Applause

Jack Viertel, Artistic Director of New York City Center's Encores! series, today announced directors for the three 2009-10 season musicals...

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY, the nightclub proclaimed 'Best of New York' by New York Magazine and 'an invaluable New York institution' by The New York Post, will open its star-studded Fall 2009 season with the first joint engagement of the club's founder Michael Feinstein and two time Tony Award winning Broadway and TV star Christine Ebersole from September 8 - 12. Their new duet show 'Good Friends' will feature classic standards and Broadway hits by Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, Rodgers & Hart and Jerry Herman, in addition to never-before-heard rarities from the Great American Songbook. Feinstein's longtime Musical Director John Oddo will lead the all-star band. All shows take place at the Regency Hotel (540 Park Avenue at 61st Street).

Theater Ten Ten announces its fall mainstage production for the 2009-2010 season, George Bernard Shaw's comedy 'Arms and The Man.' The show will run four weeks, October 8th through November 1st, 2009. Press is invited beginning Friday, October 9th.

Atlanta Lyric Theatre, the metro area's only local professional musical theatre company begins its 30th anniversary season with the multiple Tony Award winner, THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES September 4 - 20 at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre (117 N. Park Square, Marietta).

CATCO will open its 2009-10 26th season with a black comedy and central Ohio premiere by Ohio native Jeffrey Hatcher, Murderers, Sept. 30-Oct. 18, 2009. The season also includes two other central Ohio premieres, a revival of a CATCO favorite from 1990, and the unveiling of a world premiere about Columbus native and internationally renowned folk artists Elijah Pierce.

New York City's 7th Avenue was buzzing with excitement on Saturday night, September 26, when Barbra Streisand performed a free concert at the historic Village Vanguard to an audience of 100 of her luckiest fans from around the world, who'd been chosen from tens of thousands of entrants in a variety of contests launched on the artist's website, BarbraStreisand.com.

First Lady Michelle Obama spoke on the arts at her appearance with fellow first ladies at a high school in Pittsburgh, where Obama touted her commitment to the creative arts.

During the Tuesday, September 22nd 'host chat' on 'LIVE! with Regis and Kelly,' co-host Regis Philbin shared details about attending the Exploring the Arts Gala, supporting Tony Bennett & Susan Benedetto's Exploring the Arts, Inc. The evening's emcee was Tony winner and BWW favorite Nathan Lane, and Philbin regaled co-host Kelly Ripa and the 'LIVE' audience with how he became the target of much of Lane's humor throughout the evening (using an emcee trick that seasoned public speaker Regis knows all too well).

The American debut of Benny Andersson and Bjorn Alvaeus new musical KRISTINA, will debut next week on September 23rd and 24th at Carnegie Hall in concert. Andersson and Alvaeus of the group ABBA are the masterminds behind the blockbuster musicals MAMMA MIA! and CHESS.

THE NEWS IN REVUE, the Emmy Award-winning musical satire troupe, will be in residence at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel this fall, performing an all-new edition of their ever-changing musical revue spoofing the people and places in the day's headlines. The Grand's Ovations Restaurant will be transformed into a dinner theater where the renowned musical comedy troupe willperform nightly.

The American debut of Benny Andersson and Bjorn Alvaeus new musical KRISTINA, will debut next week on September 23rd and 24th at Carnegie Hall in concert. Andersson and Alvaeus of the group ABBA are the masterminds behind the blockbuster musicals MAMMA MIA! and CHESS.

Chicago Dramatists is having an extraordinary and memorable 2009. In addition to the success of A Steady Rain opening on Broadway this fall, starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, Chicago Dramatists enters its 31st season with the honor of the TCG New Generations/Future Leaders grant, the announcement of four new resident playwrights and a new associate artistic director, and its selection as only one of four theatres to be included as part of the inaugural Millennium Park 'In The Works' Theatre Lab Project this spring.

