Alan Harris News

An inspiring new autobiographical musical about a composer determined to keep making music even as he is going deaf, will debut this fall when JAY ALAN ZIMMERMAN'S INCREDIBLY DEAF MUSICAL is presented by The New York Musical Theatre Festival and Geoffrey Cohen, with performances set for September 30 through October 10 at The Duke on 42nd (229 W. 42 St.) in Manhattan.

A cast of six actors - all originally from the Welsh Valleys - has been confirmed for National Theatre Wales' first production, A Good Night Out in the Valleys. They start rehearsing today (Monday 1st February) in Blackwood, South Wales.

Today, John McGrath, Artistic Director of National Theatre Wales announced the company's first year of work at a press briefing in Cardiff that was simultaneously broadcast to the world via the internet.

While waiting for my guest to return from the ladies room after Monday night's performance of J.T. Rogers' White People, I amused myself by observing the faces of those exiting the theatre and waiting for the elevator to take them up to street level. The white people in the audience were generally very quiet with serious faces that suggested they were deep in thought. The non-white people I observed all displayed that healthy vibrancy that comes with taking in a lively evening of exhilarating theatre; particularly the woman with the Obama baseball cap who was happily chatting away with her companions and the young man who was sitting in front of me during the show, whose hearty laughter throughout the 90 minute piece told the whole room he was having a ball.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) continues its 25th anniversary season of new works celebrating the female playwright with the New York premiere of The Night Watcher, written and performed by Charlayne Woodard.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Thursday, February 5, 2009.