Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Sunday, January 11, 2009.

On Monday, January 12th, the entire cast of SHREK THE MUSICAL will be congregating at Legacy Studios in New York City to record the cast album of the stage production. SHREK THE MUSICAL features music written by Olivier Award-winner Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie & Caroline, or Change), a book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole), and the production is directed by Tony nominee Jason Moore (Avenue Q). Jeanine Tesori also will be at the helm of the cast album as producer along with SHREK THE MUSICAL's sound designer Peter Hylenski as the album's co-producer.

Susan Hilferty, costume designer for the Broadway musicals Spring Awakening and Wicked, among many other theatrical productions, will discuss her career at the Bruno Walter Auditorium in The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, on Monday, January 12, at 6 p.m. Hilferty's appearance, presented in conjunction with the League of Professional Theatre Women, is free to the public on a first come, first served basis, and kicks off a series of programs and panel discussions held in connection with the exhibition, Curtain Call: Celebrating a Century of Women Designing for Live Performance, currently on view until May 2, 2009.

The YORK THEATRE COMPANY (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) announced that its acclaimed production of ENTER LAUGHING: THE MUSICAL will return for a limited seven-week engagement to accommodate the demand. Performances will begin January 21st, and continue until March 8th; all performances will be at the company?s home at The Theatre at Saint Peter's (54th Street just East of Lexington). Casting news has now revealed that and Bob Dishy (Sly Fox) and Marla Schaffel (Jane Eyre) will join the production replacing George S. Irving and Janine LaManna.

The American Theatre Wing's 'Working in the Theatre' will feature 'Making Ogre Broadway' on CUNY TV on Sunday, January 11 at 5 p.m. The segment will repeat on Friday, January 16 at 9 a.m., 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, January 17 at 11 a.m. The program becomes available as streaming audio and podcast from Americantheatrewing.org beginning Wednesday, January 14.

The New York Times hailed AVENUE Q as 'a breakthrough musical of a very different stripe. Savvy, sassy and delicious!' and Entertainment Weekly claimed it was 'one of the funniest shows you're ever likely to see!' This critic found the show to be filled with wit and intelligence as well as being very naughty and full of excellent show tunes. In short, a total delight.

The Fourth Annual Goodspeed Festival of New Artists, the highlight of Goodspeed Musicals' Max Showalter Center for Education in the Musical Theater New Artist Program, kicks off its much anticipated three day festival of brand new works on Friday, January 16, at the Goodspeed Opera House with a staged reading of Life on the Mississippi. On Saturday, January 17, Goodspeed Musical's first ever commissioned musical, the hilarious Band Geeks!, will debut. On the final day of the festival, Factory Girls will be presented. Several special events will round out this exciting weekend.

March will be yet another great month on Broadway for theatre-loving kids as KIDS' NIGHT ON BROADWAY (KidsNightonBroadway.com) continues its year-round program where kids ages 6-18 can see a participating Broadway show for free when accompanied by a full-paying adult on the first Tuesday and Wednesday of every month. Tickets for March 3rd and 4th go on sale at noon today, and each event thereafter will go on sale two months prior to the event dates. Tickets for February's program are still available.

On Monday, January 12th, the entire cast of SHREK THE MUSICAL will be congregating at Legacy Studios in New York City to record the cast album of the stage production. SHREK THE MUSICAL features music written by Olivier Award-winner Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie & Caroline, or Change), a book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole), and the production is directed by Tony nominee Jason Moore (Avenue Q). Jeanine Tesori also will be at the helm of the cast album as producer along with SHREK THE MUSICAL's sound designer Peter Hylenski as the album's co-producer.

The American Theatre Wing's 'Working in the Theatre' will feature 'Making Ogre Broadway' on CUNY TV on Sunday, January 11 at 5 p.m. The segment will repeat on Friday, January 16 at 9 a.m., 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, January 17 at 11 a.m. The program becomes available as streaming audio and podcast from Americantheatrewing.org beginning Wednesday, January 14.

