END OF THE RAINBOW to Close on Broadway

The highly acclaimed Broadway production of End of the Rainbow, written by Peter Quilter and directed by Tony® Award winner Terry Johnson, will play its final performance on Sunday, August 19, it was announced today. The production, which began performances on Monday, March 19, 2012 and opened to rave reviews on Monday, April 2, will have played a total of 176 performances at Broadway’s Belasco Theatre.

Tracie Bennett’s Broadway debut and star turn garnered her the 2012 Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Theater World Awards, as well as a 2012 Tony® Award nomination. She leads a cast that features 2012 Tony® Award-nominee Michael Cumpsty, Tom Pelphrey and Jay Russell.

Following the Broadway production, Los Angeles audiences will get to experience Bennett’s remarkable portrayal when End of the Rainbow plays the Los Angeles Music Center from March 12 through April 21, 2013, as part of CTG/Ahmanson Theatre’s 2012/2013 Season. A National Tour is being planned on the heels of that West Coast premiere. Details on the National Tour will be announced shortly, along with additional information about the film adaptation, also starring Bennett, that is currently in development.

It’s December 1968 and Judy Garland is poised to make a triumphant comeback...again. The drama unfolds in a London hotel room as she prepares for a series of concerts at the famed "Talk of the Town" nightclub. Alongside her young fiancé and trusted pianist, Garland—with her signature cocktail of talent, tenacity and razor-sharp wit—takes on her most challenging role ever: herself.

The creative team of End of the Rainbow includes William Dudley (Scenic & Costume Design), Christopher Akerlind (Lighting Design), 2012 Tony® Award-nominee Gareth Owen (Sound Design), Chris Egan (Orchestrations), Gareth Valentine (Musical Arrangements), and Jeffrey Saver (Music Direction).

Tickets, ranging from $32 to $127, are available via telecharge.com, by calling (212) 239-6200, or in person at the Belasco Theatre Box Office (111 West 44th Street). A limited number of general rush tickets will be sold for each performance, on the day of the show only, when the box office opens (Monday-Saturday at 10:00 a.m.; Sunday at 12:00 p.m.). Rush tickets are priced at $37 (Saturday and Sunday performances) and $32 (all other performances) and can be purchased by cash or charge at the box office. On 2-show days, rush tickets for both shows will be sold at the time of the box office opening. Seat locations for rush tickets will be at the theatre's discretion. Each patron in line may purchase a maximum of two (2) rush tickets.
End of the Rainbow plays the following performance schedule: Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., Thursday at 7:00 p.m., Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 3:00 p.m.

End of the Rainbow is produced on Broadway by Lee Dean, Laurence Myers, Joey Parnes, Ellis Goodman, Chase Mishkin, Shadowcatcher Entertainment/Alhadeff Productions, National Angels U.S. Inc., Charles Diamond/Jenny Topper, Myla Lerner/Barbara & Buddy Freitag, Spring Sirkin/Candy Gold, Hilary Williams, and S.D. Wagner, John Johnson, in association with Guthrie Theater.

Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth

Brooklyn-born champion heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson tells the Undisputed Truth in his one-man show, which officially opens on Broadway Aug. 2 at the Longacre Theatre.

Academy Award nominee Spike Lee ("Do the Right Thing," "Malcolm X") makes his Broadway directorial debut with Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth, which began previews July 31 and continues in a limited engagement through Aug. 12.

The autobiographical work, presented by producer James L. Nederlander, is written by the boxer's wife, Kiki Tyson, and Randy Johnson. Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth premiered at the MGM Grand's Hollywood Theater in Las Vegas under Johnson's direction last March.

"I will just be telling [my] story," Tyson told Playbill.com at a press event announcing the Broadway engagement. "People have said the story mesmerizes." When asked if any aspect of his life was off limits, the former boxing champ said, "If anything comes across kind of fake, [you'll] see it right away. To avoid that, [I'm] putting everything on the table. But it's not all good stuff! It's going to be a rollercoaster of emotions."

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Director Lee added, "Human beings want to hear stories. Whether it's a play, a documentary…a song, a musical, a novel or a movie, we love great stories, and we love great storytellers. And, with Mike Tyson on the stage, you are going to hear a great American story… Mike's a great storyteller."

Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth is executive-produced by Mike Tyson, Kiki Tyson and Adam Steck.

The evening promises "a rare, personal look inside the life and mind of one of the most feared men ever to wear the heavyweight crown... This riveting one-man show goes beyond the headlines, behind the scenes and between the lines to deliver a must-see theatrical knockout."

The creative team includes scenic designer Timothy R. Mackabee, lighting designer Natasha Katz, sound designer Raymond Schilke, projection designer Erik Pearson, assistant set designer Benson Knight, assistant sound designer Kristyn R. Smith, assistant projection designer Jackson Gallagher, production stage manager Gwendolyn M. Gilliam, technical supervisor Fred Gallo and dramaturg and voice coach de'Adre Aziza.

Ghost Musical

Banker Sam Wheat and artist Molly Jensen are young New Yorkers who are very much in love. While walking home to their apartment one night the couple gets mugged, and Sam is shot and killed. Trapped in this world as a ghost, Sam learns the truth behind his murder, and that Molly is in grave danger. As he follows the man who killed him to try and find out more, he stumbles on eccentric storefront psychic Oda Mae Brown. Though she’s been a fraud of a medium for years, it turns out she really can hear Sam. She’s reluctant to get involved, but Sam convinces her to help him communicate with Molly and bring down the conspirators who took his life.

Harry Potter Parody Potted Potter Extends Off-Broadway Run

Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience, a parody of the popular Harry Potter book series, has extended its run at off-Broadway’s Little Shubert Theatre by three weeks. The comedy, written and performed by Olivier Award-nominated actors Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner, will now run through September 2. The Richard Hurst-directed parody opened on June 3 and was originally scheduled to end its engagement August 12.

