You'll be dancing in the aisles when con man Jonas Nightingale brings his gospel-charged tent revival to rain-starved Kansas. Four-time Tony Award©-nominee Raúl Esparza and Golden Globe Award-nominee Brooke Shields will star in this world premiere Broadway-bound new musical.
Based on the movie with Steve Martin, Leap of Faith boasts a brand new score from 8-time Oscar winner Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast) and directed and choreographed by Tony Award©-winner Rob Ashford, helmer of the recent Taper favorite, Parade.
MEMPHIS, the 2010 Tony® Award Winner for Best Musical, opens at the Fabulous Fox Theatre on May 1 for a limited engagement.
Linda Lavin (Broadway Bound), Sebastian Arcelus (Elf), LaChanze (The Color Purple), Emily Skinner (Side Show), Shuler Hensley (Oklahoma!), Daniel Breaker (Passing Strange) and Sierra Boggess (Love Never Dies, The Little Mermaid) will be among the star players in the upcoming Broadway Hal Prince tribute, PRINCE OF BROADWAY, The New York Times reveals.
Writers' Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, continues its 20th Anniversary Season with Hesperia by Randall Colburn, directed by Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden.
It is a rare enough occurrence for a genuine born and bred Broadway star to emerge post-millennium, but one as astonishingly versatile as Raul Esparza, having scored accolades since his blazing debut in a string of hit plays and musicals, ranging from Mamet and Sondheim and Pinter to CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG and his aforementioned Broadway bow in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, is a downright cause for celebration. Esparza makes his grand return to the Broadway stage in a musical with his upcoming starring role in Alan Menken & Glenn Slater's adaptation of the Steve Martin film LEAP OF FAITH, featuring a country and gospel influenced score and a spirited, energetic production by Christopher Ashley (who, incidentally, helmed Esparza's first Broadway show, ROCKY HORROR). While Esparza has been seen in many - most, if not quite all - Broadway seasons in the decade since 2001, he has also scored in leading roles in regional productions such as 2002's spectacular SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE and MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG revivals, part of the unprecedented Sondheim Celebration, as well as the Cincinnati Playhouse COMPANY, directed by John Doyle, which transferred to Broadway and was subsequently preserved on DVD and Blu-ray, in addition to being presented on PBS as part of Great Performances. Besides Esparza's many notable musical revival performances (lest we forget his essaying of the Emcee in CABARET), he also created the Broadway iterations of his roles in the controversial and brilliantly scored TABOO, produced by Rosie O'Donnell and composed by Boy George, as well as the stage adaptation of the hit family classic CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, as well as originating the lead role in TICK, TICK...BOOM! Having played three of Sondheim's most memorable male roles was not enough, though, apparently, for Esparza recently took on the part of the hapless Hapgood in Sondheim's ANYONE CAN WHISTLE when it was revived at City Center's Encores! - with Tony-winners Donna Murphy and Sutton Foster his co-stars, no less - with much success. Yet, in one of a myriad of examples of the broad spectrum of Esparza's abilities, it is instructive to remember he first made a name for himself with the role of Che in an Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice show, directed by no less than the ultimate man of the theatre himself, Harold Prince - EVITA, which, of course, is being revived this season with Ricky Martin in the role of Che. Besides Esparza's many musical roles throughout the past decade and prior, he has also carved out a seriously impressive straight drama resume, having appeared in plays by the great playwrights of our age, such as Pinter (THE HOMECOMING), Mamet (SPEED-THE-PLOW), Stoppard (ARCADIA) and, the greatest of all, Shakespeare (AS YOU LIKE IT, part of Shakespeare In The Park). ROCKY HORROR to ARCADIA to, now, with LEAP OF FAITH, Esparza constantly and consistently surprises fans and audiences alike with his audacious choice in roles and electrifying performances that are indelibly enjoyable in their uniqueness, variety and sheer breadth of emotion - time and time again. Yes, indeed, Raul Esparza is the best of the best Broadway has to offer, so let us hope LEAP OF FAITH is the ideal star vehicle for one of the most charismatic and multi-talented leading men of the 21st century and that it brings him his well-deserved Best Actor Tony at last.
The 2012 Grammy for 'Best Song Written for Visual Media' has been awarded to composer Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater.
The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County presents four-time Tony Award nominee and Miami native Raúl Esparza in a much anticipated solo performance. As part of the 2011-12 Knight Masterworks Season Pop Series, Esparza returns to the Adrienne Arsht Center on February 11, 2012 at 8 p.m. in the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall.
