Tim Rice News

The enchanting musical Beauty and the Beast delighted audiences at San Francisco's Curran Theater on opening night and is the perfect dose of holiday entertainment for children of all ages. Disney's timeless tale of love and transformation is touring the country and will be in San Francisco through January 5, 2014. A NETworks Presentations event, this show forgoes some of the more costly set designs of the original Broadway show but loses nothing of the melodic magnificence of Menken, Ashman and Rice's original masterpiece. Musical Director/Conductor Kevin Francis Finn helms the lush orchestrations of Danny Troob, while the beautifully crafted book by Linda Woolverton brings her animated original to the stage in superb fashion.

Below, check out sneak peeks of the exciting new documentary on the musical legend!

For the past week, BroadwayWorld has been counting down the final days of 2013 with video tributes to our 13 favorite musical moments of this year. Now that the ball has dropped and 2014 has officially arrived, we shift gears and look ahead to what is to come in 2014. Below, we count-up to the 14 theatrical events of 2014 that we are most excited for!

It's that time of the year when the Windham Theatre Guild Broadway Chorus is gearing up for another terrific concert. This year four terrific Broadway shows that span 70 years of Broadway excellence have been chosen. Rodgers and Hart's 'Babes In Arms' , Irving Berlin's classic 'Annie Get Your Gun', 'Sweet Charity' and the magnificent songs of Elton John and Tim Rice from 'The Lion King' .

Kids' Night on Broadway will be held during The Wizard Of Oz's run at the Segerstrom Center For The Arts, February 12 & 13, 2014.

Last night I had the pleasure of speaking to two of the hottest producers in Hollywood and on Broadway all about their recent smash hit December with the ratings bonanza of NBC's live presentation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's THE SOUND OF MUSIC as well as the three-network tent-pole two-night TV event, BONNIE & CLYDE - the peerless Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. Discussing all aspects of the unprecedented live presentation, Zadan and Meron outline the process of bringing the gigantic production to the small screen and grant us a vivid look behind the scenes of the big show. Additionally, Zadan and Meron comment on the social media frenzy that occurred during the 25+ million-viewed telecast as well as their reaction to criticism of country music superstar Carrie Underwood in the starring role, as well as their longstanding relationship with NBC in general. Plus, Zadan and Meron also clue us in on what elements they seek out in special events such as this as we look ahead to next year's confirmed major live musical - whatever could it be?! Besides all about THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Zadan and Meron also offer us the 411 on a number of other projects immediately upcoming in 2014 and far beyond, with a special focus on their just-announced Harvey Weinstein collaboration on a feature film version of Stephen Schwartz's beloved PIPPIN, as well as first news on a forthcoming original Beach Boys jukebox musical currently in development and preliminary information on the pilot for a new musical series inspired by Grammy Award-winning songwriter Diane Warren titled SONGBYRD, set to shoot in January. All of that, reflections on last year's sensational Academy Awards broadcast hosted by the controversial Seth MacFarlane and a look ahead to this year's Zadan & Meron-produced Oscars show - set to be hosted by daytime queen Ellen Degeneres - as well as stories from their early years producing cabaret showcases and penning books on theatre as well as much, much more in this all-encompassing conversation with the most important men in movie musicals.

Stephen Ward, which has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and book and lyrics by playwright Christopher Hamptonand lyricist Don Black, opens tonight, 19 December 2013 at the Aldwych Theatre. Let's see what the critics had to say...

THIRTEEN's American Masters explore Marvin's prolific life and career in the series' Season 27 finale Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did For Love, premiering nationally Friday, December 27, 2013, 9-10:30 p.m. on PBS (check local listings).

The world's tastiest new musical will have its premiere this winter in NYC. The Chocolate Show!, arriving just in time for Valentine's Day, will begin performances on Saturday, February 1 with an official opening night set for Friday, February 14 at the 47th Street Theatre, 304 West 47th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. Featuring book and music by Alan Golub & Laura Goldfader, lyrics by Mr. Golub, The Chocolate Show! is directed by Dan Foster, choreographed by Grady McLeod Bowman and under the music direction of Jeffrey Klitz, who also provided the musical arrangements and orchestrations. Tickets for The Chocolate Show! are $39.50 - $59.50 and can be arranged online at www.ticketcentral.com or by calling 212.279.4200 or at the TicketCentral Box Office located at 416 West 42nd Street. The 47th Street Theatre box office (304 West 47th Street) will open one hour before each performance.

Individual tickets for all remaining FAIRWINDS Broadway Across America - Orlando shows are on sale now. EVITA will play at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre March 25 - 30, 2014, followed by JERSEY BOYS for a limited two week engagement April 15 - 27, 2014, and GHOST THE MUSICAL, May 13 - 18, 2014.

"Disney's Beauty and the Beast," the award-winning Broadway hit musical, will return to the Gallo Center for the Arts for a two-night engagement in January. Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production previously played to capacity audiences during a five-performance run at the Gallo Center in 2010.

With perhaps the wittiest and most memorable promotional tool thought up in the theatre this year, the national tour of EVITA has introduced an image advertising faux tissue packets emblazoned with the show's iconic logo along with a reference to the mega-musical's biggest song, 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina'.

The company of NETworks Presentations' national tour of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, created their own version of the Christmas classic 'Silver Belles'. Watch below!

DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is returning to Wharton Center as part of the MSU Federal Credit Union Broadway at Wharton Center Series. Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production comes to life on stage February 18-23, 2014. Tickets are available online at whartoncenter.com, at the Auto- Owners Ticket Office at Wharton Center, or by calling 1-800-WHARTON.

Ah, yes. 2013 was indeed an outstanding year for theater in Southern California. Even better: Orange County---my home base---boasted some of the best shows, period---marking an exciting theater renaissance in brilliance and artistry that I hope continues to grow here inside L.A.'s next door neighbor. With that said, here is my Top 10 Stage Shows of 2013 from Orange County and adjacent locales nearby, followed by my picks for the year's best performances.

CHESS, the hit Broadway and London musical, was presented in Concert on December 8, 2013 at the Richland Performing Arts Center in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Check out a look back below!

Our homegrown production of director Julie Taymor's vision features the most multicultural cast of any Australian-produced stage musical to date.

Casting has been announced for the Orange County engagement of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical. Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production will come to life on stage at Segerstrom Center for the Arts from January 14 - 19, 2014.

DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is returning to Wharton Center as part of the MSU Federal Credit Union Broadway at Wharton Center Series. Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production comes to life on stage February 18-23, 2014. Tickets go on sale Friday, December 13, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. and will be available online at whartoncenter.com, at the Auto-Owners Ticket Office at Wharton Center, or by calling 1-800-WHARTON.

The new documentary Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did For Love is the American Masters series' Season 27 finale, premiering nationally Friday, December 27, 2013, 9-10:30 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) and available on DVD January 14, 2014 via PBS Distribution. The film had its New York City premiere last night, and attendees included:Quincy Jones, David Zippel, Annaleigh Ashford, Baayork Lee & more. BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was on the red carpet to chat with all of them about their friend and collaborator. Check out what they had to say below!