Sam Faulkner News

Based on Disney's 1992 cult classic film, Newsies tells the rousing tale of the great Newsboy Strike of 1899. Jack Kelly, a charismatic and resilient newspaper boy, leads a bunch of New York City rag-tag orphans in a clash against the mighty publishing titan, Joe Pulitzer. With a score by Alan Menken, and hits that include 'Santa Fe,' 'Seize the Day,' and 'King of New York,' this Muny premiere promises to make headlines.

BroadwayWorld is excited to announce that The Muny's production of NEWSIES takes over our Twitter and Instagram today! Spencer Davis Milford will take over our Twitter and Tessa Grady will take over our Instagram.

The Muny announced today that Davis Gaines will play the role of Joseph Pulitzer, rounding out the principal cast for Newsies, the seventh and final production of its 99th season. Design teams were also announced for this production, which plays August 7- 13. Newsies is proudly sponsored by BMO Harris Bank.

BWW has just learned that funny man Billy Eichner has joined the cast of NBC's HAIRSPRAY LIVE! as Rob Barker, the Baltimore TV newscaster who reports on Tracy Turnblad and her escape from prison in an attempt to integrate the “Corny Collins Show.”

Votes are cast; polls are closed; and results have been tabulated! This was our biggest year yet! After a record number of voters in more than 70 regions worldwide, BroadwayWorld is very excited to announce the 2015 Raleigh winners! Thanks to all who voted, and huge congratulations to all the winners!

Happy Holidays! It's the last week to vote for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Raleigh Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 18. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31!

Time is running out to vote for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Raleigh Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 18. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31!

Voting is fully underway for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Raleigh Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 11. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

Voting has opened for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Raleigh Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 27th. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

Voting has opened for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Raleigh Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 27th. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

Thommie Retter, (Billy Elliot) and Retter Entertainment provide unique opportunities for aspiring young performers through This Way To Broadway, a series of workshops culminating in showcase opportunities, including singing, acting, and dancing. The coming event, Almost There, will take place at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space located at 2537 Broadway.

The Independent Reviewers of New England announced the winners of the 19th Annual IRNE Awards last night at the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts.

With over 100 U.S. cities and 30 international regions featured on our site, we have so many exciting theatre happenings around our Broadway World! Below, we've highlighted our top 10 stories from this week. Check out the roundup below!

Based on the 2000 British independent film directed by Stephen Daldry, this musical tells the story of Billy Elliot, a young English kid who trades boxing gloves for ballet shoes. His personal struggle and fulfillment is balanced against a counter-story of family and community strife caused by the UK miners' strike in County Durham, in North Eastern England.

Thrilling audiences worldwide and winning TEN Tony Awards® including Best Musical, Billy Elliot the Musical features a spectacular score by Elton John and is the inspirational story of one boy's journey to make his dreams come true. Set in a small town, the story follows Billy as he stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class, discovering a surprising talent that inspires his family and his whole community, changing his life forever. Hailed as "The best show you will ever see" by the New York Post, this big musical with an even bigger heart will enchant the dreamer in all of us. Check out a first look at the production below!

Once again 2014 was a year to revel in the diversity and accomplishments of the theatrical scene in Maine. The summer and winter seasons yielded a nice balance between adventurous programming and classics. Here is my personal list for 2014, grouped by theatre company and show. 1. MAINE STATE MUSIC THEATRE once again receives my vote for the finest company in the region. Their 2014 season offered four dazzling main stage productions, including the remarkable revival of Chamberlain: A Civil War Romance, a daring and moving music theatre piece, beautifully realized by director-choreographer Marc Robin together with stars James Patterson and Kathy Voytko.

Broadway dreams will come true for 47 young, aspiring performers when they take the stage to perform in The Broadway Dreams Foundation's 'Take It to the Limit' NYC Showcase at Queen of the Night at the Diamond Horseshoe (Paramount Hotel, 235 W 46th Street) on Monday, November 24, 2014 at 2:00 pm. Under the direction of acclaimed director/choreographer Otis Sallid (Smokey Joe's Cafe, Black Nativity), all 47 students will perform for the Broadway industry's top casting directors, agents, directors, and producers in the heart of New York City.

North Carolina Theatre (NCT), the region's premier producer of professional Broadway shows, is excited to announce that Raleigh's own Ira David Wood, III has been cast in Billy Elliot alongside talented young Charlotte teen Sam Faulkner in the title role of "Billy." David will play Billy's father. NC Theatre's original production of Billy Elliot will run February 10 - 15, 2015 at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium in the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

Producer Bellanca Smigel Rutter (The Bridges of Madison County, Macbeth) will present an additional industry reading of The Me Nobody Knows in New York City on September 16 and 17, 2014 following a two-week dance lab helmed by director Stafford Arima (Allegiance, Altar Boyz), choreographer Taye Diggs (Rent, "Private Practice"), and musical director Bryan Perri (Wicked). The presentations mark the next step toward a commercial production after a successful exploratory reading this past May 2014.

Members from the former Broadway, National Tour and Chicago productions of Billy Elliot the Musical came to the July 10th performance of Ogunquit Playhouse production. Among the cast members pictured from Ogunquit's production are Noah Parets (Billy), Sam Faulkner (Billy), Anastasia Barzee (Mrs. Wilkinson), Armand Schultz (Dad), Joel Blum (George), Dale Soules (Grandma), Stephen Hanna (Older Billy), and Anthony Festa (Tony). The honored guests pictured are Tony Award Winner, Trent Kowalick (original Broadway Billy Elliot) Tommy Batchelor, (Billy, Broadway and the National Tour), Thommie Retter (Mr. Braithwaite, Broadway), as well as Broadway cast members Brianna Fragomenti, Kara Oates, Annabelle Kempf and Chicago's Small Boy, Mark Page.