A Life - 1980 - Broadway Articles Page 9

The National Youth Music Theatre will bring three productions to Birmingham Hippodrome this August to showcase young talent and push the boundaries of music theatre.

Grief, love and personal life challenges are all examined with fascinating detail in the engrossing production of  Lanford Wilson's  play BURN THIS now on stage at Road Less Traveled Theatre.

Amadeus was written by Peter Shaffer in 1979 and premiered at the Royal National Theatre in London. The play made its Broadway debut in 1980, running for an impressive 1,181 performances. It earned five Tony Awards, including Best Play, as well as the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play. In 1984, it was adapted into a film, which won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

The musical 9 to 5 with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton and book by Patricia Resnick, is coming to ATI in April. Learn more about the upcoming production and how to get tickets!

Today’s subject Elizabeth Bruce is currently living her theatre life as the co-host and co-creator of the Creativists in Dialogue podcast. A series that covers a variety of topics as they relate to creativity. The series can be heard on Substack and Spotify.

Broadway star Kay Cole, who portrayed Maggie in the original production of A Chorus Line, has joined the cast of The Wedding Singer at The Colony Theatre.

I Giullari di Piazza performance troupe, led by Alessandra Belloni (Founder) and John T. La Barbera (Musical Director/Co-Founder), will return to Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Avenue (at 112th Street), May 16 with 'Mystic Rhythms & Sacred Chants for Seven Black Madonnas from Italy to Spain.'

The musical 9 to 5 with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton and book by Patricia Resnick, is coming to ATI in April. Learn more about the upcoming production here!

This time, the reader question was: There are only three states in America without known Broadway musicals set within their borders. Can you guess which three? WE're breaking it down state by state.

Bryan Cranston will star as ‘Joe Keller', Marianne Jean-Baptiste as ‘Kate Keller' and Paapa Essiedu as ‘Chris Keller' in Arthur Miller's ALL MY SONS. Learn more about the show here!

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will explore the life and career of Country Music Hall of Fame member Dolly Parton in a new exhibition, Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker.

The original cast recording of Broadway's Hamilton has been selected to join the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress, joining a selection that also includes the original recordings of Guys and Dolls, Gypsy, and Sweeney Todd.

The trend continues of bringing a musical superstar's life to the Broadway stage in a jukebox bio-musical style. We've had Cher, Tina Turner, Gloria Estefan, Michael Jackson, and now Neil Diamond in THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL: A BEAUTIFUL NOISE. The flashy and often heartfelt Broadway tour settled onto the stage of Shea's Buffalo Theatre last night to an enthusiastic ovation.

 Centenary Stage Company has announced their Summerfest lineup of Concert events and Musical Theater. Learn more about the upcoming lineup of performances here!

GARY CLARKE COMPANY returns with a new dance theatre show, DETENTION, to premiere and tour the UK from May 2025. DETENTION is a bold and moving new work by Gary Clarke COMPANY, following the multi award-winning COAL and critically-acclaimed WASTELAND, exploring SECTION 28, which 'prohibited the promotion of homosexuality’. 

Starring Miguel Falabella, the musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” (Uma Coisa Engraçada Aconteceu a Caminho do Forum, in portuguese) is a huge success that is getting a Brazilian production for the first time.

Pittsburgh CLO will present the world premiere of MADAME CLICQUOT: A REVOLUTIONARY MUSICAL. Learn more about the show and see how to purchase tickets.

BroadwaySF will welcome legendary duo, SPARKS in support of the band’s 28th album, MAD! in September. Learn more about the pair and see how to purchase tickets to the performance.

Cathy Weis Projects will present four Sundays on Broadway events this spring. Co-curated by Cathy Weis and Martita Abril, the evenings will feature new and in-progress works by nine visionary artists.

Steel Magnolias is one of the most popular plays for community theatres and is beloved by generations. The Blue Moon Theatre is the latest theatre to bring this classic story to life on stage. Learn more!

Every now and then there is a musical that is near universally loved for it score, treasured by cast recording collectors, and infamous to many,  BUT is rarely ever produced. Most were failures soon after theirs debuts. My personal desert island treasured flop  from that category is Jerry Herman's DEAR WORLD. For others it was Stephen  Sondheim's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (  considered a flop for almost 40 years, but now a triumph). Which brings us to the rarely produced, but often recorded musical CHESS, now being presented at the Lancaster Opera House.

Richard Chamberlain, renowned for his roles in 'The Thorn Birds' and 'Shogun,' has died at 90. Chamberlain, celebrated for his versatility in film, theater, and television, passed away on March 29th, 2025, in Waimanalo, HI, following a stroke. His career spanned decades, earning him numerous accolades, including Golden Globes for his performances.

The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is one of the most prestigious honors in American theater, celebrating outstanding works that have made a significant impact on the stage. Here's a closer look at what the Pulitzer Prize for Drama is, how it works, and why it matters.

This time, the reader question was: How Often Do Broadway Musicals Tackle the Topic of War? There are actually many musicals about war in the canon. The rare feat of Operation Mincemeat lies in its tone. The show is a fast-paced, zany, comedic take on a mission that used a dead body to mislead the Axis forces, leading to the successful Allied invasion of Sicily.

US Cultural Ambassador Ronald Rand celebrating his 25th year starring as Harold Clurman, the 'Elder Statesman of the American Theatre' touring around the world in his celebrated solo play, LET IT BE ART! will perform in Asheville, North Carolina at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts on April 25th.