David Thompson News

Vineyard Theatre Artistic Directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern announce dates and casting for the New York premiere of Ngozi Anyanwu's GOOD GRIEF, directed by Awoye Timpo. Performances will begin at the Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) Thursday, October 11 with opening night set for Tuesday, October 30th.

Broadway Records and Yellow Sound Label today announced that The Beast in the Jungle (Original Score Recording) will be released digitally and in stores on Friday September 14, 2018.

REPRISE 2.0, led by Producing Artistic Director Marcia Seligson, in association with the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television Department of Theater (UCLA TFT) chaired by Brian Kite, announces Dawnn Lewis (This Is Us, Major Crimes and IZombie), Valerie Perri (LA Shubert Theatre Evita, Jerome Robbins' Broadway) Larry Cedar (Deadwood), Kelley Dorney (Annie at Hollywood Bowl) and Michael Starr (Bright Star national tour) for its production of The World Goes 'Round with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb and conceived by Scott Ellis, Susan Stroman, and David Thompson. It will play September 5 through September 16 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse.  

The revolutionary technology Stage Write - which tracks the staging and choreography for Broadway's biggest shows, including Hamilton, Mean Girls, Frozen, Carousel, Hello Dolly! - announced today the launch of its new web system, Stage Write Anywhere, giving directors, choreographers, stage managers, swings, and dance captains a major upgrade to the technology tool already being used by over 50,000 artists worldwide.

Vineyard Theatre and Developing Artists will partner again to present Developing Artists' REBEL VERSES Youth Arts Festival, Thursday through Saturday August 9-18 at Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15th St.). Since the festival's inception in 2001, REBEL VERSES has provided young artists, ages 13-19, with the opportunity to collaborate and network with their peers and prominent artists, and to showcase their original work. This two-week event, now in its second season Off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre, will feature over one hundred artists and performers from ten young-artist companies hailing from all five boroughs of New York City and beyond.

REPRISE 2.0, led by Producing Artistic Director Marcia Seligson, in association with the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television Department of Theater (UCLA TFT) chaired by Brian Kite, announces its production of The World Goes 'Round with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb and conceived by Scott Ellis, Susan Stroman, and David Thompson. It will play September 5 through September 16 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse.  The World Goes 'Round will be directed by Richard Israel with choreography by John Todd, and musical direction by Gerald Sternbach.

Artistic Directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern announce casting for Vineyard Theatre's Developmental Lab production of Tori Sampson's THIS LAND WAS MADE, directed by Whitney White.

Vineyard Theatre and Developing Artists will partner again to present Developing Artists' REBEL VERSES Youth Arts Festival, Thursday through Saturday August 9-18 at Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15th St.). Each night will include a prominent Guest Artist joining the festival for a special performance.

Vineyard Theatre Artistic Directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern have announced the upcoming 2018-2019 Season.

Select guests arrived to Playhouse on Park for an exclusive event recently announcing Season Ten at the non-profit professional theater that was founded by Executive Director Tracy Flater and Co-Artistic Directors Sean Harris and Darlene Zoller.

Vineyard Theatre's podcast Theatre Uncorked is thrilled to welcome legendary composer John Kander, Tony Award-nominated book writer David Thompson, and five-time Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman for a conversation about THE BEAST IN THE JUNGLE, how to tackle a dance play -- which is different from theatrical norms -- and why you should look for the moments in theatre that you can love. 

In the black at the back of the Vineyard Theater during one of the final previews of The Beast in the Jungle the other night sat its composer, disguising himself as a member of the audience by dispassionately drinking in the stage action and politely applauding at the appropriate places. This is-typically-the usual battle station for the artist-in-progress. Atypically-in fact, for the first time--John Kander sat alone.

Vineyard Theatre is presenting the world-premiere production of THE BEAST IN THE JUNGLE- an original dance play by legendary composer and four-time Tony Award winner John Kander (CABARET, CHICAGO), Tony-nominated playwright David Thompson (STEEL PIER; FLORA, THE RED MENACE), and five-time Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman (THE PRODUCERS, CONTACT). THE BEAST IN THE JUNGLE will extend until through Sunday, June 24.

From the mid-1960s through to the early years of this century, the musicals scored by the team of John Kander and Fred Ebb have exemplified Broadway pizzazz while exploring darker issues under the glitzy polish.

Ghostlight Records celebrated the release of PRINCE OF BROADWAY Original Broadway Cast Recording with an exclusive in-store event at Barnes & Noble on Friday, June 1. PRINCE OF BROADWAY is a musical celebration highlighting the extraordinary six-decade career of director and producer Hal Prince. Mr. Prince appeared at the event in conversation with three-time Tony winner Jason Robert Brown, who co-produced the album and provided new songs, arrangements, orchestration and music supervision for the show. In addition to a CD signing, members of the original cast performed musical highlights.

The topics of the distinguished Broadway writing team of John Kander and Fred Ebb's musicals have never been light and frothy. Their first musical Flora the Red Menace deals with the red scare. Cabaret uses Nazi Germany as a backdrop. The Rink deals with family dysfunction in a dilapidated roller rink and, of course, there's Chicago with the shadiness of 1920s Chicago murderesses and the media that fueled them.

Vineyard Theatre announces the second extension of the world-premiere production of THE BEAST IN THE JUNGLE.  This original dance play by legendary composer and four-time Tony Award winner John Kander, Tony-nominated playwright David Thompson, and five-time Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman will extend until through Sunday, June 24.

The world premiere of The Beast in the Jungle officially opened last night, May 24 at Vineyard Theater - 108 East 15th Street, NYC. Let's see what the critics are saying...

The world premiere of The Beast in the Jungle officially opened last night off-Broadway. BroadwayWorld attended opening night and you can check out photos of the cast's opening night bows below!

The world premiere of The Beast in the Jungle officially opened last night off-Broadway. BroadwayWorld attended opening night and you can check out photos from the cast's opening night party below!