Susan Schulman News

Before Victoria Clark returns to Broadway next season as 'Mamita Alvarez' in Gigi, she heads back to school as the artist in residence at Pace University. Clark directs The Light in the Piazza, the show for which she picked up a Tony Award in 2005, running through November 8 at the Loretto Theatre at The Sheen Center. The Light in the Piazza, by Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas, is based on the novella of the same name by Elizabeth Spencer. Taking place in Italy in the late summer of 1953, it is the story of an American woman Margaret Johnson, who travels to Florence with her daughter Clara, who falls in love with a young Florentine man. As details emerge about Clara's past, their trip turns out to be very much a romantic and psychological journey as Margaret must decide what is best for her daughter, her family, and for herself. The winner of six Tony Awards in 2005, The Light in the Piazza has become one of the great classics of the American Musical Theater, with its lush score and cliff-hanger story. Clark took the time out of her busy schedule to update BroadwayWorld on her adventures in directing, revisiting PIAZZA, preparing for GIGI and more. Check out the full interview below!

Longtime theatrical Ad Man, Peter LeDonne, is now a New York radio host on 970 AM The Answer with Backstage with Peter LeDonne. Peter's show airs every Sunday from 12 Noon to 1 PM. He will have special guests, including Jamie deRoy who is Peter's Night Life Correspondent and will provide listeners with information about what's going on in the New York City live entertainment scene.

City Theatre's groundbreaking CityWrights Professional Weekend for Playwrights, which takes place June 26 - 29 at EPIC Hotel, Miami, FL, continues to grow as a nationally recognized event that puts South Florida center stage as a cultural destination for playwrights, theatre artists and professionals. This highlight of the annual SUMMER SHORTS FESTIVAL is a lively and comprehensive symposium dedicated to the art, business, development, training, inspiration and mentorship of dramatists and the development of new work.

Theater publicist Leslie Bader Papa has been added to the Drama Desk panel discussion, 'You Gotta Have A Gimmick ...•Or A Star!' on Monday, Feb. 10, at 6 PM at Stage 72/Triad, 158 W . 72nd St., in Manhattan, it was announced by Randie Levine-Miller, who will moderate the lively discussion focusing on the effort and skills it takes to promote a show, both Broadway and Off-Broadway.

Peter Filichia, theater critic emeritus for the Star-Ledger newspaper in Newark and "News 12 New Jersey" will join theater publicists Joshua Ellis and Susan Schulman as panelists at the Drama Desk's first Panel Discussion of 2014 -- entitled "You Gotta Have A Gimmick….Or A Star!" - on Monday, Feb. 10, at 6 PM at Stage 72/Triad, 158 W. 72nd St., in Manhattan. Recommended arrival for the panel is at 5:30 PM ; the discussion will be held from 6-7:15 PM. A cash bar will be available. Tickets may be ordered online at https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/931127 or by calling (212) 352-3101. Tickets are $20 online and at the door. Randie Levine-Miller will moderate the panel discussion about the effort and skills it takes to promote a show, both Broadway and Off-Broadway.

Today we are talking to a versatile performer first known to the world at large through her iconic early-career movie theme recordings - singing the Oscar-winning 'The Morning After' from THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE, as well as the classic themes from THE TOWERING INFERNO, SUPERMAN and musical material and a memorable musical moment in AIRPLANE!; in addition to her many full-length studio albums later in life - who then emerged as a compelling theatrical performer with a string of roles on Broadway, Off Broadway and in regional theater - a replacement star of NINE, as well as THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, as well as original cast member of 1989's THE 3 PENNY OPERA, 1984's premire production of BROWNSTONE, and, most recently, a Broadway featured cast member in LITTLE WOMEN - the radiant and vocally resplendent Maureen McGovern. Looking back on her remarkable career and taking us on the journey from Hollywood to Broadway and beyond, McGovern reflects on some famous co-stars and her side of the riveting productions she participated in both onstage and onscreen, as well as opens up about some of her favorite recordings and composers to date insofar as her recording career is concerned, to say nothing of her proud position as the so-deemed self-confessed 'Disaster Theme Queen'. We also outline her cabaret work over the years, in anticipation of McGovern's week of shows at 54 Below, titled HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, beginning December 18 and running through December 23, where she will be sharing some of her favorite seasonal songs, new and old, as well as reviving some of her show-stopping standards and iconic movie themes and perhaps a surprise or two, too. Additionally, we touch upon her bio-musical, CARRY IT ON, her new women writer retrospective concert show and much, much more!

