Hottest Articles on BWW from Saturday, May. 5

1) Photo Coverage: Backstage with Lea Salonga at Town Hall

BWW went backstage at Town Hall last night, May 4, to capture Tony and Olivier Award-winning star Lea Salonga after her performance, "The Journey Continues. See Salonga after she received multiple standing ovations for a knock-out concert in the photos below! (more...)

2) SOUND OFF: The Tell-Tale 2012 Tony Nominations

This Tuesday marked the second most exciting day of any given year for Broadway babies - the Tony Award nominations. The actual awards ceremony on CBS - Broadway’s night of nights - is still a few weeks off, but now is certainly an ideal time to size up the competition(s) and see who will most likely walk away with Tony gold come June 10 - and this year‘s ceremony, more than most before, could very well be as surprising as this season was; or Tuesday’s nominations themselves were, for that matter. While the 2011-2012 Broadway season certainly fell far short of the heady promise many ascribed to its prospects way back last Summer, we certainly saw the fulfillment of some big dreams for some notable names if not an all-in-all banner year for Broadway when collectively considered. The highly-praised Off-Broadway critical darling LYSISTRATA JONES landed with a thud early in the season, as did the re-jiggered, gender-bending revival of ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER and its star Harry Connick, Jr., and, even the lauded and relatively successful revival of Stephen Sondheim’s peerless masterpiece FOLLIES failed to make any money and closed. GODSPELL did not fare much better, though it is still running. The two highly-anticipated revivals of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic early successes JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and EVITA were met with indifferent reviews - with the latter receiving some nasty press for its stars, neither of whom received Tony nominations - but receptive audiences so far. THE GERSHWINS’ PORGY & BESS could take Best Revival, after all - but will NICE WORK’s Kelli O’Hara edge out four-time Tony recipient Audra McDonald? New plays did not fare much better than the measly crop of musicals, but OTHER DESERT CITIES and VENUS IN FUR seemed to hit their target demographics squarely, but CLYBOURNE PARK looks to be the frontrunner for Best Play despite all that. We shall see. Mike Nichols may take home another Best Director for his sensitive, if workmanlike revival of Arthur Miller’s DEATH OF A SALESMAN, as conceivably could Philip Seymour Hoffman and Andrew Garfield. John Lithgow is offering up some fierce competition in THE COLUMNIST, though. The acting races are tight, for sure, in both plays and musicals, with more newcomers and first-time nominees than any season this century. (more...)

3) BWW Awards Update 5/5 - NEWSIES, GHOST, ONCE, STARCATCHER Off to Early Leads!

Voting opened on May 3, 2012 and runs through June 4, 2012 for the 10th Annual BroadwayWorld.com Awards! Here are the current standings as of 5/5 (more...)

4) Photo Coverage: Lea Salonga Plays Town Hall in THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

The Town Hall presented Tony and Olivier Award-winning actress and recording artist Lea Salonga in The Journey Continues last night, May 4. BroadwayWorld brings you photos of Salonga on stage below! She received multiple ovations from the sold-out hall and will next be seen on stage in ALLEGIANCE. (more...)

5) InDepth InterView: Eric McCormack Talks Gore Vidal's THE BEST MAN, Shakespeare, New TV Series & More

Today we are talking to an Emmy Award-winning actor perhaps most well-known for his title role in the iconic and ground-breaking millennial NBC sitcom hit, WILL & GRACE, who can now be seen eight times a week on Broadway playing a pivotal role in the starry revival of Gore Vidal’s politically-themed satire, THE BEST MAN - the affable Eric McCormack. Shining a spotlight on his theatrical roots at the Straford Shakespeare Festival in Canada all the way up to his small-screen sensation in WILL & GRACE and, now, his forthcoming new dramatic series, PERCEPTION, McCormack illustrates all aspects of his career and generously offers his insights, observations and shares his lessons learned over the course of his near-thirty-year career onstage and onscreen. In addition to all of that, McCormack outlines his experiences sharing the stage with titanic talents such as James Earl Jones, Angela Lansbury, Candice Bergin and the rest of the ensemble of THE BEST MAN, as well as sharing his thoughts about the relevance and poignancy of the play today, more than a half decade after its premiere, and what it says about our society, then and now, in addition to expanding on the play’s pertinent political themes and their exploration in the classic drama. Plus, McCormack clues us in on his own favorite plays and musicals, initial theatrical inspiration, his stint portraying the eponymous THE MUSIC MAN, future career plans and first news about his new TNT series, PERCEPTION - all of that and much, much more! (more...)

