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THE BOYS IN THE BAND is a classic 1970 film directed by William Friedkin, and co-stars Laurence Luckinbill as an out-of-the-closet husband and father. The screenplay by Mart Crowley is based on his hit Off-Broadway play of the same title. 'THE BOYS IN THE BAND is not a musical" read the film's original ads. As the first major film studio production to deal frankly with homosexuality, every member of the show's original Off-Broadway cast ap- pears in the iconic film, including Laurence Luckinbill.

While I'm well acquainted with L. Frank Baum's classic tales of the land of Oz, and I've certainly seen numerous stage adaptations of his work, I'd never had the opportunity to see THE WIZ, unless you count the film version (and I don't), until now. After viewing the Black Rep's splendid production I'm happy to report that it's a tune-filled spectacle that's brimming with color and movement. It has an Afrocentric, funky mid-1970's era vibe (book by William F. Brown, most of the music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls) that actually makes it seem more hip than you would expect.

Starz and Lionsgate announced today that they will again join forces to develop a new original drama series, 'Fleet Street.' Set in 1970's England, the provocative new series will chronicle the rise of tabloid journalism, the sexual revolution and class warfare, all seen through the eyes of an American journalist.

Ballet Hispanico, recognized as the nation's leading Latino dance organization since 1970, announces its participation as the inaugural company in the Rockefeller Brothers Fund's (RBF) first dance residency as part of the Pocantico Arts Collaborative this spring. Ballet Hispanico, one of two dance companies awarded the RBF's Charles E. Culpeper Arts and Culture Grant, will develop a new choreographic work as part of its residency program at The Pocantico Center. A work-in-progress showing will follow this summer as part of Pocantico's summer performance season.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Broadway legend Elaine Stritch recently announced that she would be leaving New York City for good, after 71 years here, to relocate to her home state of Michigan. According to the New York Post, the 88 year-old just left her home at the Carlyle, and 35 hotel employees were there to see her off when she got off the elevator.

Under the leadership of Music Director Franz Welser-Möst, The Cleveland Orchestra has become one of the most sought-after performing ensembles in the world. In concerts at its winter home at Severance Hall and at each summer's Blossom Festival, in residencies from Miami to Vienna to New York, and on tour around the world, The Cleveland Orchestra sets standards of artistic excellence, creative programming, and community engagement.

Phyllis Diller, the legendary actress and comedian, makes an appearance on the May 1st episode of Bravo's "Dukes of Melrose." In her last television appearance ever, the comedic genius opens up her home to "…Melrose" star Cameron Silver to give a rare glimpse inside her home and closet.

Comedian Jonathan Winters passed away of natural causes at his Montecito, California home at 6:45 p.m. PDT on April 11, 2013, surrounded by family and friends. The Recording Academy's President and CEO Neil Portnow has released the following statement about his passing.

Dame Blanche Artis Lewis, whose company, The Opera Factory, produced Spanish Zarzuela in Chicago for 20 years, died early Friday morning at her home in Chicago. She was 86.

Comedian Jonathan Winters has passed away of natural causes at his Montecito, California home at 6:45 p.m. PDT on April 11, 2013, surrounded by family and friends.

Comedian Jonathan Winters has passed away of natural causes at his Montecito, California home at 6:45 p.m. PDT on April 11, 2013, surrounded by family and friends.

As an undergraduate theater major in the early 1970s, I heard music everywhere. It seemed to pour out of every office and workspace around the department. (And in the LP era, if you wanted more than the radio, this meant schlepping a twenty pound record player and a dozen or so albums from your home to the campus, sometimes requiring back-and-forth trips from the car. If you go to that much trouble, you want to keep the music playing.) In the hushed costume shop with its quietly industrious all female staff, Broadway ruled, with Stephen Sondheim's recent Company and Follies in heavy rotation. It was 'men only' in the scene shop where I listened to male balladeers like James Taylor and Gordon Lightfoot while unhappily working off assigned crew hours. Jazz classes (my favorites) in the dance department were conducted to the pre-disco sounds of Isaac Hayes and the Temptations. And late night cast parties were never complete without spins of Bette Midler's first two albums.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre and home of the U.S. Center of the International Theatre Institute (ITI-US), invites all theatres, individual artists, institutions and audiences to celebrate the 51st annual World Theatre Day today, March 27, 2013. Each year, a renowned theatre artist of world stature is invited by ITI Worldwide in Paris to craft an international message to mark the global occasion. This year the message was written by Italian Nobel Prize-winning playwright, director and actor Dario Fo, and has been translated into more than 20 languages to reach tens of thousands in the international theatre community.

