“It’s the role of a lifetime,” exclaims Chip Zien in reference to his character Rabbi in “Harmony.” The actor’s agents were initially hesitant to send him the script for the Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman musical, as Zien wanted to pull back from the typical rabbi roles he frequently played. But, this character wasn’t just any rabbi. He had a remarkable true life story as a member of a notorious singing ensemble which rose to fame while Nazis rose to power. “It was a brilliant, period-specific score, and the whole thing has just been a thrill from the get go,” says Zien. Watch the exclusive video interview above.
The musical follows the formation and rise of The Comedian Harmonists in Germany. The six-man act quickly ascended to fame in the 1920s and 30s, selling millions of records and selling out houses around the world. But the rise...
The musical follows the formation and rise of The Comedian Harmonists in Germany. The six-man act quickly ascended to fame in the 1920s and 30s, selling millions of records and selling out houses around the world. But the rise...
- 4/16/2024
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
The Baker. Mendel. Rabbi. Three iconic roles created by beloved stage veteran Chip Zien. The last of those three comes from “Harmony,” the new musical from Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman, which played its final performance on February 4. But closing notices be damned; Zien is giving the performance of his life in this juicy role. The actor somehow missed out on Tony nominations for those other classic characters, but after a Broadway career that has spanned five decades, voters simply mustn’t pass up the chance to give this actor his very first Tony nomination.
Zien first came to prominence for originating the role of The Baker in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s “Into the Woods” in 1987. Though that classic musical received 10 Tony nominations (including a lead actress victory for his co-star Joanna Gleason as the Baker’s Wife), Zien was not one of them. This was the start...
Zien first came to prominence for originating the role of The Baker in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s “Into the Woods” in 1987. Though that classic musical received 10 Tony nominations (including a lead actress victory for his co-star Joanna Gleason as the Baker’s Wife), Zien was not one of them. This was the start...
- 2/7/2024
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Broadway said goodbye last week to two well-regarded but underperforming productions, with both Harmony and Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch posting better-than-usual weekly box office as last-chancers grabbed seats.
Harmony, the Barry Manilow-Bruce Sussman musical about the real-life 1920s German singing group the Comedian Harmonists, filled a robust 99% of seats at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, grossing $853,055 for the week ending February 4. That’s a bump of $145,978 over the previous week.
Purlie Victorious, the universally acclaimed revival of the Ossie Davis comedy starring Leslie Odom Jr. and Kara Young, grossed $706,882, a boost of $58,090 over the previous week. Still, the production filled only 81% of seats at the Music Box.
In all, the 25 Broadway productions grossed $23,493,675, a slight 5% bump over the previous week (and nearly identical to last year’s gross for the week). Total attendance was 213,281, about 2% over the previous week and 9% over last year at this time.
Harmony, the Barry Manilow-Bruce Sussman musical about the real-life 1920s German singing group the Comedian Harmonists, filled a robust 99% of seats at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, grossing $853,055 for the week ending February 4. That’s a bump of $145,978 over the previous week.
Purlie Victorious, the universally acclaimed revival of the Ossie Davis comedy starring Leslie Odom Jr. and Kara Young, grossed $706,882, a boost of $58,090 over the previous week. Still, the production filled only 81% of seats at the Music Box.
In all, the 25 Broadway productions grossed $23,493,675, a slight 5% bump over the previous week (and nearly identical to last year’s gross for the week). Total attendance was 213,281, about 2% over the previous week and 9% over last year at this time.
- 2/6/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Broadway box office took a slide last week as receipts for Sweeney Todd fell by more than $1 million with the departures of Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford (and before the February 9 arrival of big-name replacements Aaron Tveit and Sutton Foster).
Overall, box office for the 25 Broadway productions was off by 15% from the previous week, with receipts for the week ending January 21 (the first week of the annual Broadway Week 2-for-1 discount promotion) totaling $23,589,174. Attendance of 204,612 was down only 6% (and holding about even with last season at this time).
Average ticket price for all shows was $115.29, down from $126.70 the previous week.
Most of the productions reported a drop in receipts, though none on the scale of the $1,315,747 hit taken by Sweeney: The acclaimed Sondheim musical revival grossed $795,400, compared to the massive $2,111,147 for the previous week, when Groban and Ashford came to the ends of their limited runs.
Overall, box office for the 25 Broadway productions was off by 15% from the previous week, with receipts for the week ending January 21 (the first week of the annual Broadway Week 2-for-1 discount promotion) totaling $23,589,174. Attendance of 204,612 was down only 6% (and holding about even with last season at this time).
Average ticket price for all shows was $115.29, down from $126.70 the previous week.
Most of the productions reported a drop in receipts, though none on the scale of the $1,315,747 hit taken by Sweeney: The acclaimed Sondheim musical revival grossed $795,400, compared to the massive $2,111,147 for the previous week, when Groban and Ashford came to the ends of their limited runs.
- 1/23/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Harmony, the Barry Manilow/Bruce Sussman musical that opened in November to good reviews that never translated to big audiences, will play its final performance at the Barrymore Theatre on Sunday, February 4.
Producers Ken Davenport, Sandi Moran and Garry Kief made the announcement this evening. At the time of its closing, Harmony will have played 24 previews and 96 regular performances. The musical began previews October 18 and opened November 13.
Directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle, Harmony tells the true story of the Comedian Harmonists, a German vocal group that achieved international fame and success in the 1920s and ’30 but were all but wiped from history by the Nazis. At the peak of its career, the group sold millions of records, made dozens of films and played to sold-out venues around the world.
With a score by Manilow and book and lyrics by Sussman, Harmony stars Chip Zien, Sierra Boggess, Julie Benko, Allison Semmes,...
Producers Ken Davenport, Sandi Moran and Garry Kief made the announcement this evening. At the time of its closing, Harmony will have played 24 previews and 96 regular performances. The musical began previews October 18 and opened November 13.
Directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle, Harmony tells the true story of the Comedian Harmonists, a German vocal group that achieved international fame and success in the 1920s and ’30 but were all but wiped from history by the Nazis. At the peak of its career, the group sold millions of records, made dozens of films and played to sold-out venues around the world.
With a score by Manilow and book and lyrics by Sussman, Harmony stars Chip Zien, Sierra Boggess, Julie Benko, Allison Semmes,...
- 1/16/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Barry Manilow is standing poolside at his Palm Springs home, a spectacular, eight-bedroom hillside villa with far-reaching views of the Coachella Valley. He’s taller than one might expect — a little over 6 feet — and rail-thin, which makes him appear even taller. Manilow is relaxed this morning, tapping one spindly leg to a tune wafting through the speakers — not one of those easy-listening grooves that made him a music superstar, but a thumping slice of techno called “Love Regenerator,” by Calvin Harris. He has an entire Spotify library of that stuff. Manilow, it turns out, loves dance music.
At 80 — he reached the milestone last June — Manilow is coming off of one of the busiest stretches of a consistent, six-decade career. In September, he played his 637th show at Las Vegas’ Westgate Resort Hotel — beating Elvis’ record of 636 performances on that very stage (when it was the Las Vegas Hilton) back in...
At 80 — he reached the milestone last June — Manilow is coming off of one of the busiest stretches of a consistent, six-decade career. In September, he played his 637th show at Las Vegas’ Westgate Resort Hotel — beating Elvis’ record of 636 performances on that very stage (when it was the Las Vegas Hilton) back in...
- 1/5/2024
- by Seth Abramovitch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A double-holiday week on Broadway – the final week of 2023 – saw a surge in box office, with many shows posting record numbers.
Winner of the week? Disney’s The Lion King, which grossed a massive $4,316,629, not only setting a house record at the Minskoff but a Broadway record for the highest single-week gross ever, a big achievement even when noting that the long-running musical played nine performances, as did other productions over the holidays.
Broadway’s final week of the calendar year included both Christmas and New Year’s Eve, with tourists and high ticket prices sending the total weekly gross for the 27 shows to $45,413,789, a 36% increase over the previous week but about 13% lower than last year’s New Year’s Eve week tally when 33 productions were on the boards.
Total attendance for the week ending December 31 was 256,751, a 14% bump over the previous week (but down 18% from last year). About 96% of all seats were filled,...
Winner of the week? Disney’s The Lion King, which grossed a massive $4,316,629, not only setting a house record at the Minskoff but a Broadway record for the highest single-week gross ever, a big achievement even when noting that the long-running musical played nine performances, as did other productions over the holidays.
Broadway’s final week of the calendar year included both Christmas and New Year’s Eve, with tourists and high ticket prices sending the total weekly gross for the 27 shows to $45,413,789, a 36% increase over the previous week but about 13% lower than last year’s New Year’s Eve week tally when 33 productions were on the boards.
Total attendance for the week ending December 31 was 256,751, a 14% bump over the previous week (but down 18% from last year). About 96% of all seats were filled,...
- 1/3/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Holiday shoppers were in a Broadway spirit last week, with total box office for the 26 shows up a couple percentage points from the previous week to $31,465,465, attendance holding steady at 225,585 and the average ticket price a strong $139.48.
Still, while shows such as Merrily We Roll Along, Sweeney Todd, The Lion King, Wicked, I Need That and newcomer Appropriate filled seats during the week ending Dec. 17, Broadway’s holiday season isn’t quite as joyous as last year, with total box office receipts down about 16% year over year. Attendance was off by 18% compared to last year at this time, in no small part due to fewer productions on the boards – 26 compared to 34 last December.
Though fewer in number than last year, Broadway shows individually were, overall, reporting decent figures. Seventeen of the 26 productions filled more than 90% of their seats, with Hamilton, Merrily We Roll Along, Moulin Rouge!, I Need That and...
Still, while shows such as Merrily We Roll Along, Sweeney Todd, The Lion King, Wicked, I Need That and newcomer Appropriate filled seats during the week ending Dec. 17, Broadway’s holiday season isn’t quite as joyous as last year, with total box office receipts down about 16% year over year. Attendance was off by 18% compared to last year at this time, in no small part due to fewer productions on the boards – 26 compared to 34 last December.
Though fewer in number than last year, Broadway shows individually were, overall, reporting decent figures. Seventeen of the 26 productions filled more than 90% of their seats, with Hamilton, Merrily We Roll Along, Moulin Rouge!, I Need That and...
- 12/19/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Broadway box office took a 7% slide in the week before the Thanksgiving holiday, with the 29 shows settling in at a total $27,060,113 in receipts.
