Gypsy 2006 - Articles Page 18

Andrea Martin, Michael Cumpsty and Tony Yazbeck have been cast in On the Town, the opening production of New York City Center's 2008-09 Encores! season, running November 19 - 23. On the Town, the first Broadway musical written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green with a score by Leonard Bernstein, will be directed by John Rando with music direction by Todd Ellison and choreography by Warren Carlyle

Eric Schaeffer, the Artistic Director of Signature Theatre, tonight announced that Signature will honor Stephen Sondheim at a Gala Benefit in April and establish an annual award as a tribute to America's most influential contemporary musical theater composer. Signature will salute Mr. Sondheim at a black-tie Gala Celebration on Monday, April 27, 2009, in Washington, DC highlighted by a musical tribute, festive dinner, and dancing and inaugurate an annual honor to be known in future years as The Sondheim Award.

We go green in honor of WICKED's 5th anniversary on Broadway with a profile of a modern-dance-to-musical-theater transplant.

Elise has followed her theater dreams all the way from Australia and is now appearing in her 2nd show at Goodspeed.

Village Theatre's highly anticipated annual Festival of New Musicals returns for an eighth year, featuring staged readings of six new musicals- Chasing Nicolette, Killala Bay, Dennis The Menace, The Alchemists, The Gypsy King, and The Yellow Wood. These are fully sung presentations, performed with script-in-hand, of six brand new musicals.

The Jerusalem Syndrome, an official selection of the New York Musical Theatre Festival's 2008 Next Link Project, will feature the talents of Liz Larsen (airspray, The Most Happy Fella), Stuart Zagnit (Seussical, The Wild Party, Kuni Leml), Bruce Sabath (Company), Alan H. Green (Spelling Bee National Tour), Austin Miller (Grease: You're the One that I Want!, Hairspray Las Vegas and National Tour), Chandra Lee Schwartz (Damn Yankees, Gypsy, Hairspray-Las Vegas), Mary Gutzi (Les Miserables), Roger DeWitt (The Woman in White, The Adding Machine), Nick Verina (Altar Boyz-Chicago, That Time of the Year), J.D. Webster (Wonderful Town, Ragtime, Showboat), Vanessa Lemonides (Jewtopia), Ron DeStefano (How to Suceed…White Plains), Ronica Reddick (The Underwear Musical-NYMF), and Felicia Ricci (The Chocolate Tree-NAMT).

The daughter of a Vietnam vet, Megan plays one of the hippies in this summer's Shakespeare in the Park revival.

he American Theatre Wing and XM Satellite Radio proudly present an interview with Tony nominee Laura Benanti, on their weekly theatrical interview show, 'Downstage Center,' on XM's On Broadway (XM Channel 28).

Mayumi, a 'Contact' alum, has been dancing on NYC stages since she was a teen and is now playing one.

he American Theatre Wing and XM Satellite Radio proudly present an interview with Tony nominee Laura Benanti, on their weekly theatrical interview show, 'Downstage Center,' on XM's On Broadway (XM Channel 28).

