Clay David

The African-American Shakespeare Company will present Noël Coward's classic Private Lives, directed by Clay David for six performances only this April. This draws their 2019/20 season to a close, a season that has seen the company mount a much-praised Othello, their annual holiday Cinderella, and the dramatic satire The Trial of One Short-Sighted Black Woman vs. Mammy Louise and Safreeta Mae.

The African-American Shakespeare Company begins its 25th season with an ambitious and varied slate of programming. Established in 1994 by professional theater artists from the American Conservatory Theatre as an alternative to the 'Color Blind Casting' initiative that began in the early 90s, the company flourished by bringing its artists rich cultural heritage to the fore. 

Bay Area Musicals (Matthew McCoy, Founder & Artistic Director, and AeJay Mitchell, Managing Director) is thrilled to announce the full cast and creative team for the final production of the Company's 2018-2019 season, the international smash hit HAIRSPRAY (Winner of 8 Tony Awards including "Best Musical"). Based on the 1988 John Waters film, HAIRSPRAY features music by Mark Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman & Mark Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell & Thomas Meehan.

Bay Area Musicals has announced the full cast and creative team for the final production of the Company's 2018-2019 season, the international smash hit HAIRSPRAY (Winner of 8 Tony Awards including "Best Musical"). Based on the 1988 John Waters film, HAIRSPRAY features music by Mark Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman & Mark Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell & Thomas Meehan.

Lux Prima, the collaborative album from Karen Oand Danger Mouse, is out today on BMG—listenhere. The album features the widely acclaimed tracks “Woman,” “Turn The Light” and the nine-minute opener “Lux Prima.”

Karen O and Danger Mouse unveil “Turn The Light” from their forthcoming collaborative album, Lux Prima, today—listen here. Lux Prima is out this Friday, March 15 on BMG.

Bay Area Musicals presents the Tony Award-nominated VIOLET. Inspired by the short story 'The Ugliest Pilgrim' by Doris Betts, the World Premiere 1997 Off-Broadway production of VIOLET won the Drama Critics' Circle Award and Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, and the revised version that debuted on Broadway in 2014 was Tony Award-nominated. Featuring a folk/bluegrass/gospel-flavored score from Tony Award-winning composer Jeanine Tesori (CAROLINE, OR CHANGE; THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE; SHREK; FUN HOME) and book and lyrics by the acclaimed Brian Crawley (A LITTLE PRINCESS), VIOLET has been astounding critics and audiences alike for over two decades.

Karen O and Danger Mouse will premier their multisensory art installation this spring at Los Angeles' prestigious Marciano Art Foundation. “An Encounter with Lux Prima,” an immersive, communal listening experience soundtracked by the pair's forthcoming album, unites their singular creative vision with groundbreaking audiovisual technologies. “An Encounter” sees the duo collaborate with an illustrious cast of fellow artists including creative director Barnaby Clay (David Bowie—“Life On Mars” Revisited, SHOT!), Oscar-nominated sound designer Ren Klyce (Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Fight Club), renowned lighting designer Tobias Rylander (Robyn, The xx, FKA twigs), visual artist Davy Evans and creative consultant Warren Fu (Daft Punk, The Weeknd, Depeche Mode) to bring Lux Prima to life. Further collaborating with projection mapping innovator Travis Threlkel—co-founder and chief creative officer of MSG's Obscura Digital, George Lucas' Skywalker Sound and Meyer Sound, the installation plays across every sense and is intended as the living, touring nucleus of the duo's forthcoming collaborative album,Lux Prima.

Bay Area Musicals presents the Tony Award-nominated VIOLET. Inspired by the short story "The Ugliest Pilgrim" by Doris Betts, the World Premiere 1997 Off-Broadway production of VIOLET won the Drama Critics' Circle Award and Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, and the revised version that debuted on Broadway in 2014 was Tony Award-nominated. Featuring a folk/bluegrass/gospel-flavored score from Tony Award-winning composer Jeanine Tesori (CAROLINE, OR CHANGE; THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE; SHREK; FUN HOME) and book and lyrics by the acclaimed Brian Crawley (A LITTLE PRINCESS), VIOLET has been astounding critics and audiences alike for over two decades.

Bay Area Musicals presents the Tony Award-nominated VIOLET. Inspired by the short story 'The Ugliest Pilgrim' by Doris Betts, the World Premiere 1997 Off-Broadway production of VIOLET won the Drama Critics' Circle Award and Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, and the revised version that debuted on Broadway in 2014 was Tony Award-nominated.

Bay Area Musicals (Matthew McCoy, Founder & Artistic Director, and AeJay Mitchell, Managing Director) has announced the full cast and creative team for the Company's first 2019 production, the Tony Award-nominated VIOLET. Inspired by the short story 'The Ugliest Pilgrim' by Doris Betts, the World Premiere 1997 Off-Broadway production of VIOLET won the Drama Critics' Circle Award and Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, and the revised version that debuted on Broadway in 2014 was Tony Award-nominated. Featuring a folk/bluegrass/gospel-flavored score from Tony Award-winning composer Jeanine Tesori (CAROLINE, OR CHANGE; THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE; SHREK; FUN HOME) and book and lyrics by the acclaimed Brian Crawley (A LITTLE PRINCESS), VIOLET has been astounding critics and audiences alike for over two decades.

Bay Area Musicals (Matthew McCoy, Founder & Artistic Director, and AeJay Mitchell, Managing Director) has announced the full cast and creative team for the Company's first 2019 production, the Tony Award-nominated VIOLET. Inspired by the short story "The Ugliest Pilgrim" by Doris Betts, the World Premiere 1997 Off-Broadway production of VIOLET won the Drama Critics' Circle Award and Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, and the revised version that debuted on Broadway in 2014 was Tony Award-nominated. Featuring a folk/bluegrass/gospel-flavored score from Tony Award-winning composer Jeanine Tesori (CAROLINE, OR CHANGE; THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE; SHREK; FUN HOME) and book and lyrics by the acclaimed Brian Crawley (A LITTLE PRINCESS), VIOLET has been astounding critics and audiences alike for over two decades.

Bay Area Musicals (Matthew McCoy, Founder & Artistic Director, and AeJay Mitchell, Managing Director) has announced the full cast and creative team for the first production of the Company' 2018-2019 season, CRAZY FOR YOU. Winner of the Tony and the Olivier Awards for Best Musical, CRAZY FOR YOU has wowed audiences on Broadway, the West End and around the world, reimagining classic Gershwin songs into a hilarious new book musical.  The show-stopping production will be an intimate version of the large-scale musical featuring the original Tony Award-winning choreography of Susan Stroman, recreated by Director/Choreographer Matthew McCoy.

Bay Area Musicals (Matthew McCoy, Founder & Artistic Director, and AeJay Mitchell, Managing Director) has announced the full cast and creative team for the first production of the Company' 2018-2019 season, CRAZY FOR YOU. Winner of the Tony and the Olivier Awards for Best Musical, CRAZY FOR YOU has wowed audiences on Broadway, the West End and around the world, reimagining classic Gershwin songs into a hilarious new book musical.  The show-stopping production will be an intimate version of the large-scale musical featuring the original Tony Award-winning choreography of Susan Stroman, recreated by Director/Choreographer Matthew McCoy.  

Bay Area Musicals (Matthew McCoy, Founder & Artistic Director, and AeJay Mitchell, Managing Director) has announced the full cast and creative team for the first production of the Company' 2018-2019 season, CRAZY FOR YOU. Winner of the Tony and the Olivier Awards for Best Musical, CRAZY FOR YOU has wowed audiences on Broadway, the West End and around the world, reimagining classic Gershwin songs into a hilarious new book musical. The show-stopping production will be an intimate version of the large-scale musical featuring the original Tony Award-winning choreography of Susan Stroman, recreated by Director/Choreographer Matthew McCoy.

Bay Area Musicals (Matthew McCoy, Founder & Artistic Director, and AeJay Mitchell, Managing Director) has announced the full cast and creative team for the first production of the Company' 2018-2019 season, CRAZY FOR YOU.

Clay David's professional career in theatre arts, from London, Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional theatre, national tours to educational and community theatre, has been recognized in the Bay Area as the "villain, rogue and libertine" of musical theatre.  His solo cabaret, VILLAINS AND VIXENS at Feinstein's at The Nikko, celebrates the misunderstood transgressors of classic, pop, R & B and musical theatre.  Clay David grins, "It's evil-licious!"

Bay Area Musical's production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame came to glorious life on opening night in San Francisco's Victoria Theatre in the heart of the Mission district this past weekend. The show, written by Peter Parnell with music and lyrics by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, is based on Victor Hugo's classic novel as well as the Disney animated film of the same name. This version of 'Hunchback' debuted in 2015 and immediately labored under the heft and ubiquitous branding of the Disney animation, when in fact it is much more of a tragedy in the manner of Les Miserables. As such, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a searing and evocative tour de force that didn't leave a dry eye in the house on opening night. Playing now through August 5, this professionally mounted production is an absolute must-see.

Bay Area Musicals (Matthew McCoy, Founder & Artistic Director, and AeJay Mitchell, Managing Director) has announced the full cast and creative team for the final production of the 2017-2018 season, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. Based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney animated feature, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME showcases the film's Academy Award-nominated score, as well as new songs by Tony and Academy Award-winners Alan Menken (LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, THE LITTLE MERMAID, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, ALADDIN, POCAHONTAS) and Stephen Schwartz (GODSPELL, PIPPIN, WICKED, POCAHONTAS). Peter Parnell's new book embraces story theatre and features verbatim passages from Hugo's gothic novel.

Bay Area Musicals (Matthew McCoy, Founder & Artistic Director, and AeJay Mitchell, Managing Director) has announced the full cast and creative team for the final production of the 2017-2018 season, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME.