Theodore Bikel News

Berkeley Playhouse opens its fifth season with Rodgers and Hammerstein's beloved final collaboration, THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Berkeley Playhouse founding Artistic Director Elizabeth McKoy helms this endearing family classic, featuring a cast of 40, with musical direction by Greg Mason and choreography by Staci Arriaga. THE SOUND OF MUSIC plays tonight, October 27 through December 2 (Press opening: October 27) at the Julia Morgan Theatre in Berkeley.

The Diva and the Baritone, stars Metropolitan Opera baritone Theodore Lambrinos and soprano Hallie Neill. Elliot Finkel, a concert pianist with the chops of a Broadway musical director wrote the arrangements to showcase the couple's amazing vocal talents in a surprising mix of Broadway, opera and the best of the Great American songbook.

Masterworks Broadway announces the first collection of definitive recordings of every Rodgers & Hammerstein musical. Available November 6, 2012, RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN: THE COMPLETE BROADWAY MUSICALS includes recordings of Oklahoma!, The King and I, South Pacific, Carousel, Flower Drum Song, Cinderella, Allegro, Pipe Dream, Me and Juliet, State Fair and what is probably the most famous musical of all time, The Sound of Music.

The Town Hall, New York City's landmark theatre and concert venue (123 West 43rd Street) honors two influential individuals: Dr. Charlotte K Frank, Senior Vice President of McGraw Hill and Chair of the Town Hall Arts and Education Committee, and Marvin Leffler, in recognition of 34 years as President of The Town Hall. They will receive The Town Hall's 'Friend of the Arts' Award tonight, October 21st, 2012.

The Town Hall, New York City's landmark theatre and concert venue (123 West 43rd Street) honors two influential individuals: Dr. Charlotte K Frank, Senior Vice President of McGraw Hill and Chair of the Town Hall Arts and Education Committee, and Marvin Leffler, in recognition of 34 years as President of The Town Hall. They will receive The Town Hall's 'Friend of the Arts' Award on Sunday, October 21st, 2012.

David Mamet's comedy "November" is now playing at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum through November 4, 2012. Opening night was last night - check out photo coverage of the starry arrivals, curtain call and more below!

The Diva and the Baritone, stars Metropolitan Opera baritone Theodore Lambrinos and soprano Hallie Neill. Elliot Finkel, a concert pianist with the chops of a Broadway musical director wrote the arrangements to showcase the couple's amazing vocal talents in a surprising mix of Broadway, opera and the best of the Great American songbook.

Among the over 300 individuals who gathered this week to honor the late PR Icon, Dale Olson, with an exhibit at the Hollywood Museum and former offices of make-up wizard, Max Factor, included Ruta Lee, Valerie Harper, Garry Marshall, George Schlatter, JoAnne Worley, Kate Linder, Jackie Joseph, Patricia Barry, Ann Jeffreys, Barbra Van Orden, Theodore Bikel, Ilene Graff, Ben Lanzarone, Leonard Maltin, Renee Taylor, Karen Sharpe-Kramer, Martin Wiviott, Hunter and Stan Frieberg. Scroll below for photos from the event.

Berkeley Playhouse opens its fifth season with Rodgers and Hammerstein's beloved final collaboration, THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Berkeley Playhouse founding Artistic Director Elizabeth McKoy helms this endearing family classic, featuring a cast of 40, with musical direction by Greg Mason and choreography by Staci Arriaga. THE SOUND OF MUSIC plays October 27 through December 2 (Press opening: October 27) at the Julia Morgan Theatre in Berkeley.

The Litchfield hills are alive as TriArts Sharon Playhouse continues its 2012 season with the heartwarming family classic, The Sound of Music. Directed and choreographed by Gary John La Rosa, with music direction by Artistic Director Michael Berkeley, The Sound of Music opens tonight, August 9 and runs through August 26, 2012. Tickets ($16-$47) are available by calling 860.364.SHOW (7469) or at www.triarts.net.

The Litchfield hills are alive as TriArts Sharon Playhouse continues its 2012 season with the heartwarming family classic, The Sound of Music. Directed and choreographed by Gary John La Rosa, with music direction by Artistic Director Michael Berkeley, The Sound of Music opens August 9 and runs through August 26, 2012. Tickets ($16-$47) are available by calling 860.364.SHOW (7469) or at www.triarts.net.

Many consider THE SOUND OF MUSIC the greatest American musical. Others think of it as a sentimental piece of fluff. Whatever their view, few can sit and listen passively to the likes of such songs as My Favorite Things, Climb Ev'ry Mountain, Do-Re-Mi, and Maria. This is Rogers and Hammerstein at their best.

The hills are alive as Surflight Theatre continues its 2012 season with The Sound of Music. Directed and choreographed by Charles Abbott, with music direction by Ben Krauss, The Sound of Music opens tonight, July 24 and runs through August 25, 2012. Tickets ($36-$54) are available by calling 609-492-9477 or at www.surflight.org.

According to the Daily Mail, RAGTIME's Rosalie Craig will join the new stage musical Finding Neverland, about J.M. Barrie's encounter with the Lewelyn Davies family, which inspired him to write Peter Pan.

As previously reported, Julian Ovenden will star in a new musical version of the film Finding Neverland, which starred Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet and followed the the story of J.M. Barrie's inspiration for his famous children's book, Peter Pan.

'I feel pretty damn good! I'm exhausted because it's six in the morning here in LA, but it still feels pretty damn good! My phone started buzzing and I ran to my computer because I wasn't sure. People were texting me and saying 'I'm crossing my fingers to you' and stuff like that. So, I ran to my computer and because we're in this housing, first you have to enter your log in information and I couldn't get it to work. I'm like 'Why now?!' I finally got it to work and it was only after a friend sent me a text saying 'CONGRATULATIONS' that I thought 'Thank God!' I'm in tech right now so I'll spend the rest of the day in tech until midnight, but for this I'll do it!'

National Jewish Theater, Producing Artistic Director Arnold Mittelman, will present a limited Off-Broadway run of The Soap Myth, by Jeff Cohen, from March 23 - April 22 at theBlack Box Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre (111 West 46th Street, between 6th Avenue and Broadway). Directed by Arnold Mittelman, this production will starGreg Mullavey (television's "Marty Hartman") and features Andi Potamkin, Donald Corren, and Dee Pelletier.

Michael Riedel reports in today's New York Post that Lincoln Center Theater 'wants the Beaumont for its next big production - a revival of THE KING AND I starring Kelli O'Hara.' BroadwayWorld.com first reported back in 2011 that the theatre was considering a Bartlett Sher helmed revival of the classic show. O'Hara is currently starring opposite Matthew Broderick in NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT.

The Daily Mail UK reports that Julian Ovenden will star in a musical version of the film Finding Neverland, which starred Johhny Depp and Kate Winslet and followed the the story of J.M. Barrie's inspiration for his famous children's book, Peter Pan.

CENTERSTAGE and Westport Country Playhouse announced today casting for their co-production of Into the Woods, and Broadway fans will be excited to hear that the original Little Red Riding Hood, Danielle Ferland, is making her way back Into the Woods. The production is set to run March 7-April 15 at CENTERSTAGE before moving to Westport Country Playhouse in May. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's beloved fairy tale musical will be directed by Westport Country Playhouse's Artistic Director Mark Lamos.