Ken Page News

Cabrillo Music Theatre kicks off the new 2008-2009 season by announcing that Deborah Gibson, whose successful career spans the worlds of Broadway and Pop Music, will star in Rodgers & Hammerstein's classic, THE KING AND I.

Theatrical Producers Jeff Gardner and Ken Denison, are pleased to announce that they have assembled an all-star cast for a reading of their new musical GRUMPY OLD MEN: THE MUSICAL to be presented in New York City in October. The reading is not open to the public, and is by invitation only.

Cabrillo Music Theatre of Thousand Oaks, Calif proudly kicks off the new 2008-2009 season by announcing that Deborah Gibson will star in Rodgers & Hammerstein's classic, 'The King and I'. Cabrillo Music Theatre's Artistic Director Lewis Wilkenfeld will direct, while Darryl Archibald will serve as Musical Director and Conductor. The production will feature the original Jerome Robbins choreography of the 'Small House of Uncle Thomas' Ballet, recreated by Irene Cho, who performed the piece under Robbins' supervision in 'The King and I' and 'Jerome Robbins' Broadway'.

Lea Thompson and Patrick Cassidy join Vicki Lewis and Jason Alexander.

Director Billy Porter and Grammy nominee Ledisi mark their debuts with Reprise Theatre Company in the 1990 musical 'Once on This Island,' opening the 2008-2009 season, September 2 to 14 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. The press opening is September 3.

Spring Awakening and recent Les Miserables in Concert at the Hollywood Bowl star Lea Michele made her West Coast Debut this past weekend at L.A.'s renowned Upright Cabaret at Mark's Restaurant in West Hollywood with three sold-out SRO evenings under the direction of Richard Jay-Alexander with Music Director Ben Toth and the Upright Cabaret house band.

Director Billy Porter and Grammy nominee Ledisi mark their debuts with Reprise Theatre Company in the 1990 musical 'Once on This Island,' opening the 2008-2009 season, September 2 to 14 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. The press opening is September 3.

A multitude of Broadway actors will be part of 90 YEARS OF MUNY MAGIC, an upcoming revue that celebrates the 90th season of the famed St. Louis Muny, the nation's oldest and largest outdoor theatre. 90 YEARS OF MUNY MAGIC runs July 14-20 at 8:15 PM.

That roar you heard in Chicago's Loop Monday evening, June 30th, was the enthusiastic opening night audience at the Goodman Theatre, where the volcanic excitement generated by a summertime, homegrown production of the 'Fats' Waller musical 'Ain't Misbehavin' will very nearly blow the roof off the place for the next month or so.

Jim Caruso's Cast Party announces Steven Brinberg as 'Simply Barbra.'

April brought a shower of Upright Cabaret across Southern California as the Upright Boys celebrated their third-year anniversary by producing a star-studded re-grand opening, four solo engagements, and a benefit for The Trevor Project co-hosted by Neil Patrick Harris...

Seventeen different stage productions were honored at the third annual Kevin Kline Awards ceremony. Ten St. Louis area theater companies - double the number of last year's recipients - were recognized with awards. Four of those ten theaters were multiple award winners.

Winter doldrums and Valentine's Day have bestowed upon us two unique and original CDs by unique contemporary artists with major Broadway 'roots' and credentials. Those two stars are Betty Buckley, with her latest release, QUINTESSENCE (with Kenny Werner) and Ken Page, with his debut Double CD, called PAGE BY PAGE.

Twenty-four theater companies in the St. Louis area received 118 nominations in 22 different categories. Forty-five different productions received nominations; twenty-five productions receive multiple nominations the Awards Ceremony will be held on March 31 at the Loretto-Hilton Center

Ruben Studdard, notable as the winner of 'American Idol' Season 2, will reportedly star in the 30th Anniversary national tour of the Tony Award-winning musical Ain't Misbehavin' with Frenchie Davis.

Reprise! Broadway's Best presents Damn Yankees through Sunday, November 25 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse.

BroadwayWorld's own James Sims recently caught up with Jason Alexander during rehearsals for Damn Yankees discussing the former 'Seinfeld' alum joining Reprise! as Artistic Director and his vision for the future of the Los Angeles theatre company.

La Jolla Playhouse presents Most Wanted, a Page To Stage Workshop Production as the inaugural production of The Edge series.

Jason Alexander, new artistic director of Reprise! Broadway's Best, announced that Cleavant Derricks, Meg Gillentine, Amelia McQueen, Ken Page, Ty Taylor, Lillias White and Jackee Harry would head up the cast of Damn Yankees. Damn Yankees will perform Tuesday, November 6 through Sunday, November 25 (opening November 7) at UCLA's Freud Playhouse.

La Jolla Playhouse presents Most Wanted, a Page To Stage Workshop Production as the inaugural production of The Edge series beginning October 2.