Rachel Sheinkin News

Nutley Little Theatre's red barn, which is nestled in the heart of Nutley in North NJ, saw the theater company's humble beginnings as a parish-based arts ministry in 1934 and its first regular season plays directed by Robert Winternitz in 1934 to 1935. That same iconic red barn also serves as the performance venue in NLT's current season -- 76 seasons and counting -- that closes with William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin's Broadway musical The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee from June 10 to June 25.

Barrington Stage Company and the Berkshire Visitors Bureau are excited to offer ½ TIX again in 2011, a program administered through a partnership between the two organizations. Now celebrating its 10th year, the ½ TIX program offers half-priced tickets to residents and visitors in the Berkshire community. Patrons can buy same-day half-priced tickets to cultural events at area ½ TIX Booths June 17 through September 4, 2011.

Clubbed Thumb, the Obie Award-winning New York theatre company that commissions, develops and produces funny, strange, and provocative news plays, presents SUMMERWORKS 2011, its 16th annual festival of original works by American playwrights at HERE Arts Center (145 6th Avenue) in Manhattan, it has been announced by Maria Striar, Clubbed Thumb's Producing Artistic Director.

La Jolla Playhouse presents a new adaptation of Sleeping Beauty Wakes, book by Tony Award-winning librettist Rachel Sheinkin (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), with a score by composer Brendan Milburn and lyricist Valerie Vigoda, both of the acclaimed trio GrooveLily (Striking 12, Long Story Short), and directed by Rebecca Taichman, who will also direct The Playhouse's 2011/12 world premiere of Milk Like Sugar. A co-production with Princeton's McCarter Theatre Center, Sleeping Beauty Wakes runs July 19 - August 21 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre. Tickets are available at www.LaJollaPlayhouse.org or by calling the box office at (858) 550-1010. Sleeping Beauty Wakes is sponsored by U.S. Bank and ResMed Inc.

TriArts Sharon Playhouse (Sharon, CT) is pleased to announce their 2011 New Works Readings and Concerts.

Over 350 guests including current and past New York City high school students, and the 28 mentors who have participated in TDF's Open Doors, the theatre arts mentoring program that TDF founded in 1998 with playwright Wendy Wasserstein, will attend this year's graduation at 6pm on Monday, June 6 at NYC Center Stage 1 (131 West 55th Street, NYC). This year has been Open Doors biggest year ever with a total of 28 mentors and guest mentors working with 21 groups of students from New York City high schools.

McCarter Theatre is proud to announce complete casting and creative team for Sleeping Beauty Wakes, a new musical featuring a book by Rachel Sheinkin (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), and a score by composer Brendan Milburn and lyricist Valerie Vigoda, both of the acclaimed trio GrooveLily. The production closesJune 5 and is directed by Rebecca Taichman, who delighted McCarter audiences with her 2009 production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Following the McCarter run, the production will move to La Jolla Playhouse.

The quirky little musical comedy plays at TBTS through June 19, 2011

Barrington Stage Company, the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Tristan Wilson, announces 2011 season casting for its upcoming productions.

La Jolla Playhouse presents a new adaptation of Sleeping Beauty Wakes, book by Tony Award-winning librettist Rachel Sheinkin (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), with a score by composer Brendan Milburn and lyricist Valerie Vigoda, both of the acclaimed trio GrooveLily (Striking 12, Long Story Short), and directed by Rebecca Taichman, who will also direct the Playhouse's 2011/12 world premiere of Milk Like Sugar.

THE BARN PLAYERS 2012 SEASON

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has announced that DAVID WILSON BARNES (Second Stage's hit Becky Shaw), JUSTIN BARTHA (The Hangover, Broadway's Lend Me a Tenor), ANNA CAMP (Second Stage's The Scene, 'True Blood'), and KRYSTEN RITTER (Confessions of a Shopaholic, Second Stage's All This Intimacy) will appear in the world premiere comedy, ALL NEW PEOPLE, written by ZACH BRAFF and directed by PETER DuBOIS. ALL NEW PEOPLE will begin previews on Tuesday, June 28 and officially open on Monday, July 25 at 7:00pm at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43rd street). For tickets or more information, please visit www.2ST.com.

Guys and Dolls, the ‘musical fable of Broadway', kicks off Barrington Stage Company's 2011 Mainstage Season for a five-week run from June 15 through July 16. The award-winning regional theatre in downtown Pittsfield celebrates its 17th season in the Berkshires under the leadership of Julianne Boyd, Artistic Director, and Tristan Wilson, Managing Director. Directed by Tony Award-winner John Rando (Urinetown), the Guys and Dolls press opening is Sunday, May 19 at 5

McCarter Theatre presents Sleeping Beauty Wakes, a new musical featuring a book by Rachel Sheinkin (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), and a score by composer Brendan Milburn and lyricist Valerie Vigoda, both of the acclaimed trio GrooveLily. The production, which runs through June 5, is directed by Rebecca Taichman, who delighted McCarter audiences with her 2009 production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. The show had its opening night Friday, May 6. Following the McCarter run, the production will move to La Jolla Playhouse. Check out a sneak peek of the show below!