Village Theatre is pleased to announce its exciting director line-up for the 2008-2009 Mainstage Season. Andrea Dymond, Resident Director of Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago, will direct the new musical and season opener, Saint Heaven. Dymond comments, 'I'd originally directed an earlier version of Saint Heaven in a developmental workshop production, about five years ago, at the Stages Festival at Theatre Building Chicago. That's when I got to know Marty [Martin Casella, book writer] and Keith [Keith Gordon, lyricist and composer] who are every bit as gorgeous to work with as is their musical. I think Saint Heaven is unique in the fullness of its telling, the richness of its characters, and the variety of forms of deeply American music it uses to engage us in the story.' At Victory Gardens Theater, Dymond has staged a wealth of productions such as Gloria Bond Clunie's Shoes (Best Director nomination, Black Theatre Alliance) and Charles Smith's Free Man of Color (winner of the Jeff award for Best New Work). Steve Tomkins, Artistic Director for Village Theatre is set to direct the charming Disney classic Beauty and the Beast. Tomkins gave his directorial debut at Village Theatre with the 1988 production of Gypsy. This upcoming season marks his sixteenth season as Artistic Director for Village Theatre. David Ira Goldstein will direct Oscar Wilde's classic play The Importance of Being Earnest. 'I have been eager to direct Wilde's greatest comedy ever since I directed his earlier play A Woman of No Importance for the University of Washington School of Drama in 1994. If any play can invoke a spirit of pure pleasure for two hours, it is certainly Wilde's Earnest,' Goldstein comments. As artistic director of Arizona Theatre Company (ATC), Goldstein has received the 2003 Governor's Arts Award as Individual Artist for his contributions to the arts in Arizona. He has directed over 30 mainstage productions for ATC and has been a guest director across the country. Before living in Arizona, he was the associate Artistic Director of A Contemporary Theatre in Seattle. Steve Tomkins will also take on the original work Stunt Girl this season. His last three new musical projects, which include Once Upon A Time in New Jersey (2006-2007), Girl of My Dreams (2005-2006), and The Ark (2002-2003), quickly became huge hits amongst Village Theatre audiences. Lastly, Village Theatre is thrilled to announce Jerry Dixon as the director of the musical masterpiece, Show Boat. Dixon began his career as an actor with original Broadway cast performances in Once On This Island and Five Guys Named Moe, with other original roles in Bright Lights, Big City, The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, new yorkers, and tick, tick…BOOM!. Dixon's directing credits vary and include tick, tick…BOOM! (Korea and Singapore), Crowns (Kalamazoo Civic), and concerts and special events for Tony winner LaChanze, recording artist Raúl Midón, Carnegie Hall, and the Belgium National Symphony. Dixon's directorial work was last seen at Village Theatre in 2007, when he was brought from New York to direct the Village Originals production of Barnstormer.

The Drama League (Jano Herbosch, President; Roger T. Danforth and Gabriel Shanks, Executive Directors) proudly announces the roster of presenters scheduled to appear for the The 74th Annual Drama League Awards Ceremony and Luncheon on Friday, May 16, 2008 (noon) at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square (1535 Broadway at 46th Street).

One of the Farmboys really was a farmboy and has a background in ballet, cruise ships and 2 previous B'way shows.

Les Miserables at the The Hollywood Bowl has completed casting, and BroadwayWorld.com has the scoop!

BroadwayWorld's own James Sims stopped by Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's to chat with Jenna Gavigan about her big Broadway debut in Gypsy with Bernadette Peters, performing opposite S. Epatha Merkerson, working as a television actress and crafting a cabaret show.

Once a ballerina, Michelle is now a Disney princess, having also appeared in 'Mary Poppins' and 'Beauty and the Beast'.

Sterling's Upstairs in Studio City, CA is pleased to announce its March, 2008 roster of headliners Nick Palance, Jennifer Cetrone, Tricia Kelly and Kelly Meyersfield, and Jenna Gavigan.

The Chicago company of the Tony Award-winning smash hit musical Jersey Boys will hold an online auction to raise funds for Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) as part of their annual 'Gypsy of the Year Competition.'

Porchlight Music Theatre will again feature the popular musical A Wonderful Life, a stage version of Frank Capra's legendary film 'It's a Wonderful Life.' The production, which broke Porchlight box office records in 2006, previews November 17 and runs through December 30 at Theatre Building Chicago

'The New York Post' reports Patti LuPone may return to Broadway's St. James Theatre in a recreation of her critically acclaimed turn as Mama Rose in last season's City Center Encores production of 'Gypsy'

The 2007 Broadway Flea Market and Grand Auction raised a total of $559,810, beating the 2006 total of $505,832. Over the past 21 years, the Flea Markets and Grand Auctions have raised a total of $7,262,372.

From Cadillac yak-yak-yak to rama lama lama ka-ding: Former 'Movin' Out' star Green has joined the Rydell High gang.

Casting has been announced for the Toronto engagement of Disney's HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL. Presented by Disney Theatrical Productions, the division responsible for such smash Broadway hits as The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast and Mary Poppins, and David Mirvish, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL is based on the 2006 Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel Original Movie. The touring company, which is anticipated to travel to more than 60 cities across the United States and Canada, includes a live orchestra and a cast of 34 talented theatrical performers.

Amber Stone was chosen as the Gypsy Robe Winner for Grease, which opened on Sunday, August 19th at Broadway's Brooks Atkinson Theatre (256 West 47th Street) after beginning previews on July 24th.

This California girl changed coasts 2 years ago, after touring Europe with 'Grease' and the U.S. and Japan with Brian Setzer.