The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County presents four-time Tony Award nominee and Miami native Raúl Esparza in a much anticipated solo performance. As part of the 2011-12 Knight Masterworks Season Pop Series, Esparza returns to the Adrienne Arsht Center on February 11, 2012 at 8 p.m. in the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall.
Writers' Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, continues its 20th Anniversary Season with Hesperia by Randall Colburn, directed by Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden.
The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County presents four-time Tony Award nominee and Miami native Raúl Esparza in a much anticipated solo performance. As part of the 2011-12 Knight Masterworks Season Pop Series, Esparza returns to the Adrienne Arsht Center on February 11, 2012 at 8 p.m. in the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall.
If you're looking for a quick roundup of this week's events, look no further: here are some of the best articles the week had to offer!
The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County presents four-time Tony Award nominee and Miami native Raúl Esparza in a much anticipated solo performance. As part of the 2011-12 Knight Masterworks Season Pop Series, Esparza returns to the Adrienne Arsht Center on February 11, 2012 at 8 p.m. in the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall.
Writers' Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, continues its 20th Anniversary Season with Hesperia by Randall Colburn, directed by Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden.
The Old Globe presents the World Premiere of Some Lovers, a new musical with book and lyrics by Tony and Grammy Award winner Steven Sater and music by Academy and Grammy Award-winning legend Burt Bacharach.
The LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence and achievement during the 2010-2011 season, were presented on Monday, November 14, 2011 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. Click here for a full list of winners.
Now, the New York Times reports that according to producer Thomas Viertel, the show is indeed now headed to Broadway in the Fall of 2012. No official announcement has yet been made, but Viertel told the paper that 'closed-door developmental readings drew strong feedback' and that 'our creative team has done great work in clarifying the story.'
The LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence and achievement during the 2010-2011 season, were presented on Monday, November 14, 2011 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. Click here for a full list of winners.
Check out photos from he event below!
As BroadwayWorld has previously reported, a newly revamped version of Leap of Faith received a table reading last Friday, September 9. The show's composer, Alan Menken, has taken to his Twitter this morning to announce that the show will next have a 29 hour reading prior to a New York production. He tweets: 'LEAP OF FAITH table reading last Friday. Next is a 29 hour reading before New York production. It's SUCH a changed show!' The musical reportedly has Broadway aspirations, possibly for later this season.
The LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence and achievement during the 2010-2011 season, were presented on Monday, November 14, 2011 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.
IMAGILAND PRODUCTIONS is pleased to announce the Season 2 Finale of the original web series WIENER & WIENER premiering November 7th, 2011 on www.wienerandwiener.com.
IMAGILAND PRODUCTIONS is pleased to announce the Season 2 Finale of the original web series WIENER & WIENER premiering November 7th, 2011 on www.wienerandwiener.com.
An all-star cast of Seattle celebrities will waltz onto the stage of The 5th Avenue Theatre in a holiday ball audiences will never forget: Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella. Under the direction of Seattle's own Brandon Ivie, this enchanting fairy tale features Jennifer Paz of Miss Saigon as Cinderella and Wicked star Kendra Kassebaum as the Fairy Godmother, as well as local luminaries Suzanne Bouchard, Nick Garrison, Sarah Rudinoff, Brandon O'Neill, Cynthia Jones, Allen Fitzpatrick, and Greg McCormick Allen.
The Old Globe today announced the cast and creative team for the World Premiere of Some Lovers, a new musical with book and lyrics by Tony and Grammy Award winner Steven Sater and music by Academy and Grammy Award-winning legend Burt Bacharach. Directed by Will Frears with music supervision by Lon Hoyt and choreography by Denis Jones, Some Lovers will run Nov. 26 - Dec. 31 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run Nov. 26 - Dec. 6. Opening night is Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.
BroadwayWorld.com presents Twitter Watch, which brings you only the best and most interesting reports straight from the mouths of Broadway stars, shows and more on the hot social networking service - Twitter!
3Arts today announced this year's twelve recipients of the 3Arts Awards. The awards were presented by the 3Arts Board of Directors and Awards Host Committee in a celebratory gathering at the Museum of Contemporary Art on Monday, October 3, 2011.
Nominees for the 2011 LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards were announced on the evening of Monday, September 19 at the Falcon Theatre in Burbank; the complete list of nominees is as follows.
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