Tom Kitt News

The entire cast and musicians are multi-talented and the production values are innovative. On opening night, when the curtain went up, the cast was welcomed by screams, howls, and cheering, by a throng of teenagers...

Dutch actress Pia Douwes will star in the German premiere of the Brian Yorkey/Tom Kitt musical NEXT TO NORMAL, due to open in Furth on October 11th.

Kitt's score and Brian Yorgey's book and lyrics combine for one of the deepest and moving shows to hit a Broadway stage. It's not the typical subject matter for a musical (the theater suggests that it is appropriate for children 16 and up), but you should take advantage of an opportunity to see this excellent rock musical, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. That sandwich-making scene in the opening act is terrific as directed by Janine Molinari with De Laurentis skillfully portraying the frenzied breakdown as Diana tries to cope.

American Idiot, Green Day's explosive Broadway hit called 'wonderfully raucous' and 'emotionally charged' by the New York Times, will play the Straz Center in Tampa from tonight, May 17-19, 2013. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.strazcenter.org or call 1.813.229.STAR.

BroadwayWorld has confirmed that Broadway veteran Heidi Blickenstaff will lead Vermont's award-winning Weston Playhouse Theatre Company production of Next to Normal. Blickenstaff will play 'Diana' in the show, which is set to run July 11-27 and will be directed by Michael Berresse.

Southern Rep Theatre concludes its 26th Season Mainstage Series with NEXT TO NORMAL with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt. Directed by Blake Coheley and musical direction by Jefferson Turner. Featuring: Leslie Castay, Richard Hutton, Madison Kerth, Clint Johnson, Matthew Thompson and Michael Krikorian.

After spending time on Broadway and on tour, triple-threat actress Jillian Mueller can now be seen dancing up a (ha ha) storm in the National Tour production of FLASHDANCE, in which she plays leading lady Alex Owens---yes, the sexy steel mill worker who moonlights as a maniac, maniac, on the floor. The stage incarnation of the hit movie of the same name continues performances through May 19 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. While settling into her final week of shows here in Orange County, Ms. Mueller agreed to some of our silly questions. Thankfully, she played along!

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54thStreet, will present some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. 54 Below also launched its series of late night events. Joining Tuesday nights' popular "Backstage" with Susie Mosher is the "54 Piano Bar," a new vocal competition - 'The Callback," and more:

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Sting's new stage musical, THE LAST SHIP, which has been buzzed about for an upcoming Broadway run, just had a staged reading, which was directed by Joe Mantello. Now according to the Star, the reading was led by Louise Pitre, who is hoping to bring the show to Broadway, revealing: 'It was incredible to work with this team.' A source also told Pitre that 'by the end of the second reading, they had all the money they needed for their production in 2014. Amazing!'

Civic Theatre of Allentown presents the Pulitzer-winning musical 'Next to Normal,' which runs now through May 19. Civic's Artistic Director William Sanders directs this rock musical written by Brian Yorkey and lyrics by Tom Kitt. Featuring an electrifying pop-rock score of more than 30 songs, 'Next to Normal' is an intense, tender, human scale musical that aims straight for the heart. BroadwayWorld has new production photos below!

Today we are talking to a terrifically talented twosome who are being touted as the next songwriting duo to take New York by storm - and, with DOGFIGHT appearing Off-Broadway at Second Stage last year and A CHRISTMAS STORY setting Broadway alight for a limited run this past holiday season, they are certainly on the fast-track to success - Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Revealing their reaction to last week's 2013 Tony Award nominations for their stupendous score for the screen-to-stage adaptation of A CHRISTMAS STORY as well as all about the creation and ultimate execution of the show itself, Pasek & Paul open up about their creative process and illustrate what makes their music work so well in a theatrical milieu. Most importantly, the songwriters discuss DOGFIGHT - the inspiration for it, writing of it, the recent Off-Broadway production directed by Joe Mantello, and, now, the absolutely spectacular cast album now available on Ghost light - to say nothing of next week's concert celebrating the album release. Additionally, Pasek & Paul share stories of the songs that make up their popular and frequently-produced EDGES, new and old, as well as their plans for future shows. Plus, all about the new material recently written by the duo for NBC's musical drama series SMASH, details about their stage adaptation of Roald Dahl's seminal children's book JAMES & THE GIANT PEACH as well as opinions on fellow songwriting teams and other influential musical theatre icons, as well as much, much more!

Female-based performing arts company Two Muses Theatre has announced the production of the Broadway hit Next to Normalpremiering June 7 through June 30, 2013 at the Two Muses Theatre located within Barnes and Noble in West Bloomfield. Next to Normal, with music by Tom Kitt and book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, is directed by Royal Oak resident, Frannie Shepherd-Bates.

Out of the Box Theatre Company is finishing off their third season with an intimate black box production of the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, Next to Normal. Directed by Samantha Eve, the limited engagement of this emotional powerhouse of a musical will run May 2 - May 12 (Thursday-Sunday) at Center Stage Theater in Santa Barbara, CA.

A harrowing journey into complex issues of mental illness is worthy theatre.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT will present the Southern California regional theatre premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical, NEXT TO NORMAL, music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, musical direction by Darryl Archibald and directed by Nick DeGruccio. NEXT TO NORMAL will preview on Friday, May 31, 2013 (with a press opening on Saturday, June 1) and runs through Sunday, June 23, 2013 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

For the last two years, the Memorial Day Weekend has seen special theatrical presentations from Stocking Productions. Last year's Frederick premiere of the smash hit musical RENT played to sold out houses. This year, Stocking Productions will once again produce a Frederick premiere with its presentation of the rock musical Next to Normal.

Civic Theatre of Allentown will produce the Pulitzer-winning musical 'Next to Normal,' which will run from May 3 to May 19. Civic's Artistic Director William Sanders directs this 'brave, breathtaking' (The New York Times) rock musical written by Brian Yorkey and lyrics by Tom Kitt. Featuring an electrifying pop-rock score of more than 30 songs, 'Next to Normal' is an intense, tender, human scale musical that aims straight for the heart. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

This year, two shows with a Toronto connection transferred to Broadway, and this morning it was announced that one of these, Bring it On: The Musical, has been nominated for two Tony Awards.

Direct from Broadway, the smash-hit musical AMERICAN IDIOT tells the story of three lifelong friends, forced to choose between their dreams and the safety of suburbia. Their quest for true meaning in a post 9/11 world leads them on the most exhilarating theatrical journey of the season, running May 28-June 2, 2013. Tickets are on sale now.