Attendance for the week ending Nov. 19 was 228,423, about 86% of capacity and a slip of 3% from the previous week. The attendance figure is 12% lower than last year at this time.
Most of the productions saw drops in box office, including Harmony in its first full week of post-opening performances. The Barry Manilow-Bruce Sussman musical at the Barrymore was down by $18,483 to $625,411.
Spamalot, with four previews and four regular performances – lots of press seats and opening comps – was off $74,565 to $678,666 at the St. James.
Ending their runs were Melissa Etheridge: My Window, up $43,239 to $371,784 for five performances; The Shark is Broken and Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, up $48,986 to $425,253 (receipts from the live simulcasts of Nov. 14-Nov. 19 not included).
Also posting gains was Merrily We Roll Along,...
Attendance for the week ending Nov. 19 was 228,423, about 86% of capacity and a slip of 3% from the previous week. The attendance figure is 12% lower than last year at this time.
Most of the productions saw drops in box office, including Harmony in its first full week of post-opening performances. The Barry Manilow-Bruce Sussman musical at the Barrymore was down by $18,483 to $625,411.
Spamalot, with four previews and four regular performances – lots of press seats and opening comps – was off $74,565 to $678,666 at the St. James.
Ending their runs were Melissa Etheridge: My Window, up $43,239 to $371,784 for five performances; The Shark is Broken and Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, up $48,986 to $425,253 (receipts from the live simulcasts of Nov. 14-Nov. 19 not included).
Also posting gains was Merrily We Roll Along,...
- 11/21/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman’s new musical Harmony debuted on November 13 after previews began on October 18 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.
The musical is directed and choreographed by Tony winner Warren Carlyle, who is known for his work on The Music Man and Hello, Dolly!
Set in Berlin in 1927, Harmony tells the true story of The Comedian Harmonists, a group of talented young men who form an ensemble group. Their rise to fame is extraordinary as they sell millions of records, star in major films and perform in renowned theaters worldwide. However, by 1935, they mysteriously vanished from the spotlight. Harmony explores the peculiar disappearance of the group.
The production boasts a sensational cast of Broadway favorites, including Sierra Boggess, known for her performance in The Phantom of the Opera, Julie Benko from Funny Girl and Chip Zien, known for his role in Into the Woods.
In 1997, a world premiere...
The musical is directed and choreographed by Tony winner Warren Carlyle, who is known for his work on The Music Man and Hello, Dolly!
Set in Berlin in 1927, Harmony tells the true story of The Comedian Harmonists, a group of talented young men who form an ensemble group. Their rise to fame is extraordinary as they sell millions of records, star in major films and perform in renowned theaters worldwide. However, by 1935, they mysteriously vanished from the spotlight. Harmony explores the peculiar disappearance of the group.
The production boasts a sensational cast of Broadway favorites, including Sierra Boggess, known for her performance in The Phantom of the Opera, Julie Benko from Funny Girl and Chip Zien, known for his role in Into the Woods.
In 1997, a world premiere...
- 11/20/2023
- by Baila Eve Zisman
- Uinterview
Broadway loves a recognizable name, a famous band or singer that can fuel a jukebox musical on nostalgia and familiar tunes. To its credit, Harmony isn’t that.
If you’ve heard of the Comedian Harmonists, it’s likely that you’ve either seen Harmony or heard about it. Maybe you’re among the countless Barry Manilow fans who follow his every move (and he’s been trying to move with Harmony for decades). But otherwise, chances are good that you don’t know the Harmonists.
And exactly why you don’t know the Harmonists is the most intriguing aspect of Harmony, the new musical directed by Warren Carlyle opening on Broadway tonight. A Berlin-based vocal and comedy group of the 1920s and ’30s, the Comedian Harmonists were hugely popular, successful and famous in their day, selling millions of records, appearing in dozens of films and selling out major venues across the world,...
If you’ve heard of the Comedian Harmonists, it’s likely that you’ve either seen Harmony or heard about it. Maybe you’re among the countless Barry Manilow fans who follow his every move (and he’s been trying to move with Harmony for decades). But otherwise, chances are good that you don’t know the Harmonists.
And exactly why you don’t know the Harmonists is the most intriguing aspect of Harmony, the new musical directed by Warren Carlyle opening on Broadway tonight. A Berlin-based vocal and comedy group of the 1920s and ’30s, the Comedian Harmonists were hugely popular, successful and famous in their day, selling millions of records, appearing in dozens of films and selling out major venues across the world,...
- 11/14/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Merrily We Roll Along, the Sondheim musical revival starring Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez, was Broadway’s sole sell-out last week, filling every last seat at the Hudson Theatre with an eye-popping average ticket price of $234.40.
The critically acclaimed revival added a hefty $1,811,423 to Broadway’s overall weekly box office take of $26,546,735. Total weekly attendance for the 28 shows on Broadway was 223,151 for the week ending November 5; both the total gross and attendance figures held fairly steady from the previous week.
Though Merrily was the only show at 100% of capacity, a few others came close. Both Hamilton and The Lion King were at 99%, Moulin Rouge! was 97% and I Need That, the just-opened comedy starring Danny DeVito from the subscription-based non-profit Roundabout Theatre Co., filled 98% of seats at the American Airlines Theatre.
