Denis Jones News

One of the unique and cherished aspects of the musical theatre is how the preceding plot and character development can allow a musical moment to achieve ethereal heights that establish a triumvirate of joyful feeling between audience, performer and character. Take, for example, Amalia Balash's dizzying high note at the end of 'Vanilla Ice Cream,' which is not just a showy moment for the actress playing the role, but a release of amazed emotions caused by a simple act of kindness. Or the wacky exuberance of the impromptu tango that follows Eliza Doolittle's mastery of the proper pronunciation of an Iberian precipitation phenomenon.

Though last Sunday night was my first exposure to anything associated with the Disney triptych of made for television movies carrying the banner, High School Musical, it's my guess, judging from the enthusiastic reception the production received from an opening night audience loaded with young theatergoers, that fans of the series will not be disappointed. Paper Mill does their usual highly professional job, with a talented, energetic cast delivering Mark S. Hoebee's buoyant, quick-paced direction with gusto and singing attractively under music director Bruce W. Coyle. Denis Jones' choreography nicely fits the athletic and cheery requirements of the show's atmosphere and the design elements are sharply delivered via Kenneth Foy's kinetic set, Wade Laboissonniere's colorful, clique defining costumes and Tom Sturge's celebratory lights.

You would think that Edith Wharton's fizzy little comic novel, The Glimpses Of The Moon, might have been a perfect property for Rodgers & Hart or Kern, Wodehouse & Bolton to musicalize when it was fresh off the presses in 1922.  But no, it took until 2008 for New Yorkers to get a glimpse, not to mention a pleasant earful, of a brand new frothy little musical charmer based on her book, courtesy of a couple of moderns, Tajlei Levis (book and lyrics) and John Mercurio (music).

Whatsonstage.com is reporting that Thom Southerland will helm a new production of Terrence McNally and David Yazbeck's The Full Monty. The production will make its debut at the Broadway Theatre in Catford from running November 4-29, with a West End transfer to the Players Theatre scheduled for. December 2. The production will run at the Players Theatre through January 2. This production will be the first revival of the show in the West End since 2002, where it played at the Prince of Wales Theatre for only eight months.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) announces complete casting and the creative team for the world premiere of POP!, a new musical with book and lyrics by Maggie-Kate Coleman and music by Anna K. Jacobs, directed by Mark Brokaw. POP! will play for 22 performances only, November 27-December 19. Opening Night is Thursday, December 3.

Theatre Under The Stars' debut production of MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS brings a brilliantly talented cast to the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts September 29 - October 11, 2009.

Theatre Under The Stars' debut production of MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS brings a brilliantly talented cast to the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts September 29 - October 11, 2009.

Theatre Under The Stars' debut production of MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS brings a brilliantly talented cast to the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts September 29 - October 11, 2009.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Sunday, June 21, 2009.

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Artistic Director, Mark W. Jones-Executive Director) is proud to present The Full Monty at the Millburn theatre from June 10 through July 12, 2009. The Full Monty will be directed by Mark S. Hoebee and choreographed by Denis Jones.

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Artistic Director, Mark W. Jones-Executive Director) is proud to present The Full Monty at the Millburn theatre from June 10 through July 12, 2009. The Full Monty will be directed by Mark S. Hoebee and choreographed by Denis Jones.

Sharpen your saber, guard the virgins and the family jewels, and prepare for histrionics! He is the Pirate King!

The masterful work of Gilbert and Sullivan returns to the Huntington Theatre Company stage for the conclusion of its 2008-2009 Season. Pirates! (or, Gilbert and Sullivan Plunder'd) transports the action of The Pirates of Penzance, the classic operetta about a Pirate King and his motley band; a dutiful pirate apprentice and his nurse; a modern Major-General and his virgin wards; and a Sergeant of Police and his skittish force to the Caribbean in a raucous and rowdy update complete with swordfights, sex appeal, and Sullivan's original music. Gordon Greenberg (Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris), Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde, the Musical), and John McDaniel ('The Rosie O'Donnell Show') co-conceived the adaptation.

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Artistic Director, Mark W. Jones-Executive Director) is proud to announce casting for The Full Monty. Directed by Mark S. Hoebee and choreographed by Denis Jones, The Full Monty will run at the Millburn theatre from June 10 through July 12, 2009.

The masterful work of Gilbert and Sullivan returns to the Huntington Theatre Company stage for the conclusion of its 2008-2009 Season. Pirates! (or, Gilbert and Sullivan Plunder'd) transports the action of The Pirates of Penzance, the classic operetta about a Pirate King and his motley band; a dutiful pirate apprentice and his nurse; a modern Major-General and his virgin wards; and a Sergeant of Police and his skittish force to the Caribbean in a raucous and rowdy update complete with swordfights, sex appeal, and Sullivan's original music. Gordon Greenberg (Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris), Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde, the Musical), and John McDaniel ('The Rosie O'Donnell Show') co-conceived the adaptation.

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) in association with True Love Productions, has announced an exclusive evening with the creative team and cast members of the new musical, Coraline. This event will provide a unique opportunity to go behind the creative curtain and explore the process of bringing Neil Gaiman's wildly popular novel to the stage.

On Monday, April 13, 2009, The 24 Hour Company teamed with the Exchange to produce The 24 Hour Musicals at The Gramercy Theatre (127 East 23rd Street, between Park and Lexington Aves).

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) in association with True Love Productions, has announced an exclusive evening with the creative team and cast members of the new musical, Coraline. This event will provide a unique opportunity to go behind the creative curtain and explore the process of bringing Neil Gaiman's wildly popular novel to the stage.

SHARON CARR ASSOCIATES, LTD announced today the addition of Jessica-Snow Wilson to the cast of GLIMPSES OF THE MOON. Wilson will be replacing Autumn Hurlbert in the leading role of Susy. GLIMPSES OF THE MOON premiered exactly one year ago at the Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel to rave reviews and quickly sold out its limited run. The show returned this fall with an expanded production and received more enthusiastic reviews. The run has now been extended through the end of March, with performances every Monday night. Starting in February, in partnership with the Algonquin Hotel, the production is adding alternating Thursday lunch matinees. The following special guest stars confirmed to appear in the show, Monday nights at 8pm in the Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel: January 26 - ANDREA MARCOVICCI (Mabel Award Winner/Back Stage Bistro Award Winner) February 2, 5 & 9 - NATASCIA DIAZ (Jacques Brel) February 16 & 23 - TOM WOPAT Future guest stars to include: Leslie Uggams (Tony and Emmy Award-winning), Robert Cuccioli (Tony Nominated), and Gay Marshall (Jacques Brel). GLIMPSES OF THE MOON, a Jazz Age musical with book & lyrics by Tajlei Levis and music by John Mercurio, choreographed by Denis Jones, and directed by Marc Bruni, plays 'only on Monday nights but elicits a Sunday kind of love,' (John Simon, Bloomberg.com) in the Oak Room at the historic Algonquin Hotel (59 West 44th Street, between 5th and 6th Ave.).

Monday night's Broadway at Birdland saw a sea of theater glitterati, cheering the hilarious rantings of Julie Halston. The star of Hairspray, Gypsy, The Women, Twentieth Century, and founding member of Charles Busch's Theater-in-Limbo, decided, for one night only, to throw caution to the wind and just go crazy with new material, old material and of course new clothes! Our BWW cameras were there, of course, to catch all the fun!