The Return of Gypsy!

2008 looks to be promising for Broadway, now that the lights have been turned back on in the famous theatre district.  One of the most anticipated shows to hit the stage in the New Year is Gypsy, which is scheduled to open on March 27, 2008.  The rehearsals are set to begin in January and it is likely that tickets will sell out soon, so be sure not to miss out on this extravagant event!  What’s more is that the star of the show is none other than Tony Award winning actress Patti LuPone.  She is well recognized for her amazing performance in Evita and has gone on to act in several other well-known productions like “Sunset Boulevard,” “Oliver!” and “The Cradle Will Rock.”

The musical Gypsy features a score by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim with a book by Arthur Laurents.  The musical first appeared on Broadway back in 1959 where it played 702 performances.  It has been a popular show among theatre patrons for many years and there is much anticipation and excitement for its long awaited return to Broadway.  Make sure that you have Gypsy tickets and great seats when the curtain opens on this beloved show.

Permalink - Posted in General on November 30, 2007 - Post a comment

Broadway is Back in Business!

For 19 days the curtain was closed on all Broadway shows in New York City and finally there is a definitive end to the massive strike that held the theatre world captive for over two weeks.  All the shows will resume tonight after a somewhat tentative agreement was reached between the League of American Theatres and Producers and the union yesterday.  Charlotte St. Martin, the executive director of the League was quoted as saying, “We are pleased to announce that we have a tentative agreement with Local One of IATSE ending the Broadway strike.”  Patrons are free to flock to the theatres which will no doubt be filled to brim.

Most Broadway shows have been closed since the strike officially began and several shows have been forced to postpone their official opening nights.  The long dispute also affected many businesses in the theatre-district area and the City of New York has estimated that it lost about $2 million per day during the entirety of the strike.  Be sure to stay updated with further details regarding the strike at check out Stubhub.com to get the Broadway tickets for the show that you would like to attend.

Permalink - Posted in General on November 29, 2007 - Post a comment

Time to be Green Without the Red!

Christmas is fast approaching and everywhere I turn there are the bright holiday colors of red and green.  However Broadway’s lights are shining only green this year mainly because the famous Dr. Seuss story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas is returning to the Broadway theatre for a limited engagement starting tonight.  The musical, which stars Patrick Page as the sour minded hermit, whose heart is two sizes too small officiallly opens at the St. James Theatre in New York City and will run through January 6, 2008.  The show is a great theatre experience for the whole family, so make sure to be in the holiday spirit this year when the whole crowd hits Broadway!

The story, if there are people out there who are not familiar with it is, according to press notes “narrated by Max the Dog, who relates the Grinch’s fiendish plan to steal Christmas from the holiday-loving Whos.  However the Grinch soon discovers there’s more to Christmas than he bargained for.”  The performance includes many great musical numbers and will surely leave audience members leaping out of their seats with joy.  If you are looking to get into the holiday spirit, then this is a show that you don’t want to miss.  Join the Grinch and the Whos and ring in the holidays with some style on Broadway.  Get your How the Grinch Stole Christmas tickets from Stubhub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on November 9, 2007 - Post a comment

West Side Story Heads East!

The big Broadway news of the day centers around the 50th anniversary of the popular musical West Side Story.  In honor of the big event, West Side Story will launch a European tour beginning at the famous Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.  It will remain there for six weeks, allowing plenty of time for anxious theatre-going Parisians to see this famous production.  After Paris, the show will make appearances in Vienna, Zurich, Leipzig and Baden Baden.  Ultimately West Side Story will land at the Sadler’s Wells in London through July 2008.

As the show is making its way around Europe it will feature an alternating trio of different lead actors.  Some of the lucky performances who get to try on the shoes of Tony and Maria are: David Ruffin, David Curry and then Ann McComack and Davinia Rodriguez.  West Side story is, according to press notes “a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet set on the West Side of Manhattan and it tells the tale of two doomed young lovers who are inextricably linked to rival gangs, The Sharks (who are the Puerto Rican immigrants) and The Jets (the native New Yorkers).  It is a wonderful play that should not be missed, catch it on the European tour if you can.  Get your West Side Story tickets at Stubhub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on November 8, 2007 - Post a comment

History Boys Set to Make History!

The Tony Award Winning production of The History Boys is set to begin previews tonight, November 7, though the official opening night for the play is still scheduled for November 14.  Previews will be held at the Ahmanson Theatre and they are expected to draw in crowds of people, as this show is a very popular story.  The drama will play at the Ahmanson through December 9, so make sure that you make plans in advance to see this thrilling production before all of the seats are filled up.

