They Wrote That? - 2004 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 1

The stage production does make a lot of strides that strengthens the endurance and popularity of this love story. It repeats iconic moments from the popular 2004 film, but isn’t aping the original screenplay in any way. A new libretto offers a fresh take that borrows the basic structure of the novel and memorable film moments, whilst breathing in new voices and new scenes that add different layers to these familiar characters.

There’s a strange dichotomy that exists in live theater. I may not like the material, but will still find reason to love its execution. And at Theater West End, they’ve culled together a company of players who help elevate the material of POTUS into a comedy that now exists thanks to their approach to the characters. They form a symbiotic relationship with the audience throughout the two acts to make us still care for them, for their arcs, and for their resolutions – no matter how far-fetched it may seem. This is where the production of POTUS shines.

Ahead of the debut PBS airing of Suffs, BroadwayWorld caught up with Shaina Taub to discuss the origins of the Suffs proshot, the importance of arts accessibility, and why PBS was the right platform to spotlight this history-making musical. 

Tony and Emmy Award-winner Billy Crystal will return to Broadway this fall in a new one-man show, 860, written and performed by Mr. Crystal and directed by Olivier Award-winner Scott Ellis. We have all of the details!

Seven years ago, an already hot summer in Boston heated up even more during a pre-Broadway tryout of a truncated version of playwright Matthew Lombardo’s “Tea at Five” at the Huntington Theatre when its star, Academy Award winner Faye Dunaway, was fired after allegations that she physically and verbally assaulted crew members on the troubled production.

BroadwayWorld is featuring Ismael Loutfi in a special Off-Broadway Debut of the Month! Read BroadwayWorld's full interview with Ismael as he talks about performing Ismael Loutfi: Heavenly Baba Off-Broadway at SoHo Playhouse.

The biggest change from prior years is at The New York Times, where Helen Shaw became the first female chief theater critic at the paper of record earlier this year. Previously, The Times has had plenty of female second-string critics, but the top seat was always held by a man.

Broadway has a long history of one-person shows, including many that have been added to the canon in this century.  Seeing one actor powerfully create a whole world on stage can be an exceptional experience. Of course, one handers are hardly one-person projects; while there may only be one actor on stage, they are collaborating with an entire team of creatives, designers, and behind-the-scenes personnel to bring a show to life. 

The Tanglewood Popular Artist Series, which each year brings a star-studded lineup of musicians and performers to Tanglewood’s Koussevitzky Music Shed, continues to expand its 2026 summer season with the addition of Jon Stewart among a roster of major artists across genres including rock, country, pop, Broadway, and soul.

The Langham Directors’ Workshop will return to the Stratford Festival for the 2026 season with five new participants. Led by Esther Jun, the program offers selected artists the opportunity to work as assistant directors on Festival productions.

Theater West End was wise to split Angels in America in the season as two separate performances, each with their own block in the schedule. Originally, I was concerned that the Part Two of it all might turn away prospective theatergoers. But upon watching both parts now, and bearing in mind my own familiarity for the characters, I can also see now how the original production’s 18-month gap would have also been enticing for an audience.

The LA Phil has revealed the 2026 Hollywood Bowl summer season with performances at the world-renowned amphitheater in the Hollywood Hills from June to September 2026.

What did our critic think of THE NOTEBOOK at Orpheum 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!

A new musical is in development based on the best-selling novel by Alice Hoffman and the cult-classic WarnerBros. Motion Picture, Practical Magic, with an original score by Grammy Award-winners Norah Jones and Gregg Wattenberg.

This January, the Jersey Shore Arts Center will become the staging ground for a masterclass in psychological warfare. Under the sharp, unflinching direction of Theo Devaney, Edward Albee’s seminal masterpiece, At Home at the Zoo, finds new life in a production that promises to be as visceral as it is intellectual. At the heart of this revival are two powerhouses of the craft: three-time Emmy winner and daytime icon Christian Jules LeBlanc and acclaimed Off-Broadway actor and Ruth Stage Chairman Matt de Rogatis.

The idea of the concept album took flight at the same time as the idea of the rock musical. A concept album introduces audiences to the score of a musical by deliberately releasing an album of the songs before any live production exists at all. The concept album ostensibly stands on its own terms.

What did our critic think of AJR ACOUSTIC SET at Newport Music Hall?

In honor of the Aida’s 25th anniversary, BroadwayWorld spoke to stars Heather Headley (Aida), Adam Pascal (Radames), Sherie Rene Scott (Amneris), Schele Williams (Nehebka), as Thomas Schumacher (original producer and Disney Theatrical Group chief for its first three decades), lyricist Tim Rice, and book writer David Henry Hwang to compile an oral history of the show’s early days, transition to Broadway, and legacy beyond the boards.

During his prolific and storied career, Sondheim collaborated with many other artists, from book writers to directors, from actors to musicians. Seeing Sondheim’s regular collaborators, close friends, one-time associates, mentors, and rare connections make appearances in his collection was both moving and illuminating.

It is a show that is so close to my heart! When I was living in New York, from 2004 to 2008 was when it came to Broadway, and I saw it there. I was brought in quite a bit for Olive at the time. I'm too old for that [role] now!

As the fight for women to have equal rights and opportunities has evolved, so has the presence of plays telling these stories. When I wrote my book, Women Writing Musicals: The Legacy that the History Books Left Out, the first-ever book about female musical theatre writers, I researched many musicals that are in this genre as well.

BroadwayWorld chats with pioneering lesbian playwright and performer Terry Baum about her latest show 'Lesbo Solo: My Gay History Play' running at The Marsh Berkeley through October 12th. Her hilarious and deeply moving piece won 'Best of Fringe' at the San Francisco Fringe Festival.

The National Tour of THE NOTEBOOK is now underway! The tour launched on September 6, 2025, at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, OH. Read the reviews here!

BroadwayWorld is here with your fall 2025 guide to all the shows lighting up New York’s stages. From world premieres to long-awaited revivals, this season’s Off-Broadway lineup delivers something for every kind of theater fan!