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Theater Review: August: Osage County - Theater and Musical Production Reviews

Theater Review: August: Osage County - Theater and Musical Production Reviews.

Tracy Letts' Pulitzer-winning "August: Osage County" hits the road with all strengths intact in its national touring production. This richly entertaining dysfunctional-family fire sale juggles the hilarious, the poignant and the appalling on a retro "well-made play" scale seldom seen in these times of lean budgets. Impeccably cast with thesps largely new to the work -- Broadway replacement Estelle Parsons' matriarch is the major holdover -- Anna D. Shapiro's staging otherwise levies few significant changes on her prior incarnations for Chicago, New York and London. Hopefully, critical acclaim and audience buzz will create sufficient event status for this now-rare touring ensemble drama in its post-San Francisco stops.

'Dreamgirls' announces cast - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety

'Dreamgirls' announces cast - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety.

The upcoming national touring production of "Dreamgirls" has announced a cast made up largely of unknowns, in keeping with the obscurity-to-fame plotline of the 1981 tuner about a 1960s girl group. Moya Angela, who has appeared in two tours of "The Lion King," plays Effie, the role that won Jennifer Hudson an Oscar in 2007 and was originated on the Rialto by Jennifer Holliday. Syesha Mercado, a second runner-up on "American Idol," and Adrienne Warren, currently understudying Ashanti in "The Wiz," have been cast as, respectively, Deena and Lorrell, the other two members of the titular music group. Chester Gregory, probably the name most familiar to legiters from his roles in "Hairspray" and "Tarzan," will play R&B star "Thunder" Early, while Chaz Lamar Shepherd, who played a stint in "The Color Purple" on Broadway, portrays manager Curtis. Robert Longbottom, also helming the upcoming revival of "Bye Bye Birdie," directs "Dreamgirls" and co-choreographs with Shane Sparks, a frequent choreographer on "So You Think You Can Dance." Design team for the tour includes Robin Wagner (sets), William Ivey Long (costumes), Ken Billington (lights) and Acme Sound Partners (sound). John Breglio produces for Vienna Waits Prods. With music by Henry Krieger and book and lyrics by Tom Eyen, the 1981 tuner "Dreamgirls" got a major profile boost from the 2006 pic adaptation that starred Hudson, Beyonce and Eddie Murphy. New production will play Gotham's Apollo Theater Nov. 7-Dec. 6 before it heads out on the road.

Billy Crystal to Launch New Tour of 700 Sundays in September: Theater News on TheaterMania.com - 06/24/2009

Billy Crystal to Launch New Tour of 700 Sundays in September: Theater News on TheaterMania.com - 06/24/2009.

Billy Crystal will launch a six-city tour of his Tony Award-winning solo show 700 Sundays at Washington D.C.'s National Theatre, September 8-17. The production, which features additional content by Alan Zweibel, is directed by Des McAnuff. Crystal's show, which won the 2005 Tony Award for Special Theatrical Experience, is an autobiographical journey that deals with growing up in the world of jazz, his teenaged years, and his adult experiences. The production features scenic design by David F. Weiner, lighting design by David Lee Cuthbert, projection design by Michael Clark, and sound design by Steve Canyon Kennedy. The show will also play Philadelphia's Merriam Theatre (September 30-October 11), Dallas' Winspear Opera House (November 17-22), Palm Beach's Kravis Center (December 3-6), Miami's Arsht Opera House (December 9-13), and Atlanta's Cobb Theater (December 16-20). Ticket information will be released shortly.

Sheryl Lee Ralph tops 'Wives' Club' - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety

Sheryl Lee Ralph tops 'Wives' Club' - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety.

Sheryl Lee Ralph has stepped into a lead role in the Broadway-aimed tuner adaptation of “The First Wives’ Club,” which recently began rehearsals for its out-of-town tryout at San Diego’s Old Globe Theater. Ralph (“Dreamgirls,” “Thoroughly Modern Millie”) replaces Adriane Lenox, who bowed out due to health concerns, according to the Old Globe. Actress joins Barbara Walsh and Karen Ziemba as a trio of women who are all dumped by their husbands for younger women. Francesca Zambello (“The Little Mermaid”) directs the musical, with score by Motown songwriters Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland and book by Rupert Holmes (“Curtains”). “First Wives” plays at the Old Globe July 17-Aug. 23. Specifics for the Broadway run, produced by Paul Lambert and Jonas Neilson, remain to be confirmed.

GREASE Starring Taylor Hicks Comes to Detroit's Fisher Theatre June 9 - 28

GREASE Starring Taylor Hicks Comes to Detroit's Fisher Theatre June 9 - 28.

