STAGE TUBE: On This Day for 4/4/15- FOLLIES
by Nicole Rosky - Apr 4, 2015
Today in 1971, Follies opened at the Winter Garden Theatre, where it ran for 522 performances. Follies is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. The story concerns a reunion in a crumbling Broadway theatre, scheduled for demolition, of the past performers of the 'Weismann's Follies,' a musical revue (based on the Ziegfeld Follies), that played in that theatre between the World Wars. The musical was nominated for eleven Tony Awards and won seven. The piece has enjoyed a number of major revivals, and several of its songs have become standards, including 'Broadway Baby', 'I'm Still Here', 'Too Many Mornings', 'Could I Leave You?', and 'Losing My Mind'.
Stephen Sondheim Will Receive Chicago Public Library Foundation's Carl Sandburg Award
by Nicole Rosky - Mar 30, 2015
Acording to the Chicago Tribune, theatre legend Stephen Sondheim will receive Chicago Public Library Foundation's 16th Carl Sandburg Award. As a part of the ceremony on October 21, 2015, Sondheim will be interviewed onstage by Scott Simon of NPR.
The Carl Sandburg Literary Award is presented annually to an acclaimed author in recognition of outstanding contributions to the literary world and honors a significant work or body of work that has enhanced the public's awareness of the written word. The Carl Sandburg Award in the Arts is presented to an individual who embodies a spirit of creativity and social consciousness.
Beware the Ides of March with 15 Shakespeare Showtunes
by Matt Tamanini - Mar 15, 2015
'If music be the food of love, play on.' Even before the invention of the musical comedy (more on that later), William Shakespeare knew the importance of music in telling stories on stage. For our March feature, my colleague Jeff Walker and I thought that instead of marking the Ides of March with songs about murder, betrayal, and fate, we would focus on the synergy between showtunes and Shakespeare.
Jess Goldstein, Douglas W. Schmidt & More to Receive 2015 TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards
by Tyler Peterson - Mar 3, 2015
Tony Award-winning costume designer, JESS GOLDSTEIN (currently represented on Broadway with Jersey Boys and On the Town), and scenic designer DOUGLAS W. SCHMIDT are among the 2015 TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards recipients. The awards will be presented at a ceremony on Friday, May 1, at 6:30pm, at the Hudson Theatre (145 West 44th Street). Mr. Goldstein was selected to receive the 2015 TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award for costume design and Mr. Schmidt will receive the Robert L.B. Tobin Award for Sustained Excellence in Theatrical Design.
BWW Reviews: FOLLIES ODs on Razzmatazz
by Herbert Paine - Feb 23, 2015
Under the direction of Philip Fazio, Stephen Sondheim's Follies is receiving Arizona's first fully produced production at Theater Works. Mr. Fazio has pulled out all the stops to stage an extravaganza that in Broadway lore has been dubbed one of the great milestones of musical theater. Conceptually, the show has the ingredients and the theatrical devices that can make for a great show, but, live and on stage, the production feels cluttered. Its brilliance lies rather in its outstanding technical aspects, in large part attributable to Mr. Fazio's artistic vision.
Jennifer Coolidge and More Join FOLLIES in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall
by BWW News Desk - Feb 12, 2015
The Daily Mail writes that Jennifer Coolidge has signed on to play 'Hattie Walker' in FOLLIES in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall on April 28, 2015. Also joining the lineup are Stefanie Powers as 'Solange Lafitte', with Alistair Brammer, Alexander Hanson and Laura Pitt-Pulford.
Christine Baranski, Ruthie Henshall & More Will Star in FOLLIES Concert at Royal Albert Hall This Spring!
by Nicole Rosky - Jan 16, 2015
For one matinee and one evening performance only, FOLLIES in Concert makes a spectacular and rare return to the UK, at Royal Albert Hall on April 28, 2015. Featuring an all-star cast including Christine Baranski (Into The Woods, The Good Wife,Mamma Mia), Ruthie Henshall (Chicago - original Roxy, LES MISERABLES), Anita Dobson (Eastenders, Chicago), Anita Harris (Carry On films, CATS), Roy Hudd (Oliver! - Fagin,Coronation Street, Good Old Days) and Russell Watson (the UK's best-selling classical artist; winner of four Classical BRIT awards), FOLLIES in Concert will be directed by Craig Revel Horwood (Strictly Come Dancing), choreographed by Andrew Wright and supported by the City of London Philharmonic Orchestra.
BWW Feature: Sondheim's Most Hummable Songs
by Matt Tamanini - Jan 25, 2015
After seeing the new INTO THE WOODS movie twice over the holidays, I posted on Twitter about how two of the songs had stuck with me. After a tweet conversation, my BWW colleague Jeff Walker and I decided to put our heads together to try and come up with a list of Sondheim's most hummable tunes. Despite not discussing it beforehand, Jeff ended up picking songs from the 1960s and 70s, and I filled in the gaps with numbers from the 80s and 90s.
Wavestage Theatre Company to Present FOLLIES, 1/30-2/1
by Tyler Peterson - Jan 7, 2015
Winner of seven Tony awards, including 'Best Score' for Sondheim, and the Drama Critics Circle Award for 'Best Musical,' Follies opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on April 4, 1971, and ran for 522 performances.
