You Got Older - 2014 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 17

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Dee Snider's Christmas show starts, and 'First Wives Club' and 'N' get their stars. Patsy Cline comes round again, as do the Q Brothers and 'Christmas Schooner.' Peeps gear up for 'Into The Woods,' 'Phantom' inspires television, and 'Billy Elliot' dances into movie theaters and into the Drury Lane Oakbrook!

I have to admit that I was very excited when I read that veteran actor Michael Winther would be returning to Center Stage to star in the Pulitzer Prize winning musical NEXT TO NORMAL. It was Director David Schweizer who asked Winther to come to Center Stage for the role of Dan. Schweizer also directed Winther back in 2007 when he played the role of Dromio in BOYS FROM SYRACUSE along with Manu Narayan and Paolo Montalban. Winther became friends with Narayan when the two both worked on Broadway at the same time, Narayan was the star of BOMBAY DREAMS at the Broadway Theater and Winther was down the street at the Winter Garden in MAMMA MIA! Winther related it was Narayan who called him up last year to take Narayan's place in San Paolo, Brazil to perform in the KIezmer musical THE NIGHT IN THE OLD MARKET PLACE. So Winther spent ten days in Brazil along with another actress from the BOYS FROM SYRACUSE, Charlotte Cohn.

Vineyard Theatre today announced that Clare Barron has been awarded the 2014 Paula Vogel Playwriting Award, presented annually to an emerging playwright of exceptional promise.

Roundabout Theatre Company presents Tom Stoppard's Tony Award-winning play, The Real Thing, starring Ewan McGregor as 'Henry' and Maggie Gyllenhaal as 'Annie' in their Broadway debuts; Cynthia Nixon as 'Charlotte' and Josh Hamilton as 'Max.' Sam Gold directs the cast of seven, which also includes Alex Breaux as 'Brodie,' Ronan Raftery as 'Billy' and Madeline Weinstein as 'Debbie.' The Real Thing officially opens tonight, October 30, 2014 at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway. Let's see what the critics had to say...

DIRTY DANCING started its U.S. tour in September and has enjoyed great success as it has travelled. Sam Edgerly plays the role of the smarmy Robbie in this wonderful stage production.

'I am honored to use my voice to help raise awareness and support for the world's most vulnerable … their determination to build a better future.'

Texas stage legend, Jaston Williams, is heading back to Galveston's The Grand 1894 Opera House. This time around he is bringing his newest play, MAID MARIAN IN A STOLEN CAR, to tickle our ribs. Gearing up for the production, Jaston Williams talks to me about why you should see MAID MARIAN IN A STOLEN CAR.

Jeff Skowron is a chameleon. The versatile actor has appeared on Southern California stages playing everything from Thenardier in Les Miserables at La Mirada Theatre to Leo Bloom in The Producers at 3-D Theatricals -- roles for which he is currently nominated for an Ovation Award -- to The Baker in Into the Woods. He previously won the Ovation Award for his moving performance of Leo Frank in 3DT's award-winning revival of Parade, and that's in addition to his work on Broadway and in television & film. Next he steps into the traveling salesman shoes of Edward Bloom for the west coast premiere of Big Fish at Musical Theatre West. It's a role that continues to show his range in a production that will enchant audiences beginning October 31st.

BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, the longest operating performance venue in lower Manhattan, presents Peter Cincotti, performing tonight, October 25 at 8PM, the first of four major concerts in the 2014-2015 Main Event Series, which also includes the Spanish Harlem Orchestra (November 21 at 8PM, $45 - $35) and The Hit Men (December 13 at 8PM, $45 - $35). Also featured are Alexis P. Suter (January 9 at 8PM, $45 - $35), and Ruthie Foster (May 8 at 8PM, $45 - $35), among others.

Sierra Repertory Theatre presents a group of six young spellers and special audience participants in the musical comedy, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, held at the East Sonora stage today, October 24 - November 23.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: Two more shows begin off-Broadway, JERSEY BOYS welcomes two new cast members on tour, and two stars -- Susan Boyle and Billy Crystal -- release their latest projects!

ON THE TOWN has moments of classic dance, comedy and music, but it's the earthy country sailors who make this musical soar.

