William Finn News

Jim Caruso is proud to present Lisa Howard, one of the stars of William Finn's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, at Birdland on Monday, April 11 at 7pm.

The 2006 movie dramedy Little Miss Sunshine was and still remains such a low-key charmer that to attempt to simulate it on stage with music is at once challenging, courageous and perplexing. Why? Why retell a story that is so perfect on film unless you can achieve a brand new and interesting take on it? I guess Spider-Man and other films being translated to the stage is the rage these days, especially when there's a dearth of original musicals. All this aside, the production values, the cast and the very artistic endeavor of the stage musical Little Miss Sunshine, now at the Mandell Weiss Theatre of La Jolla Playhouse through March 27, should be lauded and appreciated.

Egads! Theatre Company presents the Kansas City premiere of In Trousers by contemporary musical master William Finn (composer of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee).

Egads Theatre Company presents the Kansas City premiere of In Trousers by contemporary musical master William Finn (composer of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee). In Trousers is Finn's earliest work and the first (and often over-looked) one-act musical of the Falsettos trilogy (AKA the 'Marvin' musicals).

Lisa Howard, one of the stars of William Finn's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, will perform a concert at Birdland on Monday, April 11 at 7pm. This event will be part of the Broadway at Birdland concert series, which showcases performers and composers from the Great White Way.

Back by overwhelming popular demand and as a kick off to its 25th Anniversary Season, Florida Stage presents the return of ELLA as its 2011 summer sensation. Though it has been seen in regional theatres such as Arena Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Hartford Stage, Guthrie Theatre, and Actors Theatre of Louisville, ELLA was created at Florida Stage nearly 5 years ago and has since gone on to be produced in many theatres across the country.

Egads! Theatre Company presents the Kansas City premiere of In Trousers by contemporary musical master William Finn (composer of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee).

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) will conclude its 32nd season with the World Premiere of ALL NEW PEOPLE, a new comedy written by Zach Braff.

After two packed presentations in January and rehearsal-room time in February, Steven Strafford's METHTACULAR! will get another set of readings in the Lion Theatre at Theatre Row on Monday, March 7th.

The Tony Award-winning creative team of composer/lyricist William Finn and writer/director James Lapine, who previously collaborated on the Tony Award-winning musicals Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, will bring their latest project to, Little Miss Sunshine to The Playhouse. The production runs through March 27, 2011 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

The La Jolla Playhouse is presenting a world premiere musical based on the 2006 Academy Award winning film "Little Miss Sunshine". And while the show had its shining moments and a cast that matched the subtlety and charm of the original sleeper hit, on the whole it needs a bit of a jump start if it's going to make it down the road to Broadway.

Sherry Lynn (Evans) loves what she does. You can hear it in her voice when she talks about the Children's Theatre Group of Southern California, and their latest production, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, opening March 4th.

Spinning Tree Theatre debuts with the Midwest premiere of Off-Broadway's hit revue celebrating the music of Tony Award-winner William Finn. The composer of Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Finn's songs are passionate, funny, always personal, and soar with intelligence and beauty.

Time to dust off the dictionaries and brush up on Scrabble, because One More Productions-one of Southern California's leading musical theater companies-is presenting the hit musical comedy 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee March 24 - April 17 at The Gem Theatre in Garden Grove. The show is directed by Damien Lorton.

Crown Center Schedule of Events for March- December 2011

Stage Left Theatre announces its upcoming production of An Enemy of the People, by Henrik Ibsen, adapted by Arthur Miller.

Stage Left Theatre announces its upcoming production of An Enemy of the People, by Henrik Ibsen, adapted by Arthur Miller.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has announced that DAVID GARRISON will complete the cast of Lynn Nottage's new play, BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK. This world premiere comedy will also feature the previously announced STEPHANIE J. BLOCK, DANIEL BREAKER, KIMBERLY HÉBERT GREGORY, KEVIN ISOLA, SANAA LATHAN, and KAREN OLIVO. Directed by Jo Bonney, BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK is Ms. Nottage's first play to be produced in New York since she won the Pulitzer Prize for Ruined in 2009.

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus; Managing Director) is pleased to announce the launch of PLAYTIME! at Playwrights Horizons, a brand new program offering affordable, professional childcare while you see a show.

Last week I had the exceptional privilege of interviewing newly minted SAG and Golden Globe-winner for Best Actor In A Drama Series for his work on HBO'S BOARDWALK EMPIRE, Steve Buscemi, along with his wife, artist/choreographer Jo Andres, about their participation in the experimental music/theater space in Brooklyn, ISSUE Project Room. For those that are not aware, ISSUE Project Room is a community performance space for up-and-coming musicians, artists, performers and choreographers at 110 Livingston Street with the goal of creating a centralized space for all the arts - avant garde and otherwise. In addition to discussing their shared beginnings in the fringe theatre scene in the East Village in the eighties and the artists who inspired them, Buscemi and Andres also talk about the ultimate goals of the venue, both new and old, and the reason that now is the perfect time for a space such as this to flourish, as new artists get the opportunity to see their work produced. Further information about the venue - and how you can become a member - can be found here.