James Gardiner News

This summer the Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre, one of the nation?s leading forces in musical theater, launches 21/24 Signature Lab, a new initiative for the creation of musical theatre works by emerging young composers which gives audiences a first look at new musicals.

Eric Schaeffer, Artistic Director of the Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre, today announced that Signature Theatre is expanding its American Musical Voices Project (AMVP) for a fourth year with the commission and production of a new musical by Adam Guettel for its 2011-2012 season. Also announced as part of The Next Generation segment of the AMVP were two additional musical commissions awarded to Peter Foley and Marisa Michelson as well as honoree grants given to Chris Miller and Scott Davenport Richards for the development of future musical ideas. Signature, with the support of The Shen Family Foundation, has awarded $595,000 to artists in honors and commissions in the past three years. The American Musical Voices Project is the largest single musical theater commissioning and producing initiative at any non-profit theater in America.

The entire original cast will return for the album, they head into the studio starting today, July 2nd. The cast recording is anticipated for release later this year.

Glory Days, the musical by Nick Blaemire and James Gardiner, will receive an original cast album over a year after it closed on Broadway. The album of Glory Days, which closed after its opening night performance, will be distributed by Friends of Ghostlight, an extension of Sh-K-Boom and Ghostlight Records.

This summer the Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre, one of the nation?s leading forces in musical theater, launches 21/24 Signature Lab, a new initiative for the creation of musical theatre works by emerging young composers which gives audiences a first look at new musicals.

Signature Theatre today announced that Andrew Call will sing the role of the student revolutionary Marius in its upcoming production of Les Misérables. He will replace Doug Kreeger, who will be performing in the new off-Broadway production of Rooms. Call recently performed in Signature's world premiere production of Glory Days, playing the role of the would-be jock Andy. Call has also performed in Cry-Baby and High Fidelity on Broadway, in Altar Boyz off-Broadway, and in national tours of Saturday Night Fever and Altar Boyz.

Signature Theatre, nationally renowned for its interpretation of Sondheim musicals, takes on the Sondheim cult favorite Anyone Can Whistle in a special one night only concert, Monday, October 6, 2008 at 8:00 pm at the Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center in Alexandria. Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer will direct the performance, a rare opportunity to experience Sondheim's wacky, intelligent, and highly unconventional 1964 work.

Signature Theatre, nationally renowned for its interpretation of Sondheim musicals, takes on the Sondheim cult favorite Anyone Can Whistle in a special one night only concert, Monday, October 6, 2008 at 8:00 pm at the Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center in Alexandria. Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer will direct the performance, a rare opportunity to experience Sondheim's wacky, intelligent, and highly unconventional 1964 work.

With the opening last night of the Manhattan Theatre Club's Top Girls, the 2007- 2008 Broadway Season officially comes to an end.

It has been announced that the musical Glory Days, which opened last night at Circle In The Square Theatre, played its last performance.

Glory Days, a new musical by Nick Blaemire (Music and Lyrics) and James Gardiner (Book) opened Tuesday, May 6, 6:45PM at Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre.

Glory Days, a new musical by Nick Blaemire (Music and Lyrics) and James Gardiner (Book) opened Tuesday, May 6, 6:45PM at Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre (235 West 50th Street, NYC).

Andrew C. Call is currently playing the passionate and strong willed Andy in the Broadway cast of fresh talents Nick Blaemire and James Gardiner's new musical 'Glory Days'. Andrew only just a few weeks ago finished doing double duty, performing in the ensemble of Cry Baby until previews of 'Glory Days' began on April 22nd at Circle in the Square Theater in NYC. Andrew called a few days before the show's opening night to give BroadwayWorld.com the inside story of how talent, passion and luck can make you think deep and dream big.

GLORY DAYS, a new musical by Nick Blaemire (Music and Lyrics) and James Gardiner (Book) opens tonight Tuesday, May 6, 6:45PM at Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre (235 West 50th Street, NYC). Previews began on Tuesday, April 22.

'Glory Days', a new musical by Nick Blaemire (Music and Lyrics) and James Gardiner (Book) opens Tuesday, May 6 at 6:45PM at Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre.

GLORY DAYS, a new musical by Nick Blaemire (Music and Lyrics) and James Gardiner (Book) will begin previews tomorrow, Tuesday April 22nd at 8pm, at Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre (235 West 50th Street, NYC). Opening night is Tuesday, May 6 at 6:45PM.

There will be two invitation only industry readings of the original new musical Empire, written by Caroline Sherman and Robert Hull. Directed by Clayton Phillips, New Hampshire Theater's Best Direction Award winner, the cast will include Matt Cavenaugh (A Catered Affair, Grey Gardens), Karen Ziemba (Curtains, Contact), Michael McCormick (Curtains, The Pajama Game), Mark Lotito (Jersey Boys, Fiddler on the Roof), Megan Sikora (Curtains, Wonderful Town), and Kevyn Morrow (Smokey Joes Café, Dreamgirls). A 2003 Ovation Award winner in Los Angeles and 2004 featured production at Connecticut's Stamford Center for the Arts, Empire is a celebration of the American spirit embodied by those who bravely banded together to build what was then the tallest structure in the world, the Empire State Building. Michael, an architect, hired to build the Empire State building in record time, takes on politicians, deadlines, and a nosy but beautiful reporter, Hildy, dead set on derailing the project. A classic struggle of idealism versus advancement, Empire is filled with romance, dreams, and the struggles that surrounded us when we face a monumental challenge. Written in the spirit of the classic musicals of the 40's and the 50's with big dance numbers and pop-driven melodies, the musical premiered at LA's Hudson Backstage Theatre in 2003. At the Hudson, Empire played to sold out audiences, excellent reviews and garnered 3 LA Theatre Ovation Award-nominations, including Best Musical, and won the award for Best Choreography. Daily Variety called the show 'A fast, flavorful, exciting tale … joyously fresh …', and Backstage West said Empire was a 'Tribute and testimony to the dreamers, doers, and unsung heroes … big and brave, like the building it celebrates …'. The production was then chosen to open the 2004 season for the SCA's Rich Forum and was called 'An outstanding new musical' by the Scarsdale Inquirer. Clayton Phillips, who recently won the New Hampshire Theater Award for Best Direction and Best Musical for Slow Dance with a Hot Pickup by John Pielmeier and Matty Selmen, has been at the helm of the production since its York Theater reading in 2001. The industry readings will be produced by Ricky Stevens and John O'Boyle whose credits include, Is He Dead by Mark Twain, A Catered Affair, by Harvey Fierstein and John Bucchino, Glory Days by Nick Blaemire and James Gardiner, and Marguerite Music by Michel Legrand, Book by Alain Boublil/Claude-Michel Schönberg, Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer.

On April 10, 2008 Glory Days had its press preview meet and greet. Glory Days, a new musical by Nick Blaemire (Music and Lyrics) and James Gardiner (Book) will open at Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre (235 West 50th Street, NYC) on Tuesday, May 6 at 6:45PM. Previews will begin on Tuesday, April 22 at 8PM.

NEW THIS WEEK! Audition notices! New Theatre Company Offers Open House! New shows at FPCT, LMP, and the Theatre Project! More!!

GLORY DAYS, a new musical by Nick Blaemire (Music and Lyrics) and James Gardiner (Book) will open at Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre (235 West 50th Street, NYC) on Tuesday, May 6 at 6:45PM. Previews will begin on Tuesday, April 22 at 8PM.