Pippin 1974 - Articles Page 5

On Thursday, February 16, 2012, the company of Broadway's revival of Stephen Schwartz's rock musical GODSPELL will welcome the musical director and conductor of the original Broadway production -- 'Late Show with David Letterman' musical director Paul Shaffer -- in a special cameo appearance.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Show Boat' and 'South Pacific' in the Loop, the Grammys, Whitney Houston's showtune connections, 'Charlie Brown,' 'Pippin' and more....

The entire entertainment world is reeling. We have lost one of our most iconic pop, R&B and soundtrack performers this evening - as well as a formidable movie star in her own right - Whitney Houston was just reported dead at the age of 48. Having had one of the most successful and most multimedia of careers of any multi-hyphenate star in recent memory, Houston scored multiple Grammys and racked up countless nominations over the course of her multi-decade recording career, yet her most notable contributions to the world of music reside in her outstanding soundtrack work - most of all, the songs for the film in which she made the transition into feature film leading lady, 1992's THE BODYGUARD. The biggest hit from THE BODYGUARD's blockbuster soundtrack was undoubtedly Houston's rendition of a Dolly Parton song originally recorded in 1974 and later made famous by Parton in the feature film version of the Broadway hit THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, "I Will Always Love You". In addition to Houston's sensational work on that mega-selling soundtrack - one of the Top 5 best-selling soundtracks of all time - she also provided her dramatic and vocal skills to the multi-platinum soundtracks to THE PREACHER'S WIFE and WAITING TO EXHALE, both films which she also starred in to much box office success. An Oscar-winning duet with Mariah Carey, "When You Believe" by WICKED's Stephen Schwartz from THE PRINCE OF EGYPT is yet another diadem in Houston's triple crown of accomplishments in the realms of music, film and television - having dominated all. Theatre fans may know Houston best for her incomparable portrayal of the Fairy Godmother in the incredibly successful 1997 ABC TV adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA starring Brandy and produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. In addition to Houston's contributions to THE BODYGUARD, THE PREACHER'S WIFE, WAITING TO EXHALE, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT and CINDERELLA, Houston also rose to fame early in her career for her rendition of "Home" from THE WIZ on THE Merv Griffin SHOW, as well as made a mark with a Cissy Houston duet on the CHESS international smash, "I Know Him So Well" on her second hit album. The last project Houston was working on prior to her death on Saturday night was the feature film musical SPARKLE, co-starring AMERICAN IDOL winner and Broadway standout Jordin Sparks. SPARKLE reportedly completed production of principal photography and soundtrack sessions, though it is not clear when the musical remake will now be released in light of Houston's unexpected death. No matter the circumstances of her life and death, Whitney Houston most surely left a legacy that will never be forgotten by those that adored her for her vast multitude of talents and many notable accomplishments in all areas of entertainment.

On Thursday, February 16, 2012, the company of Broadway's revival of Stephen Schwartz's rock musical GODSPELLwill welcome the musical director and conductor of the original Broadway production -- 'Late Show with David Letterman' musical director Paul Shaffer -- in a special cameo appearance.

Let's face it, nobody produces a song and sketch revue based on the plays of Ionesco in a theatre on the western outskirts of 55th Street expecting a commercial smash.  During the ten days in 1974 when the original production of Ionescopade ran Off-Broadway, lovers of musical theatre were lining up at box offices to see stars like Carol Channing in Lorelei, Debbie Reynolds in Irene, and Patty and Maxene Andrews in Over Here!  Younger playgoers were discovering themselves with Pippin and rocking out to Grease, while those who go for intellectual snob hits had their choice of the revival of Candide or the new Sondheim/Prince romance A Little Night Music.  Those venturing to Off-Broadway were still flocking to that fresh new musical, The Fantasticks, then in only its fifteenth year.

MCC Theater has announced the complete cast for the newly reworked and fully re-imagined production of Carrie, the musical. Carrie features music by Michael Gore, lyrics by Dean Pitchford (Academy Award winning composer and lyricist for the original film Fame) and a book by Lawrence D. Cohen (who also adapted the 1974 novel by Stephen King for the 1976 Brian DePalma film). Directed by Stafford Arima, performances for Carrie begin January 31, 2012, at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC). The official opening night is set for March 1, 2012.

Stage 773 Artistic Director Brian Posen announces the launch of a new musical theatre company, Street Tempo Theatre, debuting at Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont Ave. Street Tempo Theatre is committed to creating raw, intimate, thought-provoking musical theatre in Chicago.

Stage 773 Artistic Director Brian Posen announces the launch of a new musical theatre company, Street Tempo Theatre, debuting at Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont Ave.

Stage 773 Artistic Director Brian Posen announces the launch of a new musical theatre company, Street Tempo Theatre, debuting at Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont Ave.

Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts Theaterfest is pleased to present the American Premiere of My Fairytale, a musical about Hans Christian Andersen. The musical is composed by Stephen Schwartz, the award-winning composer of Godspell, Pippin and Wicked, and will be presented in time for the 2011 centennial celebration of Solvang, CA as a Danish-American community. This exclusive engagement will preview in Santa Maria's Marian Theatre August 12 - 19, 2011, then open under the stars in the Solvang Festival Theater August 26, playing through September 25, 2011.

Jeffrey Ash, a prominent theatrical advertising executive who helped revolutionize Broadway advertising with the first live-action television spot for 'Pippin' and who later became a successful producer for Broadway, off-Broadway, and London's West End, died suddenly August 8, 2011 at his home in Manhattan. He was 65 and for many years had suffered from inclusion body myositis, an autoimmune disorder.

The Midtown International Theatre Festival presents Children of GOD, The Musical, a modern musical mash-up of inspiration for the next generation written by Charles B. Murray, IV.

The Midtown International Theatre Festival presents Children of GOD, The Musical, a modern musical mash-up of inspiration for the next generation written by Charles B. Murray, IV.

Reprise Theatre Company presents Barbara Cook in Concert. It will have one performance only on Monday, May 16 at 8:00 pm, at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. Barbara Cook in Concert is the latest in Reprise Theatre Company's tradition of presenting Broadway stars and legendary entertainers in concert, which have included Patti LuPone, Carol Burnett, Sutton Foster, Ben Vereen, Kristin Chenoweth, and Brian Stokes Mitchell.

Theatergoers of a certain age will remember walking past The Little Theatre (now the Helen Hayes) when Albert Innaurato's comedy GEMINI was running and seeing Kenn Duncan's black and white photographs outside. The one that received the most attention was that of the bare-chested Reed Birney who was featured in that long-running comedy. Birney also received even more attention when the television ads for that production were aired. The TV commercials not only popularized a phrase that became a buzz word throughout the tri-state area: ‘Herschel, take human bites!'; but gave Birney a few seconds of air time that were unmistakable.

WORKING closes March 6, 2011 at the Lohman Theatre at Foothill College in Los Altos.

Multi-award winning Foothill Music Theatre presents the timely musical WORKING. Based on Pulitzer Prize-winning author Studs Terkel's best-selling book of interviews with American workers, WORKING is directed by Milissa Carey with music direction by Mark Hanson and choreography by Michael Ryken.

Multi-award winning Foothill Music Theatre presents the timely musical WORKING.

Multi-award winning Foothill Music Theatre presents the timely musical WORKING. Based on Pulitzer Prize-winning author Studs Terkel's best-selling book of interviews with American workers, WORKING is directed by Milissa Carey with music direction by Mark Hanson and choreography by Michael Ryken.

Reprise Theatre Company presents Barbara Cook in Concert. It will have one performance only on Monday, May 16 at 8:00 pm, at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. Barbara Cook in Concert is the latest in Reprise Theatre Company's tradition of presenting Broadway stars and legendary entertainers in concert, which have included Patti LuPone, Carol Burnett, Sutton Foster, Ben Vereen, Kristin Chenoweth, and Brian Stokes Mitchell.

Multi-award winning Foothill Music Theatre presents the timely musical WORKING.

On Sunday, December 12th at 2 PM, DANCERS OVER 40 will present a special Legacy Award to producer Edmund Gaynes who helped the organization launch its popular yearly discussion panels at his St. Luke's Theater on West 46th Street.

On Sunday, December 12th at 2 PM, DANCERS OVER 40 will present a special Legacy Award to producer Edmund Gaynes who helped the organization launch its popular yearly discussion panels at his St. Luke's Theater on West 46th Street.

The first performance of KD College Conservatory of Film and Dramatic Arts production of 'Working,' a musical based on the 1974 non-fiction book by Studs Terkel, is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, November 11th, at KD Studio Black Box 2600 Stemmons Frwy Suite 117 Dallas, TX.

The first performance of KD College Conservatory of Film and Dramatic Arts production of 'Working,' a musical based on the 1974 non-fiction book by Studs Terkel, is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, November 11th, at KD Studio Black Box 2600 Stemmons Frwy Suite 117 Dallas, TX.