Sean Patrick Doyle News

If you've ever understudied, you know that nothing can make your heart skip a beat like receiving a call from stage management two hours before your call time. And if you are, indeed, receiving news that you're on, you very professionally utter expletives, then say "Great, I'll be ready" before diving into your tracking sheets. That's exactly what happened this past Wednesday, when the cast cold finally claimed the voice of our incredible Sonny, Tommy Bracco - Big shoes to fill! But it was a fun challenge transforming from geek to greaser, and thankfully I got some laughs as the pint-sized Staten Island lady-killer.

Less than twenty four hours after celebrating the opening of Grease at Paper Mill, we found ourselves back in tech! This time, our sleepy cast was standing on the deck of the sparkling Skirball Center, preparing to honor Pat Birch at this year's Fred and Adele Astaire Awards. Birch is, of course, the five-time Tony Award nominee and two-time Emmy Award-winning choreographer who staged the musical numbers for original Broadway production of Grease, and both subsequent films. At the Astaire Awards, she was being honored with the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award.

Hey there Broadway World readers, this is Sean Patrick Doyle. I'm playing Rydell High valedictorian Eugene Florczyk in Paper Mill Playhouse's production of Grease, running in Millburn, New Jersey, through June 29th. The last time I had the pleasure of guest blogging for BWW, I was in rehearsals for the 2010 revival of La Cage Aux Folles; I've since traded the lipstick and high heels for thick eyeglasses and argyle sweaters. Voila!

Paper Mill Playhouse concludes its 75th Anniversary Season with America's favorite musical, GREASE. With book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, Grease will be directed by Daniel Goldstein with original choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter. Additional songs are by John Farrar, Barry Gibb, Scott Simon and Louis St. Louis. Grease plays the Millburn, New Jersey, theater through June 29, 2014. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from inside the opening night after party below!

Paper Mill Playhouse concludes its 75th Anniversary Season with America's favorite musical, GREASE. With book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, Grease will be directed by Daniel Goldstein with original choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter. Additional songs are by John Farrar, Barry Gibb, Scott Simon and Louis St. Louis. Grease plays the Millburn, New Jersey, theater through June 29, 2014. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from inside the opening night curtain call below!

Paper Mill Playhouse concludes its 75th Anniversary Season with America's favorite musical, GREASE. With book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, Grease will be directed by Daniel Goldstein with original choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter. Additional songs are by John Farrar, Barry Gibb, Scott Simon and Louis St. Louis. Grease will play the Millburn, New Jersey, theater from May 28 through June 29, 2014. The official press opening night is Sunday, June 1, at 7:00pm. The cast just met the press, and BroadwayWorld brings you photos below!

Tony nominee Keala Settle (Les Miserables, Hands on a Hardbody), Eddie Korbich (Gentlemen's Guide) and Rachel de Benedet (Catch Me If You Can) will head the cast of an April 10th industry reading of The Chocolate Legacy, a new play by Ted Malawer.

Yesterday's shots come from Broadway's BEAUTIFUL, sending former MOTOWN star Valisia LeKae well wishes after the news broke that she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, plus photos from CINDERELLA, MACBETH and more. Other SIPs come from the national tours of EVITA and Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Two River Theater's A WIND IN THE WILLOWS, and more!

A musical production of 'Wind in the Willows' is now at Two Rivers Theater through December 29th. Audiences will revel in the opportunity to enjoy this holiday show.

Two River Theater (Artistic Director John Dias, Managing Director Michael Hurst) presentsA Wind in the Willows Christmas, a holiday musical adapted from Kenneth Grahame's novel by composer Mike Reid, lyricist Sarah Schlesinger, and bookwriter Mindi Dickstein.

Yesterday's photos featured the national tour of EVITA's leading lady, Caroline Bowman, preparing for the Casa Rosada, and Allison Luff of the WICKED national tour doing a little light reading; plus additional shots from THE JUNGLE BOOK, the ANNA NICOLE Opera's final SIP, LES MISERABLES, CATS, and more!

Yesterday's SIP lineup featured a Facebook video from KINKY BOOTS' Lena Hall and Annaleigh Ashford, a little shoe swapping from CINDERELLA's Laura Osnes and Santino Fontana, Broadway's MATILDA, plus ANNA NICOLE Opera, PETER AND THE STARCATCHER, Crown Uptown's CATS and more!

Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID will grace the Starlight stage, today, July 23-28. Based on Hans Christian Andersen's famous and timeless tale, Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID is a family musical that features classic songs: 'Part of Your World,' 'Kiss the Girl,' and the Academy Award-winning 'Under the Sea.'

Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID will grace the Starlight stage, July 23-28. Based on Hans Christian Andersen's famous and timeless tale, Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID is a family musical that features classic songs: "Part of Your World," "Kiss the Girl," and the Academy Award-winning "Under the Sea."

Disney's The Little Mermaid will bring the beloved fairy tale to life onstage in its Pittsburgh premiere at the Benedum Center, tonight, July 9-21. Audiences of all ages are sure to fall in love with this underwater spectacular. Jessica Grove and Nick Adams star as Ariel and Prince Eric and are accompanied by a dazzling cast to make this enchanted 'Under the Sea' love story a hit.

Disney's The Little Mermaid will bring the beloved fairy tale to life onstage in its Pittsburgh premiere at the Benedum Center, July 9-21. Audiences of all ages are sure to fall in love with this underwater spectacular. Jessica Grove and Nick Adams star as Ariel and Prince Eric and are accompanied by a dazzling cast to make this enchanted 'Under the Sea' love story a hit.

By Disney standards the year and a half run of the original Broadway production of The Little Mermaid was a bit of a disappointment.  In theory, a competently created musical based on the hit animated film would probably run for a year and a half based on the title recognition alone.  My opinion of that show was higher than most of my colleagues.  I enjoyed it, but mostly for the vaudevillian pleasure of seeing a cast of terrific Broadway performers each getting a star turn or two.  But after some script revisions and a whole new visual concept, director Glenn Casale's production of the new Mermaid that just opened at Paper Mill is a well-crafted, delightfully designed and performed charmer.

It's Saturday, and that means it's time for BroadwayWorld's 'Saturday Intermission Pics' round-up. Today's photos feature a Broadway illustrator and the casts of KINKY BOOTS, THE BOOK OF MORMON, THE FANTASTICKS, MOTOWN and more prepping for tomorrow night's Tony Awards ceremony, plus pics from MATILDA (here and in the UK), JERSEY BOYS, NICE WORK, ANN, THE NANCE, NEWSIES, TOP HAT in the West End, Paper Mill's THE LITTLE MERMAID, WEST SIDE STORY on tour, 42ND STREET at Pittsburgh CLO with Joey Fatone, and more!

Paper Mill Playhouse presents Disney's The Little Mermaid, based on the classic animated film of the same title. The American premiere of this brand new production will feature a revamped script, additional songs, a new physical production and an entirely fresh interpretation of the piece. The show just opened last night and you can check out photos from the after party below!

Paper Mill Playhouse's The Little Mermaid is beautifully imagined in an underwater world full of vibrant colors, aqueous movements, and dazzling visuals.