The Fisher Theatre announced today that "American Idol" winner, Taylor Hicks will appear in the first national touring production of the Tony Award nominated Broadway musical GREASETM when it comes to Detroit for a limited engagement June 9 - 28, 2009. Tickets will go on sale April 5 at the Fisher Theatre box office, all Ticketmaster locations, by phone at 1-800-982-2787, and online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.broadwayindetroit.com

Theater Review: Mary Poppins - Theater and Musical Production Reviews

Theater Review: Mary Poppins - Theater and Musical Production Reviews.

Necessarily but imaginatively reduced in scale for touring purposes, this fully satisfying roadshow version of "Mary Poppins" flies into Chicago with air under its wings (or, rather, its umbrella) and an extra spring in its step. With Broadway originals Ashley Brown as the buoyant nanny and Gavin Lee as chipper chimney sweep Bert leading the way, this production possesses a meticulous sharpness to the central and supporting performances, keeping intact the show's practically perfect blend of edgier, contemporary tone, extra emotional substance and family-friendly familiarity.

Theater Review: Frost/Nixon - Theater and Musical Production Reviews

Theater Review: Frost/Nixon - Theater and Musical Production Reviews.

Is it worth ponying up at the Ahmanson for the national tour of Peter Morgan's "Frost/Nixon," in the wake of 2008's pic version? You bet -- first and foremost for absorption in the themes only rattling around within the movie but brought front and center here. Los Angeles playgoers will further enjoy two superb stage actors with very different takes on the titular celeb interviewer and disgraced chief exec, as well as an exciting introduction to one of Britain's most ingenious helmers, Michael Grandage.

2009-10 Mirvish season announced - Entertainment News, International News, Media - Variety

2009-10 Mirvish season announced - Entertainment News, International News, Media - Variety.

The first announced touring dates for "Young Frankenstein" and the Guthrie Theater's musical adaptation of "Little House on the Prairie" headline the 2009-10 subscription season for Mirvish Prods., Canada's largest commercial legit producer Also on the bill will be hit reggae tuner "The Harder They Come," a revival of Toronto company Studio 180's critically acclaimed 2008 staging of "Stuff Happens," the farewell tour of Topol in "Fiddler on the Roof" and the London revival of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." Previously announced was the North American premiere of "Priscilla Queen of the Desert." Also on the bill will be two non-subscription offerings: a new Canadian production of Caryl Churchill's "Cloud 9" and the touring company of "August: Osage County," starring Estelle Parsons.

Theater Review: Rent: The Broadway Tour - Theater and Musical Production Reviews

Theater Review: Rent: The Broadway Tour - Theater and Musical Production Reviews.

The lyric asks, "How do you leave the past behind?" And the Rentheads answer, "You don't." Crowds stood in the snow from 7 a.m. waiting for cheap seats, wearing their signature black-and-white scarves. The many youthful members of the audience were nevertheless "Rent" vets, greeting songs with swooning shrieks. As one young man said happily, "This is history!" -- a response to Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp and Gwen Stewart reprising roles they made famous in the original 1996 production. Opening night of the new tour's Philadelphia stop was timed to coincide with the DVD release of the final Broadway performance last September.

Estelle Parsons set for 'August' - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety

Estelle Parsons set for 'August' - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety.

Estelle Parsons will topline the national touring production of “August: Osage County,” launching in Denver in July. Parsons currently plays vitriolic matriarch Violet in the Broadway incarnation of Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer- and Tony-winning family saga. She’ll reprise the role for the tour, although no end date for her Rialto stint has yet been nailed down. Tour stops set so far include Denver (July 24-Aug. 8) and San Francisco (Aug. 11-Sept. 6).

Xanadu: Review on TheaterMania.com

Link: Xanadu: Review on TheaterMania.com.

The idiom "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" didn't seem to daunt playwright Douglas Carter Beane and director Christopher Ashley, who have taken the much-ridiculed 1980s roller boogie flop film Xanadu, which has launched its post-Broadway national tour at the La Jolla Playhouse, and turned it into an 85-minute musical funfest on stage. The show is a delight from start to finish, firmly placing a smile on your face and a lift in your heart that won't soon fade.

Beane wisely jettisoned much of the film's plot and dialogue, replacing it with a sly, witty, campy send up of pop culture, Greek mythology, and the 1980s. The Muses come to life from a chalk drawing on a wall in Venice, California, and all stick around to help struggling artist Sonny Malone (Max von Essen). Main muse Clio (Elizabeth Stanley) is determined to help Sonny realize his potential; but since muses are forbidden to reveal themselves as such to humans, she decides to call herself Kira and appear in a disguise consisting of leg warmers, roller skates, and an Australian accent.

