Happy Birthday, Wanda June by Elizabeth Wollman

While the city's theater critics revive the century-old debate about the death of Broadway at the tail end of a reasonably disappointing commercial season, reassurance can be found in a visi…

Coming Up This Week in Theatre - 5/12/2018

BroadwayWorld.com's Upcoming Events calendar for the week - updated on 5122018.

Summer and Smoke - More Than 90% There by Judd Hollander

Reviewed by Judd HollanderOne can't be helped out of a bad situation unless they are first willing to help themselves. A tenet for anyone suffering from substance abuse, and also when it com…

Review: ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert’ at Kensington Arts Theatre by Molly Murchie

Priscilla Queen of the Desert started life as a film by Stephan Elliott who adapted it into a ’70s jukebox musical with Allan Scott. The ambitious and enthusiastic community production…

Jim Parsons Injury Forces Cancellation Of ‘The Boys In the Band’ Performance by Dino-Ray Ramos

During a Saturday matinee performance of the Broadway revival of the 1968 off-Broadway hit The Boys in the Band, cast member Jim Parsons tripped causing a cancellation of the evening show.…

Long Day’s Journey Into Night at BAM with Jeremy Irons: Review, pics by New York Theater

By the end of the Broadway revival of Long Days Journey Into Night two years ago, when Jessica Lange as mother Mary Tyrone rejoins her family, she is an ethereal ghost, her mind and body num…

VIDEO: Get a First Look at Disney Channel's Adaptation of FREAKY FRIDAY THE MUSICAL Starring Heidi Blickenstaff and Cozi Zuehlsdorff by Matt Tamanini

sadasdsaAfter a mini-tour around the United States beginning in 2016, the new musical adaptation of FREAKY FRIDAY will be coming to the Disney Channel over the summer. As it did on stage, th…

May 12 Evening Performance of Broadway's The Boys in the Band Canceled by Andrew Gans

Joe Mantello’s production of the Mart Crowley play officially opens May 31.

Review: ‘Big Fish’ by Silhouette Stages at Slayton House by Susan Brall

Big Fish, directed by TJ Lukacsina, opened this weekend at Slayton House in Columbia, Maryland. With the musical, music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and book by John August, Big Fish opened o…

Review: ‘Gypsy’ at the Cumberland Theatre by Bob Ashby

The original full title of the show now playing at the Cumberland Theatre was Gypsy: A Musical Fable. Emphasize that final word. Gypsy Rose Lee was none too particular about the facts of he…

Review: ‘Carol Burnett: An Evening of Laughter and Reflection’ at the Kennedy Center by Hilary Sutton

In 2018, our list of living legends is dwindling. So to be in the same room with one of the greatest comediennes of all time– Emmy, Golden Globe, People’s Choice, Horatio Alger, Ace …

Long Day’s Journey into Night: O’Neill’s at Breakneck, Breakheart Pace by David Finkle

★★★★★ Richard Eyre brilliantly directs Jeremy Irons, Lesley Manville, Rory Keenan and Matthew Beard The post Long Day’s Journey into Night: O’Neill’s at Breakneck…

In the Moment: Interview with Emily Whitworth, Synetic Theater’s ‘Titus Andronicus’ Adaptor by David Siegel

Synetic Theater’s marvels of silent Shakespeare begin with a superstructure; the adaptation of one of The Bard’s works and his words into audacious silences of the human voice. Over the …

Mary Volmer by Mary Volmer

Mary Volmer is the author of two novels: Crown of Dust (Soho Press, 2010) and Reliance, Illinois (Soho Press, 2016). Her essays, reviews, and short stories have appeared in various publi…

Review: Malpaso Dance Company at the Kennedy Center’s “Artes de Cuba” Festival by Ramona Harper

Make no mistake about it, there were no missteps in the lusciously agile performance of the Malpaso Dance Company at the Kennedy Center on Friday night. The company has been growing strong s…

Photo Flash: Christy Altomare Gives Max von Essen an Intermission Snack, and More Saturday Intermission Pics! by BroadwayWorld

Today is Saturday, and that means it's time for what has become one of the theatre community's most beloved traditions- BroadwayWorld's 'Saturday Intermission Pics' roundup This week, Max vo…

THE BOYS IN THE BAND Cancels Saturday Evening Performance; Will Resume on Monday by Stephanie Wild

Due to a minor cast member injury, The Boys in the Band has canceled its performance this evening.

