Nikko Benson News

Feinstein's/54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, present The Songs of Josh Freilich and Kate Chadwick on December 9th, 9:30pm.

Well, Dear Readers, it's my favorite weekend of the year again. The weekend when Village Theatre gathers together all the best musical theater talent and presents readings of five up and coming new musicals. Yes, it's the 17th Annual Village Originals Festival of New Musicals or as I like to call it, Musical Theater Nerd Paradise. They presented us with some really outstanding works and while I can't review them, I can still tell you about the shows themselves.

With one week left until The 17th Annual Festival of New Musicals, Village Theatre is excited to announce the casting for Nikola Tesla Drops the Beat, an electronic pop musical about one of the world's greatest inventors; Hart Island, a look at social justice and the people society has forgotten; Afterwords, a tale of art and love; Howl's Moving Castle, based on the novel by Diana Wynne Jones; and ZM, a hilarious romp through a zombie-filled future by the Tony Award-winning authors of Urinetown. Taking place in Issaquah on August 11-13, 2017, The Festival of New Musicals provides an essential platform for writers to incorporate a key component of live theatre - the audience. Each new musical will be rehearsed during the week, then present to the audience in staged reading format, performed in full using scripts.

Today, producers Ken Davenport and Hunter Arnold announced that Tony Award nominee Phillip Boykin, Alysha Deslorieux, Kenita R. Miller, and Isaac Powell are joining the new Broadway production of Once On This Island, which will play the Circle in the Square Theatre (235 W. 50th street, NYC) this fall.

Village Theatre is excited to announce the lineup for The 17th Annual Festival of New Musicals, which will take place in Issaquah on August 11-13, 2017 and continues the theatre's dedication to the development of new work. This year, the Festival's five readings will include Nikola Tesla Drops the Beat, an electronic pop musical about one of the world's greatest inventors; Hart Island, a look at social justice and the people society has forgotten; Afterwords, a tale of art and love; Howl's Moving Castle, based on the novel by Diana Wynne Jones and animated feature by Hayao Miyazaki; and ZM, a hilarious romp through a zombie-filled future by the Tony Award-winning authors of Urinetown.

Kicking off Adirondack Theatre Festival's 23rd summer season of professional theater is Nikola Tesla Drops the Beat, an electronic pop musical. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 21-Saturday, July 1, and 2 p.m.Wednesday, June 28, at the Charles R. Wood Theater.

Following the success of their inaugural season, which included NYT Critic's Pick Lone Star Spirits by Josh Tobiessen, Crowded Outlet, is announcing a season of new work created by multi-disciplinary artists with their new Generator program.

The Johnny Mercer Foundation (JMF) and the American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University announce Stephen Bray, Tony, and Grammy-nominated songwriter for The Color Purple, will join the 12th annual Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project as a Master Teacher.

Adirondack Theatre Festival (ATF) announces its 23rd season - the third for Producing Artistic Director, Chad Rabinovitz.  Rabinovitz will again bring an entire season of major new works to ATF with a team of top-level professional artists, offering experiences that cannot be found anywhere else in the world - only in Glens Falls. 

The Johnny Mercer Foundation and the American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University are seeking the nation's most talented songwriters, aged 18 to 30 years, for the 12th annual Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project.

Crowded Outlet, is proud to announce the New York premiere of Marisa Michelson's Marigold Chor Ensemble. Assembled by Michelson (Jonathan Larson Award Grant winner, Tamar of the River) and featuring many multi-hyphenate artistic creators, the experiment will be performed Sunday, October 16th at 5pm at Judson Memorial Church. Tickets are invitation-only.

Adult Swim Games released Tuesday the second act of Peter Panic, a musical video game starring Emily Skeggs (Fun Home) and Gideon Glick (Significant Other). The musical theater app, out now for iOS and Android, follows aspiring director Peter (Remy Germinario) as he attempts to save his local theatre from an ancient evil (Mykal Kilgore).

Musical Theatre Factory (MTF) has announced that it will stage four developmental presentations of Nikko Benson and Benjamin Halstead's NIKOLA TESLA DROPS THE BEAT, an electronic dance musical about history's most overlooked inventor. The first of seven developmental presentations of the 2016 - 2017 season, the production is directed by Marshall Pailet, features musical direction by Madeline Smith, choreography by Maxx Reed and dramaturgy by Jeffrey Stoller. Presentations are on Sept 30th at 3pm & 7pm and Oct 1st at 2pm & 7pm at Playwrights Horizons South Room, 416 West 42nd Street, 4th Floor. Running time is 75 minutes. Tickets are $18 and available at www.mtf.nyc  

Musical Theatre Factory (MTF) has announced that it will stage four developmental presentations of Nikko Benson and Benjamin Halstead's NIKOLA TESLA DROPS THE BEAT, an electronic dance musical about history's most overlooked inventor.

Musical Theatre Factory (MTF) has announced that it will stage four developmental presentations of Nikko Benson and Benjamin Halstead's NIKOLA TESLA DROPS THE BEAT, an electronic dance musical about history's most overlooked inventor. The first of seven developmental presentations of the 2016 - 2017 season, the production is directed by Marshall Pailet, features musical direction by Madeline Smith, choreography by Maxx Reed and dramaturgy by Jeffrey Stoller. Presentations are on Sept 30th at 3pm & 7pm and Oct 1st at 2pm & 7pm at Playwrights Horizons South Room, 416 West 42nd Street, 4th Floor. Running time is 75 minutes. Tickets are $18 and available at www.mtf.nyc  

Musical Theatre Factory (MTF) has announced that it will stage four developmental presentations of Nikko Benson and Benjamin Halstead's NIKOLA TESLA DROPS THE BEAT, an electronic dance musical about history's most overlooked inventor.

On the heels of joining Playwrights Horizons Resident Company Program, Musical Theatre Factory (MTF), under the direction of Founding Artistic Director Shakina Nayfack, has announced its first full season of programming since its founding in January 2014.

DO'S & DON'TS: life lessons from the NMT songbook M3 Productions brings you a unique selection of New Musical Theatre songs from composers like Drew Fornarola, Drew Gasparini, Goldrich & Heisler, and Kerrigan & Lowdermilk, featuring a diverse cast that includes Sacha Iskra, Luis Manzi, Troy Pepicelli, Daniel Plimpton, Lori Lusted, Robbie Simpson, Lyndsi Skewes and more. Hosted by Meghan Lynn Allen, this 90 minute performance will school you through song on the do's and don'ts of dating, college, performing, family, and friendship. Come and celebrate the music of new composers at New York's oldest cabaret!

Prospect Theater Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Cara Reichel and Managing Director Melissa Huber, presents ARCHETYPE, a collection of six new mini-musicals, the culminating production of Prospect's 2016 Musical Theater Lab (the company's 10th lab production). ARCHETYPE will play from July 27 - 31 at The Theater at the 14th Street Y (344 East 14th Street @ 1st Ave., NYC). BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Prospect Theater Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Cara Reichel and Managing Director Melissa Huber, presentsARCHETYPE, a collection of six new mini-musicals, the culminating production of Prospect's 2016 Musical Theater Lab (the company's 10th lab production).  ARCHETYPE will play from July 27 - 31 at The Theater at the 14th Street Y (344 East 14th Street @ 1st Ave., NYC).