The Wizard of Oz - 2009 - US Tour Articles Page 9

With the school year wrapping up around San Antonio and surrounding areas, many students are looking forward to lazy days by the pool, sleeping late and just being free from the busy school year. However, there are a group of 25 students who have been working tirelessly to succeed and be the best they can as they prepare to participate in the Joci Awards Scholarship Competition on May 20, 2018 at the Empire Theatre in San Antonio. Final rehearsals take place on Saturday and Sunday for the amazingly talented student finalists from Donna, Seguin and San Antonio High Schools.

'The Wizard of Oz: A Jazz Musical for All Ages,' presented by Harlem Repertory Theater (HRT) and Yip Harburg Foundation, will not close June 16. It has been extended through November 24, 2018 due to continuing and steady audience interest. The production has played since October 8, 2016 at Tato Laviera Theatre, 240 East 123rd Street (near 2nd Ave.), Manhattan, and has previously been extended five times.

Society for the Performing Arts (SPA), the largest nonprofit presenting organization of its kind in the Southwest, is thrilled to announce its highly-anticipated 2018-2019 season lineup. The season, which runs from Friday, Sept. 14, 2018 through Saturday, June 1, 2019, features an exciting assortment of music, dance and theatrical entertainment from the world's finest artists and arts companies.

American Idol finalists - and real-life husband and wife - Ace Young and Diana DeGarmo will star as Danny and Sandy this spring as Studio Tenn's production of Grease hits the stage at Jamison Theater at the Factory at Franklin for a May 10-27 run.

The Muny announced today that single tickets for The Muny's 2018 centennial summer season are now available. Tickets can be purchased online at www.muny.org, by phone (314) 534-1111, or in person at The Muny Box Office, open 9am - 5pm, Monday through Friday. The Muny proudly celebrates its 100th season in Forest Park this summer.

On Monday, May 14, 2018, Third Street Music School Settlement (Third Street), the nation's longest running community school, will honor Grammy Award-winning Singer and Songwriter Rosanne Cash, Tony and Oscar Award-winner Joel Grey, and long-time Board Member and Award-winning Architect Byron Bell at its Annual Spring Gala. Graham Parker, President of Universal Studios Classical Music Labels, will serve as master of ceremonies and Lydia Fenet, Senior Vice President of Christie's Auction House will host the live auction. Members of the cast of SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical also will perform. Held at Capitale (130 Bowery) in New York City, the gala will bring together hundreds of luminaries from the arts, culture, education, media, business, finance and philanthropy worlds to pay tribute to the honorees for their contributions to and leadership in arts and music education. Funds raised through attendance, live and silent auction participation will help support Third Street scholarships and financial aid services. With its roots in the settlement movement, Third Street today serves more than 5,000 New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds by providing high quality, accessible music and dance instruction in more than 25 instruments and voice. More than 75% of Third Street students receive financial aid or scholarships through the school's Partners program, which sends teaching artists into community centers and public schools throughout New York City. Alumni include well-known artists Bobby Lopez, Jessie Montgomery, Irving Caesar, among others. This year's honorees join a roster of previous honorees that includes The Roots, Sting, Yoko Ono, Harold Prince, Philip Glass, and Audra McDonald. Rosanne Cash will be presented with Third Street's Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Arts and Joel Grey will receive Third Street's Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts. 'Third Street is founded on the principles of artistry, diversity, and community. We believe music connects us and that it is crucial to support programs that enable accessibility to the arts for people of all backgrounds,' said Third Street Music School's Anna-Maria Kellen Executive Director, Valerie G. Lewis. 'We are proud to celebrate our 123rd Anniversary with music visionaries, Joel Grey and Rosanne Cash, along with a long-time supporter of Third Street, Byron Bell. They have been incredible advocates for the arts, fostering artistic creativity in their communities and beyond,' she said. Gala Co-chairs are Jeannie Park and Larry Hackett, Kara Saxon and Amit Malhotra, and Kate and James Vanek. Anniversary Co-chairs include Beau Everett and Stephanie Goodman, Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation, Tatiana Serafin and Mick Kalishman, Felipe Toews and Yuu Fujita. Honorary Co-chairs include Barbara E. Field, Philip Glass and Harold Prince. Event sponsors include Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation, Baldor Specialty Foods, Ernst & Young LLP, Putney, Twombly, Hall & Hirson LLP, Industry City, JD Carlisle Development Corporation, Steinway & Sons, and Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP. For more information visit thirdstreetmusicschool.org/gala or contact Katharine Nemeth at 212-777-3240 ext. 26 or gala@thirdstreetmusicschool.org. Tickets start at $500 per person and $5,000 per table. About Third Street Founded in 1894, Third Street Music School Settlement is the nation's longest-running community music school. Celebrating 123 years of service, Third Street works to enrich lives and communities by providing access to high quality music and dance instruction to students of all ages and backgrounds, regardless of artistic ability or socio-economic circumstances. As a pioneer of community arts education in the United States, Third Street today serves more than 5,000 students in our primary location on East 11th Street, and through partnerships with nearly 25 public schools and community centers throughout New York City. Third Street alumni include violist Masumi Per Rostad of the acclaimed Pacifica String Quartet; Ray Chew, musician and music director of Dancing with the Stars and American Idol; Irving Caesar, composer of the 1920's hit 'Tea for Two'; Bobby Lopez, co-creator of the hit Broadway musical Avenue Q and Academy Award-winning writer of 'Let It Go' from Disney's Frozen and 'Remember Me' from Disney's Coco; Ingrid Michaelson, pop singer/songwriter with hits on the Top 40 charts; and Jessie Montgomery, recipient of the Sphinx Award. Visit http://www.thirdstreetmusicschool.org/ for more information, and follow Third Street on Instagram @3rdstreetnyc and twitter @Third_Street.

