Erik Ransom News

Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, New York's premiere socially conscious-eco-friendly theatre festival, caps off its latest season with its annual awards ceremony on Sunday, August 14, at 7pm, at the Cherry Lane Theatre, located at 38 Commerce Street.

Playwright Erik Champney looks at the extremes people will go to in the name of self-preservation with Blankets and Bedtime: 3 Restless Plays, three one-act works where the truth can be the most unwelcome element of all.  Presented by Pixie Theory Productions, and directed by Janet Bentley, the show will be performed beginning June 15 at the Downstairs Theater at The Paradise Factory, located at 64 East 4th Street, as part of Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. The press is invited to all performances.

Taryn Manning (Orange is the New Black, Hustle & Flow, Crossroads), Suzzanne Douglas (How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Lifetime's Whitney), Emma Myles (Orange is the New Black, Child of Grace) and Diane Guerrero (Jane the Virgin, Orange is the New Black) star in the upcoming musical theatre mockumentary Happy Yummy Chicken written by Brandon Monokian and directed by Anna Loyd Bradshaw. The film will premiere Sunday, June 5th at the Hoboken International Film Festival at 6pm. The screening will be held at the Paramount Theatre in Middletown, NY.

James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director of York Theater Company has announced that as part of its Developmental Reading Series, it will present Erik Ransom's 'More Than All the World' an epic musical inspired by Christopher Marlowe's 'Edward II' directed by Rachel Klein ('Around the World in 80 Days', 'The Anthem') with music direction and arrangements by Andy Peterson ('Atomic'). The reading will take place on March 15th at 2PM.

Below, watch Taryn Manning, Diane Guerrero, Suzzanne Douglas, Emma Myles and more in trailer for musical mockumentary HAPPY YUMMY CHICKEN

This month, Musical Theatre Factory (MTF) will partner with NYMF to showcase a series of late night salons featuring the work of over 20 musical theater writers. The writers of five NYMF shows will be participating in the Salon-A-Thon, including the 2015 Next Link Selections 210 Amlent Avenue, Manuel Vs. The Statue of Liberty and The Cobalteans.

Bay Street Theater has announced that FIVE PRESIDENTS, the new play by Emmy Award-winning writer Rick Cleveland (Six Feet Under, The West Wing, and House of Cards), will extend its run for an additional week due to popular demand. The production will now run from June 23-July 19. 

Musical Theatre Factory (MTF), under the leadership of founding artistic director Shakina Nayfack and managing director Danny Abosch, has announced its 2015 summer season supporting the development of 16 new shows.

A concert highlighting songs from the epic Broadway-Bound musical 'Akhenaten the Musical' is slated for tonight, May 1st at The Triad.

Dominick LaRuffa Jr. is set to take on the role of "Dominick Vitale" in the hit Off-Broadway comedy "My Big Gay Italian Funeral" (now approaching its two year anniversary) Sunday May 10th, opposite creator Anthony J. Wilkinson.   On June 6th, 2015 LaRuffa Jr. will continue on with the cast in Wilkinson's long running original hit comedy "My Big Gay Italian Wedding" in the role of "Mario."

The starry lineup is now complete for the concert highlighting songs from the epic Broadway-Bound musical 'Akhenaten the Musical' on May 1st at The Triad. The Tony Nominee for Motown, Charl Brown, will join Broadway favorites N'Kenge (Motown the Musical, Sondheim on Sondheim) and Ted Keegan (Phantom of the Opera, Sweeney Todd). Also previously announced to perform were Seph Stanek (Naked Boys Singing), John Lucas, Sahar Milani, Alia Munsch, and Erik Ransom.

Massimo Didonna is set to take on the role of 'Ezio' in the hit Off-Broadway comedy 'My Big Gay Italian Funeral' now in it's second year, opposite creator Anthony J. Wilkinson. Didonna is certainly no stranger to knowing how to entertain an audience and is ready to take on his first official acting role as the outspoken nightclub and funeral home owner in Wilkinson's latest comedy creation.

Libertine Idol Productions and Charles Czarnecki present a staged reading of the world premiere of Erik Johannes von Ransom's GRINDR The Opera in concert today, April 7th at 11:30am and April 9th at 3:00pm at Roy Arias Studios, 777 8th Avenue, New York.

Some of Broadway's brightest talents will perform highlights from the epic Broadway-Bound musical "Akhenaten the Musical" on May 1 at 9:00pm at The Triad. Broadway favorites N'Kenge (Motown the Musical, Sondheim on Sondheim), Vince Oddo (Rocky, American Idiot), and Ted Keegan (Phantom of the Opera, Sweeney Todd) will be joined by Seph Stanek (Naked Boys Singing), John Lucas, Sahar Milani, Alia Munsch, and Erik Ransom.

.Libertine Idol Productions and Charles Czarnecki present a staged reading of the world premiere of Erik Johannes von Ransom's GRINDR The Opera in concert on April 7th at 11:30am and April 9th at 3:00pm at Roy Arias Studios, 777 8th Avenue, New York. With direction by Rachel Klein (Around the World in 80 Days, The Anthem, Symphony of Shadows, The Tragedy of Maria Macabre), GRINDR The Opera is an unauthorized musical parody of the eponymous gay hook-up app that has sweepingly altered the course of modern gay intimacy. Randy Jones, the original Village People Cowboy, will host the readings.

My Big Gay Italian Wedding and My Big Gay Italian Funeral, by Anthony J. Wilkinson, will extend its recently posted limited run to September 27th, 2015

Alex Coladonato is set to take on the role of "Ezio" in the hit Off-Broadway comedy "My Big Gay Italian Funeral" now in it's second year, opposite creator Anthony J. Wilkinson.

Robbyne Kaamil is set to return to the stage for one night only in the hit Off-Broadway comedy "My Big Gay Italian Wedding" opposite creator Anthony J. Wilkinson and Danny Bernardy. Saturday, February 28th at 8pm, Kaamil who is no stranger to the stage will bring her comedic talents to St. Luke's Theatre.

My Big Gay Italian Wedding and My Big Gay Italian Funeral, by Anthony J. Wilkinson, will extend its recently posted limited run to June 28th, 2015

Comedian Nicky Paris will make his Off-Broadway Debut in MY BIG GAY INTALIAN FUNERAL on March 1, 2015.