Eddie Varley - Page 200

The New York Times is reporting that The Roundabout Theater Company has announced two more productions for its 2009-10 season. Roundabout will offer the first Broadway production of 'Bye Bye Birdie' since its original production in 1960. There have been rumors for the last sevral years that the compnay would mount a revival and the rumblings were heating up for the past few weeks, Robert Longbottom ('Flower Drum Song') is the director and choreographer for the new production. Also reported was the news that the Roundabout will revive Noel Coward's 'Present Laughter,' with Victor Garber as the put-upon matinee idol Garry Essendine. Nicholas Martin, who directed the comedy for the Huntington Theater Company in 2007, which also starred Mr. Garber, will direct the new revival.

Gerald Schoenfeld, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of The Shubert Organization, Inc., a theatre organization engaged in the ownership and operation of legitimate theatres in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Washington, D.C. died suddenly at his home in Manhattan on Tuesday, November 25th, 2008. Mr. Schoenfeld was 84 years old. The New York Post's Liz Smith has reported that there will be a special memorial celebrating the last Mr. Schoenfeld on Feb. 9th, at 1 p.m. at the Majestic Theatre. The tribute is by invitation-only. A vibrant and vital figure on Broadway for more than five decades, Mr. Schoenfeld served as Chairman of The Shubert Organization since 1972. The Shubert Organization has been an essential factor in the production of such distinguished theatrical attractions as INDISCRETIONS, DIRTY BLONDE, PASSION, THE HEIDI CHRONICLES, AMADEUS, NICHOLAS NICKLEBY, CATS, Jerome Robbins' BROADWAY, DANCIN', AIN'T MISBEHAVIN', DREAMGIRLS, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, SKYLIGHT, CLOSER, THE BLUE ROOM, AMY'S VIEW, DANCE OF DEATH, last season's PASSING STRANGE and the current Broadway revival of EQUUS. During his tenure, Mr. Schoenfeld committed the Organization to a vigorous participation in community and civic affairs and was a leader in the successful effort to revitalize and enhance the image of Times Square and Midtown. The Organization is also actively engaged in supporting the Board of Education of the City of New York in the reintroduction of art and culture K through 12 in the city's public schools. Mr. Schoenfeld served as Chairman of the Mayor's Midtown Citizens Committee.

BroadwayWorld.com is proud to announce its newest addition to the BWW TV family - StageTube! Presenting the best in viral, viewer-created videos, StageTube will connect BroadwayWorld.com visitors with the best of user driven video content. Inside the Actor's Studio welcomes comic genius and host of NBC's Late Night, Conan O'Brien on Monday January 26th at 7pm on Bravo. James Lipton sits down for a hilarious interview with the late night 'host with the most' and discusses Conan's acclaimed career as one of the most gifted comedic writers/performers in the business today.

WICKED will take its final bow in Chicago on January 25, 2009. WICKED has helped Broadway In Chicago stand as the fifth most popular tourist attraction in the City of Chicago and has spurred interest in theatre both locally and nationally. When surveyed, over 70 percent of the WICKED theatre patrons said that they had plans to see another show in Chicago within the year. Called 'Broadway's biggest blockbuster' by The New York Times and 'a cultural phenomenon' by Variety, WICKED continues to cast a spell on all of Chicagoland and its many visitors - over 2.9 million people have attended WICKED in Chicago with audience members representing all 50 U.S. states and all seven continents. WICKED is now the longest running Broadway musical in Chicago's theater history. The Chicago company of WICKED took the stage on June 24, 2005 at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre.

Roundabout Theatre Company presents a new Broadway production of Hedda Gabler, starring Mary-Louise Parker, Michael Cerveris, Paul Sparks and Peter Stormare. Hedda Gabler, by Henrik Ibsen with a new adaptation by Christopher Shinn, is directed by Ian Rickson at the American Airlines Theatre (227 West 42nd Street). The cast also includes Lois Markle, Ana Reeder and Helen Carey. Hedda Gabler officially opens tonight, Sunday, January 25th, 2009. This is a limited engagement through March 29th, 2009. Mary-Louise Parker stars as 'Hedda Gabler' in this new interpretation of Henrik Ibsen's modern classic. A woman of dangerous independence restrained by a conventional marriage, Hedda Gabler indulges in a cruel game, amusing herself with the misfortune she inflicts on those around her. As Hedda struggles to balance her wild desires against her chosen life, she sets into motion a manic chain of events that bring her story to a chilling end.

