Maria, Maria 2006 - Articles Page 23

A weekly column on Baltimore/Washington theater as well as other theater tidbits.

The Broadway by the Year series will showcase musicals from 1930, 1956, 1968 and 1978 in 2006, and other events will also be featured at Town Hall

Former American Idol runner-up Diana DeGarmo will join the cast of Broadway's Hairspray as Penny Pingleton from February 7 through May 14, 2006.

David and Ed Mirviish are pleased to announce Sandy Wilson's THE BOY FRIEND, directed by Oscar and Emmy Award-winner Julie Andrews, will play a strictly limited engagement at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre, January 10 - February 18, 2006.

With Phantom of the Opera approaching its milestone performance on Jan. 9 as the longest running musical of all time, it seemed a perfect time to check in with the original star - Michael Crawford.

As Phantom of the Opera prepares to roll into the history books on Monday night, January 9, 2006 as the longest running show of all time, BroadwayWorld checked in with some of the many men behind the mask. Phantom alumni Kevin Gray, Cris Groenendaal, and Davis Gaines, along with Broadway's current Phantom Howard McGillin each shared their experiences of donning the mask.

The hit London revival of Sunday in the Park with George by the Menier Chocolate Factory may be heading for the West End in 2006

Signature Theatre Company's acclaimed production of Horton Foote's The Trip to Bountiful will be extended for six weeks through February 29th, 2006

The UK press is reporting this morning that Andrew Lloyd Webber is partnering up with the BBC for a talent show to search for an unknown to star as Maria in The Sound of Music.

The Phantom of the Opera will become the longest-running Broadway musical in history on January 9th, 2006

After 15 years away from the Broadway stage, and well-known as a romantic lead, British star Michael Ball is making his return to Broadway in the most anti-type of roles - Count Fosco in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Woman in White. Before being buried under latex, and a fat suit for an evening show, the star gave BroadwayWorld the scoop.

Patti LuPone has been confirmed as Rose in the Ravinia Festival's production of Gypsy, which will run from August 11th through 13th in 2006

Apparition, a new play by Anne Washburn, will run from December 4th, 2005 through January 7th, 2006 off-Broadway

Terrence Mann and Kim Huber will star in The Sound of Music in Seattle from November 29th through December 18th

Avenue Q secures London transfer, Simon Callow dons Fosco's fat suit, Sondheim gets more birthday celebrations and The Witches of Eastwick receives its amateur premiere

Williamstown Theatre Festival (WTF) opens this year's Nikos Stage season with Create Fate on July 13 at 8:00 p.m.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's latest has announced an out of town tryout in Chicago for the show prior to a now Spring 2006 opening.