Take Me Along 2008 - Articles Page 19

New Stage Collective proudly presents Martin Sherman's landmark 1970 drama BENT. Forty years following its London premiere, BENT appears for the first time on a professional Cincinnati Stage. NSC Producing Artistic Director Alan Patrick Kenny directs this provocative story following one man's journey from the hedonistic cabarets and clubs of 1930s Berlin to the inhuman excess of the Nazi regime.

An all new cast of celebrities hits the dance floor on ABC's Dancing with the Stars with the highly anticipated two-hour season premiere MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2009 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET) on ABC. Season Eight introduces viewers to 13 new stars including the youngest competitor to date, an NFL legend, a computer icon, a female rapper, three music artists, and a Wildboy. Additionally press notes state, love is a battlefield, when for the first time three real life couples take the ballroom floor. Husband and wife, Ty Murray and Jewel, compete for bragging rights while newly engaged professional dancers, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff, go head-to-head. To top it off, country crooner, Chuck Wicks teams with girlfriend and two-time Dancing with the Stars champ, Julianne Hough.

Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of The Public Theater, has announced the 26-member Broadway cast of HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical. Newcomers to the cast include Gavin Creel, Caissie Levy and Sasha Allen, who join the rest of the tribe, who are reprising their roles from Central Park last summer. HAIR begins preview performances on Friday, March 6 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street, NYC) with an Opening Night set for Tuesday, March 31, 2009.

The hopes, dreams and inner desires of the residents of a small Midwestern town will come bursting to life in Kansas City Rep's production of the new Eric Rosen musical Winesburg, Ohio, one of the most original new musicals to come along this decade. Rosen, artistic director of the Rep, wrote the book and lyrics for Winesburg, Ohio and he will direct.

Sutton Foster's debut CD 'Wish' was released February 17th on Ghostlight Records. The album features 15 songs culled from the worlds of jazz, pop, Broadway and cabaret, and highlights Foster's eclectic choices, ranging from Patty Griffin's ?Nobody's Cryin' to Duke Ellington's ?I Like the Sunrise'...from Frank Loesser's ?Warm All Over' to John Denver's ?Sunshine on My Shoulders'. Tony-winner Foster also looks forward to a sold-out, February 19th, NYC appearance, as part of the popular Lincoln Center Songbook Series. On February 27th, Foster will perform and sign CDs at an In-Store appearance at Barnes and Noble Lincoln Center, at 5 pm. Currently starring as Princess Fiona in Broadway's ?Shrek the Musical', Sutton Foster was given high praise by Ben Brantley of The New York Times, who compared her to musical royalty: 'She has emerged as an inspired, take-charge musical comedian in the tradition of Danny Kaye and Carol Burnett...' Foster's unique ability to be irreverent and respectful from moment-to-moment shines through on ?Wish', as her voice wallops through ?Oklahoma' (a bonus track,) only minutes after a delicate, warm delivery of Noel Coward's ?Come The Wild, Wild Weather.' She is a musical chameleon with a voice as appealing as her down-to-earth personality. ?Wish' was Produced by Joel Moss, and Co-Produced by Michael Rafter. Executive Producers are Kurt Deutsch and Sutton Foster. The CD package features original artwork by Sutton Foster.

The Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis will begin its 2008-2009 season with political plays featuring ripped-from-the-headlines content, and will continue the season with the first Indianapolis production of a work by popular Irish playwright Conor McPherson, a world premiere 'mock operetta' by Jack O'Hara, and a Spanish-language production as well as the regional premieres of a number of plays.

Broadway/San Diego ~ A Nederlander Presentation, is announce its 33rd Season of great theatre. This year, more importantly than ever, theatre lives up to its promise to take us away and teach us about life, love and other cultures whether they are in Africa, uptown Manhattan, the Ivy League or fantastic & funny alternate realities! Take an ?Escapation/PLAYcation? with the entire family and discover the theatrical royalty the 2009-2010 Season offers.

Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company is proud to announce its production of Miss Evers' Boys by David Feldshuh, directed by Kenny Leon, featuring Jasmine Guy, TC Carson and Eugene Lee. Performances will take place at Fulton County's Southwest Arts Center, March 4 - 21, 2009; performance times vary and are listed on the True Colors website, truecolorstheatre.org. Cast also includes Bart Hansard, Eric Little, Enoch King and E. Roger Mitchell.

Cabrillo Music Theatre continues its 2008-2009 season with the grandest and most spectacular musical of all, 42ND STREET. Directed and Choreographed by original Broadway cast member and Dance Captain, Jon Engstrom, 42ND STREET features a cast of 40, a full professional orchestra, and some of the greatest songs and dances ever to hit the great white way.

An all new cast of celebrities hits the dance floor on ABC's Dancing with the Stars with the highly anticipated two-hour season premiere MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2009 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET) on ABC. Season Eight introduces viewers to 13 new stars including the youngest competitor to date, an NFL legend, a computer icon, a female rapper, three music artists, and a Wildboy. Additionally press notes state, love is a battlefield, when for the first time three real life couples take the ballroom floor. Husband and wife, Ty Murray and Jewel, compete for bragging rights while newly engaged professional dancers, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff, go head-to-head. To top it off, country crooner, Chuck Wicks teams with girlfriend and two-time Dancing with the Stars champ, Julianne Hough.

Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of The Public Theater, has announced the 26-member Broadway cast of HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical. Newcomers to the cast include Gavin Creel, Caissie Levy and Sasha Allen, who join the rest of the tribe, who are reprising their roles from Central Park last summer. Currently in rehearsal at the Union Square Theatre, HAIR begins preview performances on Friday, March 6 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street, NYC) with an Opening Night set for Tuesday, March 31, 2009.

