Susan Stroman News

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report the passing of legendary Broadway director and producer Hal Prince at 91 years of age after a brief illness, in Reykjavik, Iceland.

ANASTASIA rolls into town this week with Tari Kelly, an East High School alum, who began her career here in Madison on the well-worn stages of community theatre.

FirstWorks and the Brown Arts Initiative at Brown University will co-present MacArthur Fellow and Tony-nominated performer and playwright Taylor Mac in an artist residency taking place September 12-15, 2019.

On this special episode of West of Broadway, Will and Lara talk with radio host Maggie McKay about opening night at The Pantages for 'Miss Saigon' and then screen and stage star Ashley Argota talks about her very special production of 'Spitfire Grill' at the Gary Marshall Theater.

The new musical HART ISLAND by Michelle Elliott and Danny Larsen (The Yellow Wood) and directed by Jerry Dixon, recently premiered at The Village Theater as a part of their New Works Program. Come From Away veteran Rodney Hicks, sings a track from the show below- his first time since being told two years ago that he wouldn't sing again because of a  Spasmodic Dysphonia diagnosis. Check out 'Watch It Fall' below!

Broadway's master songman, Mandy Patinkin, accompanied by Adam Ben-David on piano, will bring his newest theatre concert Mandy Patinkin in Concert: DIARIES, to the Ed Mirvish Theatre for two performances only - Tuesday November 12 and Thursday November 14 at 8PM.

The Drama League has announced that award-winning actor, singer and dancer Sutton Foster is the Honoree at the 36th Annual Drama League Benefit Gala.

Michael Sterling, BroadwayWorld's LA On Air Host and Co-Producer for BWW TV and Jerry Evans of JLE Media in Los Angeles spent the day at rehearsal for Hollywood Bowl's upcoming, new production of Into the Woods.

On todays episode of West of Broadway, Lara talks about her experience at The Play that Goes Wrong. We talk with Mark Saltzman about his new show with a Guys and Dolls connection and we catch up with one of the creators of the Friends Musical Parody.

The American Theatre Wing announces that it will celebrate the legacy of Jonathan Larson and the Larson family at its annual gala, dubbed 'Say YES to Artists Gala,' which will be held on Monday, September 16, 2019 at Cipriani 42nd Street (110 East 42nd Street).

Skylight Music Theatre today announced that Michael Unger will become the company's new artistic director. Unger, a theatre and opera director based in New York City, has worked in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Yekaterinburg, Russia - and many places in between. 

"There's a quote from Thornton Wilder that I love. He writes, 'Anyone can make a comedy which is cruel; it is very hard to make a comedy which is kind. To give a fellow feeling between young and old - that's art. HELLO, DOLLY! is one of those old gems. It has some of the best of the best material in all of musical theatre." Actor Matt Gibson is enthusing about his upcoming performances as Cornelius Hackl in Maine State Music Theatre's HELLO, DOLLY!, which runs from July 17 - August 3 at the Pickard Theater in Brunswick. "He might be my favorite character in the traditional canon," Gibson says of the innocent young man from Yonkers. Gibson has played the part twice before at the Virginia Music Theatre and Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatres, and he is thrilled to revisit the role in Maine, where he is just finishing a run of TREASURE ISLAND, playing the ill-fated sailor, Mr. O'Brien.

"My favorite line in musical theatre history is the one where Irene says, 'Dolly, the world is full of wonderful things!' When I said it in rehearsal the first time to Charis [Leos], I broke down in tears. It's a thought I repeat to myself if I am down. Irene is saying, 'Take risks, go enjoy this wonderful world!'" Actress Lauren Blackman is talking enthusiastically about her upcoming portrayal of Irene Malloy in Maine State Music Theatre's new production of HELLO, DOLLY!, which runs July 17 - August 3, 2019, at the Pickard Theater in Brunswick. Blackman returns not only to a beloved role, but also to friends and a theatre company and community she calls "home." Last season, she appeared briefly in the gala 60th Anniversary Concert, but it has been almost four years since she graced the stage in a major role - last in 2015 as Marion in THE MUSIC MAN and before that in 2013 in MARY POPPINS. Those intervening years have, indeed, been fruitful ones for Blackman - filled with all kinds of wonderful things!

El proximo 11 de octubre comenzara en Barcelona la gira de EL JOVENCITO FRANKENSTEIN, siendo asi el Teatro Tivoli su primera parada.

Presented by Celebration, The Los Angeles Intimate Theatre Premiere of "The Producers" opened Friday, June 28, 2019 at the Lex Theatre in Hollywood to a sold-out crowd and garnered a deserved standing ovation at curtain. It's RuPaul meets Mel Brooks in this delicious rendition of a show that's been recreated a gazillion times, but I assure you, never quite like this! From top to bottom, the entire production was first class, perfectly cast with triple-threaters, going all out in production values as well. The original book, by Mel Brooks, Direction and Choreography by Susan Stroman, Music by Thomas Meehan and Lyrics by Mel Brooks has been united with the Artistic Direction of Michael A. Shepperd, Produced by Andrew Carlberg and Rebecca Eisenberg, Michael Matthews, Director, Musical Direction by Anthony Zediker and fabulous Choreography by Janet Roston.  And What a Team!    

Tony Award nominee Tony Yazbeck will bring his one-man show, Both Feet Off the Ground, to Feinstein's at the Nikko for two performances only-Friday, August 16 (8 p.m.) and Saturday, August 17 (8 p.m.).

With a legendary book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, Chicago is now the #1 longest-running American musical in Broadway history.

Theatrical licensor Music Theatre International (MTI) has announced the award-winning musical The Scottsboro Boys is now available for licensing.

Save the Date! Abingdon Theatre Company announced today that they will honor Tony Award-nominated composer & lyricist Andrew Lippa (The Wild Party, Big Fish) as the company celebrates its 27th anniversary season at a Benefit Gala

On this episode of West of Broadway, we discuss Lara's trip to the Pantages to see The Phantom of the Opera tour now playing until July 7th and then we touch on the Geffen Playhouse's production of Mysterious Circumstances. Inspired by The New Yorker article Mysterious Circumstances: The Strange Death of a Sherlock Holmes Fanatic by David Grann, the play centers around the true story of the mysterious death of Richard Lancelyn Green, the world's foremost scholar on Sherlock Holmes.