Valerie Novakoff News

The upcoming Broadway run of Gettin' The Band Back Together has announced that TV legend and Broadway veteran Marilu Henner has been cast as 'Mitch's Mom,' aka Sharon Papadopolous.

Gettin' The Band Back Together has announced that Mitchell Jarvis (Rock of Ages, Fiddler on the Roof) will lead the company as Mitch Papadopolous, along with Jay Klaitz (Lend Me A Tenor, High Fidelity), Paul Whitty (Once, The Full Monty), and Sawyer Nunes (Matilda, Finding Neverland) as Juggernaut band members Bart (a math teacher who isn't any good at math), Sully (an Irish cop who dreams about being on Broadway), and Ricky (a 16-year-old Jewish rapper who makes Vanilla Ice look cool), respectively.

Today, Broadway Records released the New Broadway Cast Recording of Once On This Island on CD and digitally through most major music retailers. The album is currently available at www.BroadwayRecords.com, www.Amazon.com and at Circle in the Square Theatre.

The producers of Broadway's newest hit, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, announced today that Broadway veterans Norm Lewis and Tamyra Gray will step into the roles of Agwe and Papa Ge, respectively, on January 8. Merle Dandridge exits for a contractual leave to shoot her television series Greenleaf. Quentin Earl Darrington will also be on a contractual leave.

The producers of Broadway's newest hit, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, announced today that Broadway veterans Norm Lewis and Tamyra Gray will step into the roles of Agwe and Papa Ge, respectively, on January 8. Merle Dandridge exits for a contractual leave to shoot her television series Greenleaf. Quentin Earl Darrington will also be on a contractual leave.

Once On This Island begins preview performances this Thursday, November 9th with an official opening on Sunday, December 3rd at the Circle in the Square Theatre (235 W. 50th street, NYC). Beginning Thursday, November 9, a limited number of $39.50 same-day tickets will be made available prior to each performance of Once On This Island.

Remember when $50 got you great tickets to a Broadway show?

Broadway rehearsals are underway and casting is now complete for the eagerly anticipated new production of Once On This Island. Producers Ken Davenport and Hunter Arnold announced today that Emerson Davis and Mia Williamson will take on the role of the Little Girl.

The Circle in the Square Theatre box office (235 W. 50th street, NYC) is now open for the new production of the Olivier Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated Best Musical Once On This Island, which begins preview performances on Thursday, November 9 and officially opens on Sunday, December 3.

Today, producers Ken Davenport and Hunter Arnold announced that Hailey Kilgore, an 18 year-old Oregon native, will make her Broadway debut as Ti Moune in the new Broadway production of Once On This Island, which will play the Circle in the Square Theatre (235 W. 50th street, NYC) this fall. Click below to go behind the scenes on the international search for Ti Moune, plus see a message from Hailey!

Today, producers Ken Davenport and Hunter Arnold announced that Tony Award winner Lea Salonga, Alex Newell ('Glee'), Merle Dandridge('Greenleaf'), and Quentin Earl Darrington (Cats) will join the cast of the new Broadway production of Once On This Island, which will play the Circle in the Square Theatre (235 W. 50th street, NYC) this fall.

Today, producers Ken Davenport and Hunter Arnold announced that Tony Award nominee Phillip Boykin, Alysha Deslorieux, Kenita R. Miller, and Isaac Powell are joining the new Broadway production of Once On This Island, which will play the Circle in the Square Theatre (235 W. 50th street, NYC) this fall.

This week at 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

Jason Gotay, Lauren "Lolo" Pritchard, Brandon Ellis, Natalie Weiss, and More Sing 'Zack Zadek at 54 Below' on Monday, June 29th at 9:30pm.

Contemporary musical theatre writer Zack Zadek offers an evening of story-driven synthpop performed by vocalists from Broadway and pop-rock recording artists. Zadek will co-lead a full-piece band with Broadway Orchestrator and Musical Director Charlie Rosen (The Visit, Honeymoon in Vegas, Charlie Rosen's Broadway Big Band). Max Friedman directs. Valerie Novakoff produces.

Up and coming musical theatre writer Zack Zadek performs a concert of his music at Highline Ballroom today, Monday November 11, at 8PM. Directed by Hunter Bird, the concert will be a mix of musical theatre, pop, dance, as well as selections from Zadek's full-length musicals 6 (New York Musical Theatre Festival 2012), and The Crazy Ones (NYMF Reading Series 2013).

Broadway's Marla Mindelle (Sister Act, South Pacific), Rebecca Naomi Jones (American Idiot, Passing Strange), Taylor Trensch (Matilda, Wicked), Lauren Pritchard (Spring Awakening, Universal/Island Records) and more will join up and coming musical theatre writer Zack Zadek in a concert of his music at Highline Ballroom on Monday November 11, at 8PM. Directed by Hunter Bird, the concert will be a mix of musical theatre, pop, dance, as well as selections from Zadek's full-length musicals 6 (New York Musical Theatre Festival 2012), and The Crazy Ones (NYMF Reading Series 2013).

Emma Hunton (Spring Awakening, Next To Normal), Drew Gasparini (NBC's SMASH), Molly Hager (Fat Camp), and more will join up and coming musical theatre writer Zack Zadek in a concert of his music at Highline Ballroom on Monday November 11, at 8PM. Also in the lineup are: Lauren (Lolo) Pritchard (Spring Awakening), Andrew Kober (Hair), Nik Walker (Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots), Sedona Schat and Taylor Noble.

South Florida revelers gathered on Monday evening to celebrate an artistic standard in the community - the region's theatrical talent. The 35th Annual Carbonell award ceremony played out amongst theatre-goers, actors, producers, directors and cast and crew members from some of South Florida's most renowned stages at the Amaturo Theater at Broward Center for the Performing Arts. 'Tonight we celebrated the artistry of live theatre through camaraderie, laughter and reflection...and honored the creativity of powerful stage and costume design, fabulous music and unsurpassed talent,' says Scott Shiller, Vice Chairman, Carbonell Awards Board of Directors and Executive Vice President of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. 'It's been a fabulous evening!'