Virginia Ann Woodruff News

See photos from New York Stage and Film's 2023 annual gala!

Don’t miss Vanguard Theater’s production of “The Spitfire Grill.”  Channeling musicals like Once and Come From Away,  this show serves up comfort and respite from a complicated world, with a beautiful score that is a hybrid mix of folk, blues, and bluegrass. Get a first look at photos here!

The Vanguard Theater kicks off its second season with the heartwarming musical drama, The Spitfire Grill. The show runs November 4 - 20, 2022.

Vanguard Theater has announced the cast for Spitfire Grill, playing November 4-20. The cast is led by Virginia Ann Woodruff (BROADWAY: VIOLET, LEAP OF FAITH, THE COLOR PURPLE, ALL SHOOK UP, SMOKEY JOE'S CAFÉ, and numerous National Tours) and more.

Billed as the “New Musical”, the musical Grace is a soulful and heart-filled affirmation of a family hanging on to hope and love as their community changes and as the future propels them onwards. This new musical now playing at Ford’s Theatre is also about letting go of the past yet still honoring it while hanging in with grit and endurance. Grace is shot through with musical numbers that grab you by the gut (gloriously eclectic music and lyrics by Nolan Williams, Jr.) and a superb cast of talent that knocks this out of the park vocally and with finely-honed acting chops.

Packed with an eclectic mix of styles including Jazz, R&B, rousing up-tempos and raise-the-roof ballads, Grace is a new musical examining the little-told history of African-American culinary tradition and the challenges faced by Black-owned businesses.

Producers Dale A. Mott of Edgewood (Broadway’s The Lifespan of a Fact and the upcoming Thoughts of a Colored Man) and NEWorks Productions have announced two industry presentations for GRACE, to be held on August 24, 2021, at Alvin Ailey Studios (405 West 55th Street).

The pre-Broadway World Premiere of Gotta Dance officially opened in Chicago on December 28, and will play thru January 17, 2016, at Broadway In Chicago's Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe St, Chicago), before opening on Broadway in the Fall of 2016. CLICK HERE to watch Nancy Ticotin and Alexander Aguilar performa  song from the show- 'Como No.'

The pre-Broadway World Premiere of GOTTA DANCE officially opened earlier this week on December 28 and will play through January 17, 2016, at Broadway In Chicago's Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe St, Chicago), before opening on Broadway in the Fall of 2016. Nora Dunn (Saturday Night Live) and Peach Carr (Project Runway) attended last night's (Dec 29th) performance, and you can check out a photo of them below!

The pre-Broadway World Premiere of Gotta Dance officially opened in Chicago on December 28, and will play thru January 17, 2016, at Broadway In Chicago's Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe St, Chicago), before opening on Broadway in the Fall of 2016. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you a look inside opening night below!

The pre-Broadway World Premiere of Gotta Dance is now officially open and will play thru January 17, 2016, at Broadway In Chicago's Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe St, Chicago), before opening on Broadway in the Fall of 2016. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you more shots of the cast in action!  Want to see more?  Check out the original production photos here.

Let's check out what the critics had to say...

The pre-Broadway World Premiere of GOTTA DANCE officially opens tonight, December 28, and will now play through January 17, 2016, at Broadway In Chicago's Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe St, Chicago), before opening on Broadway in the Fall of 2016.

The Chicago Bulls Lovables and The Swinging Seniors- the Bulls' senior dance team- and Emmy winner Jane Lynch attended the musical on Saturday night, and BroadwayWorld has photos of the cast with all of them below!

Gotta Dance, the new Broadway-bound musical comedy about professional basketball's first ever aged 60-and-older dance team, recently extended one week on the heels of its first performance in Chicago on December 13. The pre-Broadway World Premiere of Gotta Dance will now play through January 17, 2016, at Broadway In Chicago's Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe St, Chicago), before opening on Broadway in the Fall of 2016. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you highlights of the cast in action!

Gotta Dance, the new Broadway-bound musical comedy about professional basketball's first ever aged 60-and-older dance team, recently extended one week on the heels of its first performance in Chicago on December 13. The pre-Broadway World Premiere of Gotta Dance will now play through January 17, 2016, at Broadway In Chicago's Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe St, Chicago), before opening on Broadway in the Fall of 2016. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at the cast in action!

Producers Dori Berinstein and Bill Damaschke have announced that Gotta Dance, the new Broadway-bound musical comedy about professional basketball's first ever aged 60-and-older dance team, has extended one week on the heels of its first performance in Chicago on December 13. The pre-Broadway World Premiere of Gotta Dance will now play through January 17, 2016, at Broadway In Chicago's Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe St, Chicago), before opening on Broadway in the Fall of 2016.

The pre-Broadway World Premiere of GOTTA DANCE, the new Broadway-bound musical about professional basketball's first ever aged 60-and-older dance team, begins performances today, December 13, 2015 at Broadway In Chicago's Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe St, Chicago). GOTTA DANCE runs through January 10, 2016.

BroadwayWorld has just learned that Gotta Dance! which announced previously that it was aiming for Broadway in 2016 and targeting the Spring, has now shifted plans to the Fall of 2016, due to theatre availability. 

The Theatre School at DePaul University will honor Andre De Shields with the 2015 Award for Excellence in the Arts tonight, November 9 at the Atlantic Ballroom of the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel (221 North Columbus Drive), Chicago, IL. In honor of the occasion, De Shields sat down with Dean Richards to chat about his upcoming show GOTTA DANCE, his storied Broadway career and more. Watch the interview below!