The story takes place in 1980s England and according to press notes the play “charts the fortunes of an unruly bunch of bright sixth-form boys in pursuit of a place at Oxford or Cambridge under the guidance of a maverick English teacher and a shrewd supply teacher.”  The production has gone on to win several awards so far including the Olivier, the Evening Standard and Critics’ Circle Awards as well as six Tony Awards including Best Director and Best Play.  If you don’t want to miss out on an exceptional theatre performance, get your pair of The History Boys tickets from Stubhub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on November 7, 2007 - Post a comment

Many Recipients of Annual Artios Awards

The 2007 Artios Awards have taken place and many talented people have walked away with well-deserved prizes in their hands.  Among the winners list for the recent Awards Ceremony are Jim Carnahan and Daniel Swee who are casting agents for Spring Awakening and The Coast of Utopia.  Jay Binder and Bernard Telsey were also among the other fortunate recipients who were honored for their outstanding work.  The ceremonies took place in New York at Caroline’s on Broadway and also in Los Angeles at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel.

According to Playbill the Artios Awards are given away annually and are given “on the criteria of originality, creativity and the contribution of casting to the overall quality of a project.  The term Artios is from the ancient Greek word meaning ‘perfectly fitted’ and in 1985 the Casting Society established the Artios Awards to recognize the significance of casting to the success of a movie, television or theatrical production.  It is a great honor to be recognized and every year the winners vary from production to production.  If you want to see why this year’s recipients were chosen get a pair of Spring Awakening tickets and a pair of The Coast of Utopia tickets from Stubhub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on November 6, 2007 - Post a comment

Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Will Feature Many Musical Stars!

There are many reasons to be thankful this time of year and of course the enormous turkey and mounds of mashed potatoes are a big part of the festivities set to take place in the upcoming weeks.  However the real rejoicing will begin when the Thanksgiving Day Parade makes it’s annual sweep down the New York City streets.  This year cast members from the Broadway hit, “Legally Blond” will perform as well as actors from the show “Mary Poppins.”  So make sure that you know all of the words to “Supercalifragilisticexpiadlidocious” because you will surely want to sing along.

In addition to these two extremely popular productions, Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff will belt out “Give My Regards to Broadway” on the Broadway Float.  This year M&M characters will be taking on lead roles in Broadway productions atop the themed float with the Green M&M obviously starring in “Wicked,” Orange and Yellow are slated for starring roles in “A Chorus Line,” the color Blue is set for “Phantom of the Opera” and Red is King Arthur in the hilarious production of “Spamalot.”  So you see this year Broadway will be making a huge splash in the Thanksgiving Day Parade, so make sure to tune in to see all of your favorite stars!  Get your pair of Legally Blond tickets and Mary Poppins tickets at Stubhub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on November 5, 2007 - Post a comment

Don’t Miss the Sounds of Young Frankenstein!

Many times the best part of seeing a musical or a play is hearing the wonderfully paired music that accompanies the story onstage.  In this case of Young Frankenstein, theatre patrons and music connoisseur will be treated to a very special release of the sounds of the show on a CD, slated to be released into stores on December 26.  The original cast will head to the recording studio and Doug Besterman, Young Frankenstein’s orchestrator will be the recording producer the Decca Broadway CD.

What’s even more is that the original cast recording of the production will also be available for purchase on iTunes and also in the lobby of Hilton Theatre in late December.  All fans will have the opportunity to listen to the classic songs from this beloved musical, even in the comforts of their own homes.  Some of the most well known song titles from the show include: “The Happiest Town,” “The Brain,” “Please Don’t Touch Me, “Together Again, “Roll in the Hay,” and “Join the Family Business,” among many others.  Be sure to pick up the CD once it hits stores and also pick up a pair of Young Frankenstein tickets for you and your friends as soon as possible from Stubhub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on November 2, 2007 - Post a comment

The Romantic Cyrano Has Taken the Stage!

The romantically depressing story about the large nosed lover is now playing on Broadway.  Kevin Kline leads the cast in this remarkable story, which also includes Daniel Sunjata and Jennifer Garner.  Tonight is officially opening night for the production of Cyrano de Bergerac which will most likely have people lining up at the door to get tickets.  It is a ten week limited engagement that is scheduled to continue through December 23, so don’t wait to long to see this incredible story acted out on stage.  It will not be around forever.

According to the press notes, Cyrano de Bergerac concerns “the soulful poet/philosopher and brilliant swordsman Cyrano, who falls for the beautiful strong willed Roxane but is too ashamed of his large nose to tell her.  Instead, when he learns that she loves the handsome Christian de Neuvillette, his dim-witted comrade, he pens poetry and love letters to Roxane.”  It is story of character and of inner and outer beauty.  The question that the play raises begs to know whether love or beauty will conquer all.  See for yourself at a production of this timeless classic.  Get your pair of Cyrano de Bergerac tickets at Stubhub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on November 1, 2007 - Post a comment