6) STAGE TUBE: On This Day 5/5- DAMN YANKEES

Today in 1954, Damn Yankees opened at the 46th Street Theatre (now the Richard Rodgers Theatre), where it ran for 1019 performances. Damn Yankees is a musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story is a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., during a time when the New York Yankees dominated Major League Baseball. (more...)

7) Photo Flash: THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS Opens at The Old Globe Tonight!

The Old Globe's production of the Tony Award-nominated musical THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS opens tonight, May 5, and runs through June 10 in its West Coast premiere in San Diego, starring Broadway vet James T. Lane and Tony Award-winner Ron Holgate. Check out shots from The Old Globe's cast "meet and greet" at the show's first rehearsal and production photos below! (more...)

8) BWW Exclusive STAGE ART- THE BEST MAN!

This week- it's all about THE BEST MAN! The show opened April 1st, at Broadway's Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, starring James Earl Jones, John Larroquette, Candice Bergen, Eric McCormack, and more! (more...)

9) Anthony Rapp Leads POP! at Pittsburgh's City Theatre, Now thru 5/27

Pittsburgh's City Theatre presents POP!- a rock musical about Andy Warhol. This brand new show stars Anthony Rapp (Rent, Dazed and Confused) as Andy Warhol and is directed by Brad Rouse (Hedwig at City Theatre) and choreographed by Billy Porter (Broadway star and international recording artist). The show runs at City Theatre tonight, May 5 through May 27, 2012. (more...)

10) BWW's On This Day - May 5, 2012

Here are the Broadway, Off-Broadway and West End shows which opened on May 5 along with all of the upcoming show openings, closings and special events! (more...)

11) STAGE TUBE: RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT Releases Upright Cabaret Promo

The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Foundation and Chris Isaacson Presents, continues their season in Upright Cabaret’s American Icon Series with RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT tonight, May 5, 2012 at 8:00 pm at the new Cabaret Lounge in the Scherr Forum Theatre. We have their 1-minute promo video below! (more...)

12) LES MIS' Jason Forbach, Abilene Philharmonic Perform Broadway Favorites Tonight, 5/5

Jason Forbach, currently appearing as Enjolras in the 25th Anniversary National Tour of Les Miserables, will present a one-night-only concert "Broadway a la Carte II" alongside Kristi Tingle and the Abilene Philharmonic under the musical direction of Maestro David Itken. The concert is tonight, May 5th at the Abilene Civic Center at 8 p.m. It will feature classic songs from the best of the Broadway stage including hits from Guys & Dolls, Cabaret, Miss Saigon and more. (more...)

13) Saturday Roundup: This Week on BroadwayWorld

Looking for a quick roundup of this week's events in the theatre world? Look no further - here are some of the best articles the week had to offer! (more...)

14) Broadway Star Beth Leavel Headlines FPAC's GALA 2012: BROADWAY RETURNS Tonight, 5/5

The Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) previously announced that Tony® Award-winning Broadway star Beth Leavel would headline Gala 2012: Broadway Returns, An Evening with the Stars, taking place tonight, May 5 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. The evening will also feature Tony Mansker of Broadway’s Mary Poppins. Leavel and Mansker will entertain with an exclusive one-night-only show, bringing the magic of 42nd Street to the Boston suburbs. (more...)

15) Upright Cabaret's American Icon Series Continues with RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT Tonight, 5/5

The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Foundation and Chris Isaacson Presents continue their smash season in Upright Cabaret’s American Icon Series with RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT tonight, May 5, 2012 at 8:00pm at the new Cabaret Lounge in the Scherr Forum Theatre. (more...)