Hottest Articles on BWW from Thursday, Mar. 11

1) LOVE NEVER DIES Changes Likely Before Broadway Run

The New York Times is reporting that while Andrew Lloyd Webber and the producers of LOVE NEVER DIES are 100% committed to opening the new production at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre in November as planned, the production may be undergoing some significant changes prior to an opening. LOVE NEVER DIES premiered in London to mixed reviews, with overall commendations on the score and less than complimentary feedback on the book and lyrics. (more...)

2) Kelsey Grammer to Get Double LA CAGE Billing: Will star as Georges and Albin on Bway

The New York Daily News is reporting that in a surprise twist, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES star Kelsey Grammer, who had been announced to play the role of Georges, will in fact be doubling as both leads, Georges and Albin, in six month stints. (more...)

3) Photos: NEXT FALL Celebrates Final Preview

NEXT FALL, will open the critically acclaimed original cast on Broadway March 11, 2010 at the Helen Hayes Theatre. On March 10th, there was a VIP reception and BroadwayWorld.com was there! (more...)

4) Photo Coverage: The Stars Come Out for NEXT FALL VIP Performance!

NEXT FALL, will open the critically acclaimed original cast tonight, March 11, 2010 at the Helen Hayes Theatre on Broadway. On March 10th, BroadwayWorld.com was on hand to capture the stars attending the final preview celebration! (more...)

5) Neil Patrick Harris vs. Matthew Morrison on GLEE: New Details Revealed

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Neil Patrick Harris will indeed be appearing on GLEE this season. Entertainment Weekly is reporting that he'll be playing a former rival of Mr. Schu (Matthew Morrison) who's come back to town to try to shut down the show choir. (more...)

6) Former LES MISERABLES Actor Taylor John Dies at 28

Taylor John, who performed on Broadway in the role of Gavroche in the early 90's, died Tuesday morning at the age of 28. John had been struggling with depression for several years, reported his sister Tamara Mannelly, who said that John died as a result of a seizure and heart failure caused by an overdose of prescription drugs. (more...)

7) 'IDOL' WATCH: The Top 8 Men

“Idol” tonight saw the last separation between the men and women, with the top eight gentlemen performing before learning to the top twelve. The guys gave a solid show, showing versatility and an ability to adapt songs to their personal styles. It seems that, tonight, the guys as a group gave an overall better performance than the women did last night, in a surprisingly strong showing. (more...)

8) SOUND OFF: Love Lives On

This week we are taking a look at the just-released cast album of the new Andrew Lloyd Webber musical sequel, LOVE NEVER DIES, which has proven to be among many phans and theatre fans, in a word, divisive. Be sure to check out last week's Phantom Round-Up for a rundown of the original PHANTOM OF THE OPERA as it stands on disc if only because it is beneficial to have at least a tertiary knowledge of that show‘s score in order to fully appreciate the music here... And what rich, rapturous music it is! (more...)

9) UNCHAIN MY HEART: The Ray Charles Musical to Open on Broadway 11/7

UNCHAIN MY HEART, The Ray Charles Musical, featuring the music of Ray Charles with a book by Suzan-Lori Parks, directed by Sheldon Epps will begin previews October 8, 2010 and open officially November 7, 2010 on Broadway at a Shubert Theatre to be announced. (more...)

10) LOVE NEVER DIES: In Preview And On Opening

The UK editor-in-chief tries to organise her thoughts on the Phantom not-sequel... (more...)

11) TV Host and Actor Mario Lopez & Courtney Mazza Expecting First Child

Actor and 'Extra' host Mario Lopez will soon welcome his first child with girlfriend Broadway dancer Courtney Mazza, People.com reports. Lopez and Mazza met while starring in the Broadway production of 'A Chorus Line'. (more...)

