Amy Justman News

Broadway veteran Stephen DeRosa currently appearing in HBO's Boardwalk Empire, and Mary Testa, whose Broadway credits include Guys and Dolls, Xanadu, Something Good, 42nd Street, Marie Christine, On the Town, Chicago, The Rink, Marilyn, Barnum and more, will be a part of An Evening of Firsts: Broadway's Finest Spill About Their First Time Monday April 29th 7PM at Stage 72.

Douglas Carpenter, baritone, of New York, won the $15,000 First Prize in the finals of the 15th annual Lotte Lenya Competition, held on April 13, 2013, at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. Maren Weinberger, soprano, of New York, received the Second Prize of $10,000, and two Third Prizes of $7,500 each were awarded to Alison Arnopp, soprano, of County Cork, Ireland, and Lauren Roesner, soprano, of Cincinnati. Founded in 1998 to celebrate the centenary of Lenya's birth, the Lotte Lenya Competition is an international theater singing contest that recognizes talented young singer/actors, ages 19-32, who are dramatically and musically convincing in a wide range of repertoire.

BroadwayWorld has learned that the cast was informed today that they will be recording the CSC cast album of PASSION on May 13th. The good news is that it will feature the entire cast, including Melissa Errico. Amy Justman has been filling in for Errico on stage.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, announced today that acclaimed Tony Award-winning director John Doyle will join the company for its 2013/2014 season as an Associate Director. Doyle, who directed and designed the company's current highly-acclaimed production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's musical PASSION, will develop his own projects for CSC, contribute leadership for CSC's new Musical Theatre Initiative (for which PASSION was the launch production) and consult with Artistic Director Brian Kulick over season planning and other creative aspects of CSC's artistic programming.

Classic Stage Company announced today that Amy Justman will assume the role of Clara for the final 11 performances of their critically-acclaimed new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's PASSION through Friday, April 19 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). Melissa Errico, who originated the role of Clara, has been out of the show with bronchitis since March 21. PS Classics announced today that they had postponed the cast recording of PASSION (which was scheduled for today) until Ms. Errico is fully recovered. A new recording and release date will be announced in the coming days.

BroadwayWorld has confirmed that the Classic Stage Company's production of Passion has delayed the recording of it's upcoming cast album, because Melissa Errico, who plays Clara in the show, is out on vocal rest. Errico has been out of the show since March 21 and the cast will not head to the recoding studio until she has fully recovered. In the mentime, Amy Justman has been filling in for Errico on stage.

Twelve exceptionally talented young singer-actors, with previous stage experience ranging from roles on Broadway to the Metropolitan Opera House, have been named finalists in the 2013 Lotte Lenya Competition. They will compete for top prizes of $15,000, $10,000 and $7,500 on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Acclaimed soprano and 2010 Opera News Award winner Patricia Racette, British opera and musical theater conductor James Holmes, and Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization President and American Theater Wing Vice-Chairman Theodore S. Chapin will serve as judges.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, announced today that PS Classics, home to a dozen Sondheim cast albums, will record and release the cast recording of its critically-acclaimed new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Tony Award-winning musical PASSION, directed by John Doyle.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, announced today that their critically-acclaimed new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Tony Award-winning musical PASSION, directed by John Doyle (director of the acclaimed Broadway revivals of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd and Company), will extend once again by popular demand for four additional performances through Friday, April 19 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). PASSION stars Melissa Errico (Clara), Judy Kuhn (Fosca) and Ryan Silverman (Giorgio). The production also features Stephen Bogardus (Colonel Ricci), Jeffry Denman (Lieutenant Barri), Jason Michael Evans (Private Augenti), Ken Krugman (Lieutenant Torasso), Orville Mendoza (Sergeant Lombardi), Tom Nelis (Doctor Tambourri), Will Reynolds (Major Rizzoli/Ludovic), John Antony (understudy) and Amy Justman (understudy). CSC also announced that twenty $10 tickets for each of the final four performances - Tuesday, April 16 at 7pm, Wednesday, April 17 at 7pm, Thursday, April 18 at 8pm and Friday, April 19 at 8pm - generously underwritten by TheaterMania.com and Aaron Lieber/Bruce Horten. These special $10 tickets will go on sale to the public Tuesday, Apri1 2 at 12pm, available in person at the CSC Box Office only.

Musicals Tonight! continues its ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates with its next edition of At This Performance… to be held on Monday, March 18th at 7:00 at The Lion Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, announced today that their critically-acclaimed new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Tony Award-winning musical Passion, directed by John Doyle (director of the acclaimed Broadway revivals of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd and Company), will extend by popular demand through Sunday, April 14 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). Passion stars Melissa Errico (Clara), Judy Kuhn (Fosca) and Ryan Silverman (Giorgio). The production also features Stephen Bogardus (Colonel Ricci), Jeffry Denman (Lieutenant Barri), Jason Michael Evans (Private Augenti), Ken Krugman (Lieutenant Torasso), Orville Mendoza (Sergeant Lombardi), Tom Nelis (Doctor Tambourri), Will Reynolds (Major Rizzoli/Ludovic), John Antony (understudy) and Amy Justman (understudy). BroadwayWorld brings you highlights from the show below!

