THIS WEEK IN PICTURES: January 7-13

Kiril Kulish, David Alvarez and Trent Kowalik with the ensemble cast. Photo Credit: Walter McBride

BILLY ELLIOT played its final performance on Broadway on Sunday, January 8, 2012 after three wonderful years. The show's final performance was unique in that the current cast of Billys (and Michaels) alternated scenes in the show. The production recouped its $18 million investment in only 14 months over 492 performances and on Broadway, the show has been seen by 1,659,867 theatergoers to date. Featuring music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, choreographed by Peter Darling and directed by Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot opened to critical acclaim on November 13, 2008. Click here for more photos of the final curtain call.

Bryonha Marie Parham, Norm Lewis, NaTasha Yvette Williams. Photo Credit: Michael J. Lutch

The Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS opened last night, Thursday, January 12th, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre starring Audra McDonald as Bess, Norm Lewis as Porgy and David Alan Grier as Sporting Life. Joining these Broadway A-listers onstage are Phillip Boykin as Crown, Nikki Renée Daniels as Clara, Joshua Henry as Jake, Christopher Innvar as Detective, Bryonha Marie Parham as Serena and NaTasha Yvette Williams as Mariah and more! Click here for more production shots!

Bryce Pinkham, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Richard Fleeshman, Caissie Levy, Sharon D Clarke, Siobhan Dillon, Mark Evans

In advance of the Broadway transfer of Ghost The Musical, this morning Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy handed over the leading roles of Sam Wheat and Molly Jensen as they are headed for Broadway. Mark Evans and Siobhan Dillon will take on the West End roles on Friday January 13th. They were joined at London’s Picadilly Theatre today by Sharon D. Clarke and Andrew Langtree (West End) and Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Bryce Pinkham (Broadway) who play Oda Mae Brown and Carl Bruner. Check out more photos from the event here!

Cynthia Nixon, Greg Keller. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

Manhattan Theatre Club presents Tony and Emmy Award winner Cynthia Nixon in the Broadway premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play WIT by Margaret Edson, directed by MTC's award-winning Artistic Director Lynne Meadow. Joining Nixon as ‘Vivian Bearing' will be Pun Bandhu (Technician), Olivier Award winner Suzanne Bertish (E.M. Ashford), Michael Countryman (Harvey Kelekian/Mr. Bearing), Jessica Dickey (Technician), Chiké Johnson (Technician), Greg Keller (Jason Posner), Carra Patterson (Susie Monahan), and Zachary Spicer (Technician). For more production shots, click here.

Samuel L. Jackson, Angela Bassett. Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski

On Saturday, January 7, Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett celebrated the 100th performance of The Mountaintop at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. The Guinness-recognized highest grossing actor of all time, Samuel L. Jackson, is making a rare return to the Broadway stage in his Broadway debut with The Mountaintop. For more photos from the big event, click here!

Andrew Buchan, Eddie Redmayne. Photo Credit: Johan Persson

Currently on stage at the Donmar Warehouse is Michael Grandage's RICHARD II, featuring Tony-winner Eddie Redmayne. Redmayne has worked with Grandage in the past in "Red," in which he co-starred with Alfred Molina. In the show, King Richard banishes his noblemen and seizes their land to fuel his own wars. As anger mounts, a battle for the soul of England begins and one man's divine right to rule is called into question. Shakespeare's poetic masterpiece is an epic tale of destruction, ruin and decay that casts light on the decline of a kingdom and the solitude of power. Click here for more production shots!

Jeremy Jordan, Keke Palmer. Photo Credit: 2011 Alcon Film Fund, LLC

JOYFUL NOISE is coming to theaters on Friday, January 13th from Warner Brothers Pictures. The comedy is written and directed by Todd Graff and stars Jeremy Jordan, Kris Kristofferson, Queen Latifah, Keke Palmer, Courtney B. Vance, Dolly Parton, Jesse L. Martin, Judd Lormand and Chloe Bailey. After the untimely death of a small-town choir director in Georgia, Vi Rose Hill, a no-nonsense mother of two teens (Latifah) takes control of the choir, although the director's widow G.G. Sparrow (Parton) believes she should have been given the position. Click here for additional stills from the movie.

Nancy Opel, 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 alongside Nancy Opel, begins previews today, 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. Click here for more photos of the cast in action!

Phillip Boykin, Director Diane Paulus, Audra McDonald, Suzan-Lori Parks & Norm Lewis. Photo Credit: Walter McBride

The classic story of Porgy & Bess by DuBose and Dorothy Heyward is set in Charleston's fabled Catfish Row, where the beautiful Bess struggles to break free from her scandalous past, and the only one who can rescue her is the crippled but courageous Porgy. Threatened by her formidable former lover Crown, and the seductive enticements of the colorful troublemaker Sporting Life, Porgy and Bess' relationship evolves into a deep romance that triumphs as one of theater's most exhilarating love stories. Click here formore photos from the first curtain call!