Nicole Rosky - Page 505

Today in 1980, The Music Man opened at City Center, where it ran for 21 performances. The Music Man is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with the cash. In 1957, the show became a hit on Broadway, winning five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and running for 1,375 performances.

NYU Stern Professor of Statistics Jeffrey Simonoff, Lan Ma Nygren of Rider University and Stern PhD student Nikolay Kulmatitskiy find that winning a major Tony Award increases the length of a production's expected run by about 50 percent. Additionally, each major Tony nomination alone is associated with a roughly 30 percent longer expected show run.

According to Deadline.com, stage and screen star Benjamin Walker is currently in talks to star opposite Henry Cavill in Ed Zwick's THE GREAT WALL film. Alexander Skarsgard is also up for the role. The film, as described by Deadline, is about 'British warriors traveling through 15th Century China and happen upon the hurried construction of the massive wall.'

The Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company's popular 'Tales of the Victorians' returns for its twenty-third year! Take tea at one of Cape May's finest inns or tea shops, indulge in homemade tasty treats, and listen to stories by famous American authors, like O. Henry and Louisa May Alcott, all for only $10.00. Children are always welcome, and, like other East Lynne events, ages 12 and under are free.

THE PLAYERS FOUNDATION FOR THEATER EDUCATION Executive Director John Martello announced the two-week extension of the The Half: Photographs of Actors Preparing for the State, an exhibition of celebrity photographs of actors in their dressing rooms taken by Simon Annand in the 30 minutes before curtain up, known as the half. The exhibition will now run until June 29th, 2012 at THE PLAYERS (16 Gramercy Park South, New York) and is accompanied by Annand's book The Half.

The official opening night for Polly Draper in MY BRILLIANT DIVORCE, took place last Saturday night at Bay Street Theatre. Geraldine Aron, the playwright for this American Premiere attended the after party in the lobby along with other theatre veterans including Blythe Danner, TEd Hartley and Dina Merrill, John McDaniel, Terrence McNally, Joe Pintauro, Mercedes Ruehl, Sloan Shelton, and Harris Yulin. The show runs now through Sunday, June 24. The production is directed by Matt McGrath, one of Bay Street Theatre's Artistic Associates.

Sarah Jaffe has just announced a handful of dates with Norah Jones this month that will be followed by a month long trek with Portland based Sub Pop recording artist Blitzen Trapper. These dates come on the heels of nearly two weeks of West Coast headlining dates for Sarah. The June and July run is her first US tour in support of The Body Wins - her critically acclaimed second full-length studio album - out now on Kirtland Records.

High school vocalists from 11 states will arrive in Indianapolis on June 12 for the Great American Songbook Vocal Academy and Competition. The four-day academy and competition is sponsored by the Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative. The annual endeavor is the only U.S. competition dedicated solely to the music from Broadway, Hollywood musicals and the Tin Pan Alley era of the early to mid-twentieth century.

CeltFest Vancouver Island has taken place in numerous Island communities over the past 11 years. This year marks CeltFest's 12th anniversary and the festival's first time in Greater Victoria. From July 14 to 20, 2012, Celtic performing artists from around the world will present a series of concerts, offer public workshops and participate in ceilidhs (Celtic 'jam sessions'). All performances and activities take place at the Canadian College of Performing Arts, 1701 Elgin Road.

ACT - A Contemporary Theatre's Mainstage switches from the farcical marriage comedy of Lewis Black's One Slight Hitch to the dark and haunting humor of Harold Pinter. The Hansberry Project also brings to the stage Seattle's second Multicultural Playwrights Festival. The Seagull Project presents their first in a series of Russian readings with The Great Soul of Russia, and in The Construction Zone, ACT will feature Steven Dietz and his new play, A Year Without Summer.

MCC Theater (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) announced today that Emmanuelle Chriqui ("Entourage," "The Borgias") and Cheyenne Jackson ("30 Rock," Xanadu) have joined the cast of Playwright-in-Residence Neil LaBute's The Heart of the Matter, which the company will present for four nights only next week. The company will also feature actor Krysten Ritter ("Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23," "Breaking Bad"), with additional cast members to be announced. The special benefit performances will take place June 13, 14, 15 and 16, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC). Directed by Carolyn Cantor (Regrets at Manhattan Theatre Club, MCC's production of LaBute's In a Dark Dark House), proceeds will support MCC Theater's Playwrights' Coalition program, free PlayLab reading series and literary development activities.

