UK theatre website WhatsOnStage.com reports that a number of West End musical stars recorded a special edition of the BBC's Weakest Link quiz show, due for broadcast on New Year's Eve.

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 residents of AVENUE Q are ringing in the 2009 New Year at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Ft. Lauderdale. In honor of the celebration, 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. 2?hours prior to each show, people who arrive at the Broward Center Box Office will have their names placed in a lottery drum. Thirty minutes later, names will be drawn for 20 orchestra seats at $25 each, cash only. This lottery is available only in?]person at the box office, with a limit of two tickets per person.

IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS stars, Tony Award? nominee Stephen Bogardus (Love! Valour! Compassion!) and Broadway favorite Kerry O'Malley (Into the Woods), visited WNYC Radio's 'The Leonard Lopate Show' yesterday for a live sit down interview with the award winning host.

The YORK THEATRE COMPANY (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) and Melanie Herman, who produced The Musical Of Musicals (The Musical!), are proud to announce that the Off-Broadway Premiere of My Vaudeville Man!, a new musical based on The Life of legendary eccentric tap star Jack Donahue, will be recorded on January 2nd for release this Spring.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Monday, December 22, 2008.

BroadwayWorld.com is proud to announce its newest addition to the BroadwayWorld.TV family - StageTube! Presenting the best in viral, viewer-created videos, StageTube will connect BroadwayWorld.com visitors with the best of user driven video content. In the spirit of the holiday season, we are excited to share with you Broadway song and dance man Jeffry Denman's Holiday Rap music video 'WITHOUT WHITE CHRISTMAS'! His WHITE CHRISTMAS videos have become an annual event and this one tops them all, where else can you find Batman, the Joker, Broadway best dancers and Patti LuPone?

'Avenue Q' is looking for some inspired help regarding President George W. Bush leaving the White House. You see he is not only leaving office, he's also exiting Broadway. 'For Now,' the closing number in the Tony Award-winning musical 'Avenue Q,' sings out that everything in life is temporary - even George W. Bush is 'only for now.' But change is coming to those lyrics. A contest that starts today Monday, December 22nd at noon will allow participants to submit suggestions for a new person, place, fad or anything else to substitute for the soon-to-be-outdated reference.

MTI has secured the performance rights to Spring Awakening, 13, Avenue Q, Dracula (Wildhorn Version), The Drowsy Chaperone, Hairspray, Legally Blonde, Spring Awakening, and many more Broadway hit productions.

The Laurie Beechman Theatre, located within The West Bank Caf? (407 West 42nd St.), is pleased to continue our Friday night soiree, THE AFTER PARTY. Now going strong it's third, THE AFTER PARTY is billed as 'a weekly schmoozefest for the theatrically inclined.' Every Friday from 10:30 pm until the wee hours, pros from Broadway and aspiring stars alike belt it out on the stage of The Laurie Beechman Theatre. Join hosts BRANDON CUTRELL (MAC & Bistro Award winner) and ALYSHA UMPHRESS (XL Star) with RAY FELLMAN (Captain Louie) at the piano for this weekly party in the theatre district. There is no cover charge for this event. Come and sing yourself as the mic is always open, or sit back and enjoy a cocktail with friends. Located just blocks from the Great White Way, you never know who might drop in.

Shrek, the Musical's official web site continues to lead the way in online innovations, now offering the ability to make your own widget.

The award-winning York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) continues its ongoing Developmental Reading Series by presenting The Happy Hypocrite as the final reading in the 2008 series. The Happy Hypocrite will be presented Tuesday, December 16, 2008 at 3:00 PM. As always, these readings are open to the general public and admission is free, but reservations are suggested.

After successful engagements in the Philippines, Mainland China, Hong Kong and Thailand, the international tour of RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA, starring Lea Salonga will wrap up the first leg of its accomplished international tour on Thursday, January 22, 2009 in Singapore.

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.

DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions, Ltd. brought SHREK THE MUSICAL to the Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway @ 53rd St) on Sunday, December 14, 2008. Preview performances began on Saturday, November 8, 2008. The cast album from Universal/Decca Broadway will be released March 3rd, 2009.

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)

'Live with Regis & Kelly' host Kelly Ripa made her holiday dreams true with a visit to the hit Broadway musical IRVING BERLIN?S WHITE CHRISTMAS to play dress up with Meredith Patterson in costume designer Carrie Robbins' 1950's inspired dresses.

Eric Sciotto was the Gypsy Robe recipient for Pal Joey at Studio 54. He passed on the robe to Shrek's talented dynamo Jennifer Cody 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.

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 award‐winning new musical Empire, by Caroline Sherman and Robert Hull, is headed to the Great White Way for the 2009‐2010 season.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Monday, December 15, 2008.

One of the most eagerly awaited musicals of the season - Shrek The Musical - opened up on Sunday, December 14th and BroadwayWorld and Broadway Beat were at Opening Night to capture all the excitement!

Producer Howard Panter for Ambassador Theatre Group and co-producers Tulchin/Bartner/Jenkins, Bill Kenwright, Northwater Entertainment, Darren Bagert, and Tom Gregory announced the complete cast and design team for the new Broadway production of the greatest musical comedy GUYS AND DOLLS. The first joint Broadway project by two-time Tony Award winning director Des McAnuff and choreographer Sergio Trujillo since their collaboration on the Tony Award winning musical Jersey Boys, GUYS AND DOLLS will begin previews on February 3, 2009 at Broadway's newly refurbished Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street). Opening Night is March 1, 2009.

The Broadway company of IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS performed live in the middle of Times Square this morning on ABC's 'Good Morning America.'

According to Variety.com, Sundance Institue Theater is hosting a three-day conference on new play development. Some of the country's biggest institutions devoted to developing new works are taking part.