Christopher Ashley News

Broadway in Indianapolis announces partnership with the American Heart Association in conjunction with Ghost The Musical, Memphis and The Addams Family - three shows with tremendous 'heart'. In honor of National Wear Red Day on Friday, February 7 and the Go Red For Women movement, all three shows will donate $10 per ticket for each ticket sold that day only. Tickets can be purchased in-person at the Clowes Hall box office, the Old National Centre box office and Ticketmaster outlets, by calling 800-982-2787, or online at Ticketmaster.com. No code necessary.

The Old Globe released the following statement today after their props master Seamus O'Bryan was killed in a hit-and-run motorcycle crash earlier today, January 31, 2014. He was 32.

Disney's HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME will have its U.S. premiere as part of La Jolla Playhouse's 2014-15 season.

The Drama League will honor Golden Globe Nominee and Emmy® Award winner Neil Patrick Harris at the 30th Annual Musical Celebration of Broadway on Monday evening, February 3, 2014 at the famed Pierre Hotel (2 East 61st Street). Tickets are available by calling (212) 244-9494.

La Jolla Playhouse announces its final production for its 2013/14 season: the world premiere of The Who & The What, by Ayad Akhtar, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright for Disgraced and author of the acclaimed novel American Dervish, directed by Kimberly Senior (Disgraced), running February 11 - March 9, 2014 (press opening: Wednesday, February 19 at 7:30pm) in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre.

From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, comes a hot new Broadway musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love. Inspired by actual events, MEMPHIS takes the State Theatre stage on Sunday, February 9th.

Single tickets start at $26 and will go on sale, Friday, Jan 17, at 10 a.m. Tickets will be available at the Saenger Theatre Box Office, BroadwayInNewOrleans.com and all Ticketmaster outlets or by calling (800) 982-2787. Group sales are offered for groups of 10 or more and are available by calling (504) 287-0372.

Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award winner, Whoopi Goldberg has been tapped by The Drama League to host the 30th Annual Musical Celebration of Broadway honoring Golden Globe Nominee and Emmy Award winner Neil Patrick Harris on Monday evening, February 3, 2014 at the famed Pierre Hotel (2 East 61st Street). Tickets are available by calling (212) 244-9494.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Workshop Foundation, The Pasadena Playhouse, and East West Players will present a forum to explore the current state of diversity in Southern California theatre focusing on the director's role and the questions:

The Drama League (Executive Director Gabriel Shanks; Artistic Director Roger T. Danforth) has announced full casting for the 30th Annual DirectorFest, a festival of one-act plays staged by the Fall Directing Fellows, Elizabeth Carlson, Alexandru Mihail, Danny Sharron and Nicole A. Watson, for a limited 5-performance engagement, December 12 - 15, 2013 at The TBG Theatre (312 West 36th Street, between 8th & 9th Avenues).

Original musicals are tough to come by nowadays. For every mammoth hit like Wicked or Book of Mormon, there's a short-lived flop like First Date or Glory Days. And then there are shows like Memphis that wind up somewhere in the middle. The show picked up 4 2010 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score, and had a nearly three year run on Broadway. That's not bad, but judging by the current national tour currently playing Bass Concert Hall, Memphis deserved much better. With an exhilarating blues and rock score, breathtaking choreography, and more than a few astounding performers, Memphis is a massive crowd-pleaser.

Ghost The Musical, Memphis and The Addams Family are on sale now - just in time for the holidays! Ghost The Musical opens March 4 at the Old National Centre, Memphis opens April 1st at Clowes Memorial Hall and The Addams Family opens May 13th at Clowes Memorial Hall. Tickets start at $28 and are available in person at the Broadway Across America Box Office downtown at 342 Massachusetts Avenue, Clowes Memorial Hall, The Old National Centre Ticket Office, online at BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com, or by phone at 1-800-982-2787. Groups of 10 or more can book now by calling 317-632-7469 x103.

When the Tony-winning MEMPHIS closed on Broadway in 2012, producers announced that a West End production was coming soon. According to the UK Daily Mail, soon could be in 2014, at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End, following a scheduled run of THE PAJAMA GAME.

La Jolla Playhouse will bring back its acclaimed new play development initiative, the DNA New Work Series, a two-week run of workshops and readings of new works, taking place February 17 - March 2, 2014.

The Drama League (Executive Director Gabriel Shanks; Artistic Director Roger T. Danforth) presents the 30th Annual DirectorFest, a festival of one-act plays staged by the Fall Directing Fellows, Elizabeth Carlson, Alexandru Mihail, Danny Sharron and Nicole A. Watson, for a limited 5-performance engagement, December 12 - 15, 2013 at The Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex (312 West 36th Street, between 8th & 9th Avenues).

La Jolla Playhouse announces four shows for its 2014/2015 season, boasting numerous Tony Award-winning playwrights, directors and actors. The season kicks off with a Page To Stage workshop production of Chasing the Song, a jubilant new musical by the team behind the Tony Award-winning musical Memphis, featuring book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro, music and lyrics by David Bryan and directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley.

The Drama League announced today that they will honor Golden Globe Nominee and Emmy Award winner Neil Patrick Harris at the 30th Annual Musical Celebration of Broadway, to be held on Monday evening, February 3, 2014 at the famed Pierre Hotel (2 East 61st Street). The black-tie gala, which features dozens of stars from Hollywood and Broadway in a one-night-only evening of musical selections drawn from Mr. Harris' career in theater, film and television, supports The Drama League's educational initiatives for promising young artists. Tickets are available by calling (212) 244-9494.

Happy Birthday Raul Esparza! Since making his Broadway debut, Esparza has become only the second actor to receive Tony nominations in all four eligible acting categories. Most recently he took on the role of con artist Jonas Nightingale in the Broadway musical adaptation of Leap of Faith directed by Christopher Ashley. Additional Broadway credits include The Rocky Horror Show, Taboo, Company, Arcadia, and more!

The Lake Worth Playhouse opens its 61st season with a young and vibrant new musical, All Shook Up, a tribute to the life, songs and rock-and-roll style of the music king.