Ars Nova News

The 12th Annual Goodspeed Festival of New Musicals, produced by Goodspeed Musicals' Max Showalter Center for Education in Musical Theatre, kicks off its much-anticipated three-day festival of brand-new works on Friday, January 13, 2017 at The Goodspeed with a staged reading of the intriguing new musical Picnic at Hanging Rock by Daniel Zaitchik based on the cherished novel by Joan Lindsay.

Ars Nova announces Nova Ball Remix, the non-profit's winter gala, which will take place on Monday, December 5 at Capitale (130 Bowery). Nova Ball Remix will celebrate Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 and the Broadway debuts of its writer and composer Dave Malloy, director Rachel Chavkin and originating producer Ars Nova. The evening features performances by Josh Groban, Denee Benton & the Broadway cast of The Great Comet, Heather Christian, Joe Iconis & Family, Anais Mitchel, Sky Pony, and more.

La Jolla Playhouse, nationally-renowned for the development of new work, announces four world-premiere productions for the 2017/2018 season, including the previously-announced Escape to Margaritaville (May/June), featuring the songs of legendary singer-songwriter-author Jimmy Buffett and an original story by co-book writers Greg Garcia ('My Name Is Earl') and Mike O'Malley ('Survivor's Remorse,' 'Shameless'), directed by La Jolla Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley (Come From Away, Memphis).

Fresh off our recent run of Crude at Theater 511 @ Ars Nova, join Black Lab Theatre Sunday, November 20th at 5:30pm at Dixon Place for a New York staged reading of Jordan Jaffe's new eco-comedy Whirlwind.

Ars Nova, under the leadership of Founding Artistic Director Jason Eagan and Managing Director Renee Blinkwolt, has announced 18 months of boundary-pushing world premiere productions, all commissioned and developed by Ars Nova at their West 54th Street home.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the monthly gathering of the International Order of Sodomites, the centuries-old organization which sets the mythic Gay Agenda - will continue its eighth and final season on Sunday, November 20 at 9:30 PM at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater.

Quintessence Theatre Group continues it's tradition of holiday classics for the whole family with Oscar Wilde's Wilde Tales. Celebrated up-and-coming experimental director Jeremy Bloom adapts and directs this amalgamation of short stories. Wilde Tales begins performances on Wednesday, December 7 at 7pm and opens on Saturday, December 10 at 7pm.  All performances are at the Sedgwick Theater, 7137 Germantown Ave. in Mt Airy, Philadelphia, 19119.  To purchase tickets visit www.QuintessenceTheatre.org or call 215.987.4450.

Follow the tail! NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812: THE JOURNEY OF A NEW MUSICAL TO BROADWAY, edited and compiled by Steven Suskin with script and annotations by Dave Malloy, will hit the shelves this month.

No, you didn't fall asleep on the Q train on your way to Broadway's latest musical and accidentally wind up at the largest, and perhaps rowdiest Russian supper club in all of Brighton Beach.

The new musical NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 is getting a starry Broadway opening tonight. Featuring the Broadway debuts of 24 cast and creative team members, including Josh Groban as 'Pierre' and Denée Benton as 'Natasha.' Created by Dave Malloy (Ghost Quartet, Preludes) and directed by Rachel Chavkin (Hadestown, Artistic Director of The TEAM), also making their Broadway debuts.

The producers have announced Golnesa "G.G." Gharachedaghi, star of "Shahs of Sunset," will make her stage debut in New York's longest running comedy Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man for a limited two-week engagement this December. 

With opening just one night away, NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, starring Josh Groban* as 'Pierre' and Denee Benton* as 'Natasha' in their Broadway debuts, has shared some gorgeous productions photos sure to make theatre lovers more excited than ever for the thrilling new musical that is unlike any other on Broadway-check out the new photos below!

Ugo Chukwu and Donaldo Prescod star as Lincoln and Booth, two presciently named, African American brothers, attempting to find their version of the American Dream.

Rehearsals are underway for the Steppenwolf-commissioned world premiere production of Erika Sheffer's The Fundamentals, directed by ensemble member Yasen Peyankov, who also directed Sheffer's Russian Transport at Steppenwolf in 2014.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company announced today the complete cast for Erika Sheffer's The Fundamentals, a smart and searing look at America's corporate culture through the story of a Manhattan hotel maid with higher aspirations.

MCC Theater presents the thrilling New York City premiere of the new musical Ride the Cyclone, which marks just the third musical in MCC's now-iconic 30-year history of producing new works for the American theater.

La MaMa presents Clover, a new experimental theater drama about America's history of violence by Erik Ehn, directed by Glory Kadigan with original music by Maya Solovey and original puppet design & puppetry direction by Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew. Performances will be staged at the First Floor Theatre at La MaMa, 74a East 4th Street, New York, NY 10003 from December 1-16, 2016.

Honeck-Moss Productions will present "In The Works,' an exciting new series conceived as an opportunity for composers to try out new work in front of an audience and see how it plays in a supportive environment.  

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the monthly gathering of the International Order of Sodomites, the centuries-old organization which sets the mythic Gay Agenda - will return to OASIS (298 Eleventh Street, San Francisco CA) for a fifth appearance on Saturday, November 5 at 7:00 PM. The performance will celebrate the release of Sayre's debut comedy album  The Gay Agenda, which is available on iTunes, the show's website and at upcoming appearances. The New York run of The Meeting*, which just opened its eights and final season at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, has been sold out since the New York Times "Arts & Leisure" piece ran September 2014. Special musical guests for the Oasis performance will be Matthew Martin and Intensive Claire. Tickets are $20 and are available at SFOasis.com.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the monthly gathering of the International Order of Sodomites, the centuries-old organization which sets the mythic Gay Agenda - will return to OASIS (298 Eleventh Street, San Francisco CA) for a fifth appearance today, November 5 at 7:00 PM.