Michael Kooman News

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts announces a one-time-only live-streamed broadcast of the Wise Children production of ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS, a new musical experience presented live from the UK's Bristol Old Vic, to benefit The Wallis, on Saturday, September 26, 2020, 1 pm (PDT).

This Month, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW will present some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com/Feinsteins or call (646) 476-3551.

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents the U.S. Premiere of Plush Theatricals in Association with Wise Children Production of ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS, a new musical experience, from Tuesday, March 17 through Sunday, March 29, 2020, in The Wallis' Bram Goldsmith Theater.

When Romantics Anonymous originally premiered at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in 2017, it received wonderful reviews and there was such a joyful buzz surrounding this show that I unfortunately didn't get to experience for myself. How lucky then, that the collaboration between Wise Children and Plush Theatricals has returned, this time to Bristol Old Vic before heading across the pond to Los Angeles and Washington D.C.

The Johnny Mercer Foundation (JMF) and the American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University are seeking the nation's most talented young songwriters and writing teams for the 15th annual Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project. The free, weeklong songwriting workshop will take place June 21 to 27 on Northwestern's Evanston campus.

Spoleto Festival USA announces Romantics Anonymous, a musical theater production set to run during the 2020 season. Produced by Plush Theatricals in association with Wise Children, the work, which premiered in 2017 at Shakespeare's Globe in Londona?"comes from the mind of Emma Rice, an acclaimed director whose many piecesa?"The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk (2018), The Red Shoes (2011), Don Jon (2009), and Tristan and Yseult (2006)a?"have been seen and adored by Festivalgoers. Rice adapted this musical from the French-Belgian romantic-comedy Les Emotifs anonymes; Christopher Dimond and Michael Kooman developed the lyrics and music.

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell S. Bernard, Trustee) in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presented the fifteenth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Angela Sclafani & Benjamin Velez. The award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, was presented by Kate Baldwin on Monday, December 2nd from 6-8pm at a by-invitation-only ceremony in the Penthouse Lounge of The American Airlines Theater.

Last night, The Metrograph in New York City hosted a special NYC/Broadway Screening of Netflix's new musical drama series, Soundtrack.

Samuel French, a Concord Theatricals Company, announced today that Neil Simon (posthumously), TDF Accessibility Program, and Aleshea Harris are the 2019 recipients of the 4th Annual Samuel French Awards. The Awards, which are accompanied by a donation from Concord Theatricals of $15,000, were created by Samuel French to acknowledge the great work and unparalleled passion of theatre artists, as well as applaud significant contributions to the industry.

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell S. Bernard, Trustee) in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) will present the fifteenth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Angela Sclafani & Benjamin Velez. The award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, will be presented by Kate Baldwin on Monday, December 2nd from 6-8pm at a by-invitation-only ceremony in the Penthouse Lounge of The American Airlines Theater.

Writing team Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond (Disney's a?oeVampirinaa??) released the world premiere recording of their musical The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes today, Friday, September 13, 2019.  The Fred Ebb Award and Jonathan Larson Grant winners return to their theatrical roots after completing three seasons of music for the hit Disney Junior series a?oeVampirina,a?? which airs in 115 countries to more than 100 million viewers. 

Join New York media personality, Valerie Smaldone, on Bagels and Broadway, this Saturday at 9:05am on your radio dial at WNYM-AM 970, or online at www.am970theanswer.com, when she welcomes movers and shakers from the Arts and the food world on her weekly radio broadcast and podcast.

Writing team Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond (Disney's a?oeVampirinaa??) announced the world premiere recording of their musical The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes will be released on Friday, September 13, 2019. After completing three seasons of music for the hit Disney Junior series a?oeVampirina,a?? which airs in 115 countries to more than 100 million viewers, the Fred Ebb Award and Jonathan Larson Grant winners return to their theatrical roots with this album. To preorder the album, visit KoomanDimond.com/store. 

'She's perfect!' That was our immediate reaction after seeing The Sandbox Collective and 9 Works Theatrical's restaging of a?oeDani Girla?? at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium at RCBC Plaza in Makati. We are, of course, alluding to Felicity Kyle Napuli, who is gifted with such a pristine singing voice and, at such a young age, exhibits incredible acting maturity. With this remarkable performance (she was last seen as young Nala in the first international tour of Disney's a?oeThe Lion Kinga?? and as one of the lead actors in a?oeMatilda The Musicala??), Napuli is undoubtedly the child actor to watch for in the Manila theater scene.

Drama League Award winner Alfred Molina ('Red') guest stars on this Friday's new episode of Disney Junior's hit animated series 'Vampirina.' He voices the role of Sir Ghoulgood, a friendly ghost who resides in the local theater. In the episode, he sings a song titled 'Center Stage' about how he doesn't mean to haunt the theater, but he just can't help but perform, even if humans are around.

Appropriate for all audiences, starting at age six, DANI GIRL, the musical by Michael Kooman (composer) and Christopher Dimond (book writer and lyricist), has returned to the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, in Makati City.

Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond musical DANI GIRL is back. Just like its first staging in 2014, also directed by Toff de Venecia, the production emphasizes finding hope amid the world of pain and suffering in the lives of cancer-stricken children.

Writing team Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond (Disney's a?oeVampirinaa??) announced the world premiere recording of their musical The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes will be released on Friday, September 13, 2019. 

The cast of DANI GIRL came out to play and comfort the pediatric cancer patients at Child Haus on Tuesday, July 23, 2019.

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts announced today the 2019/2020 season, expanding its reach with twelve months of groundbreaking produced and presented works in dance, music, theater, cinema, and contemporary circus from renowned artists and companies around Southern California, the country, and the world. The season begins September 17, 2019, marking the fourth year of programming under the leadership of Artistic Director Paul Crewes and Executive Director/CEO Rachel Fine, and the seventh for the institution.