Zachary Allen Farmer News

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre, ' continues its 23rd season of adult, alternative musical theatre with an all-new, re-imagined production of the Pulitzer Prize winning contemporary classic, the iconic rock opera RENT, running March 6-29, 2014.

New Line's season closes with the regional premiere of this new rock musical, inspired by true events, with music and lyrics by Amanda Green (High Fidelity, Bring It On), music by Trey Anastasio (of the rock band Phish), and a script by Doug Wright (Pulitzer Prize winner, I Am My Own Wife), adapted from the 1997 documentary of the same name.

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre, ' continues its 23rd season of adult, alternative musicaltheatre with an all-new, re-imagined production of the Pulitzer Prize winning contemporary classic, the iconic rock opera RENT, running March 6-29, 2014.

I'm a horror film fan, and I saw NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD for the first time at a midnight show when I was a teenager. Like the movie, the musical version (music by Matt Conner, lyrics by Stephen Gregory Smith and Conner) focuses our attention on the victims of a sudden outbreak of zombies. Sure, there are plenty of scenes of zombie mayhem in the original work, but the bulk of the film is really about a group of disparate people struggling to survive in an abandoned farmhouse. This is why I particularly enjoyed New Line's St. Louis premiere of this surprisingly tuneful adaptation. It's a serious-minded production that doesn't take a campy approach or attempt to spoof its subject, and I can appreciate that tact. This is an engaging and well acted presentation that takes a look at how humans behave in the direst of circumstances, and it's a must-see for fans of daring musical theatre.

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre, ' opens its 23rd season of adult, alternative musical theatre with the regional premiere of the new musical thriller NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, running now through November 2, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre, ' opens its 23rd season of adult, alternative musical theatre with the regional premiere of the new musical thriller NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, running Oct. 10-Nov. 2, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast below!

Playwright Cormac McCarthy has crafted an intriguing work with THE SUNSET LIMITED, and even though he skimps on fully developing his characters, there is still plenty to chew on here. It's also the inaugural production of Theatre Lab, and I'm always happy to welcome a new company to the local theatre scene. This particular piece may be especially light on action and heavy on dialogue, but Cormac's use of wit keeps things humming along without becoming too static. The Theatre Lab has put together a strong production powered by two excellent performances.

New Line Theatre, 'the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' created a side identity last season called New Line Theatre Off Line, a framework for the New Line actors to explore other music and theatre projects, including New Line's own unique brand of adult cabaret, and other kinds of performance opportunities, as well as master classes, workshops, and more. New Line actor Mike Dowdy (Forbidden Planet, Spelling Bee, The Wild Party, Evita, Two Gentlemen of Verona, bare, Cry-Baby, High Fidelity, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) heads up the Off Line brand under his title of New Line's Associate Artistic Director.

New Line Theatre, 'the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' created a side identity last season called New Line Theatre Off Line, a framework for the New Line actors to explore other music and theatre projects, including New Line's own unique brand of adult cabaret, and other kinds of performance opportunities, as well as master classes, workshops, and more. New Line actor Mike Dowdy (Forbidden Planet, Spelling Bee, The Wild Party, Evita, Two Gentlemen of Verona, bare, Cry-Baby, High Fidelity, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) heads up the Off Line brand under his title of New Line's Associate Artistic Director.

Scatological, unpredictable, and oddly whimsical at times, BUKOWSICAL is not easily defined or categorized, and that's actually part of its appeal to me. Spencer Green (book, lyrics) and Gary Stockdale (book,lyrics and music) have concocted an interesting musical stew, some of which details the life and times of writer Charles Bukowski, and some of which seems to be skewering the entire idea altogether. For instance, the man himself doesn't bring to mind anything remotely resembling a warm and fuzzy character, and yet the music for this piece is incredibly sunny and upbeat. This makes for a fascinating juxtaposition between the lyrical content and the music that accompanies it. In fact, the words are often graphic and vulgar, but, at times, they're also surprisingly erudite and witty. These contradictions alone act to sum up Bukowski's complicated existence and ultimate status as a wordsmith. New Line Theatre's production captures this drunken genius in all his splendor. You may be shocked by what you see or hear, but I guarantee you won't forget it. This is cutting edge theatre at its finest.

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre,' closes its 22nd season now through June 22, 2013, with the regional premiere of one of the most outrageous shows the company has ever produced. With book and lyrics by Spencer Green and Gary Stockdale, and music by Stockdale, BUKOWSICAL is a wacky, high-energy - and gleefully adult - musical comedy, an ironic and insightful 21st-century reboot of the classic American musical comedy, exploring the intersection between sex, drugs, booze, and art, all through the life story of the great American novelist and poet Charles Bukowski. BroadwayWorld has new shots of the cast in action below!

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," announces its 23rd season of adult, alternative musical theatre, including the regional premiere of the new musical thriller NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, running Oct. 10-Nov. 2, 2013; the Pulitzer Prize winning rock opera RENT, running March 6-29, 2014; and the regional premiere, straight from Broadway, of the new rock musical HANDS ON A HARDBODY, running May 29-June 21, 2014.

New Line Theatre has announced the cast for the regional premiere of the taut musical thriller NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, which will open its 23rd season, running Oct. 10-Nov. 2, 2013, and closing on Halloween weekend. The rest of New Line's 2013-2014 season will be announced soon.

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre,' closes its 22nd season May 30-June 22, 2013, with the regional premiere of one of the most outrageous shows the company has ever produced. With book and lyrics by Spencer Green and Gary Stockdale, and music by Stockdale, BUKOWSICAL is a wacky, high-energy - and gleefully adult - musical comedy, an ironic and insightful 21st-century reboot of the classic American musical comedy, exploring the intersection between sex, drugs, booze, and art, all through the life story of the great American novelist and poet Charles Bukowski. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast onstage below!

New Line Theatre closes its 22nd season May 30-June 22, 2013, with the regional premiere of one of the most outrageous shows the company has ever produced. With book and lyrics by Spencer Green and Gary Stockdale, and music by Stockdale, BUKOWSICAL is a wacky, high-energy - and gleefully adult - musical comedy, an ironic and insightful 21st-century reboot of the classic American musical comedy, exploring the intersection between sex, drugs, booze, and art, all through the life story of the great American novelist and poet Charles Bukowski.

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre,' now in its 22nd season of alternative, adult musical theatre, presents the powerhouse Pulitzer Prize winning rock opera NEXT TO NORMAL, running now through March 23, 2013 at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast onstage below!

I remember seeing NEXT TO NORMAL at the Fox Theatre a while back and being impressed by the show, especially since so many things that happened to the lead character were/are taking place in my own life. But, New Line Theatre, for me, sets the local standard for musical theatre in our burgeoning arts community, and they've put together a superior staging of the play that hits even closer to the bone, and part of this is due to intimacy of the theatre itself, but a major reason is the fact that it's blocked and staged in a manner that brings the message of the play clearly in focus. New Line Theatre's production of NEXT TO NORMAL is easily the best show I've seen this year so far. It has a terrific cast, a top notch band which is augmented with strings, and brilliant direction. This is a show you must see, even if it may hit home a little deeply with its subject manner.