Lindsay Mendez News

Earlier this week I posted how I voted for this season's Outer Critics Circle Awards, so now here are the picks from my ballot for the Drama Desk Awards, which will be presented Sunday night.

The Constitution is the only document you get more knowledge of it, the drunker you get.  Why?  It was written during a four month drunken binge. The bills from those days show thousands of dollars in wine, port, beer.  They were all drinking.

The Drama League announced today the winners for the 79th Annual Drama League Awards: Distinguished Production of a Musical, Kinky Boots; presented by Diane Paulus; Distinguished Play, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, presented by Pam MacKinnon; Distinguished Revival of a Musical, Pippin, presented by Alex Timbers; Distinguished Revival of a Play, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, presented by Rachel Chavkin; Distinguished Performance, Nathan Lane, presented by Debra Messing at a star-studded luncheon ceremony hosted by Ms. Messing and David Hyde Pierce at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway). BroadwayWorld was there and brings you coverage of the red carpet arrivals below!

A mix of Broadway stars and indie pop artists can be heard on Kerrigan & Lowdermilk's sophomore album Kerrigan-Lowdermilk Live, due to release on May 21, 2013.

The second show of The Public's free Shakespeare in the Park season, LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST, A NEW MUSICAL, directed by Alex Timbers, with songs by Michael Friedman and book adaptation by Alex Timbers, will begin previews on Tuesday, July 23 and run through Sunday, August 18, with an official press opening on Monday, August 12. Below, hear a song from the new musical, 'Hey Boys,' as performed by cast members Patti Murin, Audrey Weston, and Kimiko Glenn!

Making his Broadway debut, Derek Klena will assume the role of Fiyero in the Broadway production of WICKED on Tuesday, May 28, 2013. Mr. Klena has previously worked with both WICKED's newest Elphaba, Lindsay Mendez, and director Joe Mantello, in the off-Broadway world premiere musical, Dogfight.

Five months…  FIVE MONTHS after their previous musical comedy, Jumbo, opened at the Hippodrome, the trio of Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart and George Abbott had a brand new one at the Imperial.  But far from seeming a rush job, their 1936 On Your Toes can easily be argued to be a huge step forward in refining musical comedy into a sophisticated art form.

Winner's Tally for 2 or more: Pippin 7; Kinky Boots 3; Matilda The Musical 2; My Name Is Asher Lev 2 ;The Nance 2; Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike 2;

Today we are talking to a terrifically talented twosome who are being touted as the next songwriting duo to take New York by storm - and, with DOGFIGHT appearing Off-Broadway at Second Stage last year and A CHRISTMAS STORY setting Broadway alight for a limited run this past holiday season, they are certainly on the fast-track to success - Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Revealing their reaction to last week's 2013 Tony Award nominations for their stupendous score for the screen-to-stage adaptation of A CHRISTMAS STORY as well as all about the creation and ultimate execution of the show itself, Pasek & Paul open up about their creative process and illustrate what makes their music work so well in a theatrical milieu. Most importantly, the songwriters discuss DOGFIGHT - the inspiration for it, writing of it, the recent Off-Broadway production directed by Joe Mantello, and, now, the absolutely spectacular cast album now available on Ghost light - to say nothing of next week's concert celebrating the album release. Additionally, Pasek & Paul share stories of the songs that make up their popular and frequently-produced EDGES, new and old, as well as their plans for future shows. Plus, all about the new material recently written by the duo for NBC's musical drama series SMASH, details about their stage adaptation of Roald Dahl's seminal children's book JAMES & THE GIANT PEACH as well as opinions on fellow songwriting teams and other influential musical theatre icons, as well as much, much more!

BENJ PASEK and JUSTIN PAUL have added a second show at Joe's Pub at The Public on Wednesday, May 15. An 11:30 PM show was just added due to popular demand after the 9:30 PM show sold out. The Tony Award nominated composer and lyricist team is celebrating the new Ghostlight Records cast recording of Dogfight. Both shows will features performances by the original cast of the Second Stage Theatre production and other special guests. Dogfight just won the 2013 Lucille Lortel Award for "Outstanding Musical." Tickets to Joe's Pub are $25 and on sale now at JoesPub.com.

Our featured composer of the week is Jonathan Reid Gealt. Here is an exclusive video of powerhouse performer Katie Thompson, who recently starred in the musical Giant at the Public Theater, singing Jonathan's song 'No Reason at All' at our Cutting-Edge Composers concert at the Canal Room.

The 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards will take place on Sunday, May 19, 2013 at 8:00 PM at The Town Hall (123 W. 43rd Street). The Awards show is written by Bill Rosenfield and directed by Jack Cummings III (co-founder and artistic director of Transport Group).

The 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards will take place on Sunday, May 19, 2013 at 8:00 PM at The Town Hall (123 W. 43rd Street). The Awards show is written by Bill Rosenfield and directed by Jack Cummings III (co-founder and artistic director of Transport Group).

Second Stage Theatre's Spring Gala celebration will honor The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation, which has been an ongoing supporter of New York City arts and Second Stage Theatre for many years, as well as playwright and filmmaker Paul Weitz, whose plays Privilege, Show People, Trust, and Lonely, I'm Nothave all premiered with the off-Broadway company. The evening will also celebrate the first ten years of Second Stage Uptown and its curator, Christopher Burney, which has become an incubator for many theatre artists in the past decade. The gala will be held on Monday, May 20, 2013 at Best Buy Theatre, 1515 Broadway at 44th street. The evening begins with cocktails at 6:00pm; dinner and the performance begin at 7:00pm.

The 2013 Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway were handed on Sunday night to recipients in 14 categories and 4 special honors were bestowed. The Lortel Awards were distributed in a ceremony at NYU Skirball Center hosted by acclaimed stage and screen actors Aasif Mandvi and Maura Tierney. This year's event once again benefited The Actors Fund. CLICK HERE for a full list of winners.

The 2013 Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway were handed last night to recipients in 14 categories and 4 special honors were bestowed. The Lortel Awards were distributed in a ceremony at NYU Skirball Center hosted by acclaimed stage and screen actors Aasif Mandvi and Maura Tierney. This year's event once again benefited The Actors Fund. CLICK HERE for a full list of winners. BroadwayWorld brings you photos of the presenters and winners from inside the ceremony below!

The 2013 Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway were handed last night to recipients in 14 categories and 4 special honors were bestowed. The Lortel Awards were distributed in a ceremony at NYU Skirball Center hosted by acclaimed stage and screen actors Aasif Mandvi and Maura Tierney. This year's event once again benefited The Actors Fund. CLICK HERE for a full list of winners. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the star-studded arrivals below!

The Off-Broadway League today gave out awards in 14 categories and two additional special awards for the 2013 Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway. The Lortel Awards were handed out on Sunday, May 5, 2013 at NYU Skirball Center, hosted by acclaimed stage and screen actors Aasif Mandvi and Maura Tierney. This year's event once again benefited The Actors Fund.

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul will celebrate the new Ghostlight Records cast recording of Dogfight with a special concert at Joe's Pub at The Public on Wednesday, May 15 at 9:30 PM which will features performances by the original cast of the Second Stage Theatre production and other special guests. Tickets are $25 and on sale now at JoesPub.com. Pasek and Paul - along with Lindsay Mendez, Derek Klena and other original cast members - will also appear at an in-store performance and CD signing at Barnes & Noble on the Upper East Side (150 East 86th Street, between Lexington and Third Avenues) on Thursday, May 23 at 7:00 PM. Please call (212) 369-2180 for details.