PAGE 73 has announced the complete casting and design team for the world premiere of YOU GOT OLDER, a new play by 2014 P73 Playwriting Fellow Clare Barron.

Sierra Repertory Theatre presents a group of six young spellers and special audience participants in the musical comedy, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, held at the East Sonora stage October 24 - November 23. Tickets are available at www.sierrarep.org or by calling the Box Office at 209-532-3120.

Actor Randy Harrison, best known for playing Justin Taylor in Showtime's Queer as Folk (2000-2005) is rehearsing Amadeus Mozart for the play Amadeus to bow in Santa Barbara at the Ensemble Theatre on October 11. In our chat he talks about the play, his role, his tastes in music, as well as a bit about Queer as Folk. What was life like, briefly, during Queer As Folk? Did you know at first that this show was unique and groundbreaking? You guys had so many fans. I know because I interviewed Gale Harold when he did Orpheus Descending a few years ago, and the fan response to the interview was incredible. I had comments from all over the world.

Despite its billing of a tale woven in the Louisiana bayou during the 21st century as written by 2013 MacArthur Foundation Fellow Tarell Alvin McCraney, 'The Brothers Size' actually has its genesis in some West African village over 3,700 miles away across the Atlantic Ocean, serving as a cultural bridge connecting the ancient with the contemporary. With musician S-Ankh Rasa who hails from Dakar, Senegal operating as a silent but completely integrated spiritual guide with his solitary drum, unseen to the characters but very present to the audience, the beats which emanate from his instrument creates the storytelling space for three modern day male griots to narrate a tale so visually moving and powerful that it simples leave you speechless from start to finish. Under the outstanding production team of director Tre Garrett and assistant director George W. Donaldson III, running at one hour and 15 minutes, the show reviewed was one of several preview shows before the production opens on Fri., Oct. 3.

Miss Andrea Bell Wolff, the delightful singer-actress, has appeared in Broadway shows, on Las Vegas stages, on television; she was even the audience warm-up girl for the 'Ed Sullivan Show' in the late 1960's! Miss Bell Wolff has been in real show biz for the past 50 (yes!) years, yet she looks and acts incredibly youthful - and sounds, it, too.

Sometimes something or someone comes along in life that changes everything. Such is Starbuck, aka THE RAINMAKER, to the Curry family in Depression era middle America in N. Richard Nash's play 60-year-old play. Yellow Tree Theatre is mounting a lovely new production of this play with an all-star team of YTT regulars and newcomers. It's funny and sweet, hopeful and devastating, a prime example of the beautiful theater that Yellow Tree has been doing for going on seven years, made only richer by the influx of talent from the larger Twin Cities theater scene.

Three previously unreleased Queen tracks featuring late singer Freddie Mercury spearhead an exciting new Queen album, Queen Forever, due November 11 th 2014 on Hollywood Records.

Mia Farrow and Brian Dennehy star in A.R. Gurney's Love Letters, opening tonight, September 18, at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Let's see what the critics had to say...

Leading Australian theatre producer John Frost today announced that young classical music singer Mark Vincent will make his musical theatre debut in the role of Billy in the new Australian production of Dirty Dancing. The leading roles of Johnny Castle and Baby will be announced in coming weeks. Dirty Dancing will play at the Sydney Lyric Theatre from 28 November this year, then Melbourne's Princess Theatre from March and the Lyric Theatre, QPAC from May.

When it comes to writing, there's a well-known adage that advises, 'write what you know.' Three years ago, I embraced that age-old wisdom and set out to write my first play.

Nickel Creek began its first US tour in seven years on April 16 in Birmingham, AL and will stop at Mesa Arts Center for one show tonight, August 28.

PAGE 73 has announced the world premiere of YOU GOT OLDER, a new play by 2014 P73 Playwriting Fellow Clare Barron. Directed by Obie Award-winner Anne Kauffman, YOU GOT OLDER will star Tony Award nominee Reed Birney and Brooke Bloom and begins previews on October 29, 2014 on the Mainstage at HERE (145 6th Avenue, New York, NY 10013-1548). YOU GOT OLDER's opening date is currently set for November 6, 2014 and runs through November 22, 2014.

The final night performance was packed with people of all ages, who expressed their enjoyment with regular outbursts of either laughter or applause.