First African-American actor to play Valjean on Broadway dies by Associated Press

NEW YORK — Kyle Jean-Baptiste, the first African-American and youngest person to ever play the role of Jean Valjean in “Les Misérables” on Broadway has died after falling from…

Review: A Celebration of Opal Whiteley by Michael Block

Weaving music, poetry, in a celebration of the earth, The Morningtime of Now is a family friendly theatrical event inspired by the whimsical world of Opal Whiteley. Whiteley, an American nat…

Threnody – A New Musical at The Vanguard in Sydney by Chris Fung

Threnody; noun, plural, a poem, speech or song of lamentation for the dead. Threnody is an experimental new musical written and directed by a team of 2013 NIDA graduates headed by Michael M…

‘The Shape of Things’ at Maryland Ensemble Theatre by Johnna Leary

The Shape of Things, written by Neil LaBute and exceptionally directed by Steve Custer, is a brutally honest look at our modern roles in relationships and asks the question, “Where sho…

Australia’s Seann Miley Moore wows judges on X Factor UK by AussieTheatre

He graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) at the end of 2013, appeared in Luckiest Production’s sell out season of Sweet Charity at Hayes Theatre Co a…

FSLC September Series by Barry

FSLC September Series Salute One of Hollywood's Most Spirited Leading Ladies Gloria Grahame and Author James Baldwin          By: Ellis NassourSoon Film Society of Lincoln Center wil…

PHOTO CALL: Patrons and their Four Legged Friends Convene at the Sylvia Box Office Opening by Krissie Fullerton

In celebration of the dog-themed play coming to Broadway following a Manhattan Theatre Club debut in 1995, patrons who arrived at the box office of the A.R. Gurney comedy Sylvia between …

A Prior Engagement with Marina Prior by Bobbi-Lea Dionysius

Brisbane audiences are in for a special treat with Marina Prior’s one-woman show – A Prior Engagement – heading to Brisbane Powerhouse’s Visy Theatre this September 10 and 11. She…

Upcoming Equity Auditions Sunday, Aug. 30 by Audition Roundup

Updated this week Check out upcoming Equity Auditions from Sunday, August 30, 2015 for both productions in your area and around the country including whatwhenwhere and how to audition

Review: La Traviata – Belvoir Downstairs by Cassie Tongue

In the 2013/14 season, La Traviata was the most performed opera in the world, and it consistently ranks in the top ten of similar lists. Verdi’s enduring masterwork is never too far away f…

PHOTO CALL: A Delicate Ship Opens Off-Broadway by Krissie Fullerton

The Playwrights Realm's New York premiere of Anna Ziegler's A Delicate Ship officially opened Aug. 27 following previews that began Aug. 18 at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater (416 W. 42n…

21-year-old 'Les Miserables' Broadway star dies after fall

Just a month ago, Kyle Jean-Baptist became the first black man to play the leading role of Jean Valjean in "Les Miserables" on Broadway. Video provided by Newsy     
…

PHOTO CALL: Dave Thomas Brown Stars in Matthew Lopez’s The Legend of Georgia McBride at MCC by Krissie Fullerton

Previews began Aug. 20 for the New York premiere Matthew Lopez's The Legend of Georgia McBride, about an Elvis impersonator turned drag quee, which features Dave Thomas Brown in the titl…

He's a Hit! 5 Shows Added to Hugh Jackman's BROADWAY TO OZ Arena Tour by BroadwayWorld

This just in Anticipation is at an all-time high with tickets for Hugh Jackman'sBROADWAY TO OZnational arena tour going on sale today. The demand for tickets has been so highDainty Grouphas …

LES MISERABLES Cast to Honor Kyle Jean-Baptiste in Central Park on Monday by Stage Tube

It's just been announced that cast members from the LES MISERABLES Broadway company along with other friends of Kyle Jean-Baptiste will gather tomorrow in Central Park to honor him. The even…

