Nicole Rosky - Page 584

Earlier this week BroadwayWorld announced that ITV1 and Andrew Lloyd Webber will launch 'Superstar,' described as 'a brand new show that will give the British public the chance to choose the country's next major rock star.' The show seeks the new lead in an arena tour of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, to kick of at the O2 Arena in London.

The award-winning York Theatre Company (James Morgan- Producing Artistic Director) announced today that West End and Broadway actor Peter Land, recently seen in their Mufti production of Oh, Coward! returns for three Sunday nights in February with his new solo show, Now or Never, an explosion of music and words. Directed by Gillian Lynne, Now or Never will play at The York Theatre at Saint Peter's on 54th St, just east of Lexington Avenue, on February 12, 19, and 26 at 7:30 p.m.

The Public Theater welcome back Mike Daisey's critically acclaimed THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY OF STEVE JOBS on Tuesday, January 31 for an extended run in the Martinson Theater. Created and performed by Mike Daisey and directed by Jean-Michele Gregory, the return engagement of THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY OF STEVE JOBS will run an additional five weeks to March 4. Tickets, priced at $75-$85, are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at (212) 967-7555 or www.publictheater.org.

Philadelphia Theatre Company's 2011-2012 season continues with THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS, running January 20 - February 19 at PTC's home in the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets). For tickets, call 215-985-0420 or visit PhiladelphiaTheatreCompany.org. Check out official production shots from the musical below!

BroadwayWorld.com is excited to share a weekly series developed by the Theatre Communications Group! This week actress Olympia Dukakis shares pivotal moments in her theatre career and why the arts matter to her!

Today in 1942, the first revival of Porgy and Bess opened at the Majestic Theatre, where it ran for 286 performances. First performed in 1935, with music by George Gershwin, libretto by DuBose Heyward, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward, it was based on DuBose Heyward's novel Porgy and subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward. All three works deal with African-American life in the fictitious Catfish Row in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early 1920s. Originally conceived by George Gershwin as an 'American folk opera', Porgy and Bess premiered in New York in the fall of 1935 and featured an entire cast of classically trained African-American singers-a daring artistic choice at the time.

Today in 1957 Waiting for Godot opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, where it ran for 6 performances. An absurdist play by Samuel Beckett, it revolves around two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, who wait endlessly and in vain for someone named Godot to arrive. Godot's absence, as well as numerous other aspects of the play, have led to many different interpretations since the play's premiere. Since its US premiere in 1956, several notable revivals have been produced, including the 1988 production featuring Robin Williams and Steve Martin, and the 2009 revival starring Nathan Lane and Bill Irwin.

Today in 1903, The Wizard of Oz opened at the Majestic Theatre, where it ran for 293 performances. Based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, which was originally published in 1900, much of the original music was by Paul Tietjens and has been mostly forgotten, although it was still well-remembered and in discussion at MGM in the late 1930s, when the classic film version of the story was made. The main plot of the show, as recounted in newspapers of the time, is Pastoria's attempts to regain the throne from the Wizard of Oz. The original protagonists' search for the Wizard puts them on the wrong side of the law. Since then, many new incarnations have been created, including the 1939 film, and the 2011 West End musical.

Happy Birthday Michael Crawford! In 1981, Crawford starred in the Original London production of Cy Coleman's Barnum (1981) as the illustrious American showman P. T. Barnum. He is best known for starring opposite Sarah Brightman in the original cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera as the title character. In 1986, Crawford began his performance in London, continuing on to Broadway in 1988, and then Los Angeles a year later, in 1989. He played the role for 2½ years and over 1,300 performances, winning an Olivier Award (Best Actor in a Musical) and a Tony Award (Best Performance By An Actor in a Lead Role, Musical). Beginning in February 2011, Crawford has played the role of the Wizard in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's musical version of The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium.

According to her Facebook page, Tony Award winner and Broadway favorite Kristin Chenoweth will be singing the National Anthem this Sunday at the Giants/49ers game. Tune in to see her perform at 3:30pm PST on FOX.

Earlier this week BroadwayWorld announced that ITV1 and Andrew Lloyd Webber will launch 'Superstar,' described as 'a brand new show that will give the British public the chance to choose the country's next major rock star.' The show seeks the new lead in an arena tour of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, to kick of at the O2 Arena in London

Following sell-out success at Chichester Festival Theatre, Jonathan Kent's acclaimed production of Sweeney Todd transfers to London's West End for a limited season from 10 March 2012. Widely acknowledged as Stephen Sondheim's musical masterpiece, Sweeney Todd stars distinguished musical performer Michael Ball as the eponymous demon barber of Fleet Street and Oscar-nominated actress Imelda Staunton as the devoted Mrs Lovett. Check out a video preview along with photos from the upcoming transfer below!

The Rockettes Summer Intensive is holding auditions for the 2012 training program at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Saturday and Sunday, January 28 & 29 at 11:00AM.

The Rockettes Summer Intensive is holding auditions for the 2012 training program in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, January 22 at 1:00PM at Encore Theatrical Arts Project.

The Rockettes Summer Intensive is holding auditions for the 2012 training program in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, January 22 at 10:00AM at The Performing Arts Center.

The Rockettes Summer Intensive is holding auditions for the 2012 training program in Detroit, MI on Sunday, January 22 at 1:00PM at Juliana's Academy of Dance.

Casting has been completed for New York City Center's upcoming Encores! production of Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, the first New York City Center Encores! production of the season. Merrily We Roll Along, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, will be directed by James Lapine with music direction by Rob Berman and musical staging by Dan Knechtges. Merrily has been extended for a two-week run and will play for 15 performances, February 8-19, 2012, at New York City Center, 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues.

Embarking on its seventh year, Dance from the Heart returns to New York City's Cedar Lake Theater on January 23 and 24 featuring performances by some of the most diverse dancers and choreographers working today.

Seth Rudetsky's DISASTER, A 1970's disaster movie …musical; written by Seth Rudetsky and Jack Plotnik, directed/choreographed by Denis Jones with music direction by Steve Marzullo will play The Triad (158 West 72nd Street) from January 22 - February 26, 2012. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased by visiting www.disastermusical.com.

The Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS officially opened on Thursday, January 12th, 2012 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 West 46th Street). The cast led by four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald (Ragtime, 'Private Practice') as Bess, Drama Desk nominee Norm Lewis (Les Misérables, Sondheim on Sondheim) as Porgy and two-time Tony nominee David Alan Grier (Race, 'In Living Color') as Sporting Life. The cast also includes Phillip Boykin as Crown, Nikki Renée Daniels as Clara, Joshua Henry as Jake, Christopher Innvar as Detective, Bryonha Marie Parham as Serena and NaTasha Yvette Williams as Mariah, as well as Sumayya Ali, Allison Blackwell, Roosevelt André Credit, Trevon Davis, Joseph Dellger, Wilkie Ferguson, Carmen Ruby Floyd, Gavin Gregory, Heather Hill, David Hughey, Andrea Jones-Sojola, Alicia Hall Moran, Cedric Neal, Phumzile Sojola, Nathaniel Stampley, Julius Thomas III, J.D. Webster and Lisa Nicole Wilkerson. Check out the just-released promo for the show below!