Michael Kooman News

Last night, Thursday October 1, Samuel French, the world's largest publisher and licensor of stage plays and musicals, in collaboration with HowlRound,  presented  Sing and Tell: A Benefit Concert for the Dramatists Guild Fund at Feinstein's/54 Below.

This October, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street. For

This week FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visitwww.54Below.com/Feinsteins or call (646) 476-3551.

BroadwayWorld is excited to report that Samuel French, the world's largest publisher and licensor of stage plays and musicals, has slated '#MusicalsWeek: Protecting, Developing & Celebrating Musical Theatre' for Monday, September 28 through Thursday, October 1, 2015.

Prospect Theater Company kicks off its 2015/16 IGNITE Series at The Times Center (242 W 41st Street), with a concert of works by Fred Ebb Award Winners Jeff Blumenkrantz, Marcy Heisler & Zina Goldrich, Michael Kooman & Christopher Dimond, Peter Mills, and Sam Wilmott, tonight, September 12 at 8pm.

Sheridan College's Canadian Music Theatre Project (the 'CMTP') has enjoyed tremendous success, launching new musicals that are being produced and further developed by leading theatres around the world.

Prospect Theater Company kicks off its 2015/16 IGNITE Series at The Times Center (242 W 41st Street), with a concert of works by Fred Ebb Award Winners Jeff Blumenkrantz, Marcy Heisler & Zina Goldrich, Michael Kooman & Christopher Dimond, Peter Mills, and Sam Wilmott, on September 12 at 8pm.

Prospect Theater Company will present its IGNITE Series, a year-long line-up of concert events at The Times Center (242 W 41st Street), featuring today's new voices shaping the future of musical theater, from September through June. 

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Once' and 'On Your Feet!' arrive, Kooman and Dimond try one out, 'Loving Repeating' returns, 'The Fantasticks' grows its orchestra, local 'Spider Woman' and 'Idiot' productions, two new works about the deaths of pop musicians, and the real-life death of PJ Paparelli.

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. 

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announces nine awards granted from their National Fund for New Musicals, a major funding program to support NAMT member not-for-profit theatres in their collaborations with writers to create, develop and produce new musicals. Now in its seventh year, the Fund will provide grants totaling $46,000 to ten organizations across the country.

Orlando Repertory Theatre (The REP), in partnership with UCF, is proud to announce its 2015 - 2016 Season! The REP is Orlando's premiere professional theatre for families and young audiences, and has staged recent box-office hits such as Shrek The Musical and A Christmas Story The Musical and completed a run for 13,000+ 8th grade students of The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

Broadway's 40 theatres aren't the only places to catch performances from your favorite stars! Well after Broadway orchestra's begin their overtures, ensemble members take their dance breaks, and performers belt out their eleven- o'clock numbers, the party continues at various cabaret venues throughout New York City. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you some cabaret highlights for this week as picked by our theatre editors, including: NAMT Songwriter Spotlight Featuring Adam Gwon, Greg Hildreth, Kate Wetherhead, & More; 54 Sings Chess; Patti LuPone: The Lady with the Torch; After Midnight Reunion Concert; and Broadway Loves Sam Smith Featuring Jeremy Jordan, Ben Platt, and More.

The American Theatre Wing just recognized the recipients of the 2015 Jonathan Larson Grants: writing team Tim Rosser (composer) & Charlie Sohne (composer) receiving $10,000,Sam Willmott (composer/lyricist) receiving $10,000 and a week-long residency at the Running Deer Musical Theatre Lab, and Max Vernon (composer/lyricist) receiving $10,000. This year's recipients were selected by an expert panel consisting of Amanda Green (Hands on a Hardbody), Steven Lutvak (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder), and Ted Chapin (President and Executive Director of Rodgers & Hammerstein). The prestigious grants totaling $30,000 were presented last night, March 23, 2015 at a private event at the WNYC Greene Space. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from inside the special event below!

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents NAMT (National Alliance for Musical Theatre) Songwriter Spotlight, on March 30 at 7PM.

Musical Theatre Artists of Pittsburgh, the group becoming better known simply as MTAP, announces both the shows and cast for Hot Metal Musicals, the inaugural showcase of members' work.

The 10th Annual Goodspeed Festival of New Musicals, produced by Goodspeed Musicals' Max Showalter Center for Education in Musical Theatre, kicks off its much-anticipated three day festival of brand-new works today, January 16, 2015 at the Goodspeed Opera House with a staged reading of the Jesse James-inspired musical Outlaws. On Saturday, January 17, the musical comedy The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes debuts. On the final day of the festival, the riveting For Tonight will be presented. Several special events will round out this exciting weekend.

Kathy Evans, Founding Executive Director of Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, announced that applications are open for the fifth summer of retreats for musical theatre writers and are due February 23. Rhinebeck Writers Retreat will host 8 writing teams with 8 individual weeklong residencies in a private home in the countryside near Rhinebeck, New York. The retreats will take place between June 28 and August 30. Applications are due February 23 and the submission fee is $25.

This January and February 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54thStreet. For a detailed schedule of upcoming performances at 54 Below and to purchase tickets, visit www.54Below.com.