Rachel Sheinkin News

One of the most interesting chapters in William Goldman's classic book of commercial Broadway, The Season, involves the pre-opening troubles with the musical, Golden Rainbow. (Yes, I'm beginning a review of Little House on the Prairie with an anecdote about a glitzy Steve & Eydie vehicle. Just go along with me on this.) Although the musical had a huge advance sale thanks to the popularity of its husband and wife stars, everyone agreed the book was a disaster. But, according to Goldman, spirits were boosted a bit when rumors started circulating that Neil Simon - who was not only the hottest playwright on Broadway at the time but a guy known for anonymously helping to doctor other shows that were in need of laughs - would be coming in to punch up the script. In the meantime another writer was recruited and told that he didn't have to come up with anything clever; just to write a straightforward, competent book that made sense of the story. Neil Simon would come in later and provide the gags. (P.S. He never did.)

The new musical version of 'Little House on the Prairie' will launch a National Tour in St. Paul this fall, The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts announced Monday that 'Little House' will kick off its 2009-10 theater season.

It's 'back to school' with CityRep! They're partnering again with UCO, who joined them in closing last season with Zombie Prom, and they're rocking the house and opening their eighth season with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! Tickets are on sale now for this Oklahoma Premiere of the Tony-nominated Broadway hit musical. Click here to purchase your tickets online NOW, or call the CityRep Ticket Hotline at 405.848.3761.

SARTA, The Sacremento Area Regional Theatre Alliance, announces both general and show-specific auditions for the Sacremento Area.

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is coming to City Rep October 9 through 25, 2009 at the CitySpace Theatre at the Civic Center Music Hall. SPELLING BEE has music and lyrics by William Finn and a book by Rachel Sheinkin.

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, a new musical based on the beloved Laura Ingalls Wilder series of classic American books, will arrive on November 24 at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri. Melissa Gilbert, who rose to fame as a child playing ‘Laura' in the hugely successful NBC television series 'Little House on the Prairie' during the 1970's, now continues her legacy ‘on the prairie' by taking on the role of Ma. LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE will also star Steve Blanchard as Pa and Kara Lindsay as Laura. Tickets for the St. Louis engagement of LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased by calling 314-534-1111, online at www.metrotix.com, or by visiting the Fox Theatre box office.

'Little House on the Prairie,' a new musical based on the beloved Laura Ingalls Wilder series of classic American books, will arrive on October 13, 2009 at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in Saint Paul, Minn. Melissa Gilbert, who rose to fame as a child playing 'Laura' in the hugely successful NBC television series 'Little House on the Prairie' during the 1970's, now continues her legacy 'on the prairie' by taking on the role of Ma. 'Little House on the Prairie' will also star Steve Blanchard as Pa and Kara Lindsay as Laura. Tickets for the Saint Paul, Minn. engagement of 'Little House on the Prairie' are on sale now.

American Express will sponsor the upcoming Second Stage Theatre production of Let Me Down Easy, conceived, written and performed by Anna Deavere Smith.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) will launch its 31st season this fall with the New York premiere of Anna Deavere Smith's LET ME DOWN EASY. Conceived, written, and performed by Ms. Smith and directed by Leonard Foglia, LET ME DOWN EASY will begin preview performances on Tuesday, September 15 and will officially open on Wednesday, October 7 at 6:45pm.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Monday, October 5, 2009.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) will launch its 31st season this fall with the New York premiere of Anna Deavere Smith's LET ME DOWN EASY. Conceived, written, and performed by Ms. Smith and directed by Leonard Foglia, LET ME DOWN EASY will begin preview performances on Tuesday, September 15 and will officially open on Wednesday, October 7 at 6:45pm.

SLEEPING BEAUTY WAKES, which unfolds entirely through song, reunites GrooveLily with Tony Award-winning librettist Rachel Sheinkin, perhaps best known for her book to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. They previously collaborated on the inventive holiday tale STRIKING 12(inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Match Girl), which came to Edison Theatre in 2007.

Noble Fool Theatricals, the premier professional theater in the Fox Valley area, announces a calendar-year series for 2010, including the heartfelt family comedy, Over the Tavern, February 4 - March 28, 2010; the Tony Award-Winning musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, April 22 - June 13, 2010; the cleverly hilarious who-dun-it, Red Herring, September 2 - October 24, 2010; and concluding with the radio-style retelling of a holiday favorite, It's a Wonderful Life; A Live Radio Play, November 5 - December 26, 2010. This four-show subscription series will be produced by Noble Fool Theatricals and presented at Pheasant Run Resort (4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, IL; telephone 630-584-6342).

It's 'back to school' with CityRep! They're partnering again with UCO, who joined them in closing last season with Zombie Prom, and they're rocking the house and opening their eighth season with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! Tickets are on sale now for this Oklahoma Premiere of the Tony-nominated Broadway hit musical. Click here to purchase your tickets online NOW, or call the CityRep Ticket Hotline at 405.848.3761.

SLEEPING BEAUTY WAKES, which unfolds entirely through song, reunites GrooveLily with Tony Award-winning librettist Rachel Sheinkin, perhaps best known for her book to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. They previously collaborated on the inventive holiday tale STRIKING 12(inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Match Girl), which came to Edison Theatre in 2007.

The producers of the upcoming national tour of LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE: THE MUSICAL, with Melissa Gilbert as Ma, recently announced a national partnership with Habitat for Humanity, the non-profit international organization dedicated to providing affordable housing to the poor and needy. Cast and crew members from "Little House on the Prairie: The Musical," will help build a Habitat for Humanity house as part of a national partnership with Habitat for Humanity International. Steve Blanchard, who plays Pa, as well as other cast and crew members will pitch in at the build site tomorrow, 9/30. Mayor Cory Booker has confirmed that he will also attend the event to show his support for affordable housing.

FST's 2009-2010 Winter Mainstage Season is composed of Tony Award-winning Broadway hits and the 2009 Pulitzer Prize winning drama.

On Tuesday, October 13, 2009, the eagerly anticipated new stage production of LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE MUSICAL -- with Melissa Gilbert as 'Ma' -- kicks off a two-year, 26-city national tour at The Ordway Theatre in St. Paul.

American Express will sponsor the upcoming Second Stage Theatre production of Let Me Down Easy, conceived, written and performed by Anna Deavere Smith.

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Artistic Director, Mark W. Jones-Executive Director) is warning their loyal subscribers to purchase any additional seats soon, before there are no seats left. LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE began previews on September 10th and only a few seats remain.