The Light of the World - 1920 - Broadway Articles Page 16

Today, the official website launches for the new Broadway musical SCANDALOUS: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson. Visit www.ScandalousOnBroadway.com to view an exclusive video interview with bookwriter and lyricist Kathie Lee Gifford, plus performance clips, company member bios, production photos and the latest news.

... The other impression I got from "Singin'" was the incredible depth of talent required of all the actors. The legendary Gene Kelly was the original choreographer, setting a high bar for anyone to follow (or vault over), to belabour the metaphor. This performance is meant to be extremely high intensity; highly athletic. To pull it off, actors must have a huge vocal range, a powerful voice, be highly gifted dancers in a number of genre's including tap, flamenco, ballet, have the agility of an acrobat, be incredibly funny and posses the ability to act ! They were all so physically beautiful, (or perfectly caste, befitting their role). One imagines a vast pool of players and an extreme vetting process to have achieved so many creme de la creme in one show.

This fall, celebrated stage veterans Edward Watts (Finian's Rainbow) and Roz Ryan (Chicago, The Pajama Game, Dreamgirls) return to Broadway to co-star in the new musical SCANDALOUS: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson.

In this, his 19th Broadway show, Hearn will portray the dual roles of James Kennedy, Aimee's kindhearted father; and Brother Bob, a popular preacher whose growing resentment of Aimee and her public power fuels him to vehemently discredit her from his pulpit.

The Laguna Playhouse welcomes back Rita Rudner, one of the country's top comediennes, for an exclusive three-day stand-up engagement, aptly titled Rita Rudner: Act 3, Friday, August 24 - Sunday, August 26, 2012. Performance times are 7 p.m. each evening.

The 32nd Season of Dennis Wickline Productions, Inc. and the 19th Season of Broadway Onstage Live Theatre begins on Friday, July 20, 2012 with the comedy THE GREAT AMERICAN SEX FARCE by Dennis Wickline that is just the entertainment for this election year.

As announced on the Thursday, July 19 edition of NBC 'Today,' this fall, two-time Tony Award nominee Carolee Carmello (Parade, Mamma Mia!, Sister Act) will star in the new Broadway musical SCANDALOUS: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson.

Today we are talking to Patricia Kelly, the widow of one of the most iconic and influential performers in entertainment history, Gene Kelly, all about her husband's incomparable career on Broadway and in Hollywood, in honor of his centennial. Tracing Gene Kelly's journey from his theatre roots starring in Cole Porter's LEAVE IT TO ME!, Rodgers & Hart's PAL JOEY and William Saroyan's Pulitzer Prize-winning THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE on Broadway to his unforgettable screen appearances in many of the greatest movie musicals ever made - COVER GIRL, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, THE PIRATE, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS and many more included - Mrs. Kelly gives us a look into the life of one of the most important artists of the twentieth century. In addition to behind-the-scenes stories involving Kelly's frequent collaborators - such as esteemed director Vincente Minnelli, songwriter and producer Arthur Freed, arranger Saul Chaplin and others - Mrs. Kelly also shares candid anecdotes involving her husband's involvement with directing Rodgers & Hammerstein's FLOWER DRUM SONG on Broadway, helming the feature film adaptation of HELLO, DOLLY! starring Barbra Streisand, as well as his appearing in two idiosyncratic movie musicals later in his life, LES DEMOISELLES DE ROCHEFORT (THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT) for Jacques Demy, as well as his au revoir to movie musicals in form of the Olivia Newton-John roller disco starrer XANADU. Additionally, Mrs. Kelly fills us in on all the details about this weekend's two-night Gene Kelly retrospective celebration, which she leads and narrates, as part of GENE KELLY @ 100 and her future plans for the multimedia presentation - each evening titled AN EVENING OF GENE KELLY and CHANGING THE LOOK OF DANCE ON FILM, respective - as she begins to tour the show across the country. Plus, reflections on SINGIN' IN THE RAIN's 60th anniversary and the recent Fathom HD premiere presentation in theaters, the impact of Kelly's work behind the camera, his choreographic legacy, what a legend is like at home, memories of attending the opening night of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (starring HELLO, DOLLY! lead Michael Crawford), what the master would say about GLEE, SMASH, BUNHEADS and today's movie musical renaissance, as well as much, much more!

Joe's Pub gives you a look ahead at the schedule today, July 9-July 15, including Amanda Holley, Bridget Everett & The Tender Moments, Matt Munisteri, Mary C., Happy Ending Music & Reading Series, Charles Perry, Kalman Balogh Gypsy Cimbalom Trio, Summer & Eve, Batz, Bhi Bhiman, Justin Robinson & The Mary Annettes, Ilusha Tsinadze's Dede Ena, Russian Red with special guest Tulsa, Lori Lieberman, Michael Serveris, and Loose Cattle. See full details below!

Josiah Theatre Works Announces it's 2012-2013 Play Season

Joe's Pub gives you a look ahead at its July 9-July 15 performances, including Amanda Holley, Bridget Everett & The Tender Moments, Matt Munisteri, Mary C., Happy Ending Music & Reading Series, Charles Perry, Kalman Balogh Gypsy Cimbalom Trio, Summer & Eve, Batz, Bhi Bhiman, Justin Robinson & The Mary annettes, Ilusha Tsinadze's Dede Ena, Russian Red with special guest Tulsa, Lori Lieberman, Michael Serveris, and Loose Cattle. See full details below!

Earlier today I had the extreme privilege of speaking to one of the biggest Broadway stars of the new millennium all about her new ABC Family original series BUNHEADS - two-time Tony Award-winning triple-threat dynamo Sutton Foster. Candidly recalling her professional beginnings, auditioning for the national tour of THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES at only 17 for director/choreographer Jeff Calhoun - our recent 2012 Tony Awards special chat available here - and starring in GREASE on Broadway under his direction shortly thereafter, Foster also shares her post-Tony Awards night memories from ten years ago today, when she first won a trophy for her star-making turn in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE. Clearly, Foster has remained busy since her Tony-winning Reno Sweeney in the hit revival of ANYTHING GOES last season, as well, with the fantastic new Amy Sherman-Palladino-penned BUNHEADS proving to be the ideal opportunity for her to bring her considerable stage chops to the small screen and show off her serious skills as a comedienne, dancer, singer and actress to a whole new audience in a major way. Of course, Broadway babies have known for over a decade that Sutton Foster is the rare star that comes along once a generation and BUNHEADS now gives her the national stage so that she may give the world everything she's got to give - and that's a whole lot. In addition to an analysis of the central character on BUNHEADS, Michelle, and a look ahead to what we can expect in the ensuing season that kicks off tonight at 9 PM on ABC Family with the enchanting and hilarious pilot episode, Sutton and I also shine a light on the many musical theatre associations in the BUNHEADS universe, current and future - such as the razzle dazzle Las Vegas opening number of the pilot, penned by songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, which was originally performed on Broadway in CATCH ME IF YOU CAN; BUNHEADS series regular and A CHORUS LINE original cast standout Kelly Bishop as Michelle's domineering ballet instructor mother-in-law; Michelle's determination to land a lead role in CHICAGO someday; and, we even discuss some possibilities for musical numbers and song sequences on BUNHEADS in the future ("At The Ballet", perhaps?). Plus, Sutton shares her thoughts on SMASH, expresses her interest in exploring a revival of THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN onstage soon and much, much more!

Today we are shining a light on one of the most respected and revered stage and screen stars of the last several decades who is known the world over for not only his stirring and commanding dramatic performances and touching and rib-tickling comedies on film, but also for his iconic roles on the stage playing Shakespeare, and, perhaps most of all, for his essaying of Captain Von Trapp in the celebrated Robert Wise film adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Tony Award-winning THE SOUND OF MUSIC - the elegant, graceful and eminently gifted Christopher Plummer. Looking back at a career spanning nearly seven decades, today we will focus on Plummer's most important and most fondly remembered roles to date - ranging from Sidney Lumet's STAGE STRUCK in 1958 to his Shakespeare stage work, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, THE RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER, TV's THE THORN BIRDS, and, of course, his Academy Award-winning turn in last year's BEGINNERS - with a look ahead to the exceptionally enticing new Fathom in-cinema presentation of Des McAnuff's Stratford Shakespeare Festival production of THE TEMPEST starring Plummer as Prospero, in movie theaters nationwide on June 14 - what the 83-year-old actor has promised will be his final Shakespeare performance onstage. So, if there were ever a time to take a look back at one of the most remarkable Broadway/Hollywood crossover stars of the last century or the current one as he reaches yet another peek in a career populated with many highs, now is certainly the time! After all, as the oldest Oscar-winner to date, a midsummer night's dream has evidently quite quickly turned to a winter's tale - but with sound and fury signifying much, as we will see.