Chicago Dramatists is having an extraordinary and memorable 2009. In addition to the success of A Steady Rain opening on Broadway this fall, starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, Chicago Dramatists enters its 31st season with the honor of the TCG New Generations/Future Leaders grant, the announcement of four new resident playwrights and a new associate artistic director, and its selection as only one of four theatres to be included as part of the inaugural Millennium Park 'In The Works' Theatre Lab Project this spring.

Jack Manning, Broadway, film and television star died of natural causes at his home in Rancho Palos Verdes on August 31. He was 93 years old.

Piper McKenzie presents the world premiere of Trav S.D.'s Willy Nilly: A Musical Exploitation of the Most Far-Out Cult Murders of the Psychedelic Era in the 2009 New York International Fringe Festival August, 2009 marked the 40th anniversary of the Tate-Labianca Murders, committed by the psychedelic hippie cult commonly known as the Manson Family as well as Piper McKenzie's World Premiere of Trav S.D.'s rock musical Willy Nilly: A Musical Exploitation of the Most Far Out Cult Murders of the Psychedelic Era at the New York International Fringe Festival. After a wave of publicity (Manson Family member Squeaky Fromme was paroled on the day the show opened), praise (Michael Musto in the Village Voice called the show 'a tastily eccentric 'psychedelic-atessen'), and sold-out performances, the FringeNYC Encore Series has chosen the show as one of this year's extensions.

JAY STUART joins the cast of Saul Ilson's musical comedy revue 'DON'T LEAVE IT ALL TO YOUR CHILDREN! at The Actors Temple Theatre, 339 West 47th Street, NYC on Wednesday, September 2nd. 'DON'T LEAVE IT ALL TO YOUR CHILDREN!', written and directed by Mr. Ilson ('The Smothers Brothers Comedy hour') is a laugh-filled 90 minutes of music and comedy that celebrates the funny side of the Golden years.

The American debut of Benny Andersson and Bjorn Alvaeus new musical KRISTINA, will debut next week on September 23rd and 24th at Carnegie Hall in concert. Andersson and Alvaeus of the group ABBA are the masterminds behind the blockbuster musicals MAMMA MIA! and CHESS.

This past Sunday's matinee performance of A STEADY RAIN 'treated' the audience to a lesson of how to deal with a noisy ticket holder who forgot what respect and decorum means when attending a theatrical production. RIALTO CHATTER received a slew of messages about the incident, but we thought this fantastic recap by Roland Teco on his Extra Criticum blog summed it all up with style and wit. We bring you an excerpt of his essay right here on BWW

Girls Night: The Musical, the off-Broadway hit, comes to Boston's Club Café for a limited engagement, beginning Tuesday, October 13 and running through Sunday, November 22.

Alfred Hitchcock Look-A-Like Finals, Sponsored by Broadway's Tony Award-winning comedy, Alfred Hitchcock's THE 39 STEPS took place on Tuesday, September 15th, 2009.

THE NEWS IN REVUE, the Emmy Award-winning musical satire troupe, will be in residence at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel this fall, performing an all-new edition of their ever-changing musical revue spoofing the people and places in the day's headlines. The Grand's Ovations Restaurant will be transformed into a dinner theater where the renowned musical comedy troupe willperform nightly.

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY, the nightclub proclaimed 'Best of New York' by New York Magazine and 'an invaluable New York institution' by The New York Post, will open its star-studded Fall 2009 season with the first joint engagement of the club's founder Michael Feinstein and two time Tony Award winning Broadway and TV star Christine Ebersole from September 8 - 12. Their new duet show 'Good Friends' will feature classic standards and Broadway hits by Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, Rodgers & Hart and Jerry Herman, in addition to never-before-heard rarities from the Great American Songbook. Feinstein's longtime Musical Director John Oddo will lead the all-star band. All shows take place at the Regency Hotel (540 Park Avenue at 61st Street).

THE NEWS IN REVUE, the Emmy Award-winning musical satire troupe, will be playing the Palace Theatre in Manchester, New Hampshire for one night only, on October 12th.

Women's Project, truly on a roll in its 32nd year (and not looking a day over 29!) of producing plays written and directed by women, has signed Maggie Siff, one of the acclaimed ensemble of actors in the hit, third-season TV series 'Mad Men,' to play Aphra Behn in Liz Duffy Adams's three-hander Or, directed by Wendy McClellan.

Let the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra bring you to the edge of your seat! Join the ASO for a spectacular 09/10 season and let them be your guide to fanciful reveries, introspection, drama and adventure. Subscribers get first priority seating and the first chance to purchase tickets to ASO's Halloween Family Concert and Charlie Chaplin's 'Gold Rush.'

The American Theatre Wing has announced that Applause Theatre & Cinema Books will publish its original book, The American Theatre Wing presents The Play That Changed My Life: America's Foremost Playwrights on the Plays that Influenced Them.

Frost/Nixon the award winning play by Peter Morgan will make its Maine premiere at Good Theater beginning October 29 for a run through November 22.

Chicago Dramatists is having an extraordinary and memorable 2009. In addition to the success of A Steady Rain opening on Broadway this fall, starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, Chicago Dramatists enters its 31st season with the honor of the TCG New Generations/Future Leaders grant, the announcement of four new resident playwrights and a new associate artistic director, and its selection as only one of four theatres to be included as part of the inaugural Millennium Park 'In The Works' Theatre Lab Project this spring.

In an exclusive Southern California engagement, award-winning chanteuse, actress and comedienne Christine Ebersole returns to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for her third visit October 8 ? 11 in the intimate Samueli Theater to open the 2009-2010 Cabaret Series. Ebersole has enchanted audiences throughout her performing career ? from the Broadway stage to television series and specials, films, concert appearances, and recordings ? with her amazing voice, endearing personality and vast repertoire of ballads, jazz, pop, torch, opera, swing and country.

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY, the nightclub proclaimed 'Best of New York' by New York Magazine and 'an invaluable New York institution' by The New York Post, will continue its star-studded Fall 2009 season with the celebrated chanteuse, MAUDE MAGGART. She will bring her critically-acclaimed show 'Parents and Children' back to New York. When it debuted last spring, The New York Times called Maude an 'increasingly fascinating entertainer' whose show was 'bewitching' and 'seductive.' The evening features songs by Stephen Sondheim ('Beautiful'), Rodgers & Hammerstein ('You've Got To Be Carefully Taught'), Dolly Parton ('Coat Of Many Colors'), George Gershwin ('The Man I Love'), Alec Wilder ('Be A Child') and Maury Yeston ('My Grandmother's Love Letters'). Maude is returning to Feinstein's for the first time since her New York nightclub debut as Michael Feinstein's guest in December 2001. All shows will take place at the Regency Hotel.

In an exclusive Southern California engagement, award-winning chanteuse, actress and comedienne Christine Ebersole returns to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for her third visit October 8 ? 11 in the intimate Samueli Theater to open the 2009-2010 Cabaret Series. Ebersole has enchanted audiences throughout her performing career ? from the Broadway stage to television series and specials, films, concert appearances, and recordings ? with her amazing voice, endearing personality and vast repertoire of ballads, jazz, pop, torch, opera, swing and country.

Theater Ten Ten announces its fall mainstage production for the 2009-2010 season, George Bernard Shaw's comedy 'Arms and The Man.' The show will run four weeks, October 8th through November 1st, 2009. Press is invited beginning Friday, October 9th.

Award-winning chanteuse, actress and comedienne Christine Ebersole returns to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for her third visit October 8 - 11 in the intimate Samueli Theater to open the 2009-2010 Cabaret Series.

The Washington, DC engagement of JERSEY BOYS opened to rave reviews at the National Theatre Sunday, October 4 where it will play through Saturday evening, December 12. From there, the national tour will play Detroit from December 17 through January 23, 2010.

Entertainment Events Productions today announced that the Off-Broadway premiere of the smash UK hit GIRLS NIGHT: THE MUSICAL, written by Louise Roche and directed by Jack Randle, will now continue through November 22nd only, when it must close.

