Goodbye April, hello May! Along with (hopefully) warmer weather, May is the official start of awards season, including the best party of the year: The Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards! But that’s not all—from a new Phantom to Aaron Tveit’s concert debut, this week’s Datebook is packed with awesome things to see and do.
MONDAY, APRIL 29
PETER JOBACK DONS THE MASK
A new masked man is haunting the Paris Opera House! Swedish singer and musician Peter Joback joins the cast of The Phantom of the Opera as Broadway’s favorite creepy labyrinth-dwelling music teacher after starring in the London production. There’s no better time to revisit the Music of the Night!
ALSO: Drama Desk Award nominations announced; Love Therapy opens off-Broadway; Andrea Burns and Morgan James play 54 Below; Leslie Kritzer headlines Beautiful Disaster at Joe’s Pub; the Actors Fund Gala honors Robert De Niro.
TUESDAY, APRIL 30
IT’S OFFICIALLY TONY TIME
The spring season has officially come to a close, and that can only mean one thing: It’s time for Tony nominations! Stage and screen favorites Sutton Foster and Jesse Tyler Ferguson will announce the 2013 nominees live on CBS and NY1 at 8:30AM ET. Keep your fingers crossed!
ALSO: Italian Bred and The Memory Show open off-Broadway; Old Fashioned Prostitutes begins performances at the Public Theater; Joan Rivers makes ‘em laugh at the Laurie Beechman Theatre; Dogfight cast recording available for digital download; Funny Girl and Broadway Damage released on Blu-Ray.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1
MEET NIKOLAI AND THE OTHERS
Instead of heading to a bar to chat about Nikolai and the Others after the show, stay put at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre to talk it out with the stars. Michael Cerveris and John Glover, who channel George Balanchine and Igor Stravinsky in the new Lincoln Center Theater production, are on hand to answer your questions at a free talkback!
ALSO: Barbara Cook croons at 54 Below.
THURSDAY, MAY 2
GET YOUR GONG ON
If you’ve spent the last 30 years mourning the cancellation of The Gong Show, you’re in luck—a live version of the wacky ‘70s game show is heading to the Cutting Room! With a roster of talent boasting hilarious names like Heidi the Goat Boy, The Alien Surfer Girls, Gene Gene the Dancing Machine, and Peaches and Kareem, how can you lose?
FRIDAY, MAY 3
AARON TVEIT GOES UNDERGROUND
After weeks of waiting, the big day is finally here: Aaron Tveit is premiering the first of six sold-out solo shows at 54 Below! The Broadway hunk recently promised us he’ll be singing “I’m Alive” from Next to Normal and “Goodbye” from Catch Me If You Can. YES!
ALSO: The Caucasian Chalk Circle opens off-Broadway; Nathan Lane talks The Nance on Letterman; 1st Night, starring Sarah Brightman, opens in select U.S. movie theaters.
SATURDAY, MAY 4
JEROME KERN HITS THE GYM
Debby Boone, Howard McGillin, Karen Ziemba and more Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man…Jerome Kern, that is! The stars are teaming up to pay tribute to the legendary composer of Show Boat and other Broadway musicals at the 92nd Street Y.
SUNDAY, MAY 5
THE BEST PARTY OF THE YEAR!
What do Wendy Williams, Aaron Tveit, Sierra Boggess, Jeremy Jordan, Matthew Morrison and Stephanie J. Block have in common? They're set to party with Broadway.com! Hosted by Williams, the starry lineup will take the stage at the 2013 Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards, a.k.a. the most awesome theatrical celebration of the year. Check out a broadcast of the festivities in the coming weeks at Broadway.com!
ALSO: Cuff Me: The Fifty Shades of Grey Musical Parody opens off-Broadway; last chance to see the Rascals’ Once Upon a Dream; Joe Iconis shares the stage with Adam Guettel at 54 Below.