ENCORES!

Tom Wopat and Will Chase have joined the previously announced Laura Osnes in the New York City Center Encores! production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Pipe Dream, running March 28 - April 1. Pipe Dream will be directed by Marc Bruni with music direction by Rob Berman and choreography by Kelli Barclay, and will play for seven performances at New York City Center, West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues.

Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, the first New York City Center Encores! production of the season, opens tonight, February 8 at New York City Center, and features Colin Donnell, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Elizabeth Stanley, Betsy Wolfe and Adam Grupper. Merrily We Roll Along, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, is 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. Check out performance highlights from the production below!

Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, the first New York City Center Encores! production of the season , will open on Wednesday, February 8 at New York City Center, and will feature Colin Donnell, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Elizabeth Stanley, Betsy Wolfe and Adam Grupper. 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, 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues.

Colin Donnell, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Betsy Wolfe play four friends at different points in their lives in 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, tonight through February 19, 2012, at New York City Center 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues.

Tony-winner Lin-Manuel Miranda talks about Merrily We Roll Along, Stephen Sondheim and opening doors.

Megan Hilty has been cast as Lorelei Lee, the diamond-loving blonde made famous by Carol Channing, in the Encores! production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, opening May 9 at New York City Center. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes will be directed by John Rando with music direction by Rob Berman and choreography by Randy Skinner and will play for seven performances, May 9 - 13, at New York City Center, 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues.

Colin Donnell, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Betsy Wolfe (in photos) play four friends at different points in their lives, in 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. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the meet and greet this morning and got a sneak peek of Miranda, Keenan-Bolger and Donnell in rehearsal!

Colin Donnell, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Betsy Wolfe (in photos) play four friends at different points in their lives, in 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.

Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, the first New York City Center Encores! production of the season, is now in rehearsals in anticipation of a February 8 - February 19 run. Merrily We Roll Along, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, is being directed by James Lapine with music direction by Rob Berman and musical staging by Dan Knechtges. Having fun in wardrobe, Lin-Manuel Miranda just tweeted this shot of him with co-stars Colin Donnell and Celia Keenan-Bolger!

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.

Laura Osnes has been cast as Suzy in the New York City Center Encores! production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Pipe Dream running March 28 - April 1. Pipe Dream will be directed by Marc Bruni with music direction by Rob Berman and choreography by Kelli Barclay, and will play for seven performances at New York City Center, West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. The Encores! presentation marks the first time the musical will be seen on the New York stage since the original production closed in June 1956.

Carla Cook, Brandon Victor Dixon, Jared Grimes and Adriane Lenox star in Duke Ellington's Cotton Club Parade, which opened November 18 at New York City Center and Broadway Beat got an exclusive look at the show on stage!

Carla Cook, Brandon Victor Dixon, Jared Grimes and Adriane Lenox star in Duke Ellington's Cotton Club Parade, opening November 18 at New York City Center and Broadway Beat got a sneak peek!

Announced earlier this week was news that Lin-Manuel Miranda will star as 'Charlie' in the upcoming Encores! production of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. 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. Check out the just-released promo for the show below!

Celia Keenan-Bolger, Colin Donnell, Betsy Wolfe and Elizabeth Stanley have been cast in Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, the first New York City Center Encores! production of 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.

Jack Viertel, Artistic Director of New York City Center's Encores! series, today announced the final two directors for the 2012 Encores! season. As previously announced, James Lapine will direct the first Encores! show of the season, Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, opening on February 8, 2012. Marc Bruni will direct Rodgers and Hammerstein's rarely seen Pipe Dream, opening on March 28¸ and John Rando will direct Jule Styne and Leo Robin's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes opening on May 9. Music Director Rob Berman will conduct all three musicals. This year, the number of performances has been expanded: Pipe Dream and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes will play for seven performances each, and Merrily We Roll Along, extended for a two-week run, will play for 15 performances.

New York City Center's 19th Encores! season will open in City Center's newly restored and renovated theater on February 8, 2012 with Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, and will continue with Rodgers and Hammerstein's rarely seen Pipe Dream on March 28¸ followed by Jule Styne and Leo Robin's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes on May 9. For the first time, each musical will play for seven performances.

New York City Center honored Walter Bobbie, Kathleen Marshall and Jack Viertel in a benefit celebration hosted by Christopher Fitzgerald on Monday, April 4 at The Plaza Hotel. Highlights from City Center's acclaimed Encores! series were recreated by a star-studded cast that included Jason Danieley, Christopher Fitzgerald, Rebecca Luker, Marin Mazzie, James Naughton, Bebe Neuwirth and Emily Skinner, accompanied by members of the Encores! Orchestra under the musical direction of Rob Berman. The evening benefited New York City Center's artistic and education programs.

Sebastian Arcelus, Rebecca Luker, Rob McClure, Howard McGillin, Jill Paice and Lauren Worsham led Frank Loesser's Where's Charley?, the final New York City Center Encores! production of the 2010-11. Where's Charley?, based on BranDon Thomas' Charley's Aunt, has a book by George Abbott and music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. The show, which ran March 17 - 20, was directed by John Doyle and choreographed by Alex Sanchez with music direction by Rob Berman.

Sebastian Arcelus, Rebecca Luker, Rob McClure, Howard McGillin, Jill Paice and Lauren Worsham star in Frank Loesser's Where's Charley?, the final New York City Center Encores! production of the 2010-11. Where's Charley?, based on BranDon Thomas' Charley's Aunt, has a book by George Abbott and music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. The show, running March 17 - 20, will be directed by John Doyle and choreographed by Alex Sanchez with music direction by Rob Berman. Broadway Beat got an exclusive sneak peek at the production and here is a video preview!

Sebastian Arcelus, Rebecca Luker, Rob McClure, Howard McGillin, Jill Paice and Lauren Worsham will starin Frank Loesser's Where's Charley?, the final New York City Center Encores! production of the 2010-11. Where's Charley?, based on Brandon Thomas' Charley's Aunt, has a book by George Abbott and music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. The show, running March 17 - 20, will be directed by John Doyle and choreographed by Alex Sanchez with music direction by Rob Berman. The cast and creative team met the press and Broadway Beat was there to capture them in rehearsal along with special interviews!

Sebastian Arcelus, Rebecca Luker, Rob McClure, Howard McGillin, Jill Paice and Lauren Worsham have been cast in Frank Loesser's Where's Charley?, the final New York City Center Encores! production of the 2010-11. Where's Charley?, based on Brandon Thomas' Charley's Aunt, has a book by George Abbott and music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. The show, running March 17 - 20, will be directed by John Doyle and choreographed by Alex Sanchez with music direction by Rob Berman.

Chuck Cooper, Sherry Boone and Daniel Breaker talk about 'Lost in the Stars' at Encores!

Lost in the Stars, the second Encores! production of the New York City Center season, running February 3 - 6 at City Center, will feature Chuck Cooper, Daniel Breaker, Patina Miller, Sharon Washington, Daniel Gerroll, John Douglas Thompson and Sherry Boone. Lost in the Stars has music by Kurt Weill and book and lyrics by Maxwell Anderson. It will be directed by Gary Griffin and choreographed by Chase Brock, with music direction by Rob Berman. Broadway Beat got an exclusive sneak peek!

Rebecca Luker and Howard McGillin will star in Frank Loesser's Where's Charley, the final New York City Center Encores! production of the 2010-11 season, running March 17 - 20. Where's Charley?, based on Brandon Thomas' Charley's Aunt, has a book by George Abbott and music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. It will be directed by John Doyle and choreographed by Alex Sanchez with musical direction by Rob Berman. Where's Charley?, Frank Loesser's first Broadway score, immediately demonstrated the master's easy command of wit and romance, sophistication and high jinks. George Abbott's adaptation of Brandon Thomas' classic college farce Charley's Aunt delivered 'Once in Love With Amy,' 'My Darling, My Darling' and 'The New Ashmolean Marching Song' to the hit parade, and launched Loesser into the songwriting stratosphere. The musical opened at the St. James Theater on October 11, 1948, and played 792 performances. It was directed by George Abbott, choreographed by George Balanchine and starred Ray Bolger, who won a Tony Award for his performance. Where's Charley? will run March 17-20, 2011.