Wonderful Town - 1986 - West End Articles Page 7

Broadway fans had plenty of reasons to celebrate this year, with dozens of shows having opened since January, hundreds of actors having made their debuts, and many more having returned to the stage for critically acclaimed performances. Not all news was good though, as we also suffered a loss of an incredible amount of talent. Below, BroadwayWorld sends a fond farewell to those who passed away in 2014.

Hot off the heels of STAGES St. Louis' record-breaking production of Always... Patsy Cline, STAGES has announced the show and its creative team will head to Montgomery, Alabama as part of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival's 2014 - 2015 Season, Jan. 13 through Feb. 8, 2015.

Today's spotlight falls upon Chambers Stevens, who defines the word "multi-hyphenate." (Seriously, look in a dictionary-they still make dictionaries, don't they?-and you'll find his headshot next to the word.) He is an actor-director-playwright-acting coach-producer-consultant-husband-and-father. And in 2012, he was recognized as a First Night Honoree for the role he has played in the development of theater in Tennessee.

Following the path less-touristed, Wildland Adventures' nine-day Costa Rica Far-Flung Family Adventure targets families with adventurous teens. This itinerary brings travelers from the Caribbean to the Pacific on river rafts, surf boards, zip lines and small aircraft, en route viewing exotic wildlife, helping local youngsters brush up on English, dining well and overnighting in some of Costa Rica's foremost ecolodges.

The historic reunion---formatted as part talk-show, part concert---featured not only its creators Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine waxing nostalgic about the making of this beloved show, but also had several members of the Original Broadway cast including Bernadette Peters, Joanna Gleason, Chip Zien, Robert Westenberg, Kim Crosby, Danielle Ferland, and Ben Wright---all performing together on the same stage for the first time in years. Humorist and CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Mo Rocca served as the evening's wry, very amiable host and moderator. The results? Mind-blowingly awesome... not only for the incredible musical performances given by the reunited cast, but also for all the dishy, humorous, and, at times, emotionally-tinged inside info shared by the musical's genius collaborators.

ABC celebrates the joy of the holidays, including the world premiere of Pixar Animation Studios', “Toy Story That Time Forgot,” the return of the competition series, “The Great Christmas Light Fight,” special musical performances on “CMA Country Christmas,” and classic, animated Christmas specials from Walt Disney Animation Studios, PEANUTS, DreamWorks Animation and Dr. Seuss, among others.

STAGES St. Louis has announced that the box office sensation, Always... Patsy Cline grossed over $1 Million during its six month run at The Playhouse at Westport Plaza., making up 58% of STAGES 2014 ticket revenue. Always... Patsy Cline was originally produced by STAGES during its record-breaking 2013 Season, which resulted in two added performances and historic attendance. Nightly, the audiences stopped the show with thunderous applause for numbers like 'Crazy,' 'Lovesick Blues,' and 'Your Cheating Heart.'

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

Broadway's 40 theatres aren't the only places to catch performances from your favorite stars! Well after Broadway orchestra's begin their overtures, ensemble members take their dance breaks, and performers belt out their eleven- o'clock numbers, the party continues at various cabaret venues throughout New York City. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you some cabaret highlights for this week as picked by our theatre editors, including: SMILE : A Broadway Reunion Concert, Celebrating Adolph Green - 100 Years of Wonderful, Jamie deRoy and Friends, Randy Graff: Re-Made In Brooklyn, and The Songs of Scott Evan Davis, featuring Karen Mason, Lisa Howard & more.

STAGES St. Louis has announced that the box office sensation, Always... Patsy Cline at The Playhouse at Westport Plaza will continue tonight, September 18th to October 12th.

Award winning internationally syndicated cartoonist and author of the iconic Nancy comic strip, Guy Gilchrist will be appearing at the Tennessee State Fair at 500 Wedgewood Avenue, Nashville, TN on September 8th, 2014. Gilchrist will be appearing at the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) booth signing free copies of Nancy Loves Nashville provided by TDOT. He will also be doing an interactive and humorous presentations designed for the entire family that will inspire and entertain as audiences draw his famous characters right along with him on one of the fair's stages. He will be doing his presentations at 10 am CT and 2 am CT at the TDOT booth. Gilchrist's presentation will draw from his own personal experiences and provide antidotes from his work on Nancy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Jim Henson's Muppets, and much more. 'I am very honored and humbled to be taking part at the Tennessee State Fair,' said Guy Gilchrist, the cartoonist of Nancy. 'I look forward to having a wonderful time showing everyone how to have fun drawing cartoons, and at the same time provide the keys to unlocking the audiences' most cherished gifts and dreams. 'The message that Nancy Loves Nashville conveys promotes the importance of taking care of the environment is essential and critical that this starts at an early age,' continued Gilchrist. 'As a resident of Tennessee, this has a special meaning for me and I am glad to be taking part in this promotion with our partners with the Tennessee Department of Transportation.' Guy Gilchrist at the age of 24, he was hand-selected to create Jim Henson's Muppets Comic Strip which was printed worldwide in 660-plus newspapers daily from 1981 to 1986. Throughout the years, he has set his hand to such notable cartoons as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry, Fraggle Rock and The Pink Panther and was instrumental in the creation of The Muppet Babies. He and his wife reside in Nashville, Tennessee. Nancy Loves Nashville celebrates all that makes Nashville a special place to live from the music to the events while educating children on the importance of not littering and taking care of the environment. In addition to the 24 page coloring book, Nancy appears in billboards throughout Davidson County. Gilchrist teamed up with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and Metro Nashville Public Works in creating this fun and educational coloring book for students in Davidson County Schools. Syndicated internationally in 80 countries and some 400 newspapers, Nancy has a viewership of 57 million readers around the world. And as fans of the the comic strip know, Nancy resides in the fictional town of Three Rocks with her Aunt Fritzi and friend, Sluggo. Gilchrist took over the Nancy comic strip in 1995. In 2013 he unveiled a one-of-a-kind exhibit, Nancy Loves Nashville, at the Nashville International Airport that revealed the location of Three Rocks as a suburb just outside of Nashville.

The Royal Shakespeare Company announces the summer 2015 season.

This September and October 54 BELOW presents a lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54thStreet. For a detailed schedule of upcoming performances at 54 Below and to purchase tickets, visit www.54Below.com.

STAGES St. Louis has announced that the box office sensation, Always... Patsy Cline at The Playhouse at Westport Plaza will continue September 18th to October 12th. The theatre company's momentous production of Always... Patsy Cline will play five performances per week Thursday through Sunday, following a brief two week hiatus. Always... Patsy Cline was originally produced by STAGES during its record-breaking 27th Season, which resulted in two added performances and historic attendance. Nightly, the audiences stopped the show with thunderous applause for numbers like 'Crazy,' 'Lovesick Blues,' and 'Your Cheating Heart.'

From September 4-14, 2014, Houston Ballet launches its 45th season with the company premiere of John Neumeier's three-act ballet A Midsummer Night's Dream. The ballet is based on Shakespeare's lighthearted play of the same name and follows the hijinks and hilarity that ensues when a well-intentioned plan with a love potion goes awry. Created in 1977, A Midsummer Night's Dream has served as Mr. Neumeier's calling card, being seen as one of his most joyous and popular creations. Houston Ballet is the first American ballet company to perform the famous work and it is the first piece by Mr. Neumeier to enter the Houston Ballet repertoire.

The Old Globe presents its third production of the 2014 Summer Season, Ronald Harwood's comedy Quartet, directed by Richard Seer (Other Desert Cities, God of Carnage, The Last Romance). Harwood received an Academy Award for his screenplay of The Pianist and was nominated for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and The Dresser (also a hit on Broadway and the West End). Quartet will play in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, today, July 25 - August 24, 2014.

The Old Globe today announced the full cast and creative team for the third production of the 2014 Summer Season, Ronald Harwood's comedy Quartet, directed by Richard Seer (Other Desert Cities, God of Carnage, The Last Romance). Harwood received an Academy Award for his screenplay of The Pianist and was nominated for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and The Dresser (also a hit on Broadway and the West End). Quartet will play in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, July 25 - August 24, 2014.

This summer, it's 'almost like being in love!' Goodman Theatre produces the first large-scale, professional revival of Brigadoon -- Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick's Loewe's legendary musical of Broadway's Golden Age -- in more than three decades. Under director/choreographer Rachel Rockwell, a company of 28 actors, dancers and singers breathe new life into the enchanting tale of an 18th century Scottish village that appears every century for one day only -- and the complications that arise when it's discovered by two 20th century Americans. With adapter Brian Hill, Rockwell revisits the libretto for this production, while music director Roberta Duchak and an orchestra of 13 use new orchestrations to enhance Loewe's lilting score.

This summer, it's "almost like being in love!" Goodman Theatre produces the first large-scale, professional revival of Brigadoon -- Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick's Loewe's legendary musical of Broadway's Golden Age -- in more than three decades. Under director/choreographer Rachel Rockwell, a company of 28 actors, dancers and singers breathe new life into the enchanting tale of an 18th century Scottish village that appears every century for one day only -- and the complications that arise when it's discovered by two 20th century Americans. With adapter Brian Hill, Rockwell revisits the libretto for this production, while music director Roberta Duchak and an orchestra of 13 use new orchestrations to enhance Loewe's lilting score.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announces a distinguished list of music headliners to be presented at the 55th annual Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival, a production of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. The 10-day celebration of the arts in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is unlike any other in the nation. The world-class, multi-disciplinary festival is free to attend and is open to the public. Attracting over 400,000 visitors annually, the Festival begins on the first Today in June and takes place at the confluence of Pittsburgh's famed three rivers in Point State Park, throughout picturesque Gateway Center, and in the city's world-renowned Cultural District.

STAGES St. Louis has announced that Always... Patsy Cline at The Playhouse at Westport Plaza has recouped all transfer and renovation costs in the first month of performances and will extend performances through Labor Day. The theatre company's momentous production of Always... Patsy Cline will add six additional performances per week through August 31, 2014 to its original production schedule. Always... Patsy Cline was originally produced by STAGES during its record-breaking 27th Season, which resulted in two added performances and historic attendance. Nightly, the audiences stopped the show with thunderous applause for numbers like 'Crazy,' 'Lovesick Blues,' and 'Your Cheating Heart.'

Grab the umbrellas! Audiences will be delighted by Pittsburgh CLO's production of Singin' in the Rain, May 30-June 8 at the Benedum Center. A talented cast of Broadway's best and Pittsburgh CLO veterans will take this feel-good movie-musical off the silver screen and on to the Benedum Center stage.

The Buck Creek Players will continue their 40th Anniversary Season 'Fabulous at 40' with the Indianapolis premiere of Carrie: The Musical, opening tonight, May 30th, and continuing for a limited run three weekends through Sunday, June 15th.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts will present LA Opera Off Grand with a special concert performance of Jules Massenet's lyric masterpiece Thais tonight, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.

Grab the umbrellas! Audiences will be delighted by Pittsburgh CLO's production of Singin' in the Rain, May 30-June 8 at the Benedum Center. A talented cast of Broadway's best and Pittsburgh CLO veterans will take this feel-good movie-musical off the silver screen and on to the Benedum Center stage.