Guests of honor are at our March 18 Broadway Birthday bash are Sutton Foster, Vanessa “Sondheim On Sondheim” Williams, the late Peter Graves (who played on Broadway for 4 days in 1962), and Mr. John “Chicago” Kander who will hold a place on the Broadway Mount Rushmore, as soon as Mayor Bloomberg builds it.

Don’t be shy. Have some chips and punch and celebrate these great Broadway birthdays.

Bonus History Special Gift: On March 18^th 1907, The Silver Box was launched at the Empire Theatre. Starring musical veteran Bruce McRae as leading man to a young Ethel Barrymore, the play produced by John Galsworth highlighted the injustices suffered by the poor in the court of law. Broadway shows its social conscience, and Ethel struts her stuff.

By Eva Hogan, Broadway Magazine

Pick up your Birthday Cake, candles, and All That Jazz with us on Twitter. Hot-cha.

At South By Southwest, Broadway Magazine was featured in a selection of magazine samples offered by MagCloud highlighting their state-of-the-art printing technology. Magcloud handles the actual shipping and printing of our on-demand monthly issues. Well, Paul Gillin from Newspaper Death Watch which chronicles the decline of newspapers and the “rebirth of journalism” took a look at our latest issue and described it as “beautiful.” Read his full article here.

With Stephen Sondheim on the cover, articles about The Miracle Worker, Million Dollar Quartet, Memphis, All About Me and Dame Edna, Lea Salonga, A Behanding In Spokane, Juke Box Musical round-up and more; we’d like to think you’d find our current issue beautiful too. Our past issues are pretty attractive too, btw.

You can see for yourself and flip through the past issues of our on-line edition here. Until March 21 all issues of Broadway Magazine are 25% off too.

Thank you again to everyone who continues to help grow and shape Broadway Magazine. Remember, if you love Broadway, we love you. Join us.

While everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, these playwright’s have a more direct connection to the Emerald Isle on the other 364 days of the year. Only one play per playwright included please, Mr. Shaw. Top of The Broadway to you all, and thank you Spinner Quinn!

Playboy Of The Western World
by J. M. Synge: No one beats Christy Mahon (or his dad, for that matter). This classic Irish comedy has just the right touch of wild violence and genuine pathos that make it a world classic.

Juno And The Paycock by Sean O’Casey: Strong female characters and a powerful portrait of the fragility, failings, and true reliance of the human spirit. O’Casey deserves a greater appreciation and if you only read one Irish play today, make it this one.

The Importance Of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde: Trinty College, Dublin alum Oscar Wilde changed the world of theatre forever, and will forever hold a place at the table of great playwrights from any country. To honor him, pick up a handbag and leave it at the train station.

Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett: They don’t get any better or as important as this one. Sure Beckett wrote it in French and the show was first produced in Paris, but what could be more Irish than that. Nothing to be done. The production wowed Broadway with critical claim last season, and remains a staple of world theatre.

The Quare Fellow by Brendan Behan: Of course The Hostage is a great play too. Behan knew Irish prisons, and this potent play again strikes that magical note which rings both comic and tragic, as the story of a man about to be hung unfolds on the stage.

The Beauty Queen Of Leenane by Martin McDonagh: Sure A Behanding in Spokane is all the rage on Broadway now, but our pick to represent Mr. McDonagh would have to be Beauty Queen. Tough, funny, raw, tragic, and everything in-between. It remains our favorite play from Mr. McDonagh.

The Seafarer by Conor McPherson: Nominated for a 2008 Tony Award, this is our entry to represent McPherson, who continues to bring his own brand of Irish magic to Broadway. The Seafarer brought the devil to the stage on Christmas Eve…to play cards—and drink.

Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw: While Shaw at heart feels so very English, there is no denying his Irish heritage. Actually, he’s from a planet all his own. Picking one play from Shaw to represent him is a bit lame…but we’ll do it anyway. Pygmalion is simply a great play, and recently enjoyed a Broadway revival replete with homo-erotic overtones and a very funny Claire Danes.

