All stories by Michael Gioia on BroadwayStars

Monday, February 4, 2013

Sutton Foster, Andrew Rannells, Tyne Daly, Bruce Vilanch and More Set for West Coast Broadway, My Way Benefit by Michael Gioia

Two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster and The Book of Mormon Tony nominee Andrew Rannells are among the performers who will take part in the 29th annual Southland Theatre Artists Goo…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:32AM
Sunday, February 3, 2013

THE SCREENING ROOM: Telly Leung, Melissa Benoist, Barrett Foa and More Sing Kerrigan-Lowdermilk Tunes in L.A. (Video) by Michael Gioia

Chris Isaacson & Upright Cabaret presented the music of songwriting duo Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk — marking their West Coast Debut — Jan. 20 at Catalina Bar & Gr…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Intimate Rock Musical Bare, Shedding Light on Equality, Love and Religion, Ends Off-Broadway Run Feb. 3 by Michael Gioia

Bare, the coming-of-age rock musical set in a co-ed Catholic boarding school, plays its final performance Feb. 3 at New World Stages. A cast album for the revised Off-Broadway productio…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Saturday, February 2, 2013

Free Labs of Mardi Gras and The Last Word, With Jason Mills, Rebecca Pitcher, Tom Souhrada, Offered Feb. 2-3 by Michael Gioia

The York Theatre Company presents free developmental labs of two short operas, Mardi Gras and The Last Word — both composed by Mildred Kayden and exploring her view of relationships &m…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Directors Guild Awards, Hosted by Kelsey Grammer, Held Feb. 2; Glenn Weiss, Tom Hooper Among Nominees by Michael Gioia

The 65th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards dinner, hosted by Kelsey Grammer, is held Feb. 2 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland. Glenn Weiss, director and execu…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Friday, February 1, 2013

Stephen Karam and PJ Paparelli's Revised columbinus, About Columbine School Shooting, Premieres Feb. 1 in Chicago by Michael Gioia

American Theater Company presents the world premiere of the revised columbinus, including material devised from recent interviews with survivors of the Columbine High School shootings, famil…

SOURCE: Playbill at 09:26AM

Seattle Premiere of Next to Normal, Directed by Brandon Ivie, Will Feature Beth DeVries, Keaton Whittaker and More by Michael Gioia

Balagan Theatre and Contemporary Classics will co-present the Seattle premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical Next to Normal, starring Beth DeVries as bipolar matriarch Diana Goo…

SOURCE: Playbill at 09:00AM

AfterWork Theater Project, With Non-Theatre Working Professionals, Presents Hair Feb. 1-10 in NYC by Michael Gioia

AfterWork Theater Project, a New York City-based theatre company providing working professionals with a creative outlet, presents its inaugural production, the sixties rock musical Hair, Feb…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Broadway Musicians Offer The John Miller Quartet Plus 2 Feb. 1 at The Cutting Room by Michael Gioia

Following a 21-week run at the New York City nightclub 54 Below, The John Miller Quartet Plus 2, featuring a host of Broadway musicians, debuts at The Cutting Room Feb. 1.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Pittsburgh Public's 1776, With George Merrick, Steve Vinovich, Trista Moldovan, Keith Hines, Opens Feb. 1 by Michael Gioia

Pittsburgh Public Theater's production of the Tony Award-winning musical 1776, the biggest production in the company's history, opens Feb. 1, following previews that began Jan. 24, a…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Growing Up Broadway: Meet Kid Actors From Cat, Annie, Matilda, Drood and Newsies by Michael Gioia

With nearly half of Broadway shows currently on the boards populated with children under the age of 18, we sit down with a few of them to talk about what it's like growing up on stage.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Thursday, January 31, 2013

UArts Will Present Readings of New Musical Crush by Yasmine Lever and Passing Strange's Stew and Heidi Rodewald by Michael Gioia

Staged readings of Crush, a new musical featuring music by Passing Strange writers Stew (Tony winner for Best Book) and Heidi Rodewald with a book and lyrics by Yasmine Lever, will be offere…

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:16PM

UArts Will Present Staged Readings of New Musical Crush by Passing Strange's Stew and Heidi Rodewald by Michael Gioia

Staged readings of Crush, a new musical featuring a score by Passing Strange writers Stew (Tony winner for Best Book) and Heidi Rodewald with a book and lyrics by Yasmine Lever, will be offe…

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:15PM

Broadway Scores For P.S. 84 Benefit Will Feature Kerry Butler, Joe Iconis, Renee Elise Goldsberry and More by Michael Gioia

Broadway Scores For P.S. 84: A Celebration of Songs Featuring Kerry Butler & Friends, a benefit for P.S. 84 - The Lillian Weber School Of The Arts, will be held March 3 at the Robert H. …

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:45PM

Steel Burkhardt, Krystal Joy Brown and More Will Join Taylor Louderman, Derek Klena for Overcash and Change by Michael Gioia

Steel Burkhardt (Hair), Krystal Joy Brown (Big Fish, Leap of Faith), Julia Mattison (Godspell), Corbin Reid (Rent, American Idiot) and Alan Wiggins (The Lion King) have joined the lineup for…

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:31PM

"You May Not Kiss the Bride," Starring Katharine McPhee and Dave Annable, Will Be Released on DVD Feb. 5 by Michael Gioia

"You May Not Kiss the Bride," the Hawaiian Film Partners movie that stars "Smash" actress Katharine McPhee and "Brothers and Sisters" actor Dave Annable, will b…

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:30PM

Jessica Chastain Will Star Opposite Colin Farrell in Film Adaptation of August Strindberg's Miss Julie by Michael Gioia

Jessica Chastain, who currently plays the title role in Broadway's The Heiress, will star in a film adaptation of August Strindberg's Miss Julie, according to Variety.

