Four 2002 - Articles Page 33

Four Point Park University Conservatory of Performing Arts alumni will perform at The 2009 Tony Awards this Sunday, June 7 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Rob Ashford, a 1983 dance alumnus, is choreographing the opening number. Ashford is a Tony-winning Broadway director and choreographer. He won a Tony Award for Best Choreography for Thoroughly Modern Millie in 2002; he received Tony nominations for his choreography for Cry-Baby, Curtains and the Wedding Singer.

Following a critically acclaimed season which included the Pulitzer Prize finalist Becky Shaw and the Broadway transfer of its musical hit Next to Normal, Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) has announced three of the four plays scheduled for its upcoming 31st Season.

Pittsburgh CLO, with the families of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II and The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, will proudly present the 12th Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theater to award-winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. The ceremony will be held at the 2009 CLO Guild's Pink Frolic Ball on May 9, 2009, at the Omni William Penn Hotel. Established in 1988, the Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theater recognizes the lifetime contributions of outstanding talents in musical theater. Pittsburgh CLO has presented the Richard Rodgers Award 11 times in recent years to such luminaries as Mary Martin (1988), Dame Julie Andrews (1989), Harold Prince (1991), Sir Cameron Mackintosh (1992), Stephen Sondheim (1993), Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber (1996), Gwen Verdon (2000), Bernadette Peters (2002), Shirley Jones (2007), Kathleen Marshall (2008) and Rob Marshall (2008).

The Joyce Theater Foundation (New York), in association with the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival, The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago and On the Boards (Seattle), is pleased to announce the 12 choreographers in each of the four cities who will participate in The A.W.A.R.D Show! 2009. The 48 participants were selected from a total of 218 applicants from across the country; one from each city will take home a $10,000 award to use toward the creation of a new dance work.

New Village Arts (NVA) concludes its 2008-2009 season with Four Dogs and a Bone by award-winning playwright and recent Oscar-nominee John Patrick Shanley. NVA Associate Artistic Director Joshua Everett Johnson directs this brutally hysterical satire of Hollywood. Four Dogs and a Bone runs June 4 through 28 at the New Village Arts Theatre, located at 2787 State Street in Carlsbad Village. Tickets range from $25 - $30 and are available by calling the box office at 760-433-3245 or by visiting www.NewVillageArts.org.

Celebrated jazz vocalist Diane Schuur joins Grammy Award-winning pianist/conductor Peter Nero and the Philly Pops for an extraordinary concert program entitled 88 Keys, a Big Band, and a Voice. These performances mark Ms. Schuur's debut with Peter Nero and the Philly Pops. Between them, Peter and Diane have four Grammy awards and recording careers that combined span more than five decades. Now, take all of that brilliant talent and imagine it together on stage at Verizon Hall!

The four-character play made its Broadway premiere in 1931, starring Noel Coward himself. It has a long history with six Broadway revivals, most recently in 2002, and a long list of well known cast members including Laurence Olivier, Tallulah Bankhead, Maggie Smith, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Alan Rickman.

The sensational Liza Minnelli returns! The singer, actor and showbiz phenomenon returns to Roy Thomson Hall on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 ? 26 years after a four-night run during the Hall?s inaugural season. Winner of an Academy Award in 1973 for her iconic role as Sally Bowles in Cabaret, she has also won 3 Tony Awards, 2 Golden Globes, an Emmy, a British Film Academy Award, and a Grammy Legend Award, one of the few artists who have won entertainment?s top six awards. As a recording artist, she has sold millions of records worldwide and three of her albums and one of her videos have been certified Gold by the RIAA. Her very first single, ?You Are For Loving,? sold a half million copies in 1963, leading to her signing with Capitol Records. She has also recorded for A&M, Columbia, Epic and Angel.

Asolo Repertory Theatre announces Tome' Cousin as Director/Choreographer for its 09-10 season production of Susan Stroman's Tony winning musical, Contact. Cousin performed in and helped to develop Contact as part of the original Lincoln Center ensemble, both off-Broadway and on, from 1999-2002. As Supervising Director for Susan Stroman Productions of Contact, he is the only person sanctioned by Stroman to direct the production.

Celebrated jazz vocalist Diane Schuur joins Grammy Award-winning pianist/conductor Peter Nero and the Philly Pops for an extraordinary concert program entitled 88 Keys, a Big Band, and a Voice. These performances mark Ms. Schuur's debut with Peter Nero and the Philly Pops. Between them, Peter and Diane have four Grammy awards and recording careers that combined span more than five decades. Now, take all of that brilliant talent and imagine it together on stage at Verizon Hall!

