Ben Brantley News

Civic Theatre of Allentown will produce the Pulitzer-winning musical "Next to Normal," which will run from May 3 to May 19. Civic's Artistic Director William Sanders directs this "brave, breathtaking" (The New York Times) rock musical written by Brian Yorkey and lyrics by Tom Kitt. Featuring an electrifying pop-rock score of more than 30 songs, "Next to Normal" is an intense, tender, human scale musical that aims straight for the heart.

The Whitney Museum in New York has commissioned a new work by playwright Thomas Bradshaw for the Blues For Smoke Exhibition Live Performances to premiere April 26-28, at the Whitney. Blues for Smoke is an interdisciplinary exhibition that explores a wide range of contemporary art through the lens of the blues and blues aesthetics. Turning to the blues not simply as a musical category but as a field of artistic sensibilities and cultural idioms. Iconoclastic playwright Thomas Bradshaw has emerged as one of the most provocative and original voices in contemporary theater. His most recent play, Job, was produced by the Flea Theater in Fall 2012 and remounted this past January.

Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films, Old Vic Productions and NETworks Presentations, LLC bring multi-award-winning Billy Elliot the Musical to Sacramento from April 9 - 14. Based on the international smash-hit film and featuring music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, choreography by Peter Darling and direction by Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot the Musical has earned critical acclaim around the world and was the winner of ten 2009 Tony Awards including Best Musical.

Primary Stages has announced a second, and final, extension for their 20th anniversary revival of All in the Timing by David Ives, now through April 28.

On Friday, March 22nd, the Orpheum Theatre announced that it will host a mix of classic musicals, modern hits, and regional premieres for its exciting 2013-2014 Broadway Season. Watch highlights from some of the season's upcoming shows, including FLASHDANCE, SISTER ACT and WAR HORSE, below!

The Open Fist Theatre Company presents THE GOOD THIEF, written by Conor McPherson and directed by Scott Paulin (Foote Notes, St. Nicholas) and starring Michael McGee. Mr. Paulin and Mr. McGee's previous collaboration on the McPherson play St. Nicholas was a critically-acclaimed endeavor at the Stephanie Feury Theatre. THE GOOD THIEF will open tonight, March 24 at 7pm and runs through Monday, April 29 at the Open Fist Theatre, 6209 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

Tony Award winning playwright Richard Greenberg's new play, Breakfast at Tiffany's opens at the Cort Theatre (138 W 48th Street) tonight, March 20, 2013. Directed by Sean Mathias, the stage adaption of Truman Capote's classic novella will star Emilia Clarke (HBO's 'Game of Thrones') in the iconic role of 'Holly Golightly,' Cory Michael Smith as 'Fred,' and George Wendt as 'Joe Bell.' Let's see what the critics had to say...

Producers Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter, Will & Jada Pinkett Smith and Ruth & Stephen Hendel previously announced that Grammy Award-winning recording artist and former member of Destiny's Child Michelle Williams would star in the national tour of the award-winning Broadway musical Fela!, coming to Miami's Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts from tonight, March 19 - 24.

Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films Old Vic Productions and NETworks Presentations, LLC bring thee multi-award-winning "Billy Elliot the Musical" to The Smith Center for the Performing Arts May 14 - 19. Based on the international smash-hit film and featuring music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, choreography by Peter Darling and direction by Stephen Daldry, "Billy Elliot the Musical" has earned critical acclaim around the world and was the winner of ten 2009 Tony Awards including Best Musical.

The Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) and Broadway in Columbus (BIC) today announced the 2013-14 Broadway Series 25th anniversary season. From the creators of "South Park" and winner of nine Tony Awards, The Book of Mormon will play a limited two-week engagement May 13-25, 2014. Subscribers receive priority seating, so a season subscription is the best way to guarantee tickets to The Book of Mormon.

Kansas City Actors Theatre announces its 2013-2014 Season, beginning with a summer of American Masterworks.

As the preeminent professional theatre in the state, Arizona Theatre Company (ATC) announces its 47th season with the production of six electrifying plays for 2013-2014, with performances in Tucson and Phoenix. David Ira Goldstein, ATC's Artistic Director, announced the season that will include the Arizona premieres of three of Broadway's newest smash hits, a delightful long-running Broadway musical comedy and will revisit two cherished classic stories in vibrant new productions.

Grammy Award-winning recording artist and former member of Destiny's Child Michelle Williams stars in the national tour of the award-winning Broadway musical Fela! Check out production shots of Williams and the cast in action below!

Gerard Alessandrini's, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: ALIVE AND KICKING, which received unanimous raves from critics and audiences alike, broke all box-office records at the 47th Street Theatre, and won spots on the Top Ten Lists of Time Magazine and the Associated Press, will wind up its current edition at the 47th Street Theatre on Sunday, April 28, in order to make room for The Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre's own season, as required by the show's lease agreement with the theatre. In a statement, Mr. Alessandrini said, "We knew from the start that the theatre could only be ours until the end of April. Although we hate to leave town when we're a hit, I actually think this is a perfect time for us to wind up "Alive and Kicking", which has been a thrilling return to New York for us, to take a brief break; and to begin plans to return with another edition later this year." The show, which has recently added extended parodies of Cinderella and the movie version of Les Miz, is also a Critic's Pick for The New York Times, The Daily News and New York Magazine. This edition stars Lindsay Nicole Chambers, Natalie Charle Ellis, Scott Richard Foster, Marcus Stevens and David Caldwell on piano. DRG Record's cast recording FORBIDDEN BROADWAY; ALIVE AND KICKING! The UN-Original Cast Album, is available in stores, on iTunes and Amazon.com.

Broadway in Indianapolis announces its 2013-2014 season. From the creators of South Park and winner of nine Tony Awards, THE BOOK OF MORMON will play a limited two-week engagement January 17-22, 2014. The New York Times calls it 'the best musical of this century' and Entertainment Weekly says it's 'the funniest musical of all time.' Season Subscribers receive priority ticket opportunities to shows so a season subscription is the best way to guarantee seats to THE BOOK OF MORMON.

Tina Packer's WOMEN OF WILL: The Complete Journey, the five play series that explores and deconstructs William Shakespeare's most famous female characters, will begin performances (Parts 1 - 5) April 5, 2013 at The Gym at Judson (243 Thompson Street @ Washington Square South) it has been announced by the show's producer Sarah Hancock and its star/creator Tina Packer.

The Open Fist Theatre Company presents THE GOOD THIEF, written by Conor McPherson and directed by Scott Paulin (Foote Notes, St. Nicholas) and starring Michael McGee. Mr. Paulin and Mr. McGee's previous collaboration on the McPherson play St. Nicholas was a critically-acclaimed endeavor at the Stephanie Feury Theatre. THE GOOD THIEF, will preview on St. Patrick's Day - Sunday, March 17 at 7pm; Monday, March 18 at 8pm and will open on Sunday, March 24 at 7pm and runs through Monday, April 29 at the Open Fist Theatre, 6209 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

J.L. 'Lynn' Singleton, President of the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC), has announced PPAC's 36th Anniversary Broadway season and welcome Taco/The White Family Foundation as the returning Broadway Series title sponsor. From the creators of South Park and winner of nine Tony Awards, THE BOOK OF MORMON will play a limited two-week engagement April 28 - May 11, 2014.

The celebrated musical RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN'S Cinderella, originally written for television in 1957 by the legendary musical theatre duo Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, will open tonight, March 3, at the Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway at 53rd Street). Let's see what the critics had to say...