The Corsair - 1857 - Broadway Articles Page 821

As Phantom of the Opera prepares to roll into the history books on Monday night, January 9, 2006 as the longest running show of all time, BroadwayWorld checked in with some of the many men behind the mask. Phantom alumni Kevin Gray, Cris Groenendaal, and Davis Gaines, along with Broadway's current Phantom Howard McGillin each shared their experiences of donning the mask.

On December 30, 2005, the Blue Heron Arts Center closed its doors.

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Terrence McNally and Paula Vogel are among those who will appear at the 92nd Street Y in the first half of 2006

Twelve new plays will be featured in the 2006 edition of Plays and Playwrights, which will be released on February 1st

Three new plays will be featuerd in Triple Threat, which will run off Broadway from February 7th through 26th

The Black & White Blues, 'The New Orleans Restaurant Musical,' will open off-Broadway on February 9th

Tony Award-winner Debbie Gravitte will release Defying Gravity, her third album, this month

Molly Ringwald will play the title role in Sweet Charity while Michael York will star as Camelot's King Arthur at the American Musical Theatre of San Jose this season

New York City Center's 2006 Encores! Season will open on February 9 with the six-time Tony Award-winning Kismet, starring Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell and Marin Mazzie.

LAByrinth Theater Company (Co-Artistic Directors Philip Seymour Hoffman and John Ortiz and Executive Director Steve Asher) presents the second developmental production of the 2005-06 season, ALL THE BAD THINGS by Cusi Cram, directed by Paula Pizzi. ALL THE BAD THINGS will begin performances on Wednesday, February 15th at the Public Theater (425 Lafayette Street) for 15 performances only through Sunday, March 5th.

The five Barbra Streisand early career TV specials, which confirmed for critics and the public alike that she would be the music world's most legendary female entertainer for decades to come, have just gone five times platinum- just over one month after their release prior to Thanksgiving.

THE COLOR PURPLE set a new house record, grossing $1,394.446.28 for the week ending January 1, 2006 at the Broadway Theatre, besting La Boheme's previous record set three years ago by more than 40%.

At times, many times, the melding of Mr. Joel's songs and Ms. Tharp's majesty bring the life of Movin' Out to dizzying heights.

JAY JOHNSON: THE TWO AND ONLY! will have a limited engagement at the Brentwood Theatre January 20 to February 19, 2006, prior to transferring to the Helen Hayes Theatre on Broadway.

I LOVE YOU BECAUSE stars Farah Alvin, David A. Austin, Tony Award nominee Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Avenue Q) and Colin Hanlon. Performances begin Off-Broadway at the Village Theatre on Thursday, January 19, 2006.

2004 Tony Award Nominee for FIDDLER Turns Playwright

On January 3rd, Urinetown's Charlie Pollack will join the cast of the off-Broadway revue I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change

The week ending 1/1/06 is the highest-grossing week in Broadway history, according to the League of American Theatres and Producers

Grosses for all the Broadway shows for the week ending 1/1/2006

Sara Gettelfinger is taking a leave of absence from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels from January 17th through March 26th in order to co-star in Grey Gardens: A New Musical; Matt Cavenaugh, Michael Potts and John McMartin were also recently announced for the new musical

Cristy Candler will begin performances as Nessarose in Wicked on January 10th, the same day that Eden Espinosa, Carol Kane and Derrick Williams join the Broadway company of the smash musical