Richard Kind ('The Tale of the Allergist's Wife' on Broadway) and Michelle Pawk (Tony winner, 'Hollywood Arms') will head the cast of Jeffrey Sweet's play Flyovers, set to receive its New York premiere Off-Broadway beginning previews January 29, 2009 prior to its official press opening night February 2 at the 78th Street Theatre Lab (236 West 78th Street) in Manhattan. Directed by Sandy Shinner, Flyovers is presented in New York by Artistic New Directions, Jeff Landsman and 78th Street Theatre Lab, where Mr. Sweet's acclaimed play Bluff was produced in 2006.

The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) will begin previews of Aristocrats by Brian Friel on Friday, January 16, 2009. The production will open on Sunday, January 25, 2009 and is scheduled to close March 8, 2009. Charlotte Moore directs.

McCarter Theatre Center announces the complete cast of George Bernard Shaw's still provocative Mrs. Warren's Profession, the third show of the theater's 2008-2009 season. Directed by McCarter Artistic Director Emily Mann, the production will feature Suzanne Bertish, Robin Chadwick, Edward Hibbert, Madeleine Hutchins, Michael Izquierdo, and Rocco Sisto. Mrs. Warren's Profession begins performances in the Berlind Theatre on Friday, January 9 and runs through February 15. (Press opening Friday, January 16).

The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) will begin previews of Aristocrats by Brian Friel on Friday, January 16, 2009. The production will open on Sunday, January 25, 2009 and is scheduled to close March 8, 2009. Charlotte Moore directs.

Spoleto Festival USA announced today its complete 2009 program that will see 120 performing arts performances take place in Charleston during the 17-day season, May 22 - June 7. Tickets for the 2009 Spoleto Festival USA are on sale now.

McCarter Theatre Center announces the complete cast of George Bernard Shaw's still provocative Mrs. Warren's Profession, the third show of the theater's 2008-2009 season. Directed by McCarter Artistic Director Emily Mann, the production will feature Suzanne Bertish, Robin Chadwick, Edward Hibbert, Madeleine Hutchins, Michael Izquierdo, and Rocco Sisto. Mrs. Warren's Profession begins performances in the Berlind Theatre on Friday, January 9 and runs through February 15. (Press opening Friday, January 16).

Sam Mendes directs a transatlantic company of actors in a double-bill of classic works for The Bridge Project's inaugural 2009 season, which pairs a new version of The Cherry Orchard by Tom Stoppard with The Winter's Tale. A formidable transatlantic company and creative team will mount these two new productions for seven internationally renowned theaters. Simon Russell Beale leads the British/American cast, playing Lopakhin in The Cherry Orchard and Leontes in The Winter's Tale. He is joined by Sin?ad Cusack as Madame Ranevskaya and Paulina, Richard Easton as Firs and Old Shepherd, Rebecca Hall as Varya and Hermione, Josh Hamilton as Yasha and Polixenes, Ethan Hawke as Trofimov and Autolycus, and Paul Jesson as Gaev and Camilo.

Richard Kind ('The Tale of the Allergist's Wife' on Broadway) and Michelle Pawk (Tony winner, 'Hollywood Arms') will head the cast of Jeffrey Sweet's play Flyovers, set to receive its New York premiere Off-Broadway beginning previews January 29, 2009 prior to its official press opening night February 2 at the 78th Street Theatre Lab (236 West 78th Street) in Manhattan. Directed by Sandy Shinner, Flyovers is presented in New York by Artistic New Directions, Jeff Landsman and 78th Street Theatre Lab, where Mr. Sweet's acclaimed play Bluff was produced in 2006.

When a writer has done the number of celebrity interviews that I have, he realizes that there are a handful of celebrities he would never want to meet again. Most, however, are genuinely nice people and enjoyable to work with. There are others who become friends-true and genuine friends. Such is the relationship that has developed between me and Nick Spangler who is currently starring as Matt in the lovely revival of The Fantasticks which is enjoying a healthy run Off Broadway.

This year will be of particular interest due to the economic situation, which makes the phrase 'more for your hard earned dollar' even harder...

The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) will begin previews of Aristocrats by Brian Friel on Friday, January 16, 2009. The production will open on Sunday, January 25, 2009 at 7PM and is scheduled to close March 8, 2009. Charlotte Moore directs.

Two-time Oscar? winner Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada) and Pierce Brosnan (Die Another Day) lead an all-star cast in the most infectiously fun movie of the year, Mamma Mia! The Movie, coming to DVD and Blu-ray Hi-Def on December 16, 2008 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. For a limited time only, the worldwide movie phenomenon is available in 2-disc Special Edition widescreen DVD and 2-Disc Blu-ray Hi-Def with digital copy.

Upright Cabaret producers/hosts Chris Isaacson and Shane Scheel proudly present Broadway star and Los Angeles native Eden Espinosa in her first solo effort entitled EDEN ESPINOSA - ME to be directed by Broadway & recording star Billy Porter with Ben Toth taking over Music Direction. During the last month of Wicked's run at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, where she is currently starring as Elphaba, Espinosa will take off the green to perform four solo concerts which will feature a different special guest each night. Special guests T.B.A.

Come hear those sleigh bells ring! Peter Nero and the Philly Pops present 10 performances of Holiday POPS - a beloved family tradition. The von Trapp Children will captivate audiences, along with organist Peter Conte, the POPS Festival Chorus, and the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas Gospel Choir.