It hasn’t yet opened but it has just been confirmed that the cast of Newsies, will record the show’s original cast album March 3-5. The recording will be available in the spring from Ghostlight Records.  The show begins previews at the Nederlander Theatre on March 15 with opening night set for March 29.

The musical, produced by Disney Theatrical Productions features a score by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Sister Act) and Jack Feldman and a book by four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein (La Cage aux Folles, Torch Song Trilogy).  Newsies is directed by Tony nominee Jeff Calhoun (Big Riverrevival) and choreographed by Tony nominee Christopher Gattelli (South Pacific revival).

Newsies is inspired by the real-life Newsboy Strike of 1899, when newsboy Kid Blink led a band of orphan and runaway newsies on a two-week-long action against Pulitzer, Hearst and other powerful newspaper publishers.

This is a limited run and tickets are sure to go fast.  Don’t miss out…click here to get your group tickets today!

Photo by Monica Simoes

The new show Smash debuted last night on NBC.  The show chronicles a naïve Broadway hopeful (American Idol’s Katherine McPhee) as she auditions for a role in a Marilyn Monroe musical.  Broadway’s Megan Hilty of Wicked and 9-5 fame is cast as McPhee’s competition.  Broadway songwriters Julia Houston and Tom Levitts (Debra Messing and Christian Borle) and Angelica Houston as the money-troubled producer round out the cast.

The behind the scenes cast includes producers Steven Spielberg, Neil Meron, Craig Azdan, and Hairspray songwriters Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman. 

The critics agree; the acting is better than expected as are the musical numbers.  If you ever wonder what it’s like ‘behind-the-scenes’ of a Broadway musical you should definitely check out Smash. 

Smash is on NBC on Monday at 10:00 pm after The Voice. 

While it is already the longest-running show on Broadway, The Phantom of the Opera will celebrate another milestone tonight…24 years on Broadway.

In 1988, The Phantom of the Opera won a total of 7 Tony Awards including Best Musical and became the longest-running show in Broadway history on Jan. 9, 2006, with its 7,486th performance.  Surpassing the previous record-holder, another Andrew Lloyd Webber classic Cats.  The musical has grossed $845 million since its debut on Broadway Jan. 26, 1988 making it the highest-grossing show in Broadway history.

The Phantom of the Opera is based on the novel by Gaston Leroux.  It tells the story of the hideously deformed Phantom who lurks beneath the stage of the Paris Opera, exercising a reign of terror over its occupants. The phantom falls in love with the young Soprano devoting himself to creating a new star for the Opera by nurturing her extraordinary talents and employing all the skills at his disposal.

And if that’s not enough, on February 11, 2012 the show will hit it’s 10,000th performance!

You can see the Phantom on Broadway on Monday evenings at 8 PM, Tuesday evenings at 7 PM, Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 8 PM, with matinees on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 PM.  Book your group today by clicking here.

Happy New Year!  2012 is sure to be another great year on Broadway with a number of new musicals opening.  Check out some of what is to come!

The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess starring Audra McDonald, Norm Lewis and David Alan Grier at the Richard Rogers Theater starting January 12.   Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ Superstar previews start on March 1 at the Neil Simon Theater.  Another Andrew Lloyd Webber classic Evita starring Ricky Martin returns to Broadway on April 5 at the Marquis Theater.  Disney’s Newsies will play its first Broadway preview on March 15th at the Nederlander.  Ghost The Musical opens April 23 at the Lunt- Fontanne Theater and Nice Work If You Can Get It starring Mathew Broderick at the  Imperial Theatre on April 23. 

Get your group tickets today!

Disney’s new musical Newsies to Broadway in the spring for a limited run beginning March 15^th at Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre.

The musical, featuring a score by eight-time Academy Award® winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Sister Act) and Jack Feldman and a book by four-time Tony® Award winner Harvey Fierstein (La Cage aux Folles, Torch Song Trilogy), will play its first Broadway preview on March 15^th prior to its March 29^th opening night; the final performance is scheduled for June 10^th. Newsies, produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, is directed by Tony nominee Jeff Calhoun (Big River revival) and choreographed by Tony nominee Christopher Gattelli (South Pacific revival).

Set in New York City at the turn of the century, Newsies is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a ragged band of teen aged ‘newsies,’ who dreams only of a better life far from the hardship of the streets. But when publishing titans Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack finds a cause to fight for and rallies newsies from across the city to strike for what’s right.

Tickets are on sale exclusively to groups now.  Click here to get yours!

It’s official…On A Clear Day You can See Forever opened on Broadway last night!

The revival stars Harry Connick, Jr. in his first musical comedy role on Broadway since Pajama Game in 2006.  Also starring are Broadway vet David Turner, newcomer Jessie Mueller and Drew Gehling from the Jersey Boys.  The production directed by Michael Mayer is the first revival of this 1965 hit.  With a score by Burton Lane and a book by Alan Jay Lerner this latest Broadway revival is exciting and adventurous.

Get your tickets today by clicking here!

Just in time for the holidays, this recently released album features an all-star list of performers from Jersey Boys productions around the world, including Tony winner John Lloyd Young, Jarrod Spector (Broadway), Ryan Molloy (London), Travis Cloer, Rick Faugno, and Travis Cloer (Las Vegas), Bobby Fox (Australia), Joe Leo Bwarie (National Tour), with Erik Bates, Kristofer McNeeley, and Michael Ingersoll.

The Jersey Boys musical continues to bring audiences around the world to their feet 5 years after its’ debut with the rags-to-riches tale of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.  The production has won awards for Best Musical on three continents, including the 2006 Tony Award, while the platinum-selling Original Cast Recording album won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 2007.

This holiday, members of the award-winning Jersey Boys casts have come together to record a selection of Christmas classics in the style of The Four Seasons. This marks the first time that a Broadway show has released a holiday album.

The album, Season’s Greetings: A Jersey Boys Christmas features many Christmas classics including “Joy To The World/O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”, “Winter Wonderland”, “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” among others.  In 2006, the cast recorded “O Holy Night” for a Christmas album to benefit Broadway charities. Other highlights from A Jersey Boys Christmas include a doo-wop version of “White Christmas” and “Santa Medley,” which infuses Jersey Boys harmonies into a trio of holiday favorites.

Here is a complete track listing:
1. Joy To The World (London)
2. Winter Wonderland (Las Vegas)
3. Little Drummer Boy (National Tour)
4. Santa Medley 5. Holy Night/Rise Up Shepherd (featuring Mark Ivey, with Michael Ingersoll & Tituss Burgess, soloists)
6. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (Australia)
7. Jingle Bell Rock (Australia)
8. A King Is Born (Broadway)
9. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
10. White Christmas (London)
11. I’ll Be Home For Christmas (Broadway)
12. Angels From The Realm Of Glory (Australia)
13. Silver Bells/Silent Night (Las Vegas)
14. Do You Hear What I Hear (Las Vegas)
15. Breath Of Heaven/We Three Kings (Las Vegas)
16. Carol Of The Bells/Angels We Have Heard On High
17. Auld Lang Syne (feat. Joseph Leo Bwarie, Travis Cloer, Rick Faugno, Bobby Fox, Ryan Molloy, Jarrod Spector, John Lloyd Young & Erik Bates)

The album is available on Rhino Records.

Anything Goes –

Sutton Foster & Joel Grey, principal soloists; Rob Fisher, James Lowe & Joel

Moss, producers (Cole Porter, composer/lyricist) (New Broadway Cast Recording)

[Ghostlight Records]

The Book of Mormon -

Josh Gad & Andrew Rannells, principal soloists; Anne Garefino, Robert Lopez,

Stephen Oremus, Trey Parker, Scott Rudin & Matt Stone, producers; Robert Lopez, Trey Parker & Matt Stone, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast)

[Ghostlight Records]

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying -

John Larroquette & Daniel Radcliffe, principal soloists; Robert Sher, producer

(Frank Loesser, composer/lyricist) (The 2011 Broadway Cast Recording)

[Decca]

Watch the 2012 Grammy’s on February 12, 2012 at 8:00 pm on CBS.

Best Musical
The Book of Mormon Winner

Best Book of a Musical
The Book of Mormon Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone Winner

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
The Book of Mormon Music & Lyrics: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone Winner

Best Revival of a Play
The Normal Heart Winner

Best Revival of a Musical
Anything Goes Winner

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Mark Rylance Winner Jerusalem

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Frances McDormand Winner Good People

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Norbert Leo Butz Winner Catch Me If You Can

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Sutton Foster Winner Anything Goes

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
John Benjamin Hickey Winner The Normal Heart

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Ellen Barkin Winner The Normal Heart

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
John Larroquette Winner How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Nikki M. James Winner The Book of Mormon

Best Direction of a Play
Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris Winner War Horse

Best Direction of a Musical
Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker Winner The Book of Mormon

Best Choreography
Kathleen Marshall Winner Anything Goes

Best Orchestrations
Larry Hochman & Stephen Oremus Winner The Book of Mormon

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Rae Smith Winner War Horse

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Scott Pask Winner The Book of Mormon

Best Costume Design of a Play
Desmond Heeley Winner The Importance of Being Earnest

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Tim Chappel & Lizzy Gardiner Winner Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Paule Constable Winner War Horse

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Brian MacDevitt Winner The Book of Mormon

Best Sound Design of a Play
Christopher Shutt Winner War Horse

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Brian Ronan Winner The Book of Mormon

Special Tony Award® for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Athol Fugard
Philip J. Smith

Regional Theatre Tony Award®
Lookingglass Theatre Company (Chicago, Ill.)

Isabelle Stevenson Award
Eve Ensler

Special Tony Award
Handspring Puppet Company

Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre
William Berloni
The Drama Book Shop
Sharon Jensen and Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts