Tommy Tune News

John C. Breckenridge, President and CEO of Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS), announced today the nominations for TUTS' seventh annual Tommy Tune Awards which will be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Developed by TUTS, the Tommy Tune Awards honor musical theatre excellence at the high school level. After reviewing and evaluating the 45 participating Houston-area high school productions during the 2008-2009 school year, a team of 29 Houston-based theatre professionals made 152 nominations in 15 categories.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will conclude its 30th Anniversary mainstage season with the New York premiere of VANITIES, a new musical written by Jack Heifner, featuring music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by Judith Ivey.

Goodbye gray skies, hello blue! The national tour of Happy Days - A New Musical will play at the Hobby Center for Performing Arts with Theatre Under The Stars May 12-24, 2009 for just two weeks.

The producers of the upcoming stage sequel to High School Musical are launching a TV competition with GMTV to find an actor for the leading role of Troy Bolton.

32 seats in the front two rows of the orchestra will be made available for purchase by lottery for $20.00 at every performance of Rent, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony® Award-winning musical, with Theatre Under The Stars at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Opportunity to purchase the $20 tickets will be assigned by lottery and announced 90 minutes prior to curtain

Finally appearing together again after their Tony Award? winning performances in Evita, Patti LuPone joins Mandy Patinkin onstage for An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin. These Broadway legends will bring their critically acclaimed theatre concert to the Fisher Theatre, April 14 -19, 2009.

Country music star, CMA Winner, ACM Winner and four-time Grammy Nominee Joe Nichols has been offered the role made famous by George Strait in the Broadway production of the hit movie, Pure Country. According to producer Randall L. Wreghitt, the musical is in the process of securing the remainder of its financing and casting, and plans to open in early 2010.

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts (BCBC) will welcome Karen Akers, one of New York's premier cabaret artists, to the 2009 Red Curtain Cabaret gala benefit to be held on Wednesday, May 20, 2009 on the stage of the magnificent Walt Whitman Theatre at Brooklyn College.

Dick Van Dyke as the THE ACTORS FUND honors Chita Rivera at their 13th Annual Tony Awards Party with the Julie Harris Award for Lifetime Achievement. The gala features the only live feed in Los Angeles of the Tony Awards as they happen in New York. Marc Cherry, creator/producer of 'Desperate Housewives' and David Rambo, producer/writer is 'CSI' will produce and write this event. The event will be held at the Skirball Center (2701 North Sepulveda Blvd, LA, 90049) Universally regarded as an American national treasure, Chita

Goodspeed Musicals will proudly honor five time Tony Award-winner, Broadway legend William Ivey Long at a Gala evening on Saturday, May 2, 2009 when he will receive The Goodspeed Award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre in recognition of his extraordinary career.

The story of a group of young Americans searching for love and peace during the Vietnam era, HAIR is a timeless portrait of a movement that changed the world. Its groundbreaking rock score paved the way for some of the greatest musicals of our time.

HAIR began preview performances on Friday, March 6th, and celebrated its official opening last night, Tuesday, March 31, 2009. After a smash-hit run at Central Park?s Delacorte Theater last summer, HAIR returns to Broadway for the first time in over 30 years.

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College welcomes legendary composer/performer and 2008 Theater Hall of Fame inductee Marvin Hamlisch for an elegant evening of unforgettable music on Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 8pm, including selections from The Way We Were and A Chorus Line, along with tributes to Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, and Scott Joplin. He will be joined on stage by tenor J. Mark McVey.

Finally appearing together again after their Tony Award® winning performances in Evita, Patti LuPone joins Mandy Patinkin onstage for An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin. These Broadway legends will bring their critically acclaimed theatre concert to the Palace Theatre at PlayhouseSquare for 16 performances only, May 5 - 17, 2009.

The Ford's Theatre reopening season continues with the Tony-nominated 'The Civil War' by Frank Wildhorn, Gregory Boyd and Jack Murphy. Jeff Calhoun directs the production at Ford's Theatre from March 27-May 24, 2009.

Rolex presents ?America Dances! Celebrating Our Sparkling Heritage ? Broadway, TV & Film?- Career Transition For Dancers? 24th Anniversary Jubilee on Monday, November 2, 2009 at 7:00 pm at New York City Center, 131 West 55 Street (bet. 7 & 6 Aves) NYC. It will be followed by an Anniversary Supper with the Stars at The Grand Ballroom at The Hilton New York.

The Hollywood Reported has announced that Woody Allen has cast stage and screen favorite Nicole Kidman in his next film project.

John C. Breckenridge, President and CEO of Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS), announced today the nominations for TUTS' seventh annual Tommy Tune Awards which will be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Developed by TUTS, the Tommy Tune Awards honor musical theatre excellence at the high school level. After reviewing and evaluating the 45 participating Houston-area high school productions during the 2008-2009 school year, a team of 29 Houston-based theatre professionals made 152 nominations in 15 categories.

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) is delighted to announce that full casting is complete for LES MISERABLES, the recent addition to the TUTS 41st season! Les Miserables, which takes place of the previously scheduled Meet Me In St. Louis, will play for two weeks, March 24 - April 5, 2009 at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Houston.

It is with great honor that THE COLUMN Awards Board of Directors and the Executive Director/producer announce that TONY Award winning star Cady Huffman will be a special guest star at the 10th Annual COLUMN Awards Gala.