Todd Ellison News

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: Bobby Lopez, John Tartaglia, and more original cast members of Avenue Q will reunite tonight for the show's 15th Anniversary Concert, and more!

Featured at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend (July 27-29) is Annie, helmed by Tony Award-nominated director Michael Arden, conducted by Todd Ellison, and choreographed by Eamon Foley.

Even if you have seen it before, I cannot stress enough how miraculous the current production of ANNIE is at the Hollywood Bowl, directed with creative ingenuity by Michael Arden. Featured in the cast of incredibly talented triple-threat (acting, singing, dancing) performers are Ana Gasteyer as the ruthless headmistress Miss Agatha Hannigan, David Alan Grier as the refined, generous billionaire Oliver 'Daddy' Warbucks, Lea Salonga as his dedicated and caring assistant Grace Farrell, with newcomer Kaylin Hedges as Annie, who won the role over hundreds of other young girls from across the country who submitted video auditions to win role. Miss Hedges is the cornerstone of the production and her soaring, pitch-perfect voice and effervescent stage presence setting the jubilant tone for the entire ensemble.

Quite possibly the most popular family-friendly stage musical of all time, ANNIE---the classic 1977 Tony Award winner for Best Musical based on Harold Gray's 'Little Orphan Annie' comic strip---seems like a no-brainer choice to appear as the annual all-star summer musical at the world-famous Hollywood Bowl. So it's actually not a surprise that this plucky, unabashedly charming production---now causing giddy bursts of laughter and collective choruses of 'awwww's' at Hollywood's iconic 18,000-seat outdoor arena for two more performances this weekend---is such a perfect fit. And judging by its marvelous opening night performance this past Friday, July 27, the production itself is sure to win over anyone in attendance of its remaining shows.

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: This Ain't No Disco officially opens tonight, and more!

Featured at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend (July 27-29) is Annie, helmed by Tony Award-nominated director Michael Arden, conducted by Todd Ellison, and choreographed by Eamon Foley.

Actordirectorwriter Michael Arden needs no introduction. He was nominated for a second Tony this past season for directing the Tony winner for Best Revival of a Musical Once On This Island and is the first Artist.In.Residence at the Wallis Annenberg Theatre here in Los Angeles where he has directed Spring Awakening among many other productions. In our conversation he talks about directing Annie at the Hollywood Bowl, set to open next week Friday July 27. He also explores why the classic Award-winning show is still a popular revival.

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts announces a broad range of sensory-friendly performances across its Campus throughout the 2018-19 season, with presentations from Broadway Philadelphia and three of the Center's esteemed resident companies including Pennsylvania Ballet, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and The Philly POPS. Part of a Campus-wide commitment to present a diverse tapestry of programming to the Philadelphia community, the upcoming lineup of events furthers the mission of reaching broad and diverse audiences.

Casting is now complete for the Hollywood Bowl's upcoming production of Annie. The new cast members are Roger Bart as Daniel 'Rooster' Hannigan, Kaylin Hedges as Annie, Ali Stroker as 'Star-to-Be,' Amir Talai as Bert Healy, Marlow Barkley as Kate, Amadi Chapata as Pepper, Noe Lynds as July, Rae Martinez as Tessie, Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja as Molly, and Olivia Zenetzis as Duffy.

This year's Wawa Welcome America festival, a weeklong July 4 celebration, will honor the 40th anniversary of The Philly POPS and its contributions to the community through its music education program and concert series honoring the military, veterans, and first responders.

Encore Series, Inc., presenter of The Philly POPS, announced today that Todd Ellison will begin his tenure as Music Director and Principal Conductor on July 1, 2019.

Celebrity Attractions brings the most awarded new musical of 2015, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, to the Tulsa Performing Arts Center for a limited engagement of only eight performances June 19-24. The Tony Award-winning production's tickets are on sale now.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presentsHow to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, produced as a part of Broadway Center Stage-a Kennedy Center-produced series of musicals in semi-staged concerts, conceived and executive produced by Jeffrey Finn. Get a first look at the cast in action in the video below!

Celebrity Attractions, in association with Tulsa Ballet, is proud to present a special dance masterclass with the national Broadway tour of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS. The masterclass will be held Wednesday, June 20 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Tulsa Ballet studios located at 1212 E 45th Place in Tulsa. AN AMERICAN IN PARIS Dance Captain Christopher Howard will lead local metro Tulsa area dance students ages 14 and up in an advanced level workshop. Student sign-ups are now open and must be made in advance.

A cast of Broadway and television actors with vocal, dance, and comedy chops to spare join with a much-loved featured local theater star to deliver a must-see, entertaining semi-staged performance of the Pulitzer Prize-winning (1962) musical comedy.

Director Marc Bruni assembles a Broadway-ready cast and does his work masterfully.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presents How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying in a semi-staged concert, conceived and executive produced by Jeffrey Finn. Check out the cast in action below!

This year's Wawa Welcome America festival, a weeklong July 4 celebration, will honor the 40th anniversary of The Philly POPS and its contributions to the community through its music education program and concert series honoring the military, veterans, and first responders.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will present How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying as a semi-staged concert beginning June 6th. Get a preview of Sklyar Astin, Betsy Wolfe, and the rest of the all-star cast below!