Boris Aronson News

Michael Reidel reports in the New York Post this morning that Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson star Benjamin Walker will be back in the New York theater loop when he leads a reading of Bus Stop next month as cowboy Bo Decker. Amanda Seyfried will co-star alongside Walker as Cherie. Shuler Hensley will also participate. Hollywood's Paula Wagner, who owns the rights to the project will produce. Scott Ellis directs. A revival of Bus Stop is reportedly bound for Broadway.

Having designed the stage sets for the Broadway productions of THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, LOVEMUSIK, JAY JOHNSON: TWO AND ONLY, SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM, ROCK OF AGES, and his Tony-nominated work on THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS this season, through his revolutionary and spare designs Beowulf Boritt has positioned himself as one of the most creative and sought-after stage innovators of the twenty-first century. Discussing all aspects of the Off Broadway and Broadway productions of THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS and tracing the progress of the design of the show from inspiration to model to actual set, we also discuss some of his past accomplishments - working with the great directors Hal Prince, James Lapine, SCOTTSBORO's Susan Stroman, and Lynne Taylor-Corbett; the latter his collaborator on THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS with the New York City Ballet last month - and some enticing new productions he is developing and has coming up in the near future - PARADISE FOUND, REEL-TO- REAL, THE TOXIC AVENGER in Houston, THE TEMPEST in Dallas, the ROCK OF AGES tour and West End mounting, THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS in San Diego, and more!

The new Brazilian production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (the first one was in the sixties) is a joy which makes Brazilian theatre profissionals proud of it. After COMPANY, AVENUE Q, SPRING AWAKENING, THE SOUND OF MUSIC,GYPSY and HAIR (all suberbs) Möeller and Botelho with this wonderful FIDDLER reached a point of no return: they have put Brazilian production and artistics values of Broadway musicals in a state of perfection that only the original and legendary ones can be compared.

On this very day in 1943, Michael DiFiglia was born in Buffalo, New York, and the world of Broadway would simply never be the same. Cutting his teeth with the accomplished choreography for A JOYFUL NOISE, PROMISES, PROMISES, SEESAW and COCO was merely the beginning of a career that would virtually rewrite and revolutionize the ways and means by which a director could yield ultimate control over a project. With COMPANY and FOLLIES, the later co-directing with Hal Prince, Bennett solidified himself as one of the most talented and brilliant choreographers of his generation and, shortly thereafter, proved with A CHORUS LINE that he was a master theatrical engineer with few, if any, peers. Worldwide success, Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize were just the gravy. Who else but Michael Bennett would then, or ever, receive - or should I say, earn - the credit "Entire Production Conceived, Produced and Directed by," besides him? While BALLROOM failed to live up to A CHORUS LINE in mostly every way, he soon after reinvented the wheel yet again with DREAMGIRLS in 1981. We never got to see his productions of CHESS and SCANDAL, both of which he was in the latter stages of developing at the time of his death in 1988. Broadway has never been the same since he's been gone. So, today, on the day following a glittering new production of COMPANY at Lincoln Center - with the complete dance sequence "Tick Tock" fully restored, now with five dancers - we take a tip of the top hat to the tops in taps, temerity and truthfulness onstage - the one and only Michael Bennett.

William Inge's 1955 classic comedy bogs down in an era of supersonic planes, hi-speed trains, and hybrid automobiles

This week, in honor of legendary composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim, we are taking a look at one of his most thoughtful and thought-provoking musicals, the Sondheim/John Weidman collaboration directed by Hal Prince, 1976's PACIFIC OVERTURES...

Today we are taking a look at the extended streak of genius exhibited by Stephen Sondheim, along with director/producer Hal Prince, following the resounding success of COMPANY in 1970. Throughout the rest of the 70s they would continue to change the form of theatre itself with four momentous musicals tackling every topic from aging showgirls singing one last tune to Ingmar Bergman sunsets and a topic for a concept musical no less epic than the westernization of Japan in the wake of Commodore Perry - plus, who could forget the remorseful Barber and his knife (or should that be “wife“?). Without question, these are four richly-encrusted crowning achievements of a legendary career and these musical jewels are still sparkling and shining, as glistening and beautiful as ever dazzling us and enticing us to inspect them closer...

BroadwayWorld is proud to present a look at the extensive work of Stephen Sondheim on Broadway! Check out these Sondheim on Broadway facts!

BroadwayWorld is proud to present a look at the extensive work of Stephen Sondheim on Broadway! Check out Sondheim's Broadway credits, 1956-1981!

Guthrie Director Joe Dowling today announced directors for the three productions slated to headline the theater's 2009 Tony Kushner celebration, in addition to three speaking events designed to expand and enhance the issues raised in the work of this Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright.

Guthrie Director Joe Dowling today announced directors for the three productions slated to headline the theater's 2009 Tony Kushner celebration, in addition to three speaking events designed to expand and enhance the issues raised in the work of this Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright.

The American Theatre Wing and XM Satellite Radio proudly present an interview with designer turned director Tony Walton on their weekly theatrical interview show, 'Downstage Center,' on XM's On Broadway (XM Channel 28). To air January 4 at 6PM and January 5 at noon, January 6 at 7PM and January 9 at midnite

Two free public programs on Jerome Robbins will be given in the Bruno Walter Auditorium of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, 40 Lincoln Center Plaza.

Tony Award-winner John Doyle's acclaimed Cincinnati Playhouse production of Company--which will transfer to Broadway this fall--has been nominated for nine Cincinatti Entertainment Award

Variety reports that John Doyle's staging of Company, recently a hit at the Cincinnati Playhouse, will play the Barrymore Theatre when it opens this November.

A semi-staged concert production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Company that was to have been among the offerings of the New York Philharmonic during its 2006-2007 season has been cancelled

Marc Kudisch and Judy Kaye have signed on to headline the Reprise! Broadway's Best staged concert production of the Kander and Ebb musical Zorba from May 2nd through 14th at the UCLA Freud Playhouse

According to The New York Post's Michael Riedel, producers are bidding for the rights to produce John Doyle's critically acclaimed Cincinatti production of Company, starring Raul Esparza, in New York during the 2006-2007 season

The New York Philharmonic will present a semi-staged concert production of Sondheim and Furth's Company from March 7th through 10th; Lonny Price will direct and Paul Gemignani ill conduct

Full casting has been announced for John Doyle's upcoming Cincinnati production of Company, in which Barbara Walsh will play Joanne to Raul Esparza's Bobby