I Do! I Do! - 1976 - West End Articles Page 1

It's a very rare treat—particularly all the way here in Orange County, California—to hear Broadway songs and the stories behind them performed directly by the legendary composer himself, even for just a one-night-only event. But that is exactly the gift bestowed upon a rapt audience recently when the Irvine Barclay Theatre presented DEFYING GRAVITY: AN EVENING WITH STEPHEN SCHWARTZ & FRIENDS to a sold-out crowd on the evening of May 23, 2026.

Listening to SELECTED STORIES is a delight. The actors bring energy, nuance, intonation, inflection, and character to every aspect of the story they are telling. Having them do so live, in-person to a room full of enthusiastic audience member reactions made it even more so.

May 19's ESCAPE: THE MUSIC OF RUPERT HOLMES at AMT Theater was a cabaret with the songwriter himself in attendance, on-stage, and in good spirits, along with some cast members from the hosting J2 Spotlight Musical Theater Company

Perhaps the most well-known instance of a show changing titles during the development process belongs to the groundbreaking 1943 phenomenon, Oklahoma! The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical that changed the art form in terms of subject matter, integration of elements, and more was originally titled Away We Go! when it went out of town for a New Haven tryout. Oklahoma! is far from the only instance where a musical changed its title along the development road.

Friendship is nearly always a side element in musicals. From the comic sidekick of the leading character to the backup pals who provide background vocals, friends are part of the fabric of many shows—but rarely are they the main event. 

Philadelphia's Highmark Mann Center announced its 50th anniversary season, featuring more than 50 performances, world premieres, and a $70 million campus transformation coinciding with America250 celebrations.

Beck Center for the Arts announced its 94th professional theater season, featuring a world premiere comedy by Cleveland playwright Eric Coble, regional premiere musicals, and a collaboration with Oberlin College & Conservatory Music Theater Program.

Carnegie Hall will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its “Concert of the Century” with another once-in-a-lifetime convening of musical all-stars including Renée Fleming, Audra McDonald and many more.

Always feeling honored and blessed and believing in the arts and giving to the world, Jeffrey Polk took ten minutes to answer ten questions with Gavin Glynn about his influences on his continuing career as a much sought after dynamic live performer. 

Think of the greatest songs you’ve never heard - the soaring melodies, the unexpected anthems, the driving beats, the lyrics that speak to a feeling you didn’t know could be expressed in words. Unlike most straight plays, this opus has its own musical score, and good one by Will Butler. And that is the projected end-product taking shape at the hoped for conclusion/finale of “Stereophonic,” now playing in the gorgeous Muriel Kauffman Opera House through Sunday April 11.

Need a great book to spring into the new season? This spring, Broadway's best have put pen to paper to turn out theatre page-turners of every kind. From theatre biographies to theatre fiction; theatre books for kids to theatre history; check out our collection of 16 new Broadway books for every theatre lover's Spring 2026 reading list.

Jason Robert Brown shared a video of Stephen Sondheim singing 'Good Thing Going' from Merrily We Roll Along at a 2019 event.

Stereophonic, the most Tony-nominated play of all time and winner of 5 Tony Awards including Best Play, offers a compelling fly-on-the-wall look at a 1970s rock band recording their next album. With strong performances and music that feels like a character of its own, the show immerses you in the creative process, even if its scale and runtime occasionally soften the intimacy.

The upcoming Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show had a special first audience for its studio run – New York City's The Rocky Horror Picture Show shadowcast. Watch a video from inside the event now!

On March 13th & 14th, the North Carolina Symphony will be presenting HOLLYWOOD HITS. Two guest vocalists are coming down to the Triangle area to perform iconic songs from memorable movies and binge-worthy TV such as A STAR IS BORN, TOMMY, ROCKETMAN, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, ROCK OF AGES, LOVE ACTUALLY, TOP GUN, ELVIS, and more.

Actor and singer Emilie Kouatchou is only in her twenties and she’s already making musical theater history.

At this time last year, the American Repertory Theater was premiering a stirring new dramatic adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey” by actor and playwright Kate Hamill, which moved back and forth between King Odysseus and Queen Penelope during a three-hour production with two intermissions.

“Elvis and Elton Together” rates a big five stars.  Victor Trevino Jr. as Elvis is back and is as good as ever. Sean McGibbben becomes the incredible Elton John.   Victor and Sean wisely introduce themselves as tribute artists rather than impersonators.

Ballet stars Misty Copeland and Tiler Peck recently headlined a benefit event for the National Dance Institute in Harlem, showcasing their renowned talents to support arts education.

The heightened reality replete with elongated pauses –(do people really wait this long in real life to answer one another?) that emanates from the stage of the Pulitzer- Prize and Tony -winning production of Stereophonic –now being produced in a touring /edited two hour and 50-minute version at the National Theatre-- certainly grabbed my attention.

This Week's New Classified Listings on BroadwayWorld for 2/12/2026 include new jobs for those looking to work in the theatre industry.

It’s… Hairspray! BroadwayWorld is taking a look back at what the cast of this beloved musical has been up to since the show first graced the Broadway stage!

This Week's New Classified Listings on BroadwayWorld for 2/5/2026 include new jobs for those looking to work in the theatre industry.

It's music's biggest night! Laufey, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo, Billie Eilish, Bad Bunny, and more took home awards at The 68th Annual GRAMMYs. Check out the full list of GRAMMY winners here.

GALA Theatre continues its Golden Season with a contemporary staging of the modern classic La casa de Bernarda Alba (The House of Bernarda Alba) by Spanish playwright Federico García Lorca. Directed by José Zayas and with original music by Koki Lortkipanidze, the play runs at GALA February 5 through March 1, 2026, and explores themes of female oppression, sexual repression, and the conflict between tradition and modernity, all universal topics that resonate with audiences today.