Photo Flashback: A Fond Farewell - Remembering The Stars We Lost in 2014
by Walter McBride - Jan 1, 2015
Broadway fans had plenty of reasons to celebrate this year, with dozens of shows having opened since January, hundreds of actors having made their debuts, and many more having returned to the stage for critically acclaimed performances. Not all news was good though, as we also suffered a loss of an incredible amount of talent.
Below, BroadwayWorld sends a fond farewell to those who passed away in 2014.
STAGE TUBE: On This Day 12/8- Graciela Daniele
by Nicole Rosky - Dec 8, 2014
Happy Birthday, Graciela Daniele! As a performer, Daniele made her Broadway debut in What Makes Sammy Run? in 1964. She studied with Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham while working with such luminaries as Bob Fosse, Agnes de Mille, and Michael Bennett, who hired her to assist him with Follies in 1971. Her first credit as a full-fledged choreographer was the 1979 revival of The Most Happy Fella. She has directed and/or choreographed several musicals of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, including, most recently, The Glorious Ones (2007) and Dessa Rose (2005) at the Off-Broadway Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center. She has directed and/or choreographed several musicals of Michael John LaChiusa Off-Broadway, most recently Bernarda Alba (2006) and Little Fish (2003).
FLASH SPECIAL: Sondheim By The Decade, Part 2 - 1970s & 1980s
by Pat Cerasaro - Dec 25, 2014
The feature film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's beloved fairy tale musical INTO THE WOODS is coming to movie theaters nationwide on Christmas Day and BroadwayWorld celebrates the man behind the music with a new series highlighting the work of iconic composer and lyricist, continuing today with a look at his work in the 1970s and 1980s.
David Benedict Will Write New Sondheim Biography- HOW DID IT HAPPEN
by Nicole Rosky - Oct 1, 2014
According to Variety, London theatre critic David Benedict will soon pen a new Stephen Sondheim biography for Random House, titled: "How Did It Happen: The Life and Career of Stephen Sondheim." The book will include interviews withe the man himself, as well as information gathered from his frequent collaborators.
Random House expects Benedict's first daft by December 2017.
Stephen Lee Anderson, Stephen Bogardus, Patti Cohenour and More to Lead Steve Martin's BRIGHT STAR at The Old Globe; Walter Bobbie Directs!
by BWW News Desk - Aug 6, 2014
The Old Globe today announced the full cast and creative team for the World Premiere of Bright Star, a new American musical featuring music by Edie Brickell and Steve Martin, lyrics by Brickell, and book by Martin, based on an original story by Martin and Brickell. Directed by Walter Bobbie, Bright Star will run September 13 - November 2, 2014 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run September 13 - September 27. Opening night is Sunday, September 28 at 7:00 p.m. Single tickets go on sale on Friday, August 8 at noon.
Fiasco Theater's INTO THE WOODS Extends Through August at The Old Globe
by BWW News Desk - Jul 28, 2014
The Old Globe today announced additional performances for the second production of the 2014 Summer Season, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Tony Award-winning musical Into the Woods, which made its World Premiere at The Old Globe in 1986. The production is an inventive reimagining by Fiasco Theater, directed by Noah Brody and Ben Steinfeld, in a production that originated at McCarter Theatre Center. By popular demand, it will now play through Sunday, August 17. Tickets for the extension will go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, July 29 at noon.
San Francisco Playhouse Presents INTO THE WOODS, Now thru 9/6
by BWW News Desk - Jun 24, 2014
San Francisco Playhouse (Artistic Director Bill English & Producing Director Susi Damilano) concludes its provocative eleventh season with Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics) and James Lapine (book). The production runs today, June 24th to September 6th, 2014, with an official opening set for June 28.
7 Days Of THE LORD & THE MASTER: Day #7 - JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
by Pat Cerasaro - Jun 10, 2014
Today we kick off a special spotlight series highlighting the spectacular entertainment set to be presented this coming Monday, June 16, at Joe's Pub, THE LORD & THE MASTER: BROADWAYWORLD.COM SINGS THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER & STEPHEN SONDHEIM with a tribute to JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR.
San Francisco Playhouse to Present INTO THE WOODS, 6/24-9/6
by Tyler Peterson - May 28, 2014
San Francisco Playhouse (Artistic Director Bill English & Producing Director Susi Damilano) concludes its provocative eleventh season with Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics) and James Lapine (book). The production runs June 24th to September 6th, 2014, with an official opening set for June 28.
BWW Reviews: Stephen Sondheim's FOLLIES Opens at the Barn Players
by Steve Wilson - Apr 21, 2014
Follies at the Barn Players in Mission, Kan. is an amusing musical about the demise of the follies and the Weissman Theatre in New York in 1971. Stephen Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics and James Goldman wrote the book for this highly entertaining production. Follies opened on Broadway in 1971 at the Winter Garden Theatre. The 1971 production won all seven Drama Desk Award categories in which it received a nomination and won Best Musical by the New York Drama Critics' Circle.