'EMILIE'S VOLTAIRE' now playing at the The Samuel Beckett Theatre, stars Michael Medeiros and Amy Lynn Stewart. The Samuel Beckett Theatre is located at 410 West 42nd Street in Manhattan. EMILIE'S VOLTAIRE runs now through February 7th, 2009. Set during the French Enlightenment, the play chronicles the volcanic, law-breaking, sexually-driven, intellectually-fuelled, sixteen-year love affair between Francois-Marie Arouet (VOLTAIRE) and Gabrielle Emilie Le Tonnelier de Breteuil, Marquise du Chatelet (EMILIE).

In the month of January into early February, The Brava is celebrating the inauguration of the first African-American U.S. president with presentations discussing censorship, race and the extraordinary contribution of some of our heroes of the past. Brava is committed to producing, presenting and cultivating live art celebrating the intersection of feminism and multiculturalism that ignites social change and builds community. In the upcoming weeks, Brava will be exploring the American Metaphor and how it is changing - what it WAS to be American, what it IS to be American today, and how we look at the legacy as we embark on our future by exploring what it means to be American and face our American stereotypes. 'A Song for Coretta' by Pearl Cleage Thru-Feb 7/09 On February 6, 2006, people began lining up at dawn outside of Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church to pay their respects to the late Mrs. Coretta Scott King, widow of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose body lay in state in the small sanctuary. By mid-morning, the crowd wound down the street and around the corner of the old red brick building. At close to midnight, the crowd had dwindled to a determined few. The five fictional characters in this play are at the end of that long line.

Eartha Kitt passed after a long battle against colon cancer on Christmas Day, 2008 in Weston, Connecticut at the age of 81. To remember the musical superstar, Broadway Beat assembled a collection of video segments they had filmed with the entertainment legend throught the years.

The works of Henrik Ibsen provide unique challenges for modern theater companies. This may be because of the complexities of his characters or the difficulties of getting an appealing translation of the playwright's original Norwegian prose. Happily the Roundabout Theater has faced both of these challenges and is currently presenting a compelling production of HEDDA GABLER at their elegant American Airlines Theater. Audiences realize they are about to witness something special when they see Hildegard Bechtler's atmospheric set bathed in the subtle and effective lighting of Natasha Katz. However, it is when Michael Cerveris makes his initial entrance that the audience realizes what an exceptional evening this HEDDA GABLER will be. Playing the intellectual writer Jorgen Tesman, Cerveris eschews a dour portrayal of an academic in favor of a character who is robust and certainly in love with his new bride, Hedda, who is stunningly portrayed in this version by Mary-Louise Parker. Cerveris' personal energy is immediately sensed by the audience and throughout the performance they could be detected sitting up or leaning forward whenever he was on stage. It is a masterful performance in every way and is met point-for-point by Ms. Parker. When these two actors are together on stage, the electricity is almost palpable.

Terence Erkkila, head of Theatre Development Fund, has announced via the Tdf website that the travel arm of the organization will close in the coming weeks, Mr. Erkkila cited the current economic climate as the cause for the closure. He began the statement as such, 'We deeply regret to inform our tdf membership and our many tdf Travelers that we are closing our travel department in the next few weeks'.

