Aida - 2001 - US Tour Articles Page 18

What better way to kick off Sunday-and to celebrate Father's Day!-than with the latest installment of Music City Confidential! Here's where you'll find all the news that's fit to print (or not-depending on your perspective) from Nashville's ever-growing, ever-fascinating live theater industry. Amid the florid prose and flowery praise, you'll find all the stories that don't quite fit anywhere else, some of 'em kind of gossipy, some of 'em stone-cold serious, some of 'em just lists of names you need to know. You'll also find photos from our new "Intermission@" series, details about the latest cast parties and various and sundry minutiae-the veritable flotsam and jetsam-from backstage, onstage, offstage and beyond…

Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' global hit musical MAMMA MIA! welcomes new principals Christy Altomare, Lauren Cohn, Daniel Cooney, Felicia Finley, Aaron Lazar, Graham Rowat and Zak Resnick who will join Judy McLane as "Donna Sheridan" at the Winter Garden Theatre (1634 Broadway) tonight, June 4, 2012.

Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' global hit musical MAMMA MIA! will welcome new principals Christy Altomare, Lauren Cohn, Daniel Cooney, Felicia Finley, Aaron Lazar, Graham Rowat and Zak Resnick who will join Judy McLane as "Donna Sheridan" at the Winter Garden Theatre (1634 Broadway) on Monday, June 4, 2012.

Thea Sharrock is to direct The Bodyguard, a new musical opening at the Adelphi Theatre in Autumn 2012 based on the Warner Bros. film of the same name with screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan. Starring Heather Headley as Rachel Marron and Lloyd Owen as Frank Farmer in the roles made famous on film by the late Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, tickets for The Bodyguard go on sale today (1 May 2012) taking bookings until 27 April 2013 for the production's first booking period. Previews begin on 6 November 2012, twenty years after the release of the Oscar nominated film. Opening night is 5 December.

Cape Town Opera returns to the UK this June & July for a tour of their acclaimed Porgy and Bess, culminating in a two week run at the London Coliseum. Tsakane Maswanganyi, who previously thrilled audiences in the title role of Carmen Jones at the Royal Festival Hall will play Bess, while Xolela Sixaba will reprise the role of Porgy having won great acclaim for his performance in 2009.

Chicago Opera Theater (COT) continues their 2012 Season, and General Director Brian Dickie's last season with the company, with Handel's Teseo. Performances are April 21, 27, 29, and May 2 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park.

Parsons Dance and Gala Chair Linda Stocknoff's 2012 Annual spring Gala, Paint it Red, honoring Nancy Browne, Parsons Dance friend and co-commissioner of 2011 premiere work Portinari, will be held tonight, Monday, April 16, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. at Espace, 635 W. 42nd Street, NYC. The evening will begin with cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and silent auction at 7:30 p.m., followed by a dinner, live auction, and performance by Parsons Dance at 8:30 p.m., then a full night of social dancing. Festive cocktail attire with a splash of red requested. Tickets begin at $700 and are available by calling 212-869-9275, by emailing sandy@parsonsdance.org, or online at www.parsonsdance.org/gala.

Nederlander Presentations, Inc. announces that Grammy® Nominee and R&B superstar Deborah Cox will star as Lucy in the international musical sensation JEKYLL & HYDE that will begin a preview engagement at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, September 7 - 30, prior to returning to Broadway in April 2013 following a 25-week National Tour. The tour will launch at San Diego's Civic Theatre in San Diego, California on October 2, 2012. Cox will star alongside the previously announced Tony Award Nominee Constantine Maroulis in the title dual role of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde.

Parsons Dance and Gala Chair Linda Stocknoff announce the company's 2012 Annual spring Gala, Paint it Red, honoring Nancy Browne, Parsons Dance friend and co-commissioner of 2011 premiere work Portinari, on Monday, April 16, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. at Espace. The evening will begin with cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and silent auction at 7:30 p.m., followed by a dinner, live auction, and performance by Parsons Dance at 8:30 p.m., then a full night of social dancing. Festive cocktail attire with a splash of red requested. Tickets begin at $700 and are available by calling 212-869-9275, by emailing sandy@parsonsdance.org, or online at www.parsonsdance.org/gala.

According to the star's official web site, Nederlander Presentations, Inc. will announce that Grammy® Nominee and R&B superstar Deborah Cox will star as Lucy in the international musical sensation JEKYLL & HYDE that returns to Broadway in April 2013 following a 25-week National Tour. The tour will launch at San Diego's Civic Theatre in San Diego, California on October 2, 2012. Cox will star alongside the previously announced Tony Award Nominee Constantine Maroulis in the title dual role of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde.

Chicago Opera Theater (COT) continues their 2012 Season, and General Director Brian Dickie's last season with the company, with Handel's Teseo. Performances are April 21, 27, 29, and May 2 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park.

The Dallas Opera Guild's 24th Annual Vocal Competition for young opera singers ended on a high-note last evening when ten outstanding finalists (with Texas connections) were awarded a total of $20,000 in prize monies. It is only the second time this spring musical event has graced the stage of the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Arts District.

Thomas Hampson will make his Met role debut as the power-hungry title character in a revival of Verdi's Macbeth opening March 15. Star soprano Nadja Michael makes her Met debut as the bloodthirsty Lady Macbeth. Adrian Noble returns to the Met to direct the first revival of his 2007 production, which will be conducted by Gianandrea Noseda for the first time at the Met. Dimitri Pittas reprises his acclaimed portrayal of Macduff, and Gunther Groissbock makes his Met role debut as the vengeful Banquo.

Parsons Dance and Gala Chair Linda Stocknoff announce the company's 2012 Annual spring Gala, Paint it Red, honoring Nancy Browne, Parsons Dance friend and co-commissioner of 2011 premiere work Portinari, on Monday, April 16, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. at Espace, 635 W. 42nd Street, NYC. The evening will begin with cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and silent auction at 7:30 p.m., followed by a dinner, live auction, and performance by Parsons Dance at 8:30 p.m., then a full night of social dancing. Festive cocktail attire with a splash of red requested. Tickets begin at $700 and are available by calling 212-869-9275, by emailing sandy@parsonsdance.org, or online at www.parsonsdance.org/gala.

Florida Grand Opera (FGO) announces its 72nd continuous season of opera. With a classic selection of works as well as the return of company favorites in leading roles, the 2012-2013 productions include: Puccini's La boheme, Mozart's Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute), Bellini's La sonnambula, and Verdi's La traviata.

According to their website, Atlantic Productuctions will present the Asian premiere of Disney's Aladdin. The show will open at Manila's Meralco Theatre in November 2012. Casting has not yet been announced.

Welcome to BroadwayWorld.com's newest photo series 'Photo Blast From the Past'. Featuring some of the collected theatre gem's of BroadwayWorld's own senior photographer Walter McBride, the series will feature images from his archives of theatre and Hollywood related gems. This time, it's Patrick Cassidy, 42nd Street (2001), Aida (2000), Annie Get Your Gun (1999), Leader of the Pack (1985), and The Pirates of Penzance (1981) fame.

Arizona Theatre Company welcomes the lighthearted new musical Daddy Long Legs directed and written by John Caird, the Tony award-winning director of Les Misérables and Nicholas Nickleby, with music and lyrics by Paul Gordon of the Tony-nominated Jane Eyre.

Charles Dickens' beloved holiday classic returns to Princeton with McCarter Theatre Center's annual production of A Christmas Carol. Adapted by David Thompson and directed by Michael Unger, the production runs December 4 through December 24.

On Stage at Kingsborough announces its presentation of James Sewell Ballet's LE DANCE OFF at The Leon M. Goldstein Performing Arts Center on the campus of Kingsborough Community College on Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 8 p.m.

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM has announced CONCERTS for DECEMBER 2011 including Patti Smith and Friends , New York Philharmonic's CONTACT!, Homayun Sakhi, and Afghan Rubab Virtuoso. Metropolitan Museum Artists in Concert Begins Its Ninth Season. Judy Collins, Paul Winter, Anonymous 4, Vienna Boys Choir, Ebony Ecumenical Ensemble, and More Perform Christmas Concerts.

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.

Charles Dickens' beloved holiday classic returns to Princeton with McCarter Theatre Center's annual production of A Christmas Carol. Adapted by David Thompson and directed by Michael Unger, the production runs December 4 through December 24.

On Stage at Kingsborough announces its presentation of James Sewell Ballet's LE DANCE OFF at The Leon M. Goldstein Performing Arts Center on the campus of Kingsborough Community College on Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 8 p.m.

Arizona Theatre Company welcomes the lighthearted new musical Daddy Long Legs directed and written by John Caird, the Tony award-winning director of Les Misérables and Nicholas Nickleby, with music and lyrics by Paul Gordon of the Tony-nominated Jane Eyre.