John Kander News

Today we are talking to the songwriter responsible for the new collection of songs culled from his many musical theatre ventures, both new and old - oh-so-appropriately titled OUT OF CONTEXT - who perhaps is best known to Broadway babies as the composer/lyricist of the mid-00s Off-Broadway smash boy-band spoof musical ALTAR BOYZ - the versatile and fiercely committed Michael Patrick Walker. Talking all aspects of OUT OF CONTEXT - including working with the tremendous talent featured on the multi-faceted and highly entertaining album (many of whom are also InDepth InterView participants themselves), such as Cheyenne Jackson, Kelli O'Hara, Lisa Howard and many more - as well as describing the shows from whence these songs derived (such as THE DISTANT BELLS, which recently was work-shopped starring Chita Rivera and Ana Gasteyer, among others) Walker and I attempt to paint a picture of the career of a rising star composer such as himself and what we can look forward to from him in the future, near and far - and, of course, what is in the ether for the release party performance concert at Birdland on Monday night featuring Ann Harada, Lauren Kennedy, Peter Friedman, Kenita Miller, John Tartaglia, Julie Foldesi, Noah Galvin, Andy Karl, Tyler Maynard, Andy Mientus, Jim Stanek and Betsy Wolfe. Additionally, he shares his experiences working on screen-to-stage adaptations of KINKY BOOTS and SOAPDISH, as well as shares news of his upcoming musical with Rick Ellis of JERSEY BOYS fame and the Rockettes musical number that will be premiering this season at the annual Radio City Music Hall Christmas spectacular. Plus, we also discuss his compositional and lyrical inspirations, favorite scores and composers, thoughts on GLEE and much, much more!

Join the party! Tease it up. Throw on your best A-line and go-go boots...or that shagadelic wide tie - and put on your dancin' shoes. On Saturday, November 5th at 8:00pm, Signature Theatre will be transforming their theater into a Hairspray-style dance party with ‘The Big Hair Ball.'

Music Theatre of Connecticut MainStage, Fairfield County's Professional Theatre Company, will open the 25th Anniversary MainStage Season with one of the most popular and beloved American musicals of all time, 'Cabaret.'

Stage Entertainment ha convocado audiciones masculinas para el musical Chicago, que actualmente se encuentra en la recta final de su estancia en el Teatre Tívoli de Barcelona, y que llegará al Nuevo Teatro Alcalá de Madrid el próximo 18 de Noviembre.

Encore Entertainment presents an original revue built around a variety of show tunes and exploring the modern day stresses of love, marriage and family life. Featuring songs the scores of HAIR, WICKED, GUYS AND DOLLS, COMPANY and many other shows, LOVE AND OTHER STRESSES offers a program of sparkling entertainment.

Music Theatre of Connecticut MainStage, Fairfield County's Professional Theatre Company, will open the 25th Anniversary MainStage Season with one of the most popular and beloved American musicals of all time, 'Cabaret.'

Lyric, Oklahoma's leading professional theatre company, announces its 2012 Season, including XANADU (January 25- February 11); SPRING AWAKENING (March 28- April 14); BYE BYE BIRDIE (June 26-30); SWEET CHARITY (July 10-14); A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD (July 13-28), Irving Berlin's CALL ME MADAM (July 24-28); CHITA RIVERA: MY BROADWAY (August 7-11); THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP (October 10-27) and LYRIC'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL, presented by Devon Energy (November 30- December 29).

For its 22nd season, Signature Theatre is celebrating their signature composer Stephen Sondheim by presenting his very first musical, Saturday Night (1953) as a concert event for four performances only on Saturday, October 29th (2pm and 8pm) and Sunday, October 30th (2pm and 7pm). This rarely performed hidden gem from America's foremost musical theater composer features a book by Julius and Philip Epstein, with music and lyrics - unperformed in full until 1997 - by Sondheim. This special limited engagement will be directed by Signature's Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner (Side by Side by Sondheim, The Hollow) and the Music Director is Jon Kalbfleisch. Limited seating is still available, with single ticket prices at $41 each. Saturday Night will play in Signature's MAX Theatre.

Darius Campbell (formerly Danesh) will return to the smash hit musical CHICAGO when it re-opens at the Garrick Theatre on Monday 7 November to reprise his role as Billy Flynn opposite Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award-winner America Ferrera, who will be making her British stage debut as Roxie Hart.

It's time to let your hair down and dance the night away! The 1960's are coming back to Washington as the Broadway sensation Hairspray will begin performances at the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre on November 21st - just in time for the holidays. Directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer, the production will star national radio host Robert Aubry Davis (WETA's 'Around Town' and Sirius/XM Radio), making his musical theater stage debut in the iconic role of Edna Turnblad. The impressive cast of DC favorites is headlined by Carolyn Cole (Tracy Turnblad), Nova Y. Payton (Motormouth Mable), Sherri L. Edelen (Velma Von Tussle), Patrick Thomas Cragin (Link Larkin), and Harry A. Winter (Wilbur Turnblad). Hairspray will play at Signature's MAX Theatre from November 21, 2011 through January 29, 2012. Tickets are now on sale.

The American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) 2011-12 season continues with David Mamet's newest play, Race, directed by former CENTERSTAGE Artistic Director Irene Lewis. Fresh from a triumphant run on Broadway, Mamet's wicked and scathing courtroom comedy makes its West Coast premiere at A.C.T. With his trademark verbal pyrotechnics, Mamet unleashes two attorneys and the firm's young associate as they scramble to decide if they want to represent a wealthy white man accused of assaulting a black woman.

Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) is extending its world-premiere production of Nicky Silver's play THE LYONS a second time -- extending now through November 20 -- it has been announced by The Vineyard's Artistic Director Douglas Aibel and Co-Artistic Director Sarah Stern.

The Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre will honor esteemed stage actress Patti LuPone with the company's third Stephen Sondheim Award. The award, established in 2009 in honor of America's most influential contemporary musical theater writer and composer, will be presented at a black-tie Gala Benefit on April 16, 2012 at the Embassy of Italy in Washington, DC. Signature Theatre Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer said, 'I am thrilled that Patti LuPone will be this year's recipient of the Stephen Sondheim Award. With her wonderful performances in Gypsy, Sweeney Todd, Company, Passion, and more - she has had an amazing connection to Steve's words and music. It's wonderful to add her name to the distinguished honorees Angela Lansbury and Bernadette Peters. We look forward to saluting Patti and her extraordinary talents in April.'

On Monday, November 14, the internationally acclaimed revival of John Kander, Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse's Tony Award-winning musical CHICAGO celebrates another major milestone with its 15th anniversary on Broadway!

Hart House Theatre is proud to announce a new partnership with Zadkiel Productions for its 2011/2012 season.

The Actors Fund and the Vineyard Theatre have announced details for their upcoming one-night-only benefit concert performance of Kander & Ebb's THE VISIT, starring Broadway stage legends and Tony Award winners Chita Rivera and John Cullum. Directed by Carl Andress with choreography by Tony Award winner Ann Reinking and musical direction by David Loud, the performance will take place on Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. at Broadway's Ambassador Theatre (219 West 49th Street), current home to the celebrated revival of Kander & Ebb's worldwide smash Chicago.

Two-time Tony Award winner CHITA RIVERA will perform songs from her legendary Broadway career with an intimate evening of music in CHITA RIVERA: MY BROADWAY coming to Segerstrom Center for the Arts November 10 - 13 for four shows.