Playwrights Horizons, under the leadership of Artistic Director Tim Sanford and Managing Director Leslie Marcus, is proud to announce four World Premieres for its 2009/2010 Season. Presented at the theater company's home at 416 West 42nd Street.

The sensational Liza Minnelli returns! The singer, actor and showbiz phenomenon returns to Roy Thomson Hall on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 ? 26 years after a four-night run during the Hall?s inaugural season. Winner of an Academy Award in 1973 for her iconic role as Sally Bowles in Cabaret, she has also won 3 Tony Awards, 2 Golden Globes, an Emmy, a British Film Academy Award, and a Grammy Legend Award, one of the few artists who have won entertainment?s top six awards. As a recording artist, she has sold millions of records worldwide and three of her albums and one of her videos have been certified Gold by the RIAA. Her very first single, ?You Are For Loving,? sold a half million copies in 1963, leading to her signing with Capitol Records. She has also recorded for A&M, Columbia, Epic and Angel.

Commander Squish Productions invites you to the Off-Broadway Premiere of THE NEW HOPEVILLE COMICS. A hit at the 2002 New York International Fringe Festival, this new musical features music and lyrics by Nate Weida and a book co-written by Weida and Sarah Donnell. Jim Wren directs an ensemble of 20 actors backed by a 5 piece rock band. This strictly limited engagement runs March 10-28 at American Theater of Actors (315 West 54th Street), former home of the Fringe-to-Off-Broadway transfer of Urinetown.

Commander Squish Productions in association with Michael Roderick and Small Pond Entertainment, presents the Off-Broadway premiere of THE NEW HOPEVILLE COMICS beginning previews March 10 at American Theater of Actors. A hit at the 2002 New York International Fringe Festival, this new musical features music and lyrics by Nate Weida and a book co-written by Weida and Sarah Donnell. Jim Wren directs a cast that features an ensemble of 20 actors backed by a 5 piece rock band. Opening night is slated for Saturday, March 14.

Commander Squish Productions will present the Off-Broadway premiere of THE NEW HOPEVILLE COMICS beginning previews March 10 at American Theater of Actors. A hit at the 2002 New York International Fringe Festival, this new musical features music and lyrics by Nate Weida and a book co-written by Weida and Sarah Donnell. Jim Wren directs a cast that features an ensemble of 20 actors backed by a 5 piece rock band. Casting will be announced shortly. Opening night is slated for Saturday, March 14. THE NEW HOPEVILLE COMICS is set in an average US town called Hopeville. Here, your average superhero named Perfect Man protects its trusting and oblivious citizens against danger. His good deeds include grabbing a pair of scissors out of the hands of a running boy and rescuing the mayor's baby from falling out of a window. All is swell until Perfect Man's girlfriend rejects him. He loses his confidence and his power. Soon Perfect Man meets his demise in the form of a villainous trio (Sex, Drugs and Rockenroll) who have been gleefully waiting for their opportunity to turn the unsuspecting town to chaos. Can the citizens wise-up, band together to fight villainy and put the hope back into Hopeville?

Broadway bound comedy star Robin Williams has postponed four performances of his one-man show in Florida. According to a statement on the actor's website, 'Williams was experiencing shortness of breath and is currently being evaluated by doctors who are recommending a week of rest.' The statement says the comedian will reschedule the performances at a later date. Williams, 57, has been touring Weapons of Self Destruction since September 2008 and will be bringing it to Broadway with a stop the Neil Simon Theater - on April 23rd through the 29th and May 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, 2009.

Broadway bound comedy star Robin Williams has postponed four performances of his one-man show in Florida. According to a statement on the actor's website, 'Williams was experiencing shortness of breath and is currently being evaluated by doctors who are recommending a week of rest.' The statement says the comedian will reschedule the performances at a later date. Williams, 57, has been touring Weapons of Self Destruction since September 2008 and will be bringing it to Broadway with a stop the Neil Simon Theater - on April 23rd through the 29th and May 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, 2009.

The 7 th Annual 7 th Inning Stretch: 7 10-minute plays about baseball Playwrights: William Burton Henline (MFA playwriting candidate at Rutgers University) Rand Higbee (alt. to National Theatre Festival at the Kennedy Center) Robin Rice Lichtig (Lincoln Center Director's Lab, New Georges) Jay Rehak (Inspirato Festival in Toronto, Knutsford Theater Festival in England)Donna Spector (Women Playwrights: Best Plays of 2002, Pushcart Prize Nom) Heather Woodbury (Kennedy Center Grantee, OBIE winner)

Commander Squish Productions invites you to the Off-Broadway Premiere of THE NEW HOPEVILLE COMICS. A hit at the 2002 New York International Fringe Festival, this new musical features music and lyrics by Nate Weida and a book co-written by Weida and Sarah Donnell. Jim Wren directs an ensemble of 20 actors backed by a 5 piece rock band. This strictly limited engagement runs March 10-28 at American Theater of Actors (315 West 54th Street), former home of the Fringe-to-Off-Broadway transfer of Urinetown.

Bobby Fox, Scott Johnson, Glaston Toft and Stephen Mahy will star in JERSEY BOYS - The story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Broadway's multi-award winning musical opening in Melbourne's Princess Theatre on July 4. Rehearsals begin in Melbourne in April. Bobby Fox will play Frankie Valli, Scott Johnson is Tommy DeVito, Glaston Toft is Nick Massi and Stephen Mahy is Bob Gaudio - The Four Seasons. JERSEY BOYS is the story of how four boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide - all before they were thirty. JERSEY BOYS features their hit songs Sherry, Big Girls Don't Cry, Rag Doll, Oh What a Night and Can't Take My Eyes Off You, among many others.

Commander Squish Productions in association with Michael Roderick and Small Pond Entertainment, presents the Off-Broadway premiere of THE NEW HOPEVILLE COMICS beginning previews March 10 at American Theater of Actors. A hit at the 2002 New York International Fringe Festival, this new musical features music and lyrics by Nate Weida and a book co-written by Weida and Sarah Donnell. Jim Wren directs a cast that features an ensemble of 20 actors backed by a 5 piece rock band. Opening night is slated for Saturday, March 14.

Pittsburgh CLO, with the families of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II and The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, will proudly present the 12th Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theater to award-winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. The ceremony will be held at the 2009 CLO Guild's Pink Frolic Ball on May 9, 2009, at the Omni William Penn Hotel. Established in 1988, the Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theater recognizes the lifetime contributions of outstanding talents in musical theater. Pittsburgh CLO has presented the Richard Rodgers Award 11 times in recent years to such luminaries as Mary Martin (1988), Dame Julie Andrews (1989), Harold Prince (1991), Sir Cameron Mackintosh (1992), Stephen Sondheim (1993), Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber (1996), Gwen Verdon (2000), Bernadette Peters (2002), Shirley Jones (2007), Kathleen Marshall (2008) and Rob Marshall (2008).

Week four of Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook brings to The Allen Room a hot new composer, Broadway's most popular ing?nue, a Disney film and Broadway composer in a rare concert appearance, and a celebration of the music of Richard Rodgers by an acclaimed guitarist/vocalist. On February 18th, young composer Nico Muhly, who wrote the haunting score to the Oscar-nominated film 'The Reader', will collaborate with Thomas Bartlett, alternative folk/country artist Sam Amidon, and designer/illustrator Maira Kalman.

Commander Squish Productions will present the Off-Broadway premiere of THE NEW HOPEVILLE COMICS beginning previews March 10 at American Theater of Actors. A hit at the 2002 New York International Fringe Festival, this new musical features music and lyrics by Nate Weida and a book co-written by Weida and Sarah Donnell. Jim Wren directs a cast that features an ensemble of 20 actors backed by a 5 piece rock band. Casting will be announced shortly. Opening night is slated for Saturday, March 14. THE NEW HOPEVILLE COMICS is set in an average US town called Hopeville. Here, your average superhero named Perfect Man protects its trusting and oblivious citizens against danger. His good deeds include grabbing a pair of scissors out of the hands of a running boy and rescuing the mayor's baby from falling out of a window. All is swell until Perfect Man's girlfriend rejects him. He loses his confidence and his power. Soon Perfect Man meets his demise in the form of a villainous trio (Sex, Drugs and Rockenroll) who have been gleefully waiting for their opportunity to turn the unsuspecting town to chaos. Can the citizens wise-up, band together to fight villainy and put the hope back into Hopeville?

Ren?e Fleming and Thomas Hampson star in the Met's first new production of Jules Massenet's richly melodic Tha?s in thirty years. The rarely performed opera opens at the Met on Monday, December 8, and runs through January 8, with the December 20 matinee transmitted live worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD series. 'Fleming and Hampson made a heavenly match,' Chicago Sun-Times critic Wynne Delacoma wrote when this production, which comes from the Lyric Opera of Chicago, opened there in 2002.