The Wiz - 1997 - US Tour Articles Page 1

Friendship is nearly always a side element in musicals. From the comic sidekick of the leading character to the backup pals who provide background vocals, friends are part of the fabric of many shows—but rarely are they the main event. 

From Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater suspending operations and Central Works announcing its closure after 36 years, to Duluth Playhouse navigating a leadership transition, regional companies across the U.S. are grappling with the pressures of rising costs and uncertain funding. Across the Atlantic, the UK theatre sector is meeting similar headwinds head-on, with the government distributing £127.8 million to 130 cultural organizations, Stagetext securing funds to expand captioning access nationwide, and SOLT and UK Theatre sounding the alarm over strains on the touring ecosystem.

Today’s subject Jefferson A. Russell is currently living the theatre life onstage at Folger Theatre playing the roles of Duke Senior and Duke Frederick in their current production of As You Like It. The production runs through April 19th.

Meet the full Titanique Broadway cast! Jim Parsons, Melissa Barrera, Deborah Cox & more bring this Céline Dion-powered musical comedy to the St. James Theatre.

It’s… Hairspray! BroadwayWorld is taking a look back at what the cast of this beloved musical has been up to since the show first graced the Broadway stage!

Beginning Monday, February 2nd, the Tony-winning, record-breaking Broadway hit Chicago will welcome M. Kilgore as “Mary Sunshine” along with new ensemble members Austin Dunn, Danielle Marie Gonzalez, Christopher Kelley and Jeff Sullivan.

Take a trip down memory lane with our 40 favorite parade performances of years gone by! The Parade is known for bringing may of our favorite Broadway shows and performances to the small screen and our editors have battled it out to pick their favorites. 

Rock band O.A.R. has announced the O.A.R Three Decades Tour, an expansive North American run celebrating the band’s three-decade journey. In celebration, O.A.R. has released a brand-new single, “Where We Are Right Now,” available now on all streaming platforms. Check it out now.

While different tryout theaters have different relationships to the development of new shows, it’s worth looking at both which commercial rental theaters and which non-profit theaters have had the most Best Musical Tony Award winners come from their stages.

A dependable haven for artists in isolation, Theater Resources Unlimited will present an upcoming town hall, Queery: Is Theater As Gay-Friendly As We Think?. Learn more and see how to attend.

Performances are now underway for Lincoln Center Theater's revival of Ragtime at the Vivian Beaumont Theater. Meet the cast of Ragtime here and learn all about the starry cast and talented ensemble's bio and credits!

The Broadway cast of Chicago will welcome next cast members later this month! The new cast will begin on Monday, June 16 at the Ambassador Theatre. Learn more here!

Lincoln Center Theater has revealed its 2025-2026 season of productions in the Vivian Beaumont, Mitzi E. Newhouse, and Claire Tow Theaters. See the full lineup here!

Which Best Musical and Best Play nominees will take home the ultimate prize? BroadwayWorld has rounded up the winners of the Tony Awards, the Drama Desk Awards, the Drama League Awards and the Outer Critics Circle Awards for the last fifty years to compare winners year by year.

Asolo Repertory Theatre has announced complete casting for the epic closing of the 2024 – 2025 Season, Jesus Christ Superstar, which begins previews on May 14, 2025. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics by Tim Rice and directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes. Jesus Christ Superstar runs May 14 – June 15. 

This time, the reader question was: There are only three states in America without known Broadway musicals set within their borders. Can you guess which three? WE're breaking it down state by state.

The original cast recording of Broadway's Hamilton has been selected to join the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress, joining a selection that also includes the original recordings of Guys and Dolls, Gypsy, and Sweeney Todd.

Who knows better about where to eat in the theatre district than the people who hang out the most in the theatre district? We've asked the experts- BroadwayWorld readers/avid theatregoers to weigh in on which restaurants are their favorites to grab a bite before or after a Broadway show. The results are in...

Disney Theatrical Group has announced the full casting for Hercules which opens at Theatre Royal Drury Lane this June. Learn more about the production and cast here!

JUST IN TIME, starring Tony Award winner Jonathan Groff as Bobby Darin, has found its supporting cast. Find out who will join the Tony winner in the new production along with additions to the show's design team

This time, the reader question was: How often do City Center Encores! shows transfer to Broadway?

Britton & The Sting's new show MAMA will debut at Little Island. The cast and creative team have been announced, promising an exciting production.

BroadwayWorld has rounded up the winners of the Tony Awards, the Drama Desk Awards, the Drama League Awards and the Outer Critics Circle Awards for the last fifty years to compare winners year by year.

Musicals at Richter in Danbury, Connecticut, will celebrate its 40th season with an outdoor benefit event on June 21.

To close out their 2023-2024 Series, Segerstrom Center welcomed theater aficionado Seth Rudetsky to serve as an interviewer/pianist for Tony Award winner Lillias White for three shows May 16-18, 2024 in one of the most incredibly wonderful, fan-favoring shows that the OC arts campus has ever hosted at the intimate Samueli Theater in Costa Mesa, CA.