Street Scene - 1963 - New York Articles Page 7

The idea for Nunsense, the whimsical musical about five wacky but lovable nuns from the Little Sisters of Hoboken, came to creator Dan Goggin from an unexpected quarter. A friend had presented Goggin with a mannequin dressed as a Dominican nun in traditional habit, with the idea that it would be fun to feature a photograph of the mannequin and Goggin as part of a greeting card. The cards were a success and so, having worked in theater since 1963, Goggin decided to emulate Pygmalion by bringing the mannequin to life. The first Nunsense production opened in 1983 with a cast featuring three nuns, a priest, and a brother. The show featured sketches written by a friend, Steve Hayes, but in order to move the show to Off-Broadway, they had to have an actual 'book' to replace the sketches. It was at this time that the priest and the brother became additional nuns and a story was written to tie all of Goggin's songs together. The expanded Nunsense won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Musical and ten years and 3,672 performances later, it ended its original run, becoming second in longevity only to The Fantasticks for an Off-Broadway show. Since then, there have been over 8,000 productions of Nunsense around the world, with the show translated into twenty languages and a half-dozen sequels following in its wake. What makes Nunsense so universally loved? Simple. It's funny, the songs are cute and singable, and the good feelings inherent in the show's believable characters are infectious.

In THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN MUSICAL, Jack Viertel takes about musicals, puts them back together, sings their praises, marvels at their unflagging inventiveness, and occasionally despairs over their more embarrassing shortcomings. In the process, he invites us to fall in love with the art form all over again by showing us how musicals happen, what makes them work, how they captivate audiences, and how one landmark show leads to the next-by design or by accident, by emulation or by rebellion from OKLAHOMA! to HAMILTON and onward.

Legendary scenic and costume designer, MICHAEL YEARGAN (currently represented on Broadway with Fiddler on the Roof and The King and I), and costume designer SUSAN TSU are among the 2016 TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards recipients. The awards will be presented at a ceremony on Friday, May 20, at 6:30pm, at the Edison Ballroom (240 West 47th Street).  Ms. Tsu was selected to receive the 2016 TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award for costume design and Mr. Yeargan will receive the Robert L.B. Tobin Award for Sustained Excellence in Theatrical Design. The awards are presented through Theatre Development Fund's Costume Collection.

ALL THE WAY opens with blinking blood-red lights, deafening gunshots, vibrant colors in impressionistic soft-focus. Moments later, you can cut the tension with a knife or the crisp, clear black and white projections. From the start, Director Kevin Moriarty establishes that the Dallas Theater Center and Alley Theatre's stunning co-production of Robert Schenkkan's exhilarating political thriller is no documentary or a biopic.

Laura Benanti (Amalia), Zachary Levi (Georg),Gavin Creel (Kodaly), Michael McGrath(Sipos), Jane Krakowski (Ilona) and Byron Jennings (Maraczek) star in Roundabout's new Broadway production of SHE LOVES ME, directed by Scott Ellis, choreographed by Warren Carlyle with musical direction by Paul Gemignani. SHE LOVES ME officially opens tonight, March 17, 2016, and runs through July 10, 2016 at Studio 54 on Broadway. Let's see what the critics had to say...

There is so much about the heartwarming nature complete with a simple lesson learned and the sheer magic involved in making that happen that have brought many to profess their love of The Wizard of Oz, which is, in essence, a wonderful story that tugs at the heartstrings ever so slightly. From an adult who grew up watching the well-known 1939 movie starring Judy Garland to a child who may have read L. Frank Baum's book about the strange adventures of one Dorothy Gale and her "little dog" Toto in their quest to find their way back to Kansas, the pure innocence of this tale creates a world that generations have found (and continue to find) fascinating.

Stark Naked Theatre presents the classic, yet ever-relevant dark comedy Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf? by Edward Albee. 

Back by "Popular" demand, the Broadway hit musical WICKED anchors the Broadway Theatre League of South Bend's 2016-17 series at the Morris Center for the Performing Arts. 

SHUFFLE ALONG was an unlikely hit in 1921. It was one of the first hit Broadway shows starring, written, and directed by African Americans, but it has been overwhelming ignored in theatre history. Ninety-five years later, George C. Wolfe is preparing to bring the show back to Broadway, with a new and updated book by Wolfe. The revival will not only bring the original show' music and lyrics back to the stage, but will also tell the backstage story of its creation, and the impact it had on the theatre scene. SHUFFLE ALONG, OR, THE MAKING OF THE MUSICAL SENSATION OF 1921 AND ALL THAT FOLLOWED, is set to shuffle onto Broadway in the spring, so we're taking a look at the inspiration driving the revival, and a look back on the show's remarkable history.

Below, BroadwayWorld sends a fond farewell to those who passed away in 2015.

Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage, the staged musical of the worldwide smash-hit film, will play the Ed Mirvish Theatre from tonight, November 24, through the 29th, 2015.

