THIS WEEK IN PICTURES: December 31-January 6

Jeremy Jordan & Laura Osnes. Photo Credit: Walter McBride

 BONNIE & CLYDE played its final performance this past weekend at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway but the cast got back together to record the official cast album on January 2, 2012. The album will be released on Broadway Records, a new label dedicated to Broadway cast recordings founded by Van Dean and Kenny Howard. Information on how to pre-order will be coming soon. Click here for more photos from the recording session!

Patrick Page and Anderson Cooper. Photo Credit: Jacob Cohl

SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark showcased an unprecedented event with Times Square Alliance when they dropped the New Year's Eve ball 30 feet before midnight on Saturday night, marking the first time in history the ball has descended before midnight. In an exciting segment shown live in Times Square and on CNN, Spider-Man came to the rescue when The Green Goblin took host Anderson Cooper captive. For more photos from the special event, click here.

Lindsay Mendez. Photo Credit: Jeremy Daniel

The Broadway at Birdland concert series this week featured the return of Godspell's Lindsay Mendez & Marco Paguia. The duo drew from an eclectic mix of music, reimagining songs from popular music in the familiar setting of a jazz piano trio and vocalist. Their vast catalogue is comprised of the singers and songwriters that inspire them, including Alexi Murdoch, Alicia Keys, The Beatles, Feist, Fiona Apple, Gladys Knight, Janis Joplin, Jeff Buckley, Joni Mitchell, Lenny Kravitz, Macy Gray, Martin Sexton, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, The Police, Stevie Wonder, and U2. Click here for more photos from the concert!

Christopher J. Hanke, Rose Hemingway, Darren Criss, Beau Bridges & Tammy Blanchard. Photo Credit: Walter McBride

On January 3, Darren Criss made his Broadway debut alongside Beau Bridges in How to Succeed IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Beau Bridges is returning to Broadway for the first time in 38 years in his first musical as J. B. Biggley, for 6 months through Sunday, July 1, 2012. Bridges will co-star with GLEE star Darren Criss through January 22 and then Nick Jonas thereafter (January 24, 2012 - July 1, 2012). For more photos from the big night, click here.

Cast of GLEE. Photo Credit: Adam Rose/FOX

GLEE returns from its holiday hiatus on January 17, and BroadwayWorld brings you a photo preview from the upcoming episde below. The New Directions start out the new year, which is also the last semester for McKinley High seniors. Will proposes to Emma in a very spectacular way. Sam Evans joins McKinley's synchronized swim team. Click here for more photos from the episode!

Erin Davie, Kari Ely, Ron Bohmer

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) opened Sunday in the Park with George, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine, on the Browning Mainstage of the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts on January 4. Inspired by the life and work of enigmatic 19th century impressionist painter Georges Seurat, this Pulitzer Prize-winning show explores the complexity of life and the art of understanding it. Click here for more photos from the show!

Megan Hilty, Katharine McPhee. Photo credit: Mark Seliger/NBC

NBC's highly anticipated drama SMASH will be premiering on Monday, February 6th from 10-11 p.m. ET. The show is a musical drama that celebrates the beauty and heartbreak of the Broadway theater as it follows a cross-section of dreamers and schemers who all have one common desire - to be a "smash." The series centers on the process of creating a Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe - written by the successful songwriting duo of Tom (Tony Award nominee Christian Borle) and Julia (Emmy Award winner Debra Messing). Click here for more of the newly-released photos from the show.

Nancy Opel and Constantine Maroulis. Photo Credit: Jann Whaley

The Alley Theater's production of The Toxic Avenger, starring American Idol and Rock of Ages alum Constantine Maroulis and Nancy Opel, begins previews on January 13, in anticipation of a January 20 opening night. The Toxic Avenger is a zany musical comedy featuring a chorus of an unlikely hero, his beautiful girlfriend, a corrupt New Jersey mayor, an onstage band, and two guys who play ... well, everyone else ... bullies, mobsters, old ladies, and stiletto-wearing back-up singers. For more photos of the cast in rehearsal, click here.

Marvin Hamlisch and Idina Menzel

As previously reported, Idina Menzel's new PBS concert special, Idina Menzel Live: Barefoot at the Symphony, will exclusively premiere on Chicago’s PBS affiliate WTTW on January 9 at 9:00 pm CST. Idina will be live in their studio to discuss her concert as part of a pledge drive for the station during its airing. The rest of the US will be able to tune in to their local PBS affiliate beginning March 3 for the special. Click here for more stills from the concert!