Rent Tour 1997 - Articles Page 19

If Tracie Thoms' life was written as an old fashioned Broadway musical it would go something like this, 'Girl wants role, girl doesn't get role, girl REALLY wants role, girl finally gets role and then girl REALLY gets role…again.' Sound complicated? Not so much. BroadwayWorld caught up with her and we spoke at length about her thrilling and inspiring 'Quest for Joanne'.

Director Billy Porter and Grammy nominee Ledisi mark their debuts with Reprise Theatre Company in the 1990 musical 'Once on This Island,' opening the 2008-2009 season, September 2 to 14 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. The press opening is September 3.

Ethan Paulini will star in Counter Productions' 'tick, tick...BOOM!' and 'The Full Monty.'

The York Theatre Company's (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) presents a concert revival of GRIND.

The York Theatre Company presents a concert revival of 'Grind.'

Westport Country Playhouse announces its summer roster of shows, featuring Tony Award winner James Naughton directing a Cole Porter musical revue; 'Saturday Night Live's' Rachel Dratch appearing in David Wiltse's 'tour de farce' office comedy; and Playhouse favorite Mark Shanahan ('Sedition,' 'David Copperfield,' 'Journey's End') performing in a thriller.

NEO 4, the fourth in a series of annual benefit concerts celebrating emerging musical theatre writers took place on Monday May 19th, 2008 at the Theatre at Saint Peter's, 619 Lexington Avenue (on 54th Street, between Lexington and Third Avenues).

Award-winning showbiz entertainers, Corky Hale and Charlotte Rae, will perform in a show emceed by Carl Reiner, with Jeff Lass serving as Music Director. The show, 'A Festive Evening For Westside Center for Independent Living,' is a benefit for WCIL.

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Artistic Director, Mark W. Jones-Executive Director) announces its mainstage production of Little Shop of Horrors, a musical written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. It's a musical comedy to die for - literally! The musical is based on Roger Corman's 1960 sci-fi comedy and includes several show-stopping numbers including 'Skid Row (Downtown),' 'Somewhere That's Green,' and 'Suddenly Seymour,' as well as the title song. Little Shop of Horrors will run at the Millburn theatre from June 4 through July 6, 2008.

Goodspeed Musicals, the only two time Tony Award winning theatre in the country, presents Happy Days: A New Musical. This tuneful musical comedy comes to the Goodspeed after a sold out run last summer at the Goodspeed's smaller musical performance space. The full scale musical celebration of 50's nostalgia begins April 11th and runs through June 29, 2008

THE BROADWAY STAGEHANDS STRIKE OF 2007 HAS OFFICIALLY COME TO AN END! BroadwayWorld offers the most comprehensive information to guide theatre-fans through the mayhem of rescheduled events and ticket information.

Penguin Rep, a suburban Equity house formed in 1977 as a community theater, is presenting 'The Goldman Project' in NYC.

In a Broadwayworld.com exclusive, hot budding star Francesca Jackson, set to play lesbian lawyer Joanne opposite Denise van Outen's Maureen in the upcoming West End 'Remix' of Rent, talks to Robert Gould about her career and her role in the Jonathon Larsen musical.

A press rehearsal was recently held for 'The Gypsy Robe - In Our Time,' which was presented by Actors' Equity on Monday, February 12, 2007 at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Bruno Walter Auditorium.

Broadway lovers and teddy bear collectors came together on Sunday, February 11, at the 'Broadway Bears X' auction, which raised a grand total of $130,000 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Paolo Montalban ('Cinderella's' Prince) Causes Uproar at Center Stage during a Post-Show Student Discussion

A weekly column on Baltimore/Washington theater and Broadway

The American Theatre Wing and XM Satellite Radio proudly present interviews with actress Daphne Rubin-Vega and executive directors Joseph P. Benincasa and Tom Viola, of The Actors Fund and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, respectively, on their weekly theatrical interview show, 'Downstage Center,' on XM's On Broadway

Denise Van Outen and Christopher Biggins will appear in the West Coast premiere of Addictions, three one-act plays by Tricia Walsh-Smith, on Monday, January 29 at 7 p.m. at the Kirk Douglas Theatre

The Broadway company of Hairspray will soon be welcoming three new cast members--including teen star Haylie Duff.

Grey Gardens, which recently concluded its sold out World Premiere production at Playwrights Horizons, will open on Broadway this Fall with performances beginning in October at The Walter Kerr Theatre (219 West 48th Street).

Complete casting has been announced for the West End production of Wicked.

With rumors swirling around the net the past couple of days, and an official announcement expected tomorrow, Rosie O'Donnell confirmed tonight to BroadwayWorld.com's Michael Roberts that she is headed for ABC's 'The View.'

After the setbacks of 9/11, Broadway's economic impact on New York is on the rise

Questions, comments, news tidbits, or story ideas about Baltimore area theatre are always welcome! Please contact me at jameshowardbww@yahoo.com. And you can always respond and post for everyone at www.BroadwayWorld.com, selecting Region, then Baltimore.