Will Power News

The Youth Impact Broadway Project, Inc. (Impact Broadway) will host their first fundraising event Monday, April 30th at 5pm at Chocolat Restaurant and Lounge in Harlem featuring LaChanze, cast members from PORGY AND BESS, and more.

The songbook of Grammy Award winners David Hidalgo sand Louie Perez of Los Lobos drives Evangeline, the Queen of Make-Believe, a multimedia play with music by Theresa Chavez, Louie Perez and Rose Portillo that takes its title from the group's 1985 rocker "Evangeline." Chavez and Portillo co-direct the world premiere production for About Productions, opening at the Bootleg Theater on May 12 for a limited, three-week engagement through May 27. Low-priced previews take place May 3-11.

New York Stage and Film (Johanna Pfaelzer, Artistic Director; Mark Linn-Baker, Max Mayer, Leslie Urdang, Producing Directors) has announced that respected theatrical literary agent Thomas Pearson has joined the company as Executive Director, effective immediately.

American Composers Orchestra (ACO) presents Orchestra Underground: American Accounts on Thursday, March 22, 2012 at 7:30pm at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall. The concert, led by ACO Music Director & Conductor George Manahan, explores uniquely American stories - both in musical content and in the background of the composers - and features works by Aaron Copland, Milton Babbitt, Gabriel Kahane, and Michael Daugherty. (The premiere of Ian Williams' new piece, previously announced as being part of this concert, has been postponed.)

The New Group presents the world premiere of An Early History of Fire, a new play by Tony Award-winning playwright David Rabe. Directed by Jo Bonney, this production features Deema Aitken, Gordon Clapp, Erin Darke, Jonny Orsini, Devin Ratray, Dennis Staroselsky, Theo Stockman and Claire van der Boom. Limited Off-Broadway engagement is slated April 5 - May 26 at The New Group at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street). Official Opening Night is set for Monday, April 30 at 7:00 PM.

Yale Repertory Theatre (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) announces its 2012-2013 Season, which will include Academy Award-nominated actor Paul Giamatti in William Shakespeare's Hamlet, three world premieres, and more new and favorite shows.

The New Group will present the world premiere of An Early History of Fire, a new play by Tony Award-winning playwright David Rabe. Directed by Jo Bonney, this production features Deema Aitken, Gordon Clapp, Erin Darke, Jonny Orsini, Devin Ratray, Dennis Staroselsky, Theo Stockman and Claire van der Boom. Limited Off-Broadway engagement is slated April 5 - May 26 at The New Group @ Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street). Official Opening Night is set for Monday, April 23 at 7:00 PM. Lily Rabe, who was previously slated to star in the play will no longer be taking part in the production.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) announces the third world premiere production of its 2011-2012 season: GOOD GOODS by Christina Anderson, selected by American Theatre magazine as an up-and-coming artist 'whose work will be transforming America's stages for decades to come.'

American Composers Orchestra (ACO) presents Orchestra Underground: American Accounts on Thursday, March 22, 2012 at 7:30pm at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall. The concert, led by ACO Music Director & Conductor George Manahan, explores uniquely American stories - both in musical content and in the background of the composers - and features works by Aaron Copland, Milton Babbitt, Gabriel Kahane, and Michael Daugherty. (The premiere of Ian Williams' new piece, previously announced as being part of this concert, has been postponed.)

La Jolla Playhouse presents American Night: The Ballad of Juan José, written by Richard Montoya (Zorro in Hell) for Culture Clash, developed by Culture Clash and Jo Bonney (The Seven, Adoration of the Old Woman), directed by Jo Bonney. A co-production with Center Theatre Group and originally commissioned and produced by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, American Night: The Ballad of Juan José will run through February 26, 2012 in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre. Check out highlights from the show below!

The following is BroadwayWorld's exclusive interview with theater, film, and TV legend, Mr. Ben Vereen...

La Jolla Playhouse presents American Night: The Ballad of Juan José, written by Richard Montoya (Zorro in Hell) for Culture Clash, developed by Culture Clash and Jo Bonney (The Seven, Adoration of the Old Woman), directed by Jo Bonney. A co-production with Center Theatre Group and originally commissioned and produced by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, American Night: The Ballad of Juan José will run January 27 - February 26, 2012 in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre.

The theatre community can't wait for the premiere of the new Broadway-based series, SMASH, and to ease our pain from waiting, NBC last week released the pilot episode on multiple platforms including iTunes, Amazon, NBC.com and Hulu. The show doesn't officially debut until next week on Monday February 6, but we wanted to know how many people found the will power to hold off until then. Last week's poll asked: 'NBC Made the SMASH Pilot Available for Download This Week; Did you...', and the winner with an astounding 72% of the vote was 'I waited by my computer for an instantaneous download!'

The theatre community can't wait for the premiere of the new Broadway-based series, SMASH, and to ease our pain from waiting, NBC this week released the pilot episode on multiple platforms including iTunes, Amazon and Xbox. Following that launch, on January 23 the pilot will available as streaming content on NBC.com and Hulu.

Rare is the performing arts venue that chooses to develop and produce its own educational outreach program.

La Jolla Playhouse has announced the cast and creative team for its production of American Night: The Ballad of Juan Jose, written by Richard Montoya (Zorro in Hell) for Culture Clash, developed by Culture Clash and Jo Bonney (The Seven, Adoration of the Old Woman), directed by Jo Bonney. A co-production with Center Theatre Group and originally commissioned and produced by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, American Night: The Ballad of Juan Jose will run January 27 - February 26, 2012 in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre.

Rare is the performing arts venue that chooses to develop and produce its own educational outreach program.

The Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University has selected two Irish artists - choreographer Michael Keegan-Dolan and playwright and screenwriter Enda Walsh - as the recipients of the third annual Meadows Prize arts residency.

Dallas Theater Center's A Christmas Carol opens today at the Kalita Humphreys Theater and runs through Dec. 24.

Dallas Theater Center has announced the return of A Christmas Carol at the Kalita Humphreys Theater Nov. 25 - Dec. 24.