Raul Julia News

Today we are celebrating the breaking news that a classic musical is eying a Broadway return in honor of its 50th anniversary, MAN OF LA MANCHA.

Woodie King Jr's New Federal Theatre will continue its 46th season dedicated to Amira Baraka with the world premiere of his final play, The Most Dangerous Man In America (W. E. B. Du Bois).  Performances will begin May 28th, with opening night set for June 11th at the Castillo Theater (543 West 42nd Street). This limited Off-Broadway engagement, directed by Woodie King Jr., will continue through June 28th only.  

After the hilarious musical/comedy hit, 'AIN'T FOOD WONDERFUL', Jimmy Ferraro's Studio Theatre, 5732 Main Street, New Port Richey, FL presents, the Musical Play , 'AMERICAN HEARTBEAT!', by director/writer/composer Dr. Martha Velez, PHD, the author of the award winning play, 'Power of the Powerless!'.

Today in 2003, the first Broadway revival of Nine opened at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, where it ran for 283 performances. Nine is a musical with a book by Arthur Kopit, music and lyrics by Maury Yeston. The story is based on Federico Fellini's semi-autobiographical film 8½. It focuses on film director Guido Contini, who is dreading his imminent 40th birthday and is facing a midlife crisis, which is blocking his creative impulses and entangling him in a web of romantic difficulties in early-1960s Venice. The original Broadway production opened in 1982 and ran for 729 performances, starring Raul Julia. The musical won five Tony Awards, including best musical, and has enjoyed a number of revivals.

The multi-Grammy-nominated Manhattan School of Music AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA, conducted by Bobby Sanabria, pays tribute to LA ISLA DEL ENCANTO (PUERTO RICO) with works by Rafael Hernandez, Bobby Capo, Juan Tizol, Ricardo Pons, Eddie Palmieri, Ray Santos' monumental Puerto Rican Suite, and more! Special Guests will include members of Danza Fiesta and noted poet/performer Mariposa Fernandez.

A musical with Italian opera-inspired songs about a philandering middle-aged film director with writer's block, and the dozens of women that influence his life and work, does not seem like an obvious choice for a college theatre program to undertake. However, under the direction of Earl D. Weaver (who also choreographed), Theatre UCF sinks its collective teeth into the neurotic, misogynistic, and childish mind of Guido Contini in NINE, running through March 29th. This seven-time Tony-winning musical is based on the semi-autobiographical film '8½' by Italian director Federico Fellini. The cast of 21 women, one man, and four boys creates an evocative world that seems to hover in the realm between fantasy and reality; much like many of Fellini's films. With striking talent, breath-taking design, and artistic vision, Theatre UCF succeeds where many professional companies would (and have) faltered; despite its unsettling premise, NINE is a joyful reminder of the power of young talent in the arts.

The multi-Grammy-nominated Manhattan School of Music AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA, conducted by Bobby Sanabria, pays tribute to LA ISLA DEL ENCANTO (PUERTO RICO) with works by Rafael Hernandez, Bobby Capo, Juan Tizol, Ricardo Pons, Eddie Palmieri, Ray Santos' monumental Puerto Rican Suite, and more! Special Guests will include members of Danza Fiesta and noted poet/performer Mariposa Fernandez.

The Public Theater announced additional casting today for the 2015 Free Shakespeare in the Park season, beginning Wednesday, May 27 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. This summer will feature Shakespeare's late romances with THE TEMPEST, directed by Tony Award nominee Michael Greif, and CYMBELINE, directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan. Jesse Tyler Ferguson will return to the Park this summer as Trinculo in THE TEMPEST, along with Hamish Linklater and Lily Rabe teaming up again with Daniel Sullivan on CYMBELINE to play Posthumus Leonatus/Cloten and Imogen, respectively.

El próximo mes de mayo se estrenará en el Teatro Alfil el musical 'Nine', dirigido y adaptado por Federico Barrios, con coreografía de José Félix Romero y dirección musical de Julio Awad. Esta será la primera vez que se verá este musical en España.

El Rey Network and Miramax announced today that Esai Morales (Criminal Minds, NYPD Blue) has joined the sophomore season of Robert Rodriguez's “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series”

The Articulate Theater Company stages The Skin of Our Teeth for a 21st Century Audience.

'If music be the food of love, play on.' Even before the invention of the musical comedy (more on that later), William Shakespeare knew the importance of music in telling stories on stage. For our March feature, my colleague Jeff Walker and I thought that instead of marking the Ides of March with songs about murder, betrayal, and fate, we would focus on the synergy between showtunes and Shakespeare.

In the musical theatre today, it seems the world goes 'round the shows of composer John Kander & lyricist, the late Fred Ebb. On Broadway, one of their final musicals 'The Visit,' starring Chita Rivera with a book by Terrence McNally, begins previews next Month and opens in April.

This week on PBS' SHAKESPEARE UNCOVERED, Morgan Freeman and 'THE TAMING OF THE SHREW' and David Harewood and 'OTHELLO'. The episode airs tonight, February 6, 2015 AT 9PM & 10PM.

The next episodes of PBS' SHAKESPEARE UNCOVERED features The Taming of the Shrew with Morgan Freeman (Friday, February 6, 2015 at 9 p.m.) and Othello with David Harewood (Friday, February 6, 2015 at 10 p.m.). Check out previews for the episodes below!

Shakespeare Uncovered continues with a second season on PBS, beginning tonight, January 30 at 9 p.m. (check local listings) and continuing the following two successive Todays.

At a press conference held at Barrington Stage Company's Boyd-Quinson Mainstage, Artistic Director Julianne Boyd announced the theatre's 2015 season of musicals and plays that will take place in Downtown Pittsfield in the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage, St. Germain Stage and Youth Theatre venues.

Passione, naturalezza, ilarita ed irriverenza.

Shakespeare Uncovered continues with a second season on PBS, beginning Friday, January 30 at 9 p.m. (check local listings) and continuing the following two successive Fridays.

After the critically acclaimed, Grand Opening Main Season production of the Musical Comedy, 'AIN'T RETIREMENT GRAND!', Jimmy Ferraro's STUDIO THEATRE (5732 Main Street, New Port Richey, FL) presents a Celebration to the Holidays with the glittering musical/comedy revue, 'A CHRISTMAS CABARET'.