Michael Palitz News

Producers of the Tony-nominated Broadway revival of Gore Vidal's THE BEST MAN have announced that the critically-acclaimed production, which was originally scheduled to play through July 8, 2012, has been extended a second time, now through Sunday, September 9, 2012. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at Telecharge.com or by calling (212) 239-6200.

The new musical comedy The Last Smoker in America will get its New York premiere this summer, it was announced today. The Last Smoker in America, with book and lyrics by Tony Award® Nominee Bill Russell (Side Show) and music by Drama Desk Nominee Peter Melnick (Adrift in Macao), will be directed by Tony Award-winning producer and director Andy Sandberg (Hair; Gore Vidal's The Best Man) and choreographed by Tony Award® nominee AC Ciulla (Footloose). Performances begin Wednesday, July 11, 2012 upstairs at the Westside Theatre (407 West 43rd Street), with an official Opening Night set for Thursday, August 2, 2012. Casting will be announced shortly.

Producers of the Tony-nominated Broadway revival of Gore Vidal's THE BEST MAN have announced that the production has officially been extended through Sunday, July 22, 2012. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at Telecharge.com or by calling (212) 239-6200.

Producers of LEAP OF FAITH announced today that the show will close at Broadway's St. James Theatre this Sunday May 13 after the matinee performance. In a statement, they said "Although we love our show and very much appreciate both our many award nominations and the joy of our audiences, we have not been able to achieve a sustainable level of ticket sales to continue. We thank all those who worked so hard over so many years to bring LEAP OF FAITH to Broadway."

Nominations in 26 competitive categories for THE 66th ANNUAL TONY AWARDS® were announced today by Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Jim Parsons and Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress Kristin Chenoweth at the Tony Award Nominations Announcement.

Watch the CBS Early Show tomorrow, Saturday April 28, in the 8 AM half-hour for a feature on LEAP OF FAITH hosted by correspondent Elaine Quihano. LEAP OF FAITH opened last night at The St. James Theatre, 246 West 44th Street, with four-time Tony nominee Raúl Esparza leading the company.

Performances for LEAP OF FAITH began on Tuesday, April 3, at The St. James Theatre. Four-time Tony nominee Raúl Esparza leads the company along with Jessica Phillips, Kendra Kassebaum, Kecia Lewis-Evans, Leslie Odom, Jr., Krystal Joy Brown and Talon Ackerman. Opening night is Thursday, April 26. Production photos have just been released and BroadwayWorld brings you a look at the onstage action below!

Performances for LEAP OF FAITH began on Tuesday, April 3, at The St. James Theatre. Four-time Tony nominee Raúl Esparza leads the company along with Jessica Phillips, Kendra Kassebaum, Kecia Lewis-Evans, Leslie Odom, Jr., Krystal Joy Brown and Talon Ackerman. Opening night is Thursday, April 26. Check out this exclusive video below, in which the first audience members react to the show's first preview performance!

Broadway's LEAP OF FAITH begins performances tonight and announces their student ticket policy. They will be $27.00 each, available in person at the St. James Box Office beginning at 10:00 AM daily. The offer is limited to two tickets per valid student I.D., subject to availability and payable by cash only.

LEAP OF FAITH, the new musical based on the motion picture "Leap of Faith," produced by Paramount Pictures Corporation and written by Janus Cercone, begins previews today at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street).

Broadway's LEAP OF FAITH stars four-time Tony nominee Raul Esparza as Jonas Nightingale, Jessica Phillips as Marla Humes, Kendra Kassebaum as Sam Nightingale, Kecia Lewis-Evans as Ida Mae Robinson, Leslie Odom, Jr. as Isaiah Robinson, Krystal Joy Brown as Ornella and Talon Ackerman as Jake Humes. Previews begin Tuesday, April 3 and the production will open on Thursday, April 26, 2012 at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street). The company just met the press, and BroadwayWorld was there for the festivities. Check out a photo preview below and check back later for full coverage!

Broadway's LEAP OF FAITH stars four-time Tony nominee Raul Esparza as Jonas Nightingale, Jessica Phillips as Marla Humes, Kendra Kassebaum as Sam Nightingale, Kecia Lewis-Evans as Ida Mae Robinson, Leslie Odom, Jr. as Isaiah Robinson, Krystal Joy Brown as Ornella and Talon Ackerman as Jake Humes. Previews begin Tuesday, April 3 and the production will open on Thursday, April 26, 2012 at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street). Meet the stars of the show, Raul Esparza and Jessica Phillips, in the photos below!

Rehearsals begin today, February 14, for Broadway's LEAP OF FAITH, beginning previews on Tuesday, April 3, 2012 at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street). LEAP OF FAITH stars four-time Tony nominee Raul Esparza as Jonas Nightingale, Jessica Phillips as Marla Humes, Kendra Kassebaum as Sam Nightingale, Kecia Lewis-Evans as Ida Mae Robinson, Leslie Odom, Jr. as Isaiah Robinson, Krystal Joy Brown as Ornella and Talon Ackerman as Jake Humes. The production will open on April 26 at 6pm.

THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS will receive Actors' Equity Association's Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs (ACCA) Fifth Annual ACCA Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus. The honor is the only industry accolade of its kind and honors the distinctive talents and contributions made by the original chorus members of a Broadway musical. The award will be presented in the Actors' Equity Association Council Room, overlooking Times Square, on Friday, November 18, 2011.

The American Theatre Wing's 64th Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were held at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 13, 2011 and broadcast on the CBS Television Network. For more information visit tonyawards.com.

Nominations in 26 competitive categories for the American Theatre Wing's 65th Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were announced May 3, 2011 by Tony Award winning actor Matthew Broderick and Tony Award winning actress Anika Noni Rose, at the Tony Award Nominations Announcement sponsored by IBM.

In honor of the show's (unfortunate) premature closing today, we present video highlights of the show along with interviews with the cast and creative from the show's opening night!

THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS will play its final performance on Broadway this Sunday, December 12.

The Wall Street Journal reports today that THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS may return to Broadway in the Spring for a repeat run just before the Tony Awards. According to the report, once THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS shutters in on Sunday, the producers are 'planning to put together a national tour for the musical and [hope] to bring it back to Broadway for a limited run before the Tony Awards in the spring.'