Show Boat - 2006 - West End Articles Page 14

The penultimate column in our 2014 South African Theatre Retrospectives deals with musical theatre and opera. Today we celebrate 'six of the best' opera and musical theatre productions from around the country - with two honourable mentions for an outstanding cabaret and revue - having already looked at some of the best plays and dance productions of the year.

Broadway fans had plenty of reasons to celebrate this year, with dozens of shows having opened since January, hundreds of actors having made their debuts, and many more having returned to the stage for critically acclaimed performances. Not all news was good though, as we also suffered a loss of an incredible amount of talent. Below, BroadwayWorld sends a fond farewell to those who passed away in 2014.

"I Am Woman" songstress Helen Reddy is set to perform at The Orleans Showroom on January 24 and 25.

Continuing a tradition inaugurated in 2006, the Met will offer a holiday presentation this December and January: an English-language performance of an opera, with special weekday matinees and discount pricing designed to make the Met affordable for families with children. This year's production, Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, opens tonight, December 18.

The Muny announced today the directors, choreographers and music directors for the Muny's 2015 Season, which opens on June 15 with My Fair Lady. 'This is a thrilling roster of artists,' said Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. 'We look forward to bringing their vision and talent to our grand stage.'

Continuing a tradition inaugurated in 2006, the Met will offer a holiday presentation this December and January: an English-language performance of an opera, with special weekday matinees and discount pricing designed to make the Met affordable for families with children. This year's production, Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, opens December 18 and will star Aleksandra Kurzak, Heidi Stober, and Andriana Chuchman as Gretel; Christine Rice and Jennifer Johnson Cano as Hansel; Michaela Martens and Dwayne Croft as Gertrude and Peter, the wayward children's parents; and Robert Brubaker as the wicked Witch who captures them. Sir Andrew Davis will conduct all seven performances of the opera, which plays through January 8. There will be special weekday matinees at 11 a.m. on December 23 and December 30.

59E59 Theaters will host the New York premiere of EVERYBODY GETS CAKE!, created and performed by Joel Jeske, Danny Gardner and Brent McBeth, and directed by Mark Lonergan. Produced by Parallel Exit, EVERYBODY GETS CAKE! begins performances on Friday, January 16 for a limited engagement through Sunday, February 8.

The New York cabaret community had something really special to be thankful for yesterday as one of its own, singer William Blake, was a featured performer in the 2014 MACY's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Cruising up to the parade's main staging area on a faux Mississippi River Boat at around the show's midpoint, Blake and three backup singers revved up the crowd with a uptempo gospel/blues song 'Give Thanks,' written by Matt Sklar and Bill Schermerhorn, with an arrangement by Blake's Musical Director Michael Thomas Murray (see video). For the 31-year-old Texas native, who came to New York just seven years ago, performing in the parade is now one of the high points of his career.

The Dallas Opera's explosive second production of the 2014-2015 'Heights of Passion' Season is SALOME by Richard Strauss (whose libretto was based on Hedwig Lachmann's German translation of Oscar Wilde's play). SALOME, generally regarded as one of the masterpieces of the Late Romantic Era, opens tonight, October 30, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. in theMargot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center located in the Dallas Arts District.

The Theatre School at DePaul University will present The 2014 Awards for Excellence in the Arts gala on Monday, November 3, 2014, at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. The Four Seasons is located at 120 East Delaware Place. The event will begin with a 6 PM cocktail reception, followed by dinner and the awards presentation at 7 PM.

The new Broadway revival of On The Town, directed by John Rando (Tony Award for Urinetown) and choreographed by Joshua Bergasse (Emmy Award winner for 'Smash') officially opens tonight, Thursday, October 16, 2014 at Broadway's Lyric Theatre (213 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036). BroadwayWorld wants you to get to know the talented cast of Broadway's latest revival. Meet the company below!

Signature Theatre presents Elmer Gantry, a musical version of Sinclair Lewis' best-selling novel, directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer (Broadway's Follies, Million Dollar Quartet). Schaeffer collaborated on the last production of Elmer Gantry at Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre in Chicago with authors John Bishop (book), Mel Marvin (music) and Bob Satuloff (lyrics) in 1998; the show has not been produced since then. This will be the 5th production in the show's history. Running in the MAX Theatre today, October 7 - November 9, Signature's production will include several brand new songs by Mel Marvin and Bob Satuloff and a reimagined script that John Bishop worked on until his death in 2006.

The Dallas Opera's explosive second production of the 2014-2015 "Heights of Passion" Season is SALOME by Richard Strauss (whose libretto was based on Hedwig Lachmann's German translation of Oscar Wilde's play). SALOME, generally regarded as one of the masterpieces of the Late Romantic Era, opens on Thursday, October 30, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. in theMargot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center located in the Dallas Arts District.

