Thomas Z. Shepard News

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, will present a private reading of a new musical comedy A DOCTOR IN SPITE OF HIMSELF by Sheldon Harnick, based on Molière's LE MEDECIN MALGRE LUI, today, February 1 at MTC Studios. The musical features a score by Harnick, as well as English Adaptation and Additional Dialogue. The reading will be directed by David Glenn Armstrong, with musical direction by Amanda Morton. The cast will feature Ben Davis, Beth Fowler, David Garrison, Cady Huffman, Charles Kimbrough, Jose Llana, Patrick Richwood, Robb Sapp and Elena Shaddow.

What happens when a global superpower imposes its social conventions and political practices on a smaller, less "civilized" nation? Utopia Limited, Gilbert & Sullivan's 'shockingly relevant satire of imperialism and globalization,' tackles this question in a fresh new edition by the Blue Hill Troupe (http://www.bht.org), opening tonight at 8 pm at El Teatro of El Museo del Barrio (1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street). The run continues through April 28.

What happens when a global superpower imposes its social conventions and political practices on a smaller, less 'civilized' nation? 'Utopia Limited,' Gilbert & Sullivan's shockingly relevant satire of imperialism and globalization, tackles this question in a fresh new edition by the Blue Hill Troupe (www.bht.org), April 20-28, 2012 at El Teatro of El Museo del Barrio (1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street).

What happens when a global superpower imposes its social conventions and political practices on a smaller, less 'civilized' nation? 'Utopia Limited,' Gilbert & Sullivan's shockingly relevant satire of imperialism and globalization, tackles this question in a fresh new edition by the Blue Hill Troupe (www.bht.org), April 20-28, 2012 at El Teatro of El Museo del Barrio (1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street).

Blue Hill Troupe, Ltd. , the only musical theater group in New York City to donate its net proceeds to charity, launches its 88th season with the musical farce A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Blue Hill Troupe, Ltd. , the only musical theater group in New York City to donate its net proceeds to charity, launches its 88th season with the musical farce A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

As BroadwayWorld has reported, The New York Philharmonic's SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert, which took place on March 15-16, 2010 at Avery Fisher Hall, will be broadcast on THIRTEEN'S Great Performances on PBS on Wednesday, November 24 (check local listings). WNET, Channel 13 in New York City, will air the concert at 9:30 p.m. that evening. Today, it has been revealed that the Image Entertainment will release the program DVD and Blu-Ray on November 16, 2010. The concert includes songs and orchestral pieces from Sondheim musical theater favorites such as Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Into the Woods, and Sunday in the Park with George. Today, it has been announced that in addition to the PBS telecast, the concert will be released on DVD in November by Image Entertainment.

SHINE! The Horatio Alger Musical with a Book by Richard Seff; Music by Roger Dean Anderson and Lyrics by Lee Goldsmith continues with numerous activities. Thomas Z Shepard, the renowned cast recording producer, saw the acclaimed musical and was extremely impressed. This week he produced a 5 song demo recording with full orchestra and cast members featuring Andy Mientus. Next week the musical has been invited to Florida for the Mainstreet Musicals Festival for presentations with Hal Linden. This Sunday the show will be presented with 2010 NYMY Awards For Excellence: EXCELLENCE IN OVERALL DESIGN - Shine! Michael Bottari & Ron Case; OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE - Andy Mientus, and Honorable Mention: Peter Flynn, For Direction. The production was a Critics Pick from BackStage.

As BroadwayWorld has reported, The New York Philharmonic's SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert, which took place on March 15-16, 2010 at Avery Fisher Hall, will be broadcast on THIRTEEN'S Great Performances on PBS on Wednesday, November 24 (check local listings). WNET, Channel 13 in New York City, will air the concert at 9:30 p.m. that evening. Today, it has been revealed that the Image Entertainment will release the program DVD and Blu-Ray on November 16, 2010. The concert includes songs and orchestral pieces from Sondheim musical theater favorites such as Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Into the Woods, and Sunday in the Park with George. Today, it has been announced that in addition to the PBS telecast, the concert will be released on DVD in November by Image Entertainment.

