Tom Kitt News

Coming quick on the heels of last month's extensive acting-based discussion in BroadwayWorld's SPOTLIGHT ON THE NY POPS series, today we are again highlighting one of the brightest stars on Broadway and talking about all aspects of her stupendous and multi-faceted new album, ALWAYS - online and in stores next week - and, also, all about her solo concert at The Town Hall this Friday night, what surprises may be in store, and, additionally, what we can possibly expect from her onstage in the near future. BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY? FINDING NEVERLAND? What about Encores!? GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES? MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG? All are possibilities - just not Bartlett Sher's FUNNY GIRL! One thing is for sure: whatever Kelli O'Hara is doing, Broadway babies will be watching intently! In addition to tomorrow's gig at The Town Hall, Ms. O'Hara will also be a part of a benefit at Le Poisson Rouge on June 7 and featured on the A CAPITOL FOURTH PBS special alongside GLEE star Matt Morrison on July 4.

The humidity is starting to climb and it's what we call around here -- 'corn weather'. But in the air-conditioned theatres in the Nation's Capital there is a harvest of new shows opening. So if you're here visiting the monuments and the Smithsonian museums, get out of the heat and come see a play or a musical.

The New York Civil Liberties Union (The New York State affiliate of the ACLU) today announced a star-studded lineup of award-winning performers for Broadway Stands Up for Freedom, its annual benefit show scheduled for Monday, July 25 at the NYU Skirball Center for Performing Arts.

SOUTH PACIFIC star Kelli O'Hara will release her second solo album under the Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight label. The album, entitled Always, features 13 tracks consisting of a collection of Broadway favorites from MY FAIR LADY and SOUTH PACIFIC, as well as songs by Irving Berlin and Ricky Ian Gordon among others. The album is set to be release May 31, 2011.

Having directed a handful of the most acclaimed performances of the season - among them Al Pacino and Lily Rabe in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, as well as GOOD PEOPLE'S Frances McDormand- the last thing you would expect Daniel Sullivan to be doing would be taking on one of Shakespeare's most problematic plays - ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL - and putting it on in Central Park; yet, Mr. Sullivan soldiers on.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has announced that DAVID WILSON BARNES (Second Stage's hit Becky Shaw), JUSTIN BARTHA (The Hangover, Broadway's Lend Me a Tenor), ANNA CAMP (Second Stage's The Scene, 'True Blood'), and KRYSTEN RITTER (Confessions of a Shopaholic, Second Stage's All This Intimacy) will appear in the world premiere comedy, ALL NEW PEOPLE, written by ZACH BRAFF and directed by PETER DuBOIS. ALL NEW PEOPLE will begin previews on Tuesday, June 28 and officially open on Monday, July 25 at 7:00pm at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43rd street). For tickets or more information, please visit www.2ST.com.

Uptown Players continues its tenth season with the regional premiere of the startling new musical, Next To Normal, running June 10 - July 3, 2011, at the historic Kalita Humphreys Theater. Uptown Players is the first regional theater in the United States to produce Next To Normal, following its long Broadway run, which ended on January 16, 2011, after 21 previews and 733 regular performances.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Interim Executive Director Joey Parnes) announced complete casting today for the 2011 Shakespeare in the Park summer season featuring MEASURE FOR MEASURE, directed by David Esbjornson, and ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL, directed by Daniel Sullivan, running in repertory June 6 - July 30 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. MEASURE FOR MEASURE begins performances on Monday, June 6 and officially opens on Thursday, June 30. ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL begins performances on Saturday, June 11 and officially opens on Saturday, June 25. Tickets to both shows running in repertory are free and distributed the day of the performance. All performances are at 8:00 p.m. For ticket information and performance schedule, visit www.shakespeareinthepark.org.

The Awards ceremony was hosted by Harvey Fierstein last night at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan Center! BroadwayWorld was updating the winners list live throughout the evening.

Nominations for The 56th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced on Friday, April 29, 2011, at 9:30 AM at the New York Friars Club, 57 East 55th Street, in Manhattan. Amongst the shows with multiple nominations were THE BOOK OF MORMON with 12, ANYTHING GOES with 10, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE with 7, BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, SEE ROCK CITY & OTHER DESTINATIONS and WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN with 6.

The Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize Award-winning rock musical "Next to Normal" is coming to the Ordway for a two-week run from May 10-22.

Now through May 28, 2011, the Melbourne Theatre Company will present the Australian premiere of the 2010 Pulitzer-Prize winning Broadway hit, Next To Normal. The production, which is being directed by Dean Bryant and musical directed by Matthew Frank, will star Matt Hetherington and Kate Kendall.

J.L. 'Lynn' Singleton, President of the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC), is pleased to announce PPAC's 34th Anniversary Broadway Season

Local Equity Principal Auditions (EPAs) for Pioneer Theatre Company's 2011-2012 Season will be held on Thursday, May 12, 2011.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) premieres Murder for Two-A Killer Musical, created by Joe Kinosian (music/book) and Kellen Blair (lyrics/book), May 12-June 19, 2011, Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare. This comedic Agatha Christie-like whodunit musical comes with a surprising twist: one actor plays the inspector, the other plays all 10 suspects, and both play the piano. Staged by CST veteran director David H. Bell, this 75-minute premiere features the show's co-creator Joe Kinosian playing the slew of hilarious would-be criminals and Chicago favorite Alan Schmuckler performing the role of the inspector. Tickets for Murder for Two-A Killer Musical Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare May 12-June 19, 2011, are $25-$30, with special discounts available for groups of 10 or more. All patrons receive a 40% parking discount at Navy Pier garages. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater's website at www.chicagoshakes.com

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) premieres Murder for Two-A Killer Musical, created by Joe Kinosian (music/book) and Kellen Blair (lyrics/book), May 12-June 19, 2011, Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare. This comedic Agatha Christie-like whodunit musical comes with a surprising twist: one actor plays the inspector, the other plays all 10 suspects, and both play the piano. Staged by CST veteran director David H. Bell, this 75-minute premiere features the show's co-creator Joe Kinosian playing the slew of hilarious would-be criminals and Chicago favorite Alan Schmuckler performing the role of the inspector. Tickets for Murder for Two-A Killer Musical Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare May 12-June 19, 2011, are $25-$30, with special discounts available for groups of 10 or more. All patrons receive a 40% parking discount at Navy Pier garages. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater's website at www.chicagoshakes.com

Lynn Nottage's world premiere comedy, BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK, already extended one week through May 29 at Second Stage Theatre, and opened last night, May 9. Directed by Jo Bonney, BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK is Ms. Nottage's first play to be produced in New York since she won the Pulitzer Prize for Ruined in 2009. For ticket information, please call the Second Stage Box Office at 212-246-4422 or visit the company's website, www.2ST.com.

The Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize Award-winning rock musical "Next to Normal" is coming to the Ordway for a two-week run from May 10-22.

SHN presents the 2011-2012 Season under the direction of Carole Shorenstein Hays and Robert Nederlander.

The cast of recently closed AMERICAN IDIOT is set to make an appearance this Friday, May 6 at GUMBO IN DUMBO: GAYS OF SUMMER. The event will be held at Galapagos Art Space (16 Main Street, at Water Street, DUMBO, Brooklyn).