AUDRA MCDONALD

It was feast or famine at the Broadway box office as 2022 wound down, with eye-popping revenue for popular shows — including a staggering new Broadway record for “The Lion King” — not lifting all strugglers.

“Which Way to the Stage?” and “Jane Anger” look at dramatic issues in eras five centuries apart.

The newly restored Cort Theatre on Broadway has been renamed after James Earl Jones, becoming the second theater on the Great White Way named after a Black artist.

For the first full season since the death of George Floyd reignited a conversation about race and representation in America, Broadway responded with one of its most diverse Tony slates yet.

New Academy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Ariana DeBose will host this year’s Tony Awards.

Russia-Ukraine-War-Telethon This combination of photos show Steve Martin, left, Audra McDonald, center, and Billy Porter, who are among the celebrities participating in a 10-hour telethon to raise money for the victims of the war in Ukraine. The “Stars in the House” special will air March 26. It can be viewed and listened to on the series' site (https://www.starsinthehouse.com), the "Stars in the House" YouTube channel, as well as SiriusXM Stars109. The event also hopes to feature Ukrainians, including Oleg Karpenko, a Ukrainian theater and film actor who co-started with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in "Servant of the People." Donations made during the event will benefit the International Rescue Committee and its humanitarian efforts for those affected by the war in Ukraine.

A roster of film, TV and theater all-stars — including Steve Martin, Annette Bening, Billy Porter, Audra McDonald, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Chenoweth, David Hyde Pierce and Rosie Perez — have signed up for a 10-hour telethon to raise money for the victims of the war in Ukraine.

In another sign that show business is snapping back to its pre-pandemic rhythm, the Tony Awards will once again take place in June and at a familiar location, Radio City Music Hall.

A musical about Neil Diamond has found the polished theater gem who will play the icon onstage.

Theater-Audra McDonald FILE - Audra McDonald appears at the 74th annual Tony Awards on Sept. 26, 2021 in New York. The six-time Tony-winner will return to Broadway in the play “Ohio State Murders” by Adrienne Kennedy, directed by Tony Award winner Kenny Leon. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File) (Evan Agostini)NEW YORK — (AP) — Audra McDonald is going from host of the Tony Awards to another stage role. The six-time Tony-winner will return to Broadway in the play “Ohio State Murders” by Adrienne Kennedy, directed by Tony Award winner Kenny Leon. It twists into a murder mystery that unfolds over the course of the lecture Alexander rehearses late at night deep in the stacks of the Ohio State University library.

Audra McDonald is going from host of the Tony Awards to another stage role.

The awards ceremony was a pep rally and a processing of trauma, but it also raised questions about inclusivity.

"Jagged Little Pill," the musical featuring songs and music written by Alanis Morissette, received the most nominations with 15.

The Musical” won for scenic design, costume, lighting, sound design, orchestrations and a featured acting Tony for Broadway favorite Danny Burstein. In a surprise to no one, Aaron Tveit won the award for best leading actor in a musical for “Moulin Rouge! “Because what we do changes peoples' lives.”Burstein, who won for featured actor in a musical for “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” thanked the Broadway community for supporting him after the death last year of his wife, Rebecca Luker. The last Tony Awards ceremony was held in 2019.

Tony Awards This combination photo shows from left, David Alan Grier, Lauren Patten, Danny Burstein and Lois Smith at the 74th annual Tony Awards at Winter Garden Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, in New York. The Musical,” a jukebox adaptation of Baz Luhrmann’s hyperactive 2001 movie, took an early lead at the Tony Awards, earning seven trophies at the halfway point. The Musical” won for scenic design, costume, lighting, sound design, orchestrations and a featured acting Tony for Broadway favorite Danny Burstein. Burstein, who won for featured actor in a musical for “Moulin Rouge! The last Tony Awards ceremony was held in 2019.

Tony Awards - Moulin Rouge This image released by Boneau/Bryan-Brown shows the cast in "Moulin Rouge! (Matthew Murphy/Boneau/Bryan-Brown via AP) (Matthew Murphy)NEW YORK — (AP) — “Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” a jukebox adaptation of Baz Luhrmann’s hyperactive 2001 movie, and “A Christmas Carol” got early leading hauls at the Tony Awards, earning five trophies each. “Moulin Rouge! Nipping on its heels is “Moulin Rouge!,” a jukebox adaptation of Baz Luhrmann’s hyperactive 2001 movie about the goings-on in a turn-of-the-century Parisian nightclub that has 14 nods.