As BroadwayWorld reported yesterday, The New York Philharmonic's SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert, which took place on March 15-16, 2010 at Avery Fisher Hall, will be broadcast on THIRTEEN'S Great Performances on PBS on Wednesday, November 24 (check local listings). WNET, Channel 13 in New York City, will air the concert at 9:30 p.m. that evening. The concert includes songs and orchestral pieces from Sondheim musical theater favorites such as Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Into the Woods, and Sunday in the Park with George. Today, it has been announced that in addition to the PBS telecast, the concert will be released on DVD in November by Image Entertainment.

Today, we are taking a listen to five of the greatest and most deservedly classic-status cast albums of all time, with all five selections also being Tony-winning Best Musicals recently remastered, repackaged and re-released by Masterworks Broadway in time for Tony Award season which this week is finally coming to a close. In salute of Broadway now - and as it was fifty years ago when the first of these scores premiered - we take stock of what we have got, for better or worse. Surely, the strength of these shows' scores speak and sing out loud for themselves: 42nd Street, 1776, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, MAME and CITY OF ANGELS. From Herman to Coleman to Loesser and beyond we go, with a glance to the future and the all-to-recent past...

Blue Hill Troupe, Ltd., the only musical theater group in New York City to donate its net proceeds to charity, continues its travel-themed 86th season with Gilbert & Sullivan's Venetian romance, The Gondoliers. The production, opening Friday, follows on the heels of the group's well-received Brigadoon last fall.

Today we are taking a listen to Stephen Sondheim's musicals of the 1980s, each a striking artistic achievement attempting to do something never done before in Broadway history and improving the very genre of musical theatre itself with his work on these three very different shows. MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE and INTO THE WOODS...

Today we are taking a look at the extended streak of genius exhibited by Stephen Sondheim, along with director/producer Hal Prince, following the resounding success of COMPANY in 1970. Throughout the rest of the 70s they would continue to change the form of theatre itself with four momentous musicals tackling every topic from aging showgirls singing one last tune to Ingmar Bergman sunsets and a topic for a concept musical no less epic than the westernization of Japan in the wake of Commodore Perry - plus, who could forget the remorseful Barber and his knife (or should that be “wife“?). Without question, these are four richly-encrusted crowning achievements of a legendary career and these musical jewels are still sparkling and shining, as glistening and beautiful as ever dazzling us and enticing us to inspect them closer...

Blue Hill Troupe, Ltd., the only musical theater group in New York City to donate its net proceeds to charity, continues its travel-themed 86th season with Gilbert & Sullivan's Venetian romance, The Gondoliers. The production, opening Friday, follows on the heels of the group's well-received Brigadoon last fall.

Blue Hill Troupe, Ltd., the only musical theater group in New York City to donate its net proceeds to charity, continues its travel-themed 86th season with Gilbert & Sullivan's Venetian romance, The Gondoliers. The production, opening Friday, follows on the heels of the group's well-received Brigadoon last fall.

This week, both in memory of the real-life Baby June, June Havoc, who passed away this week, as well as a precursory introduction to a multi-part series critiquing the entire canon of all major Sondheim cast albums available in anticipation of the late April opening of the new review SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM (currently in previews at Studio 54), we are taking a listen to the various cast recordings of the major productions on Broadway/West End of GYPSY over the last fifty years. GYPSY was, of course, one of the first scores on Broadway boasting lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and whether a leading lady the likes of Ethel Merman, Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters or Patti LuPone, it is a score unlike any other before or since and a true pinnacle of not only musical theatre, but all theatre, on Broadway and beyond. Some may even say the greatest musical of all...

The New York Philharmonic will present SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert on March 15 and Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. This celebration of the 80th birthday of the great Broadway and film composer/lyricist will include his most enduring orchestral music and songs - performed, in some cases, by the stars of the original Broadway cast productions - in addition to rarely-heard material. Joining the celebration will be (in alphabetical order) Michael Cerveris, Victoria Clark, Jason Danieley, Nathan Gunn, George Hearn, Patti LuPone, Marin Mazzie, Audra McDonald, Donna Murphy, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, and others to be announced, including surprise guests. Paul Gemignani, Mr. Sondheim's longtime collaborator, will conduct the New York Philharmonic; Lonny Price is the director; and Mr. Price and Matt Cowart are the producers.

The New York Philharmonic will present SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert on March 15 and Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at 7:30 p.m.

David Hyde Pierce will host the New York Philharmonic's presentation of SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert, Monday, March 15, and Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at 7:30 p.m.