If Love Were All - 1999 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 1

Much has been written and expressed about how few new Broadway musicals—six—hit the boards last season. The Broadway landscape is experiencing several challenges at the moment, largely tied to the American economy as a whole. In addition, the number of new musicals per season always fluctuates. In particular, the post-pandemic seasons stuffed with productions that were waiting in the docket were bound to cause a few course-correcting smaller slates in subsequent years.

Today’s subject Anne Tolpegin is currently living her theatre life on tour playing the roles of Allie’s Mother and Nurse Lori in The Notebook. The show begins performances this evening at the National Theatre where it will play through August 30th.

Ensemble for These Times selected 13 composers for its third Call for Scores for Solo Piano, with works to be performed by pianist Dale Tsang in San Francisco and Berkeley.

Canadian-born David D’Lancy Wilson is nearly one year into his run as Mufasa in THE LION KING. Next week, Pride Rock comes roaring into Montreal and Wilson is coming home to Canada. I had the opportunity to chat with Wilson about his life, career, and the experience of wearing the mask of one of musical theatre’s most iconic fathers. For Wilson, however, Mufasa is more than a king, warrior, husband and protector. At his core, he says, “he is just a parent trying to do right and best for their child.” As a father of two young boys himself, that perspective carries particular weight. THE LION KING takes the stage at Salle Wilfred-Pelletier, Places des Arts, 175 Rue Sainte-Catherine O, Montréal, QC H2X 1Y9 from August 19 - September 6, 2026.

Let's go crazy! BroadwayWorld has just learned that 42 years to the day since Prince’s legendary film premiered, and three weeks since the album re-entered the Billboard 200, the stage adaptation of PURPLE RAIN will arrive on Broadway. PURPLE RAIN will premiere next spring at the Majestic Theatre, beginning previews on  Friday, March 12, 2027, and officially opening on Monday, April 12, 2027. We have all of the details here!

It's like a war-themed version of Love Letters, both characters brought to life by superb performances by Cameron Kubly and Katie Davis.

Now running at The Laura Pels Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre is A Walk on the Moon. Inspired by the acclaimed 1999 film, A Walk on the Moon is directed by Tony Award nominee Sheryl Kaller and features a book and additional lyrics by original screenwriter Pamela Gray, music and lyrics by Tony Award and Grammy Award nominee AnnMarie Milazzo, and choreography by Josh Prince. In this interview, Talia Suskauer, who plays 'Pearl', reflects on the rehearsal process and the journey of the new musical so far.

A conversation with John Cameron Mitchell celebrating the 25th anniversary of the film HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH - on art, empathy, punk rock, and the unexpected community that grew around one of the most beloved cult classics of the past quarter-century.

Jessica Crouch, who plays Donna Sheridan in the National Broadway Tour of Mamma Mia!, talks about the cast's infectious chemistry, the emotional heart behind the music, and why audiences may want to bring tissues along with their dancing shoes.

What did our critic think of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Orpheum Theatre Memphis?

Much has been written about the proliferation of pop singer-songwriters writing new musicals for Broadway and off-Broadway. Less covered is the trend of pop singers performing on Broadway, which has made for a number of memorable appearances in current and recent seasons. 

Some musicals fade with time, but more than 25 years after its London premiere, MAMMA MIA! seems determined to do the opposite. The musical continues to fill theatres around the world, introducing new audiences to the story while giving longtime fans another reason to revisit the songs they already know by heart. Few productions have maintained the kind of global appeal that MAMMA MIA! has enjoyed since its debut, and its latest stop at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, BC this week offers another reminder of why. 

The Metropolitan High School Theater Awards, known as The Metros, will celebrate 25 ceremonies at Purchase College Performing Arts Center, honoring students from 74 schools across Westchester, Rockland, Bergen, and Putnam counties.

Legendary Broadway producer Manny Azenberg, 92, talks ticket prices, the loss of playwrights to screens, the rise of investor 'producers,' and whether theater can reclaim its cultural footing.

The annual League Awards were held during The Broadway League’s 2026 Spring Road Conference as esteemed members and partners were honored for their achievements in support of Touring Broadway.

We learn that the suburban fantasy is not sustainable, primarily because such a fantasy can only ever be a dream. The reality of suburban living, as told by Kimberly Akimbo, shows there is much more nuance to everyday life than the nuclear family with a white picket fence and a wholesome dinner at eight. If everyone got what they wanted, after all, they wouldn’t want for more.

AN IDEAL MAN is a fun spin on the source material, and it’s charming and affable in its delivery. I like the idea of the cast of DYNASTY suddenly being thrust into Oscar Wilde’s England via River Oaks.

We had the opportunity to interview Music Director Robert W. Butts about his career, The Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey, and the upcoming performance at The Growing Stage.

From Saarland to international fame, Andreas Gergen, a critically acclaimed director and Artistic Director, started his career on stage and was part of the original cast of Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame in Berlin, back when Drew Sarich starred as Quasimodo.

As Dionne Warwick took the stage at Groton Hill Music Center in Groton recently, before she had sung a single word, she was met by a rousing standing ovation. It was clear from the get-go that the capacity audience knew they were in the presence of a legend.

The Public Theater has announced initial casting for the Free Shakespeare in the Park production of ROMEO & JULIET at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

The time is nigh! In just a matter of days, all of Broadway will be doing the Time Warp again when The Rocky Horror Show returns at Studio 54. The revival, helmed by Tony winner Sam Pinkleton, marks the first time that the show has been on Broadway in 25 years.

Ben Jones sung 100 Years of the American Songbook in the 3/9 performance of TIMELESS. With the tender intimacy of his singing—balanced by bursts of theatricality and thrilling key changes—Jones holds the audience with him every step of the way.

Strange Fruit, directed by Venus Cuffs at Joe's Pub on 2/26, is a multimedia protest performance inspired by Billie Holiday's 1939 anti-lynching anthem. An all-LGBTQIA+ cast of Black artists explores resilience and resistance.

Tony Award winner Richard Maltby, Jr. discusses with Jennifer Ashley Tepper About Time, his new revue written with collaborator David Shire which, alongside Starting Here, Starting Now and Closer Than Ever, completes the writing team’s trilogy. They also chat about friendship with Stephen Sondheim, how Off-Broadway has evolved since the 1960s, the role Yale University has played, and more.