Making news today was Here Lies Love, the immersive David Byrne-Fatboy Slim musical that announced a...
The critically acclaimed revival added a hefty $1,811,423 to Broadway’s overall weekly box office take of $26,546,735. Total weekly attendance for the 28 shows on Broadway was 223,151 for the week ending November 5; both the total gross and attendance figures held fairly steady from the previous week.
Though Merrily was the only show at 100% of capacity, a few others came close. Both Hamilton and The Lion King were at 99%, Moulin Rouge! was 97% and I Need That, the just-opened comedy starring Danny DeVito from the subscription-based non-profit Roundabout Theatre Co., filled 98% of seats at the American Airlines Theatre.
Making news today was Here Lies Love, the immersive David Byrne-Fatboy Slim musical that announced a...
- 11/7/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Broadway box office held fairly steady heading into trick or treat season, with receipts for the week ending Oct. 29 at $26,480,578 (about 6% down from the previous week) and attendance at 218,581 (a slip of just 3%).
Staying strong was Merrily We Roll Along, enjoying another sell-out week, with the roster’s top average ticket price of $238.20 pushing the weekly gross to a new Hudson Theatre house record of $1,840,835.
Notable too was I Need That, the new Theresa Rebeck comedy starring Danny DeVito and daughter Lucy DeVito. At 94% of capacity at American Airlines Theatre, the non-profit Roundabout Theatre Co. production grossed $608,910 for seven previews. Opening night is Nov. 2.
Non-prof, subscriber-based Manhattan Theatre Club’s Jaja’s African Hair Braiding filled 99% of seats at the Friedman, grossing $351,235 with an average ticket of $68.95.
Other shows hitting the 99% (or above) capacity mark were Hamilton and The Lion King. Other shows...
Staying strong was Merrily We Roll Along, enjoying another sell-out week, with the roster’s top average ticket price of $238.20 pushing the weekly gross to a new Hudson Theatre house record of $1,840,835.
Notable too was I Need That, the new Theresa Rebeck comedy starring Danny DeVito and daughter Lucy DeVito. At 94% of capacity at American Airlines Theatre, the non-profit Roundabout Theatre Co. production grossed $608,910 for seven previews. Opening night is Nov. 2.
Non-prof, subscriber-based Manhattan Theatre Club’s Jaja’s African Hair Braiding filled 99% of seats at the Friedman, grossing $351,235 with an average ticket of $68.95.
Other shows hitting the 99% (or above) capacity mark were Hamilton and The Lion King. Other shows...
- 10/31/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Broadway box office held steady last week with total grosses for 28 shows tallying up to $28,106,860, with 224,832 ticket buyers paying an average $125.01 per seat.
A healthy chunk of those total numbers were contributed by such recent arrivals as Merrily We Roll Along and Gutenberg! The Musical, which had its best week to date with a take of $932,436 at the James Earl Jones, that despite significant post-opening press comps.
(Gutenberg!, starring Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells, has been surprising audiences with special unbilled appearances near the end of each performance, secret cameos that might not contribute to box office but can’t hurt word of mouth enthusiasm: Following Nathan Lane’s appearance on opening night, the cameos last week included Ashley Park, Lin-Manuel Miranda, John Stamos, Rory O’Malley, Christian Slater, Amber Ruffin and, in a stroke of some kinda genius,...
A healthy chunk of those total numbers were contributed by such recent arrivals as Merrily We Roll Along and Gutenberg! The Musical, which had its best week to date with a take of $932,436 at the James Earl Jones, that despite significant post-opening press comps.
(Gutenberg!, starring Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells, has been surprising audiences with special unbilled appearances near the end of each performance, secret cameos that might not contribute to box office but can’t hurt word of mouth enthusiasm: Following Nathan Lane’s appearance on opening night, the cameos last week included Ashley Park, Lin-Manuel Miranda, John Stamos, Rory O’Malley, Christian Slater, Amber Ruffin and, in a stroke of some kinda genius,...
- 10/24/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Major film and TV productions are currently on hold due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, but the New York theater scene is still as active as ever. A new Broadway season is upon us, and there are five musicals set to open this fall. Will they contend at next year’s Tony Awards? Below, we give you a preview of the plot of each musical as well as the awards history of its author, cast and creative teams, plus the opening and (where applicable) closing dates.
“Merrily We Roll Along”
The first Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s 1981 musical adaptation of George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart‘s 1934 play spans three decades in the entertainment industry and charts the relationship between composer Franklin Shepard and his two friends — writer Mary and lyricist and playwright Charley. The original production directed by Hal Prince only ran for 16 performances,...
“Merrily We Roll Along”
The first Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s 1981 musical adaptation of George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart‘s 1934 play spans three decades in the entertainment industry and charts the relationship between composer Franklin Shepard and his two friends — writer Mary and lyricist and playwright Charley. The original production directed by Hal Prince only ran for 16 performances,...
- 9/20/2023
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
Sierra Boggess will reprise her role as ‘Mary’ in the Broadway production of Harmony, the new musical by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman that premiered Off Broadway last spring.
The Broadway staging is set to begin previews Wednesday, October 18, at the Barrymore Theatre ahead of an official opening night on Monday, November 13.
Producers Ken Davenport, Sandi Moran and Garry Kief made the casting announcement today.
