Charles Busch News

Barrett Foa, of TV's NCIS: Los Angeles and Broadway's Avenue Q, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Mamma Mia! and Godspell, will star as 'Harold Hill' in Connecticut Repertory Theatre's production of THE MUSIC MAN, running tonight, July 11-21, 2013, with opening night set for July 12.

The Boy Sonata, written and performed by Justin Sayre will recieve it's New York debut at this Year's HOT! Festival hosted by Dixon Place on Monday, July 22nd at 7:30. The Boy Sonata, written in 5 parts, details seminal moments in the life of it's central character, 'The Boy.' Mimicking Sonata Form, the series of monologues travel with the boy from ages 6 to 17, each pinpointing a day, an hour, or a moment when things become much more beautifully and tragically complicated. The Boy Sonata is a heartbreakingly funny tribute to the voice of a child as he develops his individual understanding of a world.

The Off- Broadway Cast Recording of BUNNICULA: A Rabbit Tale of Musical Mystery is set to debut Tuesday July 16, with a CD release event Sunday July 21, 7:00pm at 54 Below (254 W 54th St, New York). Tickets can be purchased online throughTicketWeb.com or by calling TicketWeb at (866) 468-7619.

Fresh from the success of Night of a Thousand Judys, The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the acclaimed comedy/variety show hailed as "rambunctious, uproarious and unpredictable" by The Wall Street Journal, "delicious and delightfully droll" by The New York Post, and "hilarious and sardonic" by The Village Voice - will move to 54 BELOW for a six month run starting on July 24.

San Jose Rep announced today the cast for its sassy and sentimental summer hit Love, Loss, and What I Wore: Dawn Wells (Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island), Zuzanna Szadkowski ('Gossip Girl'), Tony-nominated Dee Hoty (Mamma Mia and TV's 'Smash'), Sandra Tsing Loh (off-Broadway Aliens in America and NPR's 'The Loh Down on Science') and Ashley Austin Morris ('Ugly Betty' and 'The Electric Company'). The off-Broadway hit makes its Bay Area premiere July 19 - July 28, 2013.

Bucks County Playhouse (BCP) (Jed Bernstein, Producing Director) has announced that it will screen the 1971 film Summer of '42 directed by Robert Mulligan (To Kill A Mockingbird) ahead of its premiere of the musical adaptation. The free screening will take place today, July 8th at 6:00 PM at the Bucks County Playhouse (70 South Main Street, New Hope, PA).

As BWW previously reported, Barrett Foa, of TV's NCIS: Los Angeles and Broadway's Avenue Q, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Mamma Mia! and Godspell, will star as 'Harold Hill' in Connecticut Repertory Theatre's production of THE MUSIC MAN, running July 11-21, 2013, with opening night set for July 12. Check out a first look at Foa and co-star Courtney Balan in promotional shots for the production below!

Bucks County Playhouse (BCP) (Jed Bernstein, Producing Director) has announced that it will screen the 1971 film Summer of '42 directed by Robert Mulligan (To Kill A Mockingbird) ahead of its premiere of the musical adaptation. The free screening will take place on Monday, July 8th at 6:00 PM at the Bucks County Playhouse (70 South Main Street, New Hope, PA).

The National High School Musical Theater Awards (NHSMTA) selected 62 finalists from tens of thousands of students to compete for the coveted Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actor and Best Performance by an Actress, last night at the Minskoff Theatre. Hosted by the Tony Award-nominated stars of Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA, Laura Osnes and Santino Fontana, the fifth annual performance showcase featured dynamic ensemble and solo performances exclusively from the musical theater cannon. Sarah Lynn Marion, from Fullerton, CA and Taylor Varga, from Newtown, CT took home the big awards for the evening and you can check out photos from inside the event below!

Bay Street Theatre presents THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP, written by Charles Ludlam and directed by Kenneth Elliott, as the second production in its 2013 summer Mainstage season following the hysterical comedy, LEND ME A TENOR playing through June 23. THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP runs today, July 2 - 28 and stars Tom Aulino and 5 time Obie Award winning actor David Greenspan.

Varla Jean Merman (aka Jeffery Roberson) has been the acknowledged entertainment Queen of P-town for the past decade. Each summer brings the anticipated premiere of her latest, original and irreverent music-comedy show - a summer-long 'hot ticket' every year. After a typically busy year starring to critical acclaim as the title roles in the original musical comedy farces Mildred Fierce in Boston andScrooge in Rouge in New Orleans, as well as in Menotti's opera The Medium in New York, Varla returns to P-Town to premiere Twice Upon A Mattress...Will My Prince Every Come? at The Art House from today, July 1 - August 31, with MRF at the piano.

Drama Desk and Helen Hayes Award winner Jim Brochu ('Zero Hour,' 'The Big Voice: God or Merman?') just debuted his new solo show 'Character Man' at the Metropolitan Room. Check out photos from the concert below!

After a typically busy year starring to critical acclaim as the title roles in the original musical comedy farces Mildred Fierce in Boston andScrooge in Rouge in New Orleans, as well as in Menotti's opera The Medium in New York, Varla returns to P-Town to premiere Twice Upon A Mattress…Will My Prince Every Come? at The Art House from July 1 - August 31, with MRF at the piano. For tickets please visit www.ptownarthouse.com

Bucks County Playhouse (BCP) (Jed Bernstein, Producing Director) has announced that the Kander and Ebb review The World Goes 'Round will begin performances tonight, June 27th. The musical revue features a star studded cast including Michelle Aravena, Janine DiVita, Tony Award nominee Tom Hewitt,David Josefsberg, and Tony Award nominee Emily Skinner with direction by Don Stephenson.

Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW presented Bernard Shaw's madcap comedy TOO TRUE TO BE GOOD at The Players Club (16 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. David Staller produced and directed. In TOO TRUE TO BE GOOD, a glamorous pair of jewel thieves (Charles Busch and Robert Cuccioli) convince a chronic young convalescent (Ryann Redmond) to steal her own jewels and run away with them to a tropical paradise. Her over-protective mother (Jackie Hoffman) comes chasing after them and a riotous time is had by all. This is Shaw's 1931 madcap high-comedy journey, which takes on fad diets, the medical profession, the military, war, religion, and sex. It's a short and lively comedic lark.

Bucks County Playhouse (BCP) (Jed Bernstein, Producing Director) has announced that the Kander and Ebb review The World Goes 'Roundwill begin performances this Thursday, June 27th. The musical revue features a star studded cast including Michelle Aravena, Janine DiVita, Tony Award nominee Tom Hewitt,David Josefsberg, and Tony Award nominee Emily Skinner with direction by Don Stephenson.

Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW presents Bernard Shaw's madcap comedy TOO TRUE TO BE GOOD at 7pm at The Players Club (16 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. David Staller produces and directs.

Thrillpeddlers has extended performances of their 6th annual Theatre of The Ridiculous Revival of the next Cockettes Musical, Tinsel Tarts in a Hot Coma, a new full-length, restored version of The Cockettes' 1971 musical sensation thru July 27, 2103 (an additional nine performances) (no performances weekend of July 4, 2013). This will be the final extension. Must close July 27, 2013. This is the 42nd Anniversary of the original production, produced as a Nocturnal Dream Show and performed at midnight at the Palace Theatre in Chinatown in SF. Tinsel Tarts in a Hot Coma celebrates the Cockettes' fascination (in the early 70s) with everything Art Deco.

Foa recently chatted with BroadwayWorld about his crazy summer schedule, which will include rehearsals in Connecticut, filming Season 5 of NCIS:LA, and a recent gig at the 2013 Tony Awards. Check out what he had to say below!