74th Annual Tony Awards A view of the red carpet at the 74th annual Tony Awards at Winter Garden Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) (Evan Agostini)NEW YORK — (AP) — The Tony Awards sped out of the gate Sunday with a flurry of awards, including trophies for Broadway favorite Danny Burstein, David Alan Grier, veteran Lois Smith and rising star Lauren Patten. Sunday's show has been expanded from its typical three hours to four, with McDonald handing out Tonys for the first two hours and Leslie Odom Jr. hosting a “Broadway’s Back!” celebration for the second half, including the awarding of the top three trophies — best play revival, best play and best musical. The last Tony Awards ceremony was held in 2019. Several have restarted, including the so-called big three of “Wicked,” “Hamilton” and “The Lion King.”“Jagged Little Pill” goes into the telecast on the defensive, dogged by two controversies.

The red carpet for Sunday's Tony Awards has started and stars are praising the return of live theater after the pandemic shuttered theaters for more than a year.

“Moulin Rouge.

"Jagged Little Pill," the musical featuring songs and music written by Alanis Morissette, received the most nominations with 15.

Now it's time for the Tony Awards, celebrating an art form that really needs the boost — live theater. While other entertainment industries like TV and film found ways to restart during the pandemic, Broadway was unable until now due to financial and physical impediments. The lifting of all capacity restrictions was crucial to any reopening since Broadway economics demand full venue capacity. The last Tony Awards ceremony was held in 2019. The virus forced Broadway theaters to abruptly close on March 12, 2020, knocking out all shows and scrambling the spring season.

“Moulin Rouge.

See Lin-Manuel Miranda, Idina Menzel, Leslie Odom Jr. Jake Gyllenhaal and more at the 74th annual Tony Awards.

Many of Broadway’s biggest lights — including Kristin Chenoweth, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Chita Rivera and Idina Menzel — will make appearances at Sunday’s TV celebration of Broadway’s return.

This week’s new entertainment releases include new albums from rapper Diddy and “Star Trek” star William Shatner, as well as Melissa McCarthy playing a grief-stricken mother in the Netflix drama “The Starling.”.

Theater-Tony Hosts Leslie Odom Jr. presents an award at the 72nd annual Tony Awards in New York on June 10, 2018, left, and Audra McDonald presents an award at the 73rd annual Tony Awards in New York on June 9, 2019. Producers of the Tony Awards telecast announced Monday that McDonald will host the award ceremony on Sept. 26, followed by a two-hour celebration of Broadway's return, hosted by Odom. The bulk of the Tonys will only be accessible to Paramount+ customers while Odom's special, which will award the three top awards: best play, best play revival and best musical, will air on CBS. (AP Photo) (Uncredited)NEW YORK — (AP) — The long-delayed Tony Awards have landed two impressive master of ceremonies: Tony- and Grammy-winning singer and actor Leslie Odom Jr. will host a splashy TV special, and the awards will be hosted by Tony-, Grammy- and Emmy Award-winning actor and singer Audra McDonald. Capping the evening will be the awarding of the three top awards: best play, best play revival and best musical.

The long-delayed Tony Awards have landed two impressive master of ceremonies — Tony- and Grammy-winning singer and actor Leslie Odom Jr. will host a splashy TV special and the awards will be hosted by Tony-, Grammy- and Emmy Award-winning actor and singer Audra McDonald.

A wide Broadway coalition of theater owners, producers, union leaders, creators and casting directors have hammered out a series of reforms and commitments for the theater industry to ensure equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility.

How have Hollywood and Broadway responded to an exposé detailing routine abuse and bullying by producer Scott Rudin.

Mary-Louise Parker attends the Broadway opening of "After Midnight" on Nov. 3, 2013 in New York, left, and Meryl Streep arrives at the premiere of the film 'The Laundromat' at the 76th edition of the Venice Film Festival, Venice, Italy, on Sept. 1, 2019. Parker and Streep have signed on to perform in a new virtual play series this spring while Broadway is closed. (AP Photo)NEW YORK – Meryl Streep, Mary-Louise Parker, Audra McDonald, Kevin Klein, Carla Gugino and Keanu Reeves have signed on to perform in a new virtual play series this spring while Broadway is closed. The series kicks off Thursday with “The Thanksgiving Play” by Larissa FastHorse, directed by Leigh Silverman starring Reeves, Bobby Cannavale, Heidi Schreck and Alia Shawkat. The next show — on April 8 — will feature “Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous” by Pearl Cleage directed by Camille A.

FILE - This JuNe 9, 2019 photo shows a view of the stage prior to the start of the 73rd annual Tony Awards in New York. Nominations for the American Theatre Wings 74th Annual Tony Awards will be announced on Thursday, Oct. 15. Nominations for Tony Awards will be announced Thursday with just 18 eligible plays and musicals making the cut, a fraction of the 34 shows the season before. One category — best musical revival — has no eligible shows at all. The 2020 Tony Awards ceremony will be broadcast digitally and take place this fall, at a date still to be announced.