BYE GEORGE! AN END OF AN ERROR is hosted by Lea Delaria, with very special guests: Michael Urie (Ugly Betty), Comedienne Jessica Kirson (The Tonight Show), Justin Bond (Kiki & Herb) Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Avenue Q), cast members of the upcoming Broadway hit Hair, and much much more! ONE NIGHT ONLY, Monday January 19 at 7:00 At JOE'S PUB (425 Lafayette Street)

Susan Hilferty, costume designer for the Broadway musicals Spring Awakening and Wicked, among many other theatrical productions, will discuss her career at the Bruno Walter Auditorium in The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, on Monday, January 12, at 6 p.m. Hilferty's appearance, presented in conjunction with the League of Professional Theatre Women, is free to the public on a first come, first served basis, and kicks off a series of programs and panel discussions held in connection with the exhibition, Curtain Call: Celebrating a Century of Women Designing for Live Performance, currently on view until May 2, 2009.

Andrew Schmertz reports on how Broadway is impacted by the bleak economic times on the premiere episode of It's the Economy, NY: What's Happening and What it Means to You, a new seven-part series from WNET.ORG hosted by New York Times business columnist and editor Andrew Ross Sorkin. The series premieres Thursday, January 8 at 8 p.m. on THIRTEEN and at 11:30 p.m. on WLIW21.

The Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) will present the New York premiere of The Civilians' newest work This Beautiful City, in a co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, with previews set to begin February 3 prior to its official press opening February 22. Steven Cosson directs.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Monday, January 5, 2009.

The New Group proudly presents Eugene O'Neill's epic drama Mourning Becomes Electra as the second production in its 2008-2009 season. Directed by Scott Elliott, this production will play a limited Off-Broadway run January 27 - April 18, with Official Opening Night on Thursday, February 19 at 6:00 PM. Headlining a standout cast are Lili Taylor as Christine Mannon, Jena Malone as Lavinia Mannon, Joseph Cross as Orin Mannon, Anson Mount as Brant, Mark Blum as Ezra Mannon, Robert Hogan as Seth. This production will play at The New Group @ Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street) Monday - Saturday @ 7:00 PM and Saturday at 12:00 PM (noon) and features original music by multi-Grammy? Award-winning jazz musician Pat Metheny.

Morgan Sills Sings the Johnny Mercer Songbook, the first New York show celebrating the centennial of the noted lyricist, will be presented at The Metropolitan Room (34 West 22nd Street between 5th & 6th Avenues). Beginning Tuesday, January 6th at 7PM (and playing each Tuesday at 7PM through the month of January)

The new musical stage reinvention of the classic film is playing a limited engagement on Broadway through January 4th, 2009 only - guaranteeing New York a white Christmas! Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS began previews on November 14th and officially opened on November 23rd.

AVENUE Q takes places in a fantasy world with real people, puppet people, puppet monsters and other special surprises. However, don't let the puppets make you think this is a show for the kids. While AVENUE Q may not be raunchy, it is certainly very naughty.

Don't have plans for New Years Eve? AVENUE Q at the Broward Center invites you to spend the evening with them. Afterwards enjoy the free festivities in downtown Ft. Lauderdale to ring in 2009.

The YORK THEATRE COMPANY (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) and Melanie Herman, who produced The Musical Of Musicals (The Musical!), announce the final performances of the Off-Broadway Premiere of My Vaudeville Man!, a new musical based on the life of legendary eccentric tap star Jack Donahue. My Vaudeville Man! had its world premiere at last year's NY Musical Theatre Festival under the title Mud Donahue and Son.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Monday, December 29, 2008.

SHREK THE MUSICAL had their best week ever, grossing $1,260,282 for the 8-performance week ending December 28 and set a single performance house record grossing $202,020 for the Saturday, December 27 matinee. SHREK THE MUSICAL opened at The Broadway Theatre on Sunday, December 14, 2008.

Jeff Marx, the Tony and Grammy winning co-creator of Avenue Q recently debuted a new Kwanzaa song titled, 'White Kwanzaa' on CNN's D.L. Hughley Breaks The News. Jeff and his team sent us at BWW TV the video so we could share it with you too!

Twenty Seats in the front orchestra will be made available for $25.00 for every performance of AVENUE Q, the Tony? Award-winning musical, at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts Dec. 30, 2008 - Jan. 11, 2009.