Emily Peters

People's Light presents the Philadelphia premiere of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, a breathtaking adventure story based on the novel by two-time Newbery Award recipient, Kate DiCamillo (Because of Winn-Dixie, The Tale of Despereaux).

The Crested Butte Music Festival (CBMF) has announced its 2017 summer season, the first programmed under the new co-Artistic Directors, Dr. Emily Ondracek-Peterson and Dr. Erik Christian Peterson. The seven-week season will take place June 23-August 5, 2017 in the Mt. Crested Butte Mirror Palace, and includes outstanding performances in classical music, bluegrass, opera, Gypsy Jazz and more.

Iconotheatrix presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee April 6-15, 2017 at The MATCH (Midtown Arts and Theatre Center Houston). An eclectic group of mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming 'ding' of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves! At least the losers get a juice box. A riotous ride, complete with audience participation, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a fast-paced, crowd-pleasing, delightful den of comedic genius. 

Iconotheatrix presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee April 6-15, 2017 at The MATCH (Midtown Arts and Theatre Center Houston).

Iconotheatrix presents CARRIE: THE MUSICAL from October 20 to 23 at The MATCH. In this revamped, contemporary version of the famous (and infamous) 1988 production, we follow Carrie White (Courtlin Parisher), a young woman with telekinetic powers. An outcast at school, where she is bullied viciously for her differences, Carrie is also lost at home, with a fervently religious mother, Margaret White (guest artist, Rachel Landon). Pushed to the brink, Carrie's powers threaten to overwhelm her, and devour everyone around her in flame.

Iconotheatrix presents Carrie: The Musical October 20-23, 2016 at The MATCH (Midtown Arts and Theatre Center Houston). In this revamped, contemporary version of the famous (and infamous) 1988 production, Carrie: The Musical follows a young woman, Carrie White (Courtlin Parisher) with telekinetic powers. An outcast at school, where she is bullied viciously for her differences, Carrie is also lost at home, with a fervently religious mother, Margaret White (guest artist, Rachel Landon) whose love traps her in its maw. When PE teacher, Miss Gardner (guest artist Morgan Kaupert), kind classmate Sue Snell (Jackie Cortina), and boyfriend Tommy Ross (Brendan Morrow) reach out to try and help Carrie, it seems that for once, Carrie might have a shot at being accepted. But Chris Hargensen (Cassidy D'Agostino), the class's most vicious bully, and Billy Nolan (Alex Kerry), her not-so-bright boyfriend, have other ideas. Pushed to the brink, Carrie's powers threaten to overwhelm her, and devour everyone around her in flame.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents David Ives' uproarious comedy THE HEIR APPARENT, staged by award-winning director John Rando and featuring a stellar cast, led by heralded actor, Paxton Whitehead as Geronte. Rhyming couplets and contemporary slang abound in Ives' deliciously off-color tribute to Jean-Francois Regnard's comic masterpiece, Le Legataire universel-bringing eighteenth-century bawdiness into the twenty-first. Just in time for the holiday season, THE HEIR APPARENT will be presented in the Courtyard Theater now through January 17, 2016. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

In a recent interview with the Chicago Tribune, David Ives dished collaborating with Stephen Sondheim on his latest project. 

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces the full cast and creative team for David Ives' uproarious comedy The Heir Apparent, staged by award-winning director John Rando and featuring a stellar cast, led by heralded actor, Paxton Whitehead as Geronte. Rhyming couplets and contemporary slang abound in Ives' deliciously off-color tribute to Jean-Francois Regnard's comic masterpiece, Le Legataire universel-bringing eighteenth-century bawdiness into the twenty-first. Just in time for the holiday season, The Heir Apparent will be presented in the Courtyard Theater November 29, 2015-January 17, 2016.