Celebration Theatre presents under the artistic direction of Michael Matthews & Michael A. Shepperd, present the third and final show in its 2017 2018 season, CABARET, book by Joe Masteroff (based on the play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood), music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, choreography by Janet Roston, musical direction by Anthony Zediker and directed by Michael Matthews. CABARET will begin previews on Friday, May 25 at 8pm; will open on Friday, June 1 at 8pm, with tickets on sale through Sunday, July 15 at Celebration Theatre @ the Lex Theatre, 6760 Lexington Ave. in Los Angeles.

A soulful retelling of L. Frank Baum's beloved The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Wiz combines fairy-tale glamour with street smarts to make a classic fantasy sparkle for today.  And our directors and choreographer will bring a blast of New Orleans Creole magic to this production!  Winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score, The Wiz ingeniously mixes rock, gospel, soul, and jazz, and features hits like 'Ease on Down the Road,' 'A Brand New Day,' and 'Home.'

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: Children of a Lesser God opens tonight on Broadway, and more!

Sherlock star Amanda Abbington and Sunset Boulevard leading man Danny Mac are the first stars to be announced for the UK premiere of the musical A Little Princess by Tony-nominated composer/lyricist Andrew Lippa (Big Fish,The Addams Family, The Wild Party).

Takao Osawa, the multi-award-winning actor and star of one of Japan's most popular television series JIN, will join the cast of THE KING AND I to play the Kralahome, trusted adviser to The King of Siam, when the smash hit musical transfers from Broadway to the London Palladium for "London's theatrical event of 2018" (Daily Express) on 21 June (Press Night 3 July).

The Muny announced today that Tony and Grammy Award- winning artist Heather Headley and Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe Award-nominated artist Matthew Morrison will serve as co-hosts for The Muny's historic Centennial Gala show, An Evening with the Stars, May 18, 2018 at 9:15 p.m. at The Muny.

Aurora's Paramount Theatre - Chicago's most decorated theater at the 2017 Jeff Awards with the third largest subscriber base in the nation - is excited to present the first Chicago-area regional staging of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical Once to close its 2017-18 Broadway Series.