Yesterday, June 3, The 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards were held at The Town Hall, celebrating this year's big winners. The festivities were presided over by star of stage and screen Brooke Shields and Broadway favorite - and previous Drama Desk winner - Brian d'Arcy James. BroadwayWorld's own Richard Ridge was there, and we bring you red carpet interviews with the evening's attendees below. Click below to check out Part 2!

The Stratford Shakespeare Festival this year features something for everyone. For history lovers, there's Henry V, The War of 1812 and Wanderlust, a new musical set during the gold rush of the Great North. Lovers of romance will enjoy The Matchmaker, as well as the classic Shakespeare plays Cymbeline and Much Ado About Nothing. Another classic, the Greek tragedy Elektra, comes from the hand of one of Greece's most avant-garde directors. Lovers of literature will want to see Christopher Plummer's A Word or Two. For families, there's You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, MacHomer and The Pirates of Penzance. A season rich in musicals also features the Broadway favourite 42nd Street. The season runs now thru October 28. Hear about the sets of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING from scenic carpenter Mark Smith below!

According to Variety, the 1996 documentary 'When We Were Kings' is being turned into a stage musical. Producers revealed that the show will feature musical from the film's soundtrack, which included songs by B.B. King, the Pointer Sisters, James Brown, and more. Writers for the project have not yet been anounced.

Yesterday, June 3, The 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards were held at The Town Hall, celebrating this year's big winners. The festivities were presided over by star of stage and screen Brooke Shields and Broadway favorite - and previous Drama Desk winner - Brian d'Arcy James. BroadwayWorld's own Richard Ridge was there, and we bring you red carpet interviews with the evening's attendees below. Click below to check out Part 1!

The Town Hall, New York's landmark theatre and concert venue, just announced the 6th annual Summer Broadway Festival created, written, and hosted by Scott Siegel for the Town Hall. Presented on three consecutive Monday nights in July at 8PM are Frank Sinatra Jr. in Sinatra Sings Sinatra on July 16th, Broadway's Rising Stars on July 23rd, and Liz Callaway, in brand new show, with three of Broadway's leading men - Even Stephen on July 30th. Tickets for Sinatra Sings Sinatra and Liz Callaway in Even Stephen with three of Broadway' are $55, and tickets for Broadway's Rising Stars are $40. Tickets are available through TicketMaster, (800) 982-2787 www.ticketmaster.com, or at The Town Hall Box Office (123 West 43d Street) between noon and 6pm (except Sundays) at 212-840-2824.

Producers of the Tony-nominated Broadway revival of Gore Vidal's THE BEST MAN have announced that Obie Award winner MARK BLUM will permanently assume the role of Dick Jensen, the role regularly played by MICHAEL McKEAN. Blum, who originated the same role in the 2000 Broadway revival, appeared off-Broadway this past year in Paul Weitz's Lonely, I'm Not at Second Stage and We Live Here by Zoe Kazan at Manhattan Theatre Club.

On Tuesday, June 5, Mark Fisher Fitness will host UNICORN JAMBOREE to benefit Broadway Bares and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The event, taking place from 9pm-2am at Industry will be hosted by Alexis Michelle, and will feature Joe Cassidy, Carrie Manolakos, Patti Murin, Kyle Post, Rachel Potter, Daniel Reichard and 2/3 Goat. Tickets are a $30 minimum donation to Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights Aids.

Homeless youth working towards brighter futures will get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform with Broadway stars at Covenant House's A Night of Broadway Stars gala on Tuesday, June 12 on the stage of Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center. A Night of Broadway Stars starts at 6:00 pm with a cocktail reception. The show begins at 7:30 pm, followed by a dessert reception with the stars.

Manhattan Theatre Club announces the third and final extension for the world premiere of THE COLUMNIST, the new play by Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner David Auburn, directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan. The acclaimed engagement extends at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street) through Sunday, July 8, with a special holiday performance schedule (please see listings information below for exact performance schedule).