Hairspray Goes to London!
It has been announced that Hairspray will open in London on October 30, 2007, and is slated to play at the Shaftesbury Theater in the West End. The show will have previews starting October 11, gearing up for the October 30th opening. Casting has not yet been announced but it is official that the transfer from Broadway to the West End will, indeed, take place as had been surmised previously.
Telling the tale of the plus-sized girl Tracy Turnblad who just wants to dance as the 1960’s take hold of America, ushering out the conservativism and fear of the 1950’s, this musical is a fun time for all ages and you would do well to get tickets for yourself and your family at stubhub.com today!
Pete Townsend At It Again!
It has been reported that there is buzz in Broadway and the West End regarding a new rock musical by The Who’s Pete Townsend, called “The Boy Who Heard Music.” The musical will have its premiere at the Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York as part of the New York Stage and Film Festival.
Townsend’s musical “Tommy” which was a film rock musical before being turned into a Broadway musical hit, ushered in a new crew of Broadway rock operas, and this current piece is based upon his own novella, which had appeared solely on the internet. This story is autobiographical and reportedly draws upon Townsend’s relationships with his other The Who members. If you want a chance to see this innovative and brand-new musical, make sure you visit stubhub.com for tickets today!
Broadway Beat
The 2007 Lortel and Drama League Awards are being Broadcast on Broadway Beat, the popular weekly television program that is for and about the theater world and that is shown online. The award-winning half-hour television program packs more about theater, performers, musical and then some into 30 minutes than most shows can do in two hours. That is why it is such an incredible resource to have at your fingertips when deciding which of the newest and best plays, musicals and performance events you are going to want to see on the Great White Way!
Having been on the air for 16 years, Broadway Beat has seen its share of rehearsals, opening night parties, and the like, and it has garnered itself a regular and faithful following. So if you want in-depth interviews with Tony Award winning stars and directors, behind-the-scenes looks at rehearsals and more, you are going to want to check out this production. Then, when you’ve put your finger on what shows you most want to see on Broadway, make sure you visit stubhub.com to get those tickets!
52nd Annual Village Voice Obie Awards
The 52nd Annual Village Voice Obie Awards were presented on May 21 and hosted by Cynthia Nixon and T.R. Knight. Presented at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of New York University, this awards ceremony is given by the newspaper, The Village Voice and applauds excellence in off-Broadway theater.
Presenters of the evening included Angela Lansbury, William Ivey Long, Terrence McNally, Live Schreiber and Anika Noni Rose among others. Alvin Epstein won the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Young Jean Lee won the Emerging Playwright Award. The Ross Wetzsteon Award went to the Rattlestick Theater. To get tickets to all these award-winning shows, make sure you visit stubhub.com today!
“In The Heights” To Broadway
It has been announced that the musical “In the Heights” is to transfer to Broadway. Producers Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller and Jill Furman are more than excited about this move, stating that the musical will do its last performance at its current location on Sunday, July 15, 2007.
This musical has music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda as well as a book by Quiara Alegria Hudes. The show is directed by Thomas Kail and has Andy Blankenbuehler as choreographer. Telling the tale of the hopes and dreams of three generations each struggling to create an identity in a neighborhood that is changing and transitioning, this musical is a hit with fans! Visit stubhub.com today to get your tickets for the few remaining off-Broadway shows and for the new Broadway mounting!
Tony Awards News
It has been announced that Legally Blonde and LoveMusik will not be performing at this year’s Tony Award Ceremonies, being broadcast on Sunday, June 10, 2007. Originally the heads at CBS – the station upon which the Tony Awards will be broadcast live – felt that using numbers from the upbeat, energetic shows such as Legally Blonde and LoveMusik would help boost ratings.
However, traditionally only shows nominated for Best Musical are allowed to perform at the Tony Awards and neither Legally Blonde nor LoveMusik are nominated for this award. As such, the Tony nominating committee and producers succeeded in convincing CBS to withdraw its performance offer to LoveMusik and Legally Blonde in order to maintain the legitimacy and honor of the Awards ceremony, and the integrity of those shows which are nominated for Best Musical. For a chance to see the shows nominated for all the awards at this year’s Tony Awards, visit stubhub.com for tickets!
A Benefit Event!
Yesterday, on Monday, May 21, 2007, the American Place Theatre hosted a once-in-a-lifetime benefit event called “Wynn, Place & Show: A Celebration of Wynn Handman’s 85th Birthday and the 45th Anniversary of the American Place Theatre” which took place at the historic Hudson Theater in New York City. The celebration included a tribute to American Place Theatre founder Handman as well as the history of the American Place Theatre, which was directed by Ed Sherin and written by Jonathan Reynolds.
This tribute featured an impressive cast made up of Handman’s students as well as alumni of the American Place Theatre. There was also a cocktail reception, dinner, a dessert buffet and dancing, with music provided by Peter Duchin and his Orchestra. For most of the coolest things happening in New York and the greatest New York shows touring the country, make sure you visit Stubhub.com today!
Jason Alexander To Become An Artistic Director!
Jason Alexander of Seinfeld fame and recipient of a Tony award for his performance in Jerome Robbins’ Broadway has become the new artistic director of Reprise! Broadway’s Best, the non-profit theater based in Los Angeles and known for its staged concert productions of both classics of the Broadway stage, and rarities.
Alexander hopes to work to raise some money for the theater initially, and then to expand the projects that the theater takes on, branching out into such things as plays and play-readings as well as concerts, speaker series and classes in musical theater. Alexander’s excitement about his position is obvious, and you would do well to look into getting yourself tickets to see what he will do with this theater, at Stubhub.com.
Edward Albee Honored
New Dramatists presented a 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award to Edward Albee, the three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright. The Award was presented at the group’s 58th Annual Benefit Luncheon held yesterday, Thursday, May 17. With several plays still playing to packed crowds all throughout the United States, Albee’s career is a testament to his talents and prowess as a writer
Albee has also received a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 2005 and received Pulitzers for A Delicate Balance, Seascape and Three Tall Women. His other plays include The Zoo Story, The Play About the Baby and The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? For a chance to see Albee’s work performed onstage, visit stubhub.com today!
Honoring A Broadway Veteran!
This past Monday, May 14, the Lambs Club, America’s oldest Actors Organization, established in the 1870’s, held a celebration for director Rick McKay and his award winning film, “Broadway: The Golden Age.” At the celebration, McKay told backstage stories of creating the first film, showed never-before seen out-takes, and also let the audience watch the first sneak-peaks at scenes and rare archival footage from the sequel slated to come out next year called “Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age.”
This event, which was the Lambs’ traditional “Shepherd’s Lunch,” brought in some of the great names of Broadway, including some stage and screen veterans like Don Pippin, Jill O’Hara, Abe Vigoda, Joyce Randolph, Nicole Barth, and many others. This was an impressive collection of actors, old and young, who have made some of the greatest shows of Broadway, come to live and stay in people’s memories for years to come. For your chance to see some of these staples of theater history, check out Stubhub.com for tickets today!