THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST featured in Daily News

Roundabout’s THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST begins previews tonight on Broadway with an official opening on January 13^th, 2011 at the American Airlines Theatre (227 W42nd St.).

The Daily News
December 17, 2010

 

The Importance of Being Earnest

Brian Bedford pulls off ‘Earnest’ performance dressed as Lady Bracknell

Joe Dziemianowicz

The dude looks like a lady.

 

Make that Lady, as in Lady Bracknell, the formidable Victorian gentlewoman in Oscar Wilde‘s witty satire “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

 

That thought occurs to you, looking at pictures of Brian Bedford wearing an ornate red frock and hat as the authoritarian aristocrat in a new Broadway production of the 1895 play. The show launches tonight at the American Airlines Theatre.

 

But the 75-year-old English actor, who also directs the Roundabout Theatre Company revival running through March 6, would prefer audiences concentrate on the words in the bon mot-dusted comedy of mistaken identities, not on cross-dressing. “La Cage aux Folles” this isn’t.

 

“The novelty aspect of a man playing Lady B. could be distracting and actually damaging to the audience’s experience of this great play,” says Bedford. “So the challenge is to make her absolutely real and as dimensional as possible, with no hint of transvestitism. I’ve tried very hard to do that.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST begins previews tonight 12/17

ROUNDABOUT THEATRE COMPANY

PREVIEWS BEGIN TONIGHT, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17!

Brian Bedford

Directs & Stars in

By Oscar Wilde

With

Paxton Whitehead

Santino Fontana, David Furr, Tim MacDonald, Paul O’Brien, Charlotte Parry, Sara Topham

And

Dana Ivey

Opening night is January 13^th, 2011

On Broadway at the American Airlines Theatre

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is proud to present a new Broadway production of Oscar Wilde’s comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by and starring Brian Bedford as “Lady Bracknell.” The cast also features Dana Ivey as “Miss Prism,” Paxton Whitehead as “Rev. Canon Chasuble,” Santino Fontana as “Algernon Moncrieff,” David Furr as “John Worthing,” Tim MacDonald as “Merriman,” Paul O’Brien as “Lane,” Charlotte Parry as “Cecily Cardew,” and Sara Topham as “Gwendolen Fairfax.”

 

The Importance of Being Earnest will begin previews on Friday, December 17^th, 2010 and open officially on Thursday, January 13^th, 2011.   This is a limited engagement through Sunday, March 6^th, 2011.

Roundabout’s ANYTHING GOES announces full company

ROUNDABOUT THEATRE COMPANY

Announces the Full Company of 30 Actors

Sutton Foster

And

Joel Grey

Star

In a new Broadway production of

ANYTHING GOES

Music & Lyrics by

Cole Porter

Original book by P.G. Wodehouse & Guy Bolton

and Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse

New book by Timothy Crouse & John Weidman

Colin Donnell, Adam Godley, Laura Osnes, Jessica Stone

Walter Charles, Robert Creighton, Andrew Cao, Raymond J. Lee

Clyde Alves, Ward Billeisen, Joyce Chittick, Nikki Renée Daniels, Margot De La Barre, Kimberly Fauré, Josh Franklin, Justin Greer, Daniel J. Edwards, Tari Kelly,

Shina Ann Morris, Linda Mugleston, Kevin Munhall, Adam Perry, William Ryall,

Jennifer Savelli, Anthony Wayne, Kristen Beth Williams

With

John McMartin and Jessica Walter

Directed & Choreographed by

Kathleen Marshall

Previews begin March 10^th, 2011; Official Opening April 7^th, 2011

on Broadway at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is pleased to announce the full company of the new Broadway production of Anything Goes, starring Tony® Award winner Sutton Foster as “Reno Sweeney” and Tony® and Academy® Award winner Joel Grey as “Moonface Martin.”

The cast will also feature Colin Donnell as “Billy Crocker”, Adam Godley as “Lord Evelyn Oakleigh,” Laura Osnes as “Hope Harcourt,” Jessica Stone as “Erma,” Walter Charles as “Captain,” Robert Creighton as “Purser,” Andrew Cao as “Luke,” Raymond J. Lee as “John,” with John McMartin as “Elisha Whitney” and Jessica Walter as “Evangeline Harcourt.” Additional cast members include Clyde Alves, Ward Billeisen, Joyce Chittick, Nikki Renée Daniels, Margot De La Barre, Kimberly Fauré, Josh Franklin, Justin Greer, Daniel J. Edwards, Tari Kelly, Shina Ann Morris, Linda Mugleston, Kevin Munhall, Adam Perry, William Ryall, Jennifer Savelli, Anthony Wayne, Kristen Beth Williams.

Directed & choreographed by Tony® Award winner Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes will begin performances March 10^th, 2011 and officially open on April 7^th, 2011 on Broadway at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre (124 West 43^rd Street).

Music & lyrics by Cole Porter; original book by P.G. Wodehouse & Guy Bolton and Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse; New book by Timothy Crouse and John Weidman.

The creative team includes Rob Fisher (Musical Director) and David Chase (Dance Arranger).  The design team includes Derek McLane (Sets), Martin Pakledinaz (Costumes), Peter Kaczorowski (Lights) and Brian Ronan (Sound).

ALL ABOARD for this saucy and splendid new production of Cole Porter’s musical romp across the Atlantic.  When the S.S. American heads out to sea, etiquette and convention head out the portholes as two unlikely pairs set off on the course to true love… proving that sometimes destiny needs a little help from a crew of singing sailors, an exotic disguise and some good old-fashioned blackmail. Peppering this hilariously bumpy ride are some of musical theater’s most memorable standards, including “You’re the Top,” “Blow, Gabriel, Blow,” “It’s De-Lovely,” “I Get A Kick Out of You,” and “Anything Goes.”

