All stories by Michael Gioia on BroadwayStars

Monday, September 9, 2013

West End Return of Miss Saigon Sets Record for Largest Single-Day Tix Sales by Michael Gioia and Mark Shenton

Producer Cameron Mackintosh announced Sept. 9 that the forthcoming West End return of Miss Saigon set a new record for the largest single-day ticket sales in West End and Broadway history. S…

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:26PM

Ian McKellen Officiates No Man's Land/Waiting for Godot Co-Star Patrick Stewart's Wedding by Michael Gioia

Tony Award nominee Patrick Stewart was married Sept. 8 with the assistance of his No Man's Land/Waiting for Godot and "X-Men" co-star Ian McKellen, who officiated the ceremony.

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:33PM

Will Lea Michele's Funny Girl Dreams Come True on This Season's "Glee"? (Photo) by Michael Gioia

Spring Awakening actress Lea Michele, who stars as Rachel Berry on the Fox hit musical series "Glee," was seen on the corner of 44th Street in Times Square, where a fake marquee fo…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:51PM

Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline Set for Film Adaptation of Israel Horovitz's My Old Lady by Michael Gioia

Kristin Scott Thomas, who was seen on Broadway in The Seagull, will join Tony winners Maggie Smith (Lettice and Lovage) and Kevin Kline (The Pirates of Penzance) in a film adaptation of the …

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:46AM

Tony Winner Christopher Plummer Will Join John Travolta in "The Forger" Film by Michael Gioia

Tony Award and Oscar winner Christopher Plummer will join John Travolta (Grease) and Tye Sheridan in the upcoming Code Entertainment film "The Forger," according to Deadline.com.

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:17AM

THE SCREENING ROOM: Lady Gaga Seeks "Applause" in Wizard of Oz-Themed "GMA" Performance (Video) by Michael Gioia

Grammy Award winner Lady Gaga celebrated her new single "Applause" Sept. 9 on "Good Morning America," where she performed the number in a Wizard of Oz-themed performance.

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:01AM

Adam Kantor and Betsy Wolfe Will Revisit The Last Five Years in Concert at 54 Below by Michael Gioia

Adam Kantor and Betsy Wolfe, who co-starred in the acclaimed Second Stage Theatre revival of The Last Five Years, will revisit Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown's score in a…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:46AM

Standing Room Only Disney-Themed Cabaret, With Chandra Lee Schwartz, Eric Peterson, Held Sept. 9 in L.A. by Michael Gioia

Standing Room Only: Variety Hour, the monthly L.A. cabaret created and hosted by Kate Pazakis (South Pacific) and Michael-Leon Wooley (Little Shop of Horrors), presents a special Disney-them…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Rebecca Naomi Jones, Claybourne Elder Are Part of Jahn Sood and All the Broken Parts Sept. 9 by Michael Gioia

Jahn Sood and All the Broken Parts is held Sept. 9 at the Metropolitan Room in Manhattan. Rebecca Naomi Jones, who was recently seen in the Shakespeare in the Park production of Lo…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Saturday, September 7, 2013

PLAYBILL.COM'S BRIEF ENCOUNTER With Christopher Abbott on The Hill Town Plays, "Girls" and More by Michael Gioia

Playbill.com chats with Christopher Abbott, who made his Broadway debut in the 2011 revival of The House of Blue Leaves and quickly rose to fame soon thereafter in the popular HBO series &qu…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Friday, September 6, 2013

THE SCREENING ROOM: Rob Rokicki and Friends Concert, With Megan Hilty, Julia Murney, Joe Iconis and More by Michael Gioia

"Smash" star Megan Hilty, Julia Murney and Joe Iconis were among the artists who took part in Rob Rokicki and Friends, which featured the work of songwriter and performer Rob Rokic…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Barry Manilow's Harmony Musical, With Tony Yazbeck, Will Blum, Leigh Ann Larkin and More, Begins Sept. 6 at the Alliance by Michael Gioia

Harmony – A New Musical, a co-production between Atlanta's Tony-winning Alliance Theatre and Center Theatre Group that features music by Barry Manilow and book and lyrics by Bruce …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Thursday, September 5, 2013

THE SCREENING ROOM: Alexander Sage Oyen's Moment by Moment, With Emma Hunton, Jason Gotay, George Salazar and More by Michael Gioia

Composer Alexander Sage Oyen's song cycle Moment by Moment, featuring songs about love, cults and McDonald's, was held Aug. 31 at Manhattan nightspot 54 Below. Here are highligh…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:12PM

Andrew Lippa and John August's Big Fish Swims Onto Broadway Beginning Sept. 5 by Michael Gioia

The new Broadway musical Big Fish, a father-and-son tale based on the 1998 novel by Daniel Wallace and the subsequent 2003 film by John August, swims onto Broadway Sept. 5, when it begins pr…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Pop Opera Bare Returns to L.A. Sept. 5; "Glee" Actress Lindsay Pearce, Payson Lewis and Jonah Platt Lead Cast by Michael Gioia

Stage and screen actors Payson Lewis (NBC's "The Sing Off", "Victorious"), Jonah Platt ("The Office") and Lindsay Pearce ("Glee," "The G…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Singapore Premiere of Next to Normal, Starring West End Actress Sally Ann Triplett, Begins Sept. 5 by Michael Gioia

The Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Next to Normal, which features a Tony Award-winning score by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey and a Tony-nominated book by Yorkey, is given its Singapore premiere…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Willkommen! Roundabout Will Welcome Tony-Winning Cabaret Back to Broadway With Alan Cumming and Michelle Williams in 2014 by Michael Gioia

Michelle Williams, an Oscar nominee for her performances in "My Week with Marilyn," "Blue Valentine" and "Brokeback Mountain," will make her Broadway debut alon…

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:30PM

Debra Jo Rupp Will Become Dr. Ruth in Mark St. Germain Play at Off-Broadway's Westside Theatre by Michael Gioia

Producers Michael Alden, Stefany Bergson and Rodger Hess will present the New York premiere of the Barrington Stage Company production of Becoming Dr. Ruth, starring Debra Jo Rupp ("Tha…

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:18PM

Valerie Harper, Amber Riley, Corbin Bleu and More Among Season 17 of "Dancing With the Stars" by Michael Gioia

Tony Award nominee Valerie Harper, "Glee" actress Amber Riley and Godspell actor Corbin Bleu are among the cast of Season 17 of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," which …

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:15AM

PLAYBILL PLAYLIST: Motown Actress and Soul Singer Morgan James Shares Her Musical Inspirations by Michael Gioia

Morgan James, who can currently be seen in Broadway's Motown, will return to Manhattan nightclub 54 Below Sept. 15 at 9:30 PM. In anticipation of her 54 Below concert, James shares her m…

SOURCE: Playbill at 08:27AM

Lindsay Mendez Chats About Upcoming 54 Below Jazz Concert Debut With Marco Paguia by Michael Gioia

Lindsay Mendez, who stars as Elphaba in Broadway's Wicked, will bring her jazz concert act with pianist Marco Paguia to 54 Below next week. Playbill.com caught up up with the busy actres…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

AmEx Pre-Sale for Broadway's A Raisin in the Sun, Starring Denzel Washington and Diahann Carroll, Begins Sept. 4 by Michael Gioia

Tickets for the Broadway revival of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, starring Denzel Washington and Diahann Carroll, go on sale exclusively to American Express cardholders Sept.…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Reimagined Pal Joey, With Clifton Oliver, Erica Hanrahan-Ball, Stephanie Umoh and More, Begins Sept. 4 by Michael Gioia and Adam Hetrick

Clifton Oliver, Erica Hanrahan-Ball, Jonas Cohen, Stephanie Umoh and Danielle Erin Rhodes lead the cast of a reconceived version of the Rodgers and Hart 1940 classic Pal Joey, which begins p…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Actor Christopher Tierney Departs Broadway's Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark by Michael Gioia

Christopher Tierney, who made his Broadway debut in the original company of Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark and was injured during the show's preview period, has departed the production, a …

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:58PM

Tony Nominee Will Swenson Replaces Will Chase in Second Stage's Little Miss Sunshine by Michael Gioia

Tony Award nominee Will Swenson, who has been seen on Broadway in Priscilla: Queen of the Desert and Hair, among others, will play the role of Richard Hoover in Second Stage Theatre's pr…

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:40PM

Daniel Breaker, Nick Blaemire, Caissie Levy and More Set for 54 Below Return of Charlie Rosen's Broadway Big Band by Michael Gioia

Tony Award nominee Daniel Breaker, Nick Blaemire and Caissie Levy are among the performers set for Charlie Rosen's Broadway Big Band, which will return to 54 Below Sept. 21 and include a…

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:14PM

Kazino Will Relocate to Times Square for Return Engagement of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 by Michael Gioia

Dave Malloy's critically praised musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, which ended its run Sept. 2 at its immersive home Kazino, the supper club-style venue built e…

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:24PM

Spanish-Language Production of Wicked Will Open in Mexico City; Complete Casting Announced by Michael Gioia

The hit musical Wicked, which will celebrate its tenth anniversary on Broadway in October, will launch a Spanish-language production this fall in Mexico City.

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:07PM

First Date Broadway Cast Album Will Hit Shelves in October; Digital Release Set for Sept. 24 (Plus Video) by Michael Gioia

The original Broadway cast recording of First Date, the new musical featuring "Smash" and The Addams Family actress Krysta Rodriguez opposite "Chuck" star Zachary Levi,&n…

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:08AM

Tony Winner Hugh Jackman Will Receive Golden Icon Award at 2013 Zurich Film Festival by Michael Gioia

Tony Award winner Hugh Jackman will receive the Golden Icon Award at the 2013 Zurich Film Festival. The ceremony will take place Sept. 28 at the Cinema Corso 1.

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:04AM

Peter and the Starcatcher, Harbor, NEWSical and More Take Part in Off-Broadway's 20at20 Discount Sept. 3-22 by Michael Gioia

The Off-Broadway Alliance offers 20at20, the bi-annual discount offer celebrating Off-Broadway, Sept. 3-22. Participating shows include Harbor, NEWSical The Musical and Peter and the Starcat…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

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