Ben Thompson News

Here's a chance to hear music from the new musical Holler If Ya Hear Me, written by Todd Kreidler and directed by Kenny Leon. Listen to 3 tracks including 'Holler If Ya Hear Me,' 'California Love' and 'Unconditional Love' in advance of the musical's first preview performance this Monday, June 2, below!

Broadway and Hip-Hop will merge with the arrival of the new musical HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, and in celebration, The National Museum of Hip-Hop (NMoH) will curate a Hip-Hop exhibition at the Palace Theater (1564 Broadway at 47th Street), home of HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME. The exhibition will invite patrons to learn about the history of Hip-Hop through one-of-a-kind artifacts and memorabilia, interact with "Dreams Walls" by inscribing it with their dreams, and view a dynamic mural featuring the 4 Elements of Hip-Hop: DJing, Emceeing. B-Boying and Graffiti. HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME ticketholders can view the exhibition at no additional cost one hour prior to each performance. The exhibition begins on Monday, June 2 at 7pm, one hour before the musical's first preview performance at 8pm, and will continue throughout the run of the production.

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, the new Broadway musical inspired by the lyrics of Tupac Shakur, is offering $43 tickets to the performance on Monday, June 16 at 8pm in celebration of the late Tupac Shakur's 43rd birthday. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster at www.Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 877-250-2929 or in person beginning May 12 at the Palace Theatre, 1564 Broadway (at 47th Street). The $43 price includes the facility fee; services fees may apply; tickets are subject to availability.

The Palace Theatre box office opens this Monday, May 12 at 10:00 am for tickets to HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, the new Broadway musical inspired by the lyrics of Tupac Shakur. The Palace Theatre is located at 1564 Broadway (at 47th Street).

Jujamcyn Theaters and True Colors Theatre Company (Kenny Leon, Co-Founding Artistic Director) have announced that Ashley Herbert from Boston has won first place at the 6th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition held on Monday, May 5th at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street). Robert Upton from Chicago was the runner-up, and an honorable mention went to Atiauna Grant from Atlanta. Denzel Washington surprised the audience with a special appearance during the awards ceremony, and greeted all of the contestants afterwards. The event, which was free and open to the public, featured high school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, Portland and Seattle performing monologues by the late, legendary American playwright. Scroll down for photos from the competition!

Just last night, High school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, and Seattle perform monologues by the legendary American playwright August Wilson as a part of the 6th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition. Emceed by Kenny Leon (True Colors Theatre Co-Founding Artistic Director), the event was judged by Pauletta Washington, Stephen McKinley Henderson, David Cromer, James A. Williams and Narda E. Alcorn, with a special performance from the upcoming Broadway Tupac Shakur musical Holler If Ya Hear Me including cast members Saul Williams, Christopher Jackson, and Ben Thompson.

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, the new Broadway musical inspired by the lyrics of Tupac Shakur, is currently in rehearsal, will previews beginning on Monday, June 2 and opening night on Thursday, June 19 at the Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway at 47th Street). HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME is written byTodd Kreidler and directed by Kenny Leon. BroadwayWorld brings you complete photo coverage from inside rehearsal with the cast below!

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, the new Broadway musical inspired by the lyrics of Tupac Shakur, is currently in rehearsal, will previews beginning on Monday, June 2 and opening night on Thursday, June 19 at the Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway at 47th Street). HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME is written by Todd Kreidler and directed by Kenny Leon. BroadwayWorld was inside rehearsal with the cast and you can catch a sneak peek of the cast in action below!

Poet, musician and actor Saul Williams, will soon star in the Tupac-inspired Broadway musical 'Holler If Ya Hear Me', appeared on last night's THE COLBERT REPORT on Comedy Central.

Tune in to see Saul Williams, the star of Holler If Ya Hear Me, the new Broadway musical inspired by the lyrics of Tupac Shakur, on 'The Colbert Report' on Thursday, May 1 on Comedy Central at 11:30pm (check local listings for times outside the NY area).

