Tommy Tune News

The McCallum Theatre presents WEST SIDE STORY: IN CONCERT for five performances Friday, March 9 through Sunday, March 11. This classic musical is being exclusively produced by the McCallum Theatre as part of its Leonard Bernstein Centennial Celebration. Produced and directed by Chad Hilligus, the limited McCallum engagement will feature an onstage 40-piece orchestra and an all-star cast direct from the Broadway and National Tour companies of West Side Story, I had the chance to catch up with Mr. Hilligus as he was preparing for this highly anticipated concert. Here are a few excerpts from that conversation:

The princesses are throwing a ball, and you're invited! Broadway's Cinderella, two- time Tony Award nominee Laura Osnes, brings a couple of her radiant leading lady friends-Tony Award nominee Susan Egan (Beauty and the Beast, Thoroughly Modern Millie) and Courtney Reed (Aladdin, In The Heights) along with music director Benjamin Rauhala-to Feinstein's at the Nikko on Friday, June 1 (8 p.m.) and Saturday, June 2 (8 p.m.) to create a dazzling evening of musical magic.

TADA! Youth Theater will honor Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress Leslie Uggams (Empire, Deadpool, Hallelujah, Baby!, Thoroughly Modern Millie) and performer, director, choreographer and Tony Award-winner Tommy Tune (The Will Rogers Follies, Grand Hotel, Nine, Seesaw) at its annual Gala. The evening will feature a cocktail hour, dinner, live and silent auctions, and performances by the honorees, TADA!'s Resident Youth Ensemble, Broadway Inspirational Voices, Jason Robert Brown, and Michael James Leslie, along with many more great surprises!

Broadway's original 'Belle' Susan Egan, will reprise her iconic performance once again, this time with 5 Star Theatricals in its final show of its 2017-2018 season, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.

GFour Productions, winners of fifty-six Drama Desk and forty-four Tony Awards, are proudly bringing the international hit show Menopause The Musical to the Aronoff Center's intimate Jarson-Kaplan Theater from March 22-31 for twelve performances (see performance schedule below). The show is part of Cincinnati Arts Association's 2017-18 Presenting Season.

Mayo Performing Arts Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, presents a wide range of programs that entertain, enrich, and educate the diverse population of the region and enhance the economic vitality of Northern New Jersey.

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas   Capezio Dance Foundation presents: Capezio celebrates 130 years of excellence in a one-night only special Awards and show on Monday, May 14, 2018 at 7:30 pm at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas NV 89106.  A glorious production will highlight some of the magical history of Capezio with numerous dance legends and stars of stage and screen saluting this milestone.  The show is produced and directed by Ann Marie DeAngelo. The show benefts The Actors Fund and Future Dance (a program sponsored by Nevada Ballet Theatre). This is the first time that the Capezio Dance Awards are being presented to receipients of various dance genres.

Encores! Artistic Director Jack Viertel today announced casting for the Encores! production of Grand Hotel, The Musical, directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes.

We're gonna whomp, and stomp, and whoop it up all night with the legendary director/choreographer Jeff Calhoun. From his days as a hoofer in SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, MY ONE AND ONLY, and THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS film, to helming the Broadway revivals of GREASE, Deaf West's BIG RIVER, JEKYLL AND HYDE and the original Broadway companies of BROOKLYN, BONNIE AND CLYDE, and NEWSIES, Jeff tells all to Rob and Kevin.

On March 5, 2018, TADA! Youth Theater will host its annual gala at Tribeca 360 in Manhattan  with special performances by Leslie Uggams and Tommy Tune. The evening will feature a cocktail hour, dinner, live and silent

Tommy Tune, Broadway's tallest tapper, returns to the Feinstein's at the Nikko stage on Sunday, March 18 at 4 & 7 p.m.- dancing, singing and tale-telling. The ten-time Tony Award winner takes an autobiographical stroll, celebrating 50 plus years of big time showmanship! From his arrival in New York City as a fresh-faced kid from Texas, through his most popular roles on stage and screen, to his ascension as one of Broadway's most accomplished director-choreographers. Accompanied by Michael Biagi, his music director for nearly four decades, the evening features Tune's personal renditions of standards by Irving Berlin, Kurt Weill, Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, Burt Bacharach, the Gershwins, Carole King, Green Day and more. Tickets for Tommy Tune range in price from $60-$100 and are available now by calling 866.663.1063 or visiting www.ticketfly.com.

For 25 years, New York City Center's Encores! series has been bringing classic American musicals back to life. This is where Chicago, Wonderful Town, and Finian's Rainbow were reborn-but we're just getting started.

The Barrow Group Theatre Company (Seth Barrish and Lee Brock, Co-Artistic Directors; Robert Serrell, Executive Director), recipient of a Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel Award, concludes their 2017-2018 season with the New York revival of A Walk in the Woods, a play by Lee Blessing. Directed by Donna Jean (DJ) Fogel, the two-member cast features K. Lorrel Manning as John Honeyman, an American negotiator and Martin Van Treuren as Andrey Botvinnik, a career Russian diplomat.

After a successful run in his one-man show 'I NEVER PROMISED YOU ... ROSE GARDEN', Patrick Rinn returns to The Triad Theater as Rose Garden in the first of his Vaudeville series titled, Rose Garden's Valentine Varieties.

This February, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.

Two-time Tony Award-winner Chita Rivera will perform two concerts at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (The Wallis) for one night only alongside Sirius XM Radio host and music director Seth Rudetsky (Broadway's Disaster!) on Thursday, March 29 at 7:30pm and 9:30pm.

BroadwayWorld is sad to share the news today that legendary filmmaker Rick McKay has passed away earlier this week. A longtime friend of the web site, and constant presence in the theatre world, McKay has long been at work on two sequels to his 2004 hit film, Broadway: The Golden Age.

Final bows. Standing O from a boomer ++ crowd on a Sunday matinee opening weekend. I thought to myself how privileged I am to be able to attend and write about DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS (DRS) and the hundreds of shows prior over 30 + years.

The Unique Panel Discussion will celebrate a new book by Ronald Rand, "CREATE! How Extraordinary Artists Live to Create and Create to Live" at the historical theatrical club, The Lambs 3 West 51st Street, New York City, Monday, March 12th, 2018, 7:00-8:00pm. There is no charge for the Event. Seating is limited - reservations are necessary at: (212) 586-0306 or RSVP@The-Lambs.org     

Family and friends of the influential and admired syndicated columnist, Liz Smith, will gather at the Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th St.) on Friday, February 2nd at 12:00pm, to celebrate her extraordinary life.