Music Theatre International Chairman and CEO Freddie Gershon and his wife Myrna hosted eight outstanding educators from schools and performing arts centers around the country for four days of classes and activities honoring them for working to make a difference for their students and communities through the process of staging musical theatre productions in their schools and educational theatre groups.  The event known as the 6th Annual FREDDIE G FELLOWSHIP culminated in a gala dinner at Chez Josephine on July 11th.  Joining the festivities were Broadway greats Bernadette Peters and Brian d'Arcy James. Scroll down for photos!

The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies and the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center presented a sold-out concert version of SWEENEY TODD at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center in Johnstown, PA on Sunday, February 15, 2015. The concert proceeds will benefit the Arts Coalition of the Alleghenies.

The Demon Barber of Fleet Street will make it's Johnstown debut on February 15, 2015. The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies and the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center have completed casting for their benefit presentation of SWEENEY TODD in Concert at Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center on Sunday, February 15, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. The concert proceeds will benefit the Arts Coalition of the Alleghenies, according to Michael Bodolosky, Executive Director.

Christopher Durang won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play with this hilarious comedy.

It is gratifying that Christopher Durang's latest comedy, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, which is assuredly going to be produced in time by every community theater company in the country, gets its Baltimore premiere in style at Center Stage, as a sort of reference production by which other local ones can be gauged. The show, which rolled out over the last two years in regional test runs, then at the Lincoln Center, and then on Broadway, where it closed last year, is in joint production here with the Kansas City Repertory Theatre. The fun seems effortless; with a solid cast and wonderful direction by Eric Rosen at Center Stage, of course nothing is going to go wrong. But I'm willing to bet it would take a lot of trying to do this well-made play badly; I expect we'll find out.

Previews begin at Center Stage next week for Christopher Durang's Tony Award-winning comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. A co-production with Kansas City Repertory Theatre, the show arrives from a run that was hailed by critics as 'Undeniably funny' and 'excellent!' (Kansas City Star). The co-production is under the direction of Kansas City Rep's Artistic Director Eric Rosen, and brings to Baltimore three of Kansas City's cast members, including Tony Award-nominee Barbara Walsh, who last appeared at Center Stage as Desiree in 2008's A Little Night Music.

Previews begin at Center Stage next week for Christopher Durang's Tony Award-winning comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. A co-production with Kansas City Repertory Theatre, the show arrives from a run that was hailed by critics as 'Undeniably funny' and 'excellent!' (Kansas City Star). The co-production is under the direction of Kansas City Rep's Artistic Director Eric Rosen, and brings to Baltimore three of Kansas City's cast members, including Tony Award-nominee Barbara Walsh, who last appeared at Center Stage as Desiree in 2008's A Little Night Music.

Previews begin at Center Stage next week for Christopher Durang's Tony Award-winning comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. A co-production with Kansas City Repertory Theatre, the show arrives from a run that was hailed by critics as 'Undeniably funny' and 'excellent!' (Kansas City Star). The co-production is under the direction of Kansas City Rep's Artistic Director Eric Rosen, and brings to Baltimore three of Kansas City's cast members, including Tony Award-nominee Barbara Walsh, who last appeared at Center Stage as Desiree in 2008's A Little Night Music.

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike puts the dysfunctional in family as it opened on Friday March 21 at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre. Written by Christopher Durang the play directed by Eric Rosen, Artistic Director for the KC Rep, is a co-production with Baltimore's Center Stage. One audience member stated, "It is so natural that you no longer feel like you're watching a play, but rather become a member of the family."

Kansas City Repertory Theatre's production of Christopher Durang's Tony Award-winning Broadway hit comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, directed by the Rep's Artistic Director Eric Rosen, runs tonight, March 14 - April 6 at Spencer Theatre on the UMKC campus. Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is a co-production with Center Stage in Baltimore.

Center Stage announces this week casting for the upcoming production of Christopher Durang's Tony Award-winning comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. A co-production with Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike will be under the direction of the Rep's Artistic Director Eric Rosen. After running at Kansas City Rep through April 6, it will transfer to Center Stage and play April 16-May 25.