Juan Rodriguez News

Nunsense premiered off-Broadway in 1985 with music, lyrics, and a book by Dan Goggin. The show ran for 3,672 performances and became the second longest-running off-Broadway show in history. Nunsense was then adapted for television starring everyone’s favorite Golden Girl Rue McClanahan and has since produced six sequels and three spin-off adaptations. Nunsense A-Men, more recently produced at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, a “Straz Produced” production, brings to the stage a group of local bay area performers to tell the story of the Little Sisters of Hoboken. As the leader of the Merry Band of Nuns is none other than the Enigmatic, and truly Exceptional Matthew McGee as Sister Mary Regina, Mother Superior. For the first time in 22 years, Matthew McGee makes his Jaeb stage debut as a performer in the musical. Dubbed a “Life-Long, bucket list opportunity”, Matthew is just downright Heaven-sent in the role. From his first entrance to the final bow Matthew, along with the rest of the cast present a side-splitting, laugh-filled evening that will make your cheeks hurt even the next day.

Every so often in our lives along comes a musical full of heart. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, is a musical comedy with Music & Lyrics by William Finn, with a book by Rachel Sheinkin. The Broadway Production opened in 2005 and was directed by James Lapine. Since its opening, many productions both locally and regionally have been produced throughout the United States. Spelling Bee was nominated for 6 Tony Awards, winning two including Best Book. This fast-paced musical comedy features 6 adult performers playing children in a local annual spelling bee competing for the top prize, and a savings bond for furthering their education. At the judge’s table and moderator for the events of the bee are past spelling Champion Rona Lisa Peretti, who is also a local Real-Estate Agent, and Vice Principal Douglas Panch. The unique aspect of the show is that four audience members are invited on stage with the performers in the show to compete in the bee. The Announcer and Moderator switch off by ad-libbing mixed sentences and various definitions for the words often to hilarious ends. One by one the performers playing middle school-aged children take their turn at the mic and perform their unique form of spelling by talking into their hand, writing the word on the floor with their foot, or drawing the word on their arm all competing to make sure each word is spelled correctly.

Ballet Hispánico School of Dance has announced that applications for the Pa'lante Scholars Professional Studies Program 2022-2023 school year are now open. The tuition-free program is for students ages 18-25 who wish to pursue a professional career in dance.

Ballet Hispánico School of Dance announces that applications for the Pa'lante Scholars Professional Studies Program 2022-2023 school year are now open. The tuition-free program is for students ages 18-25 who wish to pursue a professional career in dance.

Take a dive and swim to Fosse Land!

This classic dance musical with incredible choreography and live music is set in 1960s New York. SWEET CHARITY tells the story of Charity Hope Valentine, a dance hall hostess with the worst luck with men. She vows off dating until she meets what may be a proper gentleman she hopes won't break her heart.

On Friday, January 28th at 10am, registered participants will enjoy a lively discussion on Mexican Muralism and the artists that impacted that period in both Mexico and the United States.

Somewhere in a world on a road less traveled, between the likes of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, American Psycho, Carrie, and the more recently conceptualized Beetlejuice lies the twisted campy world in which the characters of Evil Dead the Musical reside. First performed in 2003 in Toronto, this campy rock-filled musical made its transfer to Off-Broadway at New World Stages in 2006. In 2012 a production opened in Las Vegas as a 4-D Experience and complete with a 100 chair “Splatter Zone,” and as of 2017 making it the longest-running theatrical experience on the strip. With Book, Lyrics, and Music by George Reinblatt, Evil Dead the Musical brought Sam Raimi’s characters to life in a true blood-filled fashion. In partnership with the University of Tampa, Stageworks Theatre and Producing Artistic Director Karla Hartley made the decision to open their 2021/2022 season of Emerge with this blood-soaked campy rock-fest complete with “Splatter Zone” for the 40th anniversary of the Sam Raimi film. As theatres slowly but steadfast begin their “Emerge” out of the darkest times in recent history Karla Hartley promised one thing with Stageworks new season, “I made the conscious decision to bring you a 2021-2022 season that was big and bold. Every show this season is big. Big casts. Big sets. Big everything. Big risks. Big rewards.” As I sat in the almost completely full audience on Friday’s opening night, I can say with full confidence that Karla and friends over at Stageworks have done just what they promised and more. It would be incredibly remiss of you if you happen to find yourself without a ticket to Evil Dead the Musical as it is deathly good, and I’ll be damned if you find something any better than this for some time to come.

In his first appearance with Fort Worth Opera, globally acclaimed superstar tenor Russell Thomas joins renowned soprano Elaine Alvarez, critically acclaimed mezzo-soprano Guadalupe Paz, and rising young baritone Spencer Reichman for an evening of thrilling performances, accompanied by FWO Artistic Director and composer Joe Illick.

After fourteen years of producing a nationally recognized Festival in the springtime, the organization will return to a year-round format, as it looks to expand its presence and visibility in the growing North Texas arts scene.

To celebrate the return of in-person theatre to the community, American Stage is presenting Pop-Up! Performances: Uncaged on May 14-16 at The Factory St. Pete’s outdoor venue, an ideal backdrop for live entertainment in a safe outdoor setting.