In the Moment: Interviews with Storytellers of Better Said Than Done by David Siegel

Seven years ago, Better Said Than Done stepped out onto the theatrical stage as a storytelling organization. The idea behind the establishment of Better Said Than Done was to bring storyte…

Major Cast Changes Announced For Les Miserables London by Douglas Mayo

By Douglas Mayo Now in its record breaking 33rd year, Cameron Mackintosh announces major cast changes for the London production of Les Miserables at the Queens Theatre. Les Miserables will u…

VIDEO: Watch Andrew Rannells' Full Live From Lincoln Center Concert Now by Stephanie Wild

Acclaimed for his standout performances in Broadway's 'The Book of Mormon' and Lena Dunham's 'Girls,' versatile performer Andrew Rannells shows he can do just about anything in a daringly di…

CBS Cancels 'Scorpion,' Starring Katharine McPhee, After Four Seasons by Stephanie Wild

According to Deadline, CBS has cancelled its show Scorpion after four seasons. Scorpion starred Katharine McPhee, who is currently playing Jenna in Waitress on Broadway.

VIDEO: Watch Amanda Jane Cooper and Jackie Burns Sing 'For Good' in New WICKED Promo by Stage Tube

In a new promotional video for Wicked, current Elphaba and Glinda Jackie Burns and Amanda Jane Cooper sang a clip of the show's song For Good. The video was shared to Wicked's official Faceb…

Colin Firth Will Star in 'The Secret Garden' Film Adaptation by Stephanie Wild

The Secret Garden is officially coming to the big screen According to Variety, Global Road Entertainment has acquired the North American distribution rights.

Jazz Review: A Trio of Superb Trio Albums by Steve Feeney

Good things come in threes.

Left in the Dark: ‘Light Shining in Buckinghamshire’ by Matthew Wexler

Chaos and confusion abound in the revival of Caryl Churchill's play about 17th-century British history. Directed by Rachel Chavkin.

Visual Arts Review: Go Worlds Away at SoWa Boston by Kathleen Stone

Both galleries have successfully paired photographers who work in parallel idioms and who, through simple visual details, deliver a vivid sense of place tinged with memory and nostalgia.

Book Review: “So Lucky” — A Body-Slam of Empowerment by Katharine Coldiron

So Lucky is a tough, accomplished novel, a book that readers didn’t know they needed.

Theater Time Review: "The Gentleman Caller" by Joseph Cervelli

A missed opportunity.

Memphis theater recognized for completing August Wilson's American Century Cycle by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Theater Review: FOREVER BOUND (Atwater Village Theater in Los Angeles) by Samuel Garza Bernstein

WHEN METAPHORS BECOME MONSTERS Art thrives when it dances on the edge of a razor — flaunting itself and teasing us — fully embracing the risk of toppling over at any moment and s…

Chicago Theater Review: FLIES! THE MUSICAL! (Pride Films and Plays at the Pride Arts Center) by Lawrence Bommer

YOUR FLIES ARE OPEN The running joke behind this unauthorized musical based on a 1954 novel and a 1963 film is how it hides its homage: To avoid copyright infringement, we never hear “Flie…

Cate Blanchett, Agnes Varda, and 82 Women Made a Stand for Representation on the Cannes Red Carpet by Emily Yoshida

Cannes Jury President Cate Blanchett and Palme d’Or-winning director Agnes Varda stood atop the steps at the Lumiere Theater this evening, joining arms with 82 other women to demand an inc…

Backstage with Richard Ridge: Fairest of Them All- Lauren Ambrose Talks Tonys and More! by Richard Ridge

Eliza Doolittle is the role of a lifetime, and Lauren Ambrose knows it. The Tony nominee just sat down with Richard Ridge to chat about how she landed one of the most coveted roles on Broadw…

My worst moment: How Leslie Odom Jr. almost quit acting before ‘Hamilton’ made him a star by Nina Metz Chicago Tribune

“I almost didn’t make it here,” Leslie Odom Jr. said in his Tony acceptance speech in 2016. There’s a story behind that, and he tells it here.

Q&A: 'Angels in America' star James McArdle on his 'demon' play by Mark Kennedy Associated Press

NEW YORK • There was one place Scottish actor James McArdle had to visit when he came to New York to perform in a critically acclaimed revival of Tony Kushner’s masterpiece “Angels in …

Soprano Patricia Racette dons a director's hat for 'La Traviata' by Sarah Bryan Miller St. Louis Post-Dispatch

'My job as the director is to see how this all fits together, and create the most potent possible way to tell this story'

Lover, traitor, soldier, wife: Opera Theatre tells an exciting range of stories in its 43rd season by [email protected] (sarah Bryan Miller)

Picnics, rising stars and fun with the 43rd festival season

A 'Phantom' for the Fan-toms by Daniel Neman St. Louis Post-Dispatch

You can’t argue with the success of “The Phantom of the Opera.” It opened in London in 1986 and on Broadway in 1988, and is still playing in both places — it is, by a huge margin, th…

‘An imagination explosion exploited to its full capacity’: THE NATURE OF WHY – Bristol by Shane Morgan

The joy created by this remarkable company is second only to the joy felt by those lucky enough to see The Nature of Why. This isn’t a performance you simply see or hear. It’s one you fe…

‘Never underestimate the power of representation’: Tom Mack on the need for more gay stories like Everybody’s Talking About Jamie by Guest Bloggers

Tom Mack, currently studying for an MA in Creative Producing at Mountview, shared this piece with the Mates on why, as a young gay man, it’s so gratifying to see out-and-proud stories …

TV Pilot Roundup: Which Broadway Stars Will We See on the Small Screen Next Season? by Stephanie Wild

Many Broadway favorites have filmed pilots this year including Phillipa Soo, Lesli Margherita, Brian d'Arcy James, Andy Karl, and more. As the year continues, the networks are beginning to m…

Photo Coverage: In Rehearsal With the Cast of THE ROYAL FAMILY OF BROADWAY at Barrington Stage by Walter McBride

From the creators of the Tony-Award winning The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and creative team behind the Tony-nominated 2014 Broadway revival of On The Town comes the World Premie…

‘Let’s hope both the play & its talented writer have the success they deserve’: FOX HUNTING – Courtyard Theatre by Liz Dyer

Fox Hunting is a clear and powerfully effective attempt to understand the root causes of the problems with knife crime – let’s hope both the play and its talented writer have the success…

‘Secret Garden’ With Colin Firth Sells to Global Road by Brent Lang

Global Road Entertainment has acquired North American distribution rights to “The Secret Garden,” a big-screen adaptation of a much-loved children’s novel that inspired eve…

Mayim Bialik by NPR

Mayim Bialik, actor and neuroscientist, joins us along with panelists Helen Hong, Alonzo Bodden, and Janelle James.

REVIEW: Heart Of Winter, Live at Zedel ✭✭✭✭✭ by Douglas Mayo

By Douglas Mayo Douglas Mayo reviews Heart Of Winter, a one-woman song cycle by Tim Connor and Lia Buddle performed by Rebecca Trehearn at Live at Zedel. This post REVIEW: Heart Of Winter, L…

Why Is the Sky Blue? Abbey Wright on discussing kids & pornography through theatre by Guest Bloggers

Tackroom Theatre, with the help of Barnardo's, interviewed 10,000 6- to 22-year-olds on what they think love is and the effect of online pornography on their lives. Why is the Sky Blue? (or …

BWW Exclusive: Idina Menzel Gives Us the Scoop on BroaderWay's Upcoming Broadway Battle- Karaoke-Style on May 21! by Bww Special

On Monday, May 21 730pm, Broadway will battle it out at the 6th Annual Karaoke Benefit- a spectacular show of unpredictable karaoke to support A BroaderWay Foundation, founded by Idina Menze…

‘Takes the whole concept of having a bath to new heights’: SOAP – Underbelly Festival by Emma Clarendon

Flowing seamlessly from beginning to end, SOAP not only has a great energy about it but also is a reminder of why 250 years on circus is still considered fascinating to audiences as a form o…

New Video! Behind the scenes of ‘Citizen’ at Grand Park’s new LA Arts Festival by Fountaintheatre

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WATCH NOW! Zooming in on the Tony Nominees: Grey Henson by BroadwayWorld TV

Watch below as Greytells us all about want this nomination means to him, how he's preparing for the Tonys, and so much more

Social: Go Behind The Scenes Of SPONGEBOB ON BROADWAY on BWW's Instagram Today! by BroadwayWorld

Today, Saturday, May 12th, BroadwayWorld is going behind the scenes of SPONGEBOB BROADWAY on our Instagram

NBC’s Rise, Centered Around a High School Drama Program, Canceled After 1 Season by Ryan McPhee

The one-hour drama stars Josh Radnor as an English teacher who aims to revitalize his school’s theatre department with a production of Spring Awakening.

‘Where the play flounders, the production remains enjoyable & stylish’: LOVE FROM A STRANGER – Touring by Not Exactly Billington

Here, Agatha Christie’s and Frank Vosper’s 1936 play is in the assured hands of Lucy Bailey in a production for the Royal & Derngate. Where the play flounders, the production remain…

"A Brief History of Women" and "Summer and Smoke" May Be Minor Pieces by Master Writers But They're Still Worth Seeing by Jan Simpson

We theater junkies can be a demanding lot. And sometimes we let our pursuit of the excellent get in the way of our enjoying the very good. At least that's how I've been feeling about two sho…

PREVIEW: Europe After The Rain At The Mercury Theatre Colchester by Paul T Davies

By Paul T Davies Paul T Davies takes a look at Oliver Bennett’s Europe After The Rain and talks to the cast who are now in rehearsals ahead of a season at the Mercury Theatre Colcheste…

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Barry Gordin

Five Ways in Which Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two Transcends Traditional Theatre By Iris Wiener According to Harry Potter’s one-time foil and adversary, Draco Malf…

Review: The Undeniable Sound of Right Now at Keegan Theatre by John Bavoso

Montagues and Capulets. Vampires and werewolves. Rock musicians and DJs? The conflict between the latter is the proxy war at the center of Laura Eason’s The Undeniable Sound of Right Now, …

‘A fascinating insight into the creative ambition underpinning this festival’: LIPPY/THE EXTENSION – Wandsworth Arts Fringe by Ian Foster

This year’s Wandsworth Arts Fringe has now opened and on a scorching hot day, I took the opportunity to dive into the cooling Arches under St Mary’s Church to see Word of Mouth and Rache…

BWW's On This Day - May 12, 2018

Here are the Broadway, Off-Broadway and West End shows which opened on May 12 along with all of the upcoming show openings, closings and special events

Review: S/he/it Happens, Wandsworth by Simon Fearn

She/he/it Happens is a clown show about a gender-neutral performer’s discomfort with their own body. It’s a genius idea, helped The post Review: S/he/it Happens, Wandsworth appeared firs…

‘Gritty, visceral writing evokes strong emotions’: THE SWALLOW – Cervantes Theatre ★★★★ by Caroline Hanks-Farmer

Prompted by the attack in a gay nightclub in Orlando that saw the deaths of 50 people, The Swallow is a highly emotional work exploring how loss can simultaneously separate and unite people.

Exit Lines: "Lobby Hero" by Robert Cashill

Revivals of LOBBY HERO and more reviewed.

