Michael Starobin News

Next to Normal is coming to Sydney for a strictly limited season playing at the Capitol Theatre from 13 September to 7 October 2012. Director Tyran Parke today announced the cast who will perform in this groundbreaking musical that follows the life of the Goodman’s – who seem like a perfect family. The musical, with music by Tom Kitt and book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, stars Ian Stenlake, Bobby Fox, Dash Kruk, Michelle Doake, Ross Hannaford and Erica Lovell. (more...)

Second Stage Theatre has announced the casting for its upcoming world premiere musical, DOGFIGHT. (more...)

Alan Menken has taken to his twitter just now to announce that LEAP OF FAITH will be recording a Broadway cast album sometime soon. No details regarding a label, recording or anticipated release date have been confirmed at present. (more...)

LEAP OF FAITH plays its final performance today, May 13, at Broadway’s St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street) after the matinee performance. Broadway’s LEAP OF FAITH opened on Thursday April 26 and will have played 24 previews and 20 regular performances. Take a look back through video from the show's opening in Los Angeles to its first steps on Broadway, and everything in between, including fan's reactions and an opening-night interview with Raul Esparza! (more...)

LEAP OF FAITH plays its final performance today, May 13, at Broadway’s St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street) after the matinee performance. Broadway’s LEAP OF FAITH opened on Thursday April 26 and will have played 24 previews and 20 regular performances. Take a look back through photos of Raul Esparza and the company on stage, the show's opening night curtain calls and party, its Gypsy Robe Ceremony with Dennis Stowe and more below! (more...)

Producers of LEAP OF FAITH announced today that the show will close at Broadway’s St. James Theatre this Sunday May 13 after the matinee performance. In a statement, they said “Although we love our show and very much appreciate both our many award nominations and the joy of our audiences, we have not been able to achieve a sustainable level of ticket sales to continue. We thank all those who worked so hard over so many years to bring LEAP OF FAITH to Broadway.” (more...)

LEAP OF FAITH’s Kecia Lewis-Evans will be interviewed on WAMC radio on Tuesday May 8 at 10:35 AM on all Northeast Public Radio frequencies; it also streams live at www.wamc.org. (more...)

The Festival renews its long-standing Gilbert and Sullivan tradition this season with The Pirates of Penzance. Directed by Ethan McSweeny, this new production begins previews at the Avon Theatre on May 3. (more...)

A long-standing opening night tradition on the Great White Way, the fabled Gypsy Robe is bestowed upon a veteran Broadway chorus member for each opening production. In what has now become a theatrical ritual, originating on Broadway 60 years ago, it was just presented to LEAP OF FAITH "gypsy" Dennis Stowe. (more...)

After hearing the outpouring of concern and support for the category, the Drama Desk Executive Board has announced that they will reinstate the category for this year’s awards show on June 3 at The Town Hall. (more...)

LEAP OF FAITH opened on Broadway on April 26th, 2012 with four-time Tony nominee Raúl Esparza leading the company along with Jessica Phillips, Kendra Kassebaum, Kecia Lewis-Evans, Leslie Odom, Jr., Krystal Joy Brown and Talon Ackerman. BroadwayWorld was on hand to celebrate at the fun-filled after party and chatted with all of the show's stars - in addition to the creative team - throughout the night. Click below to go inside the party! (more...)

In this year's Drama Desk Nominations announcement, which took place Friday morning, April 27, the Board decided to eliminate the category of Orchestrations. Many orchestrators and composers, including Jason Robert Brown, immediately took to social media to express their disappointment and outrage about the elimination of the category. (more...)

Watch the CBS Early Show tomorrow, Saturday April 28, in the 8 AM half-hour for a feature on LEAP OF FAITH hosted by correspondent Elaine Quihano. LEAP OF FAITH opened last night at The St. James Theatre, 246 West 44th Street, with four-time Tony nominee Raúl Esparza leading the company. (more...)

LEAP OF FAITH opened on Broadway last night, April 26th, with four-time Tony nominee Raúl Esparza leading the company along with Jessica Phillips, Kendra Kassebaum, Kecia Lewis-Evans, Leslie Odom, Jr., Krystal Joy Brown and Talon Ackerman. BroadwayWorld.com was there to capture the cast at the show's opening night party! (more...)

LEAP OF FAITH opened on Broadway last night, April 26th, with four-time Tony nominee Raúl Esparza leading the company along with Jessica Phillips, Kendra Kassebaum, Kecia Lewis-Evans, Leslie Odom, Jr., Krystal Joy Brown and Talon Ackerman. BroadwayWorld.com was there to capture the show's celebrity red carpet! (more...)

BroadwayWorld.com was there to capture the show's emotional (and wet!) curtain call! (more...)

Spend an unforgettable evening commemorating the life and works of Tony Award-winning composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim, as PlayhouseSquare and Great Lakes Theater present the musical SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM, May 16 – July 8 at the Hanna Theatre at PlayhouseSquare. The production is a part of both the KeyBank Broadway Series at PlayhouseSquare and the 50th Anniversary Season of Great Lakes Theater. (more...)

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld’s exclusive multi-part InDepth InterView series focusing on the New York Pops 29th Birthday Gala concert celebrating the music and musicals of Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty, JOURNEY ON, that will take place at Carnegie Hall on April 30 at 7 PM, by talking to the musical half of the Tony Award-winning songwriting team, Stephen Flaherty. (more...)

Check out the first video highlights from LEAP OF FAITH as four-time Tony nominee Raúl Esparza leads the company along with Jessica Phillips, Kendra Kassebaum, Kecia Lewis-Evans, Leslie Odom, Jr., Krystal Joy Brown and Talon Ackerman. Opening night is Thursday, April 26. (more...)

Today we are kicking off BroadwayWorld’s exclusive multi-part InDepth InterView series focusing on the New York Pops 29th Birthday Gala concert celebrating the music and musicals of Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty, JOURNEY ON, that will take place at Carnegie Hall on April 30 at 7 PM by taking to the lyricist half of the lauded Tony Award-winning songwriting team herself, the thoughtful and candid Lynn Ahrens. In a wide-ranging conversation covering many of her theatrical collaborations with Stephen Flaherty from their first musical, LUCKY STIFF, in the 1980s, to their Tony-winning success with RAGTIME in the 1990s, to their astounding slate of shows since - SEUSSICAL: THE MUSICAL, DESSA ROSE and THE GLORIOUS ONES included - all the way up to 2012 and their new musical in pre-production in Germany, ROCKY, based on the iconic 1975 Oscar-winning Sylvester Stallone-starring boxing film. Ahrens also shares firsthand news on the new Ahrens & Flaherty musical based on the art and life of Degas and the upcoming feature film version of LUCKY STIFF, directed by Christopher Ashley, as well as reflects on her work for the stage, page and screen outside of her work with Flaherty - songs for SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK and songs for the hit indie musical film CAMP among them. Plus, Ahrens shares her enthusiasm for her many collaborators and the performers famous for interpreting her work as well as relates her excitement for the star-studded JOURNEY ON concert spectacular at Carnegie Hall. All of that and much, much more! (more...)