Wendy Cavett News

An era on the Great White Way came to end on Saturday, September 12th, as Benny Andersson andBjorn Ulvaeus' global smash hit musical Mamma Mia!, inspired by the songs of ABBA, concluded its historic, record-breaking run of 5,773 performances. Below, check out the final overture from the orchestra pit, as Wendy Cavett conducts the band for the last time!

I sat down with Colin Hanlon, currently performing in the world premiere of The 12 with Denver Center Theatre Company.

Stars and casts from the current Broadway line-up have been busy in the studio, recording for the 2013 Broadway's Carols for a Cure, Volume 15. Singing traditional and original holiday songs, this annual holiday music CD benefits Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA), one of the nation's leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you exclusive photos from Mamma Mia!'s recording session for 'Rejoice' with castmembers Felicity Claire, Christopher Hudson Myers, Lauren Cohn, Albert Guerzon, Allyson Carr, Elena Ricardo, Laurie Veldheer, John Hemphill, Tony Gonzalez, Gerard Salvador, Corinne Melancon, Art Syok, Traci Victoria and Jennifer Noth.

The York Theatre Company, in association with Robert D. Wachs, presents the developmental lab of the new disco musical, Last Dance, featuring songs by the legendary Academy, Emmy and Grammy Award-winning pop master Paul Jabara (Enough is Enough, It's Raining Men, Last Dance, and more) with book by Shaun McKenna (Lord of the Rings, The Musical). Get a first look at the cast onstage below!

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director), in association with Robert D. Wachs (producer of the hit films Beverly Hills Cop, Beverly Hills Cop 2, Coming to America), will mount a lab workshop of the new disco "revue-sical," Last Dance featuring the music of legendary pop master Paul Jabara (Enough is Enough, It's Raining Men, Last Dance, and more) with book by Shaun McKenna (Lord of the Rings, The Musical). Last Dance will play 5 performances tonight, September 20 - 23, 2012 at at The York Theatre at Saint Peter's (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director), in association with Robert D. Wachs (producer of the hit films Beverly Hills Cop, Beverly Hills Cop 2, Coming to America), present the developmental lab of the new disco musical, Last Dance, featuring songs by the legendary Academy, Emmy and Grammy Award-winning pop master Paul Jabara (Enough is Enough, It's Raining Men, Last Dance, and more) with book by Shaun McKenna (Lord of the Rings, The Musical).

Today we are focusing a super-special spotlight on one of the Fall's most intriguing musical entries trying out in New York, the York Theatre Company's lab mounting of the new Paul Jabara jukebox musical LAST DANCE, by talking to the show's lead, recognizable TV and film star Rob Morrow, and the show's lead producer, noted comedic shepherd and filmmaker Robert D. Wachs, whom filled me in on all aspects of the show in a comprehensive chat late last week just prior to this week's start of rehearsals. In this all-encompassing conversation, Morrow, Wachs and I discuss the genesis of the new disco-themed musical celebrating the life and career of Jabara, the accomplished Emmy, Grammy and Academy Award-winning composer of Broadway shows (RACHAEL LILY ROSENBLOOM… AND DON'T YOU EVER FORGET IT), movie songs ("Last Dance" from THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY; the titular "The Main Event") and numerous pop/rock/disco hits, such as "It's Raining Men" by The Weather Girls, Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer's epic disco duet "Enough Is Enough (No More Tears)" and his many solo hits, as well as the finer points of the story, concept, casting and the ultimate goals of the new Philip William McKinley-directed production, which features a book by Shaun McKenna. Additionally, Morrow and Wachs each generously share showbiz tales from their storied careers involving such big names as Eddie Murphy, Michael Bennett, Jonathan Larson, Tony Scott and many more and both copiously convey their infectious enthusiasm for the forthcoming fully-produced lab presentation of the new musical that will play for five performances beginning September 20 as they prepare for its first viewing before a paying audience. All of that and much, much more awaits!

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director), in association with Robert D. Wachs (producer of the hit films Beverly Hills Cop, Beverly Hills Cop 2, Coming to America), presents the developmental lab production of the new disco musical, Last Dance, featuring songs by the legendary Academy, Emmy and Grammy Award-winning pop master Paul Jabara (Enough is Enough, It's Raining Men, Last Dance, and more) with book by Shaun McKenna (Lord of the Rings, The Musical). Under the direction of Philip Wm. McKinley (SPIDERMAN Turn Off the Dark, The Boy from Oz), and with choreography by Carol Schuberg (Meet Me in St. Louis) and musical direction by Wendy Cavett (Mamma Mia!), the five-member cast also features Katrina Lenk (SPIDER-MAN Turn Off the Dark), Anastacia McClesky (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) EmmyAward nominee Rob Morrow ("Northern Exposure," "Numb3rs"), Jack Noseworthy (Jerome Robbins' Broadway) and Jill Shackner (Les Miserables). Last Dance will play 5 performances only, September 20 - 23, 2012 at at The York Theatre at Saint Peter's (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the first rehearsal below!

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director), in association with Robert D. Wachs has announced final casting with the addition of Katrina Lenk (SPIDER-MAN Turn Off the Dark) and Anastacia McClesky (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) to the cast of the developmental lab of the new disco musical, Last Dance, featuring songs by the legendary Academy, Emmy and Grammy Award-winning pop master Paul Jabara (Enough is Enough, It's Raining Men, Last Dance, and more) with book by Shaun McKenna (Lord of the Rings, The Musical).

The York Theatre Company, in association with Robert D. Wachs, has announced the addition of Emmy-Award nominee Rob Morrow ("Northern Exposure," "Number3s") to the cast of the lab workshop of the new disco musical, Last Dance, featuring the music of legendary pop master Paul Jabara.

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director), in association with Robert D. Wachs (producer of the hit films Beverly Hills Cop, Beverly Hills Cop 2, Coming to America), will mount a lab workshop of the new disco "revue-sical," Last Dance featuring the music of legendary pop master Paul Jabara (Enough is Enough, It's Raining Men, Last Dance, and more) with book by Shaun McKenna (Lord of the Rings, The Musical). Last Dance will play 5 performances, September 20 - 23, 2012 at at The York Theatre at Saint Peter's (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).

El musical basado en las canciones de ABBA se estreno en el teatro Ópera Citi. Gran trabajo de Marisol Otero y un ensamble destacado.

Singers, dancers, and actors: Mark your calendars! This summer, The Hartt School Community Division will host its Summer Vocal Institute: Musical Theater Intensive (SVI: MTI) from June 24 to July 2, 2011.

Singers, dancers, and actors: Mark your calendars! This summer, The Hartt School Community Division will host its Summer Vocal Institute: Musical Theater Intensive (SVI: MTI) from June 24 to July 2, 2011.

April Nixon performs 'Breakthrough' featuring songs of Larry O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, and Kenny Kacmar and Joe Miloscia, and special guests Norm Lewis, Marcus Paul James, and Lisa Nicole Wilkerson on May 12th and 19th.

Last night, the 24 Hour Company partnered with The Exchange to produce 'The 24 Hour Musicals', 4 new 15-minute musicals written, rehearsed, and performed in 24 hours; presented as a one-night benefit at Joe's Pub. The star-studded evening was full of stirringly provocative theatre.

The Zipper Factory will feature a number of artists and acts during the month of June

The departure of director/choreographer David H. Bell has resulted in an extension of the workshop of the Broadway-bound musical A Tale of Two Cities

The musical version of A Tale of Two Cities will be workshopped in Manhattan this summer before opening in Chicago next year