Godspell - 2000 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 13

The John W. Engeman Theater presents four time Tony Award Winning Musical, 42nd STREET, beginning with previews on Thursday, April 12, 2012 at 8:00 p.m., an official opening on Saturday, April 14 at 8:00 p.m. and running through June 17, 2012. Tickets are on sale for $60 and may be purchased by calling (631) 261-2900, by visiting www.engemantheater.com, or at the Engeman Theater Box Office at 250 Main Street, Northport.

A few days shy of the holiest week of the year for Christians - aptly named Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday and ending with Easter (with Holy Thursday and Good Friday, the most sacred events on the calendar coming between) - Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's seminal rock opera JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR was resurrected on Broadway by TOMMY and JERSEY BOYS director Des McAnuff - modeled after the hit Stratford Shakespeare Festival production last year and comprised of many of the same cast members, including all three leads - to hails of praise and hosannas, mostly. While JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR itself will always divide audiences and critics alike - and not merely because of its controversial content and its button-pushing treatment of the hallowed tale it tells - the magnetism and sheer power that Lloyd Webber's propulsive, throbbing rock score imbues gives the show an energy, vitality and life rare to find in even the most earnestly effervescent and energetic of comparable entities - the recently revived and similarly-themed GODSPELL in a revival a few blocks away included. Then, there are Tim Rice's lyrics - oh-so-spot-on in 1970, but still biting and edgy today in McAnuff's hi-tech and elaborately presented new Broadway production. Using the book of John as the jumping off point, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR tells the story of the last seven days in the life of Jesus Christ (Paul Nolan) and his subsequent betrayal by Judas (Josh Young) and sentencing to death at the hands of King Herod and Pontius Pilate (Tom Hewitt). The twelve apostles, Mary Magdalene and her female companions, lepers, Pharisees, priests and others populate the grand story told almost entirely through song - the show is 90% music - and Webber and Rice's score never, ever lets up. While this may not be the most faithful rendering as far as the Bible is concerned, nor the most historically accurate, SUPERSTAR is now available to experience for a whole new generation thanks to this new revival and the timing could not be more ideal. The time is ripe for a revival of SUPERSTAR, and, as Andrew Lloyd Webber himself has recently related, this new production of the show is the best ever as far as he is concerned. High praise indeed - coming from no less than the Lord.

Rodgers & Hammerstein's PIPE DREAM will be recorded live at New York City Center's Encores! series this week, and released this Summer on Ghostlight Records. Produced by Rodgers & Hammerstein: AnImagem Company, this preservation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's 1955 Broadway musical rarity marks the first time an Encores! musical has been recorded live.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced casting for its production of First You Dream: The Music of Kander & Ebb in the Eisenhower Theater June 8 to July 1, 2012. The musical revue will star Heidi Blickenstaff, James Clow, Alan H. Green, Leslie Kritzer, Patina Miller, and Matthew Scott. Originally produced at Signature Theatre in Virginia and co-conceived by David Loud and Eric Schaeffer, the production features music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and will be directed by Eric Schaeffer. Jon Kalbfleisch will conduct the 22-piece Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. Press opening night is Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.

ONE Healing Arts COMPANY and Demos Bizar Entertainment present SPRING ALIVE! a world premiere theatrical experience starring Broadway performer and recording artist Spring Groove (Bway: Grease, Saturday Night Fever). Musical Director Alex Navarro leads a band, including musicians Greg Burrows, David Finch, Jordan Jancz, and Deepak Ramapriyan with singers Sherez Aletaha and Saum Eskandani. The dancers are Akil David, Jennifer Knox, Catherine Poppell and Richard Riaz Yoder. Performances for SPRING ALIVE! will be held through March 25, 2012 on Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm at Dixon Place, 161 Chrystie Street (between Delancey and Rivington) in Manhattan's Lower East Side.

Rehearsals have begun at Milton High School for their production of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE. This show will perform March 14-17, directed by Renee Denney and music directed by Leigh Ann Shaw. The cast is full of experienced high schoolers, some of whom also appeared in Milton's successful production of HAIRSPRAY in spring 2011. It will feature choreography by the Off-Broadway choreographer and acclaimed tap dancer Jen MacQueen, who choreographed the recent Atlanta production of A Chorus Line at Aurora Theatre, for which she received a BroadwayWorld (Atlanta) Award Nomination for Best Choreography in a Musical.

Rehearsals have begun at Milton High School for their production of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE. This show will perform March 14-17, directed by Renee Denney and music directed by Leigh Ann Shaw. The cast is full of experienced high schoolers, some of whom also appeared in Milton's successful production of HAIRSPRAY in spring 2011. It will feature choreography by the Off-Broadway choreographer and acclaimed tap dancer Jen MacQueen, who choreographed the recent Atlanta production of A Chorus Line at Aurora Theatre, for which she received a BroadwayWorld (Atlanta) Award Nomination for Best Choreography in a Musical.

American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) has announced that it will present the musical Pippin as part of its 2012 - 13 Season. The production will be directed by Diane Paulus with choreography by Gypsy Snider of the Montreal-based circus company Les 7 doigts de la main, also known as 7 Fingers. Performances will begin in December 2012 at the Loeb Drama Center, Cambridge.

