All stories by Michael Gioia on BroadwayStars

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Michael Greif Will Direct New Musical by Tony Nominees Benj Pasek and Justin Paul by Michael Gioia

Tony Award nominee Michael Greif, known for directing groundbreaking contemporary musicals such as Rent and Next to Normal, will helm a new musical by 2013 Tony Award nominees Benj Pasek and…

SOURCE: Playbill at 07:22PM

Tony Winner Michael Greif Will Direct New Musical by Tony Nominees Benj Pasek and Justin Paul by Michael Gioia

Tony Award winner Michael Greif, known for directing groundbreaking contemporary musicals such as Rent and Next to Normal, will helm a new musical by 2013 Tony Award nominees Benj Pasek and …

SOURCE: Playbill at 07:21PM

Andrew Lloyd Webber Will Not Attend Tony Awards Due to Health Issues; Tony Winner Issues Statement by Michael Gioia

Tony Award winner Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose long-running musical The Phantom of the Opera will be honored for its 25th anniversary at the Tony Awards June 9, will not attend the 67th annual…

SOURCE: Playbill at 06:47PM

The Merchant of Venice, Directed by Adrian Noble, Begins June 9 at Old Globe's Shakespeare Fest by Michael Gioia

William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, directed by Adrian Noble (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), who is in the midst of his fourth and final season as the artistic director of…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark Celebrates Tony Sunday With Ticket Giveaway by Michael Gioia

The high-flying Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark celebrates Tony Awards Sunday on June 9 with a special ticket giveaway for theatregoers named Tony or previous Tony Award …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Saturday, June 8, 2013

Tony Nominees Amanda Green and Keith Carradine Talk Hardbody's Daring Nature and Upcoming Recording by Michael Gioia

Although the new musical Hands on a Hardbody, about a group of hopeful Texans competing for a pickup truck and striving for the American Dream, had a short life on Broadway, the production p…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Friday, June 7, 2013

Tony-Nominated Revival of Annie Will Launch U.S. National Tour in 2014-15 Season by Michael Gioia

The Tony Award-nominated Best Musical Revival Annie will launch a U.S. national tour in the 2014-15 season, producers Troika Entertainment announced June 7.

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:30PM

THE SCREENING ROOM: Amy Poehler Interviews Tony Nominee Holland Taylor About Broadway's Ann (Video) by Michael Gioia

Comedian, actress and television personality Amy Poehler recently stopped by Broadway's Vivian Beaumont Theater to talk with 2013 Tony Award nominee Holland Taylor about Ann, the new Bro…

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:48PM

Betsy Wolfe, Meghann Fahy and Preston Sadleir Will Make A Lasting Impression at Joe's Pub by Michael Gioia

Cutting-Edge Composers, in association with Hope Lights Partners, will present A Lasting Impression, a contemporary new musical by theatrical songwriter Zoe Sarnak, in concert June 29 at Joe…

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:15PM

Bryce Ryness, Eric Ankrim and More Complete Cast of First Date; Zachary Levi Will Take Short Hiatus During Previews by Michael Gioia

Tony Award-winning producer Junkyard Dog Productions (Memphis) announced June 7 that Bryce Ryness, Eric Ankrim, Kevin Kern and Sydney Shepherd will join Zachary Levi (TV's "Chu…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:21PM

Spider-Man's Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Will Pen "Archie Comics" Movie, Directed by Jason Moore by Michael Gioia

Warner Bros. Pictures will produce a live-action movie based on the "Archie Comics" characters, the first feature film starring the Riverdale gang in the publisher's 72-year hi…

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:54AM

Tom Hewitt and Emily Skinner Among Cast of Kander and Ebb Revue The World Goes 'Round at Bucks County by Michael Gioia

Tony Award nominees Tom Hewitt and Emily Skinner have been cast in Bucks County Playhouse's production of the John Kander and Fred Ebb revue The World Goes 'Round, which will begin p…

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:16AM

Tony-Nominated Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Co-Stars Tracy Letts and Carrie Coon Are Engaged by Michael Gioia

Tracy Letts and Carrie Coon, who co-starred in the Tony-nominated Broadway revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and both received 2013 Tony Award nominations for their performances…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:33AM

Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing Film, With Amy Acker, Tom Lenk and Alexis Denisof, Hits Theatres June 7 by Michael Gioia

Screenwriter and director Joss Whedon's film adaptation of William Shakespeare's  opens in theatres June 7.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Thursday, June 6, 2013

Stafford Arima, Dan Knechtges, Matt Lenz and Spencer Liff Are Directors for BDF's Circle of Dreams Tour by Michael Gioia

The Broadway Dreams Foundation will launched Circle of Dreams, the 2013 summer performing arts intensive tour, June 3 at RISPA in Atlanta, GA. Stafford Arima, Dan Knechtges, Matt Lenz a…

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:03PM

World Premiere of Erica Lipez's The Tutors Given Additional Week at Second Stage by Michael Gioia

The world premiere of Erica Lipez's The Tutors, which kicked off Second Stage Theatre's 2013 Uptown Series and officially opened June 5, has been given an additional week of performa…

