Based on the novel by E. L. Doctorow
Called by Time Magazine "A triumph for the stage," and by the International Herald Tribune "the best musical in twenty years," this acclaimed musical won 1998 Tony Awards for Best Score, Book and Orchestrations, and won both the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical and Best Score. RAGTIME is not only a powerful portrait of life in turn-of-the-century America, but a relevant tale for today. Written by the award-winning composer/lyricist team of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens ("Once On This Island," "Seussical," "Lucky Stiff"), noted playwright Terrence McNally, ("Kiss of the Spider Woman", "Master Class"), and based on E.L. Doctorow's distinguished novel, the musical intertwines the stories of three extraordinary families, as they confront history's timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair, and what it means to live in America. The Tony-winning score by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty is just as diverse as the melting pot of America itself. It draws upon many musical styles from the ragtime rhythms of Harlem and Tin Pan Alley to the klezmer of the Lower East Side, from bold brass band marches to delicate waltzes, from up-tempo banjo tunes to period parlor songs and expansive anthems.
Featured are such show stopping songs as "Getting Ready Rag," "Your Daddy’s Son," "Wheels of a Dream," "Till We Reach That Day," "Back To Before," and "Make Them Hear You." This thrilling musical is sure to inspire actors and audiences alike! Book by Terrence McNally; music by Stephen Flaherty; lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. Presented by Mesa Encore Theatre at the Farnsworth Studio.
Among them, the company can claim 18 Tony Awards, 4 Pulitzer Prizes, 6 Pulitzer finalist distinctions, 3 Emmy Awards, and 2 Academy Awards; to list all their honors would take several pages.
Next spring, Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Billy Porter, Brandon Victor Dixon, and Joshua Henry will star in SHUFFLE ALONG Or The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed, a striking new production that presents both the 1921 musical itself, and additionally details the events that catalyzed the songwriting team of Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, and librettists F.E. Miller and Aubrey Lyles to create this ground-breaking work.
PITTSBURGH – Performing in Pittsburgh for the first time since 1977, Randy Newman, whose music speaks to multiple generations, closes the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's Summer with the Symphony: Today Night Icons series tonight, July 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Heinz Hall.
Earlier this month, Jose Llana stepped into the role of the King of Siam in Lincoln Center Theater's Tony Award-winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's The King and I, directed by Bartlett Sher, at the Vivian Beaumont Theater (150 West 65 Street). This marks Llana's second experience in the iconic show, as he made is Broadway debut almost 20 years ago as Lun Tha in the 1996 revival.
Llana joins Tony winner Kelli O'Hara for a strictly limited 11-week engagement through Sunday, September 27. Just after he took his first bow on the Vivian Beaumont stage, he checked in with BroadwayWorld to update us on taking on his new role, reuniting with some of his Here Lies Love friends, and so much more. Check out the full interview below!
Audra McDonald, who starred in the role of 'Sarah' in the original Broadway production of RAGTIME, for which she earned her third Tony Award, turned to Twitter to express her sorrow over today's news.
Evie Hone and Lizzie Wells will join Anna-Louise Knight and Lara McDonnell in the title role of the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical from Tuesday 15 September 2015. Joining the four actresses will be Michael Begley (Mr Wormwood), Miria Parvin (Miss Honey) and Rebecca Thornhill (Mrs Wormwood). Craige Els will continue in the role of Miss Trunchbull.
PITTSBURGH – Performing in Pittsburgh for the first time since 1977, Randy Newman, whose music speaks to multiple generations, closes the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's Summer with the Symphony: Thursday Night Icons series on July 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Heinz Hall.
My first experience with LES MISERABLES was in 1996, as a tween performing in my school's musical review. While most other kids learned the material and moved on, I saved my pennies for the cast recording, memorizing the show word-for-word. After moving to New York in 2004, my work provided me with virtually unlimited tickets to the city's hottest shows. By the time LES MISERABLES returned to Broadway (in 2006, with a carbon-copy revival of the original production that had closed three years previously), I was a jaded New York twenty-something, no longer inspired by the 'tourist trap' hits. Then, as I sat in the darkened Broadhurst Theatre, the turntable moved, and I realized I was watching an unparalleled piece of theatre history.
Jenni Barber, Quentin Earl Darrington, Bradley Dean, Dan Fogler, Ana Gasteyer, Josh Lamon, Aaron Lazar, Alyse Alan Louis and Rema Webb join Jonathan Groff in the Encores! Off-Center production of William Finn and James Lapine's A New Brain, running tonight, June 24, through June 27, 2015. The production is directed by James Lapine, with choreography by Josh Prince.
(Millburn, NJ) June 2, 2015 - As one of the nation's leading regional theaters and producing partners for Broadway, Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) has a well-earned reputation for launching both performers and shows for the Great White Way. Since their inception in 1996, the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre have ignited the careers of many notable performers, all of whom attended high school in New Jersey. Among the early nominees and winners are Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables), Tony Award winners Laura Benanti (Gypsy) and Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon), Tony nominee Rob McClure (Chaplin), and UK Olivier Award nominee Jared Gertner (The Book of Mormon - West End) The 2015 Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards ceremony took place at Paper Mill Playhouse on Tuesday, June 2, at 7:30pm, featuring presenters from Broadway and beyond. Union High School won the coveted title of Outstanding Overall Production and left Paper Mill Playhouse with a total of nine Rising Star Awards.