The open-ended Off-Broadway engagement of Shear Madness just opened at New World Stages/Stage 4 (340 West 50th Street). Bruce Jordan directs a cast that features Adam Gerber,Jeremy Kushnier, Kate Middleton, Patrick Noonan, Jordan Ahnquist and Lynne Wintersteller. BroadwayWorld takes you inside opening night below!

The open-ended Off-Broadway engagement of Shear Madness opened last night, November 11, at New World Stages/Stage 4 (340 West 50th Street). Let's see what the critics had to say...

The open-ended Off-Broadway engagement of SHEAR MADNESS just opened at New World Stages/Stage 4 (340 West 50th Street). Bruce Jordan directs a cast that features Adam Gerber, Jeremy Kushnier, Kate Middleton, Patrick Noonan, Jordan Ahnquist and Lynne Wintersteller. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from opening night below!

The open-ended Off-Broadway engagement of SHEAR MADNESS is now playing at New World Stages/Stage 4 (340 West 50th Street). Opening Night is set for tonight, November 11th. Bruce Jordan directs a cast that features Adam Gerber, Jeremy Kushnier, Kate Middleton, Patrick Noonan, Jordan Ahnquist and Lynne Wintersteller. BroadwayWorld has a fresh look at the cast in action below!

The open-ended Off-Broadway engagement of SHEAR MADNESS is now playing at New World Stages/Stage 4 (340 West 50th Street). Opening Night is set for November 11th. Bruce Jordan directs a cast that features Adam Gerber, Jeremy Kushnier, Kate Middleton, Patrick Noonan, Jordan Ahnquist and Lynne Wintersteller. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The Drama Book Shop will host actor, Director, and co-founder of The Barrow Group, Seth Barrish, on Friday, November 13th, 2015 at 5:00pm. Mr. Barrish will discuss his exstensive career and the latest version of his popular book, An Actor's Companion. He will be joined by legendary director, filmmaker and puppeteer, Frank Oz.

The hit comedy whodunit SHEAR MADNESS begins performances tonight, October 22nd, at New World Stages. Opening night is set for November 11th, 2015.

BroadwayWorld has learned the Jonathan Spivey, who was previously announced for the role of 'Tony' in the New York Premiere of the hit comedy whodunit Shear Madness, has left the production due to scheduling conflicts.

Members of the cast of AVENUE Q welcomed the cast of Shear Madness to New World Stages, where they begin performances this Thursday. Scroll down for photos of both companies at the salon!

For its annual fall engagement, The Joffrey Ballet presents the U.S. Premiere of the full-length, female-powered story ballet, SYLVIA, choreographed by Milwaukee native and internationally acclaimed Director/Chief Choreographer of The Hamburg Ballet, John Neumeier. Continuing Joffrey Artistic Director Ashley Wheater's endeavor to bring re-imagined story-ballets to Chicago audiences, this program represents the first time Neumeier has been invited to The Joffrey Ballet and marks the first full-length production of Joffrey's 2015-2016 60th anniversary season. SYLVIA is presented at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, in ten performances only, October 14 - 25.

The open-ended Off-Broadway engagement of SHEAR MADNESS will begin performances October 22nd at New World Stages/Stage 4 (340 West 50th Street). Opening Night is set for November 11th. Bruce Jordan directs a cast that features Adam Gerber, Jeremy Kushnier, Kate Middleton, Patrick Noonan, Jonathan Spivey, and Lynne Wintersteller. BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge caught up with the cast and creative team today - hear what they had to say below! Plus click here for photos from today's meet & greet!

The open-ended Off-Broadway engagement of SHEAR MADNESS will begin performances October 22nd at New World Stages/Stage 4 (340 West 50th Street). Opening Night is set for November 11th.

For its annual fall engagement, The Joffrey Ballet presents the U.S. Premiere of the full-length, female-powered story ballet, SYLVIA, choreographed by Milwaukee native and internationally acclaimed Director/Chief Choreographer of The Hamburg Ballet, John Neumeier. Continuing Joffrey Artistic Director Ashley Wheater's endeavor to bring re-imagined story-ballets to Chicago audiences, this program represents the first time Neumeier has been invited to The Joffrey Ballet and marks the first full-length production of Joffrey's 2015-2016 60th anniversary season. SYLVIA is presented at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, in ten performances only, October 14 - 25.

Manny Kladitis, Jeffrey Chrzczon, Terry Schnuck, Kathleen K. Johnson, Jack Lane, Radio Mouse Entertainment, Schaffert/Hummel, Driemeyer-Sills Productions, David Gersten, Erach Screwvala, and The Shubert Organization, by special arrangement with Cranberry Productions, today announced the cast for the New York Premiere of the hit comedy whodunit Shear Madness. This open-ended Off-Broadway engagement will begin performances October 22nd at New World Stages/Stage 4 (340 West 50th Street).