In Potted Potter, Clarkson and Turner perform a retelling of all seven Harry Potter books in only 70 minutes, switching in and out of costumes, playing multiple characters, performing songs and even playing a game of Quidditch, complete with help from the audience.

Potted Potter features set design by Simon Scullion, lighting design by Tim Mascall, musical composition by Phil Innes, associate direction by Hanna Berrigan and stage management by Gilda Frost.

Glorious and goofy, Clarkson and Turner are the heart and soul of this production. Using wigs, glasses and other colorful costumes, Clarkson morphs into a number of Harry Potter’s colorful characters from Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley to Lord Voldemort and Professor Albus Dumbledore, while Turner acts as narrator and Harry Potter doppelganger. Even if you don’t know the difference between a “Horcrux” and a “Hufflepuff,” Potted Potter is designed to make anyone from the casual to the most avid Harry Potter fan roar with laughter. And while Potter Potter’s limited time frame means it is not a strict retelling of the Harry Potter story from start to finish, the show will nonetheless entertain audiences with snappy jokes, songs, silly string and a real live game of Quidditch (think volleyball) which engages the audience to join in on the fun.
Perfect for “ages six to Dumbledore (who is very old indeed),” Potted Potter isn’t just good for kids—it’s made specifically for them, with a light-hearted, G-rated spirit. Adults should be aware that during the live game of Quidditch played in the middle of each show, Clarkson and Turner choose two children to join them onstage and act as “seekers,” representing the audience, which has been broken into team “Gryffindor” and team “Slytherin.” Parents of kiddies eager to volunteer should note that while the winning seeker is offered chocolate, the loser is sprayed with a Super Soaker.

Wicked Witches Jackie Burns and Chandra Lee Schwartz Are Taking Your Questions!

Wicked witches Glinda and Elphaba are one of Broadway’s most beloved pairs of besties, so Jackie Burns and Chandra Lee Schwartz are hitting the Broadway.com studio together for a special Wicked edition of Ask a Star! Do you want a behind-the-scenes scoop on life in Oz? Learn what it's like to get green, come and go by bubble and meet legions of Wicked-heads! Whatever it is you're curious about, go ahead and ask these stars!

Ask Now!

Wicked the Brodway Muscial

A vivid reimagining of the classic The Wizard of Oz, Wicked spotlights the untold stories of Oz’s most famous (or infamous) characters, namely the Wicked Witch of the West and her unlikely friend, Glinda the Good. The show follows green-skinned star Elphaba from birth to college and through the life-changing events which eventually label her “wicked,” introducing spoiled rich girl Glinda, local prince and heartthrob Fiyero and even the Wizard of Oz himself, a troubled man very unlike the one you may remember. As Elphaba, a passionate political activist if there ever was one, fights injustice and seeks to undo the mistakes of the past, dark secrets and personal tragedies shape the history of Oz, paying homage to the classic Wizard of Oz story while simultaneously changing fans’ understanding of it forever. A cautionary tale about love, friendship and trust, Wicked effortlessly reveals that there are indeed two sides to every story.

Should I See It?

 

What is Wicked Like?
 Visually stunning, Wicked boasts a soaring score from Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin), Tony Award winning sets and costumes and some of the most gravity-defying moments the Great White Way.


Is Wicked Good for Kids?
Like the The Wizard of Oz, Wicked is the definition of family-friendly. And like the classic 1939 movie, younger children may find it too long or be frightened by the show's flying monkeys, allusions to offstage violence and death of a character. Most children over eight, however, will be delighted by the world of Wicked.

Revamped Theatre Royal Stratford East website to live-stream rehearsals

Theatre Royal Stratford East is to stream activity from its rehearsal room live on its new website so that audiences can see what is happening inside the venue.
The decision to live-stream video from different parts of the building is part of a wider move by the east London theatre to make its redesigned website more “democratic”. Theatre Royal artistic director Kerry Michael said the new video stream would act “like a shop window”.
Rather than listing upcoming productions, Theatre Royal’s new homepage asks visitors to choose from one of four statements - I would like to see what’s on, I would like to join the conversation, I would like to explore your channel or I would like to get involved. The different options then give viewers opportunities to see videos made by the theatre and to upload their own video content and post their views on theatre and other issues, as well as buying tickets.
Michael said staff at the venue were viewing the website as the organisation’s “third space” alongside the main stage and the bar.
He explained: “Yes, it’s about selling tickets, but it is also about finding a virtual way you can engage with our organisation. People talk about how exciting it is to hang out in our bar, or how good our access programmes are, or how political we are in our debates and that is now represented in a virtual way.”
Michael said the ideas for the new website grew out of the theatre’s work on the Open Stages project, in which the team handed programming power over to audiences. Creating a web channel also follows the organisation’s other online work, such as selling tickets directly through Facebook and establishing a ‘tweet zone’ in its auditorium so audience members in certain seats can post responses to a show as it is happening. He said he had “upset a lot of people” by creating the tweet zones, but believed that embracing change was part of the venue’s ethos.
He said: “Something that this theatre has always done is change and evolve and be at the heart of change and it’s more pertinent now with what’s happening around us with the Olympics. Joan Littlewood and Philip Hedley have set this theatre on this rhythm which is constantly about trying to move forward, and that is what I have inherited and what we are trying to do. This is one bit of that.”
Most of the website has now gone live, with some features - including the live-streaming - to follow. Michael said he hoped the new site “will have a life of its own” and that people use it as a resource. “It’s not always about leading back to Theatre Royal Stratford East,” he added.