Theater Review: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - Theater and Musical Production Reviews

Link: Theater Review: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - Theater and Musical Production Reviews.

When a big-budget special-effects Broadway musical with a huge cast is streamlined for the road, that usually indicates a producer's code for a watered-down, pallid version of the original. But the first national tour of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" that kicked off in Fort Lauderdale this week remains a lush, inventive fairy tale that will dazzle audiences which don't compare it with the London or New York versions. Yes, the car still flies, not over the footlights as it did on Broadway, but impressively enough to thrill a jaded audience.

'Dreamgirls' hits the road next year - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety

Link: 'Dreamgirls' hits the road next year - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety.

The North American touring production of "Dreamgirls" will kick off at the Apollo Theater in November 2009.

The Harlem venue, an unusual berth for a large-scale legit musical, will host the show for about four weeks as the first stop of a tour that producer John Breglio expects to last 60 weeks.

Theater Review: Frost/Nixon - Theater and Musical Production Reviews

Link: Theater Review: Frost/Nixon - Theater and Musical Production Reviews.

Even as most road shows have run scared from the distractions of the elections this fall, "Frost/Nixon" has hit the hinterlands early, hoping to capitalize on the current hunger for all things political. This touring version of the Donmar Warehouse and Broadway production of the hit Peter Morgan play, which stars Stacy Keach as Richard Nixon, lacks some of the juicy, in-your-face pizzazz of the Broadway show, especially when stretched to fill large road houses. But thanks to a rich and empathetic central performance from a distinguished tragedian, it actually now reads as a more thoughtful show.

Theater Review: Legally Blonde: The Musical - Theater and Musical Production Reviews

Link: Theater Review: Legally Blonde: The Musical - Theater and Musical Production Reviews.

It's easy to dismiss "Legally Blonde: The Musical" as lethally bland in a creative sense. But the show is so relentlessly perky that sorority sisters aren't the only ones likely to turn out for a national tour starting just as the Broadway run is nearing its end. The tuner looks like a certain draw on the road considering the enduring popularity of the 2001 source movie, not to mention today's legions of high school girls who'll look on it as "Harvard Law School Musical." Even those who don't roll up wearing pink are likely to respond to a story of female empowerment so schematic it's basically a fairy tale outfitted at the mall.

'The Wizard Of Oz' National Tour Auditions (BroadwayWorld.com)

Link: 'The Wizard Of Oz' National Tour Auditions (BroadwayWorld.com).

THE WIZARD OF OZ

TO HOLD LOCAL DANCE TROUPE AUDITIONS

FOR THE NATIONAL TOURING PRODUCTION'S

MIAMI ENGAGEMENT PLAYING OCTOBER 28 - NOVEMBER 2, 2008

AT THE ADRIENNE ARSHT CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

GROUP AUDITIONS WILL BE HELD ON

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 AT 10:00AM

AT THE ADRIENNE ARSHT CENTER

ZIFF BALLET OPERA HOUSE, PEACOCK FOUNDATION, INC. STUDIO

'Chicago' gets new national tour - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety

Link: 'Chicago' gets new national tour - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety.

This fall "Chicago" is launching a new national tour -- technically its 10th -- with a cast toplined by Tom Wopat in its first seven stops.

Road version of the long-running Rialto revival also will star Bianca Marroquin, Terra C. MacLeod and Roz Ryan, all "Chicago" vets like Wopat.

New production kicks off in Charlotte, N.C., on Nov. 11, with skedded stints in towns including Raleigh, Boston and Calgary.

Taylor Hicks Signs On for National Tour of Grease, Broadway.com Buzz

Link: Taylor Hicks Signs On for National Tour of Grease, Broadway.com Buzz.

Audiences around the country will soon be visited by American Idol and Grease alum Taylor Hicks, who will reprise his role as Teen Angel in the show's new national tour, which launches December 2, 2008, at Rhode Island's Providence Performing Arts Center. Hicks, in his Broadway debut, recently concluded a three-month stint in the role at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. No other casting for the tour of director Kathleen Marshall's production has been set.

Chetwynd taking 'Reagan' on tour - Entertainment News, Film News, Media - Variety

Link: Chetwynd taking 'Reagan' on tour - Entertainment News, Film News, Media - Variety.

Producers David Permut and Mark Travis are mobilizing a one-man show about actor-turned-president Ronald Reagan.

'Racy' musical Pal Joey here as Bayou City Concert | Fine Arts | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Link: 'Racy' musical Pal Joey here as Bayou City Concert | Fine Arts | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle.