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:52PM

THE SCREENING ROOM: The Skivvies Play the Highline Ballroom, With Mitchell Jarvis, Leigh Ann Larkin, Alice Ripley (Video) by Michael Gioia and Adam Hetrick

Tony Award winner Alice Ripley (Next to Normal), Mitchell Jarvis and Leigh Ann Larkin were among the performers who joined the Skivvies for their Jan. 28 concert and video premiere at the Hi…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:01AM

STAGE TO SCREENS: Jeremy Jordan Dishes On His New Role as Bad-Boy Heartthrob of NBC's "Smash" by Michael Gioia

Jeremy Jordan, fresh off his Tony-nominated turn as the rebellious paper boy Jack Kelly in Broadway's Newsies, turns up the angst and anger for the second season of NBC's "Smash…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:01AM

Eugene O'Neill's Hughie, Starring Richard Schiff, Begins Jan. 31 at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC by Michael Gioia

The Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC presents Eugene O'Neill's Hughie beginning Jan. 31 at the company's Lansburgh Theatre. Emmy Award-winning actor Richard Schiff, re…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

Writers' Theatre's Sweet Charity, With Tiffany Topol, Jarrod Zimmerman, Karen Burthwright, Opens Jan. 31 by Michael Gioia

The Writers' Theatre production of Sweet Charity, featuring a book by Neil Simon, music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields, officially opens Jan. 31, following previews that…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Judy Kaye, Motown's Valisia LeKae, Star Jones and Cast of Stomp! Will "Go Red" at Macy's Event Jan. 31 by Michael Gioia

In celebration of the 10th National Wear Red Day, Macy's and the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women will host a special ceremony Jan. 31 that will light the Broadway side …

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:13PM

Will Gluck to Direct "Annie" Remake, With New Material by Jay-Z; Willow Smith No Longer Attached by Michael Gioia

Will Gluck, producer of the films "Easy A" and "Friends With Benefits," will direct "Annie," the upcoming film remake of the 1982 movie musical that will b…

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:41PM

Philippe Pierce and Marie Lenormand Will Celebrate Jacques Brel and Charles Trénet With Fire and Fantasy by Michael Gioia

The New York Festival of Song will continue its 25th anniversary season by honoring two of the 20th century's greatest balladeers in Jacques Brel & Charles Trénet: Fire and Fa…

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:42PM

Free Labs of Mardi Gras and The Last Word Will Feature Jason Mills, Rebecca Pitcher, Tom Souhrada by Michael Gioia

The York Theatre Company will present a free developmental lab of two short operas, Mardi Gras and The Last Word — both composed by Mildred Kayden and exploring her view of relationshi…

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:26PM

Nationwide Screenings of "One Night Stand" Movie, Documenting 24-Hour Creation of a Musical, Offered Jan. 30 by Michael Gioia

NCM Fathom Events, Overnight Musicals and The Broadway League present "One Night Stand: Creating a Play in a Day," a one-night event broadcast to movie theatres nationwide Jan. 30 …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Broadway Musicians Will Offer The John Miller Quartet Plus 2 at The Cutting Room in February by Michael Gioia

Following a 21-week run at the New York City nightclub 54 Below, The John Miller Quartet Plus 2, featuring a host of Broadway musicians, will debut at The Cutting Room Feb. 1.

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:00PM

Well-Strung: The Singing String Quartet, Directed by Donna Drake, Will Play the Marjorie S. Deane Theater by Michael Gioia

Well-Strung: The Singing String Quartet, featuring a boy band string quartet that covers classics and contemporary sounds, will return to New York City for a limited three-week engagement be…

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:30PM

Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Cissy Houston and More Will Celebrate Mama, I Want To Sing's 30th Anniversary by Michael Gioia

Mama, I Want To Sing, the 1983 gospel musical created by Vy Higginsen that currently plays the Dempsey Theater, will celebrate its 30th anniversary March 23 with a special performance of Mam…

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:49PM

Judy Collins, Stephen Lang, André De Shields Will Take Part in Free Performance of The Civil War in Words and Music by Michael Gioia

A free performance of The Civil War in Words and Music, sponsored by Cooper Union, the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation and the New York State Archives Partnership Trust, will be offe…

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:58AM

Set List Announced from Star-Studded From Broadway with Love: A Benefit Concert for Sandy Hook by Michael Gioia and Andrew Gans

From Broadway with Love: A Benefit Concert For Sandy Hook, a concert of healing for the Newtown community featuring composers, musicians and over 100 stars of Broadway, was held Jan. 28 at t…

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:21AM

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