High school students, teachers and parents across Houston are celebrating and filled with anticipation as the nominations for the 16th Annual Tommy Tune Awards have just been announced on facebook.com/tommytuneawards. Emmy-winner and native Houstonian, Jim Parsons announced the nominees for Best Musical via video on the Tommy Tune Awards Facebook page. Parsons, who started his career on the stage in Houston, will star in The Boys in the Band on Broadway next month.

Eagle Theatre opens the highly anticipated and uproarious irreverent behind-the-scenes glimpse of Gone With The Wind, Moonlight & Magnolias, on March 28th, 2018. Based on a true story, Moonlight & Magnolias offers hilarious insight to the making of America's most successful and beloved film of all time.

Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) will host Druid, Ireland's most celebrated theatre company, and their critically acclaimed production of Waiting for Godot. Directed by Tony Award-winner Garry Hynes, Druid's production of Samuel Beckett's absurd, anarchic masterpiece will make its regional premiere at the Lansburgh Theatre (450 7th Street, NW) from April 17 through May 20, 2018 before it travels on to Chicago.

Gettysburg Community Theatre (GCT) the not-for-profit 501c3 community theatre located at 49 York Street in historic downtown Gettysburg, will present an all-youth cast of 4th-12th Grade actors in Disney's Beauty & The Beast jr. 8pm Fridays and Saturdays and 2pm Sundays March 2-18, 2018.

The Muny announced today that season tickets for The Muny's 2018 centennial summer season are now available. Tickets can be purchased online at www.muny.org, by phone (314) 361-1900, or in person at The Muny Box Office, open 9am - 5pm, Monday through Friday. The Muny proudly celebrates its 100th season in Forest Park this summer.

The Art of the Score, exploring some of the most distinctive uses of music in film, will return for its fifth season with Amadeus: Live, the New York Premiere screening of Amadeus with the Mozart-centered score performed live to the complete film. Conducted by Richard Kaufman in his Philharmonic debut and featuring Musica Sacra, directed by Kent Tritle, Amadeus: Live will take place Wednesday, April 11, 2018, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, April 13 at 11:00 a.m.; Saturday, April l4 at 7:30 p.m.; and Tuesday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. On April 11 actor Alec Baldwin - Philharmonic Board Member and Artistic Advisor of The Art of the Score - and special guest F. Murray Abraham - who won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Salieri - will introduce the film.

American Idol finalists - and real-life husband and wife - Ace Young and Diana DeGarmo will star as Danny and Sandy this spring as Studio Tenn's production of Grease hits the stage at Jamison Theater at the Factory at Franklin for a May 10-27 run.

FROZEN had its first preview last night, February 22 at the St. James Theater! Starring Patti Murin and Caissie Levy as beloved Disney heroines Anna and Elsa, the musical is set for a March 22 opening. Get to know the cast below as they begin Broadway performances!

Walnut Street Theatre's 2017-18 Independence Studio on 3 season continues with the hard-hitting and gripping A STEADY RAIN. Written by Keith Huff and directed by Fran Prisco, the production begins previews on February 20, opens February 22, and continues through March 25.

JERSEY BOYS Director, Des McAnuff announces the talented ensemble he has cast in the keenly-anticipated season of JERSEY BOYS, opening for a strictly limited season at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney this September.

Duncan Alanson Spencer (1911-1999), the legendary Scenic Artist behind some of Hollywood's greatest films, will be honored by the Art Directors Guild Gallery 800 (ADG, IATSE Local 800) in a special exhibit entitled “The Golden Brush: A Tribute to Duncan Alanson Spencer.” Spencer's career spanned over 38 years and over 400 movies including The Wizard of Oz, White Christmas, Meet Me in St. Louis and Ziegfeld Follies. The exhibit opens with a hosted opening reception on Saturday, February 10 from 5 - 9pm and will run through April 7, 2018.

Leonard Bernstein made one foray into Hollywood with an original film score: the 1954 romantic tragedy On the Waterfront, which is ranked by the American Film Institute as one of the ten best films of all time.  On Saturday, February 24 at 8pm, On the Waterfront will exuberantly come to life when the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya) presents Richard Kaufman conducting Bernstein's electrifying score live, while the newly re-mastered film is shown in glorious high definition on the big screen with original dialogue intact.