Joe DiPietro News

Beginning January 9th, the new year is the best time to see live theatre in Fort Myers with a captivating Irish drama, a laugh-out-loud comedy, a brand-new murder mystery, a touching comedy about eighty-somethings in love and the hilarious story of England's favorite housewife.

Soon there'll be another 'Jersey Boy' in town! The Toxic Avenger, a new musical by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change) & David Bryan (Bon Jovi), with direction by John Rand0 (Urinetown), will begin performances on Wednesday, March 18, 2009, at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street), it was announced today by the show's producers Jean Cheever and Tom Polum. Opening Night is set for Monday, April 6th.

The Spirit of Broadway theater ended its 11th season this Saturday by presenting its 8th annual Spirit Awards during a black tie gala at the Spa at Norwich Inn. The awards winners are determined by subscriber votes. Joe DiPietro served as the Guest Master of Ceremonies.

VANITIES, A New Musical by Jack Heifner, with music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by two-time Tony? Award-winner Judith Ivey and musical staging by Dan Knechtges, has postponed a planned Broadway run.

TheatreWorks has announced that Kent Nicholson will be leaving his post as Director of New Works to become the Director of Musical Theatre Development at Playwrights Horizons. He will be transitioning into the position as a job share until March of 2009, where he is replacing the recently departed Christie Evangalisto. His position there was cemented by the Mellon Foundation's recent $2 million grant to Playwrights Horizons to establish collaborations with regional theatres to develop new musicals, an area in which Nicholson has excelled for TheatreWorks, where he has led the charge, establishing the New Works Festival and Writers Retreat programs as sources for the development of works of national importance.

VANITIES, A New Musical by Jack Heifner, with music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by two-time Tony® Award-winner Judith Ivey and musical staging by Dan Knechtges, will open on Broadway Thursday, February 26, 2009 at the Lyceum Theatre, 149 West 45th Street (preview performances will begin Monday, February 2).

LONG STORY SHORT follows the engaging story of socially-inept Charles, an East Coast Jew who falls head-over-heels in love with his polar opposite, feisty Hope, an Asian-American from Los Angeles.

Ever dream of being Elvis for the day? From November 1 through December 6, The Marriott Theatre invites all Chicagoans to show their love for the King of Rock 'n Roll by wearing their Blue Suede Shoes, sequins and leisure suits to the hit musical ALL SHOOK UP.

The exhilarating Broadway musical 'ALL SHOOK UP', featuring the songs of the legendary Elvis Presley, previews September 24th, opens October 1st, and runs through December 7th at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive. Led by Chicago's favorite Director and Choreographer Marc Robin, ALL SHOOK UP will have you dancing in your seats!

Three years after its Broadway debut, the lively musical comedy 'All Shook Up' has found a perfect Chicagoland setting at Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. This fast-paced show is a real crowd-pleaser, with frequent moments of mistaken identity, gender confusion and unexpected love triangles.

The opening night reception of 'ALL SHOOK UP' at Marriott Theatre benefited Season of Concern, the Chicagoland theatre community's fund raising effort in the fight against AIDS

The exhilarating Broadway musical ALL SHOOK UP, featuring the songs of the legendary Elvis Presley, previews September 24th, opens October 1st, and runs through December 7th at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive. Led by Chicago's favorite Director and Choreographer Marc Robin, 'ALL SHOOK UP' will have you dancing in your seats!

We go green in honor of WICKED's 5th anniversary on Broadway with a profile of a modern-dance-to-musical-theater transplant.

The exhilarating Broadway musical 'ALL SHOOK UP', featuring the songs of the legendary Elvis Presley, previews September 24th, opens October 1st, and runs through December 7th at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive. Led by Chicago's favorite Director and Choreographer Marc Robin, ALL SHOOK UP will have you dancing in your seats!

The upcoming Broadway production of IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS, a new musical stage reinvention of the beloved classic film, is pleased to announce that Stephen Bogardus, Kerry O'Malley, Jeffry Denman, Meredith Patterson, Charles Dean and Susan Mansur will lead a cast of 33 in the highly anticipated holiday engagement.

La Jolla Playhouse announced today the initial lineup of cast and creatives for the upcoming musical 'Memphis - The Birth of Rock 'n' Roll' slated for August 19th through September 28th in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

Westchester Broadway Theater has announced their 35th anniversary season lineup

The theatre's eleventh season features 8 plays that include 3 regional premieres, a Tony-winning Best Play and an American classic by one of the world's most beloved playwrights.

Memphis - The Birth of Rock 'n' Roll began previews on August 19th at La Jolla Playhouse and will run through September 28th in the Mandell Weiss Theatre. Memphis is the first production directed by Christopher Ashley at La Jolla Playhouse since becoming Artistic Director. Rehearsals begin July 8th.

VANITIES, A New Musical by Jack Heifner, with music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by two-time Tony Award®-winner Judith Ivey and musical staging by Dan Knechtges, will begin performances on Broadway Monday, February 2, 2009 at a Shubert theatre to be announced.