Today we are talking to the noted director of one of the most successful stage-to-screen adaptations of the new century, HAIRSPRAY, about his brand new feature film adaptation of Broadway's currently running 80s stadium rock smash hit ROCK OF AGES - the eminently talented Adam Shankman. Discussing the starry cast of ROCK OF AGES - Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand and Mary J. Blige included - as well as the expanded songstack of the reconceived film version - which now includes Joan Jett's 'I Love Rock N Roll' and Def Leppard's 'Pour Some Sugar On me', among others - Shankman imparts his infectious enthusiasm for the movie musical format and expresses his relishing of the exciting possibilities afforded by the heavy metal jukebox property. Additionally, Shankman reminisces on his experiences filming HAIRSPRAY and confirms his future re-teaming with HAIRSPRAY and HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL superstar Zac Efron on an upcoming film comedy which begins shooting next month, titled THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU, co-starring Jason Bateman and Goldie Hawn. Plus, memories of choreographing Paul Thomas Anderson's BOOGIE NIGHTS, directing two episodes of GLEE, working with Carrie Ann Inaba on ROCKULA more than twenty years ago (his film debut), anecdotes about SMASH - and much, much more!

The Albuquerque Theatre Guild has announced the following performances for May.

The 32nd Season of Dennis Wickline Productions, Inc. and the 19th Season of Broadway Onstage Live Theatre begins on Friday, July 20, 2012 with the comedy THE GREAT AMERICAN SEX FARCE by Dennis Wickline that is just the entertainment for this election year.

Japan Society's annual all-day culture festival j-CATION traditionally promises "a trip to Japan without ever leaving New York City". But the 2012 installment themed around sakura-or cherry blossoms, a spring season delight in Japan- promises more: one lucky person will walk away with an actual trip to Japan.

Boston Playwrights' Theatre's 30th Anniversary season comes to a close with Joyce Van Dyke's story of the Armenian genocide in Deported / a dream play, presented in association with Suffolk University.

Japan Society's annual all-day culture festival j-CATION traditionally promises "a trip to Japan without ever leaving New York City". But the 2012 installment themed around sakura-or cherry blossoms, a spring season delight in Japan- promises more: one person will walk away with an actual trip to Japan. As the concluding event in the Sakura - Spring Renews, Beauty Blooms programming series commemorating the 100th anniversary of Japan's gift of cherry trees to Washington, DC and New York City's Upper West Side, this year's j-CATION: Sakura transports visitors to a cherry blossom-filled haven of workshops, crafts and mini language lessons; a classic film screening; a Japanese-style game show with a grand prize of a round trip ticket to Japan; live music concerts; DJ party; stunning design art from the exhibition Deco Japan; and a hana-mi (cherry blossom viewing) lounge with seasonally appropriate drinks and snacks for purchase.

The Hartt School, the comprehensive performing arts school of the University of Hartford, today announced that the Richard P. Garmany Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving has renewed its support for School's Richard P. Garmany Chamber Music Series through 2014. The Fund, which has been the principal underwriter of the Series since its inception, will provide Hartt with $53,000 for each of the next two seasons.

Boston Playwrights' Theatre's 30th Anniversary season comes to a close with Joyce Van Dyke's story of the Armenian genocide in Deported / a dream play, presented in association with Suffolk University.

Two-time Tony Award nominated costume designer Carrie Robbins, and scenic, lighting, costume designer and educator Lloyd Burlingame are among the 2012 TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards recipients. The awards will be presented at a ceremony on Friday, May 4, at 6:30pm, at the Hudson Theatre (145 West 44th Street). Ms. Robbins was selected to receive the 2012 TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award for costume design, and Mr. Burlingame will receive the Robert L.B. Tobin Award for Sustained Excellence in Theatrical Design.

Though Eugene O'Neill was a grownup thirty-one years of age when Beyond The Horizon, his first full length play, opened on Broadway in 1920, the landmark domestic drama is boiling over with so much youthful angst you might expect its trio of lovers to start whipping out microphones to belt out emo rock numbers.

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee- Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) has announced the 2012-2013 season, featuring four musicals and one play. Paper Mill Playhouse will open its 2012-2013 season with one, singular sensation, A Chorus Line. Winner of nine Tony® Awards including "Best Musical," A Chorus Line continues to resonate with audiences of every generation. In November, Millburn is alive with The Sound of Music. Based on Maria von Trapp's inspiring true life story, The Sound of Music features an unforgettable score by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein with such memorable songs as "My Favorite Things," "Do-Re-Mi," "Edelweiss," and "Climb Every Mountain."

The Albuquerque Theatre Guild has announced the following upcoming events.