12) Ravinia Festival Announces Lineup for its 2010 Season, 6/3-9/7

Offering up greater variety, including more than 50 debuts from Sting to Wagnerian tenor John Treleaven, Ravinia Festival Chairperson Pamela B. Strobel and President and CEO Welz Kauffman today announced details of the 2010 season, including a Chicago Symphony Orchestra residency that celebrates major anniversaries of Mahler, Chopin, Schumann, Barber, Bernstein and Copland, as well as milestone birthdays of Music Director James Conlon, Christoph Eschenbach and Stephen Sondheim. The season, featuring 117 separate events, runs from June 3 through September 7. (more...)

13) Broadway Bound Rupert Holmes Adaption of Grisham's A TIME TO KILL to Premiere at Arena Stage

Last Month, Arena Stage announced six productions and two major festivals that will inaugurate the company's new venue the Mead Center for American Theater next year. In addition to those exciting projects, Artistic Director Molly Smith is pleased to complete the 2010/11, 60th anniversary season lineup with the inclusion of the pre-Broadway world premiere of A Time to Kill-an adaptation by Rupert Holmes of the acclaimed John Grisham novel presented by special arrangement with Daryl Roth-and Let Me Down Easy, conceived, written and performed by Anna Deavere Smith. Both productions will be staged in the Mead Center's restored and remarkably intimate Kreeger Theater. (more...)

14) GOD OF CARNAGE National Tour a No-Go For Now

The New York Times is reporting that the producers of Broadway's GOD OF CARNAGE have opted not to pursue a National Tour at the moment, fearing that a tour would not run long enough to make the endeavor financially beneficial. Producers, who had been doing the initial legwork for a tour for several months and had even gotten some commitments from actors, anticipate that a tour would need to run at least 26 weeks to recoup, and not enough theaters signed onto the tour in the 2010-2011 season to guarantee they would hit this mark. (more...)

15) SHOW BIZ: Billboard Top Cast Albums Chart: Week Ending 3/13/2010

Billboard's Top Cast Albums chart for week ending 3/13/2010. (more...)

16) STAGE TUBE: Carlsbad High School Sings NEXT TO NORMAL Medley

Carlsbad High School's Sound Express show choir performed a medley of the Broadway sensation 'Next to Normal'. See the video of their performance below! (more...)

17) 'Mad Men's Bryan Batt to Guest on 'Ugly Betty', 4/7

TVGuide.com is reporting that 'Mad Men' actor Bryan Batt will guest star on the April 7 episode of 'Ugly Betty'. Batt will reportedly play 'Spencer Cannon', a soap opera actor, who is set up with Michael Urie's character 'Marc'. (more...)

18) LuPone, McDonald et al. Honor Sondheim at Ravinia Birthday Gala, 7/31

Ravinia Festival's 2010 Gala Benefit Evening will honor the 80th birthday of the great American composer Stephen Sondheim with a program featuring an incredible lineup of soloists who have been featured in Ravinia's Sondheim celebrations since they began in 2001. The evening reunites the on-stage and behind-the-scenes talent that created Ravinia's acclaimed productions of Sondheim's shows, several of which have gone onto other cities. The evening will star Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, George Hearn and Michael Cerveris. (more...)

19) Photos Coverage: Butler, D'Arcy James et al. at American Theatre Wing's Larson Grants

The American Theatre Wing Presented the 2010 Jonathan Larson® Grants on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at the American Airlines Theatre in New York City. This year, Peter Lerman, Daniel Maté, and songwriting team Michael Kooman (music) and Christopher Dimond (book & lyrics) were selected to receive the prestigious grants, totaling $10,000. The evening included special performances of the recipients' work by Brian d'Arcy James and Kerry Butler. Brad Bass, John Eric Parker, and Ephraim Sykes from Memphis performed a rarely heard Jonathan Larson song. BroadwayWorld was there for the ceremony. (more...)

20) Channing & Hutton Lead 'Multiple Sarcasms' Film

Broadway stars Stockard Channing and Timothy Hutton will star in the new film, Multiple Sarcasms, alongside Laila Robins. Multiple Sarcasm, which features a play within the film, additionally showcases contributions by Broadway producer Milton Justice. The film opens in theaters on May 7, 2010. (more...)