William Finn News

After riveting audiences with an emotionally raw and intellectual inaugural production of Stephen Sondheim's ASSASSINS, MJR Theatricals/Music Box Musicals is serving up a wondrously side-splitting, laugh-a-minute presentation of the Tony-award winning musical THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE. The clever and hilarious musical is based on Rebecca Feldman's C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E improvisation performed by The Farm, with music and lyrics by William Finn and a book by Rachel Sheinkin. It treats the audience as if they are really at the fictional spelling bee, and the cast gleefully breaks the fourth wall to interact with members of the audience. The musical follows six quirky kids (played by adults) through the spelling bee, and introduces the audience to three adults that are just as peculiar as the kids.

Now in its 15th season, Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook celebrates the best in American singing and songwriting with a new chapter in the Songbook story: 'American Songbook in the Penthouse,' a series of weekend-only performances by performers and composers presented in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse, an intimate yet elegant venue that brings artists closer to the audience in a cabaret-style setting. The second weekend of Kaplan Penthouse performances, the sixth week of American Songbook 2013, runs April 5-6, 2013. April 5th belongs to Cristin Milioti, who was nominated for a Tony Award in 2012 for her lead role in the musical Once.

Spinning Tree Theatre presents the Kansas City premiere of Hello Again, with words and music by Michael John LaChiusa, suggested by the play La Ronde by Arthur Schnitzler. The production is directed by Michael Grayman and Andy Parkhurst.

American Stage Theatre Company opens the 28th annual American Stage in the Park with the musical production of THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, running April 24, 2013 and closing May 26, 2013. THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is a musical comedy sure to get the audience laughing. This production was conceived by Rebecca Feldman with music and lyrics by William Finn, a book by Rachel Sheinkin and additional material by Jay Reiss. The core of this play centers on a fictional spelling bee set in a geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley High School with six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves. These kids eventually learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is a hilarious tale of overachievers' angst chronicling the experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. The show's Tony Award winning creative team has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time.

It's April 1st. Do you know when your Spring is coming? During another longggggg New York winter, the good news is that there were a ton of warming cabaret shows. The bad news is that there were so many, even during this seemingly endless winter our intrepid reviewer Stephen Hanks didn't have enough time to review them all right after the performances. So in what is becoming a seasonal ritual, here he offers yet another compilation of 13 'catch-up' cabaret show reviews.

Acclaimed Off-Broadway theater company Playwrights Horizons has announced initial details for its 2013 special online Auction in connection with its annual Spring Gala. Bidding for the auction, which will feature an eclectic array of items and unique opportunities, begins Friday March 29 at 10AM at www.biddingforgood/playwrightshorizons. Online bidding will continue through Monday, April 15 at 8PM.

Now in its 15th season, Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook celebrates the best in American singing and songwriting with a new chapter in the Songbook story: 'American Songbook in the Penthouse,' a series of weekend-only performances by performers and composers presented in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse, an intimate yet elegant venue that brings artists closer to the audience in a cabaret-style setting. 'American Songbook in the Penthouse' embraces adventuresome performers and celebrates composers and lyricists, both newer and veteran. With a seating capacity of just 225, the Kaplan Penthouse allows acoustic performers to be heard the way they intend - near to the audience and without elaborate amplification. The size of the space also allows performers to interact with their audience to make them an integral part of their performance, something difficult to do in a larger, more formal venue.

Playwrights Horizons, under the leadership of Artistic Director Tim Sanford and Managing Director Leslie Marcus, has announced the sixth and final production of its 2013/2014 Season.

Moonbox Productions and Director Allison Olivia Choat have reverted to the familiar terrain of musical theater with this intimate, sung-through look into the heart and mind (er, brain) of Tony Award-winning composer William Finn (FALSETTOS, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE) who grew up in Natick, Massachusetts. The cast of ten is bursting with new talent alongside three actors who have been in previous Moonbox shows, all of whom have incredible vocal chops.

The Lyric Theatre and Curtain Call Productions will be presenting William Finn's A New Brain, a musical by the Tony award-winning team behind 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and the Falsettos trilogy, starring Broadway Veteran Anna McNeely at the Lyric's Flagler Center, for four performances only, tonight, March 22nd- 24th.

When FALSETTOS opened on Broadway in 1992, the theater world knew it was experiencing something brand new in musical theater. Everything about FALSETTOS breaks the mold of the Broadway musical.

Wayside Theatre Artistic Director, Warner Crocker, announced the cast and schedule for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, the last show of Wayside's 51st Season. This show was conceived by Rebecca Feldman, with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, and additional material by Jay Reiss. This production is sponsored by WVPT - Your Source for PBS and More and TV3-Winchester.

The long anticipated cast recording of the Drama Desk award-winning SEE ROCK CITY & OTHER DESTINATIONS has been recorded by Yellow Sound Label, produced by Michael Croiter, to be released in digital and CD formats today, March 19, 2013.

Berkeley Playhouse has announced the lineup for its sixth season. The family-friendly season of musicals timeless and new opens in October with Andrew Lippa and Brian Crawley's enchanting A LITTLE PRINCESS, directed by Berkeley Playhouse Artistic Director Elizabeth McKoy. Marissa Wolf returns to the company to direct Meredith Wilson's THE MUSIC MAN in February, followed by THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE in April, directed by Kimberly Dooley. Closing the MainStage season is SHREK THE MUSICAL directed by Elizabeth McKoy in July. In addition to the MainStage season, the company will present winter, spring, and fall YouthStage productions. The entire 2013-14 season will be staged at the Julia Morgan Theater (2640 College Avenue) in Berkeley. Subscriptions ($54-$112) on-sale March 23; single tickets ($17-$60) on-sale August 1. For tickets and information, the public may visit berkeleyplayhouse.org or call 510-845-8542x351.

Due to popular demand, Playwrights Horizons has announced an extension of its critically-acclaimed, sold out World Premiere production of The Flick, a new play by the heralded Obie Award-winning playwright Annie Baker (Circle Mirror Transformation at PH, The Aliens, her recent adaptation of Uncle Vanya). Originally set to play a limited engagement through Sunday, March 31, the production has extended to Sunday, April 7 at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

The Theatre Group at SBCC has announced the 2013/2014 season beginning in July 2013 with the musical, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE. Following in October 2013 will be the classic BUS STOP, in March 2014 the hilarious comedy, NOISES OFF and in April/May 2014 the thought-provoking drama GROUND.