The Old Globe News

Award-winning Canadian actress Chilina Kennedy, who made her Broadway debut as 'Mary Magdalene' in Jesus Christ Superstar, has nabbed the title role in Beautiful-The Carole King Musical, the smash hit musical about the early life and career of the legendary and groundbreaking singer/songwriter. Kennedy begins performances on March 7, 2015, succeeding Tony Award-winner Jessie Mueller, who will play her final performance in Beautiful on March 6 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre (124 West 43rd Street). Check out a first look at the actress in action below!

Deadline writes that BRIGHT STAR book writer and legendary comedic actor Steve Martin has signed on for Ang Lee's upcoming film BILLY LYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK.

The Public Theater welcomes Tony Award nominee Jonathan Groff to the cast of HAMILTON as 'King George' tonight, March 3. Groff, who performed in The Public's recent revival of Hair as well as The Bacchae and The Singing Forest, is replacing Brian d'Arcy James, who will be starring in Something Rotten on Broadway this spring.

The Ford's Theatre Society 2014-2015 season continues with the musical Freedom's Song: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, directed by Jeff Calhoun, March 13 through May 20, 2015, at the historic Ford's Theatre (511 Tenth Street NW, Washington, D.C.). A new adaptation of the Broadway musical The Civil War, Freedom's Song features the words of Abraham Lincoln and music inspired by the letters of those who lived through the Civil War. The production is part of Ford's 150: Remembering the Lincoln Assassination, a series of events marking the 150 years since Abraham Lincoln's assassination at Ford's Theatre.

Gulfshore Playhouse will produce their second World Premiere in as many years with The Butcher by Gwydion Suilebhan, playing February 28th through March 22nd with $30 preview performances on February 25th, 26th and 27th. Playwright talkbacks will take place following each preview performance and following the 3pm matinee performance on Sunday, March 1st. The Butcherwas featured as a finalist in Gulfshore Playhouse's 1st Annual New Works Festival in August 2013.

La Jolla Playhouse announces its final subscription show for the 2015/2016 season: Guards at the Taj, by Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo), marking newly-appointed Playhouse Associate Artistic Director Jaime Castañeda's directorial debut at the Playhouse. The production will run February 2 - 28, 2016 in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre.

McDonald/Selznick Associates presents the 2015 MSA Emerging Choreographers' Showcase today, February 27, 2015 in New York City featuring the work of choreographers Al Blackstone, Adam Cates, Sean McKnight, and Rachelle Rak. Two performances will take place at the Ailey Citigroup Theater for an invited audience of producers, industry professionals, and guests.

THE OLD GLOBE, in partnership with the SAN DIEGO PUBLIC LIBRARY, has been selected as the host site for the state of California for First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare, a national traveling exhibition of the Shakespeare First Folio, one of the world's most treasured books. The Folger Shakespeare Library, in partnership with Cincinnati Museum Center and the American Library Association, is touring a First Folio of Shakespeare in 2016 to all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced today that Tony Award nominee Jonathan Groff will join the cast of HAMILTON as 'King George' on Tuesday, March 3. Groff, who performed in The Public's recent revival of Hair as well as The Bacchae and The Singing Forest, is replacing Brian d'Arcy James, who will be starring in Something Rotten on Broadway this spring. The world premiere musical HAMILTON, inspired by the book 'Alexander Hamilton' by Ron Chernow, with book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and directed by Thomas Kail, has been extended three times at The Public due to sold-out demand and will close as scheduled on Sunday, May 3 prior to a Broadway transfer to the Richard Rodgers Theatre beginning July 13 and opening August 6.

The Old Globe is delighted to welcome one of the true geniuses of the American theatre, Tony Award winner Mary Zimmerman, who makes her long-awaited San Diego directing debut with an enchanting theatrical spectacle with live music and sumptuous visuals, The White Snake, continuing the Globe's 80th Anniversary festivities as part of the Balboa Park Centennial Celebration. The Southern California Premiere of The White Snake, written and directed by Zimmerman, will run March 21 through April 26 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run March 21 through 25. Opening night is Thursday, March 26 at 8:00 p.m.

Welcome to BWW's exclusive talk show, BACKSTAGE WITH Richard Ridge. Follow Richard as he visits the theater's best and brightest in their dressing rooms, on their stages and favorite hang outs to talk about their lives, careers and all of the things you don't know, but want to know. In the special interview below, Richard welcomes Broadway favorite Rob McClure, who is currently starring in Honeymoon in Vegas at the Nederlander Theatre. Watch as they discuss the show, how he got his start at Paper Mill Playhouse, his obsession with video games, and so much more. Check out the full interview below!

The Old Globe will present a one-night-only free event, Barry Edelstein In Conversation with Carey Perloff, on Sunday, March 15 at 4:00 p.m.

Halcyon Theatre announces a world premiere and two Chicago premieres as part of our Tenth Season in 2015/16.

Long Wharf Theatre presents brownsville song (b-side for tray) by Kimber Lee, directed by Associate Artistic Director Eric Ting, from March 25 through April 19.

Beloved Tony and Oliver winning actress Lea Salonga will soon be returning to New York.

McDonald/Selznick Associates presents the 2015 MSA Emerging Choreographers' Showcase on February 27, 2015 in New York City featuring the work of choreographers Al Blackstone, Adam Cates, Sean McKnight, and Rachelle Rak. Two performances will take place at the Ailey Citigroup Theater for an invited audience of producers, industry professionals, and guests.

The Old Globe's West Coast Premiere of The Twenty-seventh Man by award-winning novelist Nathan Englander, directed by Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein, will now play an extra week of performances -- through March 22, 2015. Tony and Emmy Award winner Hal Linden ('Barney Miller,' The Rothschilds) leads a cast of Broadway and Globe veterans including Ron Orbach, Robert Dorfman, Eli Gelb, James Shanklin, and Lowell Byers. Opening night is tonight, February 19 at 8:00 p.m., and BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Lincoln Center Education, the education cornerstone of Lincoln Center and a global leader in arts education and advocacy, announces the first event of the 2015 Next Stage series, a discussion series launched last year with high-profile artists exploring the role of arts education in their creative and commercial work. The first event, taking place today, February 19 at Lincoln Center's Clark Studio Theater, will focus on artists involved in the creation of works for the specific audience of people on the autism spectrum.

The course of love definitely does NOT run smooth when William Shakespeare's family-friendly comedy 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' plays on the Clarence Brown Theatre Mainstage tonight, February 19 through March 8, 2015. An Open Captioned performance will take place on Sunday, February 22 at 2:00 pm.

BWW caught up with the busy artist just days before the 87th ACADEMY AWARDS airs live on February 22nd, to find out what's in store for this year's ceremony, and get the behind-the-scenes scoop on NBC's PETER PAN LIVE and more!