Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? This weekend's big news: WIESENTHAL begins tonight at Theatre Row, PHANTOM opens its new pop-up shop today, and THE LAST SHIP sails to Broadway this Sunday!
THIS WEEKEND'S TOP ITEMS:
- WIESENTHAL, the story of "the Jewish James Bond," begins previews off-Broadway tonight!
- THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA gallery and pop-up shop opens today!
- Encompass New Opera Theatre will honor Joel Grey and Jeanine Tesori at its gala Sunday night...
- Sting's THE LAST SHIP opens on Broadway this Sunday! Check out the cast in action here.
- And the company of Encores! THE BAND WAGON meets the press today, so come back later for photos!
WHAT YOU MISSED YESTERDAY:
- We got a stunning first look (right) at Nicole Scherzinger as 'Grizabella' in London's CATS!
- Keira Knightley will make her Broadway debut next fall in Roundabout's THERESE RAQUIN.
- James McAvoy will lead THE RULING CLASS at Traf Transformed this winter...
- James Corden will start his gig as CBS's LATE LATE SHOW host in March!
- Craig Zadan & Neil Meron are teaming with The Shubert Organization...
- Reed Birney and Betty Gilpin are set to star in Atlantic Theater's I'M GONNA PRAY FOR YOU SO HARD!
- Alex Timbers will be helming PERMISSION for MCC Theater...
- We got a first look at FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS at the Public!
- And ABC is teaming with the writers of FIRST DATE on a musical drama based on THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA book.
Broadway Weather Forecast: After a dreary week, this weekend is looking fabulous. High of 67 degrees and sunny!
Quote of the Day: THE LAST SHIP creator Sting on his professional priorities...
"Success always necessitates a degree of ruthlessness. Given the choice of friendship or success, I'd probably choose success."
-- Sting (via BrainyQuote)
What we're watching: Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga's CHEEK TO CHEEK LIVE!, airing tonight on PBS's GREAT PERFORMANCES!
Video of the Day: The new behind-the-scenes featurette for INTO THE WOODS. With a flurry of preview materials for the film this week, and we couldn't resist watching it again!
And finally, a Happy Birthday shout-out to F. Murray Abraham, who turns 74 today!
Abraham is currently starring as critic 'Ira Drew' in It's Only a Play on Broadway. Among his many other credits are Mauritius, Triumph of Love, A Month in the Country, Angels in America, Macbeth, Teibele and her Demon (for which he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award), Legend, The Ritz, Bad Habits, 6 Rms Riv Vu and The Man in the Glass Booth. He won the 1984 Oscar for Best Actor for playing 'Antonio Salieri' in Amadeus. The actor's most recent film is Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel; he also stars on TV in Homeland.
See you bright and early on Monday, BroadwayWorld!
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