Pal Joey shocked Broadway critics and audiences when it premiered on Christmas night 1940. Its dialogue was hard-bitten. Its lyrics, racy. Its milieu, a seamy realm of smoky clubs and illicit love nests. And that plot! A skirt-chasing heel advances his career as nightclub emcee through an affair with a rich, older, married woman. It was all unexpected in a form usually devoted to nice-guy heroes and sweet-girl heroines. Though unanimous in praising the show's quality, critics were divided in approval — depending on whether they could stomach the then-sordid subject matter. "Musical comedy took a long step toward maturity," Wolcott Gibbs wrote in The New Yorker. The New York Times' Brooks Atkinson represented the naysayers with a response that became legendary: "If it is possible to make an entertaining musical comedy out of an odious story, Pal Joey is it. ... Although it's expertly done, can you draw sweet water from a foul well?" Houston audiences can find out what the fuss was about when Bayou City Concert Musicals presents Pal Joey Thursday-Sunday at Heinen Theatre.

'Prairie' producers eye 2009 tour - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety

Link: 'Prairie' producers eye 2009 tour - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety.

Commercial producers of the new tuner version of "Little House on the Prairie" are actively at work on a national tour of the show that would go out in early fall 2009. Currently in previews at Minneapolis' Guthrie Theater, "Little House" has drawn strong crowds, with high ticket demand prompting a two-week extension of its run. Show is eyeing a Rialto run later this season, pending critical reception of the show's opening Friday at the Guthrie. Tour would likely be a separate production from the potential Gotham incarnation, although no plans for the future life of "Prairie" are yet set in stone. "It could be Broadway, it could be Broadway and the tour, it could be just the tour," said producer Ben Sprecher. "We're keeping all our options open."

Riabko, Bashoff, Altamare and More To Star In 'Spring' Tour (BroadwayWorld.com)

Link: Riabko, Bashoff, Altamare and More To Star In 'Spring' Tour (BroadwayWorld.com).

The producers of Spring Awakening, the winner of 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical, are proud to announce the cast of the First National Touring Company. Led by Kyle Riabko as Melchior and Blake Bashoff as Moritz who come directly from the Broadway company, the cast is comprised of newly discovered young talent from across North America. Joining Riabko at the center of the story is Christy Altamare as Wendla, with Steffi D opposite Bashoff as Ilse.

Legally Blonde National Tour Cast Includes Two MTV Finalists, Broadway.com Buzz

Link: Legally Blonde National Tour Cast Includes Two MTV Finalists, Broadway.com Buzz.

Casting is complete for the national tour of Legally Blonde, which will kick off at Rhode Island's Providence Performing Arts Center on September 21. In addition to the previously announced Becky Gulsvig as Elle Woods, the cast will include two finalists from MTV's The Search for Elle Woods competition, Rhiannon Hansen as Margot and Lauren Zakrin as an ensemble member and Elle understudy. The complete also cast includes DB Bonds as Emmett, Natalie Joy Johnson as Paulette, Jeff McLean as Warner, Megan Lewis as Vivienne, Coleen Sexton as Brooke, Ken Land as Professor Callahan, Cortney Wolfson as Serena, Crystal Joy as Pilar and Gretchen Burghart as Enid. Also featured in the cast are: Sara Andreas, Ward Billeisen, Joshua James Campbell, Nick Dalton, Ven Daniel, Alex Ellis, Jay Garcia, Paul Jackel, Sarah Marie Jenkins, Leslie McDonel, Brian Patrick Murphy, Mamie Parris, Stacey Sargeant, Tally Sessions, Josh Walden and Adam Zelasko.

Kyle Riabko, Blake Bashoff to Head Touring Cast of Spring Awakening, Broadway.com Buzz

Link: Kyle Riabko, Blake Bashoff to Head Touring Cast of Spring Awakening, Broadway.com Buzz.

Kyle Riabko and Blake Bashoff, currently starring in Spring Awakening on Broadway, will lead the cast of the show's forthcoming national tour. The Tony-winning musical will launch a multi-city tour beginning at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco on September 4. A "pre-tour" West Coast premiere will take place mid-August in San Diego at the Balboa Theatre. Canadian singer/songwriter Riabko, who made his Broadway debut in Spring Awakening in May, plays Melchior Gabor, the soul-searching young hero who dares to defy conventional principles in repressive 19th-century Germany. Television and film actor Bashoff, who debuted on Broadway in December 2007, will continue as his ill-fated best friend, Moritz Stiefel. The press announcement did not indicate when the two actors will depart the Broadway production at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre or who will replace them.

'Mary Poppins' Chicago Equity Auditions (BroadwayWorld.com)

Link: 'Mary Poppins' Chicago Equity Auditions (BroadwayWorld.com).

The highly successful and award-winning Broadway and upcoming touring production of Mary Poppins will be holding Equity auditions in Chicago for all roles in the beginning of June at The Lou Conte Studios; please see below for a complete schedule listing. The show’s eagerly anticipated North American National Tour will begin performances at Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre on March 11, 2009, and members of the Chicago community will have an opportunity to be cast in the production. The casting search will be overseen by Eric Woodall (Casting Director for Tara Rubin Casting), David Caddick (Musical Supervisor for Mary Poppins ), and Jennifer Rudin (Director, Casting and Talent Development for Disney Theatrical Productions).

'Wicked' to end Chicago run - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety

Link: 'Wicked' to end Chicago run - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety.

The Chicago sit-down production of "Wicked" will close Jan. 25, 2009, following its 1,500th performance. Soon thereafter, a second national tour of the Oz-inspired Broadway musical will hit the road, kicking off in Fort Myers, Fla.. in March. The 3½-year-old Chicago incarnation shuts down while still riding high. Production grossed $1,003,034 for the week ending May 11, and the highest weekly total came in the holiday frame ending Dec. 30, during which the show grossed $1,418,363. That record-breaking figure may be challenged as the closing notice creates extra demand for the final block of tix going on sale in August. Run will have grossed more than $200 million since it began perfs June 24, 2005, breaking Chi box office records and heralding the city's potential for long-term commercial stays.

Gavin Lee Joins Brown On National 'Poppins' Tour (BroadwayWorld.com)

Link: Gavin Lee Joins Brown On National 'Poppins' Tour (BroadwayWorld.com).

Producers Cameron Mackintosh and Thomas Schumacher are pleased to announce that Gavin Lee, who originated the role of Bert in the hit Broadway and London productions of Mary Poppins, will be joining Ashley Brown, who originated the title role on Broadway, for the show’s eagerly anticipated North American National Tour

Theater Review: A Chorus Line - Theater and Musical Production Reviews

Link: Theater Review: A Chorus Line - Theater and Musical Production Reviews.

The successful 2006 Broadway revival of the long-running "A Chorus Line" hit the road with loads of traction in a spirited Mile High City tour premiere. The immediacy of the original bare-bones staging, wisely re-created for this production, should appeal to heartland audiences eager to revisit the breakthrough creativity of the late Michael Bennett's show, which swept the Tonys and bagged the Pulitzer Prize in 1976.

'Phantom' sees Canadian dip - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety

Link: 'Phantom' sees Canadian dip - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety.

The road sank a little less than 8% (just over $1 million) in week 48. The total gross was $11,833,554. "The Phantom of the Opera" dropped a little less than $400,000 this week as it played its first week in Sasketchewan, while "Avenue Q" dropped $171,000 in Louisville. In fact, only three of the 12 shows on the slate were up this week -- "Jersey Boys" and "Wicked," both in Chicago, and "The Color Purple" in Cincinatti. The Orlando prod of "Wicked" broke the house record with $1,345,941, making it the highest-grossing show on the slate.

'Spamalot's' spike jumpstarts sales - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety

Link: 'Spamalot's' spike jumpstarts sales - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety.

The road pulled up 5.4%, or $655,522, in Week 47 (April 14-20) -- slightly less than what the returning "High School Musical" brought the 12-show slate after its layoff week. The total gross was $12, 853,542. Most shows stayed about even or had minor fluctuations, with one notable exception: "Monty Python's Spamalot" jumped almost $400,000 moving into its new venue in Raleigh, N.C. In other North Carolina news, "Wicked" broke its house record in Charlotte this week. For the second week in a row, "Jersey Boys" did the same in Minneapolis. This week, it grossed higher than any other

'Grease,' 'Xanadu' head to Chicago - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety

Link: 'Grease,' 'Xanadu' head to Chicago - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety.

Touring productions of "Grease," "A Bronx Tale," "A Chorus Line" and "Xanadu" will join previously announced Disney tuner "Mary Poppins" on the 2009 subscription slate for Nederlander Org's Broadway in Chicago series. Theater locations for the newly skedded shows will be announced later, as the organization faces a space crunch due to the ongoing success of sit-down productions of "Wicked" and "Jersey Boys" at the Ford/Oriental and LaSalle Bank Theaters, respectively. While the touring premiere of "Mary Poppins" is billed as a limited engagement, beginning March 11, no end date has been set. The show's run at the Cadillac Palace Theater will allow for greater emphasis on the Auditorium Theater at Roosevelt University and even the much smaller 549-seat Drury Lane Water Tower Place.