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, announced today that their critically-acclaimed new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Tony Award-winning musical PASSION, directed by John Doyle (director of the acclaimed Broadway revivals of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd and Company), will extend by popular demand through Sunday, April 14 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). PASSION stars Melissa Errico (Clara), Judy Kuhn (Fosca) and Ryan Silverman (Giorgio). The production also features Stephen Bogardus (Colonel Ricci), Jeffry Denman (Lieutenant Barri), Jason Michael Evans (Private Augenti), Ken Krugman (Lieutenant Torasso), Orville Mendoza (Sergeant Lombardi), Tom Nelis (Doctor Tambourri), Will Reynolds (Major Rizzoli/Ludovic), John Antony (understudy) and Amy Justman (understudy).

Ryan Silverman as Giorgio, joins acclaimed, award-winning actresses Judy Kuhn (as Fosca) and Melissa Errico (as Clara), in Classic Stage Company's new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Tony Award-winning musical PASSION, directed by John Doyle (director of the acclaimed Broadway revivals of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd and Company). Passion opened at CSC (136 East 13th Street) on Thursday, February 28. BroadwayWorld was there for the opening night celebrations and brings you photos below!

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, today announced complete casting for the company's upcoming new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Tony Award-winning musical PASSION, to be directed by John Doyle (director of the acclaimed Broadway revivals of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd and Company). Joining previously announced Melissa Errico (Clara), Judy Kuhn (Fosca) and Ryan Silverman (Giorgio) in the production are Stephen Bogardus (Colonel Ricci), Jeffry Denman (Lieutenant Barri), Jason Michael Evans (Private Augenti), Amy Justman (understudy), Ken Krugman (Lieutenant Torasso), Orville Mendoza (Sergeant Lombardi), Tom Nelis (Doctor Tambourri) and Will Reynolds (Major Rizzoli/Ludovic). PASSION is slated to begin performances on February 8, 2013 at CSC (136 East 13th Street), with an official press opening scheduled for Thursday, February 28, playing a limited engagement through Sunday, April 7. Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning at Noon on Thursday, January 3.

The York Theatre Company will present the first reading of new works in the new program NEO Reading Series: Saint Ex, with Book & Lyrics by Sean Berry and Music by Jenny Giering. Directed by Kent Nicholson with music direction by Matt Castle, the cast will feature Alex Gemignani (Assassins) in the title role, with Haley Bond (York's Pietro D'Amore), Charlie Brady (Les Miserables), Amy Justman (Company), Carl Kimbrough (A Christmas Story, tour), Omar Lopez-Ceparo (American Idiot), Cass Morgan (Memphis) and Krysta Rodriguez (The Addams Family). Composer Maury Yeston (Dreamgirls) acted as mentor; John Arthur Pinkard is the producing mentor. One night only performance set for Monday, December 17th at 7:00 p.m at The York Theatre at Saint Peter's (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).

Kent Kritle's 2012-2013 season marks his 30th year conducting in New York City. The landmark season includes Britten's War Requiem with the Oratorio Society of New York, Bach's Mass in B Minor with at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Mendelssohn's Elijah at the Manhattan School of Music, and travels across the U.S. for Carnegie Hall's National High School Choral Festival. See full details below.

Kent Kritle's 2012-2013 season marks his 30th year conducting in New York City. The landmark season includes Britten's War Requiem with the Oratorio Society of New York, Bach's Mass in B Minor with at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Mendelssohn's Elijah at the Manhattan School of Music, and travels across the U.S. for Carnegie Hall's National High School Choral Festival. See full details below.

The BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop announces its Spring Smoker, a semi-annual showcase for new songs from Workshop writers. The event will be held in the 30th Floor Media Room of BMI's New York office at 7 World Trade Center/250 Greenwich Street tonight, April 26, at 5:30PM and is open to members of the entertainment industry as well as Workshop members. Reservations are a must: Ssantana@bmi.com or 212 220-3177. Running time is 70 minutes.

The BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop announces its Spring Smoker, a semi-annual showcase for new songs from Workshop writers. The event will be held in the 30th Floor Media Room of BMI's New York office at 7 World Trade Center/250 Greenwich Street on Thursday, April 26, at 5:30PM and is open to members of the entertainment industry as well as Workshop members. Reservations are a must: Ssantana@bmi.com or 212 220-3177. Running time is 70 minutes.

The Collegiate Chorale presented Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado at Carnegie Hall last night, April 10 featuring soloists Chuck Cooper, Jason Danieley, Christopher Fitzgerald, Victoria Clark and Kelli O'Hara. BroadwayWorld was on hand and brings you photo coverage below!