Get a peek at the smash CollaborAzian’s production of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder premiered this month on Broadway On Demand to wide success. Get a sneak peek at the virtual performance.
Next on Stage Dance Edition is back with season 2of our online dancingcompetition Miss the announcement of our top 15 Check out the episode here
The Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical A Chorus Line began performances on Broadway at the Sam S. Shubert Theatre July 25, 1975 before officially opening October 19, 1975. When it closed 15 years later on April 28, 1990, it was the longest-running show in Broadway history, having played 6,137 performances. (It would be surpassed by Cats seven years later and is now the seventh-longest Broadway run.) The production won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, nine Tony Awards (including Best Musical, Score, and Book), and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award.
Conceived, choreographed, and directed by Michael Bennett, the show features a book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, music by Marvin Hamlisch, and lyrics by Edward Kleban. The original production was conceived beginning in January 1974, opened at The Public Theater’s Newman Theatre May 21, 1975 before it transferred to its Broadway home.
The original Broadway production starred Scott Allen as Roy, Renee Baughman as Kristine, Kelly Bishop as Sheila, Pamela Blair as Val, Wayne Cilento as Mike, Chuck Cissel as Butch, Clive Clerk as Larry, Kay Cole as Maggie, Ronald Dennis as Richie, Donna Drake as Tricia, Brandt Edwards as Tom, Patricia Garland as Judy, Carolyn Kirsch as Lois, Ron Kuhlman as Don, Nancy Lane as Bebe, Baayork Lee as Connie, Priscilla Lopez as Diana, Robert LuPone as Zach, Cameron Mason as Mark, Donna McKechnie as Cassie, Don Percassi as Al, Michael Serrecchia, Michael Stuart as Greg, Thomas J. Walsh as Bobby, Sammy Williams as Paul, and Crissy Wilzak as Vicki.
A Chorus Line featured co-choreography by Bob Avian, scenic design by Robin Wagner, costume design by Theoni V. Aldredge, lighting design by Tharon Musser, and sound design by Abe Jacob with stage management Jeff Hamlin, Frank Harenstein, and Scott Allen. Visit the Playbill Vault for the complete cast and creative team.
Stock and amateur rights for A Chorus Line are represented by Tams-Witmark, a Concord Theatricals Company.
Stage and screen star Kristin Chenoweth celebrates her birthday July 24.
Chenoweth made her Broadway debut as Precious McGuire in the 1997 production of Steel Pier. Throughout the course of her career on the Main Stem, she has starred in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown as Sally (earning the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical) , Wicked as Glinda, On The Twentieth Century as Mildred Plotka/Lily Garland, and more.
In addition to her stage work, Chenoweth is also an Emmy-winning TV actor who has starred in shows including The West Wing, Glee, Pushing Daisies, GCB, Trial & Error, and more.
In honor of Chenoweth, take a look at highlights from her career.
The Olivier award-winning production of Disney’sMary Poppinswillresumeperformances at the Prince Edward Theatre from 7 August 2021. The show’s leads, Zizi Strallen and Charlie Stemp had their first photo shoot in costume this week
Tony and Emmy winner Lillias White’s first solo studio album, Get Yourself Some Happy!, is released July 23 via Old Mill Road Recording. Watch White belt out “A Little Imagination,” penned by Gail C. Bluestone and Eileen Bluestone Sherman, above.
The modern mix of Motown, standards, rock-and-roll, Broadway, and jazz was recorded at Old Mill Road Recording in East Arlington, Vermont, in July 2019. The album is the culmination of a 30-year friendship and professional collaboration between White and her musical director-accompanist, Timothy Graphenreed (The Wiz), who passed away March 1, 2020. The album is dedicated to his memory.
“This recording, Get Yourself Some Happy!, is a labor of love put together by the late, great Timothy Graphenreed, Dr. Joshua Sherman, and myself,” said White in an earlier statement. “It was a joy to create. The songs were handpicked and heartfelt—and we hope the album brings smiles to your faces. I want people to see you (with your earbuds in) smiling—and wonder what you’re listening to. I hope you go out and get yourself some happy!”
The complete track listing follows:
1. When You Wish Upon A Star
2. Accentuate the Positive
3. Happy Together
4. A Brand New Me
5. Put On A Happy Face
6. The Twist
7. A Little Imagination
8. You’re My Best Friend
9. You’ve Made Me So Very Happy
10. Yes
11. That’s All
12. Make Someone Happy
13. It’s Not Where You Start
14. Get Happy
Get Yourself Some Happy! is produced by Joshua Sherman and engineered by Grammy winner Benjamin J. Arrindell.
White has also announced several concert dates, including July 23 and 24 at Feinstein’s at the Nikko in San Francisco; August 12–14 at The Green Room 42 in New York; and August 27 and 28 at The Art House in Provincetown, Massachusetts.
White won a Tony for her performance as Sonja in Cy Coleman’s The Life. She was also Tony-nominated for her work as Funmilayo in Fela!. Her other Broadway credits include Barnum, Dreamgirls, Cats, Carrie, Once On This Island, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Chicago. She received a Daytime Emmy as part of the cast of Sesame Street; her other screen credits include Pieces of April and Baz Luhrmann’s The Get Down.
(Updated July 23, 2021)