Hall of Fame

Roger was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame on Monday night in New York. Rick Elice spoke on his behalf during the ceremony.

Pilgrims

Roger stars as William Bradford in "The Pilgrims", a drama documentary broadcast by PBS this Thanksgiving week. The first part will be shown on 24 November at 8 pm.

More information at: PBS.

A short preview in which Roger appears is at A quote from William Bradford.

Hall of Fame

The 2015 Theater Hall of Fame Ceremony is held tonight, November 16, at 7:30 PM at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre. Roger will be one of the inductees. Rick Elice is listed as one of the presenters.

Details at Playbill.

Theater Hall of Fame

It was announced yesterday that Roger will be posthumously inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame on 16 November. Fellow inductees will be playwright Tony Kushner, songwriting partners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, director Julie Taymor, director Robert Falls, actor Stacy Keach, lighting designer Ken Billington, Broadway publicist Merle Debuskey -

See more at: Playbill.

The Memorial Service

Several reports on the service have appeared:


From Variety:

"The crowd of attendees filled the orchestra and extended up to the first and second balcony of the New Amsterdam. During the event, an emotional McNally, who wrote the book for “The Visit,” remembered the impact of watching Rees deliver his character’s climactic line from the end of the show. “‘I’m ready.’ It was only a line from a script,” McNally remembered. “But I think Roger was ready. We were the ones who weren’t ready.”"

Full story at Variety.


Jeremy Gerard, Deadline Hollywood:

"McNally was followed by Chita Rivera, Rees’ co-star in The Visit, who lamented coming into his circle later than the others and who sang “Love And Alone” — stunningly — from that show."

Full story at Trove.


From Reel Life With Jane, written by Melanie Votaw:

"Finty Williams, the daughter of Judi Dench, spoke on behalf of both herself and her mother, saying that when Williams was four years old, she asked Rees to marry her."

Full story on Reel Life With Jane.


Playbill also has a full report:

"Bebe Neuwirth, a frequent Rees collaborator/co-star, took to the stage next and performed a powerhouse rendition of "The Bilbao Song" by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht, from a show Rees had conceived and directed for her at the now-defunct Zipper Theatre, Here Lies Jenny. "This is for Roger, as directed by Roger," she said."

Full story at Playbill.

Memorial

The memorial for Roger takes place today at 1 PM at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York. I wish I could be there, but I am in "old" Amsterdam. My thoughts will be there.

I first met Roger just a few years ago at the stage door of the Apollo Theatre in London, a meeting I will never forget. I was in London when I heard he had passed away and went back to that stage door. When I was in London last week I went back again, for my own little memorial.

Memorial in New York

A memorial for Roger will be held September 21 at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre. The hour-long memorial, celebrating his life, will begin at 1 PM.

See more at: Playbill.

Alex Timbers Remembers Roger

Alex Timbers, who directed "Peter and the Starcatcher" with Roger wrote this lovely tribute for American Theatre Magazine.

Broadway Lights

Yesterday Broadway dimmed its lights to honour Roger. Michael Patrick Walker posted a short film on   Twitter

Dimming the Broadway Lights

Broadway theatres will dim their lights for a minute to honour Roger on July 15 at 7.45 pm. 

See broadway.com

Tributes

Many tributes are being paid to Roger. A lovely one was published on The Shakespeare Blog.

The obituary in The Guardian.

And some reactions from other friends and colleagues  The Guardian.

A piece from the New York Daily News.

To Remember

Sadly, Roger passed away last Friday. Only 71 years old. I loved his work, have been a great fan for over 30 years. When you are a fan like that meeting the person you admire can be a disappointment, but I am so happy to have met him a few times in recent years, to have been able to speak to him, and to find out that he was a generous, loving, gracious, kind man, with a quick mind, a big heart and a huge enthusiasm for his work. I remember all the work, and I remember a lovely, lovely man. I am so glad over the past day or so to have been reading so many people remembering him just this way.

When I first approached him in London and explained I had created a website for him, he immediately knew who I was, invited me into his dressing room and made me feel special. He always did when I met him again. I feel like I've lost a friend because he made me feel I was his friend.

Drama League Awards

Yesterday Roger attended the 81st Annual Drama League Awards Ceremony and Luncheon. Some pictures at: Zimbio.

Happy Birthday, Roger!

Recording Pictures

Both Theatermania and Broadway World have posted pictures of yesterdays recording session.

David Gordon's group picture for Theatermania:

Walter McBride's picture of Roger with Chita Rivera and John Kander for Broadway World:

Full stories and more pictures at: Theatermania and Broadway World.

Tony Nominations

"The Visit" was nominated for best musical, best book, best score, best lighting design, and Chita Rivera was nominated for best actress in a musical!

Cast Album

Today the cast album of "The Visit" was recorded!

Roger Rees recording "I Know Claire"! Other than @TheVisitMusical what is your favorite Roger Rees performance? pic.twitter.com/8zSJZp5hSD

— Broadway Records (@BwayRecords) April 27, 2015

@Chita_Rivera and Roger Rees on a short break while #recording @TheVisitMusical #playbill #legends pic.twitter.com/SYisU0b5lx

— Broadway Records (@BwayRecords) April 27, 2015

Curtain Call

The #VisitOpening curtain call. pic.twitter.com/5SaudgOoXn

— The Visit - Musical (@TheVisitMusical) April 24, 2015

As tweeted by "The Visit"!

Opening Night Pictures

Theater Mania and Broadway.com have picture galleries of "The Visit"s opening night!

Squigs

Broadway.com resident artist Justin “Squigs” Robertson has created his portrait of the cast of "The Visit":

For the original story see Broadway.com.