Charles Strouse News

Tennessee Shakespeare Company (TSC), led by Producing Artistic Director Dan McCleary, today announced its fourth season, Brave New World.

The Music Division of the Library of Congress will receive an extensive collection of Broadway and personal memorabilia from the estate of Broadway giant John Raitt, who originated the role of Billy Bigelow in the Rodgers and Hammerstein show 'Carousel' and also starred in 'The Pajama Game,' 'Oklahoma!' and other top musicals from the 1940s to the 1960s.

Annie, the irrepressible orphan of newspaper comics-fame who has been delighting audiences onstage since the 1970s, makes her return to Nashville's Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre this summer, running July 28-September 3, in a new production of Annie directed by Martha Wilkinson, with music direction by Jaclyn Brown and choreography by Bakari King.

Seattle Musical Theatre is not only bringing back a "humdinger" of an old classic but also has two local theater veterans at the helm. Theater Critic/Actor/Producer/Director David Edward Hughes and Actor/Choreographer Harry Turpin take on this fun and frothy charmer. Add to that two up and coming local powerhouses, Derek Hansen and Kirsten deLohr Helland in the leads of Sid, the pajama factory's new foreman and Babe, the union leader who's just looking for another seven and a half cents an hour and there's bound to be some "Steam Heat" with this show. I recently sat down with director Hughes and choreographer Turpin to take a look as their careers, lives and of course how it is playing 'The Pajama Game'.

The Candlelight Dinner Playhouse will present the Regional Premiere of ANNIE WARBUCKS, August 27, 2011 through November 13, 2011 as is happy to continue to offer free tickets to children 5-12 with each full price adult.

The sun will come out in Thousand Oaks as Cabrillo Music Theatre proudly announces its brand-new production of the hit musical, ANNIE.

The Candlelight Dinner Playhouse will present the Regional Premiere of ANNIE WARBUCKS, August 27, 2011 through November 13, 2011 as is happy to continue to offer free tickets to children 5-12 with each full price adult.

Dallas Theater Center launches its 2011-2012 season with Shakespeare's beloved final play, The Tempest, at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre at the AT&T Performing Arts Center Sept. 9 - Oct. 9.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, opens its 37th season with the Chicago premiere of Snapshots: A Musical Scrapbook, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by David Stern.

Audiences will probably be more familiar with the 1963 film version of BYE BYE BIRDIE from its innumerable screenings on television, with Dick Van Dyke, Ann Margaret, Janet Leigh, Maureen Stapleton and Paul Lynde all making vivid impressions under George Sidney's direction. But, seeing it live really is a special treat, especially on the expansive Muny stage. Opening night even provided the most gloriously mild weather one could have hoped for to enjoy this oft-played, but rarely perfected delight. Charles Strouse and Lee Adams wrote a number of memorable songs for this musical, and Michael Stewart's lightweight, but entertaining script which mixes romance and a satire on the cult of personality is a fairly sturdy framework to hang them upon. Happily, the production currently playing at the Muny is well worth your time and attention, and certainly beats seeing the film again for the umpteenth time.

Theatre Aspen's upcoming summer season, reported Artistic Director Paige Price. The award-winning regional theatre unveiled the brand new Hurst Theatre in Rio Grande Park on June 24th with two musicals and a comedy. The theatre's 28th season of summer repertory features the regional premiere of Becky's New Car, by native Coloradan Steven Dietz, starring Emmy- and Tony-nominee Sandy Duncan. Opening July 7th is the beloved musical Annie, by Thomas Meehan (book), Charles Strouse (music) and Martin Charnin (lyrics), and the new musical Vices: A Love Story, (story by Michael Heitzman & Ilene Reid, and music and lyrics by Susan Draus, Everett Bradley, Michael Heitzman and Ilene Reid). Vices closes out the season with a final performance on August 20th. Check out photos of the productions below!

The award-winning York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) will honor Tony and Grammy Award winner Barbara Cook with the 20th Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre on Monday, November 21st, 2011 at the Edison Ballroom.

The award-winning York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) will honor Tony and Grammy Award winner Barbara Cook with the 20th Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre on Monday, November 21st, 2011.

The Student Musical Theatre production of ANNIE jr opens Saturday Aug 6.

Bristol Riverside Theatre presents two-Time Tony Award winner CHITA RIVERA performing songs from her legendary Broadway career in CHITA RIVERA: MY BROADWAY on September 23-25.

The Student Musical Theatre production of ANNIE jr opens Saturday Aug 6.

Annie, that spunky, optimistic and determined orphan who first appeared in the 'funny papers' of the nation's newspapers in 1924 - only to become one of the most beloved musical theater heroines ever to express her hope for 'Tomorrow' in song on Broadway - returns to that magical levitating stage of Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre in a colorful and sprightly new revival helmed by the multi-talented Martha Wilkinson.

Seeing a Broadway musical at 'SummerStage at Leonia' has become a family affair for Leonia's residents since medical practitioners/husband and wife tandem, Frank and Joanne Livelli, put on a summer stock production of THE WIZARD OF OZ in 2000.