Charlie Chaplin may be remembered as one of the most iconic silent film stars of all time, and his slapstick comedy provided the inspiration for gads of goofiness that still goes on today. But life wasn’t always a ball of chuckles for Charlie, and now there’s a Broadway show that depicts what it was like to be Charlie Chaplin.

The show will come from La Jolla Playhouse where it began its initial run almost two years ago under the name Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin; and it will begin previewing at the Barrymore Theater on Broadway on August 21, 2012 with an official opening booked for September 10.

The production crew includes director and choreographer, Warren Carlyle, who also worked on the La Jolla production; and it was written by composer, lyricist and writer, Christopher Curtis; and co-writer Thomas Meehan, who also has the credits of Hairspray and Annie behind his name. Producers Bob and Mindy Rich from Rich Entertainment Group will be producing the Broadway production, who are also producing the Broadway shows currently running, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Leap of Faith. There is no word on whether the cast from La Jolla will be taking part in the Broadway production.

While most know Charlie Chaplin for his comedic dance routines and his goofball idiosyncrasies, there was a lot behind the silence of the screen. This play will do a wonderful job of depicting just how much there was to Charlie Chaplin behind those silly routines, and is sure to get the rave reviews it received at La Jolla.

There has been perhaps no Broadway production that has undergone as many changes as the highly-anticipated, $12 million production Broadway showing of Flashdance. First it was set to open in New York this fall, after having a “pre-Broadway” tryout in Toronto. Now all that has changed and instead the summer will be used as a creative workshop, Toronto will be included as part of a North American tour, and Flashdance will finally land on Broadway in the fall of 2013.

Many rumors have flown about concerning what the holdup has been with the show, but fuel was added to the fire after Leap of Faith, produced by the same Marc Routh that’s producing Flashdance, is going to close out on Broadway this weekend with a $14 million loss. But, Routh says, the delay in the production has been due to theater constraints and the fact that the play needed more creative work; not the fact that the producers have run into money problems.

It was that creative work that prompted the workshop in Toronto this summer, rather than running the show as planned. Not wanting to leave Torontonians out, and seeing an opportunity to give the show even more exposure, a North American tour was planned, although dates have not yet been officially announced. It’s also at that Toronto workshop that producers will present the show to more investors, trying to collect the small remainder of the $12 million that’s needed to put on the show.

While most Broadway theaters are already booked for this coming fall, Routh is hopeful that after many of them close after the Christmas holidays as they typically do, Flashdance will have many options.

Tom Hanks has mostly been known for his huge acting roles in movies like Apollo 13, Castaway, and most recently, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. But now, Hanks may be ready to take to the stage and all we’re waiting for is confirmation from Hanks himself.

The play is called Stories About McAlary, and it was originally set to be a movie directed by Mike Nichols, who also directed one of Tom’s biggest hits, Sleepless in Seattle; and is written by Nora Ephron, who wrote one of Hanks’ earlier successes, Forrest Gump. Since starting the project, Ephron has changed her mind and decided to take it to the Great White Way instead; and Hanks has not yet decided if he’ll continue on with the production.

The story is about journalist Mike McAlary, who won a Pulitzer prize after writing a piece about New York Police Department officers that assaulted a Haitian security guard in 1997. It’s not the first time the story has been told, as it’s been depicted several times both on stage and on film. And while it will be Tom Hanks’ Broadway debut, should he choose to participate, it won’t be his first time onstage. Back in 1979, before Hanks even appeared in the television comedy, Bosom Buddies, he performed in an Off Broadway show, The Mandrake, directed by Daniel Southern.

Should Hanks take on the role, he’ll be very busy. He’s also recently agreed to be part of Disney movie in which he’ll play the part of Walt Disney. The movie will follow the story of Disney and how it took the filmmaker 20 years to obtain the rights for Mary Poppins from the original author, P.L. Travers.

The Lion King has become nearly as popular and synonymous with Broadway as The Phantom of the Opera, so it shouldn’t be surprising to know that the former has now broken The Phantom’s record of being the highest-grossing show at the Broadway box office.

The record has been broken, but just barely. Since Phantom opened on Broadway in 1988, it has grossed $853.1 million. Lion King on the other hand, opening nearly a decade later in 1997, has grossed $853.8 million since its opening. A spokesperson at Disney Theatrical Productions said that the estimates had not been adjusted to reflect the inflation rate, and that the figures for both shows are based on total gross ticket sales for Broadway productions only, and that shows done in other global venues have not been considered.

But does this really make Lion King more popular than Phantom? It’s hard to say without inflation being worked into the numbers, but even more difficult to guess when you consider the difference between ticket prices for the two shows. A report from the Broadway League, the national trade association for Broadway, the average ticket price for The Lion King is $155.09; while tickets for Phantom come in at an average of only $98.97.

Thomas Schumacher, president of Disney Theatrical, says that there is one person responsible for the success of The Lion King — director Julie Taymor. He says, “Her vision, continued commitment to the show and uncommon artistry account for this extraordinary success.”

The Lion King is currently playing at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre in Orlando, Florida with shows running through until May 13.

What would you rather go see? The Lion King, or The Phantom of the Opera?

Newsies is a musical that has had its share of ups and downs. The 1992 movie starring the rising star Christian Bale and veterans Robert Duvall and Bill Pullman wasn’t well received at the time, but a cult following has since developed over the years. The music was created by the well known Alan Menken, who later earned accolades with a string of musical hits such as Little Shop of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and other Disney or Disney-esque productions. If you are a fan then you may be delighted to hear about Newsies the Musical, which is based on the film.

This musical is about the true story of the Newsie (or Newsboys for those not down with the lingo) strike in 1899 that happened in New York City. Street urchins, orphans and runaways busting out tunes while trying to get by, by selling newspapers on the corner may seem an odd choice for a musical, until you remember other big hits like Annie and Oliver. These boys are charming, the story is captivating, and the music will have your toes tapping in no time. If you loved the movie, you are sure to be captivated by seeing your favorite songs performed live. If you have never seen the film then you are in for a treat of an experience, with a production that seems all new and too good to be true!

The musical is currently showing in New York at the Nederlander Theatre, and the reviews are excellent! In order to gain some exposure and spread the word, the cast and composer Alan Menken appeared on The View TV show and performed hits “Seize the Day” and “Santa Fe”. The “King of New York” was performed during the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Don’t be surprised if another film version is planned soon, based on the high popularity of the new Broadway show!

The original engagement was only running until June 10, 2012, but thanks to excited audiences, the show has been extended to August 19, 2012. That doesn’t give you very much time to pack your bags and make it to New York, so it is best to start planning now!