Volpone (or The Fox) at The STCSA by Mick Searles

The work of Ben Johnson (1572 – 1637) is nowhere near as well-known as that of Shakespeare, but he is nevertheless a very important English playwright. So the language, even in this fine n…

Joshua Park, Broadway’s Tom Sawyer, Dies at 38 by Carey Purcell, Robert Viagas

Joshua Park, the young actor who took on the title role of the short-lived Broadway musical The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, died Aug. 30 at age 38. It was the second loss of a young Broadw…

Review: Tinder and Other Theatrical Woes by Michael Block

Imagine your worst dates ever. I can guarantee Swipe Right was worse. Written and directed by Allison Young, Swipe Right was a structural nightmare about twenty something's dating. The story…

Review: After Miss Julie (Strawdog Theatre) by Scotty Zacher

               After Miss Julie Written by Patrick Marber Strawdog Theatre, 3829 N. Broadway (map) thru Sept 28  | …

Review: More Laugh Tracks Than Live Laughs by Michael Block

Sitcoms have been a staple in American pop culture for decades. The physical comedy. The moral at the end of the episode. The laugh track. The landscape of the situation comedy has changed v…

VIDEO: Sierra Boggess Announces Stage Door Fine Arts 2016 Season by Stage Tube

Stage Door Fine Arts patrons and participants were in for a special surprise this evening when Broadway star Sierra Boggess THE LITTLE MERMAID, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA announced the theatre…

"Cavalleria" & "Pagliacci" by Barry

Opera's Popular Double Bill, Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci ,Will Be Telecast on PBS Great Performances September 6                    By: Ellis NassourSunday of Labor …

Kyle Jean-Baptiste Memorial Service. Forest Whitaker Debuting, Daniel Craig Quitting Broadway. Week in New York Theater by New York Theater

An informal memorial service will be held in Central Park Monday afternoon for Kyle Jean-Baptiste, 21, the youngest actor and first African-American to portray Jean Valjean in Les Miserables…

OLIVER SACKS by Kim

  Thanksgiving. 1989. Walking into my parents’ bedroom I see, sitting on my father’s nightstand a book titled: SEEING VOICES. My first thought: “Isn’t that funny…

Lanark/The Encounter/Man To Man/Wojtek The Bear/The Christians by John Morrison

A review in five acts 1. O vkusakh nye sporit' (Don't argue about taste). I was reminded of this old Russian proverb during my August week in Edinburgh when I read a glowing five-star review…

People You Should Know . . . Mia Raye Smith by Zack Calhoon

Mia Raye Smith (Writer/Performer) Creative. Artistic. Visionary. Mia is a proud graduate of the William Esper Studio. Mia’s most recent work includes the role of Lisa in the Web Series Bla…

Review: ‘Magic Trick,’ the Tale of a Breakup in the World of Burlesque by Laura Collins-Hughes

This play finds a young woman who uses a wheelchair experiencing a breakup with her boyfriend.

Kyle Jean-Baptiste, History-Making Actor of Les Mis, Dies in a Fall by Greg Cwik

Kyle Jean-Baptiste, the first black actor (as well as the youngest actor) to portray Jean Valjean in the iconic Broadway musical Les Miserables, has died at 21. Police said he fell accidenta…

Chicago comics’ ‘Teachers’ series gets TV Land sneak peek tonight by Darel Jevens

America is about to get its first extended look at the cable version of “Teachers,” ... The post Chicago comics’ ‘Teachers’ series gets TV Land sneak peek tonig…

HIFF "Peace Officer" by Barry

The Hamptons International Film Festival presented the documentary "Peace Officer" as the final film in the SummerDocs Series/ talkback hosted by Alec Baldwin at Guild Hall.Alec Ba…

Review: A Perfect Heist by Michael Block

Adapted from Frank Pierson’s “Dog Day Afternoon” which was inspired by an article from Life Magazine, Stockholm Savings by Michael DeMeo is a high-octane comedic thriller about a bank …

