Jessica Lewis - Page 45

New York's Public Theater announced today that the Tony Award-winning revival of HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical, which returns to Broadway for a 10-week only ‘Summer of Love' run, is going back to its free theatre roots by giving away 100 tickets for the show's first performance on Tuesday, July 5th to the first 100 lucky fans in line at the St. James Theatre. Tickets (1 per person) will be distributed at 1:00 PM on July 5. Fans waiting in line are encouraged to dress in their best HAIR inspired hippie attire; just before tickets are distributed at 1:00 PM, cast members will select the best dressed male and female winners, who will win a walk-on role in a future performance of HAIR, along with five tickets so that their family and friends can watch them join the tribe. Tickets may be anywhere in the theatre and are non-transferrable. HAIR will officially open at the St. James Theatre on Wednesday, July 13th and play through September 10, 2011.

The New York Times has announced that Lydia R. Diamond's STICK FLY will head to Broadway next season, produced by Grammy-winning superstar Alicia Keys, Reuben Cannon and Nelle Nugent. The show will be directed by Kenny Leon (Fences) and begin previews at the Lyceum Theatre on November 18, 2011. Opening night is scheduled for December 8. Casting announcements are forthcoming.

This year, Broadway presented many exciting revivals of some old favorites, the Tony-winning ANYTHING GOES and HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING in the musical categories. So which Tony winning or Tony nominated show of old should be next? Here's your chance to weigh in!

Broadway's hit musical comedy THE ADDAMS FAMILY welcomes stage and screen star Brooke Shields in the role of Morticia beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, June 28 at the Lunt Fontanne Theatre. Shields will play opposite Roger Rees, who stars as Gomez. Shields is replacing Bebe Neuwirth, who originated the role. Click below for the new ADDAMS FAMILY commercial featuring Shields!

Screenjunkies.com reports today that despite Mel Brook's last struggle on Broadway with Young Frankenstein (the production has fared well locally but opened to harsh criticism on Broadway), the funnyman has every intention of continuing to expand his brand on Broadway.

Ghotslight Records will release the New Broadway Cast Recording of the critically acclaimed and Tony-winning new Broadway production of ANYTHING GOES this summer. Richie Ridge was invited inside the recording studio for BroadwayWorld to chat about the new album, the recording session and all things ANYTHING GOES!

According to an exclusive report in Entertainment Weekly, James Spader may become a permanent fixture on NBC's 'The Office.' While he has long been rumored to be a candidate to replace Steve Carell, EW.com reports that Spader is actually in talks to replace Kathy Bates as the CEO of Dunder Mifflin.

Cirque du Soleil is presenting its major new acrobatic spectacle, Zarkana, at the legendary Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Performances began Thursday, June 9, 2011 for a limited engagement through October 8, 2011. The premiere performance is June 29, 2011. Presented by iShares, Zarkana is written and directed by acclaimed film and theatre director François Girard (The Red Violin, Silk). New performance footage has been released and appears below!

Today, Theatre for a New Audience broke ground on its new home in a city-owned parking lot in the growing BAM Cultural District, located at 262 Ashland Place bet Lafayette Avenue and Fulton Street in Brooklyn. Set to open in April 2013, the Hugh Hardy-designed, 27,500-square-foot building will house a 3-level 299-seat theatre, a rehearsal room, public lobby and various supporting spaces, providing a state-of-the-art venue for the theater company's interpretations of Shakespeare and classical drama. It will be the first permanent residence for the 32-year-old theatre company, the first classical theatre built in New York City in more than four decades and only the second new theatre to be built from the ground up in Brooklyn in more than 50 years.

Broadway Sings Tori: a Benefit for RAINN, will celebrate and support the work of the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network. The event will take place on Monday June 27th at 8pm at New World Stages, and will feature songs written by 10-time Grammy nominee Tori Amos, who was the first spokesperson for RAINN.

President Barack Obama was in New York City yesterday to begin fundraising for his 2012 re-election campaign. As part of the visit, he invited potential endorsers to a performance of SISTER ACT as part of an event hosted by producer Whoopi Goldberg. Tickets for the special performance and evening event ranged from $250 to $10,000 (the latter of which includes a photo shoot with the President). Click below to hear from the President following the show, praising the performance and discussing equal rights and the challenges and hope facing our future.

Michael Riedel reports in the New York Post this morning that a musical based on the famed 1950s television series The Honeymooners. A reading directed by Jerry Mitchell will take place today starring Jim Belushi (Ralph), Peter Scolari (Norton), Rachel York (Alice) and Helene Yorke (Trixie). The Honeymooners follows Ralph (originally played by Jackie Gleason) as an everyman and an underdog who struggled to make a better life for himself and his wife, but who ultimately failed due to his own shortcomings.

As previously reported, an Annie remake is in the works, produced by Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jay-Z and partners, and starring the Smith's youngest, Willow. No other casting has been revealed (Willow has, however, expressed her wish for Brad Pitt to step into the shoes of Daddy Warbucks), and while for a time it seemed GLEE's Ryan Murphy was in talks to direct, it appears those talks are off, according to published reports. Today, New York Magazine reveals that Will Smith has called upon Emma Thompson, with whom he is currently starring in Men in Black III, to readapt John Huston's screenplay for the latest reincarnation of the famous story.

Stage and screen star Brooke Shields will join THE ADDAMS FAMILY in the role of Morticia beginning Tuesday, June 28 at the Lunt Fontanne Theatre. Two-time Tony Award winner Bebe Neuwirth will play her final performance in the role on Sunday, June 26. Ms. Shields will play opposite Roger Rees, who stars as Gomez. Shields has been making the promotional rounds this week and stopped by The View yesterday to talk about stepping into the iconic persona.

Executive Producer Lou Spisto has just announced that the World Premiere of the musical A Room with a View, with a book by Marc Acito, music by Jeffrey Stock (Triumph of Love) and lyrics by Acito and Stock, will complete the Globe's 2011-12 Winter Season. Scott Schwartz will direct the new work based on the classic novel by E.M. Forster. A Room with a View will run in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, March 2 - April 8, 2012. Opening night is Saturday, March 10.

As previously reported, Wednesday night was to mark the 100th performance of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, but after a delay of just over one-hour, the show was cancelled. The audience was informed twice via announcements that there was a delay, followed by an onstage apperance by Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette who told the audience that the performance would not be taking place, citing a 'tragedy within the company.' It has since been revealed that the tragedy was the death of a 29-year old carpenter for the show due to an apparent accidental drug overdose (the official cause of death has not yet been declared). The stagehand's name has not been released and an investigation took place at the show's home at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre today. The LA Times has now reported that according to one law enforcement official, 'at least a dozen packets that had contained heroin' were found in the stagehand's work area. The man was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital last night.

Following a critically acclaimed season which included the World Premiere of Lynn Nottage's hit comedy, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, Second Stage Theatre has announced three of the four mainstage productions in the company's upcoming 33rd season.

Front Row Productions has announced that the world-renowned film composer and trumpet player Terence Blanchard will compose the original musical soundscape for the upcoming Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Emily Mann, starring Blair Underwood and opening in the spring of 2012.

The 2011 Muny Season kicked off this week with the Muny premiere of LEGALLY BLONDE (June 20 - 26). Next, the Cole Porter favorite KISS ME, KATE (June 27 - July 3) will grace the stage. Following will be the Muny and St. Louis premiere of Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID (July 6 - 14), opening Wednesday, and featuring 2 extra performances! Tapping its way across the Muny stage next will be SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (July 18 - 24). Complete casting for KISS ME, KATE has been announced!

Yesterday, June 22, Billy Elliot welcomed their 1,500,000th audience member at matinee performance. As patrons entered the theatre, tickets were scanned and the lucky, 1.5Mth audience member was revealed during the curtain call. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the celebration and brings you the curtain call speech below!