Andrew Samonsky News

Still watching the incredible 360 degrees SCHOOL OF ROCK video? Continuously watching the Hamilton cast rap at the BET Hip Hop Awards? Didn't have time to check in on your favorite Broadway stars? Well don't worry BroadwayWorld has rounded up some of the biggest stories from this week from Broadway and beyond with BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures.'

Des Moines Performing Arts, in partnership with THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY national tour and the Madison County Chamber of Commerce, just welcomed Elizabeth Stanley and Andrew Samonsky, who will star as Francesca Johnson and Robert Kincaid in THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY's upcoming national tour. The duo performed selections from the musical at the 46th Annual Madison County Covered Bridge Festival in Winterset, Iowa. THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, winner of the 2014 Tony Award for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations, is famously set in Iowa and will launch its national tour at the Des Moines Civic Center November 28 - December 5.

Musical Theatre Factory in association with The Chelsea Symphony will present the gala concert event "Get Yourself Some New Orchestrations," the launch of an exciting new series which pairs emergent musical theatre writers with Broadway orchestrators to commission stunning new orchestrations of their shows. Excerpts from four new musicals (and one reimagined favorite!) will be brought to life by the 35-piece Chelsea Symphony and a cast of Broadway stars. In addition to the new works audiences will also get to enjoy an exclusive performance of the touring cast of The Bridges of Madison County, staring Elizabeth Stanley and Andrew Samonsky.  "New Orchestrations," will take place at Merkin Concert Hall (129 W 67th St) on Monday, November 9, 2015 at 8PM.  Tickets are $50 and are available online at mtf.nyc/neworchestrations.

Des Moines Performing Arts, in partnership with THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY national tour and the Madison County Chamber of Commerce, will host two special guests this weekend in Iowa's covered bridge capital. On Saturday, October 10, Elizabeth Stanley and Andrew Samonsky, who will star as Francesca Johnson and Robert Kincaid in THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY's upcoming national tour, will perform selections from the musical at the 46th Annual Madison County Covered Bridge Festival in Winterset, Iowa at 2 p.m. The performance will take place on the Mel Penrod Stage, located on the south side of the Iowa Courthouse Square. THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, winner of the 2014 Tony Award for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations, is famously set in Iowa and will launch its national tour at the Des Moines Civic Center November 28 - December 5.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: It's MATILDA composer/lyricist Tim Minchin's 40th birthday! Tweet him your best wishes @timminchin!

The American Premiere Studio Cast Recording of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the only stage collaboration from two masters of the American musical, Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, was recorded at the historic Avatar Studios from September 28-30. BroadwayWorld brings you a look inside the process below!

As BroadwayWorld exclusively reported, Paper Mill Playhouse's recent production of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, based on the novel by Victor Hugo and the Disney animated film, might not be Broadway-bound, but it will get a cast recording, out this fall. Composer Alan Menken recently posted a photo of the company in the recording studio - check it out below!

As previously reported, stage vets Elizabeth Stanley and Andrew Samonsky will lead the national tour of Jason Robert Brown's much-loved, short-lived musical THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY. Earlier today, Samonsky took to Instagram to reveal a behind-the-scenes look at the couple's photo shoot - check it out below!

Transport Group, the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and OBIE Award-winning theatre company, by special arrangement with Tony Award winning producer Larry Hirschhorn, will give a private developmental lab presentation of Benny & Joon, a new musical. Based on the 1993 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture starring Aidan Quinn, Johnny Depp, and Mary Stuart Masterson, written by Barry Berman and Leslie McNeil, Benny & Joon features a book by Kirsten Guenther (Breaking Through), music by Nolan Gasser (chief musicologist of pandora.com), and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein (Little Women). Under the direction of Transport Group Artistic Director and five-time Drama Desk nominee Jack Cummings III, the cast features Andrew Samonsky as 'Benny' (Queen of the Mist), Hannah Elless as 'Joon' (Bright Star),Colin Hanlon (Submissions Only), Mamie Parris (See Rock City & Other Destinations), Zak Resnick (Piece of My Heart), Tally Sessions (House of Blue Leaves), Natalie Toro (A Tale of Two Cities), and Jason SweetTooth Williams (Things to Ruin). John DiPinto will music direct.