Review: Keeping Up With the Gay Astronauts by Michael Block

Everyone dreams of being an astronaut as a kid. The images we've placed on astronauts are based on their feats of heroism. There's a celebrity attached to them. In Endless Air, Endless Water…

Broadway Vet Joshua Park Passes Away at 38 by BroadwayWorld

BroadwayWorld.com is sad to report the death of actor and Broadway vet Joshua Park at the young age of 38, following a brief illness. Our condolences go out to his family, friends, loved one…

Stars of Vaudeville #897: Edwin J. Burke by Trav S.D.

Today is the birthday of Edwin J. Burke (1889-1944). We cast a wide net betimes for our Stars of Vaudeville series. Only rarely do playwrights make it here, but some do, and some have. Burke…

Review: Don Chipotle/terraNOVA Collective and The Playground Theater by Zach Freeman

In the world premiere of Juan Francisco Villa’s “Don Chipotle” it’s difficult to distinguish between the real and the fantastical. And while that may work for Cervantes in “Don Qui…

Broadway’s Current Jean Valjean, KYLE JEAN-BAPTISTE, Dies In Tragic Fall by Michael J. Roberts

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Kyle Jean-Baptiste, the first African American and youngest person to ever play the lead role of Jean Valjean in “Les Misérables” on Broadway died after fallin…

Juan Francisco Villa’s DON CHIPOTLE – Through September 27, 2015 at the Storefront Theater – World Premiere! by Michael J. Roberts

terraNOVA Collective and The Playground Theater, in association with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, are pleased to announce the world premiere of DON CHIP…

STAGE TUBE: 'Suddenly, Seymour!' Ellen Greene and Jake Gyllenhaal Perform LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Duet at ENCORES! by Stage Tube

Suddenly, footage BroadwayWorld has procured part of a recording from this summer's ENCORES production of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. Below, watch stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Ellen Greene sing the…

Who Sets Cell Phone Etiquette In Theatres – And Who Should? by Suzi Steffen

“Theater as a whole desperately needs to keep attracting younger audiences, and yet it doesn’t seem particularly able or willing to educate newer playgoers or accommodate their diffe…

Murder at 'The Jacksonian.' Is Southern Gothic the killer? by Chris Jones

The Mississippi-raised playwright Beth Henley - best known for penning "Crimes of the Heart" - has as much affection for the label "Southern Gothic" as her fellow scribe Sarah Ruhl does for …

Los Angeles Music and Dance Preview: AUDRA MCDONALD & ABT & LA Phil (Hollywood Bowl) by Tony Frankel

AMERICAN CLASSICS WITH AUDRA MCDONALD & AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE The last time I saw the captivating singer and actress Audra McDonald in concert, she sang the Bernstein/Comden/Green tun…

Baldwin Wallace University to hold vigil for Broadway's Kyle Jean-Baptiste Sunday night by Andrea Simakis

BEREA, Ohio - Students, faculty and friends of Baldwin Wallace University will gather Sunday night to mourn the untimely death and celebrate the life of BW grad and Broadway talent Kyle Jean…

Outre’s Bed & Sofa Is Uneasy Mix Of Opera, Silent Film, Theater by Bill Hirschman

The collision of two never-subtle art forms in Bed and Sofa is certainly intriguing as befits Outré Theatre Company’s mission of fearlessly pushing the boundaries of theater, thanks in pa…

Broadway at the Cabaret - Top 5 Cabaret Picks for August 31-September 6, Featuring Anthony Rapp, Barrett Weed, and More! by Louisa Brady

Broadway's 40 theatres aren't the only places to catch performances from your favorite stars Well after Broadway orchestras begin their overtures, ensemble members take their dance breaks, a…

BWW Interview: Music Director and Broadway Producer Michael J. Mortiz Jr. Talks Career, US Coaching Tour, and Music by David Clarke

