David Thompson News

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!

Ghostlight Records will celebrate the release of PRINCE OF BROADWAY Original Broadway Cast Recording with an exclusive in-store event at Barnes & Noble on Friday, June 1 at 7:00 PM. PRINCE OF BROADWAY is a musical celebration of director and producer Hal Prince. Mr. Prince will appear at the event in conversation with three-time Tony winner Jason Robert Brown.

A dancing lobster, an evil octopus, a strict father and a delightful array of singing sea creatures. All that and more makes Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID an audience favorite - and it will open the 2018 summer outdoor season for Theatre in the Park (TTIP). Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID, a premiere at TTIP, will have seven performances at the outdoor amphitheater Friday through Sunday, June 8-10 and the following Wednesday through Saturday June 13-16. Showtime for all productions is 8:30 p.m. with gates opening at 7 p.m.

BroadwayWorld has a first look at Vineyard Theatre's world-premiere of THE BEAST IN THE JUNGLE, check them out below! 

Vineyard Theatre's Artistic Directors, Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern, release rehearsal photos before previews begin tomorrow, Friday, May 4 for the the world-premiere of THE BEAST IN THE JUNGLE. This 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) will open on Wednesday, May 23 and play through Sunday, June 17.

The Tony Awards Administration Committee has been meeting all year to discuss the eligibility of the 2017-18 Broadway productions all leading up to Tuesdays big announcement... the Tony nominations.

Vineyard Theatre's Artistic Directors, Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern, announce that the world-premiere of THE BEAST IN THE JUNGLE will extend until Sunday, June 17. This 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) will begin performances May 4, 2018 with an opening night set for May 23.

Ghostlight Records has announced that PRINCE OF BROADWAY Original Broadway Cast Recording is available in physical, digital and streaming formats today, Friday, April 20. The 16-page CD booklet includes color production photography and liner notes by Hal Prince and David Thompson.

Vineyard Theatre's Artistic Directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern and Managing Director Suzanne Appel announce an initial line-up of stars set for the 2018 Gala Fundraiser celebrating Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer and the award-winning theatre company's 35th Anniversary. The annual Gala Fundraiser will take place on Monday, May 14, 2018, beginning at 6:30pm at Edison Ballroom (240 West 47th Street). Cody Lassen is the 35th Anniversary Gala Chair and Audible, Inc. is the lead corporate sponsor of the event.

Ghostlight Records has announced that PRINCE OF BROADWAY Original Broadway Cast Recording is now available for digital pre-order. The album will be available in physical, digital and streaming formats on Friday, April 20.

Irina Dvorovenko ('The Americans'), a former American Ballet Theatreprincipal dancer, Tony Award nominees Tony Yazbeck (ON THE TOWN, FINDING NEVERLAND) and Peter Friedman (RAGTIME, The Vineyard's THE SLUG BEARERS OF KAYROL ISLAND...), and Teagle F. Bourgere (THE CRUCIBLE, A RAISIN IN THE SUN) will be featured in the world premiere of The Beast in the Jungle, an original work fusing dance, drama and music by legendary composer and four-time Tony Award winner John Kander(CABARET, CHICAGO), Tony Award nominee playwright David Thompson(STEEL PIER; FLORA, THE RED MENACE), and five-time Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman (THE PRODUCERS, CONTACT).

Irina Dvorovenko ('The Americans'), a former American Ballet Theatre principal dancer, Tony Award nominees Tony Yazbeck (ON THE TOWN, FINDING NEVERLAND) and Peter Friedman (RAGTIME, The Vineyard's THE SLUG BEARERS OF KAYROL ISLAND...), and Teagle F. Bourgere (THE CRUCIBLE, A RAISIN IN THE SUN) will be featured in the world premiere of The Beast in the Jungle, an original work fusing dance, drama and music by legendary composer and four-time Tony Award winner John Kander (CABARET, CHICAGO), Tony Award nominee playwright David Thompson (STEEL PIER; FLORA, THE RED MENACE), and five-time Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman (THE PRODUCERS, CONTACT).

The 'Kander and Ebb classic', CHICAGO opens this spring at Chapman University. Chapman Student Organization Productions, CSOP, will bring this sexy, bold, and awe-inspiring favorite to the Chapman campus for a very short engagement.

Casts for “Theatre In The Park” 2018 five-summer productions to be performed at the Shawnee Mission Park amphitheater have been announced and are beginning their rehearsal periods. “Theatre In The Park” is the nation's largest audience capacity community theater facility.

McCarter Theatre Center Artistic Director and Resident Playwright Emily Mann is pleased to announce the lineup for the 2018-2019 Theater Series.

Artistic Directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern announce that Maira Barriga, Elizabeth Dugas, Leah Hofmann, Naomi Kakuk, Brittany Marcin Maschmeyer and Erin Moore will complete the cast of the world premiere of THE BEAST IN THE JUNGLE.

Two-time Tony Award Winner Norbert Leo Butz is about to take the stage again this year in the Broadway Revival of My Fair Lady as Alfred P. Doolittle -- a part that won George Rose the Tony back in 1976. Butz is one of only nine actors who have won the Best Actor Tony twice (alongside stars like Nathan Lane). As he prepares to take stage yet again, let's reflect on his career: all twenty two years of it!

Are subways really for sleeping? The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Evans Haile, Executive Director), dedicated to the development of new musicals and the preservation of musical gems from the past, has announced the cast of the 1961 Broadway musical Subways Are for Sleeping with music by Jule Styne and book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, the final show in the Winter 2018 Musicals in Mufti Series celebrating the work of the legendary composer Jule Styne. Performances are set to begin Saturday afternoon, February 24, 2018 for 11 performances only through Sunday, March 4, 2018 at the York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). Opening Night is Sunday evening, February 25, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.

With a name like BAR MITZVAH BOY, it should be no surprise that the current musical at the York is a coming of age story. What is surprising is that the composer of this intimate piece is Jule Styne, better known for brassy star vehicles like GYPSY and FUNNY GIRL.

Artistic Directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern announce that Irina Dvorovenko ('The Americans'), a former American Ballet Theatre principal dancer, Tony Award nominees Tony Yazbeck (ON THE TOWN, FINDING NEVERLAND) and Peter Friedman (RAGTIME, The Vineyard's THE SLUG BEARERS OF KAYROL ISLAND...), and Teagle F. Bourgere (THE CRUCIBLE, A RAISIN IN THE SUN) will be featured in the world premiere of THE BEAST IN THE JUNGLE, an original work fusing dance, drama and music by legendary composer and four-time Tony Award winner John Kander (CABARET, CHICAGO), Tony Award nominee playwright David Thompson (STEEL PIER; FLORA, THE RED MENACE), and five-time Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman (THE PRODUCERS, CONTACT). Performances will begin May 4, 2018 with opening night set for May 23. Kander, Thompson, and Stroman previously collaborated at The Vineyard on THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS.