Ben Toomer News

Tonight, the new musical from The Avett Brothers, Swept Away, begins performances at Berkeley Rep. Written by Tony Award-winning stage and screen writer John Logan, Swept Away is helmed by Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer, and features choreography by Tony Award nominee David Neumann.

Before stepping foot into the theatre, you’ve already experienced the best aspect of Beautiful – The Carole King Musical – the extraordinary songs. The production, touring to the Kennedy Center through January 2, highlights the best of Carole King’s hits and reminds us of the tremendous range of her talent. Sadly, that narrative arc of Beautiful – The Carole King Musical is at such a frantic pace and is so light on details it takes a fascinating true story of grit, luck, and talent and renders it a flat, bland, homogenized variety-show telling of King’s career.

On the first day of rehearsals and following an overwhelmingly demand from audiences, Berkeley Rep has announced that the world premiere musical Swept Away will extend for an additional second and final week. The new musical will now run through Sunday, March 6.

Beautiful – The Carole King Musical returned to the road on November 2, 2021 in Chicago, IL, having been off the road for 600 days due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Beautiful opened last night at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ and will play more than 65 cities on its 2021-22 North American Touring season.

Due to overwhelming demand from enthusiastic theatregoers in 42 states, Berkeley Rep has announced that the world premiere musical Swept Away will extend for an additional two weeks. Previews begin on Sunday, January 9 with the show originally scheduled to close on February 13.

The North American tour of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning hit musical Beautiful- The Carole King Musical will welcome Sara Sheperd (Carole King), James D. Gish (Gerry Goffin), Sara King (Cynthia Weil), Ryan Farnsworth (Barry Mann), Matt Loehr (Don Kirshner) and Rachel Coloff (Genie Klein) to the Company.

MT Shorts will release its original musical short film HIGH SCHOOL ZOOMSICAL on YouTube Wednesday, March 31st at 4:00 PM Eastern. HIGH SCHOOL ZOOMSICAL, is a hilarious contemporary love-letter to the theatre community that brings a little levity, a little romance, and a whole lot of jazz hands.

MT Shorts in association with Broadway Unlocked will debut its upcoming original musical short film HIGH SCHOOL ZOOMSICAL, as part of a Virtual Premiere Party on Sunday, November 15th.

Chaining Zero, a new musical, continues its series, Chaining Zero Sessions, a web-based concert featuring songs from the show performed by top Broadway, West End and Nashville talent. The latest installation of 'How Did We Get Here?' depicts characters from all walks of life navigating an uncertain situation.

May 14, 2020 - d'ILLUSION: The Houdini Musical announces the launch of an audiobook set for the end of Summer 2020. The project will feature a full audio experience including dialogue, orchestration, songs, foley sounds and narration all recording remotely during this time of self-isolation. 

Producers Paul Blake and Sony/ATV Music Publishing have announced the cast for the North American tour of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning hit musical Beautiful a?" The Carole King Musical. The tour will welcome Kennedy Caughell (Carole King), James D. Gish (Gerry Goffin), Kathryn Boswell (Cynthia Weil), James Michael Lambert (Barry Mann), Matt Loehr (Don Kirshner) and Rachel Coloff (Genie Klein) to the Company. Beautiful a?" The Carole King Musical will make its Sarasota debut at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall from Friday, December 13 through Sunday, December 15. To purchase tickets, visit vanwezel.org, call (941) 953-3368 or visit the box office. Tickets start at $42 with limited seating remaining.

The North American tour of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning hit musical Beautiful- The Carole King Musical will welcome Kennedy Caughell (Carole King), James D. Gish (Gerry Goffin), Kathryn Boswell (Cynthia Weil), James Michael Lambert (Barry Mann), Matt Loehr (Don Kirshner) and Rachel Coloff (Genie Klein) to the Company.

While the Earth didn't exactly move during the national tour stop of BEAUTIFUL at the Hanover Theater in Worcester this week, this more successful than most biographical jukebox musical did set off an occasional temblor. No surprise, those moments came when the show's legendary subject, Carole King, was channeled by her doppelganger Kennedy Caughell alone at the piano.

Producers Paul Blake and Sony/ATV Music Publishing announce that the Tony & Grammy Award-winning Broadway hit Beautifula?"The Carole King Musical, about the early life and career of the legendary and groundbreaking singer/songwriter, will make its Wilmington premiere at The Playhouse on Rodney Square for six performances, November 14-17, 2019.

The cast of the North American toura?"including a stop at State Theatre New Jerseya?"for Beautiful a?" The Carole King Musical has been announced. Also, due to popular demand a fifth show has been added for Sunday, November 10 at 7pm. The State Theatre performances of Beautiful are Friday, November 8, 2019 at 8pm; Saturday, November 9, 2019 at 2pm and 8pm, and Sunday, November 10, 2019 at 2pm and 7pm. Tickets range from $40-$98.

Producers Paul Blake and Sony/ATV Music Publishing have announced the North American tour of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning hit musical Beautiful- The Carole King Musical will welcome Kennedy Caughell (Carole King), James D. Gish (Gerry Goffin), Kathryn Boswell (Cynthia Weil), James Michael Lambert (Barry Mann), Matt Loehr (Don Kirshner) and Rachel Coloff (Genie Klein) to the Company. Beautiful a?" The Carole King Musical will make its Easton premiere at the State Theatre on Wednesday, September 25 at 7:30PM. Tickets for this show sold out within the first hour of public sales after the two-week period of Member sales.

The North American tour of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning hit musical Beautiful - The Carole King Musical will welcome Kennedy Caughell (Carole King), James D. Gish (Gerry Goffin), Kathryn Boswell(Cynthia Weil), James Michael Lambert (Barry Mann), Matt Loehr (Don Kirshner) and Rachel Coloff (Genie Klein) to the Company beginning September 20 in Utica, NY.

It's the last week to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Austin Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.

There's just two weeks left to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Austin Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.

There's just two weeks left to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Austin Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.