All stories by Michael Gioia on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Laura Benanti and Steven Pasquale Will File for Divorce by Michael Gioia

Tony Award winner Laura Benanti and Drama Desk Award nominee Steven Pasquale, who have been married since September 2007, will file for divorce, the couple confirmed to Playbill.com.

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:24PM

Bruce Vilanch, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Donna McKechnie Among Feinstein's at the Nikko Cabaret Series by Michael Gioia

Actor and comedian Bruce Vilanch and Tony Award-nominated composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul have been added to the lineup of the new Feinstein's at the Nikko cabaret series at the Hot…

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:05PM

Trisha Jeffrey Will Star in The Color Purple at Chicago's Mercury Theatre by Michael Gioia

Trisha Jeffrey, whose Broadway credits include Rent, Little Shop of Horrors and All Shook Up, will star as Celie in The Color Purple beginning Aug. 14 at the Mercury Theater in Chicago.

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:17AM

PLAYBILL PLAYLIST: Pirates of Penzance and Little Night Music's Hunter Ryan Herdlicka Picks Sondheim Favorites by Michael Gioia

Hunter Ryan Herdlicka, who will star in the 5th Avenue Theatre production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance, made his Broadway debut in the Stephen Sondheim classic A Lit…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Jeff Blumenkrantz and Brett Ryback Uncover Murder for Two for Second Stage Theatre, Beginning July 10 by Michael Gioia

Second Stage Theatre concludes its 2013 Uptown Series with the New York premiere of the musical comedy Murder for Two, starring Jeff Blumenkrantz and Brett Ryback. Previews begin July 10, pr…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Tuesday, July 9, 2013

John Tartaglia Will Play Cat in the Hat for Youth Production of Seussical in Newtown, CT by Adam Hetrick and Michael Gioia

Tony Award nominee John Tartaglia (Avenue Q) will star as the Cat in the Hat in Seussical — the Lynn Ahrens-Stephen Flaherty musical based on the famed children's books b…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:50PM

Music Circus' Show Boat, With Phillip Boykin, Jennifer Cody, George Lee Andrews, Begins July 9 in CA by Michael Gioia

The Tony Award-winning musical Show Boat, with a cast that includes Phillip Boykin, Jennifer Cody and George Lee Andrews, begins performances July 9 as part of California Musi…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez Have a First Date on Broadway; Previews Begin July 9 by Michael Gioia

"Smash" and The Addams Family actress Krysta Rodriguez is set up with "Chuck" star Zachary Levi on a First Date in the new Broadway musical comedy that begins p…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Cast of Broadway's Pippin Celebrates Album Release With Barnes and Noble Performance July 9 by Adam Hetrick and Michael Gioia

Tony Award winners Patina Miller, Andrea Martin and the cast of the acclaimed Broadway revival of Pippin celebrate the release of their cast album with a July 9 performance at Barnes and Nob…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Once's David Abeles Joins Cast of Off-Broadway's Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 July 9 by Michael Gioia and Adam Hetrick

David Abeles, who was seen in the original cast of Broadway's Once, joins the cast of Off-Broadway's Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Dave Malloy’s criticall…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Monday, July 8, 2013

I Need Some Space: The Lyrics of Robby Sandler Will Feature Ali Ewoldt, Drew Gasparini and More by Michael Gioia

Daily Cake Productions will present I Need Some Space: The Lyrics of Robby Sandler, an evening of music by BMI lyricist Robby Sandler, July 13 at the Laurie Beechman Theatre.

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:38PM

Casting Announced for Free NYMF Reading of The Crack in the Ceiling by Michael Gioia

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and James Harvey will present The Crack in the Ceiling, featuring a book, music and lyrics by James Harvey, July 15 and 20 at The Studio at Theat…

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:10PM

Sam Carner-Derek Gregor Musical Unlock'd Extended Off-Broadway by Michael Gioia

The Prospect Theater Company's Off-Broadway premiere of Unlock'd, the Richard Rodgers Award-winning musical by rising theatrical composers Sam Carner and Derek Gregor, has been exten…

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:54PM

Sarah Sokolovic, Katie Thompson, Libby Winters Will Star in Imaginary Friends at Off Off Broadway Short Play Fest by Michael Gioia

Sarah Sokolovic, Katie Thompson and Libby Winters will star in Imaginary Friends, the short play by Jeffrey James Keyes that will be produced by Chris Eleftheriades at the 38th Annual Samuel…

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:28PM

"RuPaul's Drag Race" Winner Jinkx Monsoon Will Star in Extended NYC Engagement of The Vaudevillians by Michael Gioia

"RuPaul's Drag Race" winner Jinkx Monsoon will make her New York theatre debut in The Vaudevillians, a musical comedy co-starring composer and musician Richard Andriessen, begi…

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:07PM

Betsy DiLellio, James Van Treuren, Joy Lynn Matthews-Jacobs Will Star in Surflight's South Pacific by Michael Gioia