New Bedford Festival Theatre and Executive Producer Wendy Hall return April 8-11,2021 with To Broadway, With Love!: A virtual theatrical event. The spring production is presented for four streamed performances, each with special post-performance Zoom opportunities to meet members of the cast.

Returning August 17 is Shout! The Mod Musical at Straz Center's Jaeb Theatre. Shout! The Mod Musical is a nostalgic and fun jukebox musical revue into the subculture of 60s London that helped define a decade, showcasing many of the iconic songs that captivated the UK and the US.

Complete creative team has been announced for Annie at New Bedford Festival Theatre, which begins its limited engagement at the Zeiterion Theatre on July 24th, 2020. Diane DiCroce will direct the production, which will have choreography by Andrew Winans.

Curator and producer Peter Musante (Andrew Schneider's YOUARENOWHERE; Blue Man Group; Trusty Sidekick's Up and Away, a groundbreaking show for kids with autism, called 'immersive theater at its most thoughtful' by the New York Times) joins West Coast physical comedienne Summer Shapiro ('raises the craft of clowning to new levels'- NYTheatre.org) to conceive of a new immersive theater festival for the entire family, inspired by the community organizing principles of Jane Jacobs. With seven new works based on true events from Greenwich Village history, the festival brings together leading NYC experimental theatre artists, musicians, physical comedians and clowns for two programs, each consisting of an interactive pre-show and four short stories that bring the surrounding neighborhood to life. The event, recommended for ages 5 and up, is presented by New Ohio Theatre as part of its Theatre for Young Minds holiday series. The performances run from December 20 thru 31 at 154 Christopher Street, NYC. Tickets are $25 ($18 for groups of three or more with the code 'family') and can be purchased through OvationTix (https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/1001863) or by calling 866-811-4111.

BET Networks announces the acquisition of eight-part drama “Carl Weber's The Family Business,” based on The New York Times best-selling author's most popular family crime drama novel starring acclaimed-actor and Executive Produccer Ernie Hudson. Originally developed and produced as an indie film franchise, BET has licensed the content to air this dynamic production in an explosive way. Meet the Duncans, a prominent family from Jamaica, Queens living fast and luxurious. By day, they're an upstanding family; by night, they live a dangerous secret life. The patriarch of the family, L.C. Duncan (Hudson), is at the age when he's starting to think about retirement and has to decide which of his children should take over his thriving exotic car dealership. The Duncans quickly come under siege from some of the top politicians, mafia and drug cartels in the city. The Duncans will have to stick together or die separately.  The highly anticipated television event “Carl Weber's The Family Business,” makes its debut on Tuesday, November 13 at 9 PM ET/PT on BET.

Today, BET Networks announces the acquisition of eight-part drama “Carl Weber's The Family Business,” based on The New York Times best-selling author's most popular family crime drama novel starring acclaimed-actor and Executive Produccer Ernie Hudson. Originally developed and produced as an indie film franchise, BET has licensed the content to air this dynamic production in an explosive way. Meet the Duncans, a prominent family from Jamaica, Queens living fast and luxurious. By day, they're an upstanding family; by night, they live a dangerous secret life. The patriarch of the family, L.C. Duncan (Hudson), is at the age when he's starting to think about retirement and has to decide which of his children should take over his thriving exotic car dealership. The Duncans quickly come under siege from some of the top politicians, mafia and drug cartels in the city. The Duncans will have to stick together or die separately. The highly anticipated television event “Carl Weber's The Family Business,” makes its debut on Tuesday, November 13 at 9 PM ET/PT on BET.

Today, BET Networks announces the acquisition of eight-part drama 'Carl Weber's The Family Business,' based on The New York Times best-selling author's most popular family crime drama novel starring acclaimed-actor and Executive Produccer Ernie Hudson. Originally developed and produced as an indie film franchise, BET has licensed the content to air this dynamic production in an explosive way. Meet the Duncans, a prominent family from Jamaica, Queens living fast and luxurious. By day, they're an upstanding family; by night, they live a dangerous secret life. The patriarch of the family, L.C. Duncan (Hudson), is at the age when he's starting to think about retirement and has to decide which of his children should take over his thriving exotic car dealership. The Duncans quickly come under siege from some of the top politicians, mafia and drug cartels in the city. The Duncans will have to stick together or die separately. The highly anticipated television event 'Carl Weber's The Family Business,' makes its debut on Tuesday, November 13 at 9 PM ET/PT on BET.

Top Major League Eating athletes will gather in Santa Monica, CA, for a new event on the national eating circuit: The Pacific Park World Taco-Eating Championship. The competition, to take place at 4:00 P.M. on National Taco Day-Thursday, October 4, 2018, at Pacific Park, 380 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401. The competition will feature up to 15 Major League Eaters from across the nation.

Peak Performances kicks off its 2018-19 season with the world premiere of Hatuey: Memory of Fire, a rousing Afro-Cuban-Yiddish opera performed in English, Yiddish and Spanish, with music by Frank London, libretto by Elise Thoron, direction by Mary Birnbaum, and choreography by Maija Garcia.