Kristy Cates, celebrated as the star of the mega smash Wicked for its Broadway and Touring runs, guests at Scott Nevins' Curtain Call directly following the video madness of Musical Mondays on February 9th at 11:30pm., The vocal wonder Cates will serve up a full set of Broadway's hottest tunes, 'blowing the roof off of Splash with one Diva turn after another' as the press notes state. Kristy Cates is best known for her roles in the original Broadway cast of Wicked (ensemble/Elphaba understudy). Kristy then went on to a year long run as Elphaba in the Chicago production of Wicked. She was most recently seen at Carnegie Hall in the ensemble of 'Jerry Springer the Opera' starring Harvey Keitel. Off Broadway/ Regional: Human Race Theatre (Stephen Schwartz's 'Snapshots'), Princess Ida, St. Louis MUNY, The Lucille Lortel White Barn Theatre , North Bay Opera, The Playhouse on the Green, The Eugene O'Neill Conference and the NY Fringe Festival, MANY readings of new works. NYC/Chicago concerts: Don't Tell Mama, The Duplex, Joe's Pub, Laurie Beechman Theatre, and a sold out series 'An Evening with Kristy Cates' at the Metropolis Performing Arts Center in Chicago. Kristy is also a professional voiceover artist. She was honored to be a National Anthem soloist for the Chicago Bears, Bulls and White Sox. She recently concluded a production of a new musical UNBEATABLE at the Pheonix Theatre, in which she plays a woman battling cancer. The production is expected to open off Broadway at New World Stages this upcoming Spring. Get there early to grab a seat to watch these legendary musical numbers on the screens during Musical Monday's, and then sit tight as Kristy Cates performs live in person!

Auditions will held in NYC by Artistic Director Debra McWaters for BTP's intensive three-week musical theatre training program. Auditions are open calls and no appointments are necessary. The 2009 session takes place from July 12 - August 1. Master Classes at BTP have been taught in the past by such Broadway luminaries as Julie Andrews, Christopher d'Amboise, Rob Fisher, Terrence Mann, Austin Pendleton, Ben Vereen, Frank Wildhorn and Patrick Wilson, to name only a few. BTP alums have performed in over 65 shows on Broadway - complete list available upon request. Visit broadwaytheatreproject.com for more information. WHEN:Saturday, February 7, 2009 - 11:00am WHERE:Ripley Greer Studios, 17th Floor, 520 8th Ave., New York City

Oscar winning and Tony nominated playwright Martin McDonagh has not abandoned the stage as feared as he has focused on more film work recently, The New York Times has revealed that he has finished a new play and is eager to see it staged. The new work, titled A Behanding in Spokane, is set in 'small town America', a change from McDonagh's usual locale of Ireland. The Times describes the story as 'a man in his mid- to late -40's who is missing his left hand and needless to say, wants it back'. The Times reports that the play includes 'blood, gore, a bomb and the dark humor' McDonagh has become famous for, there is no exact information at present regarding when or where the production will debut. McDonagh was nominated this past week for best original screenplay for 'In Bruges' his comedy-thriller starring Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell. He also directed the film.

The John W. Engeman Theater at Northport officially opens its production of the comedy THE FOREIGNER tonight, January 24th. The show runs through February 22, 2009. This inspired comic romp was the winner of two Obie Awards and two Outer Critics Circle Awards as Best New American Play and Best Off-Broadway Production. THE FOREIGNER will play the following performance schedule: Thursdays at 8:00 p.m., Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. !N ADDITION, there will be matinees on the following days: Saturday January 31 and Saturday February 14 at 3:00 pm. ALSO, there will be performances on Sunday February 22. Tickets are NOW ON SALE and are $50. Tickets may be purchased by calling (631) 261-2900, by visiting www.engemantheater.com, or at the Engeman Theater Box Office at 250 Main Street, Northport. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express accepted.

Bryan Batt, currently starring on Mad Men is featured in a fun and informative series of videos on the home improvement lifestyle website, MyHomeIdeas.com. Batt hosts two videos, 'Decorate Like A Mad Man' and 'Party Like A Mad Man', each is an informative and colorful segment that gives the viewer helpful hints in shaping up either your current home or social events. On Mad Men, Batt plays Salvatore Romano, a closeted, Italian-American art director among the macho and WASP-y advertising men.

Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis, James Gandolfini and Marcia Gay Harden will star in GOD OF CARNAGE, the new play by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton, directed by Matthew Warchus, opening on Broadway at the Bernard Jacobs Theatre (242 West 45 Street) on Sunday March 22. Previews will begin on February 28. Tickets which had been available for American Express cardholders only in a pre-sale special are now available to the general public, order by clicking here. The Jacobs Box Office will be open for business starting February 9th, 2009. GOD OF CARNAGE will be produced by Robert Fox, David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers, Stuart Thompson, Scott Rudin, and The Shubert Organization. The play comes to Broadway after a sold-out run in London's West End in 2008. The London critics raved about GOD OF CARNAGE: The Times called it 'tense, edgy and funny' and praised Reza's 'incisive observation, acerbic wit and shrewd humor.' The Daily Telegraph called it 'a crackling night' and The Daily Mail called the play 'terrific stuff . ' The Daily Express said it was 'a triumph' and The International Herald Tribune proclaimed 'God of Carnage' is an expert piece of stagecraft and savagely funny.' GOD OF CARNAGE reunites the creative team that staged the Tony Award-winning Best Play, Art. Designed by Mark Thompson (sets and costumes), with lighting by Hugh Vanstone, sound by Simon Baker & Chris Cronin, the play has music by Gary Yershon.

The 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa presents a special red carpet gala event in April featuring Santa Rose native Jim Jarrett performing the one-man play Vincent, by Leonard Nimoy. Tickets are now on sale for Starry, Starry, Night, set for Saturday, April 4. The elegant affair will feature gourmet food, specialty wines, a silent auction and a specially arranged art exhibit. Festivities are followed by Jarrett's critically acclaimed solo production presented in the G.K. Hardt Theatre. Proceeds benefit the 6th Street Playhouse educational programs and productions. Presented at the 6th Street Playhouse, located in historic Railroad Square, the gala will feature locally acclaimed artists and their works in a special setting reminiscent of a French artists' studio during the Impressionist period with original art works inspired by Van Gogh.

La Jolla Playhouse's Artistic Director Christopher Ashley has announced the six productions in the 2009/2010 season. 'So much of the joy of running a theatre comes from the ability to invite world-class artists into your home - and allowing them to make it their home as well,' says Ashley. 'At La Jolla Playhouse, our goal is to serve as an artistic home where the most exciting theatre artists in the country are given the resources to create works that drive them, and our 2009/2010 season welcomes some of the best to San Diego.' Beginning in summer 2009, some of the most prominent artists working in theatre today are bringing their wisdom, creativity and craft to the Playhouse stages, including: a West Coast premiere drama from Terrence McNally (Love! Valour! Compassion!, Master Class), a world premiere La Jolla Playhouse commission by Claudia Shear (Dirty Blonde, Blown Sideways Through Life), a new musical Page To Stage workshop production based on a Coen Brothers film, a revival starring Tony Award-winner B.D. Wong (M. Butterfly, Law & Order: SVU), a world premiere La Jolla Playhouse commission from Doug Wright (I Am My Own Wife, Quills) and a world premiere musical comedy by Douglas Carter Beane (Xanadu, The Little Dog Laughed).

The Magic Castle announces a special engagement of 'The First 80 Years are the Hardest,' an intimate evening with Carol Channing on March 2nd & 3rd at 8pm. Miss Channing will be launching Cabaret at the Castle which is being developed as additional theatre space (currently boasting five theatres from the Parlour of Prestidigitation to the Palace of Mystery) in the Magic Castle's lower level, known as The Inner Circle (7001 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90028).

The New Jersey Repertory Company, located at 179 Broadway in Long Branch, is proud to present the National New Play Network world premiere of Zayd Dohrn's SICK, February 12 through March 15. SICK is an off-beat comedy about one family's attempts to keep out the sickness of the world by isolating themselves in a house where all the windows are covered with plastic, where air-purifiers hum constantly, and where visitors are unwelcome. Directed by Benjamin Endsley Klein, SICK stars Meredith Napolitano, Rusty Ross, Kevin Sebastian, Jim Shankman, Liz Zazzi. Performances are Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Special reduced price previews are on Thursday Feb 12 and Friday Feb 13 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Opening night with reception is Valentine's Day, Saturday Feb 14 at 8:00 p.m.