King John 2000 - Articles Page 19

Apparently, it is Elvis Week in Nashville (at least according to the fine folks at Loveless Cafe), so before we head out to the theater for a full weekend of show openings and the like, a trip to West Nashville for a slice of the Loveless' Elvis pie is in order (for the uninitiated, that's peanut butter, banana, bacon and homemade whipped cream-the four basic food groups, according to The King.), so before we slip into a diabetic coma, here's installment #7 of Music City Confidential, all the news that's fit to print from onstage, offstage, backstage and beyond…

The Muny presents the third show of its 94th season, Disney's Aladdin, opening tonight through July 13, directed by Gary Griffin, and choreographed by Alex Sanchez.

John Davidson, the celebrated television, theater and film actor who starred as Matt in the 1964 Hallmark Hall of Fame version of THE FANTASTICKS and recently performed for a limited engagement in the Off-Broadway production as Henry, The Old Actor, will return to the cast on July 30 in that same role.

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), under the Artistic Direction of Diane Paulus, has just announced that multiple Tony and Emmy award winner Cherry Jones returns to the A.R.T. next season to play Amanda Wingfield in Tennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie, to be directed by John Tiffany, Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning director of Once on Broadway.

The Muny announced today principal casting for the third show of its 94th season, Disney's Aladdin (July 5-13), directed by Gary Griffin, and choreographed by Alex Sanchez. Tony® Nominees Robin de Jesus and John Tartaglia star as Aladdin and the Genie, respectively. Joining them will be Jason Graae as Omar, Curtis Holbrook as Iago, Francis Jue as Kassim, Eddie Korbich as Babkak, Samantha Massell as Jasmine, Ken Page as the Sultan, and Thom Sesma as Jafar.

While the Disney musical itself was suspiciously not nominated for Best Musical, the 2000 Tony Awards committee saw it fit to award Elton John & Tim Rice's stylish and emotional rock musical AIDA in four significant categories on June 4, 2000 - Best Actress In A Musical for Heather Headley charismatic lead performance, Best Score for Elton John and Tim Rice's moving and expressive music and lyrics, Best Scenic Design for Bob Crowley's stunning set-pieces and Best Lighting Design for Natasha Katz's enveloping illumination of the Palace Theatre's rightly famous stage. The show has gone on to a rich life around the world and in amateur productions, with generations of theatergoers hooked on the classic story once told in an opera by Verdi in a totally modern and dynamic new way - with some songs we are not soon to forget.

Disney's THE LION KING will make its South American premiere in São Paulo, Brazil. T4F (Time For Fun), will present the production with its opening night on March 7th, 2013 at the Teatro Abril. THE LION KING in São Paulo will mark two firsts: as the largest stage musical ever presented in Brazil and the first time the show has been performed in Portuguese. The Disney and Cameron Mackintosh musical, MARY POPPINS will be produced in Mexico City by OCESA. The production will be performed for the first time in Spanish and will begin performances on November 14th, 2012 at the Telmex Cultural Center, in Mexico City.

Michael Riedel reports in today's New York Post that Lincoln Center Theater 'wants the Beaumont for its next big production - a revival of THE KING AND I starring Kelli O'Hara.' BroadwayWorld.com first reported back in 2011 that the theatre was considering a Bartlett Sher helmed revival of the classic show. O'Hara is currently starring opposite Matthew Broderick in NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT.

The John W. Engeman Theater presents four time Tony Award Winning Musical, 42nd STREET, beginning with previews on Thursday, April 12, 2012 at 8:00 p.m., an official opening on Saturday, April 14 at 8:00 p.m. and running through June 17, 2012. Tickets are on sale for $60 and may be purchased by calling (631) 261-2900, by visiting www.engemantheater.com, or at the Engeman Theater Box Office at 250 Main Street, Northport.

