Curtains - 2001 - New York Articles Page 16

This fall brought the 4th B'way show and 2nd child for Kevin, a journeyman performer who also writes music.

Just in time for the Holidays, PS Classics boasts over 60 CD'S marked down to just $9.95. PS Classics celebrates Broadway hits and Americas most popular songs.

Goodspeed Musicals, the only two time Tony Award winning theatre in the country, announces the cast of Big River, a spirited musical adventure like no other. Big River will begin September 26 and run through November 30, 2008 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut. Big River is sponsored by Bank of America and Connecticut Light & Power / Yankee Gas.

Paper Mill Playhouse is proud to announce the opening of the theatre's 70th Season with Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! Created by the team of director, James Brennan, and choreographer, Peggy Hickey, Oklahoma! will run at the Millburn theatre from September 17 through October 19, 2008. Press Opening is Sunday, September 21st at 7:30pm

Variety is reporting that Tony-nominated choreographer Rob Ashford will be joining the creative team of the upcoming production of Shrek on Broadway.

Goodspeed Musicals, the only two time Tony Award winning theatre in the country, announces the cast of Big River, a spirited musical adventure like no other. Big River will begin September 26 and run through November 30, 2008 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut. Big River is sponsored by Bank of America and Connecticut Light & Power / Yankee Gas.

Les Misérables in Concert makes its Hollywood Bowl debut in a production featuring Melora Hardin as Fantine, Maddie Levy as Young Cosette, Tom Lowe as Enjolras, Michele Maika as Cosette, Michael McCormick as Thénardier, J. Mark McVey as Valjean, Lea Michele as Éponine, Brian Stokes Mitchell as Javert, Sage Ryan as Gavroche and John Lloyd Young as Marius. Rosie O'Donnell, who was to play the role of Madame Thenardier, has withdrawn from the performances in order to care for her eldest son, who broke his wrist. She will be replaced by veteran actress Ruth Williamson.

Pittsburgh CLO proudly presented the ninth-annual Julia Deberson Award to CLO Ensemble member Ward Billeisen.

Wingspan Arts proudly announces its fifth annual fundraising benefit Arts2Life '08, which will take place Monday, May 19 from 6:30-9:30 PM at the Hard Rock Cafe (1501 Broadway). This year the evening's entertainment will celebrate one of Broadway's most beloved and prolific songwriting teams, Kander & Ebb, with performances of well-known songs from shows including Chicago, Cabaret, Curtains and others. Benefit Co-Chairs Donnie Kehr (Jersey Boys) and Paul Salvatore (Proskauer Rose LLP) have assembled a top-notch cast of performers including Broadway standouts and talented up-and-comers.

The Signature Theatre has announced the complete cast for 'The Visit' the Kander and Ebb musical starring Chita Rivera and George Hearn.

Les Miserables at the The Hollywood Bowl has completed casting, and BroadwayWorld.com has the scoop!

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) announced New York premiere of Lisa Loomer's Distracted, directed by Mark Brokaw with Cynthia Nixon as 'Mama.' Distracted will begin performances in February 2009 at the Laura Pels Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre (111 West 46th Street). This will be a limited engagement.