Boggess is best-known for originating the role of ‘Ariel’ in The Little Mermaid on Broadway in 2007 and her multiple appearances as ‘Christine Daaé’ in The Phantom of the Opera.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be returning to Broadway in Harmony,” said Boggess. “I think the telling of this story is so deeply important and I’m honored to bring ‘Mary’ to life in this long-awaited Broadway debut for the show. I’ve been lucky to be a part of the process for many years in...
The Broadway staging is set to begin previews Wednesday, October 18, at the Barrymore Theatre ahead of an official opening night on Monday, November 13.
Producers Ken Davenport, Sandi Moran and Garry Kief made the casting announcement today.
Boggess is best-known for originating the role of ‘Ariel’ in The Little Mermaid on Broadway in 2007 and her multiple appearances as ‘Christine Daaé’ in The Phantom of the Opera.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be returning to Broadway in Harmony,” said Boggess. “I think the telling of this story is so deeply important and I’m honored to bring ‘Mary’ to life in this long-awaited Broadway debut for the show. I’ve been lucky to be a part of the process for many years in...
- 6/15/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Julie Benko, who has built a devoted following as the Funny Girl understudy and alternate Fanny Brice, will originate her first Broadway role this fall in the new musical Harmony by by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman.
Benko will play the role of Ruth, producers Ken Davenport, Sandi Moran and Garry Kief announced today. The production will begin previews at Broadway’s Barrymore Theatre on Wednesday, October 18, ahead of an official opening night on Monday, November 13.
“It is rare to be offered the chance to be part of a Broadway show that resonates so deeply on both personal and political levels,” Benko said in a statement. “I’m so proud to be a part of Harmony and tremendously grateful to Barry, Bruce, Warren, Ken, and the entire team for entrusting me with Ruth’s story. I can’t wait to get into the rehearsal room with the brilliant company this Fall.
Benko will play the role of Ruth, producers Ken Davenport, Sandi Moran and Garry Kief announced today. The production will begin previews at Broadway’s Barrymore Theatre on Wednesday, October 18, ahead of an official opening night on Monday, November 13.
“It is rare to be offered the chance to be part of a Broadway show that resonates so deeply on both personal and political levels,” Benko said in a statement. “I’m so proud to be a part of Harmony and tremendously grateful to Barry, Bruce, Warren, Ken, and the entire team for entrusting me with Ruth’s story. I can’t wait to get into the rehearsal room with the brilliant company this Fall.
- 6/1/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Chip Zien will reprise his Off Broadway performance in the Barry Manilow-Bruce Sussman musical Harmony when the production moves to Broadway this fall.
Zien will star as “Rabbi,” a role he originated last year in the Off Broadway production at National Yiddish Theatre/Folksbiene. He joins the previously announced Broadway cast members Sean Bell, Danny Kornfeld, Zal Owen, Eric Peters, Blake Roman and Steven Telsey, who will be playing the six real-life Comedian Harmonists at the center of the musical.
Harmony will begin previews at Broadway’s Barrymore Theatre on Wednesday, October 18, ahead of a Monday, November 13 official opening night.
Further casting will be announced in the coming weeks.
Based on a true story, Harmony tells the tale of The Comedian Harmonists, a German, partly-Jewish vocal group of the 1920s and ’30s who became international stars before being targeted by the Nazi party. The musical, based in part on...
Zien will star as “Rabbi,” a role he originated last year in the Off Broadway production at National Yiddish Theatre/Folksbiene. He joins the previously announced Broadway cast members Sean Bell, Danny Kornfeld, Zal Owen, Eric Peters, Blake Roman and Steven Telsey, who will be playing the six real-life Comedian Harmonists at the center of the musical.
Harmony will begin previews at Broadway’s Barrymore Theatre on Wednesday, October 18, ahead of a Monday, November 13 official opening night.
Further casting will be announced in the coming weeks.
Based on a true story, Harmony tells the tale of The Comedian Harmonists, a German, partly-Jewish vocal group of the 1920s and ’30s who became international stars before being targeted by the Nazi party. The musical, based in part on...
- 5/11/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Harmony, the Barry Manilow-Bruce Sussman musical that played a sold-out run at New York’s National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene last spring, will move to Broadway this fall, producers announced today.
The production will begin previews at Broadway’s Barrymore Theatre on Wednesday, October 18, ahead of a Monday, November 13 official opening night.
Casting will be announced in the coming weeks
Harmony chronicles the real-life story of The Comedian Harmonists, who sold millions of records in the 1920s and ’30s, made dozens of films, and sold out major venues around the world. The official synopsis “Their heavenly harmonies and musical comedy antics catapulted these six talented young men from singing in the subway tunnels of Berlin to international superstardom. What happened next is the story of Harmony.”
The musical features an original new score by Manilow with lyrics and book by Sussman. Warren Carlyle is the director and choreographer,...
The production will begin previews at Broadway’s Barrymore Theatre on Wednesday, October 18, ahead of a Monday, November 13 official opening night.
Casting will be announced in the coming weeks
Harmony chronicles the real-life story of The Comedian Harmonists, who sold millions of records in the 1920s and ’30s, made dozens of films, and sold out major venues around the world. The official synopsis “Their heavenly harmonies and musical comedy antics catapulted these six talented young men from singing in the subway tunnels of Berlin to international superstardom. What happened next is the story of Harmony.”
The musical features an original new score by Manilow with lyrics and book by Sussman. Warren Carlyle is the director and choreographer,...
- 4/28/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
A new stage musical co-written by Barry Manilow opens tonight in New York, but the decades-in-the-making project will have to go on without Manilow there to support it: He has Covid.
“I am heartbroken to say that I have just tested positive for Covid-19 and won’t be able to attend tonight’s opening night performance of my new musical Harmony,” Manilow said in a statement. “This just might be the cruelest thing that has ever happened to me: 25 years waiting for this show to premiere in New York and I can’t attend.”
Manilow’s statement concludes, “Even in the face of this pandemic, we New Yorkers remain the toughest, staunchest people on the planet — so, put on a mask and go see a show!”
Harmony: A New Musical, written by Manilow and his longtime collaborator Bruce Sussman, opens tonight at Edmond J. Safra Hall at the Museum of...
“I am heartbroken to say that I have just tested positive for Covid-19 and won’t be able to attend tonight’s opening night performance of my new musical Harmony,” Manilow said in a statement. “This just might be the cruelest thing that has ever happened to me: 25 years waiting for this show to premiere in New York and I can’t attend.”
Manilow’s statement concludes, “Even in the face of this pandemic, we New Yorkers remain the toughest, staunchest people on the planet — so, put on a mask and go see a show!”
Harmony: A New Musical, written by Manilow and his longtime collaborator Bruce Sussman, opens tonight at Edmond J. Safra Hall at the Museum of...
- 4/13/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene Pushes Premiere Date of Musical Harmony by Barry Manilow to 2021
National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek and Executive Director Dominick Balletta, in association with Tony Award-winning Producer Ken Davenport, today announced that New York debut of the new musical Harmony by the legendary Barry Manilow and his longtime collaborator Bruce Sussman will be postponed until 2021 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage a A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, Edmond J. Safra Plaza, 36 Battery Place, NYC. The show was previously scheduled to start performances on February 11, 2020.
- 12/6/2019
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Feinstein'S54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Chris Dwan in 'Waste of Space' onTuesday, September 6th 2016. With standout performances both on and off Broadway, Chris Dwan Finding Neverland,The Old Boy,Harmony makes his Feinstein's54 Below and New York City solo concert debut. Conceived by Chris Dwan and Will Blum, the concert event is a cerebral exploration of self discovery and the power of the imagination through the eyes of a boy on a journey beyond the cosmos. Will Van Dyke Kinky Boots,Rent music directs with special guests Hannah Corneau Evita,Daddy Long Legs, Harmony and Angela Travino From Here to Eternity,South Pacific. The evening will include a wide range of musical genres including original material by Chris Dwan and Ross Baum and music from Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman'sHarmonyas well as the Off-Broadway musicalPeter amp I, with a highly anticipated performance by Range a cappella Hamilton in 7 minutes,...
- 8/24/2016
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman's 'Harmony,' a new musical, opened last night, Wednesday, March 12, 2014, at 8 p.m. at the Center Theatre GroupAhmanson Theatre and plays through April 13 Previews began March 4. Directed by Tony Speciale, with music by Manilow and book and lyrics by Sussman, 'Harmony' tells the true story of The Comedian Harmonists, an ensemble of six young men in pre-wwii Germany who rose from unemployed street musicians to become world-famous entertainers, selling millions of records, starring in over a dozen films, and selling out the most prestigious concert halls around the world. Yet while The Comedian Harmonists' sophisticated music, paired with hilarious comedy, made them the brightest of stars, the group's mixture of Jews and non-Jews put them on a collision course with history. 'Harmony' is a co-production with the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta. Below, check out a look back at the opening night festivities, including the red carpet,...
- 3/13/2014
- by BWW Special Coverage
- BroadwayWorld.com
Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman's 'Harmony,' a new musical, opens next Wednesday, March 12, 2014, at 8 p.m. at the Center Theatre GroupAhmanson Theatre and plays through April 13 Previews began March 4. Directed by Tony Speciale, with music by Manilow and book and lyrics by Sussman, 'Harmony' tells the true story of The Comedian Harmonists, an ensemble of six young men in pre-wwii Germany who rose from unemployed street musicians to become world-famous entertainers, selling millions of records, starring in over a dozen films, and selling out the most prestigious concert halls around the world. Yet while The Comedian Harmonists' sophisticated music, paired with hilarious comedy, made them the brightest of stars, the group's mixture of Jews and non-Jews put them on a collision course with history. 'Harmony' is a co-production with the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta. Below, check out a first look at the cast in action...
- 3/7/2014
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
'Harmony', a new musical with music by Barry Manilow Book and lyrics by Bruce Sussman, is being directed by Tony Speciale in a co-production with the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta. The show will begin previews at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on March 4, 2014, with an opening night slated for March 12. The show will run through April 13. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in action below...
- 1/6/2014
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Barry Manilow and his lyrical partner Bruce Sussman are taking a swing at musicals again with Harmony. The show is based on a documentary that follows a Jewish actor in Berin that recruited five singers, 2 Jewish and 3 non-Jewish, to form a musical group that offered a very different and unprecedented live performance. They combined complex 6 part harmonies, vocal imitation of instruments, and even physical comedy onstage. The Comedian Harmonists, is what they called themselves, became a musical sensation in the late 1920s but coincidentally, their rise to fame coincided with Hitler's rise to power along with his restrictions against the Jewish artists in Germany.
- 9/18/2013
- by Review Roundups
- BroadwayWorld.com
Rehearsals began this week in Atlanta, Ga, for the Alliance Theatre's production of Harmony A New Musical with music by Barry Manilow and book amp lyrics by Bruce Sussman. Harmony tells the true story of The Comedian Harmonists, a close harmony ensemble of six young men in 1930s Germany, who took the world by storm until their religious composition a mixture of Jews and Gentiles put them on a collision course with history. Harmony is a co-production with Center Theatre Group. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at rehearsals below...
- 8/1/2013
- by BWW Special Coverage
- BroadwayWorld.com
As America celebrates its 237th birthday, some big names intend to help.
Several networks will hold to tradition Thursday, July 4, by offering star-studded Independence Day specials with an emphasis on music.
On PBS (check local listings), Barry Manilow will return to "A Capitol Fourth" as he joins fellow music icon Neil Diamond, former "Smash" co-star Megan Hilty, award-winning composer-conductor John Williams, "American Idol" winners Candice Glover and Scotty McCreery, Darren Criss ("Glee"), "America's Got Talent" alum Jackie Evancho, the National Symphony Orchestra, and host Tom Bergeron on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
"America's Got Talent" also will be represented on NBC, as Nick Cannon -- that contest's host -- presides again over "Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular" in New York, with the musical guests including someone he knows quite well: his wife, recent "American Idol" judge Mariah Carey. Taylor Swift, Cher, Tim McGraw,...
Several networks will hold to tradition Thursday, July 4, by offering star-studded Independence Day specials with an emphasis on music.
On PBS (check local listings), Barry Manilow will return to "A Capitol Fourth" as he joins fellow music icon Neil Diamond, former "Smash" co-star Megan Hilty, award-winning composer-conductor John Williams, "American Idol" winners Candice Glover and Scotty McCreery, Darren Criss ("Glee"), "America's Got Talent" alum Jackie Evancho, the National Symphony Orchestra, and host Tom Bergeron on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
"America's Got Talent" also will be represented on NBC, as Nick Cannon -- that contest's host -- presides again over "Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular" in New York, with the musical guests including someone he knows quite well: his wife, recent "American Idol" judge Mariah Carey. Taylor Swift, Cher, Tim McGraw,...
- 7/4/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Atlanta's Tony Award winning Alliance Theatre is pleased to announce the cast and creative team behind its upcoming production, Harmony - A New Musical, with music by Barry Manilow and book amp lyrics by Bruce Sussman. Harmony tells the true story of The Comedian Harmonists, a close harmony ensemble of six young men in 1930s Germany, who took the world by storm until their religious composition - a mixture of Jews and Gentiles - put them on a collision course with history. Harmony is a co-production with Center Theatre Group.
- 6/27/2013
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Fanilows rejoice Barry Manilow's official Facebook page has just announced that a special week-long pre-sale of a special selection of tickets for a handful of dates of the upcoming Atlanta premiere of Manilow amp Bruce Sussman's musical Harmony will begin Friday, running through June 26 before general public tickets go onsale on July 1 for the entire run of the highly anticipated new musical.
- 6/19/2013
- by Pat Cerasaro
- BroadwayWorld.com
Barry Manilow says that even if he'd been the only person watching "Smash," he was determined to hang with it.
The pop-music icon will spend most of his summer prepping the relaunch of "Harmony," a stage show about a wartime singing group that he and longtime creative partner Bruce Sussman first produced in 1997. An extensively revised version opens at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre in September, and Manilow appreciates the show-mounting struggles the characters on NBC's recently ended Broadway drama "Smash" faced.
"It's been a very tough road for this beautiful show," Manilow tells Zap2it of "Harmony," maintaining it was "never, ever" because of the content. "It was always because of investors and producers, all the people you need to deal with when you're trying to raise $15 million to $18 million and get to New York.
"We just had bad luck. We would sign a contract and they'd keep us (on hold...
The pop-music icon will spend most of his summer prepping the relaunch of "Harmony," a stage show about a wartime singing group that he and longtime creative partner Bruce Sussman first produced in 1997. An extensively revised version opens at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre in September, and Manilow appreciates the show-mounting struggles the characters on NBC's recently ended Broadway drama "Smash" faced.
"It's been a very tough road for this beautiful show," Manilow tells Zap2it of "Harmony," maintaining it was "never, ever" because of the content. "It was always because of investors and producers, all the people you need to deal with when you're trying to raise $15 million to $18 million and get to New York.
"We just had bad luck. We would sign a contract and they'd keep us (on hold...
- 6/5/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
New York — It took a little while before Barry Manilow felt comfortable on Broadway.
The Man Who Makes the Whole World Sing is used to far bigger venues than the 1,710-seat St. James Theatre, one of the smaller theaters on the Great White Way.
"It's a totally different feeling from the stage. I'm in their laps; they're in my lap. It's very, very intimate," says Manilow. "This is like going to somebody's house."