A few days shy of the holiest week of the year for Christians - aptly named Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday and ending with Easter (with Holy Thursday and Good Friday, the most sacred events on the calendar coming between) - Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's seminal rock opera JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR was resurrected on Broadway by TOMMY and JERSEY BOYS director Des McAnuff - modeled after the hit Stratford Shakespeare Festival production last year and comprised of many of the same cast members, including all three leads - to hails of praise and hosannas, mostly. While JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR itself will always divide audiences and critics alike - and not merely because of its controversial content and its button-pushing treatment of the hallowed tale it tells - the magnetism and sheer power that Lloyd Webber's propulsive, throbbing rock score imbues gives the show an energy, vitality and life rare to find in even the most earnestly effervescent and energetic of comparable entities - the recently revived and similarly-themed GODSPELL in a revival a few blocks away included. Then, there are Tim Rice's lyrics - oh-so-spot-on in 1970, but still biting and edgy today in McAnuff's hi-tech and elaborately presented new Broadway production. Using the book of John as the jumping off point, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR tells the story of the last seven days in the life of Jesus Christ (Paul Nolan) and his subsequent betrayal by Judas (Josh Young) and sentencing to death at the hands of King Herod and Pontius Pilate (Tom Hewitt). The twelve apostles, Mary Magdalene and her female companions, lepers, Pharisees, priests and others populate the grand story told almost entirely through song - the show is 90% music - and Webber and Rice's score never, ever lets up. While this may not be the most faithful rendering as far as the Bible is concerned, nor the most historically accurate, SUPERSTAR is now available to experience for a whole new generation thanks to this new revival and the timing could not be more ideal. The time is ripe for a revival of SUPERSTAR, and, as Andrew Lloyd Webber himself has recently related, this new production of the show is the best ever as far as he is concerned. High praise indeed - coming from no less than the Lord.

The King's Head Theatre announces a season of premieres celebrating the 80th birthday of playwright Sir Arnold Wesker.

Amphibian Stage Productions today announced casting for its staged reading of The King's Face, written and directed by Steven Young.

The April 2012 at the B. B. King Blues Club and Grill, NYC, has been announced, featuring Melanie and Oleta Adams.

Casa 0101 Theater in association with CoActive Content will present a new co-production of "The King of the Desert," written by Stacey Martino, performed by Rene Rivera, and helmed by Sal Romeo, all Lifetime Members of The Actors Studio.

Amphibian Stage Productions today announced casting for its staged reading of The King's Face, written and directed by Steven Young.

Three outstanding maestros-Kurt Masur, Christoph Eschenbach, and Stephane Deneve-will each conduct a program by the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) in its annual visits to Carnegie Hall this March, with music ranging from large-scale Romantic choral music to twentieth-century Russian works. Between the second and third BSO programs, the Boston Pops returns to Carnegie Hall with conductor Keith Lockhart for the first time since 2000, for a program featuring the acclaimed trio Time for Three (making its Carnegie Hall debut) and a special tribute to the "King of Swing," Benny Goodman, featuring BSO clarinetist Thomas Martin.

Roundabout Theatre Company in association with Damian Arnold, has announced casting for the Broadway premiere of Marc Camoletti's classic farce Don't Dress For Dinner, starring Ben Daniels as "Robert," Melora Hardin as "Jacqueline," Adam James as "Bernard" and Jennifer Tilly as "Suzanne" with Spencer Kayden as "Suzette." Don't Dress For Dinner is adapted by Robin Hawdon and directed by John Tillinger.

As BroadwayWorld previously announced, Gerald Goehring, Michael F. Mitri and Dorothy Berloni are developing BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE, a new Broadway musical based on the popular 2000 novel by Kate DeCamillo. Casting for a developmental reading is currently underway and set to take place in early March. This is set to be followed by an out of town engagement and Broadway production, the timing of which will be confirmed at a later date.

Edward Gero and Patrick Andrews star in Red at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, produced in association with Goodman Theatre.

Casa 0101 Theater in association with CoActive Content will present a new co-production of "The King of the Desert," written by Stacey Martino, performed by Rene Rivera, and helmed by Sal Romeo, all Lifetime Members of The Actors Studio.

In an interview with the January 1st Los Angeles Times, Elton John spoke about his plans for an upcoming biopic that he currently has in the works. When asked in the recent interview about which actor John has in mind to take on the starring role, the singer replied, 'I don't know. I've got a wish list of people. No. 1 on my wish list is Justin Timberlake, because he played me before in a David LaChapelle video of 'Rocket Man' and was superb.'

Gerald Goehring, Michael F. Mitri and Dorothy Berloni are developing BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE, a new Broadway musical based on the popular 2000 novel by Kate DeCamillo. A developmental reading will be staged in early 2012, followed by an out of town engagement and Broadway production, the timing of which will be confirmed at a later date.

Edward Gero and Patrick Andrews star in Red at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, produced in association with Goodman Theatre.

The Finborough Theatre is pleased to announce that Dawn King has just been awarded a Pearson Playwrights' Bursary for New Writing as Playwright-in-Residence at the Finborough Theatre. This is the seventh year that the Finborough Theatre has won this prestigious new writing award and - once again - the Finborough Theatre is the only unsubsidised theatre to win a Pearson bursary.

The GOO GOO DOLLS are set to play The King Center on Saturday, November 5, at 8 pm.