Theater News

Photo File

Daniel Radcliffe, Paige Davis, Celeste Holm, Star Jones, Andrea McArdle, Kate Mulgrew, Patrick Page, Leslie Uggams, Lynn Whitfield, and Karen Ziemba are some of the stars caught by our cameras.

Joseph Marzullo Ben Strothmann
New York City

On Thursday night, The Signature Theater Company opened its 2008-2009 season with a revival of The First Breeze of Summer, featuring a superb performance by Tony Award winner Leslie Uggams.

The multi-talented Marva Hicks (right), who plays Uggams’ daughter-in-law, partied after the performance with talk show host Star Jones.

Legendary director Melvin Van Peebles greeted the show’s director, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, before the performance.

The Signature season is devoted to the work of the Negro Ensemble Company, which was founded by Douglas Turner-Ward, who attended the opening.

And here’s Leslie Lee, the author of Breeze, who received an Obie Award and a Tony Award nomination for the show’s 1975 premiere.

Opening nighters included actress Lynn Whitfield, who will be seen on the big-screen in the soon-to-open remake of The Women and the film version of the hit musical Mama, I Want to Sing!

The fabulous Kate Mulgrew will return to Broadway next month as Hester in the much-anticipated revival of Equus.

The wonderful Veanne Cox — who received a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for her work in Signature’s production of Paradise Park — will star next month in Washington D.C.’s Shakespeare Theatre Company’s repertory productions of Twelfth Night and The Way of the World.

Tony winner George C. Wolfe will return to the his former home, the Public Theater, later this season to direct John Guare’s A Free Man of Color.

The great Andrea McArdle is finishing up a run of her new cabaret act at the Metropolitan Room. Among the stars who have already attended are Oscar winner and theater great Celeste Holm.

Operation Backpack, which provides school supplies to needy schoolchildren, got back in business with the help of executive Rachel Weinstein (center) and married actors Paige Davis and Patrick Page.

The new CD of the musical The Gig was celebrated at Barnes & Noble Lincoln Triangle on Monday night, with a discussion moderated by TheaterMania contributor Peter Filichia and featuring playwright Frank Gilroy, lyricist Sheldon Harnick, and composer Douglas Cohen.

Charles Pistone and Karen Ziemba were among the stars who came out to perform some of the show’s musical selections.

Michael McCormick, Steve Routman, and James Judy also entertained the crowd.

Finally, here’s Equus (and Harry Potter) star Daniel Radcliffe, who’s doing his part to publicize the show, including his participation at a New York Times TimesTalk; an August 25 appearance on NBC’s Late Night with Conan O’Brien; and posing nude atop a horse for the September issue of Vogue.

For TheaterMania’s review of The First Breeze of Summer, click here.