GRACE NOTES - Tuesday, March 1, 2011

GRACE NOTES is the most effective place to reach a world-wide audience of theatre professionals. For more information about promoting your next event, please contact sgrace1122@gmail.com.

**************

Today’s highlights:

* Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz opens at the London Palladium.

* Avenue Q previews at the Pantages.

* Linda Eder's new album, "Now", released on Sony Masterworks.

* The 1977 broadcast of The Norman Conquests released on DVD.

* "The Motown Sound", recorded at the White House, airs at 8 PM on PBS (check local listings).

* Harry Connick, Jr. In Concert on Broadway released on Blu-ray.

**************

Producers of Sister Act have announced what Broadway insiders have been whispering about for months: Tony Award-nominated playwright Douglas Carter Beane has signed on to revise the book for the Broadway production of the musical that first bowed in London in 2009.

When producers announced casting for the Broadway production Feb. 1, many of the characters were different than those listed in the London production, indicating that structural changes to the script were in store.

A Feb. 28 announcement states that Beane has authored "additional material" and will be working alongside the Steinkellners. While it will maintain the original West End score penned by Academy Award winner Alan Menken and Glenn Slater, Sister Act will get fresh directorial perspective from Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks. Peter Schneider staged the original West End premiere.

**************

One Night With Fanny Brice, a new musical play written, arranged, and directed by Chip Deffaa, and starring Farah Alvin, will make its Off-Broadway debut beginning March 16 at St. Luke’s Theatre, 308 West 46th Street (between Eighth & Ninth Aves). Opening night is set for Sunday, April 3 at 7PM.

**************

Full casting has been announced for the City Center Encores! production of Where's Charley? (book by George Abbott and music and lyrics by Frank Loesser), to run March 17-20. The production will be directed by Tony Award winner John Doyle, with choreography by Alex Sanchez and musical direction by Rob Berman.

The principal cast will feature Sebastian Arcelus (Jack Chesney), Jeff Brooks (Brassett), Rebecca Luker (Donna Lucia D'Alvadorez), Dakin Matthews (Spettigue), Rob McClure (Charley Wykeham), Howard McGillin (Sir Francis Chesney), Jill Paice (Kitty Verdun), and Lauren Worsham (Amy Spettigue).

The company will include Dan Callaway, Meggie Cansler, Hannah Chin, Nick Cosgrove, Desiree Davar, Ashlee Dupre, Leah Edwards, Drew Frankin, Arlo Hill, Leah Horowitz, Jordan Hunt, Amy Justman, Max Kumangai, Analisa Leaming, Colby Lindeman, Angelina Mullins, Patricia Noonan, Weston Wells Olson, Lainie Sakakura, Tommy Scrivens, Kendall Sparks, Brendan Stimson and Amos Wolff.

**************

The Druid and Atlantic Theater Company production of The Cripple of Inishmaan by Martin McDonagh will open Wednesday, April 6, with one preview scheduled for April 5 at LA’s Kirk Douglas Theatre. Garry Hynes directs the production, which continues performances through May 1.

The cast includes Liam Carney, Nancy E. Carroll, Ingrid Craigie, Dermot Crowley, Clare Dunne, Laurence Kinlan, Dearbhla Molloy, Tadhg Murphy and Paul Vincent O’Connor.

**************

The Ojai Playwrights Conference launches its 14th season with its annual Benefit Gala themed Substance of Desire – a celebration of love, lust and laughter in the plays of Jon Robin Baitz. Scheduled for Saturday, March 26, the Benefit begins at 5:30 PM at Matilija Auditorium with a dramatic event created especially for this evening.

The all- star cast includes David Burtka, Neil Patrick Harris, Jane Kaczmarek, Stacy Keach, Ron Rifkin, Steven Weber, Noah Wyle and others to be announced.

