recognition of her distinguished accomplishments and contributions to the American theater exemplifying Eugene O'Neill's standard of excellence.