Music director, Broadway producer, and skilled musician Michael J. Moritz Jr. will be spending this fall traveling the United States with one purpose in mind teaching. To get the inside scoo…

Baldwin Wallace University Students Launch Kyle Jean-Baptise Scholarship Fundraiser by Stage Tube

Baldwin Wallace University students are aiming to create a scholarship in the name of Kyle Jean-Baptiste, the LES MISERABLES star who died on Friday evening at the too young age of 21. Donat…

Akram Khan: Choreographer says dance is 'as important as maths and being a doctor'

Akram Khan, one of the most-acclaimed choreographers in the UK, has called for the Government to put dance in the curriculum saying it is as important as studying maths or medicine.

Final winners announced in The Stage Awards for Acting Excellence 2015 by Paddy Smith

Sophie Melville, Donal O’Kelly and Sorcha Fox have collected the last remaining gongs in The Stage Awards for Acting Excellence at the

Puppetry, the Insular Art That Takes a Village by HowlRound

By Jean Marie Keevins. Puppeteer Jean Marie Keevins reports on 2015 National Puppetry Conference and the Puppeteers of America National Puppetry Festival.

BWW Review: Daniel Ezralow's PEARL Is Visually Sumptuous by Michael Dale

The theatredance piece is inspired by the life of Pearl S. Buck.

How A Theatre Season Can Come Together To Support – Or Ignore – Diversity by Suzi Steffen

“There are hundreds of priorities to balance in the process of planning a season. The decisions we make reveal the hierarchy of those priorities. It is the season, not the mission stat…

ArtsBeat: Big Apple Circus to Focus on Early Travel in 38th Season by Andrew R. Chow

The Big Apple Circus returns to Lincoln Center in October.

Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club ‘Adios Tour’ at Wolf Trap by Susan Brall

Everyone at Wolf Trap tonight must have oiled their hips tonight as just about the whole audience was dancing in the aisles by the end of the evening to the Latin beats coming from the stage…

Dance therapy valuable aid for wellbeing of older people by Mark Tran

Future of classes run by arts charity Create threatened as social care spending for older people fallsPaula Sanders may have arrived at the dancing class inadvertently but by the end she say…

The Perils of Moonshine by Trav S.D.

The theme of this Sunday’s sermon is Temperance. If you’re one of the two people who’ve been closely following this earth-shattering series of posts on my lineage, so far w…

Tommy by Michael Portantiere

Studio Recording, 1969 (MCA) Originally conceived for presentation on record, this seminal “rock opera” is thrillingly melodic and dramatic. Small wonder that it was subsequently adapted…

Titanic by Michael Portantiere

Original Broadway Cast, 1997 (RCA) You’ll be hard-pressed to find more beautiful choral singing than that heard on the cast album of Titanic, the musical about the sinking of that famed �…

Ricky Ritzel’s Broadway is Back! by Sandi Durell

    By: Myra Chanin   According to his wiseass bio, Ricky Ritzel was last seen on Broadway hailing a cab. Actually Ricky is a formidable Cabaret stalwart who spends most... T…

REDCAT Announces a Wide-Ranging International Program of Contemporary Performing Arts Events for Fall 2015 and Highlights of 2016 by Michael J. Roberts

REDCAT, CalArts downtown center for contemporary arts, presents an ambitious international selection of adventurous contemporary performances in its Fall 2015 season, including visiting arti…

1st African-American actor to play Valjean on Broadway dies

NEW YORK (AP) - Kyle Jean-Baptiste, the first African-American and youngest person to ever play the role of Jean Valjean in "Les Misérables" on Broadway has died after falling from a …

'Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights' review by Sherryl Connelly

“Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights” is replete with fantastical creatures, scary monsters, very bad men and one heroic woman.

‘The Witches of Venice’ by Philip Glass to Have American Premiere by Michael Cooper

The production of the whimsical, magical piece — based on the children’s book by Beni Montresor — will be directed and choreographed by Karole Armitage for Opera Saratoga.

