Jacob Keith Watson News

Roundabout Theatre Company's production of VIOLET, starring Sutton Foster, Colin Donnell, Alexander Gemignani and Joshua Henry, begins previews tomorrow, March 28, 2014. VIOLET officially opens on April 20, 2014 at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway (227 West 42nd Street). Scroll down to learn more about the full company and check out a sneak peek performance and interviews with the cast!

Roundabout Theatre Company's production of Violet, starring Sutton Foster, Colin Donnell, Alexander Gemignani and Joshua Henry, begins previews tomorrow, March 28, 2014 at 8:00PM.

Fourteen exceptionally talented young singer-actors have been selected as finalists in the 2014 Lotte Lenya Competition. They will compete for top prizes of $15,000, $10,000 and $7,500 on Saturday, April 12, 2014, in Rochester, New York. Broadway conductor and Encores! music director Rob Berman, 2-time Tony Award winner Judy Kaye, and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Artistic Director James Robinson will judge.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) will soon present two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster in a Broadway production of Violet, directed by Leigh Silverman. Based on the short story 'The Ugliest Pilgrim' by Doris Betts, Violet features music by Jeanine Tesori and book & lyrics by Brian Crawley. Violet will be produced in association with Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, David Mirvish, Barry and Fran Weissler, Elizabeth Armstrong, and Mary Jo and Ted Shen. The company met the press last night and you can check out photos from inside the celebration below!

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) will soon present two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster in a Broadway production of Violet, directed by Leigh Silverman. Based on the short story 'The Ugliest Pilgrim' by Doris Betts, Violet features music by Jeanine Tesori and book & lyrics by Brian Crawley. Violet will be produced in association with Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, David Mirvish, Barry and Fran Weissler, Elizabeth Armstrong, and Mary Jo and Ted Shen. The company met the press last night, and below, you can check out a photo preview from the special event. Check back later for full coverage!

This March, April and May at 54 BELOW presents a lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street. For a detailed schedule of upcoming performances at 54 Below and to purchase tickets, visit www.54Below.com.

I am excited to announce that the full cast ofViolet will include Alexander Gemignani, Ben Davis, Annie Golden, and Emerson Steele,who join the previously announced Sutton Foster, Colin Donnell, and Joshua Henry. The complete ensemble will include Austin Lesch, Anastasia McCleskey, Charlie Pollock, Jacob Keith Watson, Rema Webb andVirginia Ann Woodruff.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) just announced the full cast of VIOLET. The musical will star two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster (Violet), Colin Donnell (Monty), Alexander Gemignani (Father) and Tony Award nominee Joshua Henry (Flick), and will feature Ben Davis (Preacher), Annie Golden (Hotel Singer/Old Lady), Emerson Steele (Young Violet) and Austin Lesch, Anastasia McCleskey, Charlie Pollock, Jacob Keith Watson, Rema Webb and Virginia Ann Woodruff.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) has chosen Abrams Artists Agent Beth Blickers, OBIE and Drama Desk Award-winning actress Donna Lynne Champlin, Tony Award and Drama Desk Award-nominated actor Hunter Foster, Tony Award and Drama Desk Award-nominated composer and lyricist Amanda Green, Tony Award-nominated director Thomas Kail, Associate Producer of the Old Globe Eric Louie, Outer Critics Circle-nominated director and choreographer Josh Prince, Tony Award and Drama Desk nominated actor and writer Tony Sheldon, Tony Award-nominated and Grammy-winning composer Lucy Simon, and two-time Tony Award-winning actor Michael Cerveris to serve as the Grand Jury of this year's Next Link project.

It would be impossible to pick a favorite performance from this memorable evening, so BroadwayWorld.com brings you highlights from the concert below! But, evenings such as this one are ALWAYS welcome.

Symphony Space opens its 2013-14 Music season with 'Kurt Weill on Broadway,' tonight, October 7 (8 pm) at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre. Today marks the 70th anniversary of the Broadway opening of Weill's One Touch of Venus. Ted Chapin hosts a stellar cast featuring Melissa Errico, Brent Barrett, Judy Blazer, and Ron Raines, plus winners of the international Lotte Lenya Competition.

Some of Broadway's best will take the stage at New York's Symphony Space on 7 October 2013 to celebrate the American music of Kurt Weill. Hosted by Ted Chapin, the evening will highlight songs from Venus as well as favorites from other Weill shows, including Street Scene, Lady in the Dark, Love Life, Lost in the Stars, Knickerbocker Holiday, The Threepenny Opera, and Happy End. The starry cast features Melissa Errico, Brent Barrett, Judy Blazer, and Ron Raines alongside Lotte Lenya Competition winners Richard Todd Adams, Douglas Carpenter, Cooper Grodin, Justin Hopkins, Zachary James, Analisa Leaming, Jacob Keith Watson, and Maren Weinberger. Weill specialist James Holmes, who conducted a fully staged production of Venus at England's Opera North in 2004, music directs, and Richard Jay-Alexander directs.

Jacob Keith Watson recently made the move from Arkansas to New York.  In 2012, Jacob won the Lotte Lenya Competition for singing actors.  This past February, Jacob toured Germany performing a Golden Age Broadway concert and in October, he will be performing alongside Broadway stars at Symphony Space in Kurt Weill on Broadway.

Some of Broadway's best will take the stage at New York's Symphony Space on 7 October 2013 to celebrate the American music of Kurt Weill. Hosted by Ted Chapin, the evening will highlight songs from Venus as well as favorites from other Weill shows, including Street Scene, Lady in the Dark, Love Life, Lost in the Stars,Knickerbocker Holiday, The Threepenny Opera, and Happy End. The starry cast features Melissa Errico, Brent Barrett, Judy Blazer, and Ron Raines alongside Lotte Lenya Competition winners Richard Todd Adams, Douglas Carpenter, Cooper Grodin, Justin Hopkins, Zachary James, Analisa Leaming, Jacob Keith Watson, and Maren Weinberger. Weill specialist James Holmes, who conducted a fully staged production of Venus at England's Opera North in 2004, music directs, and Richard Jay-Alexander directs.

Symphony Space will open its 2013-14 Music season with 'Kurt Weill on Broadway,' Monday, October 7 (8 pm) at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre. The show takes place on the 70th anniversary of the Broadway opening of Weill's One Touch of Venus. Ted Chapin hosts a stellar cast featuring Melissa Errico, Brent Barrett, Judy Blazer, and Ron Raines, plus winners of the international Lotte Lenya Competition.

Matthew Grills, tenor, of Rochester, N.Y, won the $15,000 First Prize in the finals of the 2012 Lotte Lenya Competition, held on April 21, 2012, at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester. In a close contest, Justin Hopkins, bass-baritone of Philadelphia, and Jacob Keith Watson, tenor of Wynne, Ark., tied for Second Prizes of $10,000, and Megan Marino, mezzo-soprano of Malvern, Penn., was awarded the Third Prize of $7,500.

Twelve exceptionally talented young singer-actors have made it through two rounds of auditions for the 2012 Lotte Lenya Competition and will compete for top prizes of $15,000, $10,000 and $7,500 in the finals, to be held on April 21, 2012, at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Three-time Tony Award nominee Rebecca Luker, Broadway and Encores! music director Rob Berman, and Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization President and American Theater Wing Chairman of the Board Theodore S. Chapin will serve as judges.