OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS

- time stands still opened on broadway. [more info]

- as you like it also opened at the brooklyn academy of music. [more info]

- mr. and mrs. finch opened off-broadway too. [more info]

- circle mirror transformation closed yesterday. [more info]

UPCOMING SHOWS

- it’s official! red is coming to broadway. [more info]

- the south park creators are working on a stage show. [more info]

- london’s priscilla queen of the desert is on its way to broadway. [more info]

- ken davenport is working on a revival of a few good men. [more info]

CASTINGS

- god of carnage has a new star-studded cast. original cast member jeff daniels will return, but lucy lui, janet mcteer, and dylan baker will fill out the other roles. [more info]

- the official full cast of american idiot is completely out! [more info]

NEWS

- west side story won the grammy for best musical show album. [more info]

- 2 for 1 tickets to off-broadway shows. welcome to on the house. [more info]

- will a view from the bridge extend? [more info]

- the orphan’s home cycle has extended yet again for another six weeks. [more info]

- dick van dyke showed up on the national tour of mary poppins. [more info]

- everyone is buying tickets to a view from the bridge. [more info]

- the phantom of the opera is 22 years old. [more info]

SOLO SHOWS AND BENEFITS

- i would have given anything to see the mtc’s winter benefit. [more info]

LONDON

- priscilla is also extending to 2011. [more info]

- lee mead, winner of that reality how about joseph and the amazing technicolor dreamcoat, is now going to be in wicked. [more info]

- london’s critic’s circle award winners. [more info]

- everyone is going to see a show in the west end. [more info]

- which is why legally blonde has extended. [more info]

- but not why hairspray is closing in the west end. oh well, while it was opened it made a shit ton of money anyway. [more info]

PHOTOS AND MEDIA

- sierra boggess performs the lead song from love never dies. [more info]

- time stands still for these opening night shots. [more info]

- pictures from the manhattan theater club’s winter gala. [more info]

OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS

- bye bye birdie. [more info]

- a view from the bridge opened. [more info]

UPCOMING SHOWS

- they’re working on a lend me a tenor musical. [more info]

NEWS

- roman polanski wants to make a movie version of god of carnage. [more info]

- the theater hall of fame has inducted a ton of super people. [more info]

- there’s been 500 billy elliot performances i haven’t seen. [more info]

LONDON

- avenue q is moving theaters again. [more info]

- andrew lloyd weber is premiering a song from love never dies on some awards show. [more info]

PHOTOS AND MEDIA

- corbin bleu goes in the heights. [more info]

- check out this view from the bridge. [more info]

- hair held an open casting call and broadway.com took some video. [more info]

- these present laughter pictures are not funny. [more info]

- time stands still for these pictures. [more info]

i’m a big fan of actor john o’hurley, known for his role as j, peterman on seinfeld or as season one winner of dancing with the stars (remember? there was a rematch and he beat kelly monaco). you see, john o’hurley graduated from my college. he too was a theater major, and a good friend of one of my professors. and one day, i met him on the street and had a lovely 30 minute conversation with him about life, theater, and providence college. and ever since then, i’ve put a google alert in to keep up with his going ons.

so you can imagine my surprise when after three years of having o’hurley’s google alert set up, it finally goes off! on gawker nonetheless! in a positive post! about the fact that he’s not hosting family feud anymore!

Sadly, John O’Hurley Set to Retire As Host of Family Feud

i mean, it was such a shock, it needed to be posted about.

does anyone else have google alerts for any celebs? and why the hell has it been so long since anyone’s written about john o’hurley?

if you’re not a broadway fan, then you probably have no idea who laura bell bundy is. but for those of us who worship the stage and just about everything that comes with it, then we’re extremely familiar with bundy. she originated the role of amber in hairspray. starred as glinda in wicked. and received a tony nomination for her portrayal of elle woods in the completely entertaining legally blonde the musical. but now? well, not she’s a country singer.

laura bell bundy’s first single is “giddy on up” is out, and judging from it’s official video, she’s going sassy on country music. bb seems to be following in the steps of other sassy country stars like carrie underwood, julianne hough, kelly pickler, and taylor swift. but yet, among all of those girls, she seems to stand out. and this broadway queen is wishing her all the best.

take a look at her first video and let me know what you think. then, click through after the jump to see some classic laura bell bundy broadway performances. you know, just in case you want to brush up on your musical theater knowledge.

come on – there’s more!