Dancing At Lughnasa by Brian Friel: Of course, Translations enjoyed a recent run on Broadway, but we’re opting for Dancing At Lughnasa as our favorite from Friel or our “Frievorite” as they say somewhere in the world. A memory play with both joy and pain—and a large Irish heart. Could a Broadway revival of this gem be far behind?

She Stoops To Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith: About as funny a play as you can get. Great lines, funny situations, and insightful characters. Goldsmith’s gem is an emerald classic, and to think he hails from Ireland too.

Don’t agree with us. We’ll drink to you all the same, but do tell us what we missed. For more great Irish plays, we refer you to a list from Vincent Dowling, who even finds a way to get Hamlet into the mix as one of the greatest Irish plays ever written. Check it out here.

For More from Spinner Quinn visit us at Twitter…see how Green we are today!

WINNER! 2009 Olivier Award, Best Actor in a Musical – DOUGLAS HODGE
WINNER!  2009 Critics’ Circle Theatre Award – BEST MUSICAL

LONGACRE THEATRE BOX OFFICE NOW OPEN FOR

KELSEY GRAMMER                  DOUGLAS HODGE
in

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES

Music and lyrics by JERRY HERMAN                  Book by HARVEY FIERSTEIN

Choreography by LYNNE PAGE
Directed by TERRY JOHNSON

Previews begin Tuesday, April 6
Opening Night, Sunday, April 18

Photo: LaCage.com

Get Great Deals On Your Tickets For LA CAGE Right Here!

On June 19, ”Cats” becomes the longest-running musical in Broadway history, overtaking ”A Chorus Line,” which ran for 6,137 performances. To mark the occasion, the show’s producers are bringing back Laurie Beechman in the role of Grizabella from May 16 to Sept. 14.

Now and Forever…almost.

-Ashley Trombley, Broadway Magazine

Join us on Twitter for more Broadway history that you must know immediately.

Sigourney Weaver is the star of the biggest movie of all time, Avatar, which at last count has earned nearly 3 Billion dollars at the box office, not to mention winning big at the Academy Awards last week.Lastnight in NYC, Weaver was being honored for her work in the Lifetime movie Prayers For Bobby, the movie, about a boy’s suicide because he was gay, and a mother’s grief and longing to understand how she could change for the better, won the Glaad award for Outstanding TV Movie.

Sigourney starred in Prayers For Bobby a couple of years ago, and she could have never imagined how the success of Avatar would help in getting the message out that we are all equal.

Watch the inspiring video with Sigourney Weaver and why James Cameron’s Avatar has helped in more way’s than one, and why Jim would be proud that his film helped support Prayers For Bobby.

And if you haven’t yet, watch Prayers For Bobby.

Joy Behar is a passionate person, and Glaad coudn’t ask for a better advocate for equal human rights.

Behar spoke to on why she is so passionate about having a voice for people that feel powerless to stand up for themselves, why she loves Ellen on Idol, and why the kids from The Jersey Shore need help.

Watch to find out why the amazing Joy Behar received the Excellence in Media Award at the 2010 Glaad Awards.

Most know Reichen Lehmkuhl as the former Air Force Pilot, and season 4 winner of The Amazing Race where he and his partner were the first gay couple to win the reality series.

We caught up with Lehmkuhl at the 2010 Glaad Awards last night in New York and talked to him about his new Off-Broadway show.

We couldn’t be more excited for Lehmkuhl as he is about to star Off-Broadway in My Big Gay Italian Wedding.

Watch the video to see what Lehmkuhl had to say!

The 2010 Glaad Awards was a star studded event, and one of the stud star’s we caught up with was Ugly Betty and Off-Broadway star of The Temperamentals, Michael Urie.

Urie and cast told us how much Glaad means to them, and why they love there Off-Broadway show The Temperamentals.

The cast also told us how excited they are for Vanessa Williams and her new Broadway show Sondheim on Sondheim.

In the last few weeks we have caught up with Sarah Paulson several times, at The Miracle Worker opening, A Behanding In Spokane opening, and lastnight at the 2010 Glaad Awards.

Paulson talked about her new Broadway show Collected Stories and her co-star Linda Lavin, and how much she loved Time Stands Still on Broadway, and why she is obsessed with the Real Housewives of New York City star Jill Zarin.