Michelle Elliott News

Episode 4 of THE HINTERLANDS, 'The Boy That I'll Never Know,' features Tony nominee Erin Dilly as Paul's mother and John Bolton as his father. Watch it below!

Paul (Connor Russell, Disney's Aladdin world premiere) thought being part of the team would make everything better. Man, was he wrong. Watch Episode 3 of THE HINTERLANDS -- 'Stupid Me' -- below!

THE HINTERLANDS, a free musical web series about teenage gay bullying, officially launched on October 28, 2013 at a special event held at The New 42nd Street Studios. At the event, special guest speaker James Clementi of The Tyler Clementi Foundation shared some touching words about his younger brother Tyler and underscored the importance of being a light for young people who were struggling with thoughts of suicide. Connor Russell (Disney's Aladdin world premiere), star of THE HINTERLANDS, performed "Like It Here," a song from the fifth episode of the series. Katie Thompson (GIANT), backed by 13 students from the Professional Performing Arts School in Midtown, sang "Worthy," which will be part of the sixth episode of THE HINTERLANDS. Scroll down for photos!

Applications are now being accepted for the January 2014 installment of the tri­annual CAP21 Writers Residency , focusing on new musicals. The CAP21 Writers Residency is offered by CAP21 as an opportunity for a concentrated time and place to be artistically productive in a focused atmosphere while remaining in NYC . It will take place for a 1­2 week period ( Jan 6th ­ 17 ) depending on the needs of the writers. During the length of the residency, selected writing teams are provided a beautiful studio space at CAP21 in New York City , complete with a piano and wireless internet , between the hours of 10am and 6pm , Monday through Friday .

A free musical web series about teenage gay bullying, THE HINTERLANDS, was conceived by the writing team of Michelle Elliott and Danny Larsen (Cloaked, The Yellow Wood). Created as a response to the flood of suicides by bullied LGBTQ youth, THE HINTERLANDS will be available online beginning October 28, 2013.

It's one of my favorite weekends of the year. The weekend I get to spend three days listening to exciting new works as presented by some of the best performers Seattle has to offer. And this year Village Theatre did not disappoint as they invited members, performers, staff and press to partake of their Village Originals 13th Annual Festival of New Musicals. Some good, some maybe not so, some needing a little more work than others but all showing a deep love for the art and presented by some of the best voices in town. Now, I can't review them as they're still works in progress but I can tell you about the shows presented over the weekend and let you know about the one show that while still in development is still running one more weekend and can have tickets purchased to by non-members (that would be you, Dear Readers).

I am a huge fan of Louisa May Alcott's story of the March sisters and both films of Little Women, the one from the early 30s starring Katharine Hepburn and Joan Bennett and then the 1949 revival starring June Allyson, Elizabeth Taylor, Janet Leigh and Margaret O'Brien. I'm partial to the latter film, only because I love everyone in that cast, and it was in glorious technicolor. It also boasted Mary Astor as Marmee and Peter Lawford as Laurie.

As The CAP21 Theatre Company celebrates its 20th Anniversary, Executive Artistic Director, Frank Ventura and Artistic Director, Eliza Ventura have announced CAP21's 2013 momentous "20th Anniversary Season". In honor of the milestone anniversary, CAP21 promises to support the development of at least 20 new musicals in the coming year through various programming that the Theatre Company offers.

As the CAP21 Theatre Company celebrates their 20th Anniversary, Executive Artistic Director, Frank Ventura and Artistic Director, Eliza Ventura have announced CAP21's 2012-2013 ambitious "Season of New Work", which promises to further develop at least 20 new musicals in the coming year through various programming that the Theatre Company offers. Additionally the upcoming year will include two Off-Off Broadway productions: Maiden Voyage (working title) by musical team Michelle Elliott and Danny Larsen and Recount (working title), a co-production with Rescue Agreement. Both productions are being developed through CAP21 programs and resources.

Applications are now being accepted for the January 2013 installment of the tri-annual CAP21 Writers Residency.

The American Theatre Wing today announced that applications are now being accepted for the 2013 Jonathan Larson Grants. The grants, given annually to honor emerging composers, lyricists and book writers, help to continue Tony Award-winning composer Jonathan Larson's dream of infusing musical theatre with a contemporary, joyful, urban vitality.

The CAP21 Theatre Company has announced the next benefit concert in the Concerts for CAP21 series- SONGS ON FIVE. Featuring new songs from top songwriters in New York City, the one-night engagement is November 21 at 8:00pm at the CAP21 Black Box Theatre (18 West 18th Street, 5th Floor). All proceeds will benefit CAP21. Tickets are $21 and include a post-concert wine networking party. Tickets are available through OvationTix, online at www.cap21.org, or at the door.

The CAP21 Theatre Company has announced the next benefit concert in the Concerts for CAP21 series- SONGS ON FIVE. Featuring new songs from top songwriters in New York City, the one-night engagement is November 21 at 8:00pm at the CAP21 Black Box Theatre (18 West 18th Street, 5th Floor). All proceeds will benefit CAP21. Tickets are $21 and include a post-concert wine networking party. Tickets are available through OvationTix, online at www.cap21.org, or at the door.

Last night the incredible talent from Contemporary Classics stepped up to the mic once more for the 11th installment of their wildly popular "New Voices" series, spotlighting new works from composers around the country. Some local composers and some abroad, some new-ish pieces and some brand spankin' new for this show, Host Brandon Ivie and Music director R.J. Tancioco gathered together some of the most obscenely talented performers in the area to blow the doors off ACT Theatre and there was not a door standing when they were done.

Village Theatre announces the official selections of the Village Originals 11th Annual Festival of New Musicals, taking place August 12-14, 2011 at the Francis J. Gaudette Theatre in Issaquah, Wash. This is an invitation-only event.

Village Theatre announces the return of the new musical CLOAKED to the organization's nationally renowned new works program, Village Originals. CLOAKED is the first Village Theatre developmental production to be produced at the newly reconstructed First Stage Theatre, and it will run August 12-21, 2011-it is open to the public.

Village Theatre announces the official selections of the Village Originals 11th Annual Festival of New Musicals, taking place August 12-14, 2011 at the Francis J. Gaudette Theatre in Issaquah, Wash. This is an invitation-only event.

Village Theatre announces the return of the new musical CLOAKED to the organization's nationally renowned new works program, Village Originals. CLOAKED is the first Village Theatre developmental production to be produced at the newly reconstructed First Stage Theatre, and it will run August 12-21, 2011-it is open to the public.