The Phantom of the Opera - 1992 - US Tour Articles Page 18

The blockbuster musical WICKED has achieved an unprecedented Broadway milestone as it enters its 10th Anniversary year, becoming the first Broadway musical ever to remain the highest grossing production for a record-breaking nine consecutive years. Since opening in 2004, its first full year at the Gershwin Theatre, WICKED has remained at the top of the Broadway grosses.

Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), the UK's largest theatre owner/operator and producing group, has today announced that Tim McFarlane has agreed to join ATG in the newly created role of CEO for ATG Asia/Pacific.

Broadway veteran Michael Ball will release a new studio album, also titled 'Both Sides Now' in addition to launching a UK tour in spring 2013. Both the tour and the album will comprise of 2 halves, encompassing Michael's biggest hits from both his recorded and stage careers.

Maybe it is my reaction to the rain pouring down outside my window. Perhaps it's because I am under the weather, sick, uncomfortably wrapped under the warm and protective covers of my bed as I write this. But I am feeling extremely nostalgic today, recalling my days as a kid; a big dreamer standing on awkwardly skinny legs. You see, being sick as an adult sucks because there is no one there to take care of you! Mom? Dad? Where are you?

Ron Bohmer, most recently seen on Broadway in A Little Night Music (Frid), joins the cast of The Fantasticks in the role of the narrator El Gallo on Monday, Oct. 8. He replaces actor Jeremiah James.

According to a feature about the new UK arena touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar in the Sydney Morning Herald, Andrew Lloyd Webber reveals he would like to collaborate with Stephen Sondheim.

The musical version of Manual Puig's 1976 novel first saw life in 1990. Despite having been begotten by theater royalty, Kiss of the Spider Woman got off to a rocky start before becoming one of the big musical hits of the '90s. Four-time Tony Award winner Terrence McNally adapted the book. John Kander and Fred Ebb (Cabaret, Chicago, Master Class) wrote the music. The producer was Harold Prince (Phantom of the Opera, Evita, Sweeny Todd), who has won more Tony Awards than anyone in the history of mankind (that would be 21).

John Davidson, the celebrated television, theater and film actor who starred as Matt in the 1964 Hallmark Hall of Fame version of THE FANTASTICKS and recently performed for a limited engagement in the Off-Broadway production as Henry, The Old Actor, will return to the cast on July 30 in that same role.

'Someone Else's Story' sees the return of New Zealand-born performer Meredith Braun after a ten-year break. During her fruitful career, she played lead roles in 'The Phantom of the Opera', 'Les Miserables', 'Sunset Boulevard' to name but a few. She also starred as Belle in 'The Muppet Christmas Carol', the Disney film released in 1992. This album, produced by Stage Door Records, showcases new material from Braun and is a reminder of just how good she was, and evidently still IS.

Harvey Schmidt, the celebrated composer of The Fantasticks, visited the show for the first time in more than twenty years on Saturday, June 16, 2012. After the performance, Schmidt met with the cast including television veteran John Davidson and triple platinum recording artist Aaron Carter. Check out photos of Schmidt with the cast below!

REBECCA, the new musical based on the classic novel by Daphne du Maurier novel, has found its male and female leads: Jill Paice will play the role of "I" and Ryan Silverman the role of "Maxim de Winter." REBECCA will open on Broadway Sunday, November 18 at The Broadhurst Theatre. Previews will begin Tuesday, October 30.

Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, Neal Street Productions and Kevin McCormick today announced that their production of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will open at the London Palladium in June 2013 after a preview period. The new stage musical will be directed by Sam Mendes, with a book by David Greig and new songs from Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

The Associated Press reports that Andrew Lloyd Webber is in possible talks to join the judge's panel of the UK version of THE X FACTOR. Commenting on the rumor, the composer coyly told The Associated Press, 'There could be a little bit of 'you never know.'

The Bob Fitzsimmons Memorial Scholarship, this year, is being awarded to Albert Stanaj, a 2012 graduate of Archbishop Stepinac High School. He has been demonstrating an interest in theatre since the age of 9. Albert would come to Stepinac with his parents to pick up his older brother who was in rehearsal for SOUTH PACIFIC. Besides running around the theatre chasing other cast members' little sisters, Albert became a student of the theatre at that time.

Surflight Theatre, under the leadership of award-winning Broadway Producers Timothy Laczynski (The Pee-wee Herman Show, A Christmas Story), Executive Producer and Roy Miller (West Side Story, The Drowsy Chaperone, Ragtime, and the upcoming new musical Animal House) Artistic Director, continues its 63rdSeason with the Surflight premiere of All I Ask of You: A Musical Tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber, on stage for three weeks, tonight, May 26 through June 16.

