All stories by Vi on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Muny actor Ken Page steps out of character to address protesters at Tuesday's 'Aida' show by Kevin C. Johnson and Beth O’malley St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Veteran theater actor Ken Page, who plays the regal African king Amonarso in the Muny’s current production of “Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida,” stepped out of character at Tuesday ni…

SOURCE: St. Louis Today at 10:37PM

Olive Wong and a Guide to the NYPL Costume Collections by Doug Reside, Lewis and Dorothy Cullman Curator For The Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library For The Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Billy Rose Theatre Division

Title bar from Olive Wong's Original Draft for the Costume Guide  Download: Costume Design Research Guide by Aileen Abercrombie Anyone who has ever had the good fortune to visit the Libra…

SOURCE: The New York Public Library at 11:19AM
Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Nicola Thorold obituary by Marcus Davey and David Lan

Our colleague and friend Nicola Thorold, who has died aged 51 of leukaemia, was a champion of innovative grassroots theatre. As chief executive of the Independent Theatre Council (1993-2000)…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:44PM
Monday, July 11, 2016

Boris Anisfeld Costume Designs by Danielle Castronovo, New York Public Library For The Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Jerome Robbins Dance Division

The Dance Division has over forty-five original costume designs by artist and designer Boris Anisfeld. We are thrilled that we have been given permission to digitize the designs and include …

SOURCE: The New York Public Library at 03:39PM
Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Photography Permitted: Opening Up the Dance Oral History Project Transcripts by Emma R. Brown, Oral History Assistant, New York Public Library For The Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Jerome Robbins Dance Division

New York City Ballet rehearsal of "Dim Lustre" with Patricia McBride and Antony Tudor, choreography by Antony Tudor. Image ID: swope_1209509 As the new Oral History Assistant, I have observ…

SOURCE: The New York Public Library at 01:16PM
Saturday, July 2, 2016

Caroline Aherne, actor and comedian, dies aged 52 by David Batty and Chris Johnston

Bafta award-winning writer of The Royle Family died at home in Manchester after suffering from cancer, says publicist Caroline Aherne, the award-winning actor and comedian, has died at the a…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:23PM
Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Ted Shawn Papers, Additions Now Open for Research by Danielle Castronovo, New York Public Library For The Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Jerome Robbins Dance Division

The Jerome Robbins Dance Division is pleased to announce that the Ted Shawn papers, Additions is now open for research.  This material was donated to the Library in 1992 by the John Ch…

SOURCE: The New York Public Library at 11:14PM
Sunday, June 12, 2016

Tony Awards: Hamilton looks to make history on Broadway's big night - live! by Alex Needham and Jana Kasperkevic In New York

The 70th annual Tony awards begins at 8pm ET live from the Beacon Theater in New York City. This year’s show will be dedicated to the victims of Orlando shooting 12.35am BST Need a quick …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:50PM
Wednesday, June 8, 2016

David Cote & Adam Feldman's 2016 Tony Award predictions by David Cote and Adam Feldman

The 70th annual Tony Awards will be broadcast on CBS on June 12 from the Beacon Theatre. So now it’s time for our annual tradition, dear reader, of bestowing our can’t-lose predictions a…

SOURCE: Time Out at 03:24PM

‘Hamilton’ Inc.: The Path to a Billion-Dollar Show by Michael Paulson and David Gelles

A breakdown of how much this Broadway blockbuster earns and stands to earn, and a tally of who will benefit most.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 09:44AM
Monday, June 6, 2016

Peter Shaffer Dies at 90; Playwright Won Tonys for ‘Equus’ and ‘Amadeus’ by Bruce Weber and Robert Berkvist

Movie versions of Mr. Shaffer’s ambitious plays helped elevate his status at home in Britain and in the United States.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 04:31PM
Wednesday, May 4, 2016

The Jerome Robbins Dance Division Fellows Project by Tanisha Jones, New York Public Library For The Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Jerome Robbins Dance Division

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts has launched a new Fellows of the Jerome Robbins Dance Division program. This class of six fellows was chosen by the Committee for the Jer…

SOURCE: The New York Public Library at 06:49PM
Tuesday, April 26, 2016

The Music Division's Clipping File: Performers and Performances by Bob Kosovsky, Curator, Rare Books and Manuscripts, New York Public Library For The Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Music Division

The Music Division is celebrating the completion of its Clipping File inventory (done entirely by volunteers) with a blog series. Melissa is one of the volunteers who contributed so much to …

SOURCE: The New York Public Library at 04:37PM
Monday, April 4, 2016

The Music Division's Clipping File: The Scandals by Bob Kosovsky, Curator, Rare Books and Manuscripts, New York Public Library For The Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Music Division

Last week I introduced Melissa, a volunteer with the Music Division, who began a series of three blog posts on the newly available inventory of the Music Division's Clipping file.  Here is…

SOURCE: The New York Public Library at 03:57PM
Thursday, March 31, 2016

The Music Division's Clipping File: Musicians and Politics by Bob Kosovsky, Curator, Rare Books and Manuscripts, New York Public Library For The Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Music Division

I'm happy to announce that the "Names" portion of the Music Division's Clipping File has been inventoried. This inventory contains over 46,000 names and is a list of folders in our Clipping …

SOURCE: The New York Public Library at 02:53PM

Finding a Life at The New York Public Library: Remembering Shannon Bolin 1917-2016 by George Boziwick, Chief, New York Public Library For The Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Music Division

To whom it may concern: Today I spoke with a reference librarian about donating my copy of Marc Blitzstein’s original working score of Regina. I worked with Marc for two years singing his …

SOURCE: The New York Public Library at 02:53PM
Saturday, March 5, 2016

Laumeier explores 'Time'; Contemporary Art Museum celebrates 3 local artists by Sarah Bryan Miller and Calvin Wilson St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Missouri History Museum will display more than 60 dresses for the exhibition"Little Black Dress: From Mourning to Night."