Surflight Theatre will present Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's Tony Award-winning musical South Pacific, directed and choreographed by Norb Joerder, beginning July 10, prior t…

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:52PM

Student Rush Policy Announced for Broadway's First Date, Starring Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez by Michael Gioia

Producers of the new Broadway musical comedy First Date, which stars Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez and will begin previews July 9 at the Longacre Theatre, have announced a stud…

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:20PM

Free Performance of Revised Version of Richard Rodgers and Sheldon Harnick's Rex Will Play Utah Festival by Michael Gioia

The Utah Festival of Opera & Musical Theatre will present a revised version of the 1976 Broadway musical Rex, featuring music by late Tony Award winner Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Tony…

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:43AM

Wicked, Starring Lucy Durack and Jemma Rix, Will Return to Melbourne in May 2014 by Michael Gioia

The Stephen Schwartz-Winnie Holzman musical Wicked will return to its original Australian home in Melbourne for a limited engagement before touring to Sydney and Brisbane in 2014, Australian…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:42AM

New York Musical Theatre Festival Begins July 8; Anthony Rapp, Susan Blackwell and More Take Part in Tenth Annual Fest by Michael Gioia

The tenth annual New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) runs July 8-28 in New York City. Rent star Anthony Rapp and [title of show]'s Susan Blackwell, who have both been seen before at…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

A Curtain Rises With "Onstage America" Partnership Between NY1 Onstage and Playbill by Michael Gioia

NY1's venerable theatre program On Stage celebrates 15 years on the air and spreads the love of theatre to the rest of the country with a brand new program.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Patrick Boll and Timothy Crowe Are Bill W. and Dr. Bob, Beginning July 8 Off-Broadway by Michael Gioia

Bill W. and Dr. Bob, Samuel Shem and Janet Surrey's play about the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous, begins Off-Broadway performances July 8, prior to an official opening July 16, at the…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Saturday, July 6, 2013

From Dating Disasters to Finding The One, Broadway's First Date Cast Shares Most Memorable Dates by Michael Gioia

The new Broadway musical First Date, starring Krysta Rodriguez and Zachary Levi as a couple who is set up on their first date, will begin performances July 9 at the Longacre Theatre. In anti…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Friday, July 5, 2013

THE SCREENING ROOM: Darren Criss, Megan Hilty, Jackie Evancho Perform on "A Capitol Fourth" (Video) by Michael Gioia and Andrew Gans

The Independence Day celebration "A Capitol Fourth," hosted by Tom Bergeron of "Dancing with the Stars," aired on PBS stations around the country July 4. Here are highlig…

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:28PM

Krysta Rodriguez, Jason Gotay, Julia Mattison and More Set for Drew Gasparini's I Could Use a Drink Concert by Michael Gioia

"Smash" actress Krysta Rodriguez, who stars in the upcoming Broadway musical First Date, Jason Gotay and Julia Mattison are among the performers set for composer Drew Gasparini'…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00PM

Stephen Sondheim's Company Kicks Off Cygnet's 2013-14 Season July 5 in San Diego by Michael Gioia

The Cygnet Theatre kicks off its 2013-14 season with the Tony Award-winning musical Company beginning July 5, prior to an official opening July 13, in San Diego.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Thursday, July 4, 2013

New Team StarKid Musical Twisted: The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier Opens July 4 in Chicago by Michael Gioia

YouTube sensation Team StarKid presents Twisted: The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier, an original musical comedy parody from the creative team behind A Very Potter Musical, beginning Jul…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Daniel Tatar, Victoria Matlock, Jim Holdridge Among Cast of NYMF's Life Could Be a Dream Jukebox Musical by Michael Gioia

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) will present the New York premiere of Life Could Be a Dream, a 1960s jukebox musical from Roger Bean (creator of Off-Broadway's The Marvelous…

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:14PM

Lisa Brescia, Emma Hunton, Patti Murin, Katie Thompson and More Set for Kerrigan-Lowdermilk NYMF Concerts by Michael Gioia

Lisa Brescia, Emma Hunton and Patti Murin are among the artists who will take part in two New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) concerts that feature the music of songwriting duo Kait Ker…

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:35PM

Alice Cooper's Rock Album "Nightmare" Dreams to Bow on Broadway by Michael Gioia

Rock singer and songwriter Alice Cooper, who recently concluded a tour with heavy metal singer Marilyn Manson and is continuing to tour the globe with his "Raise the Dead" show, pl…

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:14AM

Annette O'Toole and Jeff McCarthy Will Star in Barrington's Southern Comfort, Exploring Transgender Lifestyles by Michael Gioia

Barrington Stage Company will present the BSC Musical Theatre Lab world-premiere production of Southern Comfort, a new musical with book and lyrics by Dan Collins and music by Julianne Wick …

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:36AM

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