Benj Pasek News

Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul. Book by Peter Duchan. Based on the Warner Bros. film and screenplay by Bob Comfort. Directed by Lon Barrera. It's November 21, 1963. On the eve of their deployment to a small but growing conflict in Southeast Asia, three young Marines set out for one final boys' night of debauchery, partying and maybe a little trouble. But, when Corporal Eddie Birdlace meets Rose, an awkward and idealistic waitress whom he enlists to win a cruel bet with his fellow recruits, she rewrites the rules of the game and teaches him the power of love and compassion.

One thing that stood out this year was that Australia's establishment of a multicultural community is of immense value.

Teenagers can be mean to one another. Add to that the stress and fear of war, as well as the traditions of their fathers, and it can turn downright cruel. Yet, cruelty doesn't have to be the end result: it can lead to teachable moments, understanding and love. That's the foundation for the plot of DOGFIGHT, a thought-provoking and heart-touching musical currently playing at Onstage in Bedford, directed by Lon Barrera.

This summer, Sierra Stages is proud to present the musical "Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach" featuring words and music by the Tony and Academy Award-winning songwriting team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and book by Timothy Allen McDonald, based on the book "James and the Giant Peach" by Roald Dahl. "Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach" plays for four weekends only from July 12 through August 4 at the historic Nevada Theatre in Nevada City.

Good Night Theatre Collective kicked off Pride weekend in Sioux Falls with their last cabaret show of season 2, PRIDE: The Love Cabaret. Thursday's sold out show featured songs written or performed by LGBTQ artists.

DOGFIGHT seems to imply a ring of competitors, lots of sweat, and probably a few black eyes. But in this frolicsome musical it means an all-out brawl…about who has the ugliest date. This, combined with a trio of 'bad boys,' makes DOGFIGHT a real treat for viewers who visit Buck Creek Players.

On our final day of this year's 30 Days of Tony, let's take a quick flashback to last year's big winner, Dear Evan Hansen!

Here's the premise, it's 1963 and the night before three soldiers are about to be shipped off to Vietnam. They've decided to hold a dogfight, a marine tradition where each guy tries to find the ugliest date possible. The winner takes the pot and the girl is never the wiser. Eddie Birdlace (Patrick Dinnsen) meets Rose, a waitress who he decides will work in a pinch, unfortunately she's more than he bargained for.

Tickets for the Los Angeles engagement of 'Dear Evan Hansen' at Center Theatre Group / Ahmanson Theatre, running October 17 through November 25, 2018, will go on sale to the public today, June 8 at 10 a.m. Tickets will be available at the Ahmanson Theatre Box Office, online at CenterTheatreGroup.org and by phone at (213) 972-4400.

Fresh from a run in the Australian dark comedy Muriel's Wedding, Maggie McKenna joins the touring cast of DEAR EVAN HANSEN as Zoe Murphy. Learn more about the Oz native below!

FUN HOME alum Marrick Smith is the next to be found as he joins the cast of the DEAR EVAN HANSEN tour in the role of Connor Murphy. Find out more about him below!

The Dramatists Guild of America is pleased to announce more recipients of their annual awards, which will be presented at their national conference on Saturday, July 28, 2018, at The Hilton Midtown in New York.

The DEAR EVAN HANSEN tour's heartbreaking grieving parents will be played by stage superstars Christiane Noll and Aaron Lazar. Learn more about them below!

The Ucross Foundation hosted its inaugural New York Gala & Awards Dinner last night at The Appel Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center. The night was filled with performances and readings by notable award-winning artists, all Ucross alumni, including Ricky Ian Gordon (Grapes of Wrath, opera), Steven Lutvak (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder), bestselling author Tayari Jones, author and Vanity Fair contributor Elissa Schappell, composer/pianist Dylan Mattingly, trumpeter Frank London, and singer-songwriter Kate Schutt. Special guests included Broadway stars Laura Benanti and Nancy Anderson. A collection of artwork from Ucross visual artist alumni was on display and available for purchase. The emcee was former journalist and current film and television screenwriter William 'Bill' Broyles.

The Omaha Community Playhouse is announcing its Alternative Programming series for the 2018-19 season. Alternative Programming includes a series of staged readings, special events and play development collaborations. All events are held at OCP.

DEAR EVAN HANSEN's master of internships, GPA's, and co-presidencies Alana Beck will by played by Phoebe Koyabe on tour!

BroadwayWorld has just learned that Jared Goldsmith will take on his namesake role of Jared Kleinman in the national tour of DEAR EVAN HANSEN.

Tickets for the Los Angeles engagement of 'Dear Evan Hansen' at Center Theatre Group / Ahmanson Theatre, running October 17 through November 25, 2018, will go on sale to the public on Friday, June 8 at 10 a.m. Tickets will be available at the Ahmanson Theatre Box Office, online at CenterTheatreGroup.org and by phone at (213) 972-4400.

BroadwayWorld has just learned that the role of Heidi Hansen in DEAR EVAN HANSEN on tour will be played by Jessica Phillips.

Buck Creek Players is proud to present the critically-acclaimed new musical, DOGFIGHT, based on the 1991 film of the same name starring River Phoenix and Lilli Taylor. Called 'poignant, funny and totally endearing' by AM New York, and nominated for nearly a dozen prominent New York Awards, DOGFIGHT will open today, June 1st, and continue for a limited three weekend run through Sunday, June 17th. Curtain times are at 8 p.m. today and Saturday, with 2:30 p.m. matinees on Sundays.