Parker Esse News

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater presents Disney's Tony Award-winning musical Newsies, an inspiring story about kids who fight for what is right at the turn of the century, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman and book by Harvey Fierstein. Inspired by the real-life Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York City, this family-friendly musical follows the story of newsboys and newsgirls who dream of a better life and lead a crusade for justice. Just in time for the holidays, the score features fan favorites, including 'King of New York,' 'Carrying the Banner' and 'Seize the Day.' Newsies, directed by Molly Smith, with choreography by Parker Esse and music direction by Laura Bergquist, will run November 1-December 22, 2019 in the iconic in-the-round Fichandler Stage.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater will present the American Artist Award to Tony Award-winning actress, choreographer, director and author Baayork Lee. The award will be presented Wednesday, November 13, 2019 as part of the opening night celebration for Disney's Newsies, directed by Molly Smith. 

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater presents Disney's Tony Award-winning musical Newsies, an inspiring story about kids who fight for what is right at the turn of the century, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman and book by Harvey Fierstein. Inspired by the real-life Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York City, this family-friendly musical follows the story of newsboys and newsgirls who dream of a better life and lead a crusade for justice. Just in time for the holidays, the score features fan favorites, including a?oeKing of New York,a?? a?oeCarrying the Bannera?? and a?oeSeize the Day.a?? Newsies, directed by Molly Smith, with choreography by Parker Esse and music direction by Laura Bergquist, will run November 1-December 22, 2019 in the iconic in-the-round Fichandler Stage.

UnsungMusicalsCo. (Ben West, Artistic Director) presents the new documentary musical 45 Minutes from Coontown, created, written and performed by Ben West, the founder of UMC and a 2017 recipient of Lincoln Center's Martin E. Segal Award, with musical continuity and arrangements by Fran Minarik, and direction and musical staging by Parker Esse. 45 Minutes from Coontown is a celebration of black musical theatre, tracing its history from the late-1800s through 1999, and featuring more than 30 songs almost exclusively by black writers. Developed over more than four years, with more than 20 archives in more than 10 states, 45 Minutes from Coontown documents the story of an art form that grew amidst a nation's racial prejudice, and the many African-American authors who not only furthered the form itself but were also instrumental in the development of the American popular song.

UnsungMusicalsCo. (Ben West, Artistic Director) presents the new documentary musical 45 Minutes from Coontown, created, written and performed by Ben West, the founder of UMC and a 2017 recipient of Lincoln Center's Martin E. Segal Award, with musical continuity and arrangements by Fran Minarik, and direction and musical staging by Parker Esse.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces casting for Disney's Tony Award-winning musical Newsies, an inspiring story about kids who fight for what is right at the turn of the century, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman and book by Harvey Fierstein. Inspired by the real-life Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York City, this family-friendly musical follows the story of newsboys and newsgirls who dream of a better life and lead a crusade for justice. Just in time for the holidays, the score features fan favorites, including 'King of New York,' 'Carrying the Banner' and 'Seize the Day.' Newsies, directed by Molly Smith, with choreography by Parker Esse and music direction by Laura Bergquist, will run November 1-December 22, 2019 in the iconic in-the-round Fichandler Stage.

UnsungMusicalsCo. presents the new documentary musical 45 Minutes from Coontown, created, written and performed by Ben West, the founder of UMC and a 2017 recipient of Lincoln Center's Martin E. Segal Award, with musical continuity and arrangements by Fran Minarik, and direction and musical staging by Parker Esse. 

UnsungMusicalsCo. (Ben West, Artistic Director) presents the new documentary musical 45 Minutes from Coontown, created, written and performed by Ben West, the founder of UMC and a 2017 recipient of Lincoln Center's Martin E. Segal Award, with musical continuity and arrangements by Fran Minarik, direction and musical staging by Parker Esse, and music direction by Dionne McClain-Freeney. 

Casa Mañana opens its 2019-20, presented by Frank Kent Cadillac, with the world's hottest rock-n-roll musical, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. The show runs September 7-15, 2019. Tickets are on sale now.

UnsungMusicalsCo. (Ben West, Artistic Director) has announced, today, its Fall 2019 Calendar of Events scheduled at various mid-Atlantic locations. First up is the new documentary musical 45 Minutes from Coontown, which traces the history of black musical theatre and is the second installment in The Show Time! Trilogy; the season continues with Sex, Satire, and Song, an exhibit curated for Yale University; Diversity and the Birth of Broadway, a two-part lecture series for the Library of Congress; and concludes with the new musical revue *The Passing Show of 2019. UMC's 2019 season launched in March with the UMC Writers Lab*.

The development of the musical version of CHERI, with book/lyrics by Teri Hansen and music by Chabrier, Chopin, Debussy, de Falla, Duparc, Ravel, and Satie, directed by Dontee Kiehn (Associate Director: An American In Paris), musical direction by Andy Einhorn (Carousel), and choreography by Parker Esse (Helen Hayes Award 2018,2019), continues with a weeklong private industry reading in Manhattan August 5-12.

In celebration of 86 Years of Theatre By The Sea, owner and producer Bill Hanney is proud to announce the opening of the 2019 Summer Season. The season begins with the World Premiere of a brand new romantic screwball musical comedy, Love and Other Fables, which will be presented from May 29 - June 16, 2019.

A benefit concert, 'A Beautiful Dawning: Oklahoma! at 75,' a celebration of Rodgers and Hammerstein's ground-breaking musical, is a highlight of Bucks County Playhouse's fifth Oscar Hammerstein Festival, June 21-22.

The 35th annual Helen Hayes Awards honored local theater on Monday, May 13, at The Anthem.

When Ted Chapin 92Y Lyrics & Lyricists producer first conceived A Beautiful Dawning Oklahoma! at 75 he didn't know that there would be a revival of the 1943 musical currently on Broadway and garnering 8 Tony Award nominations. 

'At its birth, [Oklahoma!] was to its America what Hamilton has been to ours: both an unexpected record-smashing box-office phenomenon and a reassuring portrait of our past that lifted up theatergoers at a time of great anxiety about the country's future'. Frank Rich, New York Magazine

It's the last week to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Raleigh Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.

There's just two weeks left to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Raleigh Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.

Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith's gift to Baltimore/Washington theater patrons this season is just plain delightful.

There's just two weeks left to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Raleigh Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.