The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel has just announced the return of its most famous resident, Elaine Stritch, to the Café Carlyle for her final engagement. Her new show, Elaine Stritch at the Carlyle: Movin' Over and Out, a freeform evening of story and song, will play for one week only. This will be the final chance to see Ms. Stritch – who has been dubbed the Carlyle's own “Octogenarian Eloise” – give one of her now-legendary performances at her home venue, before she leaves the Carlyle Hotel and the city of New York for good. (Ms. Stritch will be relocating to her home state of Michigan.) Elaine Stritch has played 4 sold-out engagements at the Café Carlyle over the past 7 years.

Prolific LA songwriter/musician Bob Beland, who has been active in the music industry since the early 1970's, has decided to make available free for public listening his entire back catalog on Soundcloud. This also includes his recent critically acclaimed album release 'Mar Vista'; a collection of songs written by Bob between 2010 and 2012 and it's instrumental companion EP, 'Forward & Backworks,' both recorded at his home studio in Los Angeles, Wrong Way Works. Says Bob, “'Mar Vista' for me is kind of a throwback to the old Buffalo Springfield records and their eclectic unpredictable nature. 'Forward & Backworks' is a concept for orchestra that includes two pieces also found on 'Mar Vista.'”

It is with great sadness that The Philadelphia Orchestra mourns the death of Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor laureate of the Orchestra and its music director from 1993 to 2003. Mr. Sawallisch passed away on Friday at his home in Grassau, upper Bavaria, Germany. He was 89 years old. In a special tribute and dedication to him, the Orchestra performed Wagner's Siegfried Idyll to open its Sunday afternoon concert.

York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Andrew Levine, Executive Director) has announced principal casting for the remaining three musicals in its Winter 2013 Musicals in Mufti Series: Hollywood Pinafore (March 1-3, 2013), Happy Hunting (March 15-17, 2013), and Silk Stockings (March 22-24, 2013) at York Theatre Company at its home in Saint Peter's (Entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).

Actress Cathy Rigby was the highest-scoring American gymnast at the 1968 Olympics and became a favorite with American television audiences. She was U.S. National Gymnastic Champion in 1970 and 1972. Her greatest accomplishment was to become the first American woman to win a silver medal for the balance beam at the 1970 World Championships. In 1974, retired from gymnastics, she was offered the role of Peter Pan, which she has gloriously played for over 40 years, including Broadway with a Tony Award nomination as Best Actress in a Musical in 1990. She is about to open Peter Pan once more at the Pantages on January 15, having done it here in 2004. In our chat she talks about how she keeps the role fresh and why it has remained a favorite all these years.

The first phase of a website, www.jamesbonovan.com, is dedicated to James Britt Donovan's legacy of ideas and action, as they relate to his role in the Bay of Pigs/Cuban prisoner negotiations and subsequent release. The web design team, www.Section101.com, worked to the last minute before the holiday to make this happen in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of this historic milestone where Donovan played the starring role on behalf of the Cuban Families Committee and the Kennedy Administration. On December 22, 2012, Donovan's daughter, Mary Ellen Donovan Fuller Fletcher spoke at the Bay of Pigs Museum in front of an audience of prominent Cuban-Americans and the Mayor of Miami at a ceremony commemorating the anniversary. A picture of Donovan now hangs in the Museum, and a letter from Mary Ellen, printed in the Miami Herald on December 21, appears on the home page.

Following the 80th Anniversary Season's record-breaking attendance, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival announces the 2013 Festival schedule today. Jacob's Pillow is a National Historic Landmark, home to America's longest-running dance festival, and a recipient of the National Medal of Arts.

AEROSMITH drew an estimated 35,000 fans this past Monday (11/5/12) in Boston when they performed a pre-Election Day show in the streets of Boston. The location - in front of 1325 Commmonwealth Avenue, site of the band's original apartment where they lived from 1970-1972. Check out video highlights and the ceremony and concert below!

The ABC Television Network is celebrating the holiday season with movies, specials and four all-new special episodes of 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition' beginning on Monday, November 26. Programming and airdates are as follows:

Comedian and Broadway veteran Phyllis Diller passed away on August 20th in her Los Angeles home. She was 95 years old. BroadwayWorld remembers Diller's long and exceptional career with the photo collection below.

According to published reports, comedian and Broadway veteran Phyllis Diller passed away this morning in her Los Angeles home. She was 95 years old.

Eonline reports that Emmy Award-winner William Windom has passed away at the age of 88. The actor died in his home in California from congestive heart failure last Thursday.