David Goldstein News

Created and directed by Jonathan Rockefeller, written by Doug Smiotek and presented by Rockefeller Productions, Paddington Gets into a Jam began its twelve-week run at the DR2 Theatre on December 13th. For over sixty years, Michael's Bond's loveable bear has been delighting audience both in print and on screen; this NY Times Critic's Pick now marks Paddington's stage debut. And what an impression this show has already made!

Arborhouse Productions & Visceral Entertainment (Michael Chase Gosselin and Tim Sulka) today announced that Taylor Iman Jones will temporarily join the cast of Emojiland The Musical, stepping into the role of Princess for Lesli Margherita who will be away for one week (Feb 18 - 23, a total of 8 performances), fulfilling a prior obligation.

Arborhouse Productions & Visceral Entertainment (Michael Chase Gosselin and Tim Sulka) today announced that Shelby Acosta and Karl Skyler Urban have joined the cast of Emojiland as understudies, along with Geena Quintos who has joined the company as a swing. 

Jonathan Rockefeller's NY Times's Critic's Pick Paddington Gets in a Jam, now playing at Union Square's DR2, hosted award-winning illustrator R.W. Alley on Sunday, February at 2 pm for a FREE post-show event that featured a talk-back, a Paddington illustration demonstration and book signing with Mr. Alley.

Jonathan Rockefeller's NY Times's Critic's  Pick Paddington Gets in a Jam, now playing at Union Square's DR2,  will host award-winning illustrator R.W. Alley on Sunday, February at 2 pm for a FREE * post-show event that will feature a talk-back, a Paddington illustration demonstration and book signing with Mr. Alley.  

Broadway Records (Van Dean, President) announced today live at BroadwayCon, that the original cast recording of Emojiland THE MUSICAL is now available for pre-order at www.BroadwayRecords.com. The album will be available digitally on Friday, February 28, 2020 and available physically at www.Amazon.com beginning March 13, 2020.

Obviously, it would be foolish to expect anything resembling high art from a musical comedy titled Emojiland, which not only attaches bodies to those expressive emotion-summarizing faces from social media and texting but brings them to singing-and-dancing life. But even shows that aspire to little more than silly junk-food fun should be sprinkled with some degree of cleverness.

ZACH Theatre kicks off 2020 with two show openings, celebrating a legendary rock goddess, and bringing Eric Carle's books of children's classics to life on the stage. A Night with Janis Joplin will return to ZACH where its journey began; this time in the Topfer with Tony-nominated Mary Bridget Davies, who originated the title role on Broadway running January 29-March 8, 2020 at The Topfer at ZACH. Creator, writer and original director Randy Johnson joins Mary Bridget Davies with original choreographer Patti Wilcox and original associate director Tyler Rhodes. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show wiggles the ZACH Moody Foundation Theatre for Families into the 2020 Season when this menagerie of Eric Carle's favorite books is brought to life with puppetry for all ages.

New York's Cherry Lane Theatre has partnered with Vermont's JAG Productions to present the World Premiere of Nathan Yungerberg's Esai's Table, directed by Obie Award Winner Stevie Walker-Webb (Jordan Cooper's Ain't No Mo' at the Public) which will begin performances on March 19 before its opening night on April 1 running through April 25, 2020 at Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce Street).

Arborhouse Productions & Visceral Entertainment today released a sneak peek of conceptual renderings for the new musical EMOJILAND by scenic designer David Goldstein and projection designers Lisa Renkel & POSSIBLE. The images vibrantly showcase the connection between the show's inherently technological setting and its advanced scenic, lighting, and projection design. EMOJILAND has allowed the production's design team to step outside the walls of traditional theatrical design to immerse the audience in the pixelated world within a smartphone.

 Emojiland The Musical has just released its first rehearsal photos, which include shots of Broadway stars Lesli Margherita as Princess Josh Lamon as Prince and Ann Harada as Pile of Poo. The complete cast features Lucas Steele (Great Comet) as Skull, Max Crumm (Grease, Disaster, The Fantasticks) as Man In Business Suit Levitating emoji, Jacob Dickey (Aladdin Broadway as Aladdin) as Smiling Face with Sunglasses, (aka “Sunny”), Dwelvan David (Finding Neverland & The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess Tours) as Guardsman, Heather Makalani (Aladdin) as Kissy Face, Tanisha Moore (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Tour) as Woman Dancing and Jordan Fife Hunt (A Chorus Line First Revival Tour) as Man Dancing, George Abud (The Band's Visit) as Nerd Face, Emojiland Co-Writer Laura Schein as Smiling Face with Smiling Eyes (aka “Smize”), Emmy Winner & Grammy Nominee Felicia Boswell (NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar LIVE, Shuffle Along, Motown) as Police Officer, and Natalie Weiss (Everyday Rapture, YouTube's “Breaking Down the Riffs”) as Construction Worker. The rehearsal was held on Monday, December 9 at New 42nd Street Studios.

Jonathan Rockefeller's Paddington Gets in a Jam will begin its limited run beginning Friday, December 13, 2019, as the star of page and screen, Paddington, will take to the stage in this new fun-filled comedy. This production is the eagerly anticipated follow-up to Rockefeller's critically acclaimed The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show and will begin a strictly limited 12-week run from through March 8, 2020 at Union Square's DR2 Theatre (103 E 15th Street). Tickets are on sale and available by visiting PaddingtonGetsInAJam.com.

Rockefeller Productions has announced its cast for their highly anticipated family show, Paddington Gets in a Jam which includes Jake Bazel (TV: a?oeSesame Street,a?? NYC & International Tour The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show), Jessica Bulzacchelli (Regional: James and the Giant Peach), John Cody (TV: a?oeSesame Street,a?? Monkey and Dino's Funky Puppet Show!), A.J. Ditty (Puffs; or, Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic) and Kirsty Moon (NYC: That Golden Girls Show! A Puppet Parody NYC/International Tour: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show).

The Emojiland kingdom is now complete! Arborhouse Productions & Visceral Entertainment (Michael Chase Gosselin and Tim Sulka) today announced that Max Crumm (Grease, Disaster) will take on the role of the Man In Business Suit Levitating emoji, along with Jacob Dickey (Aladdin Broadway as Aladdin) as Smiling Face with Sunglasses, (aka a?oeSunnya??), Dwelvan David (Finding Neverland & The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess Tours) as Guardsman, Heather Makalani (Aladdin) as Kissy Face, Tanisha Moore (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Tour) as Woman Dancing and Jordan Fife Hunt (A Chorus Line First Revival Tour) as Man Dancing.

Tickets are now on sale for Emojiland The Musical and are available for purchase online at Dukeon42.org; by phone at 646-223-3010; or in person at The Duke on 42nd Street at 229 West 42nd Street (Tuesdays-Fridays 4-7 and Saturdays 12-6). The production will have a limited Off-Broadway run Thursday, January 9, 2020 through Sunday, March 8, 2020 at The Duke on 42nd Street in New 42nd Street Studios (229 West 42nd Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues). Emojiland The Musical garnered 12 nominations and 5 wins at the 2018 NYMF Awards and was a 2018 Richard Rodgers Award Finalist.

Additional casting has been announced for Emojiland, including George Abud (The Band's Visit) as Nerd Face, Emojiland Co-Writer Laura Schein as Smiling Face with Smiling Eyes (aka a?oeSmizea??), Emmy Winner & Grammy Nominee Felicia Boswell (NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar LIVE, Shuffle Along, Motown) & Natalie Weiss (Everyday Rapture, YouTube's a?oeBreaking Down the Riffsa??) as the loving couple, Police Officer and Construction Worker, and Ann Harada (Avenue Q, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella) as Pile of Poo. They are joined by previously announced stars Lesli Margherita (Matilda, Dames at Sea) who will play Princess and Josh Lamon (The Prom, Groundhog Day) who will play Prince. Additional casting will be announced soon. The production will have a limited Off-Broadway run Thursday, January 9, 2020 through Sunday, March 8, 2020 at The Duke on 42nd Street in New 42nd Street Studios (229 West 42nd Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues). Emojiland The Musical garnered 12 nominations and 5 wins at the 2018 NYMF Awards and was a 2018 Richard Rodgers Award Finalist.

The lines between myth and reality become increasingly blurred in Defenders. When Iceland was threatened with invasion by Germany in WW2, the allies decide to step in. The world premiere from Pandelia's Canary Yellow Company by Cailin Maureen Harrison, and directed by Reena Dutt, follows three American G.I.s who are shipwrecked on the remote island of Hrisey off Iceland's northern coast.

'That Golden Girls Show!' is a brand-new show that parodies classic Golden Girls moments - with puppets! Get set for an evening of cheesecake, laughter, jazzercise, shoulder pads, sex, and the elegant art of the quick-witted put down. Coming to The Oncenter Carrier Theater on February 22nd and 23rd, Syracuse can experience the 'Golden Girl' charm live and in puppet version!

After its critically-acclaimed sold out run in NYMF 2018, the new musical Emojiland will make a triumphant return to New York in a limited Off-Broadway engagement beginning Thursday, January 9, 2020 through Sunday, March 8, 2020 at The Duke on 42nd Street in New 42nd Street Studios (229 West 42nd Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues). Emojiland garnered 12 nominations and 5 wins at the 2018 NYMF Awards and was a 2018 Richard Rodgers Award Finalist.