Got caught up watching Lin-Manuel singing NEWSIES at the 'Ham4Ham' Lottery? Celebrated National Vanilla Ice Cream Day with too many Schmakary's ice cream sandwiches? Didn't have time check in on all of the latest Broadway news? Well don't worry BroadwayWorld has rounded up some of the biggest stories from this week from Broadway and beyond with BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures.'

As BroadwayWorld reported earlier today, stage vets Elizabeth Stanley and Andrew Samonsky have been tapped to lead the national tour of Jason Robert Brown's much-loved, short-lived musical THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY. This afternoon, Stanley and the tour unveiled a new video on Facebook, in which the actress details what the role and show mean to her - check it out below!

I purposely avoided the recent film version of INTO THE WOODS because I really didn't find the previews or the stunt casting appropriate. For me, it's a work that requires an audience to use their imagination to a great extent, and movies tend to give form to those things that are much better left conjured up in your own mind. That's why my son and I absolutely loved The MUNY's current presentation of the show. Let's face it, a woodland setting created utilizing green screen technology and a few key set pieces is nowhere near as effective at conveying the atmosphere desired, especially when you already have those actual elements growing freely at the back of this marvelous outdoor stage. Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics) and James Lapine (book) crafted a brilliant mash-up of several fairy tales and fables that is smart, funny, and, ultimately, touching. When I asked my boy what he thought of the show at the end of the night he neatly summed it up: 'I thought it was awesome!' I agree wholeheartedly. Superbly cast and conceived, this is a production that's simply tailor made for The MUNY. Go see it, and take your kids with you! It may have a few moments that are a bit gruesome or adult in content, but they'll have a wonderful time, and so will you!

Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics) and James Lapine's (book) INTO THE WOODS opened July 21, at the Muny, and is playing through July 27 in Forest Park. The production is directed by Gary Griffin, choreographed by Chris Bailey and music directed by Brad Haak. Check out a first look at the cast in action on opening night below! The cast includes Heather Headley (Witch), Erin Dilly (Baker's Wife), Rob McClure (Baker), Ken Page (Narrator), Andrew Samonsky (Cinderella's Prince/Wolf), Elena Shaddow (Cinderella) and Ryan Silverman (Rapunzel's Prince), will be Jason Gotay (Jack), Ellen Harvey (Cinderella's Stepmother), Sara Kapner (Little Red Ridinghood), Samantha Massell (Rapunzel), Michael McCormick (Mysterious Man/Cinderella's Father) and Zoe Vonder Haar (Jack's Mother). Rounding out this incredible cast are Anna Blair (Granny/Cinderella's Stepmother), Jennifer Diamond (Florinda), Gary Glasgow (Steward), Maggie Lakis (Milky White) and April Strelinger (Lucinda).

Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics) and James Lapine's (book) INTO THE WOODS opened July 21, at the Muny, and is playing through July 27 in Forest Park. The production is directed by Gary Griffin, choreographed by Chris Bailey and music directed by Brad Haak. Check out a first look at the cast in action on opening night below!

As BroadwayWorld reported earlier today, stage vets Elizabeth Stanley and Andrew Samonsky have been tapped to lead the national tour of Jason Robert Brown's much-loved, short-lived musical THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY - in celebration of the big news, BWW brings you a look at the pair in performance below!

Jason Robert Brown's much-loved, though short-lived musical THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, based upon the best-selling novel by Robert James Waller, will soon take its sweeping love story on the road - today, the actors tapped to portray the piece's central love-torn couple have been revealed.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? This weekend's big news: Broadway divas are heading out across the country and the globe today, and LUCKY STIFF premieres in NYC!