Bobby Smith News

“The Olney Home Hour” an online revue of songs, sketches, and reflections on a monthly theme, returns this week on Friday, February 12 with “Seasons of Love” at 8:00 pm, streaming for free on Facebook, YouTube and the Olney Theatre Center blog.

We all remember back in the day (meaning before mid-March 2020) when we would gather in a theatre, wait for the house lights to dim and hear the first notes from a live orchestra played. Since that time, theatre companies have found some very inventive ways to present plays in the new medium of streaming pandemic theatre. Presenting musicals however are always more of a challenge because of the number of people allowed in a space at any one time due to COVID-19 restrictions. Signature Theatre has solved that problem and is now presenting Simply Sondheim the first in their five show Signature Features subscription series.

Today, Signature Theatre releases Simply Sondheim, the first production in the Signature Features 2021 Season. Starring 12 singers and an orchestra of 16, Simply Sondheim includes over 30 songs from the composer's canon, and was filmed over the course of three days in Signature's MAX Theatre with multiple safety protocols in place.

Signature Theatre's Simply Sondheim, the first production in the Signature Features 2021 Season, takes place next month. Get a sneak peek at the show, featuring Awa Sal Secka perform 'Now You Know'! 

Signature Theatre has released the ninth episode of The Signature Show, a free half-hour digital experience featuring performances by acclaimed artists, interviews, celebration of new musical voices and memories of Signature’s past and a glimpse into its future.

Signature Theatre has announced the full cast and streaming dates for Simply Sondheim, the first production in the Signature Features 2021 Season. Starring 12 singers and an orchestra of 16, Simply Sondheim includes over 30 songs from the composer’s canon, and was filmed over the course of three days.

To kick off its 2021 season, Signature presents a new production of Simply Sondheim directed and choreographed by Signature Theatre Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner. Get a sneak peek at the concert with Norm Lewis performing 'Being Alive' from Company.

Signature Theatre has announced the full lineup for Signature Theatre’s 2021 Signature Features season, five fully-staged plays and musicals, made exclusively for the screen and professionally filmed in HD on set (multiple safety protocols were employed to ensure artists’ and crew’s safety).

Tonight, Olney Theatre Center begins a new phase of online programming with the premiere of Signal Boost a multi-pronged digital initiative that includes a series of short concerts: 'Music Mondays'; a podcast covering the history of Olney Theatre hosted by Melissa Gilbert, 'The Melissa Gilbert Learning Hour' and more.

As part of ACJ Film Fund's expansion into worldwide film production, it was announced today that Mark Amin's U.S. based Sobini Films, Japanese producer Motoko Kimura, and Lifeng Wang's Yintai Investment will team up to produce and finance Bobby Smith Jr.'s highly anticipated feature length sci-fi thriller BURST.

As part of ACJ Film Fund’s expansion into worldwide film production, it was announced today that Mark Amin’s U.S. based Sobini Films, Japanese producer Motoko Kimura, and Lifeng Wang’s Yintai Investment will team up to produce and finance Bobby Smith Jr.’s highly anticipated feature length sci-fi thriller BURST.

On September 25, the 36th Annual Helen Hayes Awards concluded, after a series of virtual events celebrating Washington's dynamic and diverse theatre community.

Deadline reports that Disney Plus will produce a film about the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (ICYOLA) and founder Charles Dickerson III.

The first virtual Helen Hayes Awards ceremony kicked off with the first night of its multi-night event last night, August 31.

Today, Signature Theatre released the third episode of The Signature Show, a biweekly half-hour digital experience featuring performances by acclaimed artists, interviews, celebration of new musical voices and tributes to the past, present and future of Signature Theatre.

Signature Theatre has released the 7th episode in its Signature Strong Live! series.

The Coronavirus pandemic has been rough for everyone but one one of the groups of people that might be having the hardest time adjusting to a 'new normal' are students of all ages.  While there are ways to make learning fun for the younger set, high school and college students have to take things more seriously. Institutions of higher learning all over the country have gone digital and this includes The Catholic University of America (CUA) here is DC.

Signature Theatre has launched Signature Strong Live!, bringing live conversations to YouTube.

On April 6, 2020, Carol Burnett will receive the 2020 Stephen Sondheim Award, to be presented at a black-tie Gala Benefit at the Embassy of Italy. The award, established in 2009 in honor of America's most influential musical theater writer and composer, benefits Signature's artistic, education and community programs. Kristin Chenoweth and Santino Fontana will perform in Carol Burnett's honor along with Washington's own Tracy Lynn Olivera, Nova Y. Payton and Bobby Smith. 

Teal Wicks (Broadway's The Cher Show, Wicked) and Hugh Panaro (Broadway's The Phantom of the Opera, Side Show) are set to star as Camille Claudel and Auguste Rodin in Signature Theatre's world premiere production of Camille Claudel with book and lyrics by Nan Knighton (Broadway's The Scarlet Pimpernel) and music by Frank Wildhorn (Broadway's Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel).