BroadwayBlog

Wicked extends Broadway booking to 3rd July next year

2010-09-01T02:44:00.000-07:00

Wicked the musical has extended its booking period on Broadway to 3rd July 2011. It has been playing at the Gershwin Theatre since 8th October 2003.

The current cast includes: Mandy Gonzalez (Elphaba), Katie Rose Clarke (Glinda), P.J. Benjamin (The Wizard), Kathy Fitzgerald (Madame Morrible), Andy Karl (Fiyero), Jenny Fellner (Nessarose), Timothy Britten Parker (Doctor Dillamond) and Alex Brightman (Boq).

Wicked the musical is also running at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London’s West End.

Mamma Mia! extends booking period on Broadway to 20th February 2011

2010-09-01T02:41:00.000-07:00

The Broadway musical Mamma Mia! has extended its booking period up until 20th February 2011. The hit musical has been running at the Winter Garden since 5th October 2001.

The current cast includes: Beth Leavel (Donna Sheridan), John Dossett (Sam Carmichael), Gina Ferrall (Rosie), Judy McLane (Tanya), Alyse Alan Louis (Sophie Sheridan), Eric William Morris (Sky), Amina Robinson (Ali), Samantha Eggers (Lisa), David Andrew Macdonald (Harry Bright), Patrick Boll (Bill Austin), Raymond J Lee (Eddie), Ben Gettinger (Pepper) and Bryan Scott Johnson (Father Alexandrios).

Mamma Mia! also continues its successful run at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London’s West End.

Cast changes to A Little Night Music

2010-08-27T07:59:00.000-07:00

Bradley Dean (Spamalot, Company, The Story of My Life, Man of La Mancha and Jane Eyre) is taking over the role of Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm from Aaron Lazar in A Little Night Music on August 31st at the Walter Kerr Theatre.

Sara Jean Ford is also leaving the show to join the new cast of The Phantom of the Opera. She will be replaced by show Jessica Grove.

A Little Night Music stars Bernadette Peters as Desirée Armfeldt, Elaine Stritch as Madame Armfeldt, Alexander Hanson as Fredrik Egerman, Erin Davie as Countess Charlotte Malcolm, Leigh Ann Larkin as Petra, Hunter Ryan Herdlicka as Henrik Egerman and Ramona Mallory as Anne Egerman.

The production originated at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory with Alexander Hanson still remaining from the original cast.

Bernadette Peters & Kim Cattrall in Sondheim’s Follies

2010-08-25T21:54:00.000-07:00

Bernadette Peters is to star as Sally Durant Plummer in the Kennedy Center production of Follies in the Eisenhower Theater from May 7th to June 5th 2011.

It is also rumoured that starring alongside Peters could be Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall as Phyllis and Danny Burstein as Buddy.

The Sondheim musical will be directed by Eric Schaeffer with choreography by Warren Carlyle. James Moore is the musical director with the 28-piece Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra.

Cast Changes for Phantom of the Opera

2010-08-25T07:32:00.000-07:00

Principal cast changes have been announced for The Phantom of the Opera which is the longest-running show in Broadway history. Hugh Panaro will return to the title role of the Phantom on 7th September taking over from John Cudia. Panaro is one of the few actors to have been cast as both The Phantom and Raoul joining the New York cast in December 1990 and doing over 2,000 performances in the Broadway production.

Sara Jean Ford will take over the leading role of Christine from Jennifer Hope Wills. In September 2007 she took over this role of on the National Tour and played it for almost a year.

.The Phantom of the Opera currently stars John Cudia (The Phantom), Jennifer Hope Wills (Christine Daae - played by Marni Raab at some performances), Ryan Silverman (Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny), George Lee Andrews (Monsieur Andre), David Cryer (Monsieur Firmin), Patricia Phillips (Carlotta Giudicelli), Cristin J. Hubbard (Madame Giry), Evan Harrington (Ubaldo Piangi) and Heather McFadden (Meg Giry).

Cast announced for Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical

2010-08-25T05:19:00.000-07:00

The complete cast has been announced for the pre-Broadway North American company of Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical . The show is currently running at the Palace Theatre in London’s West End and will begin performances at The Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto for a twelve-week, pre-Broadway engagement beginning 12th October (opening night on 26th October 2010).

It will open on Broadway in Spring 2011 at a theatre to be announced.

The musical will star Olivier Award nominee Tony Sheldon (Priscilla), Will Swenson (Tick/Mitzi) and Nick Adams (Adam/Felicia) as the trio of who make their own personal journeys of discovery as they go across Australia from Sydney to the outback in a battered old bus named Priscilla. Singing some great songs along the way including Downtown, What's Love Got To Do With It, I Love The Nightlife, I Will Survive, Pop Muzik, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Hot Stuff, MacArthur Park, Boogie Wonderland and Finally.

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert will also feature C. David Johnson (Bob), James Brown III (Jimmy), Nathan Lee Graham (Miss Understanding), J. Elaine Marcos (Cynthia), Jessica Phillips (Marion), Steve Schepis (Farrah), Keala Settle (Shirley), and 'Divas' Jacqueline Arnold, Anastacia McCleskey, as well as Thom Allison, Kyle Brown, Joshua Buscher, Susan Dunstan, David Lopez, Eric Sciotto, Bryan West, Wayne Wilcox and Tad Wilson.

Australian star Tony Sheldon will make his Broadway debut as Bernadette, the role he originated in the original Australian production and played in London’s West End.

Will Swenson, who will play Tick/Mitzi, recently starred in Hair in the West End direct from the Tony Award winning Broadway production and was recently seen on Broadway in the revival of '110 in the Shade' and the original musicals 'Lestat' and 'Brooklyn.'

Kristin Chenoweth Extends Run in Promises. Promises

2010-08-25T04:34:00.000-07:00

Kristin Chenoweth has extended her run in the musical comedy Promises, Promises playing Fran Kubelik for three additional months.

It was believed that she would leave the show on 26th September but she will now play her final performance with her co-star Sean Hayes on 26th December.

This new production of Promises, Promises has been directed and choreographed by Tony and Emmy Award winner Rob Ashford with Neil Simon’s book and Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s score which includes “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again”. It opened at the Broadway Theatre on 25th April 2010 and is currently booking through to December 26th.

The cast of Promises, Promises also features Katie Finneran Tony Goldwyn , Brooks, Dick Latessa , Peter Benson, Sean Martin Hingston, Ken Land and an eighteen member ensemble.

The producers of Promises,Promises announced today that Tony Award winner Katie Finneran will play her final performance in the smash hit musical comedy on Sunday October 10th as she is delighted to be pregnant and expecting her first child.

Sister Act Broadway Opening next March

2010-08-25T04:01:00.000-07:00

Sister Act the Musical is due to close at the London Palladium in London’s West End at the end of October, with a Broadway opening scheduled for March/April 2011.

The theatre is still to be announced and casting is due to commence shortly. Whoopi Goldberg and Stage Entertainment UK will again produce the show. Goldberg is about to finish a limited 23-performance run as Mother Superior in the London production.

Sister Act features a score by Academy Award winner Alan Menken and Glenn Slater and the Broadway production will reunite the original London creative team, including scenic designer Klara Zieglerova, costume designer Lez Brotherston, lighting designer Natasha Katz and sound designer Mick Potter.

International productions in Germany, Australia, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Italy, France and Spain also planned.