Tip-Toes by Michael Portantiere

New York Concert Cast, 1998 (New World, 2CDs) Enchanting piffle from 1925, Tip-Toes has a funny Fred Thompson-Guy Bolton book, a dancey Gershwin score, and an insuperable cast in this Carneg…

Wet Chicago Dancing Festival finale still manages to shine by Laura Molzahn

It was a drippy night at the Pritzker Pavilion on Saturday: The last performance of this year's Chicago Dancing Festival pretty much laid to rest the notion that a free concert under the sta…

Tintypes by Michael Portantiere

Original Broadway Cast, 1980 (DRG) Allegedly, this was the first-ever digitally recorded cast album. A cavalcade of early-20th-century Americana, Tintypes sounds splendid here as its five-me…

Kyle Jean-Baptiste, Broadway’s ‘Les Miserables’ Star, Dead at 21

REVIEW: Swallow, Traverse Theatre ✭✭✭✭ by Mark Ludmon

By Mark Ludmon This powerful production, sharply directed by Orla O'Loughlin, is a highlight of this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe and another demonstration of Smith’s skill at captur…

Full House: The Musical! embraces a fetid mess of grotesque performances by Martin Morrow

With tasteless jokes, gross sight gags and grotesque performances, this deliberately cruddy show embraces its own badness as enthusiastically as the Tanner clan used to engage in cure-all hu…

A Time For Singing by Michael Portantiere

Original Broadway Cast, 1966 (Warner Bros./no CD) Based on Richard Llewellyn’s popular book How Green Was My Valley, which inspired the acclaimed 1941 movie of the same title, A Time for S…

REVIEW: Tomorrow, Traverse Theatre ✭✭✭✭ by Mark Ludmon

By Mark Ludmon It is a powerful show that leaves you with unforgettable images and an uncompromising vision of old age and dementia. This post REVIEW: Tomorrow, Traverse Theatre ✭✭✭✭…

‘The Journey of Thing Three’ at Boom Theatre Company by Ben Fisler

What makes productions by Boom Theatre Company so valuable is that they bring to audiences, specifically those in Harford County, theatre that is truly cutting edge. The Journey of Thing T…

REVIEW: Marriage, Assembly George Square Studios ✭✭✭ by Mark Ludmon

By Mark Ludmon Solidly directed by Russell Bolam, the production has less of the anarchy and exuberance of some of Comedians Theatre Company’s previous shows but it offers a fresh, modern …

Edinburgh Fringe Review: I Went To A Fabulous Party, C too by Daniel Perks

Off the back of a run in King’s Head Theatre in London, I Went To a Fabulous Party is no stranger to venues that specialise in nurturing new talent. The party in question is held by Lee (M…

Edinburgh Fringe Review: The Last Kill, Greenside @ Nicolson Square by Daniel Perks

An apparent sufferer of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Michael (Gary Quinn) is a casualty of the British armed forces. He suffers frequent flashbacks of his previous tours in Afghani…

Edinburgh Fringe Review: So It Goes, Underbelly Cowgate by Daniel Perks

“Dad died when I was 17”; a simple blunt statement from Hannah Moss. She doesn’t voice this to the audience, she writes it on a whiteboard. She writes everything on the whitebo…

Edinburgh Fringe Review: Broken Biscuits, theSpace on the Mile by Daniel Perks

Trisha Duffy makes her writing debut with Broken Biscuits. The story tells of Rita (Leanne Martin) and Maggie (Jane Hogarth), both with sons in the armed forces. Rita’s son was killed in A…

Former rapper Mos Def fails to amuse as comedian by Hannah Ellis-Petersen

Performing under his real name, Yasiin Bey gives underwhelming performance in European debut of his standup showIt’s well past midnight when Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def, finally …

Review: The Outfit/Piccolo Theatre by Christopher Kidder-Mostrom

Nikolai Gogol wrote a short story entitled “The Overcoat” in the mid-nineteenth century about a Russian bureaucrat whose cloak is ratty and in need of replacement if his career i…

Mark Rucker Made Room for Others, and There Was No Better Place To Be by American Theatre Editors

Gentle but passionate, as handy with farce as with tragedy, the late director brought together the Bay Area's disparate theatrical tribes like no one else.

Kyle Jean-Baptiste Performs “Bring Him Home” in Stunning Lez Miz Audition

Les Misérables cast member Kyle Jean-Baptiste, 21, died on Aug. 29 after a fall from a fire escape. He recently made history by being the first African-American and the yo…

September 2015 Theater Openings on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off Broadway by New York Theater

Deaf West’s revival of “Spring Awakening” is the only Broadway show opening in September. Other New York theater that looks promising this month: Desire, an evening of play…

Edinburgh Fringe Review: Little Shop of Horrors, Paradise in Augustine by Daniel Perks

Stage manager Claire Mellon must have loved this choice of musical, since it involves the construction of a growing man-eating plant, which can bring down the whole show if it doesn’t …

STAGE TUBE: On This Day for 8/30/15- THE LITTLE MERMAID by Stage Tube

Today in 2009, The Little Mermaid closed at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, where it ran for 685 performances. The Little Mermaid is based on the animated 1989 Disney film of the same name and th…

Overheard… 2+2=4 by Vinnie

Mr. Brown was very excited to buy four tickets to the smash hit Hamilton at the Richard Rodgers Theater. He didn’t even mind that they weren’t four seats together. Which, is a de…

Fuse Theater Review: “The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey” — Shine On by Arts Fuse Editor

James Lecesne's one-man show delivers just what it promises....a lot of laughs and a few tears as well.

Les Miserables star Kyle Jean-Baptiste dies in fall by Mark Kennedy

Kyle Jean-Baptiste, the first African-American and youngest person to ever play the role of Jean Valjean in “Les Misérables” on Broadway has died after falling from a fire escape.

History-Making Jean Valjean Kyle Jean-Baptiste Dies at 21; Family Issues Statement by Michael Gioia

Kyle Jean-Baptiste, the promising young actor who made history July 23 when he went on as Jean Valjean in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables at just 21 years old, died Aug…

Kyle Jean-Baptiste, Broadway's first black Jean Valjean, dies after fall by Associated Press

New York theatre community mourns loss of Kyle Jean-Baptiste, 21, the youngest person to play the role of Valjean in Les MisérablesKyle Jean-Baptiste, the first African American and younges…

Samantha Barks Talks Finding Her Inner Child, Honing Her Vocal Skills, and More in AMELIE by Sally Henry

Samantha Barks has returned to the musical stage in a role that has taught her about her voice and helped her to explore her childish side.

VIDEO: Watch Ramin Karimloo's Touching Curtain Call Tribute to Kyle Jean-Baptise & Read A Statement from Kyle's Family by Stage Tube

Below, we have video sent to us by an audience member of the curtain call following the Saturday matinee of LES MISERABLES. At the end, the show's current Jean Valjean, Ramin Karimloo spoke …

BWW Interview - Todrick Hall Talks New MTV Series, Dream Broadway Role & Writing His Own Musical by TV News Desk

Hallspeaks exclusively with BWW about his exciting new MTV series, his dream Broadway role and why he 'absolutely, 150' wants to return to the Great White Way in the near future

Friends of History-Making Young Actor Kyle Jean-Baptiste Plan Monday Memorial in Central Park by Michael Gioia, Robert Viagas

Kyle Jean-Baptiste, the promising young actor who made history July 23 when he went on as Jean Valjean in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables at just 21 years old, died Aug…

The Happy Accident by HowlRound

By Jenna Turk. Actor Jenna Turk describes some less-than-perfect on-stage moments that ended up adding a surprise element to the performances.