The 69th Annual Tony Awards are this Sunday June 7th at 8/9c hosted by Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming. It's the biggest award show of the Broadway season and it closes out a long award season for Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals and plays. We can't help but wonder what chances this year's Best Musical and Best Play nominees have of taking home the ultimate prize.
To celebrate its 20-year milestone, the 2015 Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards will be broadcast live online and available on HomeTowne Television.
Jenni Barber, Quentin Earl Darrington, Bradley Dean, Dan Fogler, Ana Gasteyer, Josh Lamon, Aaron Lazar, Alyse Alan Louis and Rema Webb will join the previously announced Jonathan Groff in the Encores! Off-Center production of William Finn and James Lapine's A New Brain, running June 24 - 27, 2015. The production will be directed by James Lapine, with choreography by Josh Prince.
From tonight, May 8 to June 6, 2015, SpeakEasy Stage Company will present the New England Premiere of MOTHERS & SONS, a timely and touching new play about love, loss, and family, written by Terrence McNally.
As one of the nation's leading regional theaters and producing partners for Broadway, Paper Mill Playhouse has a well-earned reputation for launching both performers and shows for the Great White Way.
From May 8 to June 6, 2015, SpeakEasy Stage Company will present the New England Premiere of MOTHERS & SONS, a timely and touching new play about love, loss, and family, written by Terrence McNally.
Audra McDonald performs tonight, April 29, 2015 in Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage. She will be joined by music director and pianist Andy Einhorn, bassist Mark Vanderpoel, and drummer Gene Lewin.
Following the success of the previous two festivals, the 3rd Annual New York Hot Jazz Festival -- produced by the impresario Michael 'Misha' Katsobashvili, performer Bria Skonberg, and composer/producer Patrick Soluri (of Prohibition Productions and The Salon) -- returns to The Players this year and promises some of the biggest stars of the Hot Jazz and swing scenes in a summit of uptown and downtown talent spanning three generations.
Bristol Riverside Theatre explores what it means to be an American with its production of Ragtime tonight, March 17-April 12.
Today we are celebrating this week's hot news of Audra McDonald's big Broadway return next season!
Next spring, Tony Award winners Audra McDonald, George C. Wolfe, and Savion Glover will team up to collaborate on SHUFFLE ALONG, Or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed, a musical about the events that led to the creation of the groundbreaking Eubie Blake-Noble Sissle musical Shuffle Along. Starring Audra McDonald as the 1920's star Lottie Gee, directed by George C. Wolfe -- with a book written by Wolfe -- and choreographed by Savion Glover, the musical marks the first time that the writer/director and choreographer will have worked together since their 1996 hit Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk. Previews will begin Monday, March 14, 2016. Opening night is Thursday, April 21, 2016 at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street).
Bristol Riverside Theatre explores what it means to be an American with its production of Ragtime on March 17-April 12. The Tony Award-winning musical with book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens is directed by Keith Baker and features Leslie Becker, Derrick Cobey, David Edwards, Tamar Greene, Michael Thomas Holmes, Matt Leisy and Ciji Prosser. Supporting roles will be played by Ciaran Barlow as Edgar, Will Connell as Houdini, Jim Conte as Grandfather, Stephen Dagrosa as Willie Conklin, Sarah J. Gafgen as Emma Goldman, and Chelsey Jean as Evelyn Nesbitt. The ensemble includes Rajeer Alford, Amy L. Armstrong, Charles Michael Bendas, Daniel Bontempo, Elena Camp, John DiFerdinando, Jessica Gruver, Brian Michael Henry, Adam Hoyak, Angelica Jackson, Jessica M. Johnson, Walter E. Tucker, Dwayne Washington, and Paul Weagraff.
LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT present pure 'electricity' with the third show of their 2014-2015 season, the Southern California Regional Premiere of the ten-time Tony Award-winning musical, BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL, music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, musical direction by John Glaudini, choreography by Dana Solimando and directed by Brian Kite. BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL will preview tonight, January 16, 2015 (with a press opening on Saturday, January 17) and run through Sunday, February 8, 2015 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.
LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT present pure 'electricity' with the third show in its 2014-2015 season, the Southern California Regional Premiere of the ten-time Tony Award-winning musical, BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL, music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, musical direction by John Glaudini, choreography by Dana Solimando and directed by Brian Kite. BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL will preview tonight, January 16, 2015(with a press opening on Saturday, January 17) and run through Sunday, February 8, 2015 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards Celebration was great! Now onward to '50 Shades,' 'Mr. Burns' and 'Book Of Merman,' plus two from Christopher Pazdernik,' 'Ordinary Days,' 'First Wives Club,' tributes to John Hughes and Stephen Sondheim and a showtune film cameo!
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