THIS WEEK IN PICTURES: December 15-21

Syesha Mercado & Ben Platt. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

THE BOOK OF MORMON, winner of nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, just launched its Second National Tour in Chicago at the Bank of America Theatre (18 West Monroe), featuring Nic Rouleau as Elder Price, Syesha Mercado as Nabulungi & Ben Platt as Elder Cunningham. Click here for more just-released production shots!

Megan Hilty, Anjelica Huston, Jennifer Hudson, Jack Davenport, Debra Messing , Christian Borle, Krysta Rodriguez, Leslie Odom Jr, Andy Mientus, Katharine McPhee, Jeremy Jordan. Photos Credit: Mark Seliger/Patrick Randak/NBC

NBC has just released the first full set of promotional photos for the upcoming second season of SMASH - featuring the musical drama's original cast, as well as Broadway's own Jeremy Jordan and Krysta Rodriguez. The second season is set for a Feb. 5 premiere on NBC. For more photos from season two, click here!

Julius Carter, Adam Roberts, Brett Thiele, Craig Henningsen, Drew Heflin, Reeve Carney, Josh Sassanella, Christopher Tierney, Adam Ray Dyer, Marcus Bellamy. Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski

SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark is now in its 2nd smash year on Broadway, and has been seen by more than 1 million audience members from around the world. Earlier this week, Reeve Carney and the ensemble Spider-Men signed copies of their 2013-2014 Calendar in the lobby of the Foxwoods Theatre. Net proceeds from the calendar will go to Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS. Check out more photos from the event here!

Maggie Grace and Sebastian Stan. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

William Inge's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Picnic returns to Broadway in a striking new production helmed by acclaimed director Sam Gold (Roundabout's Look Back in Anger, Seminar). Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn stars alongside theatre veterans Reed Birney and Elizabeth Marvel, rising stars Maggie Grace and Sebastian Stan, Emmy Award winner Mare Winningham, Madeleine Martin and Ben Rappaport. Click here for more production shots!

Terry Beaver, Blythe Danner. Photo Credit: Walter McBride

Emmy and Tony Award winner Blythe Danner has joined the cast of Nice Work If You Can Get It for 12 weeks only beginning today, December 18th and continuing through March 10th. Ms. Danner assumes the role of Millicent Winter, the mother of Matthew Broderick's character Jimmy Winter. The role was originated on Broadway by Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons, who played her final performance on Sunday, December 16. Check out more photos of Danner in action here!

Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan. Photo Credit: Seth Walters

On Monday, December 17, the monthly "Frank & Friends" concert took place as part of the Broadway at Birdland concert series. Once again, multi-Grammy and Tony nominated composer and host Frank Wildhorn gathered some of his talented pals to sing his pop and theater songs, but this night was extra-special. For more photos from the concert, click here.

Carol Woods, Amy Spanger, Billy Ray Cyrus, R. Lowe, Amra-Faye Wright. Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski

Yesterday, December 20, Broadway's globally acclaimed revival of the Tony Award-winning musical CHICAGO celebrated another momentous milestone and record-breaking when it played performance #6,681. With that 8 p.m. performance at the historic Ambassador Theatre, CHICAGO surpassed the original Broadway production of Les Miserables to become the third longest-running show in Broadway history. Check out more photos from the celebration here!

Frank Wood, Lois Smith, Cory Michael Smith, Mario Cantone, Leslie Uggams, Michael Shannon, Paul Rudd, Kate Arrington, Ed Asner. Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski

Broadway's Cort Theatre (138 West 48th Street), just celebrated its 100th Anniversary yesterday, December 20th. The theatre, which opened on December 20, 1912 with a Peg O'My Heart starring Laurette Taylor, is currently home to the Broadway Premiere of Grace, which will end its limited engagement on January 6, 2013. It will next be home to the World Premiere production of Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's, a new play written by Richard Greenberg, which starts performances on Monday, March 4 and opens on Wednesday, March 20. Click here for more photos from the celebration.