David Cote News

Although I hadn't read any of the first wave of reviews, by the time I was seated for my post-opening night press performance at the Hirschfeld it was pretty much common knowledge to the entire Broadway community that the new (and from the looks of her Playbill bio, the only) creation from bookwriter/composer/lyricist Jill Santoriello brought out gobs of that legendary New York theatre critic acid wit among the great majority of my colleagues.

SPRING AWAKENING, Broadway's Tony Award-winning musical is pleased to announce 'On Stage With Spring Awakening' taking place Monday, November 10 at 7:30PM at the all-new 92Street Y/Tribeca (200 Hudson Street). This special program will include a panel discussion, plus songs from the show.

Soho Rep - the nine-time OBIE Award-winning, Off-Broadway theatre company - which sold out its initial run and its first extension, announces a second extension of its critically acclaimed production of Sarah Kane's landmark play BLASTED which will now play an unprecedented additional six weeks - through December 21st, according to Soho Rep's Artistic Director Sarah Benson.

In honor of its 5th Anniversary on Broadway on October 30, the blockbuster musical Wicked will host several special events and promotions throughout the month of October. Highlights include THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD NOT TAKEN, a one-night-only benefit performance featuring songs and scenes cut from early drafts of the musical, as well as two of New York's most recognizable landmarks going green in honor of our anniversary: on October 27, the Empire State Building will glow green for the night and on October 30, Playbill's trademark yellow banner will be specially printed green, the first time in the publication's history that it has altered its masthead.

Wicked, the Broadway smash musical and winner of 20 major awards, including a Grammy Award and three Tony Awards, is based on the bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire about two witches in the Land of Oz. Composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz, book writer Winnie Holzman, and producer Marc Platt will discuss the process of adapting the novel to create the stage musical that would become a Broadway blockbuster. David Cote, chief drama critic for Time Out New York, will moderate the discussion. Reservations required. $10 for Museum members, seniors, and students; $15 for non-members.

Lisa Kron has been chosen to host the 2008 New York Innovative Theatre Awards (the IT Awards), in a ceremony dedicated to celebrating Off-Off-Broadway. There will be entertainment interludes performed by New York's own Blue Man Group.

'Spring Awakening: In The Flesh', arrived in bookstores this month and to celebrate the arrival, the book's author David Cote was joined by the show's Tony Award-Winning creators Steven Sater (Book & Lyrics) and Duncan Sheik (Music) on Monday, September 15 and had an informative 'conversation' - on the show, the music and its long-running success at The Barnes & Noble Store at the Lincoln Triangle (1972 Broadway @ 66th Street). BWW TV caught all the action as the show's creators discussed the story, the acclaimed cast sang the songs and audience learned more about the sensation that is Spring Awakening.

Lisa Kron has been chosen to host the 2008 New York Innovative Theatre Awards (the IT Awards), in a ceremony dedicated to celebrating Off-Off-Broadway. There will be entertainment interludes performed by New York's own Blue Man Group.

Spring Awakening: In The Flesh , arrives in bookstores this month and to celebrate the arrival, the books author David Cote was joined by the show's Tony Award-Winners Steven Sater (Book & Lyrics) and Duncan Sheik (Music) on Monday, September 15 and had an informative 'conversation' - on the show, the music and its long-running success at The Barnes & Noble Store at the Lincoln Triangle (1972 Broadway @ 66th Street). In addition, cast members from Spring Awakening including Hunter Parrish and Alexandra Socha performed select numbers from the show. Following the presentation the cast and creative team signed copies of the new book, and the Spring Awakening original cast recording.

PROJECT SHAW, now in its third of four years, continues tackling every play George Bernard Shaw ever wrote. This will be its 30th presentation, taking place on Monday, September 22nd, 2008 at 7 p.m. at the Players Club, 16 Gramercy Park South. David Staller is producer and director.

PRELUDE '08 -- the fifth annual FREE festival of new work by more than 20 of New York's most distinctive contemporary theatre artists including Richard Foreman, Big Art Group, NYC Players, Builders Association, Jenny Schwartz and NTUSA -- will be presented September 24 to 27 at the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center (MESTC) at The Graduate Center (365 Fifth Ave. at 34 St.) at The City University of New York in Manhattan.

The longest-running show in Broadway history, Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, is set to reach another unprecedented milestone.

The longest-running show in Broadway history, Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, is set to reach another unprecedented milestone.

New York Drama Critics' Circle names 'August' best play and 'Passing Strange' best musical of 2007-08.

August: Osage County, by Tracy Letts, today won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award (NYDCC) for Best Play of the 2007-2008 season. The Best Musical award was given to Passing Strange (book and lyrics by Stew and music by Stew and Heidi Rodewald).

Vineyard Theatre, in association with New Georges, hosts 'The Program' for Jenny Schwartz's 'God's Ear' -- a special free event featuring a pre-show discussion and cocktail party with critics David Cote and Helen Shaw and playwright/essayist Jeffrey Jones on Thursday, May 15, beginning at 6:45pm, at The Vineyard Theatre.

PROJECT SHAW, now in its third of four years, continues tackling every play Shaw ever wrote with its 27th presentation. This month, The Devil's Disciple, on Monday, May 19, 2008 at 7 p.m. at the Players Club, 16 Gramercy Park South. David Staller is producer and director

Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW presentsTWO rarely seen ONE-ACTS by George Bernard Shaw, THE FASCINATING FOUNDLING and FARFETCHED FABLES

Gingold Theatrical Group's Project Shaw presents Geneva by George Bernard Shaw on Monday, January 21 at 7PM at The Players

I don't think that we've ever given out so many four and five star reviews and there's a lot of exciting reading and buying of books, as well as gift-giving ahead...