Hottest Articles on BWW from Wednesday, Sep. 16

1) Photo Flash: First Production Shots of BYE BYE BIRDIE, Currently in Previews!

Currently in previews, Bye Bye Birdie stars John Stamos, Gina Gershon, Bill Irwin & Nolan Gerard Funk with Jayne Houdyshell, Dee Hoty, Matt Doyle, Jake Evan Schwencke and Alllie Trimm. Bye Bye Birdie is directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom with a book by Michael Stewart, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams. (more...)

2) Photo Flash: Chenoweth, Groban and Garber Guest On Fox's GLEE!

Kristin Chenoweth, Josh Groban, Victor Garber,and Debra Monk will join the cast of Fox TV's GLEE this season. Tony Winner John Lloyd Young will also guest on the show. In this Photo Flash you can get a sneak peek of the upcoming episodes that will feature some of Broadway's finest! (more...)

3) Photo Flash: First Picture of Idina Menzel and Taye Diggs' New Son

Taye Diggs and his wife, Idina Menzel welcomed a new baby into their lives back on September 2nd and People Magazine has released the first photo of the newest member of their family! Click here for the full story. (more...)

4) Photo Coverage: BYE BYE BIRDIE's Stage Door Excitement!

Currently in previews, Bye Bye Birdie stars John Stamos, Gina Gershon, Bill Irwin and Nolan Gerard Funk with Jayne Houdyshell, Dee Hoty, Matt Doyle, Jake Evan Schwencke and Alllie Trimm. (more...)

5) RIALTO CHATTER: Jackman Stops The 'RAIN' Due To Noisy Audience Member

This past Sunday's matinee performance of A STEADY RAIN "treated" the audience to a lesson of how to deal with a noisy ticket holder who forgot what respect and decorum means when attending a theatrical production. RIALTO CHATTER received a slew of messages about the incident, but we thought this fantastic recap by Roland Teco on his Extra Criticum blog summed it all up with style and wit. We bring you an excerpt of his essay right here on BWW (more...)

6) BWW TV: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Celebrates 9000th Performance on Broadway!

The longest-running show in Broadway history, Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA reached another new milestone as musical became the first Broadway show ever to reach 9,000 performances. The occasion was marked with a special presentation during the 2PM matinee's curtain call. Now in its phenomenal 22nd Year, the Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Group, Inc. production, directed by Harold Prince, continues to play at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street), with no end in sight. (more...)

7) Stage Tube: Jennifer Aniston Sings on Ellen

On the Ellen show today, Aniston sang a small amount of "I Got a Crush On You", at the 1 minute mark in the linked clip. (more...)

8) Photo Flash: Aubrey O'Day Struts Her Stuff In Las Vegas PEEPSHOW

Aubrey O'Day began performances on September 14th as the newest addition to the PEEPSHOW cast at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. O'Day's opening night is September 14, 2009. (more...)

9) Streep, Kline, Lewis, Pendleton, Weller Star in COURAGE IN CONCERT: October 19

The Public Theater, Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori will produce COURAGE IN CONCERT, a one-night-only benefit concert reuniting Kevin Kline, Jenifer Lewis, Austin Pendleton, Meryl Streep and Frederick Weller for an evening of songs from the Public Theater?s 2006 Shakespeare in the Park production of Brecht?s masterpiece, Mother Courage and Her Children. Translated by Tony Kushner with music by Jeanine Tesori and originally directed by George C. Wolfe, COURAGE IN CONCERT will be performed at the Public Theater on Monday, October 19 at 8:00 PM with all proceeds benefiting American Jewish World Service and Partners In Health. The cast of HAIR along with special guests will complete the evening. Tickets go on sale on Thursday, September 17. (more...)

10) Photo Flash: BYE BYE BIRDIE In Previews at New Henry Millers Theatre

Bye Bye Birdie stars John Stamos (Albert Peterson), Gina Gershon (Rose Alvarez), Bill Irwin (Mr. Harry MacAfee) and Nolan Gerard Funk as "Conrad Birdie." Directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom, with a book by Michael Stewart, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams. Bye Bye Birdie is now in previews and opens officially on October 15 at the new Henry Miller's Theatre. (more...)