SOURCE: St. Louis Today at 02:20PM
Monday, February 22, 2016

See Who Will Play Bill Gates and Steve Jobs in Broadway Musical Nerds by Robert Viagas and Adam Hetrick and Michael Gioia

Tony nominee Rory O'Malley (The Book of Mormon) and Bryan Fenkart (Memphis) have been tapped to play tech giants Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, respectively, in the forthcoming Broadway musi…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:44AM

See Who Will Play Bill Gates and Steve Jobs in Broadway Musical \nNerds by Robert Viagas,adam Hetrick and Michael Gioia

Tony nominee Rory O'Malley (The Book of Mormon) and Bryan Fenkart (Memphis) have been tapped to play tech giants Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, respectively, in the forthcoming Broadway mus…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:43AM
Friday, February 19, 2016

Broadway-Bound SpongeBob Musical Picks Its Squidward and Patrick by Robert Viagas and Michael Gioia

The Broadway-aimed The SpongeBob Musical has announced additional casting of principal roles.

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:26PM
Thursday, February 18, 2016

Update: Missing Broadway Shuffle Along Actor, J.L. Williams Promises to Share His Story by Robert Viagas and Ruth Fierberg

J.L. Williams, a cast member of the upcoming Broadway musical Shuffle Along who went missing for four days before winding up in a New York hospital, has thanked his well-wishers and prom…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:26PM
Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Amazing Grace Will Play Nairobi by Andrew Gans and Robert Viagas

The first international high school production of the new musical Amazing Grace, which played its final performance on Broadway Oct. 25, 2015, will be presented in Nairobi.

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:18PM

Watch First Clip of Meryl Streep As Off-Key Diva! (Video) by Robert Viagas and Andrew Gans

Meryl Streep, as previously reported, will star in "Florence," a film about the late, vocally challenged opera singer Florence Foster Jenkins. A trailer of the Oscar-winning ac…

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:00PM

Sandy Duncan Exits Broadway’s Finding Neverland Abruptly by Robert Viagas and Adam Hetrick

Sandy Duncan has left the cast of Broadway's Finding Neverland just days after coming aboard the musical.

SOURCE: Playbill at 09:40AM
Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Bill Gates-Steve Jobs Musical Nerds Sets New Broadway Start Date by Robert Viagas and Adam Hetrick and Michael Gioia

Nerds, the new musical about tech giants Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, will begin Broadway previews April 1, one day later than originally announced. The production will bow at the Longacre The…

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:36PM

Tickets Go on Sale Today for Motown’s Broadway Return by Robert Viagas and Adam Hetrick

Tickets go on sale to the general public Feb. 16 for the midsummer Broadway encore of Motown The Musical, the hit show featuring music from the legendary Motown catalogue, which ended a 738&…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Sunday, February 14, 2016

Laurie Metcalf Inflicts Misery on Bruce Willis for the Final Time on Broadway Today by Andrew Gans and Olivia Clement

Misery, the new Broadway suspense thriller based on Stephen King's novel of the same name, plays its final performance at the Broadhurst Theatre Feb. 14 at 3 P…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Thursday, February 11, 2016

Verdict: Are the Critics Taking a Chance on Encores! Cabin in the Sky? by Robert Viagas and Adam Hetrick

Tony Award winners Chuck Cooper and LaChanze as well as Tony nominee Norm Lewis star in the City Center Encores! staging of the 1940 Vernon Duke-John Latouche musical Cabin in the Sky, w…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:51PM

Disney’s Frozen Sets Denver 2017 Pre-Broadway Premiere by Adam Hetrick and Robert Viagas

The stage adaptation of Disney's hit animated film musical Frozen will premiere at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in August 2017 prior to a spring 2018 Broadway arrival.

SOURCE: Playbill at 08:57PM

Exclusive! James Cagney Musical Cagney Getting a Full Off-Broadway Production by Robert Viagas and Andrew Gans

The York Theatre Company's production of Cagney, the musical biography of legendary movie tough guy and dance man James Cagney, is transferring to a full-scale commercial Off-Bro…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:00AM

Exclusive! Hear Megan Mullally and “Frozen” Star Josh Gad in “Sofia the First” (Video) by Robert Viagas and Olivia Clement

The day after "Frozen" makes its Disney Channel premiere Feb. 14, animated characters voiced by two Broadway favorites, Megan Mullally and Josh Gad, will make return appearances on…

SOURCE: Playbill at 09:53AM