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:46PM

Patti Murin, Eden Espinosa, Carrie Manolakos and More Will Perform at Prom to Benefit Broadway Bares by Michael Gioia

Patti Murin, Eden Espinosa, Carrie Manolakos and Natalie Joy Johnson are among the artists who will perform at the Pornstar Prom, a benefit concert to raise funds for Broadway Bares 23: Unit…

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:40PM

THE SCREENING ROOM: Playbill Video Chats With Neil Patrick Harris and Patina Miller at Tony Awards Rehearsal (Video) by Michael Gioia and Adam Hetrick

Playbill Video stopped by rehearsal for the 67th Annual Tony Awards, which will be held June 9 at Radio City Music Hall, to catch up with Emmy Award-winning actor Neil Patrick Harris, who wi…

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:03PM

Edwin Drood Tony Nominees Stephanie J. Block and Will Chase Will Co-Star in Second Stage's Little Miss Sunshine by Michael Gioia

Stephanie J. Block and Will Chase, who are both 2013 Tony Award nominees for their performances in Roundabout Theatre Company's The Mystery of Edwin Drood, will co-star in the Off-Broadw…

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:50PM

Barrett Foa Will Star as Harold Hill in Connecticut Production of The Music Man by Michael Gioia

Barrett Foa, who has been seen on Broadway in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and stars as Eric Beale in the TV series "NCIS: Los Angeles," will lead the cast of The Mus…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:18AM

Moe Angelos Stars in NYTW's Sontag: Reborn, Inspired by Work of Essayist Susan Sontag, Opening June 6 by Michael Gioia

Off-Broadway's New York Theatre Workshop presents Sontag: Reborn, inspired by the work of essayist Susan Sontag, officially opening June 6 following previews that began May 28. Moe …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Tony Nominee Nathan Lane, Andrew Rannells and More Will Join Billy Porter, Jane Lynch for TrevorLIVE New York by Michael Gioia

Nathan Lane, who was nominated for a 2013 Tony Award for his performance in The Nance, is among the performers who joined the lineup for TrevorLIVE New York, which will be held June 17 …

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:29PM

Tony Award Nominee Billy Magnussen Strips Down and Feels the Love in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Michael Gioia

Billy Magnussen, who received a 2013 Tony Award nomination for his performance as the empty-headed, yet beautiful boy-toy Spike in Broadway's Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, spends …

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:00PM

Krysta Rodriguez, Nick Blaemire, Alex Brightman and More Will Be Made For Each Other at 54 Below by Michael Gioia

"Smash" star Krysta Rodriguez, who will star in the upcoming Broadway musical First Date, is among the artists who will take part in Made For Each Other: Broadway Meets Andrew McMa…

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:56AM

Krysta Rodriguez, Nick Blaemire, Alex Brightman, Andrew McMahon and More Will Be Made For Each Other at 54 Below by Michael Gioia

"Smash" star Krysta Rodriguez, who will star in the upcoming Broadway musical First Date, is among the artists who will take part in Made For Each Other: Broadway Meets Andrew McMa…

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:55AM

Bobby Cannavale in Talks to Star in Rock 'N' Roll HBO Series by Martin Scorsese, Terence Winter and Mick Jagger by Michael Gioia

Tony Award nominee Bobby Cannavale, recently seen on Broadway in The Big Knife, is in negotiations to star in an untitled rock 'n' roll series for HBO, according to Deadline.com.

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:35AM

THE SCREENING ROOM: Neil Patrick Harris Talks Hosting the 67th Annual Tony Awards on the "Late Show" (Video) by Michael Gioia and Adam Hetrick

Emmy Award-winning actor Neil Patrick Harris, who will return to host the 67th Annual Tony Awards on June 9 at Radio City Music Hall, recently visited "The Late Show With David Letterma…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:02AM

Louis Ozawa Changchien, Matt Dellapina, Aubrey Dollar, Keith Nobbs, Chris Perfetti Are The Tutors, Opening June 5 by Michael Gioia

Louis Ozawa Changchien, Matt Dellapina, Aubrey Dollar, Keith Nobbs and Chris Perfetti star in the world premiere of Erica Lipez's The Tutors, which kicks off Second Stage Theatre's 2…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

PLAYBILL PLAYLIST: Skivvies' Lauren Molina and Nick Cearley, Wesley Taylor and Adam Kantor Pick Songs to Strip to by Michael Gioia

The Skivvies, the popular acoustic group that strips down to perform in nothing but their underwear, will play 54 Below June 10. In anticipation of their 54 Below concert, the Skivvies' …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Newsies Star Kara Lindsay Marries Memphis' Kevin Massey by Michael Gioia

Kara Lindsay, who stars as Katherine Plumber in the Disney musical Newsies, tied the knot with former Memphis cast member Kevin Massey this weekend in New Jersey, the couple confirmed to Pla…

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:12PM

40th Anniversary Production of The Rocky Horror Show Will Open in Brisbane With Australian Cast by Michael Gioia

Producers Howard Panter and John Frost have announced that the 40th anniversary production of Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show will open Dec. 31, 2013, at the Lyric Theatre, Q…

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:27PM