My Son and Heir at Edinburgh review – skewers competitive, modern parenting by Lyn Gardner

Forest Fringe, EdinburghSometimes lacking focus, this piece celebrates the quiet, unsung heroism of exhausted parents raising children in circumstances far from those of royal statusSearch P…

Broadway Community Urges League to Dim Lights in Honor of Kyle Jean-Baptiste by Matt Tamanini

Earlier today, Broadway actor Kyle Jean-Baptiste tragically died from injuries suffered during an accident at his mother's home. Last month, Jean-Baptiste became both the youngest, and the f…

Michael Grandage: ‘I love getting the best out of actors’ by Mark Shenton

Michael Grandage has, for as long as I’ve known him, been something of a life force: not content with running one theatre

Murmel Murmel at Edinburgh review – boisterous comic elan by Lyn Gardner

King’s, EdinburghThis crack ensemble perform the single word of Dieter Roth’s text in such varied forms it is like watching somebody’s repressed unconscious run riotDieter Roth’s 197…

BWW's On This Day - August 30, 2015

Here are the Broadway, Off-Broadway and West End shows which opened on August 30 along with all of the upcoming show openings, closings and special events

JOBS: AYT Weekly Jobs Round-Up: August 29 by James Lillywhite

Are you looking for work in the arts industry? Each week we at A Younger Theatre are featuring the best job applications from across the arts spectrum. Whether you’re looking for permanent…

A Delicate Ship Opens Off-Broadway by Krissie Fullerton

The Playwrights Realm's New York premiere of Anna Ziegler's A Delicate Ship officially opened Aug. 27 following previews that began Aug. 18 at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater (416 W. 42n…

Quizzes: Test your theatre knowledge: Name that showtune

Think you know your musical numbers? Let's see how you get on with just a few seconds of each

MTC: Betrayal by Anne-Marie Peard

Following seasons in Adelaide and Canberra, Geordie Brookman’s production of Harold Pinter’s 1978 play Betrayal has opened at the MTC. Inspired by the writer’s own relationships, it’…

On my radar: Doc Brown’s cultural highlights by Jessica Murray

The rapper, comedian, actor and screenwriter on Slow West, Ray Celestin’s The Axeman’s Jazz, The Waters by Mick Jenkins and the magic of Kermode and MayoBen Bailey Smith, AKA Doc Brown, …

Lanark: A Life in Three Acts review – arresting adaptation of a literary classic by Clare Brennan

Royal Lyceum theatre, EdinburghDavid Greig captures the spirit of Alasdair Gray’s novel in a visually stunning productionDavid Greig’s adaptation is big, sprawling and (at four hours) lo…

Edinburgh festival fringe works; Ballett Zürich review – it’s far more fun on the fringe by Luke Jennings

Various venues; Edinburgh PlayhouseThis year’s Edinburgh offerings proved beyond doubt that the most original work is found outside the official programmeSmall is most definitely beautiful…

Hamlet review – Benedict Cumberbatch is the sanest of Danes by Susannah Clapp

Cumberbatch is a strikingly eloquent Hamlet in an evening of fitful illuminationI don’t think I have ever seen a more rational Hamlet. When Benedict Cumberbatch tots up his bodkins, whips,…

The Magic Flute at Edinburgh festival review – unforgettable and exhausting by Fiona Maddocks

Festival theatre, EdinburghThe Magic Flute as a silent film works like a manic dream in Barrie Kosky and theatre company 1927’s visually stunning productionThe Magic Flute has always stood…

Our Country’s Good review – revival of a humanist classic by David Jays

National TheatreAn expansive production of Timberlake Wertenbaker’s penal colony play bristles with hope and indignationWelcome to Australia, so far from home. In the late 18th century, Br…

Mission impossible? Meet the new chaplains by Tom Lamont

Could gamblers do with a little help from God? Would a rich spiritual life improve a rugby team? And does faith have a place in the theatre? With church attendance in decline, Tom Lamont mee…