11) CIRQUE TUBE: BANANA SHPEEL - 'Chess In The Park'

Cirque du Soleil and MSG Entertainment have unveiled the brand new theatrical production, Banana Shpeel, at The Chicago Theatre. The show will perform for the first time ever at the theatre for a limited engagement from November 19, 2009 through January 3, 2010. Following Chicago, the show will premiere in New York at The Beacon Theatre in February 2010. (more...)

12) Just Announced: Regina Spektor to Collaborate with Tina Landau and Michael Korie on Broadway Bound BEAUTY

Rising singer-songwriter and Sire/Warner Bros. recording artist Regina Spektor will join playwright / director Tina Landau (Floyd Collins) and lyricist Michael Korie (Grey Gardens) to create the new musical BEAUTY, to be produced by Elephant Eye Theatrical (Stuart Oken, Michael Leavitt, Five Cent Productions), aiming for the 2011-12 Broadway season, following an out-of-town tryout to be announced. Landau will write the book and direct; Spektor the music, and Korie the lyrics. (more...)

13) PHANTOM Sequel 'LOVE NEVER DIES' to Open on Broadway in November 2010

Andrew Lloyd Webber announced from the stage this afternoon that the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, Phantom: Love Never Dies will open on Broadway in November 2010, after a March 2010 opening in London. No specific dates have been announced yet, but he did reminded the audience that a major announcement was scheduled for October 8, 2009. (more...)

14) BYE BYE BIRDIE Star Matt Doyle to Perform at The Duplex, 10/12

BYE BYE BIRDIE star Matt Doyle (Hugo) of the Roundabout Theater Company's Broadway revival will take part in Will Van Dyke's concert of new music, 'Life Times,' at The Duplex on Monday, October 12 at 7pm. Lisa Moss directs. (more...)

15) Lloyd Webber Reveals Plans For Stage 'OZ': Composer To Pen New Tunes & BBC 'Dorothy' Search In Works

Andrew Lloyd Webber announced via his official video blog that he's fast at work on his "Oz" update, the most exciting revealation was that he'll be composing several new songs for the upcoming West End bound show. (more...)

16) JERSEY BOYS to Perform on Oprah - September 21

Tune-in Monday, September 21 as the Tony®, Grammy® and Olivier® Award-winning musical JERSEY BOYS join Oprah for a trip back in time to the '60s! Featuring a blast-from-the-past '60s themed set, a studio audience decked out in their best '60s costumes, and appearances by the stars of AMC's hit series "Mad Men" and some surprise guests, it's a retro hour you won't want to miss. Plus, Oprah unveils what would have been her "Favorite Things" from the 1960s and JERSEY BOYS perform! "The Oprah Winfrey Show: Oprah Goes Back in Time - The '60s" airs Monday, Sept. 21. Click here to check local listings. (more...)

17) Danny DeVito Tours (and Sings!) with It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia's Musical 'The Nightman Cometh'

If you're a fan of the FX comedy 'It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia' then you'll be sure to want to see 'The Nightman Cometh' - a live stage adaption of a fan favorite episode from season 4. (more...)

18) Tacoma Musical Theatre Announces CURTAINS, Opens 10/2

TMP is turning Sweet Sixteen and you are invited to an incredible season of musical productions beginning October 2, 2009! (more...)

19) Spike Lee Talks PASSING STRANGE To BlackBookmag.com

It is difficult to imagine a greater fan of the recent Tony Award-winning Passing Strange than Spike Lee. After seeing the show twice in the same weekend during its stint at The Public Theater, Lee's "nightmare," he tells Blackbook.com was that "at some point it was going to close and that it was just all going to all go away." Hence the inspiration for his new documentary, "Passing Strange," which documents the stage show he filmed in July just prior to the show's closing. After winning several awards at Sundance, "Passing Strange" is now playing at the IFC in New York, on the IFC channel and will soon be broadcast on PBS. Lee sat down this week with original creators Stew and Heidi Rodewald and Blackbook.com to discuss of "Strange." (more...)

20) The Return of Karen Walker in KAREN: THE MUSICAL, MetroSource's Q&A with Megan Mullaly

Megan Mullally talks to Metrosource about her upcoming projects, including a new little musical she has in the works, Karen: The Musical. (more...)