James Lapine News

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) announces complete casting for the New York premiere of MAPLE AND VINE, a new play by Jordan Harrison (Doris to Darlene at Playwrights Horizons, Amazons and Their Men, Kid-Simple).

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, which earlier this year had a production at La Jolla Playhouse, has taken further steps in development. The musical features Tony Award-winning creative team of composer/lyricist William Finn and playwright/director James Lapine.

BroadwayWorld has confirmed that Tyne Daly, Ben Vereen, Ann Roth, Daniel Sullivan, George White, Elliot Martin and Woodie King Jr., and Paul Sills will be inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame this year. The ceremony will take place on January 30, 2012, in the Gershwin Theatre. The event will be hosted by Estelle Parsons and hosted by Jerry Hodge Taylor.

Upcoming MTI Shows - 9/25 for Milan

Upcoming MTI Shows - 9/25 for Montreal

Mad Cow Theatre announces its 15th anniversary season of live, professional theatre in the Heart of Downtown Orlando.

Playwright Claudia Shear (with an assist in conception from James Lapine) has constructed an interesting take on your typical showbiz biography. DIRTY BLONDE combines elements and events taken from the life of Mae West, and plays them off of a romantic coupling. It's an odd combination that works charmingly, and provides some insight into what made that particular 'dirty blonde' click as a person and as a a performer.

Winner of the1992 Tony Award for Best Book and Best Score of a Musical, Falsettos should also have walked away with honors as Best Musical. The show has it all: beautiful music by William Finn, great storytelling by Finn and James Lapine and a message for the ages about love, in all of its forms. Is it because of its size - with only a two person orchestra - that it lost Best Musical? Inconceivable, for any reason! Currently on stage at the Third Street Theatre, Richard Israel's astoundingly staged production brings the kind of joy that is at once fun-filled and heartwarming. Divided into March of the Falsettos - Act I (1979) and Falsettoland - Act II (1981), the play allows the audience to experience pre-Aids, and then its onslaught and ultimate devastating affects on the world.

The OBIE Award-winning Classical Theatre of Harlem (Ty Jones, Producing Director) in conjunction with Hip-Hop Theater Festival (Clyde Valentin, Executive Director and Kamilah Forbes, Artistic Director) will present the world & Off-Broadway premiere of SEED, an award-winning play written by Radha Blank & directed by Niegel Smith, at the National Black Theatre in Harlem.

Musical Theatre Guild, the winner of the Los Angles Drama Critic's Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in the theatre, has announced an eclectic quintet of shows to celebrate its fifteenth season of Broadway in Concert musicals.

Upcoming MTI Shows - 9/18 for Milan

Upcoming MTI Shows - 9/18 for Montreal

Jack Viertel, Artistic Director of New York City Center's Encores! series, today announced the final two directors for the 2012 Encores! season.

Jack Viertel, Artistic Director of New York City Center's Encores! series, today announced the final two directors for the 2012 Encores! season. As previously announced, James Lapine will direct the first Encores! show of the season, Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, opening on February 8, 2012. Marc Bruni will direct Rodgers and Hammerstein's rarely seen Pipe Dream, opening on March 28¸ and John Rando will direct Jule Styne and Leo Robin's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes opening on May 9. Music Director Rob Berman will conduct all three musicals. This year, the number of performances has been expanded: Pipe Dream and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes will play for seven performances each, and Merrily We Roll Along, extended for a two-week run, will play for 15 performances.

Playwrights Horizons and 92YTribeca have announced that they will present a panel discussion previewing the theater company's new season on Monday evening, September 12 at 7:30 PM at 92YTribeca (200 Hudson Street). Moderated by The New Yorker culture writer Michael Schulman, joined by Playwrights Horizons Artistic Director Tim Sanford, the panel discussion will feature all six writers from the theater company's 2011/2012 Season.

Upcoming MTI Shows - 9/11 for Milan

Upcoming MTI Shows - 9/11 for Montreal