Faetra Petillo - Page 87

The Metropolitan Opera opens its 2008-09 season on September 22 with a gala performance that kicks off its 125th anniversary, starring Renée Fleming in three fully-staged scenes, including some of her most acclaimed portrayals. Costumes for Fleming have been specially created for each of the scenes in the Opening Night Gala by three of the world's legendary fashion designers: John Galliano, Christian Lacroix, and Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel.

Flemish director Guy Cassiers makes his American debut with Sunken Red-a multimedia theater work created in collaboration with and performed by one of Europe's leading stage actors, Dirk Roofthooft.

THE NEW YORK MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL and KIM VASQUEZ/ GRAYLADY ENTERTAINMENT, INC. present NYMF's only Children's musical this year, MAX AND THE TRUFFLE PIG

The producers of Hairspray, winner of eight Tony Awards® including Best Musical, have announced that Charlotte Crossley will take over the role of Motormouth Maybelle beginning Tuesday, September 2 at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre.

The Happenstance Theater will present Manifesto! as part of the third annual New York Clown Theater festival fresh from sold out shows at the Capital Fringe Festival.

The Nosdrahcir Sisters, a new comedy by noted Minneapolis physical theatre performers Sara and Kimberly Richardson (no relation), makes its New York premier this September in The New York Clown Theatre Festival at Brooklyn's Brick Theater.

The Point Foundation will present the Point Courage Award to Tony® Award-winning and Emmy nominated actress Kristin Chenoweth.

The producers of Hairspray, winner of eight Tony Awards® including Best Musical, have announced that teen idol Ashley Parker Angel will play his final performance as dreamy Link Larkin on Sunday, September 14 at the Neil Simon Theatre after more than a year and half with the musical. Angel played his first performance, and made his Broadway debut, Friday, January 19, 2007.

The eighth episode of the showbiz-themed web series 'The Battery's Down,' which chronicles the life of a young performer in New York City, will feature Tony Award winner John Gallagher, Jr. (Spring Awakening, Rabbit Hole), Deidre Goodwin (A Chorus Line, 30 Rock), Eric Roediger (Spelling Bee), Jay Russell (Around The World In 80 Days), Emily Walton (Saved), Matthew Nardozzi (Inherit The Wind), and Tyler Maynard (The Little Mermaid, Altar Boyz) who is reprising the role of Pepe.

After three mentions in Liz Smith's column and much other press, on August 10 at 6 pm, Bad Musicals Festival '08 wrapped up with the CARMEN MIRANDA BENEFIT & FRUIT CUP AWARDS for best plays by audience vote: Golden Pineapple, Silver Tomato, and Bronze Banana. New this year were the Jack Lemons for best bad actor& actress (plus runners-up).

International City Theatre artistic director Shashin Desai has announced the five plays that will make up ICT's 2009 season.

FRINGE ENCORE SERIES will present SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL I AM: the return of Jackie Susann for five additional performances, September 11-16 at the SoHo Playhouse.

God Machine, in Partnership with The Foundry Theatre, presents Ugo's Last Dance, a new musical by David Lefort Nugent & directed by Alec Tok, at The Medicine Show Theatre, 549 West 52nd Street, from September 10th to October 4th.

Playgarden will welcome Melissa Errico for a 'Concert & Coffee' on Saturday morning, September 20th at 10AM. followed by Sweet Sleep Families are invited to come enjoy the 'voice of enchantment'(NY Times) as Melissa performs songs from her second solo cd, Lullabies & Wildflowers.

What's On Stage is reporting that the Chocolate Factory's revival of the 1983 hit play La Cage Au Folles will transfer to the West End. It will have an October 30th, 2008 at the Playhouse Theatre.

The Bickford Theatre opens its 14th Season with a starry line-up featuring the talented offspring of two show business greats as it announces complete casting for Maureen Hunter's Transit Of Venus, running Thursday, September 25, through Sunday, October 19.

Past and present cast members of the Tony Award®-winning musical Rent, including Idina Menzel, Anthony Rapp, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Tracie Thoms, Eden Espinosa, Adam Pascal and Gwen Stewart, will appear on SIRIUS' Broadway's Best channel for a week-long celebration of the show's final week on Broadway.

AUDIENCE REWARDS and The Drama Bookshop will host an exclusive discussion and book signing with Charles Strouse, with very special guest interviewer Lin-Manuel Miranda, at 5:00PM, Friday, September 5th, at the Drama Bookshop (250 West 40th Street, New York, NY.)

Transport Group, the winner of a special 2007 Drama Desk Award and a 2007 Obie Award, has announced its 2008-09 season: Bury the Dead, written by Irwin Shaw and directed by Joe Calarco, and Being Audrey, music and lyrics by Ellen Weiss, book by James Hindman, additional book and lyrics by Cheryl Stern, developed with Jack Cummings III and Adam R. Perlman, and directed by Jack Cummings III.

Monty Python's SPAMALOT will welcome a new king when Michael Siberry arrives at the Shubert Theatre (225 West 44th Street) on Tuesday September 16.