Michael Dale - Page 137

When Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's moralistic take on traditional European fairy tales, mostly penned by The Brothers Grimm, last hit town in a major production, it was April of 2002.  The city was still very much rattled by the events of the past September, but a positive spirit was growing from our observances of acts of heroism surrounding us.

Unless you're a Marx Brothers fan, you may not be aware of this fun little Marvin Hamlisch creation.

With New York's mayor pushing for size limits on sugary drinks and for keeping baby formula safely locked away until new moms are reminded of the benefits of breast milk, it seems like a good time for Bill Russell and Peter Melnick's tuneful and amusing new musical, The Last Smoker In America, which eschews debates over the health issues of tobacco use in favor of spoofing government control over personal choices.

As Into The Woods prepares to open at the Delacorte, we take a look at the other musicals that have been a part of Shakespeare In The Park.

Competing performances of Macbeth no longer cause riots like they did in 1849.

People keep asking if anyone writes original musicals anymore, but some of the biggest success stories to come out of the New York Musical Theatre Festival have been originals.

If the Tony Awards annually strike the final chord for each New York theatre season, then the overture for the next one is undoubtedly trumpeted by The New York Shakespeare Festival's free performances at the Delacorte Theater

Thomas Kail's athletic and inventively theatrical directing chops (In The Heights, Lombardi, Magic/Bird) prove a perfect match for Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens' Caribbean story-theatre musical Once On This Island. The beguiling new production gracing the Paper Mill stage is full of vibrant performances and colorful stagecraft.

New York Musical Theatre Festival: July 9-29 at various midtown venues (http://www.nymf.org) Rumors of the death of musical theatre have been quickly squashed once a year ever since the New York Musical Theatre Festival, a/k/a NYMF, first hit town in 2004. Over 300 musicals later, 70 of which have gone on to major New York and/or regional productions, NYMF has become an annual celebration for those who appreciate interesting scores and adventurous writing over extravagant production values. Tickets are inexpensive and each venue hosts several different shows daily, so it's easy to spend the day discovering the wide variety of musicals in the works.

Remembering some recent Broadway productions that concerned those who bravely make the ultimate sacrifice.

While diamonds may be a girl's best friend at this weekend's Encores! production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, there's a feisty flapper getting pretty chummy with a gang of hunky Olympic athletes and a wildly frenetic chorus of Charleston dancers.

Some highlights from closed productions that have been receiving award nominations for the 2011-12 season.

London's highest theatre honor is named for one of the 20th Century's finest actors.

If I said that Newsies hasn't improved any since its premiere engagement at Paper Mill would you roll your eyes and mumble something about how haters are going to hate?

Following the success of Godspell's February 19th "Tweet Seat" experiment, producer Ken Davenport announces Broadway's first "Kindle Night."

Since its first edition in 1987, the annual Easter Bonnet Competition has capped off weeks of fundraising for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS with dozens of shows from Broadway, Off-Broadway and tours offering song and dance presentations, often featuring outlandish insider humor, topped off by the modeling of wildly creative Easter bonnets.

Old Gershwin musicals never die, they just get revised into new Gershwin musicals.

As we remember Davy Jones, who went from Broadway supporting player to nationally known pop idol and then returned to the musical stage as an above-the-title star, we look forward to seeing Ricky Martin accomplish the same feat.

Lonny Price, Raul Esparza and a fellow singing it in Hebrew.

The week's big casting news includes Megan Hilty in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes for Encores! and Samantha Barks in the screen version of Les Miserables.