Manilow – and his fans dubbed Fanilows – are clearly enjoying his first return to Broadway in nearly 25 years. Though his opening was postponed due to bronchitis, the singer sounded and looked great during a recent quick interview.
The New York City-born icon has had a street corner – at Seventh Ave. and 44th Street – temporarily renamed "Barry Manilow Way" and a caricature unveiled at Sardi's restaurant.
It's a long way from where he began in the neighborhood of Williamsburg in Brookyn,...
The Man Who Makes the Whole World Sing is used to far bigger venues than the 1,710-seat St. James Theatre, one of the smaller theaters on the Great White Way.
"It's a totally different feeling from the stage. I'm in their laps; they're in my lap. It's very, very intimate," says Manilow. "This is like going to somebody's house."
Manilow – and his fans dubbed Fanilows – are clearly enjoying his first return to Broadway in nearly 25 years. Though his opening was postponed due to bronchitis, the singer sounded and looked great during a recent quick interview.
The New York City-born icon has had a street corner – at Seventh Ave. and 44th Street – temporarily renamed "Barry Manilow Way" and a caricature unveiled at Sardi's restaurant.
It's a long way from where he began in the neighborhood of Williamsburg in Brookyn,...
- 2/16/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Broadcast legend Dick Clark, who passed away Wednesday at the age of 82, got his big break in 1956, hosting "Bob Horn's Bandstand" -- a show that would later be renamed "American Bandstand."
Clark was so at home on the show that he kept the theme song, written by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman, as the hold music on his office's telephones long after it went off the air.
"We were all having lunch together and he needed to call his office for something," Sussman remembers. "When he called, they put him on hold, which made him laugh, and then suddenly he turned to me and said, 'Bruce, quick, listen to this.' He handed me the phone and the hold music was 'Bandstand Boogie,' the theme song Barry and I wrote for his show. It was such a sweet and adorable thing to do. That smile on his...
Clark was so at home on the show that he kept the theme song, written by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman, as the hold music on his office's telephones long after it went off the air.
"We were all having lunch together and he needed to call his office for something," Sussman remembers. "When he called, they put him on hold, which made him laugh, and then suddenly he turned to me and said, 'Bruce, quick, listen to this.' He handed me the phone and the hold music was 'Bandstand Boogie,' the theme song Barry and I wrote for his show. It was such a sweet and adorable thing to do. That smile on his...
- 4/19/2012
- by Naughty But Nice Rob
- Huffington Post
Broadcast legend Dick Clark, who passed away Wednesday at the age of 82, got his big break in 1956, hosting "Bob Horn's Bandstand" -- a show that would later be renamed "American Bandstand."
Clark was so at home on the show that he kept the theme song, written by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman, as the hold music on his office's telephones long after it went off the air.
"We were all having lunch together and he needed to call his office for something," Sussman remembers. "When he called, they put him on hold, which made him laugh, and then suddenly he turned to me and said, 'Bruce, quick, listen to this.' He handed me the phone and the hold music was 'Bandstand Boogie,' the theme song Barry and I wrote for his show. It was such a sweet and adorable thing to do. That smile on his...
Clark was so at home on the show that he kept the theme song, written by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman, as the hold music on his office's telephones long after it went off the air.
"We were all having lunch together and he needed to call his office for something," Sussman remembers. "When he called, they put him on hold, which made him laugh, and then suddenly he turned to me and said, 'Bruce, quick, listen to this.' He handed me the phone and the hold music was 'Bandstand Boogie,' the theme song Barry and I wrote for his show. It was such a sweet and adorable thing to do. That smile on his...
- 4/19/2012
- by Naughty But Nice Rob
- Aol TV.
Ocean Spray will debut its first animated TV special, Cranberry Christmas, on December 8 (7:30p) on ABC Family, as part of the network's 25 Days of Christmas programming stunt. Featuring two new original songs by singer/songwriter Barry Manilow and collaborator Bruce Sussman, the special is based on the 1976 kid's book of the same title, written/illustrated by Wende and Harry Devlin. The recipe for oatmeal cranberry white chocolate chunk cookies, made by in the special by the protagonist Maggie and her grandmother, can be found at http://www.oceanspray.com.
http://enews.cynopsis.com/html.asp?XZY1261044UTF60...
http://enews.cynopsis.com/html.asp?XZY1261044UTF60...
- 11/11/2008
- by gwen@cynopsis.com
Crooner Barry Manilow has left hospital to return to his Palm Springs, California home after blaming chest pains on the "true heartbreak" of his ongoing legal battle. The singer was hospitalized on Saturday with stress-related chest pains and an irregular heartbeat, which he has blamed on spending the prior two days in arbitration over his lawsuit over rights to the musical Harmony. Manilow, who was allowed to return home after doctors determined his heart rate had normalized, and his co-writer Bruce Sussman are attempting to win back the rights from producer Mark Schwartz, who, they contest, caused Harmony to fold last year due to financial mismanagement. The 57-year-old says, "This is the true definition of heartbreak. It literally broke my heart to sit for two days and watch these beautiful people of the creative team testify because of the incompetence (that) brought down our show. My heart was broken, but the doctors put it back together, and I will continue to fight." According to Manilow's publicist Jerry Sharell a decision on the suit is expected by Friday.
- 2/3/2004
- WENN
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