Kyle Jean-Baptiste dead: First black actor to play lead role in Broadway musical 'Les Miserables' dies

Tributes have been paid to Kyle Jean-Baptiste, the first African-American and youngest person to play the role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables on Broadway who has died after falling from …

The place that inspires me: artist reveal their secret getaways by Interviews By Killian Fox, Corinne Jones and Joanne O'Connor

Whether it’s the roots of home or a wild escape from the rat race, most creative types have a place that unlocks their imaginative flow. We asked writers, musicians, artists and directors …

Review: The Love Struggle by Michael Block

Love is hard at any age. And dating doesn't get any easier. In Love in the Middle Ages, musical comedy with book by Eric Kornfeld and Jeffrey Jackson, music by Michelangelo Sosnowitz, and ly…

Review: The Ultimate Papal Reality Show by Michael Block

When the Pope dies, the Cardinals of the world come together to vote for the next Pope. But what if the voting process was as ridiculous and scheme-worthy as an episode of “Survivor”? Fi…

Your Sunday afternoon zen: Zindzi Okenyo and “Just a Story” by Cassie Tongue

Zindzi Okenyo is an explosion of creativity. Just this year, you might have seen her (among other things!) on stage in Griffin Theatre’s Masquerade, Darlinghurst Theatre Co’s …

This Week’s Picks! Hail Queen Lesli, Catch a Fever & More by Pete Croatto

Hey, you, trying to cram in every last hedonistic activity before Labor Day! You have, like, almost a month until summer officially ends and life becomes cloudy, cold and hopeless. Don&rsquo…

The Great Theatre Massacre of 1982: Five Broadway Stages Faced the Wrecking Ball for a Marriott | Keith York City by Keith York City

Believe it or not, there was a time when Broadway was merely the name of a street in New York City. The “Great White Way” as it is universally known today was little more than a meanderi…

Playbill Poll: What West End Show Should Make the Leap to Broadway? by Joe Gambino

London's West End features some exciting new musicals, as well as highly praised revivals. Among them are Gypsy, starring Imelda Staunton; Hamlet, starring Benedict Cumberbatch;…

This Week in Night Life: Don’t Miss Beth Malone and the Cast of Spring Awakening and An All-New Char by Olivia Clement

Playbill.com offers the best of after-hour shows; click on the links to take you to the events' websites and to purchase tickets directly.

Spring Awakening Alumni Reunite for Concert of New Music Tonight by Adam Hetrick and Robert Viagas

After three sold-out June shows at 54 Below nightclub, actors from the original Broadway production of Spring Awakening and its national tour are coming together again Aug. 30 to present…

California Here It Comes: The Unauthorized O.C. Musical Debuts Tonight by Olivia Clement

From the creators of Cruel Intentions: The Musical, comes The Unauthorized O.C. Musical, based on the popular hit TV series that ran for four seasons and concluded in 2007. The stage show is…

Fall Off-Broadway Preview: Vets and Rock Stars Fill the Stages in Edgy Updates to the Classics by Robert Simonson

The fall Off-Broadway season is filled with award-winning actors who have gone behind the limelights to direct innovative new works that explore gender, race and politics. 

Ramin Karimloo Plays Final Les Miz Show as Alfie Boe Readies to “Bring Him Home” by Michael Gioia

Ramin Karimloo, who received a Tony Award nomination for his portrayal of Jean Valjean in the re-imagined Broadway revival of Les Misérables, plays his final performance in th…

Spring Awakening Original Cast Member Reunites for Concert of New Music Tonight by Adam Hetrick and Robert Viagas

After three sold-out June shows at 54 Below nightclub, actors from the original Broadway production of Spring Awakening and its national tour are coming together again Aug. 30 to present…

2Do this week, Aug. 30-Sept. 5: Cultural events around Pittsburgh

TODAY