‘A hell of an entertainment’: TONIGHT AT 8.30 – Jermyn Street Theatre by Shanine Salmon

This may not be Shakespeare or Ibsen but Tonight At 8.30 it is a hell of an entertainment. Whether it is effective in reappraising Coward is a moot point but it is unquestionably a worthwhil…

Random / Generations review at Minerva Theatre, Chichester – ‘a wake-up call’ by Bella Todd

It must be a hollow triumph for programmers when their choices prove so painfully prescient. This double bill of shorts by Debbie

Essential Arts & Culture: A new Iceman Cometh to Broadway, singing the blues at the Wallis, and paintings of history by Carolina A. Miranda

Hello, weekend! I’m Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, back in the saddle after a couple of weeks off, with the week’s blazing arts and culture news — not to …

Review: Describe the Night at the Hampstead Theatre by Hailey Bachrach

Different hymn sheets: writer Rajiv Joseph and director Lisa Spirling don't see eye to eye in this spiralling history of Russia. The post Review: Describe the Night at the Hampstead Theatre …

‘Timeless while being very much rooted in the reality that we now live in’: NIGHTFALL – Bridge Theatre by Stephanie Ressort

Nightfall is a beautifully written and realised piece of theatre, well worth catching before it finishes its run at the Bridge Theatre.

Review: Dolores at Dublin Dance Festival by Chris McCormack

Rivetingly dark: Junk Ensemble's dance-theatre reimagining of Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita is thrilling and revelatory. The post Review: Dolores at Dublin Dance Festival appeared first on Exeun…

Review: Baby Box, King’s Head Theatre by Frey Kwa Hawking

Sleepless Theatre Company’s Baby Box takes a long, searching look at female pain, strength and survival through the lens of The post Review: Baby Box, King’s Head Theatre appeared first …

Review: random/generations at Chichester Festival Theatre by Eve Allin

With witnessing comes responsibility: Tinuke Craig's double-bill debbie tucker green revival forces its audience into a community. The post Review: random/generations at Chichester Festival …

Review: Nightclubbing at Camden People’s Theatre by Freddie Machin

Defiance as superpower: Freddie Machin reviews Rachael Young's new show about Afrofuturism and the cult of Grace Jones The post Review: Nightclubbing at Camden People’s Theatre appeared fi…

Crave review – Julie Cunningham dances in the darkness of Sarah Kane's play by Judith Mackrell

Barbican, LondonDance and spoken word combine in an evocative retelling of Kane’s violent play about rape, madness and abuseHorrors haunt the text of Crave, the 1998 play by Sarah Kane in …

Spread the Magic! HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD Benefit Performance to Support Off-Broadway's New Victory Theater Today by BroadwayWorld

The New 42nd Street Gala and Benefit Performance of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two will be held today, May 12, 2018. Proceeds from this special performance will support …

How to Create a Program for Your Production by Kerry Hishon

Show programs (also known as playbills) are the easiest way to share important production information with the audience. Programs are a method of acknowledging all the hard work done by the …

‘Schlager’, Scandi-pop and sparkles: your guide to the musical styles of Eurovision by Arts Review

In his acceptance speech for the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest, Portuguese winner Salvador Sobral issued a controversial call to arms to “bring music back” to a place of meaning and feeli…

As Ratings Fall, NBC Cancels Musical-Theater Drama Series Rise by Andy Lefkowitz

The new musical theater-themed TV drama Rise has been canceled by NBC, according to Variety. The reason for the cancellation was a decline in ratings. The hourlong series is b…

CALIBAN by Arts Review

Touring for the first time since its debut performance at The Coopers Malthouse in 2016, the Edge Ensemble returns with a new performance of Caliban at seven venues across Victoria from 1…

Podcast: The Making of a Massacre — how America’s war on drugs backfired

A new series relates the events that led up to a mass killing in Mexico

Look Back at the Original Production of Carrie by Hannah Vine

The infamous musical Carrie, based on the Stephen King novel, opened on Broadway May 12, 1988.

Tony-Winning Director Anna D. Shapiro Talks Running the Country’s Largest Ensemble Theatre by Olivia Clement

The challenges—and joys—of leading Chicago's legendary Steppenwolf Theatre Company, home to artists like Tina Landau, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, and more.