Benj Pasek News

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Today's big news: Kander & Pierce's KID VICTORY officially bows tonight Off-Broadway, while IF I FORGET, starring Kate Walsh, Jeremy Shamos and more, opens tonight at Roundabout!

Already boasting a Golden Globe Award for their song 'City of Stars,' songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are again in the spotlight for their work in the critically-acclaimed LA LA LAND. Garnering a total of 14 Oscar nominations, the musical film features lyrics by Pasek and Paul, and two of its original songs, 'Audition (The Fools Who Dream)' and 'City of Stars,' are up for the Original Song award.

We're giving away three copies of the DEAR EVAN HANSEN Original Broadway Cast Recording! Enter the contest today for your chance to take one home!

Second Stage Theatre presents the New York premiere production of Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Tracy Letts' play, MAN FROM NEBRASKA, directed by David Cromer.

Second Stage Theatre has announced that it will present the 35th Anniversary Production of Harvey Fierstein's modern classic, TORCH SONG, directed by Moises Kaufman, this fall at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43rd street).

Producer Stacey Mindich and Atlantic Records announced today that the Original Broadway Cast Recording of DEAR EVAN HANSEN has made an extraordinary debut on the Billboard 200, entering the chart at #8

Oscar®-nominees Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sting, Justin Timberlake and 2014 Oscar-winner John Legend will perform at the 89th Oscars® ceremony, show producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd announced today. Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the Oscars will air live on SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, on the ABC Television Network.

The Dramatists Guild Fund and Program Chairs Michael Korie, Laurence O'Keefe, and Diana Son announce applications for the 2017-18 Dramatists Guild Fellows Program are now open and encourage playwrights, composers and lyricists to apply.

The nationally regarded Fulton Theatre is thrilled to announce the 2017/2018 Season which includes the Premiere Mainstage Series, The Ellen Arnold Groff Studio Series in the Tell Studio Theatre, and the Eichmann Family Series. The season will follow an unprecedented season of record-breaking productions. Next season will continue to welcome returning and new audiences to distinctive high-caliber productions that continue the Fulton tradition of "Engaging Life Through Art."

The Johnny Mercer Foundation (JMF) and the American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University announce Stephen Bray, Tony, and Grammy-nominated songwriter for The Color Purple, will join the 12th annual Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project as a Master Teacher.

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma's 2017 season will take patrons on a whirlwind adventure, from a Disney musical revue and a classic New York City love story to favorite hair bands of the 1980s and presidential assassinations.

The American Theatre Wing announced today that the 2017 Jonathan Larson Grants recipients are Ben Bonnema (book, music and lyrics), Maggie-Kate Coleman & Erato A. Kremmyda (music and lyrics), Ty Defoe & Tidtaya Sinutoke (book, music and lyrics), and Michael R. Jackson (book, music and lyrics).

Theater critic Charles Isherwood has departed The New York Times, reporter Michael Paulson confirmed today.

Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling will not be performing at the Oscars. Both 'City of Stars' and 'Audition' from their film LA LA LAND are up for best original song.

After winning second place in the GHSA 7-AAAAAAA regional one-act competition with James and the Giant Peach, The Acting Troupe of Lambert (ATL) is thrilled to be bringing their full version performance of this title to the local community in early February.

The University of Utah will present DOGFIGHT (music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, book by Peter Duchan) in the Babcock Theatre from February 3 to 19, 2016. Director and choreographer Denny Berry kindly took time out of the show's final preparations to share her insights on the musical and her production of it.

If you grew up as a lover of musical theater, especially in those dark years before BroadwayCon, it's likely that your high-school years were not among your best. Of course, high school can be hard for teenagers with other musical tastes, too. Amid growing public awareness of teenage violence, suicide, and depression, and with scientific studies confirming that the brains of teenagers are basically chaos machines, DEAR EVAN HANSEN has turned a spotlight on these issues, and audiences have responded warmly and gratefully. In the story, alienated teen Evan Hansen, who leads a lonely life with his hardworking single mother, has no real friends in high school; neither does another, still more troubled student, Connor Murphy, whose sister Zoe is the unwitting object of Evan's affections. When Connor commits suicide, a series of misunderstandings prompts Evan to pass himself off as Connor's best friend, an identity that gains him access to Connor's intact family, privileged lifestyle, and especially his lovely sister. This charade creates tensions and complications that lead, ultimately, to the truth.

The original cast recording for the hit Broadway musical DEAR EVAN HANSEN will be released digitally tomorrow, Friday, February 3rd, and will be available on CD in stores and online on February 24th. The musical just announced it will host a digital listening party at midnight tonight when the album drops.

La actriz y cantante Angy Fernandez (LA LLAMADA) interpreta el tema central de la pelicula LA CIUDAD DE LAS ESTRELLAS

After winning second place in the GHSA 7-AAAAAAA regional one-act competition with James and the Giant Peach, The Acting Troupe of Lambert (ATL) is thrilled to be bringing their full version performance of this title to the local community in early February.