Arthur Laurents Videos

Troika Entertainment's tour of WEST SIDE STORY, the breathtaking revival based on Arthur Laurent's Broadway direction, kicked off at the at the Clemens Center in Elmira, NY on October 29, 2012 and you can check out highlights from the show below!

Can't get enough of Patti LuPone? A documentary following the legendary performer has just been released on Youtube, titled 'Entrances, Exits, and Everything In Between.' Creator Josh Johnston writes: 'What she and I have collaborated on is our effort to show aspiring performers and fans of the arts what it's like in the shoes of a veteran of the craft: everything from the Sunset lows to the Rainbow Highs of performing, Patti LuPone has seen and lived it all.' Check out the second episode below!

Can't get enough of Patti LuPone? A documentary following the legendary performer has just been released on Youtube, titled 'Entrances, Exits, and Everything In Between.' Creator Josh Johnston writes: 'What she and I have collaborated on is our effort to show aspiring performers and fans of the arts what it's like in the shoes of a veteran of the craft: everything from the Sunset lows to the Rainbow Highs of performing, Patti LuPone has seen and lived it all.' Check out the first episode below!

Hamlisch, one of only eleven EGOT winners in the history of the entertainment industry, was awarded three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys, a Tony and three Golden Globe awards for his work. On Broadway, he wrote the music for A Chorus Line - which received the Pulitzer Prize - as well as They're Playing Our Song, The Goodbye Girl and Sweet Smell of Success.

Happy Birthday Arthur Laurents! Laurents' first play, Home of the Brave, opened on Broadway in 1945, followed by many others. He wrote his first musical, West Side Story, in 1957, followed by Gypsy and others. His first screenplay was The Snake Pit in 1948, followed by others including Rope, Anastasia, The Way We Were and The Turning Point. His own play, Invitation to a March in 1960, was the first of several he directed. I Can Get It for You Wholesale in 1961 was the first musical he directed, followed by others including La Cage aux Folles and Gypsy with Angela Lansbury, then Tyne Daly and most recently, Patti LuPone. He pased away in May 2011.

The cast of the Broadway First National Tour of West Side Story put together a fun lip-sync video of the pop hit 'Call Me Maybe' by Carly Rae Jepsen. BroadwayWorld brings you the spoof below, featuring the cast backstage and more!

Today in 1959, Gypsy opened at the Broadway Theatre, where it ran for 702 performances. Gypsy is a musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. It follows the dreams and efforts of Rose to raise two daughters to perform onstage and casts an affectionate eye on the hardships of show business life. The musical contains many songs that became popular standards, including 'Small World,' 'Everything's Coming up Roses', 'Some People', 'Let Me Entertain You', and 'Rose's Turn'.

Today in 2008, the fourth Broadway revival of Gypsy opened at the St. James Theatre, where it ran for 332 performances. Gypsy is a musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. It follows the dreams and efforts of Rose to raise two daughters to perform onstage and casts an affectionate eye on the hardships of show business life. The musical contains many songs that became popular standards, including 'Small World,' 'Everything's Coming up Roses', 'Some People', 'Let Me Entertain You', and 'Rose's Turn'.

Today in 1965, Do I hear a Waltz? opened at the 46th St. Thetare (Now the Richard Rodgers Theatre), where it ran for 220 performances. Do I Hear a Waltz? is a musical with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Richard Rodgers, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It was adapted from Laurents' 1952 play The Time of the Cuckoo, which was the basis for the 1955 film Summertime starring Katharine Hepburn. The Broadway cast included Elizabeth Allen, Sergio Franchi, Carol Bruce, Madeleine Sherwood, Julienne Marie, Stuart Damon, Fleury D'Antonakis, and Jack Manning. It was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Scenic Design, but lost in all three categories.

Today in 1980, the first Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY opened at the Minskoff Theatre, where it ran for 333 performances. West Side Story is an American musical with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and conception and choreography by Jerome Robbins. It was inspired by William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. Set in New York City in the mid-1950s, the musical explores the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. Bernstein's score for the musical has become extremely popular; it includes 'Something's Coming', 'Maria', 'America', 'Somewhere', 'Tonight', 'Jet Song', 'I Feel Pretty', 'A Boy Like That', 'One Hand, One Heart', 'Gee, Officer Krupke' and 'Cool'.

