All Broadway Theatres to Dim Lights for Hal Prince
by Julie Musbach - Jul 31, 2019
The Broadway community mourns the loss of prolific producer, director, writer, and the individual recipient of the most Tony Awards in multiple categories in history, Harold Prince, who passed away on July 31, 2019 at age 91. To commemorate his life and work, the Committee of Theatre Owners will dim the lights of Broadway theatres in New York for one minute on Wednesday, July 31 at exactly 7:45pm.
BWW Review: The Marcia P. Hoffman School of the Arts Summer Camp Presents Stephen Sondheim's Hilarious A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM at Ruth Eckerd Hall
by Peter Nason - Jul 19, 2019
When it comes to Tony Award snubbing, there are several artistic high crimes and misdemeanors. For instance, Fiorello! winning Best Musical over Gypsy, or the good Music Man besting the better West Side Story. Or how about this awful upset: Two Gentlemen of Verona (the since-forgotten musical) beating both Grease and Follies for the top honor. Perhaps worst of all is this: Even though A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM was Stephen Sondheim's first and most successful Broadway show as a composer and lyricist, and even though it would win six of its eight nominated Tony Awards in 1962-1963 (including Best Musical), Mr. Sondheim himself was not even nominated for his lyrics and score. A show that features some of the most beloved comic songs from the early 1960's--'Comedy Tonight,' 'Lovely,' and 'Everybody Ought to Have a Maid'--wasn't even nominated for these iconic numbers. (For the record, Oliver! won that year for Best Score.) Broadway's greatest composer would have to wait almost a decade to receive his first Tony Award.
Neil Simon Theatre Will Dim Lights for Martin Charnin
by Julie Musbach - Jul 11, 2019
The Broadway community mourns the loss of Writer, Composer, Lyricist, Director, and Performer Martin Charnin, who passed away on July 6, 2019 at age 84. To commemorate his life and work, the Committee of Theatre Owners will dim the lights of the Neil Simon Theatre in New York, where his legendary musical Annie first opened, for one minute on Friday, July 12 at exactly 7:45pm.
New Plays & Musicals Unveiled At TheatreWorks's NEW WORKS FESTIVAL
by A.A. Cristi - Jun 20, 2019
Lovers of new theatre will gather this August for an advance look at tomorrow's hits at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's 2019 New Works Festival at Palo Alto's Lucie Stern Theatre. This unique festival offers audiences an extraordinary opportunity to experience new plays and musicals in their early stages of development, and hear about the creative process in a "Meet the Artists" panel discussion. With multiple performances of each work, playwrights and composers are able to revise and refine their shows during the festival, allowing audiences to view the exciting evolution of brand new pieces of theatre. The popular festival runs August 9 - 18, 2019 at the Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto. Festival passes ($65 general$49 season subscribers) and single event tickets ($20) can be purchased online at theatreworks.org or by calling (650) 463-1960.
Photo Flashback: 2019 Tony Nominee Elaine May Poses in 2009
by Walter McBride - Jun 3, 2019
We're flashing back through the photo archives of BroadwayWorld's very own Walter McBride to bring you some shots of 2019 Tony nominee Elaine May a decade ago, at the opening night performance of WEST SIDE STORY at the Palace Theatre.
Folks Operetta Presents THE FLOWER OF HAWAII
by Julie Musbach - May 22, 2019
Folks Operetta continues its Reclaimed Voices Series with Paul Ábraham's exotic jazz operetta, The Flower of Hawaii featuring soprano and former Ms. Illinois Marisa Bucheit (2014) as Princess Laya/Suzanne.
BWW Review: A BRONX TALE: Standin' On The Corner
by Nancy Grossman - Apr 5, 2019
The North American tour of A BRONX TALE doo-wops its way into the Citizens Bank Opera House through April 14th as part of the 2018-2019 Lexus Broadway In Boston Season. It is at once a nostalgic stroll down memory lane with an original rock 'n' roll score, a gritty depiction of urban turf wars, and a well-told story about loyalty, love, and family. Based on Chazz Palminteri's 1989 one-man Off-Broadway play that inspired a 1993 film, the musical reunites the author with his directors, Jerry Zaks and Robert DeNiro, and they are joined by composer Alan Menken, lyricist Glenn Sater, and choreographer Sergio Trujillo. Like other musicals that have come before it (HAIRSPRAY, JERSEY BOYS, WEST SIDE STORY, to mention a few), A BRONX TALE feels familiar as it evokes a time, a place, and a genre that we recognize. It is a good, solid show with great music, performances, and design elements that provides a couple of hours of entertainment and escape.
