Francine Pascal News

The York Theatre Company, dedicated to the development of new musicals and preserving musical gems from the past, will honor legendary Oscar and Tony Award winner Joel Grey with the 25th Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre at 2016 Oscar Hammerstein Award Gala to be held on Monday, December 5, 2016 at The Asia Society (725 Park Avenue).

Centenary Stage Company's critically acclaimed Young Performers Workshop returns this holiday season with a delightful selection of musical favorites in the annual Winter Festival of Shows. 

The Random Farms Kids' Theater, a not-for-profit organization that puts young people center stage, is celebrating its 20th Anniversary with a commemorative production of Annie, Jr.

MACK & MABEL, currently playing Chichester Festival Theatre before heading out on a UK & Ireland Tour this autumn, is transferring to the West End later this year. And, according to the New York Post, if the musical -- starring Michael Ball and Rebecca LaChance -- does well in London, it could be moving to Broadway next season.

Mack & Mabel, which will embark on a UK & Ireland Tour in Autumn 2015 following its premiere at Chichester Festival Theatre, stars double Oliver award-winning Michael Ball and Rebecca LaChance. Based on the real-life romance between Hollywood legends Mack Sennett and Mabel Normand, it tells the story of a group of pioneering filmmakers who changed the world surrounded by the great fun of the silent screen: heroes in capes, girls tied to the tracks, glamorous Bathing Beauties and the chaos of the Keystone Kops.

E News exclusively reveals that Brittany and Cynthia Daniel are developing a reboot of Sweet Valley High, their 1990s television series based on Francine Pascal's book franchise of the same name.

The Daily Mail writes that Rebecca LaChance will play 'Mabel' opposite Michael Ball's 'Mack' at Chichester this summer in a major new production of MACK & MABEL, directed by Jonathan Church. The show opens at the Festival Theatre in July, followed by a UK tour from October.

Over the weekend, Richard Skipper kicked off a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of HELLO, DOLLY! with members of the original Broadway cast! In attendence for the special reunion were Nicole Barth (Original cast), Paul Berne (dancer, Original Company), Carleton Carpenter and Johnny Beecher (Sheridan (Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker: Mary Martin International Company), Wayne Clark (first National Company with Carol Channing), John Anthony Gilvey, David Hartman (Rudolph and Stage Manager: Original Company), Charles Karel (Original cast), Jan LaPrad (Original Company dancer), Joan 'Buttons' Leonard (original company), Bob Lydiard (Cornelius Hackl, Carol's first Broadway Revival), Lee Roy Reams (Cornelius Hackl 1977 tour and Broadway Revival, director 1996 Broadway tour and Revival),Megan Thomas (Carol's last tour), Andrea Bell (started with Carol Channing, as Ermengarde at the age of seventeen, in Carol's FIRST national tour as well as other productions.) Ron Young (dancer original cast). BroadwayWorld was there for the special event and you can check out photos from the reunion below!

The 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) presents Gary Goldfarb: Master Escapist a world premiere musical comedy with book & lyrics by Omri Schein, and music by James Olmstead. John Znidarsic directs a cast of seven including Jared Loftin, Krista Buccellato*, Todd Thurston*, James David Larson*, Shoba Narayanan*, Dimitri Moise, and another cast member to be announced shortly.Gary Goldfarb: Master Escapist is being staged at The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 West 42nd Street (bet. 9th & 10th Avenues) in NYC for five performances from tonight, July 17 through Saturday, July 27, 2013. The Pershing Square Signature Center is the official hub of The New York Musical Theatre Festival.

The 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) presents Gary Goldfarb: Master Escapist a world premiere musical comedy with book & lyrics by Omri Schein, and music by James Olmstead. John Znidarsic directs a cast of seven including Jared Loftin, Krista Buccellato*, Todd Thurston*, James David Larson*, Shoba Narayanan*, Dimitri Moise, and another cast member to be announced shortly.Gary Goldfarb: Master Escapist is being staged at The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 West 42nd Street (bet. 9th & 10th Avenues) in NYC for five performances from Wednesday, July 17 through Saturday, July 27, 2013. The Pershing Square Signature Center is the official hub of The New York Musical Theatre Festival. *Appearing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association.

The 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) presents Gary Goldfarb: Master Escapist a world premiere musical comedy with book & lyrics by Omri Schein, and music by James Olmstead. John Znidarsic directs a cast of seven including Jared Loftin, Krista Buccellato*, Todd Thurston*, James David Larson*, Shoba Narayanan*, Dimitri Moise, and another cast member to be announced shortly.Gary Goldfarb: Master Escapist is being staged at The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 West 42nd Street (bet. 9th & 10th Avenues) in NYC for five performances from Wednesday, July 17 through Saturday, July 27, 2013. The Pershing Square Signature Center is the official hub of The New York Musical Theatre Festival. *Appearing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association.

Surflight Theatre, under the leadership of Executive Director Ken Myers, presents the Yankee Doodle Dandy song and dance musical comedy George M!, from June 19 through July 7. Opening night is June 20 at 8:00pm.

Dolly looks swell as ever as Goodspeed Musicals brings everyone's favorite meddlesome matchmaker to its main stage. Hello, Dolly! will run from June 28 - September 8 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn. Official Press Opening will be July 17, 2013.Leading the cast in the role of Dolly Levi will be cabaret diva Klea Blackhurst. Ms. Blackhurst is best known for her award-winning tribute to Ethel Merman, Everything the Traffic Will Allow, which she has performed in venues across the U.S. and in London. She was most recently seen in Happy Huntingat The York Theatre. She also created the role of Miss Lemon in the new musical The Nutty Professor, which premiered this past summer in Nashville. The cast and creative team met the press earlier today and you can check out complete photo coverage from the festivities below!

Musical Theatre West will present a benefit concert of MACK & MABEL, starring Davis Gaines as Mack Sennett and Vicki Lewis as Mabel Normand.

Musical Theatre West will present a benefit concert of MACK & MABEL, starring Davis Gaines as Mack Sennett and Vicki Lewis as Mabel Normand.

Paul Garman, Executive Director/Producer, has announced a benefit concert version of Jerry Herman's rarely performed musical MACK & MABEL presented by Musical Theatre West at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center for one night only, Monday, May 20 at 8pm. Jerry Herman, composer/lyricist of the musical theatre classics Hello, Dolly!, Mame, and La Cage aux Folles, famously declared that MACK & MABEL is his own favorite score, and the New York Times says, "the songs remain among the most felicitous in Mr. Herman's canon."

Surflight Theatre, under the leadership of Ken Myers, Executive Director, has announced the theater's 64th Season of 'Broadway at the Beach' - the theater's 2013 season of musicals and plays kicks off April 23 through May with a TBA musical revue, the Tony-winning comedy thriller Sleuth (May 7-19), The Boy Friend (May 24 - June 16), George M! (June 19 - July 7), Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific (July 10 - 28), You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown (August 21 - September 8), Our Town (September 25 - October 6), and Irving Berlin's White Christmas (December 3 - 22).

Sometimes when directors revive old plays you wonder why they've done it. Mack & Mabel, currently playing at Southwark Playhouse, is not a classic crying out to be brought back to life, though being about the early days of cinema it is rather on trend.

Southwark Playhouse presents a major revival of the Jerry Herman/Michael Stewart Hollywood musical, Mack and Mabel, starring Norman Bowman as Mack and Laura Pitt-Pulford (who received rave reviews as Lucille Frank in Parade) as Mabel, directed by Thom Southerland and produced by Danielle Tarento. The show will run for an 8-week season at The Vault at Southwark Playhouse, now through Saturday, August 25. Press night is tomorrow, July 11 at 7.30pm. Get a first look at the revival in the production photos below!