Tommy Tune News

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, May 27, 2012 - Sunday, May 27, 2012.

Today we are continuing our 30-day Tony Awards countdown - ending, of course, on the 2012 Tony Awards, June 10 - with a salute to a Tony-winning Best Musical directed and choreographed by the one and only Tommy Tune and composed by Maury Yeston - NINE. Based on Federico Fellini's 8 ½, NINE is a surrealistic concept musical that concerns itself with the mid-life crisis of a glamorous Italian film director and the many, many women in his life - his wife, his mother, his mistress, his muse, his agent and many, many more.

Today we continue our extensive consideration of the best Tony Awards clips of all time, culled from over sixty years worth of shows, as we look ahead to the 2012 ceremony on June 10 by saluting a true triple-threat times two whose Tony-winning Best Musical, THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES, provided fodder for yesterday's selection - actor/director/choreographer Tommy Tune.

Today we are kicking off the 2012 InDepth InterView Tony Awards Series with the director/choreographer of the hottest hit of the 2011-2012 theatrical season, NEWSIES, that was recently awarded with a boatload of Tony Award nominations, in addition to a short-running show that has a very vocal group of advocates and supporters that also received a handful of Tony noms, BONNIE & CLYDE - the passionate and visionary Jeff Calhoun. Discussing all aspects of his mega-hit with Disney's NEWSIES and his success d'estime with Frank Wildhorn's BONNIE & CLYDE, as well as all about his years spent developing both, Calhoun illustrates his process and sheds some light on many aspects of the creation of the wildly different vehicles, as well as his opinions on the theatrical environment of today. Additionally, Calhoun outlines his experiences working with NEWIES and BONNIE & CLYDE breakout stars Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes - both Tony nominees - as well as his many years spent as an associate choreographer for legendary Tony-winning master director Tommy Tune creating many remarkable musicals such as GRAND HOTEL and THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES. Plus, Calhoun conveys his infectious enthusiasm for his craft and discusses what drives him to create while also sharing his humbled appreciation for the recognition of both his new musicals this season by the Tony Award committee and reflecting on his vast multitude of experiences in the theatre so far in his career - everything from starring in SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS and MY ONE & ONLY on Broadway to choreographing THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES and BUSKER ALLEY with Tommy Tune and transitioning into directing/choreographing with the hit revivals of GREASE, BIG RIVER, PIPPIN, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN (with Graciele Daniele), BELLS ARE RINGING, as well as GREY GARDENS and the rest. All of that and much, much more in this career-spanning conversation with one of Broadway's best!

Today we are kicking off the 2012 InDepth InterView Tony Awards Series with the director/choreographer of the hottest hit of the 2011-2012 theatrical season, NEWSIES, that was recently awarded with a boatload of Tony Award nominations, in addition to a short-running show that has a very vocal group of advocates and supporters that also received a handful of Tony noms, BONNIE & CLYDE - the passionate and visionary Jeff Calhoun. Discussing all aspects of his mega-hit with Disney's NEWSIES and his success d'estime with Frank Wildhorn's BONNIE & CLYDE, as well as all about his years spent developing both, Calhoun illustrates his process and sheds some light on many aspects of the creation of the wildly different vehicles, as well as his opinions on the theatrical environment of today. Additionally, Calhoun outlines his experiences working with NEWIES and BONNIE & CLYDE breakout stars Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes - both Tony nominees - as well as his many years spent as an associate choreographer for legendary Tony-winning master director Tommy Tune creating many remarkable musicals such as GRAND HOTEL and THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES. Plus, Calhoun conveys his infectious enthusiasm for his craft and discusses what drives him to create while also sharing his humbled appreciation for the recognition of both his new musicals this season by the Tony Award committee and reflecting on his vast multitude of experiences in the theatre so far in his career - everything from starring in SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS and MY ONE & ONLY on Broadway to choreographing THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES and BUSKER ALLEY with Tommy Tune and transitioning into directing/choreographing with the hit revivals of GREASE, BIG RIVER, PIPPIN, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN (with Graciele Daniele), BELLS ARE RINGING, as well as GREY GARDENS and the rest. All of that and much, much more in this career-spanning conversation with one of Broadway's best!

Today we are tying together the 2012 Tony Awards Clip Countdown selection with BroadwayWorld's extensive and exclusive InDepth InterView Tony Awards Edition premiere entry spotlighting NEWSIES and BONNIE & CLYDE director/choreographer Jeff Calhoun by focusing on Calhoun's first major choreographic contributions showcased on a Broadway stage, as seen in the 1991 Tony Award-winning Best Musical helmed by multi-Tony-winner Tommy Tune, THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES.

The annual party known as the Elliot Norton Awards was held at the Paramount Center, bringing the Boston theater community together to celebrate achievements of a lifetime, as well as of the past year. Individuals singled out for recognition included song-and-dance man extraordinaire Tommy Tune, Broadway producer Spring Sirkin, and Kate Snodgrass, Artistic Director of Boston Playwrights' Theatre and Co-Founder of the Boston Theater Marathon.

The Boston Theater Critics Association previously announced its nominations for the 30h Anniversary Elliot Norton Awards. The awards, which recognize excellence in Greater Boston theater, are to be presented tonight, May 21, at 7 p.m. at the Paramount Mainstage, 559 Washington Street, Boston.

BELLS ARE RINGING, the next staged reading of MUSICAL THEATRE WEST'S REINER READING SERIES, will take place tonight, May 20, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.

On June 10, 2012, The Actor's Fund will present its 16th Annual Tony Awards party at the Skirball Center, this year honoring Jason Alexander with the Julie Harris Award for Lifetime Achievement.. Scott Bakula will host the gala and this year's Honorary Celebrity Committee includes: Julie Bowen, Nancy Dussault, Dann Florek, Elliott Gould, Steve Guttenberg, Garry Marshall, Chita Rivera, Susan Sarandon, Holland Taylor and Zachary Quinto. The event includes cocktails and a silent auction followed by ainner and a live telecast of a live feed of the Tony Awards as they happen in New York.

Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston has announced major principal casting and creative team members for its 44th consecutive summer season, including Lorenzo Lamas, Anita Gillette, Rick Hilsabeck and Sarah Pfisterer.

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (Lincoln Center) and The Philhallmonic Society present 'Swingin' On A Star'--a musical celebration of the 1940s on Saturday, June 23rd, 2012, 2:30 p.m. at the Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center (entrance on 65th and Amsterdam Avenue). The concert is free with general seating.

TheatreZone opens Season 8 in December with A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum. Broadway's great farce is light, fast-paced, witty, irreverent and one of the funniest musicals ever written -- the perfect escape from life's troubles. With Book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, music and lyrics by the legendary Stephen Sondheim, Forum takes comedy back to its roots, combining situations from time-tested, 2000 year old comedies of Roman playwright Plautus with the infectious energy of classic vaudeville. The result is a non-stop laugh-fest in which a crafty slave (Pseudolus) struggles to win the hand of a beautiful but slow-witted courtesan (Philia) for his young master (Hero), in exchange for freedom.

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) just announced the cast of The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, running June 5 - 17 at the Hobby Center for The Performing Arts. It's all big songs and big hair in this sassy, spirited musical about a real-life brothel in Texas. Based on the "Chicken Ranch", the infamous, long-running house of ill repute, this tongue-in-cheek story chronicles Miss Mona Stangley, a classy yet brassy madam with a heart of gold, as her "business" becomes the center of a media controversy. Thrusting the Chicken Ranch into the spotlight is Melvin P. Thorpe, a loud-mouthed reporter based on Houston's own late Marvin Zindler. Spicing up the story line is a hot-headed, trigger-happy town sheriff, the Texas A&M football team, and Miss Mona's risque girls. The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas will be a feisty, fun-filled treat that includes favorites such as "A Lil' Ole Bitty Pissant Country Place" and "Hard Candy Christmas".

Peggy Herman released a brand new recording of "Herman on Herman," her tribute to Broadway legend Jerry Herman, at Feinstein's at the Loews Regency, on Sunday May 6. The one-night-only concert featured many of the songs from the show's premiere in May of last year, plus additional material that was added to the project in the intervening months. Check out photos from the concert below!

On her nights off from THE LYONS on Broadway, Linda Lavin - the Tony-nominated star of Nicky Silver's comedy - performs two concerts at the Metropolitan Room (34 W. 22 St.) in Manhattan: last night, May 6, and tonight, May 7, both at 9:30 p.m. View photos from last night's concert below - with visits from Tommy Tune, Diane Sawyer, Stockard Channing and more!

Peggy Herman releases a brand new recording of "Herman on Herman," her tribute to Broadway legend Jerry Herman, at Feinstein's at the Loews Regency, 540 Park Avenue, tonight, May 6 at 7:30pm. The one-night-only concert features many of the songs from the show's premiere in May of last year, plus additional material that was added to the project in the intervening months.

In Herman's new recording of Herman classics, the voice and the songs form a marriage of music and with each other.

TheatreZone opens Season 8 in December with A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum. Broadway's great farce is light, fast-paced, witty, irreverent and one of the funniest musicals ever written -- the perfect escape from life's troubles. With Book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, music and lyrics by the legendary Stephen Sondheim, Forum takes comedy back to its roots, combining situations from time-tested, 2000 year old comedies of Roman playwright Plautus with the infectious energy of classic vaudeville. The result is a non-stop laugh-fest in which a crafty slave (Pseudolus) struggles to win the hand of a beautiful but slow-witted courtesan (Philia) for his young master (Hero), in exchange for freedom.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents [title of show] with music and lyric by Jeff Bowen and the book by Hunter Bell, directed by Peter Amster. The production runs tonight, May 4 - June 10, 2012 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd. The press opening is on Friday, May 11, 2012. Tickets for [title of show],$25-60, are available by phone at 847.673.6300, or online at northlight.org. Young Adult tickets (25 and under) are $10 (one per person with valid ID).