Louis Hobson News

Balagan also announced a trio of Broadway powerhouse artists for Carrie: The Musical: Alice Ripley, Kendra Kassebaum, and Keaton Whittaker as Carrie. Ripley is best known for her Tony Award-winning turn as Diana Goodman in Next to Normal; Kassebaum was the first to replace Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda in Wicked; and young local actor Keaton Whittaker starred alongside Angela Lansbury and Catherine Zeta-Jones in A Little Night Music.

Balagan Theatre made three major announcements during a packed Season Preview Party at the Moore Theatre on Monday, June 10: 'Nirvanov' as the fifth show in the 2013-2014 mainstage season, a star-studded trio of leading ladies in Carrie: The Musical, and a newly created New Works Program, whose Summer Series debuts July 6.

Balagan Theatre will introduce the 2013-2014 mainstage season with a free community celebration, tonight, June 10, 7:30pm at the Moore Theatre, featuring America's Next Drag Superstar, Jinkx Monsoon (also known in Seattle as musical actor Jerick Hoffer), and Broadway star and Tony Award winner Alice Ripley, best known for creating the role of Diana Goodman in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Next to Normal.

The Portland Area Musical Theatre Awards have announced this year's nominations! See the full list below.

The 5th Avenue Theatre has announced complete casting for Hairspray in Concert, featuring some of Seattle's favorite musical theatre stars and the powerful voices of the 250-member Seattle Men's Chorus. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Hairspray's 2002 Broadway debut, this unique concert event will play for six very special performances of glorious and irreverent John Waters-inspired wackiness (Friday-Sunday, June 20-23). In 2002, Hairspray was The 5th Avenue Theatre's first world premiere musical to head for Broadway where it won the 2003 Tony Award for Best Musical and launched The 5th's unprecedented track record for sending new works to New York. Now the smash hit musical comes home, as audiences have never seen it before.

Balagan Theatre will introduce the 2013-2014 mainstage season with a free community celebration, Monday, June 10, 7:30pm at the Moore Theatre, featuring America's Next Drag Superstar, Jinkx Monsoon (also known in Seattle as musical actor Jerick Hoffer), and Broadway star and Tony Award winner Alice Ripley, best known for creating the role of Diana Goodman in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Next to Normal.

Balagan Theatre's next mainstage season will increase from four to five productions, featuring performances by Broadway actors Louis Hobson and Steven Taylor, and including two shows co-produced in partnership with Seattle Theatre Group at the historic Moore Theatre.The new season includes the world's longest-running musical, Les Miserables, produced in the intensely intimate setting of the Erickson Theatre on Capitol Hill; Carrie: The Musical, and more.

In 2002, Hairspray was the first world premiere musical to leave The 5th Avenue Theatre and head for Broadway. It won the Tony Award for Best Musical and launched the Theatre's unprecedented track record for sending new works to New York. Now 10 seasons later, The 5th collaborates with one of the world's largest and most respected choruses, the Seattle Men's Chorus. Together they will bring this special concert presentation of Hairspray, with all its glorious, irreverent, John Waters-inspired wackiness, back to the 5th Avenue stage for six very special performances.

The Board and staff of Balagan Theatre announce the appointment of our new Artistic Director, Louis Hobson, effective March 1, 2013.

Producer Eric S. Goldman has announced that Emma Hunton (Spring Awakening - Broadway; Rent - Off Broadway; Next to Normal - First National Tour) will be joining Max Von Essen in the two industry readings of Billy Butler's GAY BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, on Monday, February 4th at 6pm & Tuesday, February 5th at 11am at the 45th Street Theatre, in preparation for a future Off-Broadway run. The readings are produced in association with aka Studio Productions, Louis Hobson and Seattle's Balagan Theatre. The production is directed by award winning director Rachel Klein. Aaron Grant serves as Executive Producer with Kelvin Productions as General Manager.

Noted Entertainment attorney, Eric S. Goldman, will present two industry readings of Billy Butler's GAY BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, on Monday, February 4th at 6pm & Tuesday, February 5th at 11am at the 45th Street Theatre, in preparation for a future Off-Broadway run. The readings are produced in association with aka Studio Productions, Louis Hobson and Seattle's Balagan Theatre. The production is directed by award winning director Rachel Klein "the Mistress of the Macabre" (FlavorPill Magazine). Aaron Grant serves as Executive Producer with Kelvin Productions as General Manager.

Asa Somers' original rock musical, Something as Big as This, will receive a January 2013 developmental workshop at Seattle's award-winning Balagan Theatre, a follow up to the recent NYC workshop starring Brian d'Arcy James and Emma Hunton. There will be a public presentation of selected music and scenes at Balagan tonight, January 14th at 8pm.

Asa Somers' original rock musical, Something as Big as This, will receive a January 2013 developmental workshop at Seattle's award-winning Balagan Theatre, a follow up to the recent NYC workshop starring Brian d'Arcy James and Emma Hunton. There will be a public presentation of selected music and scenes at Balagan January 14th at 8pm.

Ghostlight Records will release the Original Broadway Cast Recording of the Tony®-nominated musical, LEAP OF FAITH, featuring a roof-raising new score by Oscar® and Tony®- winning composer Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors) and Grammy®-winning lyricist Glenn Slater (Tangled), to digital outlets on December 4, 2012 and in stores on December 18, 2012. CD pre-orders are now on sale at http://sh-k-boom.com/leapoffaith.shtml.

Tony & Drama Desk nominated Gabriel Barre (Lippa's Wild Party) will direct and Louis Hobson will produce the developmental workshop of David Klein's new play, Synchro, with a invite-only reading in New York today, November 9th.

Tony & Drama Desk nominated Gabriel Barre (Lippa's Wild Party) will direct and Louis Hobson will produce the developmental workshop of David Klein's new play, Synchro, with a invite-only reading in New York on November 9th.

According to MTI's official website, BONNIE & CLYDE, which last year played the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, is now available for licensing. In the show, two small-town kids from the middle of nowhere became the biggest folk heroes in all America. They craved adventure-and each other. Their names were Bonnie and Clyde.

Portland Center Stage opens up the season with SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET, and a powerhouse ensemble makes this musical too impressive to miss. A great shot at show-of-the-year and a high end production that is packing the house. Tune in!

If It Only Even Runs A Minute 10 is the tenth edition of this series of rare songs, behind-the-scenes tales, and inspiring photos from Broadway musicals that may not have been fully appreciated the first time around. The June 17 show featured performances and stories from original cast members and writers of several of the featured shows. Check it out below!

Tony Award-Nominated 'Smash' star Brian d'Arcy James will star in a closed developmental reading of playwright/composer Asa Somers' new rock musical, Something As Big As This, July 2. The star-studded cast includes Emma Hunton (Rent, Spring Awakening), Jenn Colella (Urban Cowboy, High Fidelity), Preston Sadleir (Next to Normal), Kingsley Leggs (Sister Act, Color Purple), Benjamin Schrader (Book of Mormon, Avenue Q), Wayne Duvall (Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, O Brother, Where Art Thou?), F. Michael Haynie (Carrie, Dogfight), Jared Zirilli (Lysistrata Jones, Wicked), Dennis Holland (The Music Man), Elyse Knight, Naama Potok and Broadway and screen veteran Joyce van Patten.