BRIEF ENCOUNTER live on WNYC “Soundcheck” tomorrow

ROUNDABOUT THEATRE COMPANY

BRIEF ENCOUNTER

will be featured on

WNYC’s “Soundcheck”

Tomorrow, Tuesday, December 7^th from 2:00PM-3:00PM

Channel 93.9FM and AM 820

“By the show’s end I felt enlivened, enlightened and seriously moved.”

– Ben Brantley, NY Times

“Emma Rice and her expert company will steal your heart!”

– Elysa Gardner, USA Today

“Brilliantly reconceived stage adaptation.”

-Thom Geier, Entertainment Weekly

On Broadway at Studio 54

The cast of Brief Encounter will be featured on WNYC’s “Soundcheck” tomorrow, Tuesday, December 7^th from 2-3PM. Tune in to hear special in studio performances and interviews with the company.

The show will be repeated at 10PM tomorrow night and archived at the link below:
http://www.wnyc.org/shows/soundcheck/2010/dec/07/brief-encounter/

Click here to read The New York Times review.

Roundabout’s Sondheim on Sondheim Cast Recording receives Grammy nomination

ROUNDABOUT THEATRE COMPANY

SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM

2010 BROADWAY CAST RECORDING

NOMINATED FOR GRAMMY AWARD

FOR BEST MUSICAL SHOW ALBUM

The 2010 Broadway Cast Recording of the original new musical SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM, has received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Musical Show Album.  The two-disc set was produced by PS Classics co-founder, Tommy Krasker, who has twelve Sondheim cast albums to his credit.

The 53^rd Annual Grammy Awards will be announced on CBS on February 13, 2011.

SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM featured the legendary vocal talents of Barbara Cook, Vanessa Williams & Tom Wopat and also featured Broadway favorites Leslie Kritzer, Norm Lewis, Euan Morton, Erin Mackey & Matthew Scott.  Music & lyrics are by Stephen Sondheim and the production was conceived & directed by James Lapine.

Roundabout Theatre Company’s SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM played on Broadway from March 19^th, 2010 and opened officially on April 22^nd, 2010 at Studio 54.  The limited engagement was extended due to popular demand and closed on June 27^th, 2010.

The other nominees in the Grammy category for Best Musical Show Album are American Idiot, Fela!, A Little Night Music and Promises, Promises.

MRS. WARREN’S PROFESSION concludes limited enagagement Sunday 11/28

ROUNDABOUT THEATRE COMPANY

MRS. WARREN’S PROFESSION

Concludes limited engagement this Sunday, November 28^th at 2:00PM

“Cherry Jones does not nearly glow, she glitters. She is as illuminating as ever, confirming her reputation as an actress of not only formidable charisma but also meticulous craft.”

– Ben Brantley, The New York Times

“Fireworks! Cherry Jones and Sally Hawkins are first-rate!  Director Doug Hughes has turned a 100-year-old play relevant, urgent & subversive!” -Mark Kennedy, Associated Press

on Broadway at the American Airlines Theatre

Roundabout Theatre Company’s Broadway production of Mrs. Warren’s Profession, starring Cherry Jones as “Kitty Warren” & Sally Hawkins as “Vivie Warren” will end its limited engagement on Sunday, November 28^th at 2:00PM.

Mrs. Warren’s Profession will have played 35 previews and 65 regular performances at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway (227 West 42^nd Street).

The cast also features Adam Driver as “Frank Gardner”, Mark Harelik as “Sir George Crofts”, Edward Hibbert as “Mr. Praed” & Michael Siberry as “Reverend Samuel Gardner”.

The design team includes Scott Pask (Sets), Catherine Zuber (Costumes), Kenneth Posner (Lights) & David Van Tieghem (Sound).

George Bernard Shaw’s scorching tour de force Mrs. Warren’s Profession tells the story of Kitty Warren (Jones), a mother who makes a terrible sacrifice for her daughter Vivie’s (Hawkins) independence.  The clash of these two strong-willed but culturally constrained women is the spark that ignites the ironic wit of one of Shaw’s greatest plays.

TICKET INFORMATION:

Tickets are available by calling Roundabout Ticket Services at (212)719-1300, online at www.roundabouttheatre.org or at the American Airlines Box Office (227 West 42^nd Street).

Ticket prices range from $67.00-117.00.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Mrs. Warren’s Profession plays Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00PM with a Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinee at 2:00PM.

BRIEF ENCOUNTER special on Sirius XM beginning this weekend

ROUNDABOUT THEATRE COMPANY

will be featured on

Sirius XM’s On Broadway Channel

Beginning this Saturday, November 20^th

Channel 28

Tune in for special in studio performances

and interviews with the full company

“By the show’s end I felt enlivened, enlightened and seriously moved.”

– Ben Brantley, NY Times

“Emma Rice and her expert company will steal your heart!”

– Elysa Gardner, USA Today

“Brilliantly reconceived stage adaptation.”

-Thom Geier, Entertainment Weekly

On Broadway at Studio 54

The cast of Brief Encounter will be featured on Sirius XM’s On Broadway channel beginning this weekend. Tune in to hear special in studio performances and interviews with the entire company. Brief Encounter will be featured on “Broadway Names with Julie James” on Saturday November 20^th at 8PM, Sunday November 21^st at 12PM, Wednesday November 24^th 7AM, Thursday November 25^th at 9PM.

Click here to read The New York Times review.

For anyone who does not subscribe, please go to Sirius.com or XMRadio.com for a free 30-day online listening pass.