Daniel Breaker News

Due to popular demand Vassar & New York Stage and Film's Powerhouse Theater is adding an additional workshop performance tonight, July 29 at 7:30pm of the new indie rock musical Murder Ballad by Julia Jordan & Juliana Nash, directed by Trip Cullman. The cast features Tony nominees Daniel Breaker (Passing Strange; Shrek: The Musical) and Will Swenson (Hair; Priscilla Queen of the Desert) as well as Dee Roscioli (Wicked) and Rebecca Naomi Jones (American Idiot; Passing Strange).

THE PERFORMERS -- a new comedy by David West Read (THE DREAM OF THE BURNING BOY) -- will open on Broadway this fall with a cast starring Cheyenne Jackson, Ari Graynor, Daniel Breaker, Jenni Barber and Henry Winkler, it has been announced by the play's producers Robyn Goodman, Scott M. Delman and Amanda Lipitz.

Due to popular demand Vassar & New York Stage and Film's Powerhouse Theater is adding an additional workshop performance on Sunday, July 29 at 7:30pm of the new indie rock musical Murder Ballad by Julia Jordan & Juliana Nash, directed by Trip Cullman. The cast features Tony nominees Daniel Breaker (Passing Strange; Shrek: The Musical) and Will Swenson (Hair; Priscilla Queen of the Desert) as well as Dee Roscioli (Wicked) and Rebecca Naomi Jones (American Idiot; Passing Strange).

Vassar & New York Stage and Film present the 28th Powerhouse Theater season workshop MURDER BALLAD, starring Tony nominees Daniel Breaker (Passing Strange; Shrek: The Musical) and Will Swenson (Hair; Priscilla Queen of the Desert) as well as Dee Roscioli (Wicked) and Rebecca Naomi Jones (American Idiot; Passing Strange). The indie rock musical Murder Ballad is written by award-winning playwright Julia Jordan (Tatjana in Color; Sarah, Plain and Tall) and Juliana Nash (frontwoman for the indie rock band Talking to Animals), directed by Trip Cullman (Lonely, I'm Not; Assistance; A Small Fire). The show plays July 27 through July 29, 2012. See below for photos of the cast and creative team in rehearsal!

Vassar & New York Stage and Film announced today that Tony nominees Daniel Breaker (Passing Strange; Shrek: The Musical) and Will Swenson (Hair; Priscilla Queen of the Desert) as well as Dee Roscioli (Wicked) and Rebecca Naomi Jones (American Idiot; Passing Strange) will join the 28th Powerhouse Theater season in a workshop of the indie rock musical Murder Ballad by award-winning playwright Julia Jordan (Tatjana in Color; Sarah, Plain and Tall) & Juliana Nash (frontwoman for the indie rock band Talking to Animals), directed by Trip Cullman (Lonely, I'm Not; Assistance; A Small Fire).

Today, the still Broadway-bound production has released an official statement noting that "The PRINCE OF BROADWAY company and creative team has been informed that production on the show will continue without Dancap's involvement. Further details will follow shortly."

Second Stage Theatre's Spring Gala celebration will honor Corporate Partner American Express, Artist Anna Deavere Smith, and Trustees Tavener Holmes Berry and Bambi Putnam for their extraordinary commitment to the arts and Second Stage on Monday, April 2, 2012 at Cipriani 42nd Street, 110 East 42nd Street.

Linda Lavin (Broadway Bound), Sebastian Arcelus (Elf), LaChanze (The Color Purple), Emily Skinner (Side Show), Shuler Hensley (Oklahoma!), Daniel Breaker (Passing Strange) and Sierra Boggess (Love Never Dies, The Little Mermaid) will be among the star players in the upcoming Broadway Hal Prince tribute, PRINCE OF BROADWAY, The New York Times reveals.

Second Stage Theatre's opened Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, directed by Kate Whoriskey and starring Norbert Leo Butz and Elizabeth Reaser, last night, February 13. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you photo coverage of the theater arrivals below!

JOE'S PUB at The Public Theater, reopened October 4th, 2011 from a top to bottom renovation, debuted in October 1998 and quickly became one of New York City's most celebrated and in-demand showcase venues for live music and performance. With its genre-blind booking and vast diversity of interests, the stage at Joe's Pub gives voice to a world of varied and stellar artists. Joe's Pub is open seven days a week, regularly hosting as many as three shows a day. Dinner and drink service is available during every performance. In addition to its reputation of presenting internationally known stars, Joe's Pub has also developed into a premier showcase stage for up-and-coming musicians and emerging artists from a variety of disciplines. www.joespub.com

JOE'S PUB at The Public Theater, reopened October 4th, 2011 from a top to bottom renovation, debuted in October 1998 and quickly became one of New York City's most celebrated and in-demand showcase venues for live music and performance. With its genre-blind booking and vast diversity of interests, the stage at Joe's Pub gives voice to a world of varied and stellar artists. Check out the full November schedule below!

Acclaimed theater company Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced the line-up of performers participating in the return of its popular benefit evening STORIES ON 5 STORIES: Dirty Laundry on Monday evening, October 17.

Playwrights Horizons will present its popular benefit evening STORIES ON 5 STORIES: Dirty Laundry on Monday evening, October 17.

Playwrights Horizons has announced the line-up of performers participating in the return of its popular benefit evening STORIES ON 5 STORIES: Dirty Laundry on Monday evening, October 17.

According to the NY Times, Lynne Nottage's BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK, which ran at SEcond stage theatre this past spring might make its way into the Fall 2011 Broadway line-up. Producer Elizabeth I. McCann revealed that she has accquired the rights to the show, and is currently searching for investors for a potential Broadway run.

Last night, July 25, Second Stage opened Zach Braff's world premiere production of ALL NEW PEOPLE. The production concludes Second Stage's 32nd season. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the opening and brings you photo coverage below!

If you've never been to the theatre with a kid or two, do it. There is little more wonderful in the world than watching a production through the wide eyes of a child.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has announced that DAVID WILSON BARNES (Second Stage's hit Becky Shaw), JUSTIN BARTHA (The Hangover, Broadway's Lend Me a Tenor), ANNA CAMP (Second Stage's The Scene, 'True Blood'), and KRYSTEN RITTER (Confessions of a Shopaholic, Second Stage's All This Intimacy) will appear in the world premiere comedy, ALL NEW PEOPLE, written by ZACH BRAFF and directed by PETER DuBOIS. ALL NEW PEOPLE will begin previews on Tuesday, June 28 and officially open on Monday, July 25 at 7:00pm at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43rd street). For tickets or more information, please visit www.2ST.com.

While older plays can often be interpreted to suit modern tastes and standards, films serve as permanent records of the public attitudes of their times; particularly when considering the ways ethnic minorities were portrayed.  Many a fine film from long ago can contain moments that strike the modern eye as racist, even in cases where the intention was to be racially sensitive.  In the case of black actors from early Hollywood, we can admire the talent of the likes of Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson, Butterfly McQueen and Stepin Fetchit and say they opened door for others, but many have argued that their success came from demeaning their race as a whole by taking the types of roles that were within the white viewers' comfort zones.

Every Tony Needs a Tina! BestofOffBroadway.com announced the first annual Tina Award nominations today, honoring the top Off-Broadway productions of the 2010-2011 season.