In an exclusive Southern California engagement, award-winning chanteuse, actress and comedienne Christine Ebersole returns to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for her third visit October 8 ? 11 in the intimate Samueli Theater to open the 2009-2010 Cabaret Series. Ebersole has enchanted audiences throughout her performing career ? from the Broadway stage to television series and specials, films, concert appearances, and recordings ? with her amazing voice, endearing personality and vast repertoire of ballads, jazz, pop, torch, opera, swing and country.

The recent nuptials of theatre favorites Kathleen Marshall and Scott Landis was featured in The New York Times 'Vows' section on October 1st.

Not to be confused with the opera by Giuseppe Verdi, AIDA the musical by Elton John and Tim Rice is yet another spin on the popular 'Romeo and Juliet' theme of star-crossed lovers.

Entertainment Event Productions today announced that the Off-Broadway premiere of the smash UK hit GIRLS NIGHT: THE MUSICAL, written by Louise Roche and directed by Jack Randle, will continue through October 4th. Performances began June 2nd, and was scheduled for a limited engagement runs through July 26th at the Downstairs Cabaret Theatre at Sofia's (227 West 46th Street, next to the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre).

Applause NYC (202 East 77th Street) was star powered recently as hot, Romanian born American actor Sebastian Stan made his debut as a guest instructor on Wednesday, September 23, 2009. Sebastian spent time teaching Applause students 'On Camera (acting for TV and film) as a part of the Applause NYC's master classes.

If you live in Las Vegas and want Broadway, just get tickets to Jersey Boys or The Lion King. If you want to see Broadway better than it is on Broadway, you can see Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular. For the 'only in Las Vegas' type of show, there are any of the five Cirque du Soleil productions.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is pleased to announce the full cast for Ordinary Days, a new musical with Music & Lyrics by Adam Gwon, directed by Marc Bruni. Ordinary Days will feature Lisa Brescia as 'Claire,' Hunter Foster as 'Jason,' Jared Gertner as 'Warren' and Kate Wetherhead as 'Deb.' This production marks the first musical presented in the Black Box Theatre.

Award-winning chanteuse, actress and comedienne Christine Ebersole returns to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for her third visit October 8 - 11 in the intimate Samueli Theater to open the 2009-2010 Cabaret Series.

In an exclusive Southern California engagement, award-winning chanteuse, actress and comedienne Christine Ebersole returns to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for her third visit October 8 ? 11 in the intimate Samueli Theater to open the 2009-2010 Cabaret Series. Ebersole has enchanted audiences throughout her performing career ? from the Broadway stage to television series and specials, films, concert appearances, and recordings ? with her amazing voice, endearing personality and vast repertoire of ballads, jazz, pop, torch, opera, swing and country.

The National Tour of the Mel Brooks' musical kicks off here in Providence, RI through Sunday, October 4th

Chicago Dramatists is having an extraordinary and memorable 2009. In addition to the success of A Steady Rain opening on Broadway this fall, starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, Chicago Dramatists enters its 31st season with the honor of the TCG New Generations/Future Leaders grant, the announcement of four new resident playwrights and a new associate artistic director, and its selection as only one of four theatres to be included as part of the inaugural Millennium Park 'In The Works' Theatre Lab Project this spring.

The American Theatre Wing has announced that Applause Theatre & Cinema Books will publish its original book, The American Theatre Wing presents The Play That Changed My Life: America's Foremost Playwrights on the Plays that Influenced Them.

JAY STUART joins the cast of Saul Ilson's musical comedy revue 'DON'T LEAVE IT ALL TO YOUR CHILDREN! at The Actors Temple Theatre, 339 West 47th Street, NYC on Wednesday, September 2nd. 'DON'T LEAVE IT ALL TO YOUR CHILDREN!', written and directed by Mr. Ilson ('The Smothers Brothers Comedy hour') is a laugh-filled 90 minutes of music and comedy that celebrates the funny side of the Golden years.