Will Rogers News

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) is thrilled to announce that the eighth annual Tommy Tune Awards will include 45 high schools from the greater Houston area. Developed by TUTS in 2002, the Tommy Tune Awards honor musical theatre excellence at the high school level. During the 2009-2010 school year, a team of 35 Houston-based theatre professionals will evaluate the participating high school productions and announce the winners at a Tony Awards-style ceremony to be held April 20, 2010 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. The event will feature spotlight numbers from the nominated shows, as well as award presentations to the performers, directors, choreographers, orchestras and designers, who have defined excellence throughout 2009 - 2010.

BroadwayWorld.com presents its newest column, Twitter Watch, which will bring you only the best and most interesting reports straight from the mouths of Broadway stars, shows and more on the hot social networking service - Twitter!

Friends In Deed has tapped Tommy Tune?s brand new road show, STEPS IN TIME, for their one-night-only Broadway Benefit Gala that will take place at The Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College tonight, September 21st at 8:00 p.m. All proceeds benefit Friends In Deed - The Crisis Center for Life-Threatening Illness.

Friends In Deed has tapped Tommy Tune's brand new road show, Steps in Time, for their one-night-only spectacular Broadway Benefit Gala which will take place at The Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College (899 Tenth Avenue) on Monday, September 21st at 8:00 p.m. All proceeds benefit Friends In Deed - The Crisis Center for Life-Threatening Illness.

Old Globe Executive Producer Lou Spisto today announced the complete cast and creative team for the world premiere of Sammy, a new musical based on the life of Sammy Davis, Jr. with book, music and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse, and additional songs by Bricusse and Anthony Newley. Directed by Keith Glover with choreography by Keith Young and music supervision by Ian Fraser, Sammy will run in the Old Globe Theatre Sept. 19 - Nov. 8. Previews run from Sept. 19 - Oct. 1. Opening night is Oct. 2 at 8:00 p.m.

Don Farber and Robert Viagas, authors of The Amazing Story of The Fantasticks, will hold a conversation and Q&A before the Thursday, September 17, 2009 performance of The Fantasticks, the world's longest-running musical, entitled 'The Fantasticks: The Secrets Behind A Long-Running Show - How They Did It And How You Can, Too.' The event, which begins at 6:15 PM at The Snapple Theater Center, is part of the yearlong celebration of The Fantasticks' 50th anniversary.

BROADWAY BY THE BAY (BBBay), the Peninsula's premiere musical theatre company, continues its 44th season with a hilarious production of The Full Monty - Thursday, September 17 through Sunday, October 4 at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center (600 N. Delaware Ave., San Mateo). Press Night will be held Friday, September 18.

TMP is turning Sweet Sixteen and you are invited to an incredible season of musical productions beginning October 2, 2009!

Producers Cameron Mackintosh and Thomas Schumacher are pleased to announce full casting for the Houston engagement of MARY POPPINS.

Multi Tony Winner Tommy Tune talks about his upcoming benefit of his show Steps In Time for Friends In Deed in NYC

Matthew White is to direct Tamzin Outhwaite as Charity Hope Valentine in the Tony Award-winning musical Sweet Charity at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Sweet Charity previews from 21 November with press night on 02 December, and runs until 07 March 2010. The box office opens for general public bookings at noon on Thursday 17 September. With book by Neil Simon, music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields, choreography is by Stephen Mear, set design by Tim Shortall, costume design by Matthew Wright, musical supervision and direction by Nigel Lilley, orchestrations by Chris Walker, lighting by David Howe and sound design by Gareth Owen.

Conceived and Originally Directed and Choreographed by Michael Bennett. Book by James Kirkwood & Nicholas Dante, Music by Marvin Hamlisch, Lyrics by Edward Kleban.

After a 48 year absence, Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presents the first new Broadway production of Bye Bye Birdie as the inaugural production of the new Henry Miller's Theatre (124 West 43rd Street) beginning Thursday, September 10th, 2009 with an official opening on Thursday, October 15th, 2009. This will be a limited engagement through January 10th, 2010.

Long Wharf Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein and Managing Director Ray Cullom, will present the beloved musical The Fantasticks, directed by Amanda Dehnert, from October 7 through November 1, 2009, on the Mainstage.

Iconic funny man Bill Cosby, who has been making audiences laugh for decades with his keen insight into everyday existence, brings his signature comedy to the Treasure Island Theatre for one night only, September 5. Showtimes are 7:30 and 10 p.m.

Aspiring musical theatre performers from all over the world will have the opportunity to work with a Broadway veteran faculty in the Musical Theater Conservatory Program at the New York Film Academy, merging stage and screen with cutting-edge movie musical opportunities. Additional faculty announcements include Jenn Colella (High Fidelity, Urban Cowboy), Lisa Mandel (Sunset Boulevard, Producers, Mamma Mia!), David Balderamma (In The Heights, Movin? Out, Saturday Night Fever), Robin Irwin (Titanic, Grease, Dance of the Vampires), Stephanie Kurtzuba (Billy Eliott, Boy From Oz, Mary Poppins), Dan Johnson and Timothy Smith (Aida, Sweet Charity, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels).

Atlanta Lyric Theatre, the metro area's only local professional musical theatre company begins its 30th anniversary season with the multiple Tony Award winner, THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES September 4 - 20 at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre (117 N. Park Square, Marietta).

As Chicago theaters prepare for the fall season, the city has proven itself a leader on the national theater scene.

One of the most prolific theatre men of the Twentieth Century, Tommy Tune, will guest star on an episode of ABC's 'Ugly Betty' this season BroadwayWorld has learned. His star turn on the show is being kept under wraps for now, but we do know some of his scenes were filmed in the Times Square area!

As Chicago theaters prepare for the fall season, the city has proven itself a leader on the national theater scene. Highlighted by two consecutive Pulitzer Prizes awarded to plays generated in Chicago-Tracy Letts' August: Osage County (Steppenwolf) and Lynne Nottage's Ruined (Goodman)-the Chicago theater season is poised to launch at home, while its influence is seen on Broadway.