Signature Theatre, keeper of the flame of Stephen Sondheim in the Washington, DC, area, begins its new production of Sondheim and George Furth's Merrily We Roll Along Sept. 4 in Arlington, VA.

Signature Theatre's new production of Merrily We Roll Along, starting Sept. 4 in Arlington, VA, will feature Will Gartshore as composer Franklin Shepard, Erik Liberman as lyricist Charlie Kringas and Tracy Lynn Olivera as writer Mary Flynn.

Members of the Broadway community gathered Nov. 17 to remember late Tony Award-winning Broadway legend Elaine Stritch. Emmy Award winner and Tony nominee Holland Taylor was among those who shared memorable stories from their times with the showbiz icon.

This month's column looks at Zero Mostel in Richard Lester's motion picture version of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum;" the classy film adaptation of Terrence Rattigan's Separate Tables; and Bob Fosse's remarkable "All That Jazz."

Supporters of Roundabout Theatre Company will witness a starry presentation of director Jessica Stone's all-male production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, the musical farce by Stephen Sondheim, Larry Gelbart and Burt Shevelove, Feb. 13 in Manhattan.

Supporters of Roundabout Theatre Company are being invited to a starry presentation of director Jessica Stone's all-male production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, the musical farce by Stephen Sondheim, Larry Gelbart and Burt Shevelove, on Feb. 13 in Manhattan.

RCA/BMG has continued its periodic series of CD transfers of long out-of-print original cast albums, bringing us two titles from the winter of 1967-68. Let us say, first and foremost, that RCA is to be admired for continuing to send this series of reissues our way. Some of them, presumably, make a little money, while others probably don't. RCA has maintained a strong presence in the current-day musical theatre -- next up, I understand, is Marie Christine -- and they seem to feel an obligation to give fans these little gifts; for this, we can be grateful. Other labels owned by international media conglomerates (as RCA is) seem not to be interested in spending time and money on obscure cast albums with little earning potential, thereby keeping some important scores out of the hands of the post-vinyl generation. RCA's present releases will surely please aficionados, although their overall appeal might be somewhat limited.

RCA/BMG has continued its periodic series of CD transfers of long out-of-print original cast albums, bringing us two titles from the winter of 1967-68. Let us say, first and foremost, that RCA is to be admired for continuing to send this series of reissues our way. Some of them, presumably, make a little money, while others probably don't. RCA has maintained a strong presence in the current-day musical theatre -- next up, I understand, is Marie Christine -- and they seem to feel an obligation to give fans these little gifts; for this, we can be grateful. Other labels owned by international media conglomerates (as RCA is) seem not to be interested in spending time and money on obscure cast albums with little earning potential, thereby keeping some important scores out of the hands of the post-vinyl generation. RCA's present releases will surely please aficionados, although their overall appeal might be somewhat limited.

(This is one in a series of Playbill.com features offering a periodic look back at Broadway and Playbill history, timed to accompany a new production or event of a show from theatre's past. The current production of The Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic Theatre will become the longest-running Broadway show in history Jan. 9, 2006. Here's a glimpse at the 1988 Playbill of the original production, with some perspective on the period.)

The undisputed granddaddy of American musicals, Show Boat, by composer Jerome Kern and lyricist-librettist Oscar Hammerstein II, steams into New York City June 10, this time as a starry one-night benefit concert for Carnegie Hall.

CAP21, the unique Manhattan not-for-profit that offers musical theatre training, produces Off-Broadway shows and presents readings of new works, will honor Broadway producer Julian Schlossberg and Tony Award-winning actor James Naughton at its annual benefit April 8.

The Prince Music Theater and the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amFAR) will make music together May 24 at a gala AIDS benefit honoring legendary Broadway producer-director Harold Prince.

The Los Angeles production of the musical Ragtime earned 16 nominations Oct. 1 in the annual Theatre LA Ovation Awards -- the most for any show in Ovation history.