Broadway Musical Score

Dolly Parton's stage version of "9 to 5," the 1980 film in which she starred with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, has found a home, according to The Associated Press. The show, which has a score by Parton and a book by Patricia Resnick, will have its world premiere in September at the Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. It opens Sept. 21, 2008, according to CTG's artistic director Michael Ritchie. Preview performances begin Sept. 3 for a run through Oct. 19, 2008. The musical will star Allison Janney in the Tomlin role, Stephanie J. Block in Fonda's part and Megan Hilty in Parton's role as a sexy executive secretary. The plot concerns three office workers who plot against their sexist boss, who will be played by Marc Kudisch. The musical will be directed by Joe Mantello, the director of "Wicked" and the current Broadway revival of Terrence McNally's "The Ritz." "I will say this about Dolly Parton, she is unbelievable in her (theater) skills," Ritchie said Thursday in a telephone interview.

Hippodrome to get a colorful splash of 'Hairspray'

The hit Broadway musical Hairspray will roll into the Waco Hippodrome Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday for two performances filled with bright lights, bold colors and big hair.

Hairspray is the tale of Tracy Turnblad, an underdog dancer in the '60s whose big aspirations help her achieve acceptance and tolerance of those who are different.

Hairspray was originally a film by John Waters in 1988, and later debuted on Broadway where it has won eight Tony Awards (among others) including "Best Musical," "Best Original Score" and "Best Costume Design."

Most recently, Hairspray was recreated on film this summer and starred John Travolta, Zac Efron and Queen Latifah.

Georgetown native Jarret Mallon plays Corny Collins in the national tour and said, "I've done nearly 400 performances (of Hairspray) and I still don't get tired of it."

Mallon credits strong material and the important message of the musical as the reason why he still enjoys it.

Will Grey Gardens Grow in London? Creative Team Has Hope

A London production and a national tour were mentioned as possibilities for Grey Gardens when the musical was still running in Broadway in spring 2007, but those prospects now look to be vague.

That doesn't mean there isn't hope � or that there isn't a wide future life for the quirky musical inspired by the film documentary of the same name.

The lead Broadway producers of the show about the eccentric aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis no longer own the rights to the Tony Award-nominated script (by Doug Wright) and score (by composer Scott Frankel and lyricist Michael Korie), so the writers are looking ahead to future productions.

There are no plans for a national tour based on the 2006-07 Broadway production, Frankel told Playbill.com, but Dramatists Play Service, Inc.

'Urinetown: The Musical' dazzles at HSU

Brilliant. That's the comprehensive adjective that could best describe "Urinetown: The Musical," the current collaborative production of HSU's Department of Theatre, Film and Dance -- an innovative and darkly entertaining show that completes its all-too-limited run at the Van Duzer Theatre Saturday.

Although the definitely attention-getting (and let's face it, disturbing) title may be initially off-putting to some potential audience members, get over it. If you don't, you miss out on a remarkable experience -- right here on a local stage -- that is near both Ashland and Broadway quality in what has been achieved.

The 2004 "Urinetown" production in New York won prestigious Tony Awards for Best Original Score, Best Book (script), and Best Director, so the material has already been honored as outstanding by its peers.

Marvin Hamlisch leads night of timeless songs

Award-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch will return to the Paramount Theater for a concert 8 tonight with vocalist Stephen Lehew.

Hamlisch has won three Academy Awards, four Grammy Awards, a Tony Award and three Golden Globe Awards. He received the Pulitzer Prize for "A Chorus Line.''

He will be at the piano leading a musical journey from Broadway to the cinema. There will be works of his own, as well as songs by Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers and other composers.

With more than 40 film scores to Hamlisch's credit, there's plenty of familiar music to cover.

Hamlisch has written original compositions and musical adaptations for many films, including "Sophie's Choice,'' "Ordinary People,'' "The Swimmer,'' "Three men and a Baby,'' "Ice Castles,'' "Take the Money and Run,'' "Bananas'' and "Save the Tiger.''

He also is principal pops conductor for the National Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony orchestra, Seattle Symphony and San Diego Symphony.

Stage Right presents family favorite 'Annie'

It's a safe bet that any community theater production of the popular Broadway musical "Annie" will draw audiences. The contingent of families and friends alone for each of the darling orphans in the show is enough to constitute a small crowd.

With a familiar score that guarantees "the sun'll come up tomorrow" and a fun plot that espouses the benefits of having an optimistic attitude -- both for a president and an orphan girl -- "Annie" relies on its cast members to make a theater group's production stand out from the rest, according to Anthony Marino, who directs this kid-rich show for Stage Right professional theater company in Greensburg.

"It's such a well put together show, almost Rodgers and Hammerstein-esque," Marino says. "As a director, it gives you a chance to work on the characters, rather than making the script work."

Although the title character traditionally is a mop-topped redhead straight out of the 1925 Little Orphan Annie comic strip created by Harold Gray, no two Annies are alike in the stage show.

Broadway Strike Enters Fourth Day

The current walkout by stagehands, which has shut down more than two dozen Broadway theaters, entered its fourth day Tuesday with no end in sight.