Andrew Samonsky News

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) announces that Tony Award winner and A.C.T. favorite Judy Kaye (Mamma Mia!, Ragtime, Phantom of the Opera, On the Twentieth Century on Broadway; Sweeney Todd and Souvenir at A.C.T.) will be taking on the iconic role of Anna Madrigal in the world premiere production of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City.

The 2006 movie dramedy Little Miss Sunshine was and still remains such a low-key charmer that to attempt to simulate it on stage with music is at once challenging, courageous and perplexing. Why? Why retell a story that is so perfect on film unless you can achieve a brand new and interesting take on it? I guess Spider-Man and other films being translated to the stage is the rage these days, especially when there's a dearth of original musicals. All this aside, the production values, the cast and the very artistic endeavor of the stage musical Little Miss Sunshine, now at the Mandell Weiss Theatre of La Jolla Playhouse through March 27, should be lauded and appreciated.

The Tony Award-winning creative team of composer/lyricist William Finn and writer/director James Lapine, who previously collaborated on the Tony Award-winning musicals Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, will bring their latest project to, Little Miss Sunshine to The Playhouse. The production runs through March 27, 2011 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

The La Jolla Playhouse is presenting a world premiere musical based on the 2006 Academy Award winning film "Little Miss Sunshine". And while the show had its shining moments and a cast that matched the subtlety and charm of the original sleeper hit, on the whole it needs a bit of a jump start if it's going to make it down the road to Broadway.

The Tony Award-winning creative team of composer/lyricist William Finn and writer/director James Lapine, who previously collaborated on the Tony Award-winning musicals Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, will bring their latest project to, Little Miss Sunshine to The Playhouse. The production runs through March 27, 2011 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

Musicals Tonight! continues its ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys and Understudies with its next editions of At This Performance…™ to be held on Sunday, February 13th and Monday, February 14th at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre, 2162 Broadway, (above the Promenade Theatre- Broadway at 76th Street), 3rd Floor at 8 PM.

Musicals Tonight! continues its ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys and Understudies with its next editions of At This Performance…™ to be held on Sunday, February 13th and Monday, February 14th at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre, 2162 Broadway, (above the Promenade Theatre- Broadway at 76th Street), 3rd Floor at 8 PM.

The first video has turned up from the world premiere of Little Miss Sunshine at the La Jolla Playhouse. The musical features Tony Award-winning creative team of composer/lyricist William Finn and playwright/director James Lapine.

Transport Group, the winner of a special 2007 Drama Desk Award and 2007 and 2010 OBIE Awards, presented the one-night-only event, Boys Night Out: An Evening With...Michael John LaChiusa last night, January 10, 2011 at the Mainstage Theater at Playwrights Horizons.

Next Tuesday, January 11, 2010 at 10pm, a host of Broadway performers will gather at (Le) Poisson Rouge to celebrate the music of Adam Gwon and the release of the original cast recording of his musical Ordinary Days, which is now available on Ghostlight Records.

An intimate evening of talk and song celebrating the male roles from the musical songbook of 5-time Tony nominated composer, Michael John LaChiusa, whose works include Little Fish, Marie Christine, See What I Wanna See, Hello Again, and The Wild Party, will be presented at a one-night-only event on Monday, January 10 at 7 PM at Playwrights Horizon.

Transport Group, the winner of a special 2007 Drama Desk Award and 2007 and 2010 OBIE Awards, has announced that Titus Burgess (The Little Mermaid, Guys & Dolls), Chuck Cooper (Tony winner for The Life), and Alexander Gemignani (Sweeney Todd, Assassins) have joined the cast of the one-night-only event Boys Night Out: An Evening With…Michael John LaChiusa, which will take place on Monday, January 10, 2011 at 7pm at the Mainstage Theater at Playwrights Horizons, 416 West 42nd Street.

Next Tuesday, January 11, 2010 at 10pm, a host of Broadway performers will gather at (Le) Poisson Rouge to celebrate the music of Adam Gwon and the release of the original cast recording of his musical Ordinary Days, which is now available on Ghostlight Records.

Transport Group, the winner of a special 2007 Drama Desk Award and 2007 and 2010 OBIE Awards, has announced that Titus Burgess (The Little Mermaid, Guys & Dolls), Chuck Cooper (Tony winner for The Life), and Alexander Gemignani (Sweeney Todd, Assassins) have joined the cast of the one-night-only event Boys Night Out: An Evening With…Michael John LaChiusa, which will take place on Monday, January 10, 2011 at 7pm at the Mainstage Theater at Playwrights Horizons, 416 West 42nd Street.

La Jolla Playhouse has just released costume sketches by Jennifer Caprio for the upcoming world-premiere musical Little Miss Sunshine. The musical features Tony Award-winning creative team of composer/lyricist William Finn and playwright/director James Lapine. Below are two of the costumes for 'Olive Hoover.'

Transport Group, the winner of a special 2007 Drama Desk Award and 2007 and 2010 OBIE Awards, has announced that the one-night-only event Boys Night Out: An Evening With...Michael John LaChiusa will take place on Monday, January 10, 2011 at 7pm at the Mainstage Theater at Playwrights Horizons, 416 West 42nd Street.

An intimate evening of talk and song celebrating the male roles from the musical songbook of 5-time Tony nominated composer, Michael John LaChiusa, whose works include Little Fish, Marie Christine, See What I Wanna See, Hello Again, and The Wild Party, will be presented at a one-night-only event on Monday, January 10 at 7 PM at Playwrights Horizon.

La Jolla Playhouse announced today the cast and creative team of its upcoming world-premiere musical Little Miss Sunshine, by the Tony Award-winning creative team of composer/lyricist William Finn and playwright/director James Lapine. Mr. Lapine has enjoyed a long association with the Playhouse, having previously directed Merrily We Roll Along (1985) and Luck, Pluck and Virtue (1993). The production runs February 15 - March 27, 2011 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

Award winning composer/lyricist Bobby Cronin made his Birdland debut as part of Jim Caruso's Broadway at Birdland Series, last night, November 29th. BroadwayWorld was on hand and brings you photo coverage below.

Broadway at Birdland is happy to announce that composer/writer Bobby Cronin, along with many Broadway performers, will perform a concert of his original music on Monday, November 29 at 7pm.