Following its successful launch in June 2012, and with expanded programming thanks to funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation as part of its Knight Arts Challenge Grant, City Theatre invites playwrights to pack up the laptop and come to Miami, Florida, for the 2nd Annual CityWrights: A Professional Weekend for Playwrights, today, June 14 through June 17, 2012. CityWrights is presented as a program of City Theatre's 17th Annual Summer Shorts Festival. Professional playwrights, early career and emerging playwrights, students, and all writers are welcome to attend.

Following its successful launch in June 2012, and with expanded programming thanks to funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation as part of its Knight Arts Challenge Grant, City Theatre invites playwrights to pack up the laptop and come to Miami, Florida, for the 2nd Annual CityWrights: A Professional Weekend for Playwrights, June 14 - 17, 2012. CityWrights is presented as a program of City Theatre's 17th Annual Summer Shorts Festival. Professional playwrights, early career and emerging playwrights, students, and all writers are welcome to attend.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and La Vie Productions present ABOVE HELL'S KITCHEN. Performances will take place from October 4th, 2010 through October 17th at TBG Theatre - 312 West 36th Street 3rd Floor New York, NY 10018. Official Opening is set for Monday, October 4th, 2010 at 8:00pm.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and La Vie Productions present ABOVE HELL'S KITCHEN. Performances will take place from October 4th, 2010 through October 17th at TBG Theatre - 312 West 36th Street 3rd Floor New York, NY 10018. Official Opening is set for Monday, October 4th, 2010 at 8:00pm.

Playwrights Theatre announces the return of the popular roundtable reading series FORUM: Let's Discuss.

Chicago Dramatists is having an extraordinary and memorable 2009. In addition to the success of A Steady Rain opening on Broadway this fall, starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, Chicago Dramatists enters its 31st season with the honor of the TCG New Generations/Future Leaders grant, the announcement of four new resident playwrights and a new associate artistic director, and its selection as only one of four theatres to be included as part of the inaugural Millennium Park 'In The Works' Theatre Lab Project this spring.

Chicago Dramatists is having an extraordinary and memorable 2009. In addition to the success of A Steady Rain opening on Broadway this fall, starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, Chicago Dramatists enters its 31st season with the honor of the TCG New Generations/Future Leaders grant, the announcement of four new resident playwrights and a new associate artistic director, and its selection as only one of four theatres to be included as part of the inaugural Millennium Park 'In The Works' Theatre Lab Project this spring.

Chicago Dramatists is having an extraordinary and memorable 2009. In addition to the success of A Steady Rain opening on Broadway this fall, starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, Chicago Dramatists enters its 31st season with the honor of the TCG New Generations/Future Leaders grant, the announcement of four new resident playwrights and a new associate artistic director, and its selection as only one of four theatres to be included as part of the inaugural Millennium Park 'In The Works' Theatre Lab Project this spring.

Chicago Dramatists is having an extraordinary and memorable 2009. In addition to the success of A Steady Rain opening on Broadway this fall, starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, Chicago Dramatists enters its 31st season with the honor of the TCG New Generations/Future Leaders grant, the announcement of four new resident playwrights and a new associate artistic director, and its selection as only one of four theatres to be included as part of the inaugural Millennium Park 'In The Works' Theatre Lab Project this spring.

Rich Affannato in association with Meri Krassner will present a special invitational reading of the new musical, CALIGULA, with book, music & lyrics by Eric Svejcar, for two performances on Monday, July 13 and Tuesday, July 14 at 3 p.m. at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

Rich Affannato in association with Meri Krassner will present a special invitational reading of the new musical, CALIGULA, with book, music & lyrics by Eric Svejcar, for two performances next Monday, July 13 and Tuesday, July 14 at 3 p.m. at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street). Under the direction of Chris Presley, the cast features Euan Morton (Taboo) in the title role, with Autumn Hurlbert (MTV's Legally Blonde: The Search for Elle Woods), Matt Bogart (Jersey Boys, Aida), and Anastasia Barzee (White Christmas, Urinetown). These presentations of CALIGULA will be backed by a six-piece band led by Musical Director David Andrews Rogers.

Rich Affannato in association with Meri Krassner will present a special invitational reading of the new musical, CALIGULA, with book, music & lyrics by Eric Svejcar, for two performances on Monday, July 13 and Tuesday, July 14 at 3 p.m. at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

Village Theatre Village Originals announces the return of the musical, 'The Last Starfighter' as a workshop presentation.

The current national tour of the Stephen Sondheim/Hugh Wheeler musical 'Sweeney Todd' blew into the Windy City for a two-week engagement at the Cadillac Palace Theatre this week, revealing that the show is so strong as originally written that almost any style of storytelling will reveal its truths. If this fact doesn't mark the show as a true performing arts masterwork, then I don't know how anything else could. This show, and this metaphor-laden production of it, are miraculous in their revealing of the human condition.