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, the new Broadway musical inspired by the lyrics of Tupac Shakur, will now begin previews on Monday, June 2 rather than the previously announced date of May 29, with opening night on Thursday, June 19 at the Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway at 47th Street). HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME is written by Todd Kreidler and directed by Kenny Leon. Check out photos of the marquee below!

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, the new Broadway musical inspired by the lyrics of Tupac Shakur, will now begin previews on Monday, June 2 rather than the previously announced date of May 29, in order to allow for a longer tech schedule in the theatre. The official opening remains unchanged on Thursday, June 19 at the Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway at 47th Street).

The seating at the Palace Theatre has been transformed into new stadium style seating specifically for Holler If Ya Hear Me, the new Broadway musical inspired by the lyrics of Tupac Shakur - and BroadwayWorld has a first look at the theater's new change!

According to the Wall Street Journal, audience members seated in the orchestra of the upcoming Broadway musical, 'Holler If Ya Hear Me,' will have a movie-theatre-esque experience. The production is spending $200,000 to alter the arrangement of seats in the orchestra, with hopes of augmenting the theatre's sense of intimacy.

Rehearsals for HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, the new Broadway musical inspired by the lyrics of Tupac Shakur begin today, Monday, April 21. Written by Todd Kreidler and directed by Kenny Leon, HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME will begin performances on May 29, 2014 and open June 19, 2014 at the Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway at 47th Street).

Award-winning slam poet, actor, singer, musician Saul Williams (Slam), Christopher Jackson (After Midnight), Saycon Sengbloh (Motown The Musical, Fela!), Ben Thompson(Matilda), John Earl Jelks (Radio Golf - Tony nomination), Joshua Boone (Brownsville Song [b side for Tray] at Actors Theatre of Louisville), Dyllon Burnside ('Prison Break') and Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins (Jelly's Last Jam, Caroline or Change, Play On!) will star in HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, the new Broadway musical inspired by the lyrics of Tupac Shakur. Written by Todd Kreidler and directed by Kenny Leon, HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME will begin performances on May 29, 2014 and open June 19, 2014 at the Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway at 47th Street).

Christopher Sieber, who will be Broadway's newest Miss Trunchbull in Matilda, will have to wait to play the tyrant headmistress on stage .During rehearsals for his debut as Miss Trunchbull in MATILDA THE MUSICAL last month, Sieber fractured a bone in his hand. He is now expected to begin performances on Tuesday April 8 if his hand is fully healed. Cast member Ben Thompson will perform the role beginning this Tuesday March 18 when Mr. Sieber had hoped to begin performances in the show.

The Drama League honored Golden Globe Nominee and Emmy® Award winner Neil Patrick Harris last night at the 30th Annual Musical Celebration of Broadway at the famed Pierre Hotel (2 East 61st Street). The evening's one-of-a-kind all-star tribute, hosted by Emmy®, Grammy, Oscar and Tony® Award winner, Whoopi Goldberg, featured dozens of celebrities from Hollywood and Broadway in a one-night-only evening of musical selections drawn from Mr. Harris' career in theater, film and television, co-directed by Tony® Award winner and Drama League Alumnus Michael Mayer with Johanna McKeon, and co-produced by Roger T. Danforth and Trevor Tamashiro. BroadwayWorld was there for the special evcent and you can check out photos from the red carpet below!

Mo Brady and Nikka Graff Lanzarone announce the release of The Ensemblist's 15th episode: "Married Couples."

Tori Amos' new musical, THE LIGHT PRINCESS, is currently playing at The National Theatre. It features Rosalie Craig as Althea, Amy Booth-Steel as Piper, Nick Hendrix as Digby, David Langham as Flowers, Hal Fowler as King Ignacio, Ben Thompson as Zephyrus, and Kane Oliver Parry as Llewelyn. Below, check out even more audio tracks for 'Althea,' 'Better Than Good,' 'My Fairy Story,' and 'Amphibiava.'