Michele Pawk News

Set sail with Wagner College Theatre (WCT) as it continues its 2016-17 Mainstage Season with Cole Porter's Anything Goes, with performances November 17 through December 4 in the Main Hall Auditorium.  

Midtown Direct Rep (MDR) continues its 2016-17 staged reading series, Theater at The Woodland, with a presentation of WE WILL NOT DESCRIBE THE CONVERSATION, written by Eugenie Carabatsos and directed by Christina Roussos.

Playwrights Horizons' A Life, the world premiere of a new play by Obie Award winner Adam Bock (A Small Fire and The Drunken City at Playwrights, The Receptionist, The Thugs, Swimming in the Shallows), just opened at the company's Peter Jay Sharp Theater (416 West 42nd Street). Originally scheduled to play a limited engagement through Sunday, November 13, the production will now play through Sunday, November 27.

Emily Goglia (TV's 'Grease Live!', Rent at La Mirada) will join nine other performers to help songwriter/pianist Brandon Sturiale celebrate the release of his album So Much More at the Beechman Theatre on Sunday night, Oct. 23rd at 7:30pm.

Wes Hart (West Side Story, Jersey Boys nat'l tour), Robby Haltiwanger (Ghost nat'l tour), and Marquis Johnson (Beauty and The Beast nat'l tour) will join previously announced singers Lored Allred ('The Voice'), Jessica Crouch (We Will Rock You nat'l tour), Bryan Fenkart (Memphis), Dionne Figgins (Motown), Desi Oakley (Les Miserables, Wicked), Sharone Sayegh (Mamma Mia!), and Ari Wilford (Once) in a celebration of songwriter/pianist Brandon Sturiale's new album So Much More.

Songwriter/pianist Brandon Sturiale will be joined onstage by Lored Allred ('The Voice'), Jessica Crouch (We Will Rock You nat'l tour), Bryan Fenkart (Memphis), Dionne Figgins (Motown), Desi Oakley (LES MISERABLES, Wicked), Sharone Sayegh (Mamma Mia!), Ari Wilford (Once), and more names soon to be announced, as he celebrates the release of his new album So Much More: The Songs of Brandon Sturiale.

Midtown Direct Rep (MDR) kicks off its 2016-17 newly renamed staged reading series, Theater at The Woodland, with a presentation of THE BURDENS, written by Matt Schatz and directed by Mark Armstrong.

Midtown Direct Rep (MDR) is excited to announce a new partnership with the Township of Maplewood. Beginning with the 2016-17 season, MDR will present its staged readings and other productions as the resident theater company of The Woodland (60 Woodland Rd. in Maplewood, NJ). MDR's newly named staged reading series, "Theater at The Woodland", will take place in the Parlor, and larger productions, such as the well-known annual event Listen To Your Mother, will be held in the Great Hall.

Penguin Rep Theatre, the award-winning theatre in Stony Point, New York, under the leadership of Artistic Director Joe Brancato and Executive Director Andrew M. Horn, closes its 2016 season with the New York premiere of Daniel's Husband by Michael McKeever from September 23 through October 16, 2016. In Daniel's Husband, Mitchell and Daniel are the ideal couple, everything but married. Mitchell does not believe in marriage; Daniel does. "When their life together takes a shocking and unexpected turn," says Mr. Brancato, who will stage the production at Penguin Rep, "we learn about the power and pain of love in this breathtaking new play."

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director,Casey Reitz, Executive Director) presents the world premiere production of THE LAYOVER, written by Leslye Headland and directed by Trip Cullman. BroadwayWorld was on hand for opening night and you can check out photos from the red carpet below!

Himself and Nora, a new musical with book, music, and lyrics by Jonathan Brielleis currently in previews at the Minetta Lane Theatre. Directed by Michael Bush, produced by Cherie King and executive produced by R. Erin Craig, Himself and Nora officially opened last night, June 6th. Check out photos from the red carpet arrivals below!

Second Stage Theatre, in association with Stacey MindichProductions, just last night opened the new musical, Dear Evan Hansen, featuring Ben Platt as the title character. Also reprising their performances from the 'splendid (Marks, Washington Post) DC cast are Laura Dreyfuss as Zoe, Mike Faist as Connor, Rachel Bay Jones as Heidi, Will Roland as Jared, Jennifer Laura Thompson as Cynthia. New cast members John Dossett (Larry) and Kristolyn Lloyd (Alana) complete the company.

?The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders sponsors students from Union County high schools to participate in the first annual Drama Festival next week in Rahway.

?The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to support American Theater Group (ATG), one of New Jersey's newest nonprofit theatre companies, in the American premiere of Joe Slabe's new musical Crossing Swords at UCPAC's Hamilton Stage in Rahway April 21 to May 1.

Tony Award-winner and Broadway veteran Michele Pawk will direct A Chorus Line, the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical at Wagner College Theatre, April 13-24.

 Wagner College Theatre will host a fundraiser, MUSIC AMONG FRIENDS, featuring Theater faculty members Dr. Lauri Young, Theresa McCarthy, Michele Pawk and Amy Williams, on Saturday, March 19 at 7pm at Wagner College's Performance Center.

Penguin Rep Theatre, under the leadership of founding artistic director Joe Brancato and executive director Andrew M. Horn, announces its 2016 season, the professional Equity company's 39th at its home in Stony Point (Rockland County), New York, a season filled with current and controversial subject matter.

Midtown Direct Rep (MDR) concludes its 2015-16 Theater in the Loft series at the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) with a staged reading of BLINK, written by Kate Moira Ryan and directed by Mark Armstrong.

The award-winning Wagner College Theatre presents a reimagined production of Gilbert & Sullivan's topsy-turvy musical Iolanthe from February 24-March 6, 2016 in the Main Hall Theatre.

Today in 1992, Crazy for You opened at the Shubert Theatre, where it ran for 1622 performances. Crazy for You is a musical with a book by Ken Ludwig, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and music by George Gershwin. Billed as 'The New Gershwin Musical Comedy', it is largely based on the songwriting team's 1930 musical, Girl Crazy, but interpolates songs from several other productions as well. Crazy for You won the 1992 Tony Award for Best Musical. The Broadway production was directed by Mike Ockrent and choreographed by Susan Stroman.The cast included Jodi Benson as Polly, Harry Groener as Bobby Child, Bruce Adler as Bela Zangler, John Hillner as Lank Hawkins, Michele Pawk as Irene Roth, Jane Connell as Mother, and Beth Leavel as Tess.