Andrew Jackson News

Go Comedy! Improv Theater has got a case of Stage Fright this month with its latest original comedy, Stage Fright playing at 10pm Thursday evenings with special performances October 28 & 29.

With wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez has written Finding Nemo The Musical and songs for Winnie the Pooh (Disney feature animation, 2011). Today BroadwayWorld has confirmed that the pair are continuing work on another collaboration - UP HERE, an original musical.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Interim Executive Director Joey Parnes) announced today that the Ford Foundation has generously awarded The Public Theater a $2 million grant to support The Public's GOING PUBLIC capital campaign. The largest campaign gift to date after the City's substantial commitment of $28 million, the Ford Foundation will be recognized for this significant grant with the renovated Public Theater lobby being renamed the 'Ford Foundation Lobby.' The $40 million renovation of The Public's long-time home on Lafayette Street is expected to be completed by summer 2012 with a grand reopening in fall 2012.

Broadway stars including cast members from Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (Ben Walker, Kate Roberts, and Erin Felgar), American Idiot (John Gallagher Jr., Theo Stockman, Rebecca Jones and Libby Winters) and 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Celia Keenan-Bolger and Sarah Saltzberg) gathered and sang Monday night at Colt Coeur's 2nd Annual Karaoke Classic Benefit in Brooklyn. Rightor Doyle, Mamie Gummer and Celia Keenan-Bolger chaired the event which raised funds for Play Hotel (Colt Coeur's ongoing reading series, and their principal arena for developing new work) as well as their next production.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Interim Executive Director Joey Parnes) announced today that the Ford Foundation has generously awarded The Public Theater a $2 million grant to support The Public's GOING PUBLIC capital campaign. The largest campaign gift to date after the City's substantial commitment of $28 million, the Ford Foundation will be recognized for this significant grant with the renovated Public Theater lobby being renamed the 'Ford Foundation Lobby.' The $40 million renovation of The Public's long-time home on Lafayette Street is expected to be completed by summer 2012 with a grand reopening in fall 2012.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Interim Executive Director Joey Parnes) will present post-show discussions following select performances of the Public Lab production, LOVE'S LABOR'S LOST, directed by Karin Coonrod. The Public Lab Thursday Night Speaker Series for LOVE'S LABOR'S LOST will be held following the Thursday, October 27 and Thursday, November 3 performances and consist of engaging conversations with notable panelists. Tickets are $15 for all performances of LOVE'S LABOR'S LOST and include free admission to the post-show discussions.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today initial casting for the eight new musicals selected to be part of the 23rd Annual Festival of New Musicals on Thursday, October 27 and Friday, October 28 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre,' has secured the rights for the regional premieres of the outrageous Wild West, emo rock musical BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON and the brilliant Pulitzer Prize-winning rock opera NEXT TO NORMAL, both for next season.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today complete casting for the eight new musicals selected to be part of the 23rd Annual Festival of New Musicals on Thursday, October 27 and Friday, October 28 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

Off-Broadway's The New Group is set to present Burning, written by Thomas Bradshaw and directed by Scott Elliott, kicking off the company's 2011-12 Season.

Off-Broadway's The New Group presents Burning, written by Thomas Bradshaw and directed by Scott Elliott, kicking off the company's 2011-12 Season.

One of Nashville's newest holiday traditions, Nashville's Nutcracker, will return to TPAC's Jackson Hall December 9-18 with additional performances and new surprises to accompany its beloved characters and story.

Santa Fe University of Art and Design alumna Melissa van der Schyff will play Blanche Barrow in the new Broadway musical Bonnie & Clyde, which begins previews on Nov. 4 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in New York.

Nashville's Nutcracker - one of the city's newest, yet most respected, holiday traditions - returns to Andrew Jackson Hall in the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, running December 9-18, with additional performances and new surprises to accompany its beloved characters and story.

Telling a universal tale of friendship and the power of love to overcome hardship, prejudice and the callous disregard of an ill-informed public, Wicked represents musical theater at its very best: The story intrigues you, the characters engage you, the music touches your heart in ways that might surprise you and the production's stunning design aesthetic provides you with an unparalleled visual feast. No wonder the national touring company has found its way back to Nashville a mere two years after it set records at TPAC, pumping millions of dollars into the Music City economy, only to do so once again, no doubt setting new records while entertaining an appreciative audience.

Dead from New York: It's Pepper & Sam! Reanimated brother and sister act, Pepper & Sam are coming to San Diego to launch Diversionary Theatre's new Cabaret Series on Friday October 21, 2011.