The show had its Broadway premiere in 1947, which ran for 725 performances and won three Tony Awards, including one for star David Wayne and one for legendary choreographer Michael Kidd who made his Broadway debut with the show. One of the first of the socially conscious postwar musicals, Finian's Rainbow is unusual in that it deals in a satirical way with issues of class, race, and economics, most specifically in the character of a bigoted Southern senator who is accidentally turned black. It was also notable in its time for featuring an integrated cast at a time when most shows did not and for featuring a mute character who expresses herself solely through dance. The musical was revived in 1955 at City Center and in 1960 at Broadway's 46th Street Theatre.
Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd announced the cast and creative team for The Foreigner, the last play in the "Alley Theatre @ UH" season. Alley Resident Company member Jeffrey Bean returns to one of his signature roles as Charlie Baker.
The complete cast and creative team have been announced for The Old Globe production of William Shakespeare's delightful and romantic Twelfth Night. Rebecca Taichman, whose production of the time-traveling Time and the Conways fascinated audiences last April, is back to direct the first show of the 2015 Summer Shakespeare Festival. The Old Globe engagement will begin performances on June 21 and run through July 26, 2015, with opening night on Saturday, June 27 at 8:00 p.m., in the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre.
Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) is hosting its largest fundraising event of the year, the Visionaries Gala on Friday, May 8, at the renowned Hilton Short Hills.
Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: WICKED welcomes a new 'Elphaba' on tour, THE HARD PROBLEM opens in London, Billy Porter performs at Lincoln Center and more!
The extremely personable Cheyenne Jackson landed in Cafe Carlyle last night as if on the moon. A hardscrabble, Ohio childhood and late start in the business explain the artist's astonishment at finding himself in the prestigious nightclub. While Jackson's resume includes leading roles in Broadway musicals such as All Shook Up (2004), Xanadu (2007), Damn Yankees (2008), and Finian's Rainbow (2010), he took the Carlyle stage with only one cabaret appearance under his belt so the genre is as unfamiliar to the vocalist as the venue.
Seth Rudetsky's Broadway Concert Series at the Parker Playhouse produced by Mark Cortale will welcome Audra McDonald -- the historic six-time Tony winner and star of Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, Porgy and Bess, Ragtime, and Master Class as well as TV's Private Practice, tonight, January 8, 2015.
Broadway fans had plenty of reasons to celebrate this year, with dozens of shows having opened since January, hundreds of actors having made their debuts, and many more having returned to the stage for critically acclaimed performances. Not all news was good though, as we also suffered a loss of an incredible amount of talent.
Below, BroadwayWorld sends a fond farewell to those who passed away in 2014.
Seth Rudetsky's Broadway Concert Series at the Parker Playhouse produced by Mark Cortale will welcome Audra McDonald -- the historic six-time Tony winner and star of Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, Porgy and Bess, Ragtime, and Master Class as well as TV's Private Practice, on January 8, 2015; followed by Cheyenne Jackson -- star of TV's 30 Rock and Glee and Broadway's Damn Yankees and Xanadu on February 14; and Sutton Foster -- two-time Tony winner for Anything Goes and Thoroughly Modern Millie and star of ABC's Bunheads and the new TV Land series Younger debuting on March 20. Each concert will feature Seth Rudetsky as pianist and host. What differentiates the series from any other is the seamless mix of intimate behind-the-scenes stories from Broadway's biggest stars -- prompted by the encyclopedic-minded Rudetsky's probing, funny, revealing questions -- and their stellar singing of Broadway show tunes.
Manhattan Theatre Club's New York premiere co-production of The Country House, the new play by Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies, directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan, opened on October 2 at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street). Scroll down to learn more about the full cast and watch interviews with the company below!
EMMY Award-Winner Bruce Vilanch stars in a staged reading of RUBBLE, a new comedy by 4 time EMMY Award-Winning 'The Simpsons' writer, Mike Reiss at The Provincetown Theater. 'The Sopranos' star and Broadway veteran Jerry Adler also joins the cast. The staged reading of RUBBLE will be directed by James Valletti for one night only to benefit The Provincetown Theater. All proceeds go directly to support The Provincetown Theater.
A great, big Broadway season is on its way, with fourteen productions already slated to open in the next few months. With weeks until the craziness begins, there is still plenty of time to catch up on what's been going on at Broadway's already occupied theaters.
BroadwayWorld will be profiling the hits of the Great White Way that continue to draw crowds after months, years, and (in some cases) decades. Meet the current cast of Broadway's MOTOWN below!
Following last year's acclaimed Public Works production of The Tempest, The Public Theater will continue this community-based initiative this September with a free original musical adaptation of Shakespeare's THE WINTER'S TALE. Featuring more than 200 New Yorkers from all five boroughs performing alongside professional actors and The Public's community partners, Public Works' THE WINTER'S TALE will run for three nights only, September 5-7, at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Free tickets will be distributed, two per person, at 12:00 p.m. on the day of the show at the Delacorte Theater and via the Virtual Ticketing lottery at www.publictheater.org.
Principal casting has been announced for the upcoming world premiere production of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS. The cast will include Robert Fairchild as Jerry Mulligan, Leanne Cope as Lise Dassin, Veanne Cox as Madame Baurel, Jill Paice as Milo Davenport, Brandon Uranowitz as Adam Hochberg, and Max Von Essen as Henri Baurel.
Earlier this week, legendary actresses of stage and screen, Ruby Dee died at the age of 91. According to sources, the actress was at her home in New Rochelle, NY, surrounded by family members when she passed away.
Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) and the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) will release a new live recording of the first-ever concert performances of Leonard Bernstein's complete score for the musical West Side Story featuring a stellar Broadway cast including Cheyenne Jackson and Alexandra Silber, and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, today, June 10, 2014.
Today, BWW takes an in-depth look at the newly minted winners of theater's most prestigous award!
Mo Brady and Nikka Graff Lanzarone announce the release of The Ensemblist's 24th episode: 'Tony Awards.'
Beginning today, May 20, West Side Story will be available for an exclusive early download from iTunes.com/SFSymphony where it is now available for pre-order.
Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, May 18, 2014 - Sunday, May 18, 2014.
It's been rumored, talked about, discussed and we've been reporting on it for what feels like forever -- and now, it's official! Roundabout Theatre Company has announced that it will present Tony & Emmy Award winner Kristin Chenoweth as 'Lily Garland' and Golden Globe & SAG Award winner & Tony nominee Peter Gallagher as 'Oscar Jaffe' in a new Broadway production of the classic musical ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, directed by Scott Ellis and choreographed by Warren Carlyle. ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY features music by Cy Coleman and book & lyrics by Betty Comden & Adolph Green.
Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) and the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) will release a new live recording of the first-ever concert performances of Leonard Bernstein's complete score for the musical West Side Story featuring a stellar Broadway cast including Cheyenne Jackson and Alexandra Silber, and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, on June 10, 2014.
The world premiere production of the brand new musical comedy Bullets Over Broadway, written by Woody Allen and based on the screenplay by Allen and Douglas McGrath for the 1994 film, will begin preview performances tomorrow, March 11 and officially open Thursday, April 10, 2014 at The St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street). The new musical will be directed and choreographed by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman. Scroll down to learn more about the Bullets Over Broadway company, and watch interviews with the cast!
Broadway stars might boast the biggest fan-bases, but without their directors, the vehicle driving their talents could easily swerve off the tracks. Keeping the runaway train at bay are season's bold Broadway 'conductors'. Scroll down to learn more about this season's intrepid and imaginative leaders!
Muny Executive Producer Mike Isaacson announced today the directors, choreographers and music directors for the Muny's 2014 Season, which opens on June 16 with Billy Elliot The Musical. "We're so happy these exciting artists are creating our 2014 season," said Isaacson. "This is a challenging season, one with incredible variety and power. We're fortunate that such extraordinary talents will be creating our 'Muny Magic.'"
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