Following the show, the festivities continue at St. Thomas Aquinas Hall with music, martinis, a gourmet dinner prepared by celebrity chef Michael Hollingsworth, the 2011 OPC Awards, and a live auction featuring fabulous trips and entertainment packages.

**************

The Pantages has announced its 2011-12 season:

* Come Fly Away, Oct. 19-30
* Wicked, Nov. 30, 2011-Jan. 22, 2012
* Mama Mia, March 27-April 8, 2012
* Billy Elliot The Musical, April 12-June 2, 2012
* The Addams Family, June 5-17
* Million Dollar Quartet, June 19-July 1, 2012
* La Cage aux Folles, July 10-29, 2012
* Memphis, July 31 – Aug. 12, 2012
* Riverdance, Nov. 15-20, 2012

**************

Musical Theatre West is proud to announce the world premiere of Roger Bean’s groovy new musical Summer of Love at the beautiful 1,070-seat Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach.

Summer of Love previews April 1 opens April 2 and continues through April 17. The show’s creator, Roger Bean, directs the production which also includes musical director/arranger Michael Borth, choreography by Lee Martino and musical direction by Michael Paternostro. Casting TBA.

**************

Casting has been announced for Project's Shaw's staged reading of George Bernard Shaw's Great Catherine and Annaajanska, The Wild Grand Duchess, to be offered at 7 PM on Monday, March 28 at the Players Club. David Staller will direct the performance and Jesse Green will be the evening's host.

The cast will feature Hannah Cabell, Rufus Collins, Richard Easton, Jayne Houdyshell, Charlotte Parry, A.J. Shively, Marilyn Sokol, Evan Thompson, and Diane Stilwell Weinberg.

**************

The Pasadena Playhouse has announced that their annual fund-raiser entitled Premiere Gala: “Opening Night” will be held at The Pasadena Playhouse on Friday, April 1 at 7 PM. The theatre’s auditorium will transform into a spectacular Grand Ballroom for the special event, complete with festivities that will include cocktails, dinner, dancing, merriment and live entertainment. Information and tickets: 626-921-1156 or blewis@pasadenaplayhouse.org

**************

Virginia’s Signature Theatre, through its groundbreaking American Musical Voices Project (AMVP), announces the world premiere of the musical comedy And the Curtain Rises (formerly known as Wheatley’s Folly), directed by Kristin Hanggi (Rock of Ages). Written by Joseph Thalken (music), Michael Slade (book) and Mark Campbell (lyrics), the musical begins performances on Thursday, March 17 and continues to April 10.

Inspired by true events, And the Curtain Rises tells the outrageous and funny story of how the first American musical – 1866’s legendary The Black Crook – was born.

The cast features Nick Dalton (William Wheatley), Rebecca Watson (Millicent Cavendish), Kevin Carolan (C.H. Morton), Jennifer Smith (Rose Morton), Sean Thompson (Charles Barras), Alma Cuervo (Mme. Grimaud), Anna Kate Bocknek (Marie Bonfant), Erick Devine (Jeremiah Burnett), Brian Sutherland (Roman Korda), Erik Altemus (George C. Boniface), William Diggle (James Timoney), and a host of ballerinas.

**************

Video: Get to know Gavin Lee: http://bit.ly/g8uZz4

**************

MCC Theater has announced that Associate Artistic Director Will Cantler has been promoted to the position of Artistic Director, effective immediately. Cantler will assume the role alongside existing MCC Artistic Directors and co-founders Robert LuPone and Bernard Telsey.

**************

The West Coast premiere of Daddy (by Dan Via) has extended for a second time, now through April 10 at Hollywood’s Hudson Mainstage.

**************

The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway, which was taped live at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre New York in January, will debut March 19 on HBO at 10 PM.

**************

New York City Center has announced the launch of an iPhone app that allows theatregoers to purchase tickets for all City Center performances, including Encores! and Manhattan Theatre Club productions, directly from their mobile device.