'Legally Blonde' hitting the road - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety

Link: 'Legally Blonde' hitting the road - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety.

Legally Blonde" goes national this fall, with a touring production set to kick off in Providence, R.I. in September. Show has so far booked dates around the country through September 2009, in cities including Atlanta, Dallas, St. Louis and Washington, D.C. Tour could capitalize on the national TV profile cultivated by "Blonde" on MTV, which aired a filmed version of the musical several times last fall and also will broadcast an upcoming reality casting show for the thesp who will step into the lead role on the Rialto.

'Spring Awakening' bowing in S.F. - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety

Link: 'Spring Awakening' bowing in S.F. - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety.

The North American touring production of “Spring Awakening” has set its sked, kicking off in September at San Francisco’s Curran Theater. Stops on the first year of the tour include Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Toronto, Seattle, Houston and Louisville.

All Roads Lead to 'Avenue Q' (BroadwayWorld.com)

Link: All Roads Lead to 'Avenue Q' (BroadwayWorld.com).

All Roads Lead to 'Avenue Q' Music and Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx Book by Jeff Whitty, based on an original concept by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx Directed by Jason Moore, Puppet Design by Rick Lyon, Musical Supervision by Stephen Oremus, Choreography by Ken Roberson, Scenic Design by Anna Louizos, Costume Design by Mirena Rada, Lighting Design by Howell Binkley, Sound Design by Acme Sound Partners CAST (in order of appearance): Princeton, Rod Robert McClure; Brian Cole Porter; Kate Monster, Lucy & others Kelli Sawyer; Nicky, Trekkie Monster, Bear & others David Benoit; Christmas Eve Sala Iwamatsu; Gary Coleman Carla Renata; Mrs. T., Bear & others Minglie Chen; Ensemble Maggie Lakis, Seth Rettberg, Danielle K. Thomas Performances through March 23, 2008 at The Colonial Theatre Ticketmaster 617-931-2787 or www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com or in person at The Colonial Theatre Box Office, 106 Boylston St., Boston and at The Opera House Box Office, 539 Washington St., Boston Avenue Q is the busiest boulevard in Boston as the North American tour of the 2004 Tony Award-winner for Best Musical, Best Original

'Frost/Nixon' National Tour to Star Stacy Keach (BroadwayWorld.com)

Link: 'Frost/Nixon' National Tour to Star Stacy Keach (BroadwayWorld.com).

Frost/Nixon, the Tony Award winning new play by Peter Morgan, the award-winning author of The Queen and The Last King of Scotland, will embark on a national tour with award winning actor Stacy Keach, portraying the role of President Richard Nixon. The role of David Frost has not yet been cast. Michael Grandage, who directed the original London and Broadway productions, will direct the tour. The tour will hit the road in the fall of 2008 with plans to play America's leading theater cities.

Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp to Headline National Tour of Rent, Broadway.com Buzz

Link: Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp to Headline National Tour of Rent, Broadway.com Buzz.

Adam Pascal & Anthony Rapp Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp, who originated the roles of Roger Davis and Mark Cohen in Rent, have signed on to headline a national tour of the musical beginning in January 2009. The current Rent tour is playing through June 2008.

'Rent' to kick off a new national tour - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety

Link: 'Rent' to kick off a new national tour - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety.

Broadway tuner "Rent" will kick off a new national tour next year with original stars Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp toplining the production. Both the 12-year-old Rialto incarnation of "Rent" and the show's current national tour are slated to end their runs in June. With the new road staging, producers Jeffrey Seller, Kevin McCollum and Allan S. Gordon are clearly hoping to extend the sales boost that Pascal and Rapp brought to the show's Broadway B.O. over the summer. The week the thesps' returned to the Rialto production for a 10-week stint, weekly receipts shot up $250,000 to $633,000 and remained elevated throughout their stay. New tour, which begins in January 2009, has not yet confirmed route and dates.

About Last Night: "Jersey Boys" brings Four Seasons' hits, and backstage dramas, to the stage

Link: About Last Night: "Jersey Boys" brings Four Seasons' hits, and backstage dramas, to the stage.

I'll confess right off: Big Girls Don't Cry has always made me cringe (especially the ``cry-yi-yi'' part). The fact that Jersey Boys didn't suggests that the creators of this stage biography of the Four Seasons have done some things right. Of course, those who enter as Seasons fans will love this frank yet affectionate take on their lives encompassing a slew of the group's pop hits. That's a given. Yet the handling of their backstage story is strong enough to generate interest, at times even involvement, in those who would never describe this music as their favorite. The show's shrewd way of utilizing the songs makes even those stretches relatively painless for the non-believer, sometimes even enjoyable. The Tony-winning Broadway hit's touring edition had its official press night Friday at Hobby Center. With Des McAnuff's slick direction propelling the show briskly, the tour showcases a personable quartet of leads who harmonize smoothly onstage and even more persuasively enact the behind-the-scenes rivalries, loyalties and hostilities of the group's journey to fame and beyond.

Ruben Studdard, Frenchie Davis to Tour in Ain't Misbehavin'

Link: Ruben Studdard, Frenchie Davis to Tour in Ain't Misbehavin'

American Idol veterans Ruben Studdard (who won the competition in 2003) and Frenchie Davis (who went on to the Broadway company of Rent) have signed on for a 30th anniversary national tour of the Tony Award-winning musical revue Ain't Misbehavin'. Richard Maltby, Jr., who co-wrote and directed the Broadway production, which showcased the music of "Fats" Waller, will re-create his original direction.

'Mary Poppins' goes on the road

Link: 'Mary Poppins' goes on the road

The Broadway tuner incarnation of "Mary Poppins" has recouped its capitalization costs just as plans for the show's U.S. tour have firmed up. First stop is set for Chicago in March 2009. Co-producers Cameron Mackintosh and Disney Theatrical Prods. have not confirmed a capitalization figure, but it's safe to peg the big budget for "Poppins" -- whose large, technologically complex set replicates a three-story house -- at north of $15 million. Recoupment isn't much of a surprise, since the Broadway production, which opened at the New Amsterdam Theater on Nov. 16, 2006, regularly logs weekly sales of more than $1 million. Last week the musical grossed $1,109,074. Tour of "Poppins," meanwhile, is hotly anticipated on the road, where another Disney offering, "The Lion King," remains a potent draw in a shaky touring market. Road show preems March 25, 2009, at the Cadillac Palace Theater in Chi, with further stops to be announced.

The Little Mermaid - Young Frankenstein - Theater - New York Times

Link: The Little Mermaid - Young Frankenstein - Theater - New York Times.

THE Broadway-bound productions of Disney’s “Little Mermaid” and “The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein” (yes, that is its official full name) both had their out-of-town openings on the same night, Aug. 23, roughly 1,300 miles apart. In many ways the out-of-town experiences for these two shows — the biggest high-stakes gambles of the fall season, both based on much-loved movies, both with bankloads of money and some degree of franchise reputation on the line — have been even farther apart than that. For one thing, the opening night of “Mermaid” in Denver wasn’t even an opening night, insisted Thomas Schumacher, the president of Disney Theatrical Productions: it was a “local press night,” which was fitting because the show has been mostly out from under the national — well, New York — microscope. The after-party was a cast-and-crew-only affair at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, where the show is playing. Sure, a few members of the New York press took a look at “Mermaid,” which cost a reported $15 million, before or after the opening — however they could fit it in around their trip to Seattle. It was here that “Young Frankenst

Disney's The Little Mermaid Sells Out 7-Week Pre-Broadway Engagement at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts

Link: Disney's The Little Mermaid Sells Out 7-Week Pre-Broadway Engagement at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

With its final performance this Sunday, September 9 -- after four weeks of previews and nearly three weeks of performances -- Disney's pre-Broadway engagement of THE LITTLE MERMAID has sold out every ticket made available to the public in its run at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. With nearly 95,000 seats sold in 47 performances, this pre-Broadway engagement has been one of the most highly attended events in DCPA history and the most successful out-of-town tryout for Disney Theatrical Productions ever. "The Denver Center for the Performing Arts is delighted to have had the pre-Broadway engagement of THE LITTLE MERMAID here in the gorgeous new Ellie Caulkins Opera House," said Randy Weeks, President and Executive Director of Denver Center Attractions. "This was the highlight of our year and we have been overwhelmed by the tremendous support and amazing response our audiences have shown. We greatly value our relationship with Disney Theatrical Productions, and have been honored to have this fantastic cast and crew here in Denver." Noted by local critics to be "a lavish production" with "moments of glimmering magic" (Rocky Mountain News) and called an "intoxicating spectacle" (The Denver Post), Mermaid has delig

Variety.com - 'Dirty Dancing' headed to Chicago

Link: Variety.com - 'Dirty Dancing' headed to Chicago.

Nobody puts Baby in a corner, but they can put her on tour. The wildly successful legit adaptation of 1987 pic "Dirty Dancing" arrives in the U.S. with a stint in Chicago set for September 2008. "Dirty Dancing -- The Classic Story on Stage" did boffo biz in Australia, where it originated, as well as in New Zealand and Germany. A London production is selling like hotcakes, and advance sales for a Toronto production opening in November also are strong. In Chi, "Dirty Dancing" will be part of the Broadway in Chicago series. Dates, engagement length and other cities on the tour have not yet been nailed down. A future Broadway run also has been widely speculated.

Variety.com - 'Family Guy' hits the road

Link: Variety.com - 'Family Guy' hits the road.

Just in time for the show's off-net syndication launch, the cast behind "Family Guy" is taking it back out on the road. "Family Guy Live" will travel to Chicago for the first time Sept. 15, performing two shows at the Chicago Theater. Location was chosen because Windy City-based Tribune will launch the "Family Guy" syndie strip on its O&Os (including KTLA, Los Angeles; WPIX, New York; and WGN, Chicago) next month. In the stage show, creator and star Seth MacFarlane leads the cast, including Alex Borstein, Mila Kunis, Seth Green and Mike Henry, in musical numbers from the show. Event includes a table read of an episode, a Q&A with the cast, and a preview of the "Star Wars"-themed season premiere.

Avenue Q National Tour to Play Chicago in May 2008

Link: Avenue Q National Tour to Play Chicago in May 2008

The national tour of the Tony Award-winning musical Avenue Q, will play Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre, May 27-June 7. The tour has just officially kicked off at San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre.

Arbo, DiMarzio, Magnuson, Molina, et al. Join Sweeney Todd Tour: Theater News on TheaterMania.com

Link: Arbo, DiMarzio, Magnuson, Molina, et al. Join Sweeney Todd Tour: Theater News on TheaterMania.com.

Original Broadway stars John Arbo, Benjamin Magnuson, Diana DiMarzio, and Lauren Molina will co-star alongside Judy Kaye and David Hess in the national tour of John Doyle's production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Sweeney Todd. The show will have a pre-tour engagement at San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre, August 30-September 30. The tour will begin in Boston in October, before traveling on to such cities as Toronto, Miami, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Houston.

Twelve Angry Men Tour to Play 2nd Season; Thomas Stars (BroadwayWorld.com)

Link: Twelve Angry Men Tour to Play 2nd Season; Thomas Stars (BroadwayWorld.com).

Roundabout Theatre Company has announced a second season for its critically acclaimed national touring production of their Broadway smash hit, Twelve Angry Men. “It’s highly unusual for a straight play to enjoy such tremendous success with touring audiences and we are very excited that the demand for the show allows us to tour for a second year,” said Todd Haimes. “Audiences continue to respond to the play’s undeniable power - its themes and issues are still relevant a half century after it first appeared. In the tour’s first season the show was seen by more than 300,000 people in 19 cities. This coming season we expect to play to even greater attendance.” The show will appear in numerous cities in the 2007-2008 season including Cleveland, Toronto, Costa Mesa, Ft. Lauderdale and Charlotte.

'Kiki and Herb' take show on the road

Link: 'Kiki and Herb' take show on the road.

Kiki and Herb are getting their act together and taking it on the road. "Kiki & Herb: Alive From Broadway," which played the Rialto over the summer (with the subtitle "Alive on Broadway") and will be up for this year's Tony for special theatrical event, plays a national tour of about 10 cities beginning this summer at Boston's Huntington Theater and San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater. Also confirmed is a run at the D.C. area's Arena Stage in spring 2008, while talks are under way for stints in Chicago, Philly, Santa Fe and Seattle, as well as Sydney and the West End.

Variety.com - 'Happy Days' eyes commercial tour

Link: Variety.com - 'Happy Days' eyes commercial tour.

"Happy Days: The Musical" is looking at a tour following a summer workshop production at Goodspeed Musical's Norma Terris Theater in Chester, Conn. The musical, based on the '50s-set TV series, was presented last year in Los Angeles in a production helmed by Garry Marshall, who also wrote the stage script. For the revised production, Gordon Greenberg (Goodspeed's "The Pirates of Penzance") takes over at the helm. Show's score is by Paul Williams, with John McDaniel as music supervisor. Michelle Lynch is choreographer. The Goodspeed production, running Aug. 9-Sept. 2, is receiving enhancement money with an eye to begin a commercial tour in 2008.

Drowsy Chaperone Tour to Kick Off at Toronto's Elgin Theatre: Theater News on TheaterMania.com

Link: Drowsy Chaperone Tour to Kick Off at Toronto's Elgin Theatre: Theater News on TheaterMania.com.

The national tour of the hit musical The Drowsy Chaperone will kick off at Toronto's Elgin Theatre, September 19-October 14. The show will then travel to more than 30 cities across the United States including Cleveland, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Atlanta, Hartford, Pittsburgh, St. Paul, Houston, and Los Angeles. No casting has been announced for the tour.