There will be two invitation only industry readings of the original new musical Empire, written by Caroline Sherman and Robert Hull. Directed by Clayton Phillips, New Hampshire Theater's Best Direction Award winner, the cast will include Matt Cavenaugh (A Catered Affair, Grey Gardens), Karen Ziemba (Curtains, Contact), Michael McCormick (Curtains, The Pajama Game), Mark Lotito (Jersey Boys, Fiddler on the Roof), Megan Sikora (Curtains, Wonderful Town), and Kevyn Morrow (Smokey Joes Café, Dreamgirls). A 2003 Ovation Award winner in Los Angeles and 2004 featured production at Connecticut's Stamford Center for the Arts, Empire is a celebration of the American spirit embodied by those who bravely banded together to build what was then the tallest structure in the world, the Empire State Building. Michael, an architect, hired to build the Empire State building in record time, takes on politicians, deadlines, and a nosy but beautiful reporter, Hildy, dead set on derailing the project. A classic struggle of idealism versus advancement, Empire is filled with romance, dreams, and the struggles that surrounded us when we face a monumental challenge. Written in the spirit of the classic musicals of the 40's and the 50's with big dance numbers and pop-driven melodies, the musical premiered at LA's Hudson Backstage Theatre in 2003. At the Hudson, Empire played to sold out audiences, excellent reviews and garnered 3 LA Theatre Ovation Award-nominations, including Best Musical, and won the award for Best Choreography. Daily Variety called the show 'A fast, flavorful, exciting tale … joyously fresh …', and Backstage West said Empire was a 'Tribute and testimony to the dreamers, doers, and unsung heroes … big and brave, like the building it celebrates …'. The production was then chosen to open the 2004 season for the SCA's Rich Forum and was called 'An outstanding new musical' by the Scarsdale Inquirer. Clayton Phillips, who recently won the New Hampshire Theater Award for Best Direction and Best Musical for Slow Dance with a Hot Pickup by John Pielmeier and Matty Selmen, has been at the helm of the production since its York Theater reading in 2001. The industry readings will be produced by Ricky Stevens and John O'Boyle whose credits include, Is He Dead by Mark Twain, A Catered Affair, by Harvey Fierstein and John Bucchino, Glory Days by Nick Blaemire and James Gardiner, and Marguerite Music by Michel Legrand, Book by Alain Boublil/Claude-Michel Schönberg, Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) announces the cast for Christopher Durang's award winning comedy The Marriage of Bette and Boo directed by Walter Bobbie, featuring Terry Beaver (Father Donnally), Heather Burns (Emily Brennan), Victoria Clark (Margaret Brennan), John Glover (Karl Hudlocke), Julie Hagerty (Soot Hudlocke), Kate Jennings Grant (Bette Brennan), Adam Lefevre (Paul Brennan), Charles Socarides (Matt), Christopher Evan Welch (Boo Hudlocke).

Tony Award winner Mandy Patinkin returns to Broadway for one night only to benefit off-Broadway's Classic Stage Company on Monday, May 19.

Anna also designed four other shows currently running in NY: 'Curtains,' 'In the Heights,' 'Avenue Q' and 'Altar Boyz.'

Sherie Rene Scott, Jason Danieley and Bob Stillman are among the stars who will soon perform at the Zipper Factory

Jason Danieley discusses Curtains, Kander and Ebb and his career, among other topics

At the Baron's Court Theatre between January 9 and February 4, APR Theatre Company will present 'The Lonesome West', the final instalment in Martin McDonagh's acclaimed Leenane trilogy, originally staged in 2001. A black comedy set in the 'murder capital of Ireland', Leenane, a small town in Connemara, the play about two brothers who have recently buried their father is almost the Hibernian reflection of 'True West' by Sam Shephard, the influence of whom often resonates in McDonagh's work. The sub-text parodies the Hollywood vision of the American frontier, where each insult is tantamount to a challenge to a gunfight, while also symbolising the sheer desolation of an outpost far from civilization that breeds suicidal despair.

The acclaimed Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA will present Kander and Ebb's The Visit, which will be presented as the first show of its 2007-2008 season

Danny Burstein, Lenny Wolpe, Beth Leavel and other performers complete the cast of the Broadway-bound The Drowsy Chaperone, opening at LA's Ahmanson Theatre on November 18th

The Drowsy Chaperone has added three members to its creative team - Larry Blank will do the orchestrations, Phil Reno will be the show's musical director, and Glen Kelly is on board for the dance arrangements.

Sutton Foster and Georgia Engel will star in the Broadway-bound musical salute to the 20s, The Drowsy Chaperone, at LA's Ahmanson Theatre from November 18th through December 24th