Michael Ryan News

Playing on Air, a public radio show featuring recordings of select contemporary short American plays, returns to BRIC House for a new season of performances. Nine short plays by notable American playwrights (three per evening) will be recorded live at BRIC House, 647 Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn on October 20, 27 and December 1 at 7:30pm.

Disney Theatrical Productions will present the eagerly anticipated North American tour of Broadway's Tony® Award-winning smash hit musical, Disney's NEWSIES. Rehearsals began on Wednesday, September 3 in New York City in preparation for the first performance on Saturday, October 11 in Schenectady, NY at Proctors. During its first year of touring in the 2014-15 season, the production will play 25 cities, over 43 weeks. The production features Dan DeLuca as 'Jack Kelly', Steve Blanchard as 'Joseph Pulitzer', Stephanie Styles as 'Katherine', Angela Grovey as 'Medda Larkin', Jacob Kemp as 'Davey', Zachary Sayle as 'Crutchie', and Vincent Crocilla and Anthony Rosenthal alternating the role of 'Les.' The company just met the press and BroadwayWorld was there for the big day. Go inside rehearsal with Richard Ridge below!

This week, the cast of Newsies on Tour took time out from their busy schedule to answer questions from fans. Check out the video below!

Disney Theatrical Productions just announced full casting for the eagerly anticipated North American tour of Broadway's Tony® Award-winning smash hit musical, Disney's NEWSIES. Rehearsals began on Wednesday, September 3 in New York City in preparation for the first performance on Saturday, October 11 in Schenectady, NY at Proctors. During its first year of touring in the 2014-15 season, the production will play 25 cities, over 43 weeks.

Houston Ballet announced that eight new dancers will join the company for its 2014-15 season, including five dancers who are graduates of Houston Ballet Academy.

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.

Akin to a revue, Smokey Joe's Cafe is made up of songs, songs, and more songs without a single word of dialogue. Like the final tune says 'That Is Rock & Roll'; it's the music of Leiber and Stoller who gave us some of the biggest hits of the 50s like 'Hound Dog', 'Love Potion # 9' and 'Jailhouse Rock'. In a lively revival at Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre, the smoke, the cafe and its music are ecstatically displayed by a cast of 9 thrilling vocalists.

Craving a show after the show? 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, is expanding its popular late-night series with fresh faces and hot new performances to keep the party buzzing into the wee hours. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551. 54 BELOW welcomes you to loosen your tie and embrace the night at its upcoming events:

This August and September 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.

About Face Theatre commemorates Pride Month with THE PRIDE PERFORMANCE SERIES, a spectacular line-up of readings, performances and special events throughout June celebrating the LGBTQIA experience. The series kicks off with a reading of Jonathan Tolins' comedy The Last Sunday in June, starring real life couple Michael Urie (of TV's Ugly Betty) and his partner Ryan Spahn. Urie is currently starring in Tolins' comedy Buyer & Cellar at Chicago's Broadway Playhouse. Up next, AFT Artistic Associate Paul Oakley Stovall leads a panel of Chicago artists through an exploration of Lesbians & Literature. Then, playwright Bixby Elliot (Girl You Know It's True) unravels everything you've ever learned about our 16th President as AFT presents a reading of his hilarious play Abraham Lincoln was a F*gg*t. Finally, Steven Strafford stars in a reading of Methtacular!, his own brutally honest and often comedic story of survival as a meth addict in Chicago.

Tonight, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, April 26 at 1:30 p.m., Houston Ballet II and the entire school will present its 2014 Spring Showcase in the Cullen Theater at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston.

On Friday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, April 26 at 1:30 p.m., Houston Ballet II and the entire school will present its 2014 Spring Showcase in the Cullen Theater at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston. Tickets start at $28 and may be purchased by calling 713 227 ARTS (713 227 2787) or online at www.houstonballet.org. All proceeds raised by the performances will benefit Houston Ballet Academy.

On Friday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, April 26 at 1:30 p.m., Houston Ballet II and the entire school will present its 2014 Spring Showcase in the Cullen Theater at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston. Tickets start at $28 and may be purchased by calling 713 227 ARTS (713 227 2787) or online at www.houstonballet.org. All proceeds raised by the performances will benefit Houston Ballet Academy.

John C. Breckenridge, President and CEO of Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS), announced today the nominations and presenters for TUTS' 12th annual Tommy Tune Awards which will be held on Wednesday, April 16, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Developed by TUTS, the Tommy Tune Awards honor musical theatre excellence at the high school level. Co-hosts for the award ceremony include Jim Bernhard and Sarah Pepper. Bernhard has written several original productions that have debuted at TUTS and authored the theatrical history Stars in Your Eyes. Pepper is the morning host of The Hot Show on HOT 95.7 FM.

On Sunday March 9, Spirit of Ireland lit up Morgan Auditorium at the University of La Verne with Michael Ryan and seven other electric musicians onstage, as well as lovely singer Cassie Murphy and three award-winning Irish dancers including Caterina Coyne from Riverdance. Part of a monthly program from the University's music department entitled Sundays at the Morgan, the evening was introduced by the interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Dr. Felicia Beardsley and turned out to be a real pre-St. Patrick's Day treat for the packed house.

The Nominating Committee of the Independent Reviewers of New England has just announced nominees for the 2014 IRNE Awards. The Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) Awards, founded by Beverly Creasey of the Journal Newspapers and Larry Stark of TheaterMirror in 1997, recognize the extraordinary wealth of talent in the Boston theatre community.

Called by many the perfect musical, My Fair Lady based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion has perhaps the wittiest and showiest debate between the sexes. Shaw despised marriage and loved to magnify human frailty, both female and male. And with Lerner and Loewe to create the book, music and lyrics, the result is a creation with music and story that flow together in ideal harmony. Even when its at its abrasive best, it's funny; even when Professor Henry Higgins is obnoxious, selfish and self-centered to the hilt, we cannot help but to laugh with him...and love him. Despite what a man says about a woman, he cannot live without her, and vice versa. We were born to live in a love/hate relationship, to be at each other's throats and in the next second, rolling around in the hay. It's all a part of life and Shaw, Lerner and Loewe displayed the ups and downs of romantic living better than anyone else...period. Now in a loverly production at Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre, patrons are in for a real treat through March 16.

Houston Ballet Academy has been invited to participate in two prestigious European conferences in January and February 2014, while Houston Ballet II, Houston Ballet's second company of gifted young international artists, will make appearances in Arkansas and Georgia in March 2014.

Houston Ballet Academy has been invited to participate in two prestigious European conferences in January and February 2014, while Houston Ballet II, Houston Ballet's second company of gifted young international artists, will make appearances in Arkansas and Georgia in March 2014.