Henry Krieger News

A vastly revised and rewritten new version of cult musical SIDE SHOW by Henry Krieger and Bill Russell is preparing for its debut under the direction of film director Bill Condon at the La Jolla Playhouse this month and character sketches of some of the new freaks being added to the carnival-themed show are now available to view, with comments on the process from the noted Hollywood make-up craftsmen who have helped create them, Dave and Lou Elsey.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will produce, in association with La Jolla Playhouse, a re-imagining of Henry Krieger and Bill Russell's Side Show. Directed by Academy Award winning director Bill Condon, the musical will play at La Jolla Playhouse November 5 through December 17 and will play the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater in spring 2014, according to an equity casting notice. The musical features book and lyrics by Bill Russell and music by Henry Krieger who will revise the show before its debut at La Jolla.

Now in its 16th season, Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook will continue to expand its scope celebrating the best in American singing and songwriting. New this year, the opening night concert will befree, in the David Rubenstein Atrium, on Wednesday, January 22, 2014. 'Live From Lincoln Center,' the Emmy Award-winning program broadcast nationally on PBS stations, will shoot four of the first week's American Songbook concerts in The Allen Room: by James Naughton, Lawrence Brownlee, Jason Isbell, and Patina Miller. These performances will be broadcast nationally beginning in Spring 2014. In addition, American Songbook concerts taking place in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse at Lincoln Center will be live-streamed via http://watch.lincolncenter.org.

The Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) will present Making Magic, Defying Gravity, an evening of music, performance, and 'behind the curtain' conversation, on Monday, November 11 at Parkway Central High School at 7:00 p.m. The evening includes live performances from Broadway's and St. Louis's top student talent, but also provides understanding and perspective on theatre education and careers in the business.

Just ahead of Lincoln Center's official announcement tomorrow, October 29, The New York Times has revealed the lineup for this year's American Songbook series, which will run January through March 2014 in the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

'Come look at the freaks!' Celebrated cult musical SIDE SHOW is currently rehearsing for an out-of-town tryout at the La Jolla Playhouse under DREAMGIRLS feature film director Bill Condon's supervision, outfitted with a new book, new songs, new characters, a new look and a whole different attitude, making the Henry Krieger/Bill Russell musical a vastly rewritten, virtually new show, yet with the glimpses of greatness of the original ported over, as well.

The production just launched a Twitter re-tweet challenge for fans. They tweeted: 'RT this! 1st 'freak peek'at the #SideShow sisters singing: http://bit.ly/19WVt2t .' If the clip receives 200 retweets La Jolla Playhouse will release a clip of a brand new song sung by Erin Davie and Emily Padgett in rehearsal.

La Jolla Playhouse announces a fifth production for its 2013/14 season: the world premiere of The Tallest Tree, a new play with music written and performed by Daniel Beaty (Emergency, Through the Night), directed by Moises Kaufman (I Am My Own Wife, The Laramie Project). A co-production with Kansas City Repertory Theatre, The Tallest Tree will run in The Playhouse's Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre tonight, October 9 - November 3, 2013. The piece is produced in association with Tectonic Theater Project.

Downtown Cabaret Theatre has announced its Main Stage lineup for 2013-2014. Details below!

Tonight's MUSICAL MONDAY will feature the musical SIDE SHOW with its writer/lyricist, Tony Award Nominee Bill Russell, on hand to participate in the event. Musical Monday, now in its 5th season, is MTH's Musical Theatre flavored cabaret show featured six times each year at the Off Center Theatre in Kansas City.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced partial casting for its world premiere musical production of Little Dancer. Four-time Tony Award winner Boyd Gaines will play Edgar Degas, three-time Tony Award nominee Rebecca Luker will play Adult Marie von Goethem, and New York City Ballet principal dancerTiler Peck will play Young Marie von Goethem.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced partial casting for its world premiere musical production of Little Dancer. Four-time Tony Award winner Boyd Gaines will play Edgar Degas, three-time Tony Award nominee Rebecca Luker will play Adult Marie von Goethem, and New York City Ballet principal dancerTiler Peck will play Young Marie von Goethem.

Director Lawrence Thelen proves himself up to the challenge, however, with the casting of terrific nonEquity actress Sheniqua Denise Trotman from Huntsville, AL. Her 'I'm Not Going' puts focus on the emotional pain felt by the character and is a powerhouse exploration of the lyrics. In between all that belting. Kudos.

Full of onstage joy and backstage drama, the sensational new production of DREAMGIRLS, which opens in Ivoryton tonight, August 7th, tells the story of an up-and-coming 1960s girl singing group, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune.

Full of onstage joy and backstage drama, the sensational new production of DREAMGIRLS, which opens in Ivoryton on August 7th, tells the story of an up-and-coming 1960s girl singing group, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune. With music by Academy Award nominee Henry Krieger and book and lyrics by Tony and Grammy Award winner Tom Eyen, DREAMGIRLS features the unforgettable hits: 'And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going,' 'One Night Only' and 'Listen.' This Tony and Academy Award winning musical sparkles like never before!