The free app includes up-to-date performance schedules, cast biographies and photos, as well as videos, behind-the-scenes interviews and special ticket offers. In the near future it will also allow for City Center employees to scan tickets directly from the iPhone screen when theatregoers purchase tickets with the app.

Tickets are available for City Center performances of Encores!, MTC, the Pearl Theatre Company, the Fall for Dance Festival, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre and Paul Taylor Dance Company.

Download and test the app for free here.

**************

David Garrison completes the cast of Lynn Nottage's new play, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, which gets its world premiere by Second Stage Theatre this spring. The comedy also features the previously announced Stephanie J. Block, Daniel Breaker, Kimberly Hebert Gregory, Kevin Isola, Sanaa Lathan and Karen Olivo.

Directed by Jo Bonney, the production will begin preview performances on April 6 and officially open on May 9 at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theater (305 West 43rd Street).

**************

British stage star Connie Fisher will play Ruth Sherwood in a revival of the musical comedy, Wonderful Town at the Lowry, March 31-April 14, directed by Royal Exchange artistic director Braham Murray.

**************

Video: Billy Crudup, Raul Esparza, Grace Gummer, David Leveaux and the cast of Tom Stoppard's Arcadia discuss the show's new Broadway revival: http://bit.ly/e5pxem

**************

Charles Busch, currently starring Off-Broadway in The Divine Sister, will make a special guest appearance at a cabaret benefit for the theater company TOSOS (The Other Side of Silence), to be held at the Laurie Beechman Theatre on Wednesday, March 16 at 9:30 PM. The evening will celebrate Doric Wilson's 50 years as a playwright. Mark Finley will direct, with musical direction by Steve Ross. 212-695-6909

Performers at the benefit will include Joanne Beretta, Alex Bond, Christopher Borg, J.Stephen Brantley, Morry Campbell, Lodi Carr, Jamie Heinlein, Robert Locke, Michael Lynch, Susan Marie Pierson, Scott Ross, Zachary Stains, Karen Stanion, KT Sullivan, Aaron Tone, and Chris Weikel.

**************

Casting has been announced for Berkeley Rep's production of Sarah Ruhl's adaptation of: Anton Chekhov's The Three Sisters, to run April 8- May 22. The production will be directed by Les Waters.

The cast features David Abrams (Fedotik), James Carpenter (Chebutykin), Richard Farrell (Ferapont), Cobe Gordon (Rode), Emily Kitchens (Natasha), Bruce McKenzie (Vershinin), Alex Moggridge (Andrei), Barbara Oliver (Anfisa), Natalia Payne (Masha), Keith Reddin (Kulygin), Thomas Jay Ryan (Tuzenbach), Wendy Rich Stetson (Olga), Heather Wood (Irina), and Sam Breslin Wright (Solyony).

**************

Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang will narrate a concert version of the new musical, Great Wall, his collaboration with composer Kevin So and writer/director Kevin Merritt, at 7:30 PM on Tuesday, March 29 at Joe’s Pub. Francis Jue and Christopher Yee will star in the presentation.

**************

Audio: Matthew Morrison released his first single, "Summer Rain," which will appear on his forthcoming solo album, due out later this year. Listen to the song here.

**************

Cybill Shepherd will star as Dolly Gallagher Levi in North Carolina Theatre's production of the musical Hello, Dolly!, May 7-15 at the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Casey Hudson will direct the production. Additional casting will be announced shortly.

**************

Hollywood’s Mutineer Theatre Company presents a world premiere play, The Woodpecker, written by Samuel Brett Williams and directed by Jon Cohn. The production will preview on Friday, March 4 and will open on Saturday, March 5 and run through Sunday, April 3 at the Studio/Stage Theatre, 520 N. Western Blvd. in Los Angeles.

It's Jimmy's last day before going to war, he's addicted to glue, his mom is seeing visions in the sweet potato casserole, and his wheelchair-bound dad can kick his ass. Battered by his father’s impossible expectations, his mother’s delusional addiction, and the sweltering heat of the Arkansas summer, Jimmy turns to the only friend he has and pleads for help. God answers him with the rare and elusive Ivory-Billed Woodpecker.

The cast features: Ryan Nealy, Brian Norris, Andrew Price, Mark Withers and Tamara Zook.

**************

Andrew Lloyd Webber talks Wizard of Oz, Evita, Love Never Dies, his health, his next show and more: http://bit.ly/eZ4TIA

**************

Nominations for the 2011 Helen Hayes Awards, representing excellence in the Washington, DC-area theatre community, have been announced:

Mixed in with the respected and talented resident artists who may not have a national profile are more widely known theatre people, including Phylicia Rashad (every tongue confess), Marc Kudisch (Sycamore Trees), Laurence Fishburne (Thurgood) and Gavin Lee (Mary Poppins), costume designer William Ivey Long (Henry VIII), songwriters Ricky Ian Gordon (Sycamore Trees), Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler (Snow White, Rose Red (and Fred)), playwright David Ives (The Liar), scenic designer Eugene Lee (Oklahoma!) and director Mary Zimmerman (Candide), among others.

The awards will be presented at 8 PM on April 25 at The Warner Theatre and JW Marriott Hotel. For a complete list of nominees, click here.

**************

After exploring the idea of extending its sold-out and acclaimed production of Three Sisters, the leaders of Off-Broadway's Classic Stage will rest on their success. The run will end as scheduled on March 6.

**************

RIP: Screen siren and stage veteran Jane Russell died at her home in Santa Maria, California on Monday, Feb. 28 of respiratory failure. She was 89. Russell appeared on Broadway in the original production of Company, replacing Elaine Stritch in the role of Joanne.

**************

Have you ever found love in unexpected places? Tell us your story of finding love and romance and you could win the ultimate Cactus Flower prize pack: 2 tickets to see the show, a $100 gift certificate for dinner at Elsewhere restaurant, and essie's new spring collection of nail colors. Celebrate the arrival of Spring with Cactus Flower, now playing at The Westside Theatre.

The contest ends March 11. Click here to enter.

**************

Betty Buckley will offer a one-night-only performance of Broadway By Request as the centerpiece of the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts' annual gala, to be held on April 9 at 8 PM at the Walt Whitman Theatre at Brooklyn College .

**************

Elton John will host the April 2 episode of "Saturday Night Live."

**************

The Lincoln Center Theater production of South Pacific will next premiere in the UK at the Barbican Theatre from Aug. 12-Oct.1. Casting TBA.

**************

Stephen Fry, who made his own contribution to British musical theatre history when he did the book revisions to the hit 1980s West End and Broadway revival of Me and My Girl, will host The Great British Musical, a one-night celebration of the past and future of the genre to be held at the West End's Criterion Theatre April 10. The performance is being held to benefit Perfect Pitch Musicals.

The company will also feature Peter Polycarpou, Michael Xavier and Emma Williams (all recently seen in Howard Goodall's new musical Love Story), Hadley Fraser, Paul Keating, Julie Atherton, Steven Webb, Sophia Ragavelas, Jack Shalloo, Dougal Irvine, Jodie Jacobs, John Addison and Stuart Matthew Price.

**************

Kwame Kwei-Armah has been named artistic director of Centerstage in Baltimore. He replaces Irene Lewis, who will become the theater's Artistic Director Emeritus on July 1.

**************

An updated list of participating artists has been announced for The 24 Hour Musicals, to be held at Gramercy Theatre in Manhattan, on March 7. Ted Sperling will serve as creative director. Information and tickets here.

Participants will now include America Ferrera, Anthony Rapp, Daniel Goldstein, Debby Boone, Jonathan Marc Sherman, Julian Fleisher, Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk, Kristoffer Diaz, Mandy Gonzalez, Marc Kudisch, Nat Wolff, Nellie McKay, and Richard Kind.

**************