Steven Reineke News

On Monday, April 30, The New York Pops marked its 29th birthday with a grand gala evening titled 'Journey On' honoring Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Award-winning and Oscar-nominated songwriting team of such renowned Broadway musicals as Ragtime, Once On This Island, Seussical, My Favorite Year, A Man of No Importance, The Glorious Ones and the feature film Anastasia.

Tonight, April 30, The New York Pops marks its 29th birthday with a grand gala evening titled 'Journey On' honoring Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Award-winning and Oscar-nominated songwriting team of such renowned Broadway musicals as Ragtime, Once On This Island, Seussical, My Favorite Year, A Man of No Importance, The Glorious Ones and the feature film Anastasia.

Today we are talking to one of the biggest new stars on Broadway who first burst onto the scene in HAIRSPRAY but has since carved out a place in the great pantheon of theatre history in creating the iconic lead role of Elder Price in the Broadway hit of the decade, THE BOOK OF MORMON, Andrew Rannells. One among many on the incredibly impressive list of performers at Monday night's NY Pops JOURNEY ON gala at Carnegie Hall celebrating the music and lyrics of Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty, Rannells joins many of the other accomplished Broadway/Hollywood crossover stars of modern Broadway as well as those who predominantly tread the boards. Illustrating his journey with the edgy and ribald musical smash THE BOOK OF MORMOM from workshop to Broadway, the Tony Awards and beyond, Rannells paints the picture of the show's road to success and imparts his effervescent enthusiasm and all too apparent joy to be appearing in such a crowd-pleasing and joyous experience eight times a week. Additionally, Rannells shares his thoughts on the upcoming national tour starring Gavin Creel and whether or not there will be a MORMON film version sooner rather than later. Plus, Rannells gives also us the first look at his 21st century parenting and adoption-themed NBC pilot, THE NEW NORMAL, and outlines the finer points of the story, his character and the themes of the hotly anticipated new single-camera comedy series coming from the creator of GLEE, Ryan Murphy. That, his favorite Ahrens & Flaherty songs, favorite shows, future acting plans, what is currently on his iPod - all of that and much, much more!

The Camp Broadway Kids, which is comprised of 58 theatre-loving kids, ages 12-16, are set to perform in the New York Pops 29th Birthday Gala titled 'Journey On' at Carnegie Hall on Monday, April 30. Under the direction of Camp Broadway's Artistic Director,Tony Parise (Broadway credits include Me and My Girl and 42nd Street), the cast, which was selected from a nation-wide pool of over 500 auditionees, will perform alongside Broadway stars during musical numbers honoring the work of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Award-winning and Oscar-nominated songwriting team of such renowned Broadway musicals as Ragtime, Once On This Island, Seussical, My Favorite Year, A Man of No Importance, The Glorious Ones and the feature film Anastasia.

Today we are kicking off BroadwayWorld's exclusive multi-part InDepth InterView series focusing on the New York Pops 29th Birthday Gala concert celebrating the music and musicals of Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty, JOURNEY ON, that will take place at Carnegie Hall on April 30 at 7 PM by taking to the lyricist half of the lauded Tony Award-winning songwriting team herself, the thoughtful and candid Lynn Ahrens. In a wide-ranging conversation covering many of her theatrical collaborations with Stephen Flaherty from their first musical, LUCKY STIFF, in the 1980s, to their Tony-winning success with RAGTIME in the 1990s, to their astounding slate of shows since - SEUSSICAL: THE MUSICAL, DESSA ROSE and THE GLORIOUS ONES included - all the way up to 2012 and their new musical in pre-production in Germany, ROCKY, based on the iconic 1975 Oscar-winning Sylvester Stallone-starring boxing film. Ahrens also shares firsthand news on the new Ahrens & Flaherty musical based on the art and life of Degas and the upcoming feature film version of LUCKY STIFF, directed by Christopher Ashley, as well as reflects on her work for the stage, page and screen outside of her work with Flaherty - songs for SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK and songs for the hit indie musical film CAMP among them. Plus, Ahrens shares her enthusiasm for her many collaborators and the performers famous for interpreting her work as well as relates her excitement for the star-studded JOURNEY ON concert spectacular at Carnegie Hall. All of that and much, much more!

On Monday, April 30, The New York Pops marks its 29th birthday with a grand gala evening titled 'Journey On' honoring Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Award-winning and Oscar-nominated songwriting team of such renowned Broadway musicals as Ragtime, Once On This Island, Seussical, My Favorite Year, A Man of No Importance, The Glorious Ones and the feature film Anastasia.

We're pleased to bring you Seth's latest candid chat with Broadway favorite Melissa Errico. After a sold out previous appearance at JOE'S PUB, 'Melissa Errico Back for More!' returns to the famed venue on April 17th at 7pm, directed by Richard Jay-Alexander and with musical direction by John Oddo.

On Friday, April 13 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, The New York Pops under the direction of Steven Reinekepays tribute to iconic Academy Award-winning music scores and songs that have been the soundtrack of the American film experience over the past forty years.

The Toronto Symphony's Pops concert series continues this week with A Century of Broadway, a program that explores the last 100 years in Broadway music. Jeff Tyzik conducts Doug LaBreque and Christiane Noll in an evening that includes everything from operetta to Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Christiane Noll took a few minutes to talk to BWW about what people can expect from this concert, about how we should work to get young people back into the theatre and about her personal musical influences.

On Monday, April 30, The New York Pops marks its 29th birthday with a grand gala evening titled 'Journey On' honoring Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Award-winning and Oscar-nominated songwriting team of such renowned Broadway musicals as Ragtime, Once On This Island, Seussical, My Favorite Year, A Man of No Importance, The Glorious Ones and the feature film Anastasia.

On March 16, 2012 at 8:00pm, The New York Pops orchestra, led by Music Director Steven Reineke, celebrates the 65th anniversary of Ella Fitzgerald's Carnegie Hall debut with a commemorative performance at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage.

Ravinia Festival President and CEO Welz Kauffman announced the festival's 2012 season, which offers more than 100 separate events exemplifying most musical genres, including the 77th residency of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The summer boasts a variety of music's legends from Philip Glass to James Taylor, along with 43 debuts, including Glee and Wicked star Idina Menzel, reggae master Jimmy Cliff, classic rocker Santana, Grammy-and-Oscar sensation Esperanza Spalding, and Musical America's "conductor of the year" Jaap van Zweden. Ravinia Music Director James Conlon celebrates the 35th anniversary of his own festival debut as his contract is extended through 2014.

Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts announced yesterday 35 new shows to its summer schedule at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. Tickets are on sale now to members and go on sale Saturday, March 24 at 10am to the public.

On Friday, April 13 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, The New York Pops under the direction of Steven Reinekepays tribute to iconic Academy Award-winning music scores and songs that have been the soundtrack of the American film experience over the past forty years.

On Monday, April 30, The New York Pops marks its 29th birthday with a grand gala evening titled 'Journey On' honoring Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Award-winning and Oscar-nominated songwriting team of such renowned Broadway musicals as Ragtime, Once On This Island, Seussical, My Favorite Year, A Man of No Importance, The Glorious Ones and the feature film Anastasia. The event begins at 7:00 PM with a concert at Carnegie Hall featuring a spectacular lineup of guest artists under the baton of Music Director Steven Reineke. Following the concert, a black tie dinner and dance will be held at the luxurious Plaza Hotel.

The Toronto Symphony has an exciting 2012-2013 season lined up, with something very special for BWW readers - the addition of New York Pops music director Steven Reineke as the first ever Principal Pops Conductor at the TSO. This appointment means an increased number of the pops Pops concerts, and more Broadway themed programming as well. BWW spoke with both Steven and TSO music director Peter Oundjian about the announcement and what it means for the TSO.

On March 16, 2012 at 8:00pm, The New York Pops orchestra, led by Music Director Steven Reineke, celebrates the 65th anniversary of Ella Fitzgerald's Carnegie Hall debut with a commemorative performance at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage.

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.