Stephen Sondheim News

Cameron Mackintosh, widely considered to be the most successful theatrical producer of all-time, becomes the first British producer ever to be inducted into The Theater Hall of Fame at a ceremony this evening Monday, January 27 at the Gershwin Theatre in New York. Mackintosh is joined by this year's fellow inductees actors Cherry Jones and Ellen Burstyn; directors Jerry Zaks,George C. Wolfe and Lynne Meadow; designer David Hays; and, posthumously, playwright Lorraine Hansberry. Shubert Organization Co-CEO and President, Robert Wankel, will accept the honor on Mackintosh's behalf, who is unable to attend due to a long-planned trip to Myanmar.

Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N Southport Ave., presents The Hypocrites' production INTO THE WOODS, directed by Geoff Button* with Musical Direction by Matt Deitchman, previewing February 6, opening Tuesday, February 11 at 7:30 p.m. and running through Sunday, March 30.

"Everybody's got the right to some sunshine." Nine characters looking for either love, equality or a common voice, deliver that message on the Farmington Players stage in the Stephen Sondheim musical, Assassins. They are determined to change the world by targeting the United States President in pursuit of their own twisted versions of "The American Dream."

At last night's 56th Annual Grammy Awards, Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles appeared in a special performance with four-time GRAMMY winner and 2014 MusiCares Person of the Year Carole King.

Sierra Stages presents the landmark musical comedy COMPANY from February 27 through March 22 at the historic Nevada Theatre in Nevada City. Set in a swinging New York City of the early 1970's, COMPANY is a two hour ride with five married couples, three single women--and Bobby, the only eligible bachelor in the group--as the show examines and celebrates married life and its alternatives through a series of comic vignettes and powerhouse musical numbers.

Celebrity Series of Boston celebrates its 75th Anniversary Season and brings in Tony Award-winning baritone Brian Stokes Mitchell for his third appearance. With the virtuosic accompaniment of Tedd Firth on piano, Stokes plays a cast of characters from a range of Broadway musicals, from CAMELOT to CAROUSEL, and SOUTH PACIFIC to MAN OF LA MANCHA.

New Repertory Theatre has announced 2014-2015: the 30th Anniversary Season, PARADOX: HEROES & ANTIHEROES, VIRTUES & VICES.

As they continue their 47th Season, the Gallery Players' first production of the New Year will be Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's elegantly sophisticated romantic comedy A Little Night Music. Based on the Ingmar Bergman film 'Smiles on a Summer Night,' the five-time Tony winning musical features an elaborate score of waltzes, including the Grammy-winning 'Send in the Clowns.' Night Music features the most iconic traits of Sondheim's repertoire, boasting a complex score riddled with hilarious wit. A delicate dream of a musical, the sentimental comedy follows a trio of mismatched lovers as they twist, turn, and tumble toward their true love. While the material is sure to impress, make no mistake that the lavish costumes and luxurious set will invite Gallery's audiences for a taste of 'The Glamorous Life.'

A Tony Award-winner straight from Broadway, a 20th century classic and a beloved tale from Shakespeare paired with a tour de force musical by Stephen Sondheim will highlight the 2014-2015 Mainstage Season from PlayMakers Repertory Company.

Main Street Theater has added 2 performances of its current production of Into the Woods, James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim's exploration of everyone's favorite fairytale characters. The new performances are on Wednesdays, February 5 and 12 at 7:30pm. Other remaining performances are on Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 3pm through February 16 at Main Street Theater - Rice Village, 2540 Times Blvd. Performances are. Tickets are $39 - $20, depending on date and section, and are on sale in person at the Main Street Theater Box Office, 2540 Times Blvd., via phone at 713.524.6706, or online at MainStreetTheater.com.

THEATER 2020, Brooklyn Heights' NY Innovative Theater award nominated professional theater company is pleased to announce its Winter 2014 run of the 40th Anniversary of the Hal Prince production of Leonard Bernstein's "CANDIDE" running 12 performances, Friday, February 14th through Sunday, March 9th, 2014.

After a 10-month hiatus, Gerard Alessandrini's FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, one of NYC's best-loved and highly anticipated productions, happily returns to New York, beginning February 22nd at the newly refurbished Davenport Theatre (354 W. 45th Street, Between 8th and 9th Avenues) with FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: Alive and STILL Kicking, featuring brand new takes on the shows that opened in Forbidden Broadway's absence: Pippin, Kinky Boots, Matilda and Motown along with highlights from last season's acclaimed and very popular edition: Once, Evita, Newsies, Book of Mormon, among others.

BroadwayWorld.com's SHOW BIZ: Rush, Lottery & Standing Room Only Ticketing Policies - updated on 1/24/2014.

Creative Ministries Performing Arts Centre's (CMPAC) latest musical, Gypsy, is certainly one for the books. The Ronald R. Green III directed production boasts a great cast and a well told story. This classic piece runs through February 9th at the Oakdale, Long Island, venue.

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) announced today another bold season of firsts for 2014–15. As Artistic and Music Director Patrick Summers and Managing Director Perryn Leech revealed, coming attractions include the world premiere of A Christmas Carolby Iain Bell—the company's 55th new commission —from award-winning Dickens authority Simon Callow; the continuation of HGO's firstRing cycle, with the North American premiere of La Fura dels Baus's groundbreaking take on Die Walküre; the American premieres of Sir Nicholas Hytner's Magic Flute and Lee Blakeley's Sweeney Todd; and a host of career-shaping artistic role debuts that speak to Patrick Summers's gift for casting. Together with the company's first presentation of John Cox's Otello, and the returns of Göran Järvefelt's belovedCosì fan tutte and Michael Grandage's hit staging of Madame Butterfly, these rich offerings serve once again to illustrate some of the ways that HGO—still the only opera company with two Grammys, two Emmys, and a Tony—epitomizes “one model of what a forward-looking opera company could be” (Greg Sandow, Arts Journal).

Tickets for the 2014 Spring Season at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts go on sale today, Jan. 24. The all-star lineup boasts award-winning musicians, speakers, famed dance troupes and returning favorites.

Musical Theatre students at Marymount Manhattan College are thrilled to be performing two shows this January: a revival of Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens, and VOW, featuring writers from The Directory of Contemporary Musical Theatre Writers.

It was announced today that Carole King will be honored as the 2014 MusiCares() Person of the Year tonight, Jan. 24, 2014.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, will present BRECHT FEST, a special series exploring the songs, poetry and stories of Bertolt Brecht, to be presented on Monday, February 3 and Monday, February 10 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). CSC is currently presenting Brecht's A MAN'S A MAN, directed by Brian Kulick and with a new score and new songs by Tony Award-winning composer Duncan Sheik, continuing the company's exploration of the works of Brecht, which began in 2011 with the sold-out production of Galileo and was followed by last season's The Caucasian Chalk Circle.

In this week's edition, we caught up with Anika Larsen, who is starring as 'Cynthia Weil' in Beautiful- currently playing at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.