Vivienne Segal

Theater Stories: CURIOUS INCIDENT, THE BAND'S VISIT, THE INHERITANCE and More About the Ethel Barrymore Theatre

Today's Theater Stories features the Ethel Barrymore Theatre! Learn about Ethel Barrymore herself, shows to have graced the theatre's stage, including An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin, Chaplin, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Band's Visit, The Inheritance, and many more!

Theater Stories: A CHORUS LINE, The HELLO, DOLLY! Revival, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD & More About The Shubert Theatre

This week's Theater Stories features the Shubert Theatre! Learn about one of the longest running Broadway shows of all time, A Chorus Line, the incredibly successful production of To Kill a Mockingbird, the star-studded revival of Hello, Dolly! and more.

BWW Review: Encores! I MARRIED AN ANGEL Is A Heavenly Sip of Vintage Rodgers and Hart

One of the quirky charms of the musicals that packed Broadway houses during early decades of the 20th Century, was the practice of allowing a stray remark that has nothing to do with anything that's going on to serve as the cue for a novelty song that has nothing to do with anything that's going on.

Musical Theatre West to Present PAL JOEY This Sunday

Musical Theatre West's (MTW) Reiner Staged Reading Series (RRS) returns this season with an outstanding lineup of classic and forgotten Broadway gems, beginning with Pal Joey on Sunday, January 24, 7pm at the University Theatre at California State University, Long Beach (off 7th Street between East and West Campus Drive, Parking Lot 7).

Musical Theatre West Sets 2016 Reiner Staged Reading Series

Musical Theatre West's (MTW) Reiner Staged Reading Series returns in 2016 with four one-night only performances of classic and forgotten Broadway gems, including Pal Joey (January 24, 2016); On the Twentieth Century (May 16, 2016); Donnybrook! (June 12, 2016); and Li'l Abner (August 28, 2016).  All performances take place at the University Theatre at California State University, Long Beach (off 7th Street between East and West Campus Drive, Parking Lot 7). 

CABARET LIFE NYC: Anatomy of a Duo Show--Classy, Entertaining, Yet Flawed KT Sullivan/Jeff Harnar Sondheim Set at the Beechman Is All About Choices

The current Stephen Sondheim tribute show, Our Time, starring KT Sullivan and Jeff Harnar at the Laurie Beechman (which I attended on July 9 and 16; there are two more Wednesday performances at 6pm on August 6, 13), is a charming, classy, and entertaining affair. But it also includes enough flaws in execution that prevent it from being truly great. For one thing, it doesn't really feel like a duo show. It's more like two solo performances within one show, where the performers fit in a couple of numbers together to justify the concept. A critique of the Sullivan/Harnar Sondheim set provides an interesting opportunity to analyze the anatomy of a duo show and the choices that can make it work—or not.

Porchlight Music Theatre to Present Original 1940 Broadway Version of PAL JOEY, 4/20-5/26

Porchlight Music Theatre presents Pal Joey, book by John O'Hara, music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, April 20 - May 26, at Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont Ave. Directed by Porchlight Music Theatre's Artistic Director, Michael Weber with music direction by Porchlight Artistic Associate Doug Peck (reuniting with Weber for the first time since their collaboration on Porchlight's triumphant production of Assassins) and choreography by Porchlight Artistic Associate Brenda Didier, Pal Joey stars Adrian Aguliar, 'Joey Evans,' Susie McMonagle, 'Vera Simpson,' Laura Savage, 'Linda English,' Matt Orlando, 'Ludlow Lowell' and Sharriese Hamilton, 'Gladys Bumps.'

BWW Reviews: Bewitching But Bothersome FALLING FOR MAKE BELIEVE at Colony Theatre

Currently in its world premiere run at Burbank's Colony Theatre through May 19th, Falling for Make Believe is a 95-minute bio-musical-dramedy chock full Broadway nostalgia, debilitating alcoholism, covert homosexual dalliances and musical fantasy sequences that is often-times bewitching, occasionally bothersome, and at points just downright bewildering.

Porchlight Music Theatre Presents Original 1940 Broadway Version of PAL JOEY, Now thru 5/26

Porchlight Music Theatre presents Pal Joey, book by John O'Hara, music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, tonight, April 20 - May 26, at Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont Ave. Directed by Porchlight Music Theatre's Artistic Director, Michael Weber with music direction by Porchlight Artistic Associate Doug Peck (reuniting with Weber for the first time since their collaboration on Porchlight's triumphant production of Assassins) and choreography by Porchlight Artistic Associate Brenda Didier, Pal Joey stars Adrian Aguliar, 'Joey Evans,' Susie McMonagle, 'Vera Simpson,' Laura Savage, 'Linda English,' Matt Orlando, 'Ludlow Lowell' and Sharriese Hamilton, 'Gladys Bumps.'

Porchlight Music Theatre to Present Original 1940 Broadway Version of PAL JOEY, 4/20-5/26

Porchlight Music Theatre presents Pal Joey, book by John O'Hara, music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, April 20 - May 26, at Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont Ave. Directed by Porchlight Music Theatre's Artistic Director, Michael Weber with music direction by Porchlight Artistic Associate Doug Peck (reuniting with Weber for the first time since their collaboration on Porchlight's triumphant production of Assassins) and choreography by Porchlight Artistic Associate Brenda Didier, Pal Joey stars Adrian Aguliar, 'Joey Evans,' Susie McMonagle, 'Vera Simpson,' Laura Savage, 'Linda English,' Matt Orlando, 'Ludlow Lowell' and Sharriese Hamilton, 'Gladys Bumps.'

