David Elliot News

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Sondheim shows 'Gypsy,' 'Road Show,' 'Passion' and 'Waltz,' plus Gambatese in Lyric's 'SOM,' NBC's follow-up, Lamont Dozier's show, Bailiwick's Casting Auction results, Chris and Aaron start a monthly variety show, and more!

Razor & Tie Music Publishing and Ghostlight/Sh-K-Boom Records have created a joint venture to sign and nurture the talents of a new generation of theatrical composers and writers. The venture's first signing is New York City based songwriter and artist Shaina Taub, who straddles the world of theater music and contemporary pop performance. The venture is an extension into the publishing arena of the successful longstanding distribution and marketing relationship between Razor & Tie and Ghostlight/Sh-K-Boom Records.

A new block of tickets are now on sale through March 9, 2014 for the critically acclaimed Bedlam productions of William Shakespeare's Hamlet and George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan, directed by Eric Tucker at off-Broadway's Lynn Redgrave Theater (45 Bleecker Street, NYC). For tickets and more information please visit www.theatrebedlam.org.

The Metropolitan Playhouse and Joe Trentacosta present the World Premiere of Edison's Elephant, a new play by Chris Van Strander & David Koteles, directed by David Elliott as part of the Metropolitan Playhouse Gilded Age Festival (running January 16- 25) The Metropolitan Playhouse is located at 220 East 4th Street. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased by visiting www.metropolitanplayhouse.org. Check out a first look at the cast in rehearsal below!

Producers Martin Platt, David Elliot, Patrick Blake & Cheryl Wiesenfeld just announced the developmental lab of the new musical comedy My Life Is A Musical with book, music & lyrics by Adam Overett. Directed & choreographed by Callaway Award Winner Marlo Hunter, industry only presentations will be held on Monday, December 9 and Tuesday, December 10 in NYC.

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival wrapped up its 78th season Sunday night with the final performances of The Taming of the Shrew and King Lear. Preparations for the 2014 season are well under way; member ticket sales start this week and previews begin February 14.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) celebrated the season's first meeting of the TRU Producer Development & Mentorship Program on Monday, September 23 at Langham Place, 400 Fifth Avenue in midtown New York City. The evening was an opportunity for 53 mentee members to meet and mingle with the program directors, producers Michael Alden (Becoming Dr. Ruth, The King's Speech on stage, Grey Gardens, Sarah Jones' Bridge & Tunnel, Bat Boy), Patrick Blake (The Exonerated, In the Continuum, Play Dead) and Patricia Klausner producing manager of Shotgun Productions and commercial producer (Pippin, The Trip to Bountiful, Stick Fly, The Scottsboro Boys), plus prospective mentors for the coming year who will guide and advise them on their producing goals.

Christopher Durang's new comedy, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, which won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play, will end its extended premiere on Broadway at the Golden Theatre today, August 25.

Below, we bring you reviews, photos, and rehearsal footage from Skinner's 2012 Infinity Theatre Company production:

Infinity Theatre Company (Anna Roberts Ostroff & Alan Ostroff) and Perry Street Theatricals (Martin Platt & David Elliott) have just announced that the first Broadway production of DAMES AT SEA will set sail on Broadway in 2014. With a book and lyrics by George Haimsohn and Robin Miller, music by Jim Wise, and musical direction byRob Berman (The Pajama Game, Finian's Rainbow), DAMES AT SEA will be directed and choreographed by three time Tony Award nominee Randy Skinner (42nd Street, Irving Berlin's White Christmas). Design team, casting, production dates and Broadway theatre to be announced at a later date.

Tony Award-winner Julie White steps into the role of 'Masha' in Christopher Durang's new comedy, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, tonight, Tuesday, July 30. Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike began performances on Tuesday, March 5 and opened on Thursday, March 14.

In the departures area on Level 3 a bright and contemporary new store will retail a range of travel goods, alongside providing essential travel services such as bag wrap and bag shipping. Brands featured will include Rimowa, Eagle Creek, Delsey, Victorinox and Travelpro among others.

Producers Joey Parnes and Larry Hirschhorn have announced that Christopher Durang's new comedy, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, which last night won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play, will again extend its premiere Broadway engagement at the Golden Theatre. With this second and final extension, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike will now end its run Sunday, August 25 (it was originally scheduled to end its run on Sunday, June 30). The critically lauded play has swept the awards circuit this year, having now been named Best Play by every major theatrical awards organization including the aforementioned Tony Awards, the New York Drama Critics' Circle, the Drama Desk, the Drama League, and the Outer Critics Circle. Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike began performances on Tuesday, March 5 and opened on Thursday, March 14.

The Drama League (Executive Director, Gabriel Shanks) announced today the winners for the 79th Annual Drama League Awards: Distinguished Production of a Musical, Kinky Boots; presented by Diane Paulus; Distinguished Play,Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, presented by Pam MacKinnon; Distinguished Revival of a Musical, Pippin, presented by Alex Timbers; Distinguished Revival of a Play,Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, presented by Rachel Chavkin; Distinguished Performance, Nathan Lane, presented by Debra Messing at a star-studded luncheon ceremony hosted by Ms. Messing and David Hyde Pierce at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway).

Producers Joey Parnes and Larry Hirschhorn announced today that Christopher Durang's new comedy, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, will extend its premiere Broadway engagement at the Golden Theatre by four weeks due to popular demand.

Harbor Theatre to present an invite-only reading of The Mask of The Jaguar King, a project written by Stuart Warmflash and directed by Bram Lewis, with lighting by Dennis Parichy and original music by Peter Calo. For more details regarding this project please visit www.harbortheatre.org.

Nominations in 26 competitive categories for THE 67th ANNUAL TONY AWARDS were announced today by stage and screen actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Tony Award-winning actress Sutton Foster at the Tony Award Nominations Announcement.

Here's the nominated producers!

The Drama League (Executive Director, Gabriel Shanks) has announced the 2013 Drama League Awards Nominees for Distinguished Play, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and Distinguished Performance Award. The nominations were announced at a ceremony hosted by Patina Miller and Michael Urie this morning at Sardi's Restaurant which were streamed live online at www.BroadwayWorld.com.

Olney Theatre Center announces the DC-area premiere of Jeff Talbott's The Submission May 9 - June 9, 2013. Winner of the inaugural Laurents-Hatcher Award, Olney Theatre Center's production is the third professional production of the play since its World Premiere in 2011.