Read the rest of this entry »

OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS

- my first time closes off broadway today. i bet it’ll never call me again. [more info]

UPCOMING SHOWS

- the 39 steps have finally confirmed what i’ve been yapping about over and over again here: they’ll be the second show to make the broadway to off-broadway transfer. performances begin march 25. [more info]

- i’ll tell you what i want, what i really really want: a spice girls musical! [more info]

- the pitmen players will transfer from london. the london cast will reprise their roles. [more info]

- rumors are flying that red might make the transfer to broadway, with alfred molina in tow. [more info]

CASTINGS

- a ton of the original cast of the chicago run of million dollar quartet will reprise their roles on broadway. the new additions? the fabulous elisabeth stanley and hunter foster. score! [more info]

- casting is complete for the manhattan theater club’s a cool dip in the barren saharan street crick (whew). [more info]

- billy elliot has a new dad. [more info]

- corbin bleu has joined the cast of in the heights. [more info]

NEWS

- it’s time again for 20&20! the off-broadway special, which allows for $20 tickets 20 minutes before showtime, is happening from january 25 and running until february 7. beware though: avenue q is not participating. [more info]

- next to normal is probably going on tour. [more info]

- leer keeps extending! [more info]

- the non-equity open casting call for hair brought on a lot of people. [more info]

- finally! the equity tour of rent is closing. don’t worry, i’m sure anthony rapp and adam pascall will be touring in another production in no time. [more info]

SOLO SHOWS AND BENEFITS

- another stephen sondheim 80th birthday tribute concert is set, this time at the (awful) city center. casting includes angela lansburg, bernadette peters, patti lupone, barbara cook, raul esparza, michael cerveris, sutton foster, victor garber, joanna gleason, donna murphy, b. d. wong, and probably more. [more info]

- there’s also a miscast benefit starring raul esparza, sutton foster, ana gasteyer, cheyenne jackson, aaron tveit, and more. [more info]

PHOTOS AND MEDIA

- i’m not loving the artwork for the miracle worker. [more info]

- pee-wee!!!!! [more info]

- fela! stopped by the colbert report. [more info]

- and jimmy fallon. [more info]

Five Actors Who Could Become Unexpected Broadway Stars [Listicle]

personally, i’d take any of their picks. though i know conan is also looking for a new job, and if i was a broadway producer, i’d book him for a one man show, stat!

OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS

- wishful drinking ended its limited run. [more info]

- finain’s rainbow ended it’s open run. [more info]

- also, finain’s won’t transfer to a smaller theatre. so yeah, it was really the end. [more info]

UPCOMING SHOWS

- are you shocked? spider-man is delayed. [more info]

- as you like it has a new opening night. [more info]

- um… kathleen marshall is working on a musical version of cyrano. and spoiler alert – it’s for high schools? [more info]

CASTINGS

- hair is holding an open casting call for cast members! non-equity! [more info]

- we’ve got the full cast for come fly away. [more info]

- there’s rumors of antonio bandares doing the broadway revival of zorba. [more info]

- emily skinner is joining billy elliot. [more info]

- while terra c. macleod will play velma in chicago. [more info]

- lea salonga is starring in manila production of cats. [more info]

- morgan spector has oficially replaced santino fontana in a view from the bridge. [more info]

- okay, the full casting of the miracle worker is finally here! [more info]

- as is the full casting of the glass menagerie. [more info]

NEWS

- is anyone surprised that billy elliot recouped? [more info]

- andrew lloyd webber is cancer free! [more info]

- come fly away is going through some trouble. [more info]

- as are a bundle of broadway theatres, who are being told not to use certain wireless microphones. [more info]

LONDON

- hey legally blonde opened! [more info]

SOLO SHOWS AND BENEFITS

- broadway bares 13 has a date – february 14! now that’s a way to celebrate valentine’s day.

OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS

- ragtime closed. [more info]

- as did burn the floor. [more info]

- and the 39 steps. [more info]

- and altar boyz. [more info]

- ken davenport just doesn’t seem to be having a good year. first oleanna, then altar boyz, and now my first time will close on january 22. [more info]

- our town has extended yet again. the hit revival has extended for 10 more weeks. [more info]

- circle mirror transformation has also extended – this time, for the last time. the show will close on january 30. [more info]

- oh, and time stands still has began performances. [more info]

CASTINGS

- christopher sieber will star in the world premiere of dan savage’s the kid: what happened after my boyfriend and i decided to go get pregnant, premiering off broadway in april 2010. [more info]

- lili taylor has joined the broadway production of lips together, teeth apart. [more info]

- derek hough headlined the last few performances of burn the floor. [more info]

- a whole bunch of people have moved into our town. [more info]

- karen olivo and josefina scaglione will continue their west side story run until at least summer 2010.
[more info]

- michelle williams will star as roxie in chicago. why do they always play roxie? velma is clearly the better role… [more info]

- babo babatunde, the original c.c. white in dreamgirls will join her, as billy. [more info]

- sondheim on sondheim has a full cast. [more info]

- rosie o’donnell and natasha lyonne will join did conn and ran drescher in their return engagement to love, loss, and what i wore. [more info]

- norbert leo butz will star in the broadway production of enron. [more info]

- everyone’s on board for the temperamentals return. [more info]

- the pee-wee herman show has a full cast. [more info]

- maura tierney and frances mcdormand will star in north atlantic, both in la and in ny. [more info]

- hugh dancy and ben whishaw will hit off broadway in the pride. [more info]

UPCOMING SHOWS

- the frank sinatra/twyla tharp show, come fly away, is set to begin performances in march. [more info]

- american idiot will also make its bow on broadway in march. that’s right – green day made it to broadway faster than u2. [more info]

- denzel washington and viola davis will star in the broadway revival of fences. it’s a 13 week only schedule. performances begin april 14 at the court theatre, with a april 26 opening! [more info]

- if you’re still holding your breath for spider-man’s february 15 previews, you’re probably not doing so well right now. [more info]

- there’s a new musical set to open february 14 called good ol’ girls, starring lauren kennedy and sally mayes. [more info]

- all about me will start a little later than expected. [more info]

NEWS

- producer michael kaiser says goodbye to ragtime. [more info]

- liza’s at the palace will hit dvd shelves in february. [more info]

- but passing strange will hit dvd first, tomorrow. [more info]

- what’s the davenport theatrical developmental reading series? [more info]

- or the young composer mafia? [more info]

- at least i know what the classifieds are. [more info]

- chicago will become the 6th longest running broadway production tomorrow. [more info]

- santino fontana has been out from a view from the bridge due to injury. [more info]

SOLO SHOWS AND BENEFITS

- the manhattan theatre club has once again set up a star studded benefit. [more info]

- catharine zeta-jones, bernadette peters, christine ebersole, audra mcdonald, victor garber, chita rivera, donna murphy, cheyenne jackson, t.r. knight, brian d’arcy james, malcom gets, len cariou, christopher sieber, will swenson, will chase, chad kimball, marian seldes, beth fowler, and sara rice are just a few of the performers who will honor angela landsbury at a concert gala that no one i know will actually be able to afford. [more info]

PHOTOS AND MEDIA

- scottsboro boys is in rehearsal. [more info]

- say goodbye, altar boyz. [more info]

mel brooks was one of five honorees during the 32nd annual kennedy center honors, which aired on cbs the other night. i missed the show, sadly, but was able to catch up on everything on youtube. i was mainly looking forward to the show because i knew they were doing a big mel brooks tribute number, featuring musical performances from his films and broadway shows. about halfway through, i got my number. take a look: