Anastasia Barzee News

1959 was a heck of a good year for Broadway overtures.  The majestic trumpet fanfare and lowdown bump and grind of Gypsy's is generally regarded as the best in musical theatre, but there was also the rousingly rhythmic curtain-raiser to Fiorello! and, my personal favorite, Philip J. Lang's beautiful interpretation of Bob Merrill's music for Take Me Along, which touches on so many moods of the show while continually building the toe-tapping climax of The catchy title tune.

Current MARY POPPINS star Christian Borle and Sherie Rene Scott led a private industry reading late last week of the musical THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG.

Tony Award winner B.D. Wong will be joined by Anastasia Barzee, Clarke Thorell, Cindy Cheung, and Orville Mendoza in the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater's musical production of ‘Musical Mix 'n Mingle'. The show will be presented at St. John's in the Village on Monday, October 19.

On Monday, October 5th, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater (David van Asselt, Artistic Director) held its 15th Anniversary Gala Benefit at Caroline's Comedy Club. The celebratory evening was hosted by Rattlestick Benefit co-chairs Sandra Coudert, Lawrence Benenson and Colleen Jones. Guests included many of Rattlestick's distinguished alumni including playwrights Craig Wright, Lucy Thurber, Mando Alvarado and Adam Rapp, directors Lucie Tiberghien, Michael Ray Escamilla and Sam Gold, actors Thomas Sadoski, Deirdre O'Connell, Guy Boyd, Marylouise Burke, Matthew Stadelmann, Jessica Dickey and Bill Bowers, as well as many of the company's friends and longtime supporters.

Tony Award winner B.D. Wong will be joined by Anastasia Barzee, Clarke Thorell, Cindy Cheung, and Orville Mendoza in the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater's musical production of ‘Musical Mix 'n Mingle'. The show will be presented at St. John's in the Village on Monday, October 19.

Rich Affannato in association with Meri Krassner presented a special invitational reading of the new musical, CALIGULA, with book, music & lyrics by Eric Svejcar, for two performances on Monday, July 13 and Tuesday, July 14 at 3 p.m. at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

Rich Affannato in association with Meri Krassner will present a special invitational reading of the new musical, CALIGULA, with book, music & lyrics by Eric Svejcar, for two performances on Monday, July 13 and Tuesday, July 14 at 3 p.m. at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

Rich Affannato in association with Meri Krassner will present a special invitational reading of the new musical, CALIGULA, with book, music & lyrics by Eric Svejcar, for two performances next Monday, July 13 and Tuesday, July 14 at 3 p.m. at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street). Under the direction of Chris Presley, the cast features Euan Morton (Taboo) in the title role, with Autumn Hurlbert (MTV's Legally Blonde: The Search for Elle Woods), Matt Bogart (Jersey Boys, Aida), and Anastasia Barzee (White Christmas, Urinetown). These presentations of CALIGULA will be backed by a six-piece band led by Musical Director David Andrews Rogers.

Rich Affannato in association with Meri Krassner will present a special invitational reading of the new musical, CALIGULA, with book, music & lyrics by Eric Svejcar, for two performances on Monday, July 13 and Tuesday, July 14 at 3 p.m. at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

Happy Holidays Everyone! Well ... here it is ... our BIGGEST CD coverage EVER and just in time for some last minute 'stocking-stuffer' inspiration ... even though a few of these are better used as coal, if you know what I mean.

The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd St.) announced today, St.Patrick's Day, that it will extend it's run of Joseph Stein and Robert Russell's unabashedly romantic, Take Me Along, (based on Eugene O'Neill's AH, WILDERNESS until May 4, 2008

The Irish Repertory Theatre will begin previews of Joseph Stein and Robert Russell's unabashedly romantic, Take Me Along, with lush, moving American music and lyrics, written by Tony Award nominated Robert Merrill on Wednesday, February 20, 2008. The production will open on Thursday, February 28, 2008.

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater celebrated its 13th Anniversary Gala Benefit on October 1 at Caroline's on Broadway.

Producers Nona Hendryx and Charles Randolph-Wright will present a concert version of 'SkinDiver,' a multimedia rock musical (a la Tommy or The Rocky Horror Picture Show) at Joe's Pub on Monday, October 1 at 9:30PM.

LAByrinth Theater Company announce dcasting today for Romantic Poetry: The Musicale, a special one-night-only event to benefit LAByrinth

Last Monday, January 22nd, despite the rush hour, snow flurries and freezing temperatures, supporters of playwright Tricia Walsh-Smith headed to the Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, CT for The Last Journey

A star-studded after-party celebrated the Broadway revival of Company, which opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on November 29th

The Broadway musicals A Chorus Line, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas: The Musical, The Color Purple and Spamalot, plus a number of Broadway stars, will be featured in this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The New York Musical Theatre Festival has announced the winners of the 2006 NYMF Awards for Excellence, who will be recognized as part of the NYMF 2006 Awards Gala honoring Kevin McCollum

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT)'s 18th Annual Festival of New Musicals was held at New World Stages (340 West 50th St. between 8th and 9th Avenues) on Sunday, October 8 and Monday, October 9