Katharine Leonard News

'MINKSY'S' book writer Bob Martin is featured on Toronto's TheStar.com chatted about his work on the new musical 'Minsky's', Bob Martin created and starred on Broadway in The Drowsy Chaperone.

Minsky's opens February 6, 2009, at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre and continues through March 1 (previews began January 21). Featuring music by three-time Tony Award-winning composer Charles Strouse (Bye Bye Birdie, Annie, Applause) and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead (Jelly's Last Jam and Triumph of Love), Minsky's is Center Theatre Group's second collaboration with Tony Award-winning writer Bob Martin and director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw (The Drowsy Chaperone).

'Minsky's' opens February 6, 2009, at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre and continues through March 1 (previews began January 21).

'Minsky's' opens February 6, 2009, at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre and continues through March 1 (previews began January 21). Featuring music by three-time Tony Award-winning composer Charles Strouse ('Bye Bye Birdie,' 'Annie,' 'Applause') and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead ('Jelly's Last Jam' and 'Triumph of Love'), 'Minsky's' is Center Theatre Group's second collaboration with Tony Award-winning writer Bob Martin and director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw ('The Drowsy Chaperone')

Last night in Beverly Hills, Monday January 26th, The Paley Center for Media saluted the work of award-winning composer Charles Strouse in the third of its concert & conversations series, PaleyAfterDark. The composer of such great Broadway hits including Bye Bye Birdie, Golden Boy, Applause, Annie, and Rags, Strouse with special guests Bonnie Franklin (who nominated for a Tony award for Applause) and cast members of Minsky's shared a rare evening of story and song which celebrated his illustrious career and the Los Angeles debut of his latest musical triumph, Minsky's. The program was illuminated by archival footage of rare Strouse material from the Paley Center's collection and finished with a musical performance by the composer singing an arrangement of favorites from 'Put on a Happy Face' to 'Tomorrow.'Minsky's is based on the Bud Yorkin-Norman Lear production of 'The Night They Raided Minsky's.' Charles Strouse has touched the life of almost every American in the last half century with his musical works. There may be no other living composer from America's popular songbook whose work is as integrated into the popular culture as that of Charles Strouse.His music has attracted top recording artists from the last half-century with covers of his songs recorded by such diverse pop artists as Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Bobby Darin, Harry Connick, Jr., Bobby Rydell, Jay Z, Vic Damone, Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone, Grace Jones and Duke Ellington and his Orchestra.Strouse has written the score to over 30 stage musicals, 14 scores for Broadway, four Hollywood films, two orchestral works and an opera.He has been inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Theatre Hall of Fame.

Minsky's is a big, racy, new musical comedy set in a time when entertainment was about legs and laughs, and you had to push the limits to keep the customers buying tickets. A rollicking backstage story, set in Prohibition Era New York City. Tony Award winning costume designer Gregg Barnes talked about his creations for MINSKY'S on the show's official site in a wonderful audio/video essay that we are excited to bring you here on BWW TV!

Former SNL genius, Celebrity Autobiography mainstay and gifted comic actress Rachel Dratch is a member of the cast of the currently in rehearsal musical Minsky's, she reveals her joy of working with composer Charles Strouse and her hope of it continuing to Broadway in the future to NYMag.com's Diana Scholl.

Casting is complete and rehearsals have begun for the world premiere of 'Minsky's,' which opens February 6, 2009, at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre and continues through March 1 (previews begin January 21). Featuring music by three-time Tony Award-winning composer Charles Strouse ('Bye Bye Birdie,' 'Annie,' 'Applause') and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead ('Jelly's Last Jam' and 'Triumph of Love'), 'Minsky's' is Center Theatre Group's second collaboration with Tony Award-winning writer Bob Martin and director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw ('The Drowsy Chaperone').

Hairspray will play its final performance at the Luxor Las Vegas on Sunday, June 11th

Harvey Fierstein and Dick Latessa will depart the Las Vegas production of Hairspary on April 30th, while Paul Vogt and Eddie Mekkla will take over on May 1st

Contrary to a report in the Las Vegas Sun, John Goodman will not be playing Edna Turnblad in the Las Vegas production of Hairspray; Paul Vogt will begin performances as Edna on May 1st while Eddie Mekka will begin to play Wilbur that day

The streamlined Las Vegas production of Hairspray starring Harvey Fierstein and Dick Latessa will begin previews on February 6th and open on February 15th

Harvey Fierstein, Dick Latessa and Susan Anton are among the cast members who have been announced for the Luxor Las Vegas production of Hairspray, which opens on February 15th