Some People has become a standard of musical theatre, and a new YouTube video shows many of the most brilliant interpretations of the song in one place. We've NEVER had so many readers send us the same Stage Tube suggestion in a single day, so we're sharing it now!

Powerhouse Broadway veteran Tovah Feldshuh stars in Gypsy at Bristol Riverside Theatre as part of its 25th Anniversary Season through January 15. With music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Arthur Laurents, the production is directed by Keith Baker and also features Robert Newman, Amanda Rose, Brittney Lee Hamilton, Joe Grandy, Bethe B. Austin, Kathryn Kendall, and Demetria Joyce Bailey. Check out performance highlights from the show below!

Stephen Sondheim returned to the Colbert Report on November 30 to discuss his new book, 'Look, I Made a Hat: Collected Lyrics (1981-2011) with Attendant Comments, Amplifications, Dogmas, Harangues, Wafflings, Diversions and Anecdotes', talk about his characters and shows and of course to talk about Stephen Colbert's performance in COMPANY.

Today, the YouTube partnership network DanceOn produced a flash mob featuring 50 New York City dancers to honor the 50th Anniversary of the Academy Award winning film, West Side Story.

Bringing one of the most acclaimed works of musical drama ever captured back to movie theaters nationwide this fall, NCM Fathom and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) are presenting The West Side Story 50th Anniversary Event on Wednesday, November 9th at 7:00 pm local time. This unprecedented opportunity allows audiences to enjoy every sensational song and dazzling dance number in this cinematic masterpiece, which originally won a stunning 10 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture, in 1961. The West Side Story 50th Anniversary Event will open with an exciting new TCM original production featuring a discussion with Walter Mirisch of The Mirisch Company, which produced the classic; Oscar®-winning actor George Chakiris; and vocalist Marni Nixon, who served as Natalie Woods' voice double. TCM Host Robert Osborne moderates the discussion, which was taped at the 2011 TCM Classic Film Festival in historic Hollywood.

Bringing one of the most acclaimed works of musical drama ever captured back to movie theaters nationwide this fall, NCM Fathom and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) are presenting The West Side Story 50th Anniversary Event on Wednesday, November 9th at 7:00 pm local time. This unprecedented opportunity allows audiences to enjoy every sensational song and dazzling dance number in this cinematic masterpiece, which originally won a stunning 10 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture, in 1961. The West Side Story 50th Anniversary Event will open with an exciting new TCM original production featuring a discussion with Walter Mirisch of The Mirisch Company, which produced the classic; Oscar®-winning actor George Chakiris; and vocalist Marni Nixon, who served as Natalie Woods' voice double. TCM Host Robert Osborne moderates the discussion, which was taped at the 2011 TCM Classic Film Festival in historic Hollywood.

Announced earlier this week was news that Lin-Manuel Miranda will star as 'Charlie' in the upcoming Encores! production of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. Merrily has been extended for a two-week run, and will play for 15 performances, February 8-19, 2012 at New York City Center, 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. Check out the just-released promo for the show below!

Bringing one of the most acclaimed works of musical drama ever captured back to movie theaters nationwide this fall, NCM Fathom and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) are presenting The West Side Story 50th Anniversary Event on Wednesday, November 9th at 7:00 pm local time. This unprecedented opportunity allows audiences to enjoy every sensational song and dazzling dance number in this cinematic masterpiece, which originally won a stunning 10 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture, in 1961. The West Side Story 50th Anniversary Event will open with an exciting new TCM original production featuring a discussion with Walter Mirisch of The Mirisch Company, which produced the classic; Oscar®-winning actor George Chakiris; and vocalist Marni Nixon, who served as Natalie Woods' voice double. TCM Host Robert Osborne moderates the discussion, which was taped at the 2011 TCM Classic Film Festival in historic Hollywood.

In the video below, writer Jonathan Marc Sherman interviews the iconic Stephen Sondheim at the 2011 Broadway Teachers Workshop in New York City, where he share feelings and wonderful stories about the personal impact teachers have had on him throughout his life. Click below to check it out!

From the Broadway Beat archives today is rare interview with Arthur Laurents, interviewed by Sidney Myer, talking about GYPSY, Merman & More.