Two-time Tony nominee Harry Connick, Jr. will star as Henry Gondorff in the world premiere of The Sting at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey this spring. The new musical is based on the 1973 Oscar-winning film, with a book by Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone), music and lyrics by Urinetown songwriting team Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis, with Connick, Jr.
Directed by John Rando (On the Town), and choreographed by Warren Carlyle (Hello, Dolly!), the Broadway-bound engagement of The Sting will begin March 29 and is scheduled to play through April 29.
Set in Chicago in the 1930’s, The Sting invites audiences into a smoke-filled world of cons and capers. The story follows small town grifter Johnny Hooker and big-time hustler Henry Gondorff, who plot to bring down the city’s most corrupt racketeer.
Hooker and Gondordff were played by screen legends Robert Redford and Paul Newman in the original film. The Universal Pictures movie, which featured a screenplay by David S. Ward and direction by George Roy Hill, was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, winning seven—including Best Direction, Best Screenplay, and Best Picture.
The film is also remembered for its Oscar-winning score, which composer Marvin Hamlisch fashioned from the songs of ragtime composer Scott Joplin. Hamlisch’s version of “The Entertainer” from the film’s soundtrack reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974, and created a nationwide resurgence in Joplin’s work.
The stage adaptation of The Sting will also incorporate Joplin’s music into its score, including “The Entertainer.”
Further casting and additional creative team members will be announced in the near future.
The Sting will be produced on Broadway by The Araca Group, Matthew Gross Entertainment, and by Special Arrangement with Universal Theatrical Group. Broadway dates have not yet been announced.
Connick, Jr. made his Broadway acting debut in The Pajama Game in 2006, for which he earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical. His other Broadway credits include On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, and extended concert engagements. He is also a Tony nominee for Thou Shalt Not, for which he wrote the music and lyrics.
Noah Galvin plays his final performance in the Tony-winning Dear Evan Hansen February 4 at the Music Box Theatre.
Taylor Trensch Nathan Johnson
Galvin, best known for his critically acclaimed performance in ABC’s The Real O’Neals, made his Broadway debut in the hit musical, succeeding Tony winner Ben Platt November 21, 2017.
Taylor Trensch, recently seen in the Tony-winning revival of Hello, Dolly!, officially takes over as Evan Hansen February 6, although the actor played select performances in the role this past week.
Trensch’s previous Broadway credits include The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Matilda, and Wicked.
On Wednesday and Saturday matinees, the role of Evan is performed by Michael Lee Brown.
Dear Evan Hansen features a score by the Tony- and Oscar-winning songwriting team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Dogfight, A Christmas Story), a book by Tony winner Steven Levenson (Masters of Sex), choreography by Danny Mefford (Fun Home), and direction by multiple Tony nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal, If/Then).
Original cast members Laura Dreyfuss, Tony winner Rachel Bay Jones, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Tony nominee Mike Faist, Michael Park, and Will Roland have all extended their contracts and will remain with the musical through May. Kristolyn Lloyd will depart in March.
The L.A. Opera production of Candide, celebrating the Leonard Bernstein centennial, began performances January 27. The show marks the Los Angeles Opera debuts of Christine Ebersole and Kelsey Grammer as Old Lady and Pangloss, respectively.
Performances will run through February 18 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. For more information and tickets, click here.
The cast also includes Jack Swanson as Candide, Erin Morley (recently in Les Contes d’Hoffmann at the Met) as Cunegonde, Theo Hoffman as Maximillian/Reverend Father, Matthew Scollin as Martin, Brian Michael Moore as the Grand Inquisitor, and Taylor Raven as the Baroness. Francesca Zambello directs.
Flip through photos of the show below:
First Look at Christine Ebersole, Kelsey Grammer, and More in L.A. Opera’s Candide
The production is part of a worldwide, two-year celebration of the Leonard Bernstein centennial. Morley will sing the role of Cunegonde again at Carnegie Hall in an April concert presentation of Candide as part of the centennial.
Ebersole has been a special guest performer on Playbill’s Broadway on the High Seas cruises. Tickets are now on sale for the Broadway on the High Seas 10: Odyssey Through the Greek Isles cruise June 24–July 1, 2019, with a lineup of top Broadway stars to be announced. Call Judy Perl Worldwide for tickets at (844) 561-3625. Visit PlaybillTravel.com for booking and information.
In a new music video celebrating the long-running Broadway production of Chicago,Amra-Faye Wright performs a sparkling rendition of “All That Jazz.” Wright first stepped into the role of Velma Kelly in the Broadway production in 2006, and has been performing in the show on and off since.
The Broadway production currently stars fellow Chicago veteran Bianca Marroquín as Roxie Hart, Tom Hewitt as Billy Flynn, Raymond Bokhour as Amos Hart, Kandi Burruss as Matron “Mama” Morton, and R. Lowe as Mary Sunshine.
With a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, Chicago is directed by Tony winner Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Tony winner Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse. The musical is the winner of six 1997 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Recording.
Chicago Celebrates 20th Anniversary Year With Starry Photo Op
Chicago Celebrates 20th Anniversary Year With Starry Photo Op
Bebe Neuwirth, Joel Grey, John Kander and more were on hand to kick off the event.
26 PHOTOS
James Naughton, Barry Weissler, Bebe Neuwirth, Joel Grey and Walter Bobbie Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Amra-Faye Wright Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Amra-Faye Wright and Yōka Wao Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Amra-Faye Wright Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Amra-Faye Wright and Yōka Wao Joseph Marzullo/WENN
James Naughton, Barry Weissler, Bebe Neuwirth, Joel Grey, Walter Bobbie Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Amra-Faye Wright Joseph Marzullo/WENN
James Naughton, Bebe Neuwirth and Joel Grey Joseph Marzullo/WENN
The Phantom of the Opera celebrated 30 years on Broadway January 24 (two days prior to its actual anniversary date).
The gala performance kicked off with a red carpet co-hosted by former Christine Sierra Boggess, and author-commentator and The Musical Company’s Vice President, Marketing, Imogen Lloyd Webber. The performance at the Majestic Theatre was followed by a special post-show presentation featuring musical numbers and surprise artists. A private gala at the Rainbow Room concluded the festive evening.
Flip through photos below of the red carpet, curtain call, and after-party:
A Look Inside the 30th Anniversary Performance of The Phantom of the Opera
Cruel Intentions: The Musical has extended its Off-Broadway run another month at (le) Poisson Rouge. The immersive rock concert adaptation, previously extended through February 19, is now selling through March 16.
Cruel Intentions: The Musical is adapted from Roger Kumble’s cult ‘90s film and features many of the songs that made the movie so iconic, including The Verve’s “Bitter Sweet Symphony,” Christina Aguilera’s “Genie in a Bottle,” and Placebo’s “Every You Every Me.” Take a sneak peek at the show in the video above.
The musical began performances Off-Broadway December 11, 2017, and was originally scheduled to play through January 29.
Cruel Intentions: The Musical is created by Jordan Ross, Lindsey Rosin, and Kumble and features immersive stage direction by Rosin, choreography by Jennifer Weber, and music direction and arrangements by Zach Spound.
The cast is made up of Lauren Zakrin as Kathryn, Carrie St. Louis as as Annette, Constantine Rousouli as Sebastian, Jessie Shelton as Cecile, Alex Boniello as Blaine, Brian Muller as Greg, Matthew Griffin as Ronald, and Patricia Richardson as Mrs. Caldwell.
Take a Sneak Peek at Cruel Intentions: The Musical
