Heartbreak House

Since its 1980 debut in Paris, Les Misérables has transcended the medium of musical theatre to become a global cultural force.

Since the early 1970s, Penelope Wilton has established herself as a major player on the British stage, and we are taking a look back at her expansive theatrical career, just in time for Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.

Next month, 54 BELOW will present some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond, including Tracie Thoms, Jenn Colella and more. See the full lineup here!

Every now and then there is a musical that is near universally loved for it score, treasured by cast recording collectors, and infamous to many,  BUT is rarely ever produced. Most were failures soon after theirs debuts. My personal desert island treasured flop  from that category is Jerry Herman's DEAR WORLD. For others it was Stephen  Sondheim's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (  considered a flop for almost 40 years, but now a triumph). Which brings us to the rarely produced, but often recorded musical CHESS, now being presented at the Lancaster Opera House.

All Roads Theatre Company’s (ARTCO’s) 2025 Season kicks off with the World Premiere musical One For My Baby, which features Broadway stars Lana Gordon and Luba Mason leading a cast of 28 performers, supported by a 12-piece Big Band. I decided to speak with ARTCO’s Fred Barton and Scott Thompson who wrote the musical’s book, with conductor Barton also creating the music arrangements and Thompson directing and choreographing the production.

Curated in collaboration with musical director Sy Johnson, acclaimed director Sheldon Epps first staged BLUES IN THE NIGHT in 1980 as a musical revue. The show follows three women and one man, each offering a different take on love and loss. Structured around legendary songs by Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, et al., it debuted on Broadway in 1982 and earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Musical.

GRAMMY Award-nominated composer David T. Little has unveiled his latest work for the stage, an opera for tenor and chamber orchestra in three parts based on Garth Greenwell's critically acclaimed debut novel, What Belongs to You.

Are you bound for the Philadelphia area this fall.  There’s so much to see and do that our readers will like to know about. 

The Royal Opera House will release three exclusive recordings of The Royal Ballet’s founding choreographer Frederick Ashton’s work on Royal Opera House Stream. Available to watch from Thursday 17 August, this triple bill was recorded in 2022, uniting Ashton’s modernist Scènes de ballet, the emotive A Month in the Country, and the rapturous Rhapsody.

LA-based songwriter, producer, and all-around artist Postcard Boy (aka Garrett Seamans, aka carwash) shares his latest, 'when tomorrow comes, we'll be nothing but a fading feeling.' On the track, Postcard Boy bends toward funky experimental pop, sending his listeners on an unexpected vibey journey through a new soundscape. 

Little Known Facts is a weekly podcast hosted by stage and film actress Ilana Levine. This week's episode features Amy Irving! Listen to the full episode here!

Want to know What's Coming to Broadway in 2023? This Broadway season will include performances by Jessica Chastain, Josh Groban, Nathan Lane, Laura Linney and many more! Check out a full list of which Broadway shows will open this year.

The band offers a second glimpse into the forthcoming EP, with a brooding reimagining of the 1980 Stephanie Mills R&B classic “Never Knew Love Like This Before” released now.  The EP also includes covers of Aldous Harding, The Japanese House, The Associates and Dusty Springfield.

Polka Theatre returns with a Christmas season tailored for younger audiences and their families. The season will include the return of their heart-warming show Grandad, Me and Teddy Too in their Adventure Theatre, a magical story that celebrates the importance of family, even at long-distances – a treat for audiences aged two to five (and their adults). 

The Royal Ballet presents a dazzling showcase of choreographic invention by Frederick Ashton. Three ballets, Scènes de ballet / A Month in the Country / Rhapsody, return to the Royal Opera House Main Stage on 23 April demonstrating his remarkable range. 

Directed by Matthew Dunster, Martin McDonagh's Hangmen begins previews tonight, Friday, April 8, 2022. The production opens on Thursday, April 21, 2022 at Broadway's Golden Theatre for a limited 10-week engagement. Meet the cast here!

PEN America today announced writer and Emmy Award-winning late night host Seth Meyers, who has uplifted countless authors’ voices—as the host for the organization’s 2022 Literary Awards, which return this year as a momentous in-person event, on February 28 at New York City’s Town Hall (123 W 43rd St).

The Shaw Festival is mourning the death of Christopher Newton, former artistic director, who died peacefully yesterday morning at the age of 85. Actor, stage manager, playwright, artistic director, Mr. Newton made a momentous impact and life-long contributions to the Canadian theatre landscape and performing arts.

This week (June 14-20) in live streaming: Rita Moreno visits Backstage Live, Show of Titles on demand, a Kerry Butler master class, a Guys and Dolls reunion, and so much more!

L.A. Theatre Works will release their state-of-the-art audio recording of Stephen Tobolowsky’s A GOOD DAY AT AUSCHWITZ June 2, 2021. Based on a true story, Stephen has adapted GOOD DAY from his previous book My Adventures with God. Stephen managed to find some time between his podcast The Tobolowsky Files, his many film and TV commitments, and being half of a beloved Los Angeles theatre acting/directing couple, to answer a few of my enquiries.

BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 101 greatest Motown songs from 1960-1994. See if your favorite songs or artists made the list!

BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 101 greatest scenes in cinema from 1901 to 2020. See if your favorite movie moments made the list!

BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 101 greatest Beatles songs, including some of the fab four's solo works. They're all here: 'Twist and Shout,' 'In My Life,' 'Helter Skelter,' 'Imagine,' 'Something,' 'Maybe I'm Amazed,' 'Let It Be.' See if your favorites made the grade!

How do we make a list of the 101 greatest show tunes from the past 100 years? Well, we did the near-impossible task.  Check out our full list here! 

Visit our list of the best musicals & shows you can watch from home! We've got you covered with all the must-sees on streaming sites including Tony-award winners, favorite stars and top performances.