5/2/05 - 5/8/05

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— Geeks rule as The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opens at Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre, becoming the final new tuner of the Broadway season. The talented cast was deservedly honored recently with a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble.

— Desperate Housewives diva Felicity Huffman hosts the Atlantic Theater Company's 20th Anniversary Gala at the Rainbow Room. Honoring the theater's founders David Mamet (left) and hubby William H. Macy, Huffman will welcome friends of the off-Broadway company including Steve Martin, Julia Stiles, Christine Lahti, Camryn Manheim, Patti LuPone, Joel Grey, Kristen Johnston and more.

— Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham stars in Terence Rattigan's Man and Boy in a special benefit performance for the Acting Company at the Signature Theatre at 555 West 42nd Street. Abraham stars as Gregory Antonesco, the world's greatest financier who manipulates his estranged son, an obscure jazz composer, into unwittingly playing a part in his latest ethically-questionable business move.

— Former Bare star (and up-and-coming composer) Michael Arden returns to Joe's Pub at 9:30pm. Beyond original tunes, Arden will perform works by Adam Guettel, Ricky Ian Gordon and Tom Kitt. $15.

— Broadway diva Emily Skinner makes her directorial debut, heading Broadway by the Year: 1955, the latest edition of the popular concert series at Town Hall. Expect songs from shows like Damn Yankees, Silk Stockings, Plain & Fancy and Ankles Aweigh performed by stars including Dee Hoty, Patti Cohenour. Liz Larsen, Justin Bohon, Raymond Jaramillo McLeod and Shannon Lewis.

— Lonely Sky, a brand-new theater company, is kicking off its inaugural season with Hear and Now, a concert series at Opia featuring the works of contemporary composers. Performers including Jeffrey Kuhn, Megan Hilty and Nikki Rene Daniels will turn the spotlight on songwriters Jeff Blumenkrantz, Neil Bartram, Steven Jamail, Peter Foley and Kate Chisholm. 9pm.

— Legendary director and producer Hal Prince will be saluted by the New York Festival of Song at Shelly's New York, 104 West 57th Street. Titled "A Prince of a Fella!," the evening will feature Mary Cleere Haran. Marin Mazzie, Jason Danieley and Brent Barrett.

— Decca Broadway releases the original Broadway cast recording of Spamalot, featuring 25 tracks and hundreds of laughs.

— Ghostlight Records' original cast recording of Little Women also hits record stores. The album features Sutton Foster as Jo and Maureen McGovern as Marmee.

— After a mini-tour fraught with offstage drama, Christina Applegate (left) opens in Sweet Charity at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Co-starring Denis O'Hare, the musical comedy follows an unlucky-in-love dance hall hostess. If buzz is any indication, Applegate will have far better luck than her onstage counterpart.

— Is life gay after 40? Find out at Trolls, a new musical celebrating the most dedicated theatergoers-middle-aged gay men. The producers promise that it's The Boys in the Band meets The Sunshine Boys.

— Oliver Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer starts previews at the Irish Repertory Theatre. Following a young couple whose parents have arranged, the show features Remak Ramsay, Patricia O'Connell and Danielle Ferland in the cast.

— A theater-themed online soap, actor/author Scott Logsdon's The Glamorous Life has been winning readers for years now. Been missing out? Today's a perfect day to start in on all the backstage drama and intrigue as the series' second volume receives an encore publishing.

— Just in time for Mother's Day, the company of Little Women meets the fans at a special signing of their brand-new Ghostlight Records original cast album. The signing will be held in the lobby of the Virginia Theatre from 4:30 - 5:30pm.

— Gregg Edelman (left) starts previews as Charles Lindbergh in Flight, which follows 14 years in the aviator's life, including from his historic flight to Paris and the kidnapping of his son. Brian d'Arcy James and Kerry O'Malley co-star in the drama at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.

— Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz celebrates opening night of his latest, a children's musical about friendship. In the show, young Louie feels lonely and without friends in his new neighborhood. Looking for something to cheer himself up on Halloween Night, Louie returns to his old friends in an imaginative journey on the wings of his favorite toy, his little red plane.