Norman Jewison News

The rediscovered orchestrations of John Williams make a beloved musical just that much better. If you were a movie or musical fan during the VHS era, you likely remember Fiddler on the Roof as one of those unwieldy three-hour films that require two different cassette tapes to watch in full, like Titanic.

What did our critic think of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at The Gateway Playhouse?

A Soldier’s Play was originally performed off Broadway, opening in November 1981 through January 1983 after 468 performances. The original cast included Adolph Caeser, Denzel Washington, Larry Riley, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Fiddler on the Roof director Norman Jewison has passed away at 97. He was nominated for an Oscar for directing the 1971 film adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof, starring Topol, Norma Crane, Leonard Frey, Molly Picon, and Paul Mann. Jewison also directed Moonstruck, which won Cher an Academy Award.

Past recipients of the Golden Eddie include Spike Lee, Quentin Tarantino, Kathleen Kennedy, Christopher Nolan, Lauren Shuler Donner, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Guillermo del Toro, Vince Gilligan, J.J. Abrams, Nancy Meyers, Martin Scorsese, Norman Jewison, Robert Zemeckis, George Lucas, and the Sundance Institute, among others.

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe continues its 2023-2024 season with the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, “A Soldier's Play,” which was written by Charles Fuller. WBTT and Goodman Theatre (Chicago, Ill.) resident director Chuck Smith returns to Sarasota to direct.

Colman Domingo will receive the TIFF Tribute Performer Award. This Award recognizes an overall body of exceptional work, and is one of seven awards being handed out at the fifth annual TIFF Tribute Awards gala. Sing Sing is about a theatre troupe that finds escape from the realities of incarceration through the creativity of putting on a play.

The actor who created the role of Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway and in the 1973 film, Ted Neeley, will be in-person at The Park Theatre in Jaffrey, NH, for a special 50th Anniversary screening of the film and cast reunion.

The Metropolitan Opera’s 2023 Summer HD Festival, an annual New York pastime, returns to Lincoln Center Plaza Saturday, August 26 through Monday, September 4.

A searing indictment of prejudice and racism in all its permutations wrapped in a fascinating “whodunit” mystery ----the compelling Pulitzer-Prize winning play by Charles Fuller, A Soldier’s Play, is now a knockout of a production at the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater. 

Librairie St-Henri Books will host the book signing and Q & A of Simone, Half and Half, a play by Christine Rodriguez for young audiences about a mixed-race Montreal teen that refuses to let others tell her where she belongs.

Sarasota Opera announces an added title in its “HD at the Opera House” series with a screening of “Der Rosenkavalier” on Sunday, September 25. This historic Salzburg Festival production stars legendary soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Sarasota Opera also rescheduled a film of Verdi's Rigoletto to September 11 (from May) with tickets for these “HD at the Opera House” films on sale for $22, and $20 for Sarasota Opera subscribers.  

What did our critic think of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR at The Orpheum Theatre Memphis? Andrew Lloyd-Webber fans can certainly appreciate the 2021-2022 Orpheum season! Not long after Cats comes Jesus Christ Superstar, a powerful rock musical that centers around the last days of Jesus Christ. The show is actually celebrating its 50th anniversary and brings a completetly different dynamic to the Orpheum stage.

Sarasota Opera has announced the lineup for the 2022 summer movie series: HD at the Opera House and Classic Movies at the Opera House. HD at the Opera House featuring filmed performances of opera and ballet from around the world will open on Sunday, May 22nd at 1:30 p.m. with Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in London, with tickets at $22, and $20 for Sarasota Opera subscribers.

America’s next big musical sensation has its cast! American Idol favorites Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young will lead the incredible cast of the new musical, Skates.

Zeitgeist Films in association with Kino Lorber will present the US theatrical release of FIDDLER'S JOURNEY TO THE BIG SCREEN, a recipient of an Audience Prize at 2022 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, directed by Daniel Raim (Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story).

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR al TEATRO SISTINA RIPARTE DA ROMA UN NUOVO TOUR DEL CELEBRE MUSICAL DI ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER CON TED NEELEY ANCORA UNA VOLTA NEL RUOLO CHE L'HA RESO IMMORTALE

The enduring film version of Fiddler on the Roof premiered in November 1971 and became one of the year's biggest hits, earning Academy Awards for Cinematography, Sound and Best Adapted Score. The winner in the latter category was the legendary John Wiliams, soon after to become the world's most famous film composer and win Oscars for his own now-classic music for Jaws, Star Wars, E.T. and Schindler's List.

Today's top stories include the long-awaiting casting for the upcoming Wicked movie! It was announced yesterday that the film will be led by Ariana Grande as Glinda, and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba.

Narrated by Jeff Goldlbum, the film will follow director Norman Jewison's mission to bring the beloved stage production to the big screen. The film features behind-the-scenes footage and new stills as well as interviews with Jewison, Topol, John Williams, Sheldon Harnick, Rosalind Harris (Tzeitel), Michele Marsh (Hodel), Neva Small (Chava).