Folks Operetta Presents GOODBYE BERLIN, ALOHA HAWAII
by Julie Musbach - Mar 18, 2019
Folks Operetta continues its 2018- 2019 season of the Reclaimed Voices Series with a concert celebration of Paul Ábraham's jazz operettas in Goodbye Berlin, Aloha Hawaii! This multimedia concert, written by Hersh Glagov and Gerald Frantzen, will take place at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago, Performance Penthouse, 915 E. 60th St., Chicago
New York Live Arts Presents Netta Yerushalmy's Epic Four Hour, Six Part Series
by A.A. Cristi - Mar 5, 2019
New York Live Arts (Live Arts) to present the New York premiere of Netta Yerushalmy's Paramodernities, March 14-17, 2019, having commissioned the work as part of the Live Feed Residency Program. The complete six-part encyclopedic series is a multidisciplinary work that weaves theory and performance into a four-hour-long hybrid event. Yerushalmy and a cast of 20 dancers and scholars, ranging in age from 20 to 68, perform deconstructed installments of Nijinsky's “Sacre” (1913), Graham's “Night Journey” (1947), Ailey's “Revelations” (1960), a mix of Cunningham works “Rainforest,” “Sounddance”, “Points in Space”, “Beach Birds”, and “Ocean” (1968-1990), dance numbers from the 1969 Fosse's film “Sweet Charity”, and a response to Balanchine's “Agon” (1957) that includes none of the original choreography.
The Old Globe Presents the West Coast Premiere Of Laurel Ollstein's THEY PROMISED HER THE MOON
by Stephi Wild - Mar 5, 2019
The Old Globe today announced the cast and creative team for the West Coast premiere of Laurel Ollstein's They Promised Her the Moon. The first of two shows in the 2018-2019 Globe Season developed in the Globe's Powers New Voices Festival, it wowed Festival audiences with the story of the powerful forces that kept one woman from reaching orbit. Directed by Giovanna Sardelli, They Promised Her the Moon will run April 6 - May 5, 2019 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run April 6-10. Opening night is Thursday, April 11 at 8:00 p.m. Single tickets start at $30.00 and are now on sale. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE, or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park. They Promised Her the Moon will also have a short Globe for All Spring tour to several of our Community Partner venues following performances at the Globe, details to be announced shortly.
BWW Review: CHITA RIVERA, Cadogan Hall
by Aliya Al-Hassan - Feb 11, 2019
At 86, Chita Rivera could easily justify putting her feet up a little. She first performed in London back in 1958 in the iconic role of Anita in West Side Story and has never stopped since. She returned to the capital this weekend for two one-off concerts, chronicling her life and amazing career.
The word legend is overused these days, but Rivera can truly justify the title. She has been nominated 10 times for a Tony Award, which is the joint record for number of nominations. In 1984 she starred in The Rink with Liza Minnelli and won her first (of two) Tony Award for her role as Anna and in 2018 she received the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.
The Wick Costume Museum Celebrates The 50's And 60's Broadway And Pop Culture
by Julie Musbach - Oct 31, 2018
The Wick Costume Museum's sixth installation, "those were the days" pays homage to the Broadway shows, signature fashions and pop culture moments of the 1950's and 1960's. The interactive tour features a star-studded collection of costumes worn by Barbra Streisand, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Milton Berle, Cher, Lily Tomlin and more.
Bistro Winning-Carole Demas & Sarah Rice Star In Expanded Version Of THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE
by BWW
News Desk - Oct 16, 2018
This year, a living legend of musical theatre turns 90: Lyricist-bookwriter Tom Jones (who also, under a stage name) appeared in the original company of his most famous and wildly successful record-breaking musical, The Fantasticks. His collaborator, composer Harvey Schmidt, just recently passed away. The production's record-breaking run closed, on January 13, 2002, after 17,162 performances. Their shows also include 110 in the Shade, I Do! I Do!, Philemon, Celebration and many more. And celebration is what it's about when Broadway veterans Carole Demas, who originated the role of Sandy in Grease, and Sarah Rice, who originated the role of Johanna in Sweeney Todd, return to celebrate Jones & Schmidt. Demas and Rice have based the show on their 50 years of work and personal relationships with Tom and Harvey. With very special guest Broadway's Hal Robinson who is also a Fantasticks alumni.
Ballet Austin to Premiere GRIMM TALES
by Julie Musbach - Oct 4, 2018
Choreographer Stephen Mills and Ballet Austin are pleased to present the world premiere of Grimm Tales, a full-length work inspired by the visual art of Natalie Frank
Review Roundup: Geva Theatres's Production Of HAIR
by Alan Henry - Sep 27, 2018
Geva Theatre Center presents Hair, with book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado, music by Galt MacDermot, directed by Melissa Rain Anderson, with musical direction by Don Kot, and choreography by Liz Ramos in the Elaine P. Wilson Stage from September 4 through October 7.
MTI Announces Upcoming Release of WEST SIDE STORY School Edition
by Julie Musbach - Sep 26, 2018
Theatrical licensor Music Theatre International (MTI) is celebrating the anniversary of West Side Story's opening night on Broadway 61 years ago, by making West Side Story School Edition available for licensing to schools and amateur groups around the world.
Huntington Presents Three Time Tony Winner Chita Rivera
by Julie Musbach - Sep 18, 2018
Three-time Tony Award-winning actress, singer, and dancer Chita Rivera performs for one night only alongside music director and host Seth Rudetsky on Saturday, October 13 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA at 5pm and 8pm. Produced by Mark Cortale Productions, the performance is the first in the new 'Broadway @ the Huntington' series.