This Tuesday marked the second most exciting day of any given year for Broadway babies - the Tony Award nominations. The actual awards ceremony on CBS - Broadway's night of nights - is still a few weeks off, but now is certainly an ideal time to size up the competition(s) and see who will most likely walk away with Tony gold come June 10 - and this year's ceremony, more than most before, could very well be as surprising as this season was; or Tuesday's nominations themselves were, for that matter. While the 2011-2012 Broadway season certainly fell far short of the heady promise many ascribed to its prospects way back last Summer, we certainly saw the fulfillment of some big dreams for some notable names if not an all-in-all banner year for Broadway when collectively considered. The highly-praised Off-Broadway critical darling LYSISTRATA JONES landed with a thud early in the season, as did the re-jiggered, gender-bending revival of ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER and its star Harry Connick, Jr., and, even the lauded and relatively successful revival of Stephen Sondheim's peerless masterpiece FOLLIES failed to make any money and closed. GODSPELL did not fare much better, though it is still running. The two highly-anticipated revivals of Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic early successes JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and EVITA were met with indifferent reviews - with the latter receiving some nasty press for its stars, neither of whom received Tony nominations - but receptive audiences so far. THE GERSHWINS' PORGY & BESS could take Best Revival, after all - but will NICE WORK's Kelli O'Hara edge out four-time Tony recipient Audra McDonald? New plays did not fare much better than the measly crop of musicals, but OTHER DESERT CITIES and VENUS IN FUR seemed to hit their target demographics squarely, but CLYBOURNE PARK looks to be the frontrunner for Best Play despite all that. We shall see. Mike Nichols may take home another Best Director for his sensitive, if workmanlike revival of Arthur Miller's DEATH OF A SALESMAN, as conceivably could Philip Seymour Hoffman and Andrew Garfield. John Lithgow is offering up some fierce competition in THE COLUMNIST, though. The acting races are tight, for sure, in both plays and musicals, with more newcomers and first-time nominees than any season this century.

On Thursday, May 3, 2012 Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's romantic musical comedy The Fantasticks will celebrate its 52nd anniversary. The Fantasticks currently stars triple platinum recording artist Aaron Carter as Matt. Television and stage star John Davidson will join the cast as Henry on June 1.

Walnut Street Theatre today annonuced that it will celebrate multiple honorees this year with the 2012 Edwin Forrest Award at its landmark 203rd Anniversary Gala.

On the 20th Anniversary of The Garner Galleria Theatre (April 6), Denver Center Attractions announces an eight-week extension of I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE. Tickets are now on sale through August 19 at www.denvercenter.org or by calling 303.893.4100.

A few days shy of the holiest week of the year for Christians - aptly named Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday and ending with Easter (with Holy Thursday and Good Friday, the most sacred events on the calendar coming between) - Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's seminal rock opera JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR was resurrected on Broadway by TOMMY and JERSEY BOYS director Des McAnuff - modeled after the hit Stratford Shakespeare Festival production last year and comprised of many of the same cast members, including all three leads - to hails of praise and hosannas, mostly. While JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR itself will always divide audiences and critics alike - and not merely because of its controversial content and its button-pushing treatment of the hallowed tale it tells - the magnetism and sheer power that Lloyd Webber's propulsive, throbbing rock score imbues gives the show an energy, vitality and life rare to find in even the most earnestly effervescent and energetic of comparable entities - the recently revived and similarly-themed GODSPELL in a revival a few blocks away included. Then, there are Tim Rice's lyrics - oh-so-spot-on in 1970, but still biting and edgy today in McAnuff's hi-tech and elaborately presented new Broadway production. Using the book of John as the jumping off point, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR tells the story of the last seven days in the life of Jesus Christ (Paul Nolan) and his subsequent betrayal by Judas (Josh Young) and sentencing to death at the hands of King Herod and Pontius Pilate (Tom Hewitt). The twelve apostles, Mary Magdalene and her female companions, lepers, Pharisees, priests and others populate the grand story told almost entirely through song - the show is 90% music - and Webber and Rice's score never, ever lets up. While this may not be the most faithful rendering as far as the Bible is concerned, nor the most historically accurate, SUPERSTAR is now available to experience for a whole new generation thanks to this new revival and the timing could not be more ideal. The time is ripe for a revival of SUPERSTAR, and, as Andrew Lloyd Webber himself has recently related, this new production of the show is the best ever as far as he is concerned. High praise indeed - coming from no less than the Lord.

Court Theatre Artistic Director Charles Newell and Executive Director Stephen J. Albert present Tony Kushner's Tony Award-winning Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches and Part Two: Perestroika, directed by Artistic Director Charles Newell. Angels in America will run March 30 - June 3, 2012 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Avenue. Press Opening is Saturday, April 14, 2012; Part One: Millennium Approaches at 3PM and Part Two: Perestroika at 8PM.

Court Theatre Artistic Director Charles Newell and Executive Director Stephen J. Albert present Tony Kushner's Tony Award-winning Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches and Part Two: Perestroika, directed by Artistic Director Charles Newell. Angels in America will run March 30 - June 3, 2012 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Avenue. Press Opening is Saturday, April 14, 2012; Part One: Millennium Approaches at 3PM and Part Two: Perestroika at 8PM.

Since 1990 Meredith has originatied and recorded such roles as 'Betty Schaeffer' in 'Sunset Boulevard', 'Lily' in the RSC's 'The Secret Garden' and playing the iconic roles of 'Eponine' in 'Les Miserables' and 'Christine' in 'The Phantom of the Opera'.

The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company will present the world premiere of Jones' "Story/Time" at Peak Performances at Montclair State University, January 21-22 & 26-29. "Story/Time" marks Jones' third commission from Peak.

The full Broadway cast has been announced for The Stratford Shakespeare Festival's hit production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, directed by the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's Artistic Director Des McAnuff which will open March 22, 2012 (previews begin March 1) at the Neil Simon Theatre (250 West 52nd Street).