Photo Flash: Meet the Cast of Porchlight Music Theatre's PAL JOEY

Porchlight Music Theatre presents Pal Joey, book by John O'Hara, music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, April 20 - May 26, at Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont Ave. Directed by Porchlight Music Theatre's Artistic Director, Michael Weber with music direction by Porchlight Artistic Associate Doug Peck (reuniting with Weber for the first time since their collaboration on Porchlight's triumphant production of Assassins) and choreography by Porchlight Artistic Associate Brenda Didier, Pal Joey stars Adrian Aguilar, 'Joey Evans,' Susie McMonagle, 'Vera Simpson,' Laura Savage, 'Linda English,' Matt Orlando, 'Ludlow Lowell' and Sharriese Hamilton, 'Gladys Bumps.' Meet the cast in the photos below!

BWW Reviews: Christine Andreas Is Totally Bewitching In Musing On Creative Musical Connections in BEMUSED at 54 Below

Even her biggest fans among the opening night crowd were likely befuddled, slightly bothered, and even a tad bewildered when they heard that Christine Andreas' first cabaret show at 54 Below was called "Bemused," and not exactly sure what that meant. But they would ultimately end up being thoroughly bewitched by a wonderfully engaging show by this totally entertaining pro. While most current or former Broadway stars who are staging shows at 54 Below are performing what amounts to mini-concerts, the lady who first became a Broadway audience favorite as Eliza Doolittle in the 20th anniversary production of My Fair Lady (and is two-time Tony Award nominee) knows her way around cabaret and developed a charmingly creative conceit for this run (continuing on Jan. 29, Feb. 1, 2 at 8:30 pm and Jan. 30, 31 at 7 pm), which included songs from Broadway, pop, the Great American Songbook, and even Edith Piaf.

Review - Pal Joey: I Could Rewrite A Book

In case this is your first time reading one of my reviews of a Broadway revival of a classic musical, allow me introduce you to my personal prejudice. I completely abhor the now very common practice of revising the book and messing with the score of any musical theatre piece after the authors are deceased. If a composer, bookwriter or lyricist is around to approve of changes, that's swell, but all too often their estates will allow anything from the sparse, but significant, tweaks to South Pacific to the wholesale revisions of The Pajama Game and The Music Man. Even more deplorable is the practice of letting these changes go uncredited, as was done in the three examples just cited, giving audiences no clue that what they are watching is not wholly the musical the original authors wrote.

PAL JOEY Gets Two Week Extension At Roundabout Through 3/1

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director), is pleased to announce a two-week extension of PAL JOEY starring Stockard Channing (Vera Simpson), Matthew Risch (Joey Evans) and Martha Plimpton (Gladys Bumps), now through March 1st, 2009.

Today's Broadway Blogs - Friday, December 19, 2008

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Friday, December 19, 2008.

Photo Coverage: PAL JOEY Gypsy Robe Ceremony

Ritchie Mastascusa was the Gypsy Robe recipient for Irving Berlin's White Christmas at the Marquis Theatre. He passed on the robe to Pal Joey's Eric Sciotto in a fun and emotion filled ceremony. The colorful Gypsy Robe, embellished with mementos from Broadway musicals, is presented to the cast member who has the most Broadway chorus credits.

Photo Coverage: PAL JOEY Celebration Cast Party

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director), in association with Marc Platt, presents Stockard Channing (Vera Simpson), Matthew Risch (Joey Evans) and Martha Plimpton (Gladys Bumps) in a new Broadway production of Pal Joey with Robert Clohessy (Mike), Jenny Fellner (Linda English), Daniel Marcus (Ludlow Lowell), Steven Skybell (Ernest), Timothy J. Alex, Brian Barry, Kurt Froman, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, Lisa Gajda, Anthony Holds, Nadine Isenegger, Mark Morettini, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Abbey O'Brien, Hayley Podschun, Krista Saab and Eric Sciotto. The Roundabout celebrated the production with a festive cast party. We sent in our BroadwayWorld.com photographer to capture the exciting night!

Photo Coverage: PAL JOEY Celebration Arrivals

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director), in association with Marc Platt, presents Stockard Channing (Vera Simpson), Matthew Risch (Joey Evans) and Martha Plimpton (Gladys Bumps) in a new Broadway production of Pal Joey with Robert Clohessy (Mike), Jenny Fellner (Linda English), Daniel Marcus (Ludlow Lowell), Steven Skybell (Ernest), Timothy J. Alex, Brian Barry, Kurt Froman, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, Lisa Gajda, Anthony Holds, Nadine Isenegger, Mark Morettini, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Abbey O'Brien, Hayley Podschun, Krista Saab and Eric Sciotto. The Roundabout celebrated the production with a festive performance and cast party. We sent in our BroadwayWorld.com photographer to greet the starry crowd that came to cheer the company on!

Photo Coverage: PAL JOEY Opening Celebration Curtain Call

PAL JOEY features a new book by Tony Award winner Richard Greenberg, based on the original book by John O'Hara, with music direction by Tony Award winner Paul Gemignani, choreography by Graciela Daniele and directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello at Studio 54 on Broadway. The Roundabout celebrated the production with a festive cast party. We sent in our BroadwayWorld.com photographer to capture the exciting night!

Photo Flash: PAL JOEY at Studio 54

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director), in association with Marc Platt, presents Stockard Channing (Vera Simpson), Matthew Risch (Joey Evans) and Martha Plimpton (Gladys Bumps) in a new Broadway production of Pal Joey with Robert Clohessy (Mike), Jenny Fellner (Linda English), Daniel Marcus (Ludlow Lowell), Steven Skybell (Ernest), Timothy J. Alex, Brian Barry, Kurt Froman, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, Lisa Gajda, Anthony Holds, Nadine Isenegger, Mark Morettini, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Abbey O'Brien, Hayley Podschun, Krista Saab and Eric Sciotto.