ONE Healing Arts COMPANY and Demos Bizar Entertainment present SPRING ALIVE! a world premiere interactive theatrical experience starring Broadway performer and recording artist Spring Groove (Bway: Grease, Saturday Night Fever). Musical Director Alex Navarro leads a band, including musicians Greg Burrows, Jordan Jancz, and David Finch with singers Sherez Aletaha and Saum Eskandani. Dancers will be announced shortly. Performances for SPRING ALIVE! will be held from March 2-25, 2012 on Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm at Dixon Place, 161 Chrystie Street (between Delancey and Rivington) in Manhattan's Lower East Side.

ONE Healing Arts COMPANY and Demos Bizar Entertainment present SPRING ALIVE! a world premiere theatrical experience starring Broadway performer and recording artist Spring Groove (Bway: Grease, Saturday Night Fever). Musical Director Alex Navarro leads a band, including musicians Greg Burrows, David Finch, Jordan Jancz, and Deepak Ramapriyan with singers Sherez Aletaha and Saum Eskandani. The dancers are Akil David, Jennifer Knox, Catherine Poppell and Richard Riaz Yoder. Performances for SPRING ALIVE! will be held from March 2-25, 2012 on Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm at Dixon Place, 161 Chrystie Street (between Delancey and Rivington) in Manhattan's Lower East Side.

ONE Healing Arts COMPANY and Demos Bizar Entertainment present SPRING ALIVE! a world premiere theatrical experience starring Broadway performer and recording artist Spring Groove (Bway: Grease, Saturday Night Fever). Musical Director Alex Navarro leads a band, including musicians Greg Burrows, David Finch, Jordan Jancz, and Deepak Ramapriyan with singers Sherez Aletaha and Saum Eskandani. The dancers are Akil David, Jennifer Knox, Catherine Poppell and Richard Riaz Yoder. Performances for SPRING ALIVE! will be held from March 2-25, 2012 on Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm at Dixon Place, 161 Chrystie Street (between Delancey and Rivington) in Manhattan's Lower East Side.

Rubicon offers process-oriented acting classes for kids (beginning at age five) and adults.

92YTribeca is set to host BEHIND THE MUSIC-AL: TEENAGE DREAMS, moderated by Steve Fickinger, Vice President of Creative Development for Disney Theatrical Group on Wed, Feb 22, 8pm, tickets from $10 adv / $12 door.

CATS returns to the Orpheum Theater Friday, February 17 through Sunday, February 19 for five performances. CATS is being presented by Omaha Performing Arts and Broadway Across America.

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.

92YTribeca is set to host BEHIND THE MUSIC-AL: TEENAGE DREAMS, moderated by Steve Fickinger, Vice President of Creative Development for Disney Theatrical Group on Wed, Feb 22, 8pm, tickets from $10 adv / $12 door.

ONE Healing Arts COMPANY and Demos Bizar Entertainment present SPRING ALIVE! a world premiere interactive theatrical experience starring Broadway performer and recording artist Spring Groove (Bway: Grease, Saturday Night Fever). Musical Director Alex Navarro leads a band, including musicians Greg Burrows, Jordan Jancz, and David Finch with singers Sherez Aletaha and Saum Eskandani. Dancers will be announced shortly. Performances for SPRING ALIVE! will be held from March 2-25, 2012 on Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm at Dixon Place, 161 Chrystie Street (between Delancey and Rivington) in Manhattan's Lower East Side.

Rubicon offers process-oriented acting classes for kids (beginning at age five) and adults.

Rehearsals have begun at Milton High School for their production of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE. This show will perform March 14-17, directed by Renee Denney and music directed by Leigh Ann Shaw. The cast is full of experienced high schoolers, some of whom also appeared in Milton's successful production of HAIRSPRAY in spring 2011. It will feature choreography by the Off-Broadway choreographer and acclaimed tap dancer Jen MacQueen, who choreographed the recent Atlanta production of A Chorus Line at Aurora Theatre, for which she received a BroadwayWorld (Atlanta) Award Nomination for Best Choreography in a Musical.

CATS returns to the Orpheum Theater Friday, February 17 through Sunday, February 19 for five performances. CATS is being presented by Omaha Performing Arts and Broadway Across America.

Former Miss America and Jacksonville native, Leanza Cornett helps kick off the Alhambra's 45th season when Nunsense opens on December 30. Ms. Cornett will be in residence for the show's entire run.

JOE'S PUB at The Public Theater, reopened October 4th, 2011 from a top to bottom renovation, debuted in October 1998 and quickly became one of New York City's most celebrated and in-demand showcase venues for live music and performance. With its genre-blind booking and vast diversity of interests, the stage at Joe's Pub gives voice to a world of varied and stellar artists.

BWW is thrilled to bring its readers this exclusive coverage of the 10th Annual It's Always Something variety show to benefit Gilda's Club. The event took place in Toronto on November 19th and featured legendary singers, comedians, actors and more, including Martin Short, Andrea Martin, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Fred Willard and Paul Shaffer.

LMG will be presenting Andrew and Jimmy in their debut in Chicago. While we were sitting in Andrew's living room and listening to their collection of songs, I was excited to hear comedy, drama and good musical/lyrical lines in their songs.

LMG will be presenting Andrew and Jimmy in their debut in Chicago. While we were sitting in Andrew's living room and listening to their collection of songs, I was excited to hear comedy, drama and good musical/lyrical lines in their songs.