Stepping Out - 1997 - West End Articles Page 9

The Los Angeles premiere of Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Schenkkan's By the Waters of Babylon brings two award-winning, long-time theater actors to the Geffen stage for the first time: Demián Bichir and Shannon Cochran. Bichir, who is currently starring as Mary Louise-Parker's love interest on Showtime's Weeds, will play the role of Arturo, a Cuban immigrant who is hired to (coincidentally) weed the garden of unconventional Austin widow Catherine. Cochran, who will star as Catherine, is straight from Chicago where she starred in sold out performances of The Lion in Winter at the Writers Theatre.

If Tracie Thoms' life was written as an old fashioned Broadway musical it would go something like this, 'Girl wants role, girl doesn't get role, girl REALLY wants role, girl finally gets role and then girl REALLY gets role…again.' Sound complicated? Not so much. BroadwayWorld caught up with her and we spoke at length about her thrilling and inspiring 'Quest for Joanne'.

The full cast of the Broadway production of Billy Elliot the Musical has been announced by Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions in association with Weinstein Live Entertainment.

Carol Woods returns to 'Chicago' on June 2nd in the role of Matron Mama Morton.

The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, a new musical comedy from the creative team of the 12-time Tony Award winning smash The Producers, will open on Broadway November 8th 2007 at the Hilton Theatre (213 W 42nd St). Previews begin October 11th 2007. The production stars Roger Bart (Dr. Frederick Frankenstein), Megan Mullally (Elizabeth), Sutton Foster (Inga), Shuler Hensley (The Monster), Fred Applegate (Kemp) and Christopher Fitzgerald (Igor).

We got the chance to talk with Jim Brochu and Steve Schlachlin the creators, songwriter, book writer, and stars of the, relatively, new Off-Broadway show 'The Big Voice: God or Merman'. The discuss whether they are characters or not, and what happens when they are replaced... We also hear them perform two songs from the show in an exclusive, in-studio performance!

Carol Woods will return to Chicago for a week's stint as brassy Matron 'Mama' Morton in the hit musical playing at the Ambassador Theatre

Bill Kenwright and Marla Rubin announce that they will present the Almeida Theatre production of FESTEN, the hugely successful London play about a family with a dark secret, on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre (239 W. 45th St.), with performances beginning Thursday, March 23. Larry Bryggman, Michael Hayden, Ali MacGraw and Julianna Margulies have been cast in the Broadway production. Directed by Rufus Norris, in a dramatization by David Eldridge from the Danish 1998 film, FESTEN will have its official press opening on Sunday, April 9.

Carol Woods will once again play Matron 'Mama' Morton in Chicago, beginning on July 26th

Fred Ebb, passed away on September 11, 2004 at the age of 72 from a heart attack. Funeral services are expected to be held on Tuesday.