Larry Gross News

PREMIERES, the New York based music theater organization whose mission is 'to bring new music theater to light,' has announced the complete cast and creative teams for this season's Inner Voices, the biannual series of solo works featuring new teams of playwrights and composers. Performances began October 3rd and continue through October 29 at The TBG Theatre (312 West 36th Street - between 8th & 9th Avenues). Opening Night is tonight, October 13th at 8:00pm.

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) and the Humphreys School of Musical Theatre (HSMT) are proud to announce a unique collaboration and joint production with Kaitlin Hopkins and the Texas State University Department of Theatre and Dance to bring The World According To Snoopy, a revised version of the classic musical Snoopy!!! to the stage in February 2017.

Honeck-Moss Productions, in conjunction with The Duplex Development Stage is proud to present 'In The Works.'

PREMIERES, the New York based music theater organization whose mission is 'to bring new music theater to light,' has announced the complete cast and creative teams for this season's Inner Voices, the biannual series of solo works featuring new teams of playwrights and composers.

Columbus Children's Theatre will present Snoopy!!! April 7-24, 2016 at Park Street Theatre located at 512 Park Street. This production is directed by Chris Rusen. Based on the comic strip 'PEANUTS' by Charles M. Schultz, Book by Charles M. Schultz Creative Associates, Warren Lockhart, Arthur Whitelaw and Michael L. Grace, Music by Larry Grossman, Lyrics by Hal Hackady. Snoopy!!! is sponsored by MetLife Premier Client Group of Ohio.

Charles Schulz's beloved comic comes to life in Clark Gesner's classic musical, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. The whole gang is here: bossy Lucy is hopelessly in love with piano prodigy Schroeder who doesn't give her the time of day, perfectionist Sally is still mocking blanket-toting Linus, Snoopy is in the doghouse, and 'blockhead,' himself, Charlie Brown, is in rare form. Brief vignettes span the months from Valentine's Day to Beethoven Day, from wild optimism to utter despair. In this revised version, with additional music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, the sweet, joyful innocence of the Peanuts gang is maintained, but a fresh insouciance and playfulness is revealed. Though considered a 'good man' by his friends, Charlie Brown can't seem to win the heart of the Little Red-Haired Girl, nor his friend Lucy, her crush, the piano-playing Schroeder. Meanwhile Snoopy and Linus daydream and the rest of the friends battle with kites, school, baseball and misunderstandings before finally coming to realize what makes them truly happy.

The American Academy of Arts and Letters announces that librettist/lyricist Michael Korie will receive the Marc Blitzstein Award for Musical Theater of $10,000. Established in 1965 by friends of the late Academician Marc Blitzstein in his memory, the award is given to a composer, lyricist, or librettist to encourage the creation of works of merit for musical theater and opera. The jurors were John Harbison (chairman), J. D. McClatchy, Shulamit Ran, Augusta Read Thomas, and Yehudi Wyner.

When Faith Prince and Jason Graae first performed their show The Prince and the Showboy at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal in June, 2012, I wrote, '...there were enough sparks to set Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal on fire as Jason Graae and Tony Award winner Faith Prince seized the stage with the premiere of their new show The Prince and the Showboy to an adoring packed house. Graae's inimitable sarcasm and overdone delivery along with Prince's unique pauses and double takes made for a delicious evening of comedy through song as they focused on what makes them click as a team, namely the fun side of life'. Well, the show played 54 Below in New York and has returned to the Federal - December 27 and 28 for two nights only. It's now about 20 minutes longer, bringing it in at 90 minutes and allowing each of the stars to concentrate more fully on dramatic career transitions, especially for Prince.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature holiday features in Chicago, Austin, San Diego, and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include Mercury Theatre's CHRISTMAS SCHOONER, SDMT's WHITE CHRISTMAS, and SANTALAND DIARIES in Austin, just to name a few.

Only in San Francisco will theatregoers find the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and, yes, even Future dancing together on one stage. The mysterious figure clad in all black bops its head back and forth in just one of many surprising delights awaiting audiences throughout new musical "Scrooge in Love!' 42nd Street Moon gives the "Christmas Carol" sequel a perfect premiere at the intimate Eureka Theatre, now through December 13.

One of my very favorite Christmas stories of all time is A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote about his boyhood growing up with his eccentric cousin Sook Faulk. Geraldine Page played Sook in a 1966 telefilm, and it was later remade for television in the 80s with Patty Duke. It is the Page version that stays with me, having left a lasting impression of the woman, the era and its fierce impact on humanity. Playwright Duane Poole has fashioned a retelling of the story with music by Larry Grossman and lyrics by Carol Hall in a new musical version of A Christmas Memory, now onstage at the Sierra Madre Playhouse through December 27. On this intimate stage with the orchestra in full view behind the actors, the flavor of the original story is well preserved by Alison Eliel Kalmus' fine direction and with a terrific ensemble.

Just in time for the holidays, 42nd Street Moon presents the return of everyone's favorite Yuletide sourpuss in the World Premiere of SCROOGE IN LOVE!, a fun, high-spirited follow-up to A Christmas Carol. Starring Broadway's Jason Graae (last seen at 42nd Street Moon in Little Me) in the title role, SCROOGE IN LOVE! follows Ebenezer Scrooge one year after his life changed for the better, although he still feels something is missing. Directed by Dyan McBride, SCROOGE IN LOVE! will run tonight, November 25, through December 13, 2015 (Press opening: Saturday, November 28) at the Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson Street, San Francisco. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast below!

Billed as 'a new musical', the world premiere of Prince of Broadway at Tokyu Theatre Orb in Tokyo salutes legendary Broadway producer/director, Harold Prince. Co-directed by Prince himself and Susan Stroman (who also choreographs), the evening celebrates an illustrious career spanning over six decades from the 1950s up to the present day, during which time Hal Prince has produced and/or directed more than 30 Broadway shows, winning a record 21 Tony Awards along the way.

Just in time for the holidays, 42nd Street Moon presents the return of everyone's favorite Yuletide sourpuss in the World Premiere of SCROOGE IN LOVE!, a fun, high-spirited follow-up to A Christmas Carol. Starring Broadway's Jason Graae (last seen at 42nd Street Moon in Little Me) in the title role, SCROOGE IN LOVE! follows Ebenezer Scrooge one year after his life changed for the better, although he still feels something is missing. Directed by Dyan McBride, SCROOGE IN LOVE! will run November 25-December 13, 2015 (Press opening: Saturday, November 28) at the Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson Street, San Francisco. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast below!

While August is quickly winding down, much of the country is still engulfed in an oppressive summer heat. Whether or not it's global warming (it's global warming), there is no escaping the Dog Days of Summer. So, for our monthly feature, Jeff Walker and I made the only tangentially related leap to take a look at our favorite showtunes about animals, dogs or otherwise. Take a look at what we came up with, and share yours in the comments below.

The award-winning musical, A Letter to Harvey Milk, based on the short story "A Letter to Harvey Milk" by Leslea Newman,  will enjoy an invite-only industry reading in New York City on Monday, June 22, 2015 at Times Square's Playroom Theatre. A Letter to Harvey Milk, has a book by Jerry James, Cheryl Stern and Laura I. Kramer, lyrics by Ellen M. Schwartz with additional lyrics by Cheryl Stern, and music by Laura I. Kramer, it has been musical directed, arranged and orchestrated by Ned Paul Ginsburg, and the reading will be directed by Evan Pappas (Performer: Parade, My Favorite Year).

The Off-Broadway hit Murder for Two opens tonight (June 3) in the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater.  The production has now been extended through Sunday, August 2.

San Francisco's 42nd Street Moon raised the roof -- and significant funds -- with the help of celebrity guest star Laura Benanti at SONG OF A SUMMER NIGHT, the theatre company's gala fundraising evening held June 1 at Bimbo's 365 Club in San Francisco. BroadwayWorld has photos from the event below!

Kathy Evans, Founding Executive Director of Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, announced the 17 writers and 8 new musicals selected for the fifth summer of weeklong retreats. For eight consecutive weeks beginning July 5th, each writing team will have a residency in Rhinebeck, New York. Writers are provided a private home, transportation, food, and a $400 stipend. This year's writers include Obie winner Kirsten Childs, Tony nominee Elizabeth Davis, and 2015 Jonathan Larson award-winners Charlie Sohne, Tim Rosser, and Sam Willmott, who also just won the Kleban Prize. 

The American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University will workshop and present a staged reading of the new musical "The Enlightenment of Percival von Schmootz" written by the Fred Ebb Award, Jonathan Larson Grant and Lorenz Hart Award-winning team Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond.