Susan Blackwell News

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: Smokey Joe's Cafe begins previews tonight, and more!

Encores! Off-Center, New York City Center's popular summer musical theater series, continues next week with Gone Missing. John Behlmann, Susan Blackwell, Aysan Celik, Deborah S. Craig, Taylor Mac, and David Ryan Smith will star in the special two-night-only engagement, presented in honor of composer and 2017 Encores! Artistic Director Michael Friedman.

The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) announces Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Ethan Slater as the 2018 NYMF Honorary Chair.

Why am I writing about my obvious journalistic shortcomings now for what could be construed for the third time? Street Theatre Company's production of the Hunter Bell-Jeff Bowen musical [title of show] opens tonight to run through June 23 - and last night I was part of the preview audience, having been invited to come review the show for those of you still reading (all the while scoffing at my apparent self-indulgence and wishing I would just get to the point).

Encores! Off-Center Co-Artistic Directors Anne Kauffman and Jeanine Tesori today announced casting for New York City Center's popular summer musical theater series Encores! Off-Center.

Amongst the highlights, Platt performed 'Finishing the Hat' from SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE. As the night finished up, Brandon Uranowitz and Platt 'fed' auction winners (including Richard Jay-Alexander) as they raised funds for The Performing Arts Project. Video below!

What good is sitting alone in your room this week? If you don't already have plans to see a Broadway show, come out to see your favorite Broadway stars in a cabaret act instead. Highlights this week include:

Next week, Feinstein's/54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond. Scroll down for details!

This October, Feinstein's/54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond. Scroll down for details!

Tony Award winners Gavin Creel, Ben Platt and their Broadway friends will relive their terrible performances in the 5th annual benefit for The Performing Arts Project at Feinstein's/54 Below on October 15th.

The third annual Broadway Back to School, benefitting theatre education programs for underserved schools, takes place September 24 at Feinstein's/54 Below. The event, produced by the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) and the International Thespian Society (ITS), is chaired and hosted by Hunter Bell ([title of show], Found).

[title of show] is a clever musical which documents its own creation as an entry in the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

This new musical comedy follows the evolution and adventures of four friends in a natural history museum as they journey through time-from present day in the museum, to the past, and back again. Inspired by various exhibits (bees, reptiles, early man, ancient civilizations, and outer space), the foursome shares their stories about friendship, hoarding, hiding, laughing, living, dying, and the traumas of middle school in an attempt to step directly into that elusive present moment: into the Now. Here. This.

This new musical comedy follows the evolution and adventures of four friends in a natural history museum as they journey through time-from present day in the museum, to the past, and back again. Inspired by various exhibits (bees, reptiles, early man, ancient civilizations, and outer space), the foursome shares their stories about friendship, hoarding, hiding, laughing, living, dying, and the traumas of middle school in an attempt to step directly into that elusive present moment: into the Now. Here. This.

This past Sunday, Will Roland led a song interpretation Master Class for a few lucky students of Broadway Artists Alliance of NYC.

Just last night, the NYCLU (New York Civil Liberties Union) hosted its 15th Annual 'Broadway Stands Up For Freedom' Concert, and Mr. Harry Belafonte was honored with the inaugural 'Freedom Award' for his lifetime dedication to fighting for civil rights and civil liberties.

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced today a star-studded lineup of performers for the annual benefit concert, "Broadway Stands Up for Freedom," which will take place on Monday, July 17, 2017 at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts.  This iconic concert was created 15 years ago by aspiring musical theater actors to highlight social injustices and civil rights issues through song and spoken word.

It was a night full of Broadway and TV reunions for beloved stage and screen star Judith Light at the 2017 Monte Cristo Award ceremony last night, presented by the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center and held for the first time at 583 Park Avenue. Light's LOMBARDI co-star Dan Lauria and 'Ugly Betty' co-star Michael Urie joined in on the celebrations, and Director Thomas Kail presented Light with her honor. Scroll down for photos from the evening!

Should we call it "Linda and Maria Explain it All?" They certainly do in their performance of "What the Hell is Cabaret?!", to be performed four times in the coming weeks at the Laurie Beechman Theatre on 42nd Street.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Today's big news: THE PRICE brings an all-star quartet of actors to Broadway tonight, and GROUNDHOG DAY starts performances on the Great White Way!