Andrew Foote News

Algonquin Theater Productions has announced that veteran theater stars Ken Jennings from the United States and Joaquin Romero from Mexico will be portraying Walter Winchell in the international presentation of the new Al Tapper musical The Paparazzi. The performance will feature casts from both Guadalajara and New York as they tell the tale of The Paparazzi in both English and Spanish. This one night only event will be done at the historic Ellington Room at 400 West 43rd Street, February 28th at 7:30pm.

Surflight Theatre will be opening their ever popular Holiday production for 2018, ELF the Musical, based on a motion picture of the same name, with a score by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin on December 5th. The book is adapted by Bob Martin and Thomas Meehan from the 2003 film. This will be the second musical by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin that Surflight has produced this season having had The Wedding Singer in their 2018 summer lineup.

On Sunday, November 11th, Algonquin Theater Productions will present a reading of its new musical, 'The Paparazzi', music and lyrics by Al Tapper, book by Tony Sportiello, directed by Tom Herman.  Some will walk to see the reading, some will take cars or subways.  And some will fly from more than 2500 miles away. 

Broadway star Jim Newman ('Hands on a Hardbody', 'Curtains', 'Steel Pier') joins the cast of the new musical 'The Paparazzi' for a reading this November 11th and 12th at 305 West 38th Street, Ripley Grier Studio Theater. Newman plays country music star Jimmy Maguire who falls prey to the paparazzi and their penchant for distorting the truth. The show has music and lyrics by Al Tapper and a book by Tony Sportiello. The reading on the 11th will be at 6pm, while the one on the 12th will be 1pm.

One person's corn is another person's bounty in this country tale that transports and transforms its audience in a heart tugging tale.

Surflight Theatre, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Steve Steiner, presents Bright Star for its NEW JERSEY PREMIER! Featuring the Grammy-nominated score by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell. Set in the American South of the 1920s and '40s.,BRIGHT STAR won the 2016 Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical and Best Score and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music. It also received five 2016 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book, Best Lead Actress in a Musical, and Best Orchestrations.

Surflight Theatre, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Steve Steiner, presents the second mainstage production of their second summer season with Jesus Christ Superstar. A Rock Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary and universally-known series of events but seen, unusually, through the eyes of Judas Iscariot.

Surflight Theatre, after a thrilling return from bankruptcy in 2017, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Steve Steiner, presents their first Mainstage production of 2018 with Nice Work If You Can Get It. A hilarious new screwball comedy, Nice Work pokes fun at the Prohibition era in a clash of elegant socialites and boorish bootleggers. This show is set to the glorious songs of George and Ira Gershwin including "Fascinating Rhythm", "Someone to Watch Over Me", and of course the title track "Nice Work If You Can Get It." The musical is sure to thrill the Long Beach Island audiences with its unforgettable score, lyrics, and vibrant dancing.

'Ain't it a fine life, Carrying The Banner!' Disney's Newsies is the second show this season of the newly reopened Surflight Theatre located in Beach Haven, New Jersey.

Surflight is thrilled to be presenting Disney's Newsies, the third show in the exciting 2017 season. Newly reopened for 2017 Surflight has been overjoyed with the overwhelming response and tickets sales for its first two shows Footloose and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as well as its Children's Theatre series and Show Place old fashioned performing ice cream parlour. Surflight's production of Newsies , directed and Choreographed by Paula Hammons Sloan, Assistant Choreographer Liz Troxler and Musical Direction by Michael McAssey, will be the New Jersey Regional premiere.

'Footloose' follows a Chicago teen, Ren McCormack, who recently moved to a small town where dancing and rock music have been banned. As he struggles to fit in, he also fights to change the minds of the conservative Reverend Shaw Moore and the entire town. The music is written by Tom Snow with lyrics by Dean Pitchford and additional lyrics by Kenny Loggins. The book is by Pitchford and Walter Bobbie.

Surflight Theatre under the leadership of  Producing Artistic Director Steve Steiner and under the new ownership of Al Parinello (Producer The People in the Picture, The Fantasticks) will be reopening officially after a 2 year closure and bankruptcy liquidation on June 23rd with the musical sensation Footloose based on the 1980's blockbuster movie of the same name. With mega hits like Holding Out for a Hero, Almost Paradise , Let's Hear it for the Boy and of course the title track Footloose, the musical is sure to thrill the Long Beach Island audiences with its unforgettable score, vibrant dancing and  poignant story of youth, rebellion and family. 

The World Tour of Jekyll and Hyde officially opened on Friday March 10th, at the Blue Square Theatre in Seoul, South Korea. The show is helmed by David Swan a director who has worked on Jekyll and Hyde over the past 12 years in Seoul. The Cast is lead by Kyle Dean Massey as Jekyll, Diana Degarmo as Lucy and Lindsey Blevin as Emma. The Show has been touring various cities in South Korea since November 2016 leading to the opening in Seoul. The production is co-produced by US based Worklight Productions ans Seoul based OD company. Jekyll and Hyde runs at the Blue Square theatre until May 27th.

The 2016 Music Circus season concludes with the Northern California premiere of a new musical from the mind of Victor Hugo, inspired by one of the most epic stories ever told: The Hunchback of Notre Dame. BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at brand new highlights of the show below!

In the Music Circus production the role of Quasimodo is played by Deaf actor, John McGinty.

The 2016 Music Circus season concludes with the Northern California premiere of a new musical from the mind of Victor Hugo, inspired by one of the most epic stories ever told: The Hunchback of Notre Dame. ! Notable in the Music Circus production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame is that it's the first time for this show that the role of Quasimodo will be played by a Deaf actor, John McGinty. It also starred Lesli Margherita, Andrew Foote, Eric Kunze and Jim Hogan.

The 2016 Music Circus season concludes with the Northern California premiere of a new musical from the mind of Victor Hugo, inspired by one of the most epic stories ever told: The Hunchback of Notre Dame. This daring production sets the classic tale of love, vengeance, and compassion to one of the most sweeping scores ever written for the stage. It's the only stage collaboration between two masters of American musical theatre, Alan Menken (Disney's The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast) and Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin). BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at highlights of the show below!

The 2016 Music Circus season concludes with the Northern California premiere of a new musical from the mind of Victor Hugo, inspired by one of the most epic stories ever told: The Hunchback of Notre Dame. This daring production sets the classic tale of love, vengeance, and compassion to one of the most sweeping scores ever written for the stage. It's the only stage collaboration between two masters of American musical theatre, Alan Menken (Disney's The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast) and Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin).  BroadwayWorld brings you a first look below!

The 2016 Music Circus season concludes with the Northern California premiere of a new musical from the mind of Victor Hugo, inspired by one of the most epic stories ever told: The Hunchback of Notre Dame. This daring production sets the classic tale of love, vengeance, and compassion to one of the most sweeping scores ever written for the stage. It's the only stage collaboration between two masters of American musical theatre, Alan Menken (Disney's The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast) and Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin).

After auditioning performers in New York City, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, California Musical Theatre has confirmed casting for all six shows in the 66th Music Circus season. The stellar cast for the season is loaded with Broadway veterans--some of whom are making their Music Circus debuts--Tony nominees, and audience favorites from previous Music Circus productions.