San Francisco Opera General Director David Gockley and San Francisco Opera Association President Keith Geeslin today announced that Gockley will retire in July 2016, concluding a ten-year, seven-month tenure with the Company and capping an internationally acclaimed and award-winning career spanning 44 years as one of America's most prominent opera impresarios. Gockley, who will be 73 at the end of the 2015–16 season, became the Company's sixth general director when he joined San Francisco Opera in January 2006. Today's announcement was made at a War Memorial Opera House press conference.

The New York Philharmonic has announced several additions to the cast of the semi-staged production of Kern & Hammerstein's Show Boat, November 5-8, 2014: Tony-nominated actor Christopher Fitzgerald (who will portray Frank); Tony-nominated actor Norm Lewis, who appeared on Broadway as Porgy in The Gershwins' Porgy & Bess (Joe); Broadway performer Alli Mauzey (Ellie); Broadway and television performer Edward Watts (Steve); Emmy- nominated comedic stage and screen actor Fred Willard (Cap'n Andy); and Broadway performer NaTasha Yvette Williams (Queenie).

Signature Theatre has announced the cast of Elmer Gantry, a musical version of Sinclair Lewis' best-selling novel, directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer (Broadway's Follies, Million Dollar Quartet). Schaeffer collaborated on the last production of Elmer Gantry at Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre in Chicago with authors John Bishop (book), Mel Marvin (music) and Bob Satuloff (lyrics) in 1998; the show has not been produced since then. This will be the 5th production in the show's history. Running in the MAX Theatre October 7 - November 9, Signature's production will include several brand new songs by Mel Marvin and Bob Satuloff and a reimagined script that John Bishop worked on until his death in 2006.

Once again crowned as the No. 1 Performing Arts Hall of its size in North America (Venues Today, 2000 seat category), the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is proud to announce a new season bustling with fresh talent and seasoned stars, with every performance delivering a dose of extraordinary. Single tickets go on sale this coming Saturday, September 13 at 10 AM at the Box Office, online, and by phone. Appointments are available for ticket buyers by calling the Box Office at 941-953-3368.

San Francisco Opera presents the Company premiere of Carlisle Floyd's two-act opera Susannah today, September 6 at the War Memorial Opera House.

Only a few performances remain to experience edge-of-your-seat excitement with "Cirque Shanghai: Warriors" at Chicago's Navy Pier Pepsi Skyline Stage, 600 E. Grand Ave. "Cirque Shanghai: Warriors," the summer spectacle encompassing remarkable acrobatics, thrilling daredevil stunts and exhilarating demonstrations from Chinese Kung Fu and Wu Shu masters, will close on Monday Sept. 1, 2014 (Labor Day). Special Labor Day performance times have been added at 2 and 4 p.m. and will mark the end of the summer 2014 run of "Cirque Shanghai: Warriors".

"Cirque Shanghai: Warriors," the summer spectacle encompassing remarkable acrobatics, thrilling daredevil stunts and exhilarating demonstrations from Chinese Kung Fu and Wu Shu masters, will close on Monday Sept. 1, 2014 (Labor Day). Special Labor Day performance times have been added at 2 and 4 p.m. and will mark the end of the summer 2014 run of "Cirque Shanghai: Warriors".

REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL, TV's most honored sports journalism series, continues its 20th season with more enterprising features and reporting when the show's 209th edition debuts at a special time TONIGHT, AUG. 19 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL, TV's most honored sports journalism series, continues its 20th season with more enterprising features and reporting when the show's 209th edition debuts at a special time TUESDAY, AUG. 19 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

San Francisco Opera presents the Company premiere of Carlisle Floyd's two-act opera Susannah September 6 at the War Memorial Opera House. Soprano Patricia Racette returns to San Francisco Opera in her role debut as the innocent, strong-willed and falsely accused young woman Susannah Polk.

Only a few weeks remain to experience edge-of-your-seat excitement with "Cirque Shanghai: Warriors" at Chicago's Navy Pier Pepsi Skyline Stage, 600 E. Grand Ave. "Cirque Shanghai: Warriors," the summer spectacle encompassing remarkable acrobatics, thrilling daredevil stunts and exhilarating demonstrations from Chinese Kung Fu and Wu Shu masters, will close on Monday Sept. 1, 2014 (Labor Day).

The world's most celebrated dancing partners, Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev are re-united for this summer's hottest ticket, at the London Coliseum, beginning tonight, Wednesday 6th, and continuing through Saturday 9th August in producer Sergei Danilian's presentation of SOLO FOR TWO.