Benj Pasek News

Just this morning, Something Rotten and Spotlight star Brian d'Arcy James along with this season's break-out and genuflecting sensation Jennifer Simard from Broadway's Disaster announced the The Outer Critics Circle nominees for the 2015-16 season from New York's legendary Algonquin Hotel (59 W 44th Street.)  Outer Critics Circle nominations are the first major Broadway/Off-Broadway award nominees of the New York theater season.

From May 7 - June 4, 2016, SpeakEasy Stage Company will proudly present the Boston Professional Premiere of DOGFIGHT, a powerful new musical about unexpected love, loss, and brotherhood, based on the 1991 film starring River Phoenix and Lili Taylor. 

At yesterday's CinemaCon in Las Vegas, 20th Century FOX announced that the highly anticipated musical movie GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH, starring Hugh Jackman is a 'go' for 2017.

Goodman Theatre has announced Broadway stars John Dossett and Douglas Sills will join the cast of War Paint, a new musical starring two-time Tony Award winners Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole as Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden, respectively. Dossett will portray Tommy Lewis, Miss Arden's husband and chief marketing officer, and Sills will portray the ambitious Harry Fleming, Madame Rubinstein's clubby confidante and faithful ally.  

Roald Dahl's beloved classic takes the stage in a new musical!  One boy, two awful aunts, five larger-than-life insects, and a giant peach!  What happens when magic crystals cause a withered old tree to create the largest and most magnificent peach ever seen?  Luckily, a boy named James and a handful of bugs just happen to be nearby when the peach finally snaps free of its stem, and it sweeps them along on a marvelous adventure.

Today, Second Stage Theatre announced its partnership with TodayTix, the free mobile app that provides on-demand access to the best last-minute theater tickets, to launch a rush ticketing platform offering $30 tickets for the new musical Dear Evan Hansen beginning on the production's first preview Saturday, March 26.

Maize & Blue on Broadway is a one-night-only benefit concert on May 16, 2016 at 7PM at Broadway's August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street) to celebrate the University of Michigan and its renowned Musical Theatre Department, as well as honor its longtime chair, Brent Wagner, who is retiring in May after 32 years of being the department's heart and soul.  

Symphony Space pays exuberant homage to the Great White Way with Project B-way/95, a two-week celebration comprising 14 events, April 7 - 20. Curated and Produced by Joel Fram andAnnette Jolles, and named for the intersection where Symphony Space stands, Project B-way/95 salutes Broadway with an exciting array of concerts, tributes, film screenings, discussions, workshops, and more. Anchored by three starry concerts in the Sharp Theatre - an evening with the incomparable Patti LuPone (Tuesday, April 19), the cheerfully nepotistic "All in the Family" with Kelli O'Hara (Monday, April 11), and this year's installment of Symphony Space's signature event, Wall to Wall Stephen Schwartz (Saturday, April 16) - Project B-way/95 offers something for every lover of American musical theater. Tickets for all events are available at symphonyspace.org.

The American Theatre Wing celebrates its 2016 Jonathan Larson Grants recipients: Cesar Alvarez (book, music and lyrics), Nikko Benson (music and lyrics), Carson Kreitzer (book and lyrics), and Sam Salmond (book, music, and lyrics).

Second Stage Theatre, in association with Stacey Mindich Productions, will soon present the new musical, Dear Evan Hansen. The company will include several performers who appeared in the World Premiere production at Washington D.C.'s Arena Stage, featuring Ben Platt as the title character, Evan Hansen, in a performance that was called 'extraordinary, bordering on heroic' by Peter Marks in the Washington Post. Also reprising their performances from the 'splendid' (Marks, Washington Post) cast are Laura Dreyfuss as Zoe, Mike Faist as Connor, Rachel Bay Jones as Heidi, Will Roland as Jared, Jennifer Laura Thompson as Cynthia. New cast members John Dossett (Larry) and Kristolyn Lloyd (Alana) complete the company. The cast just met the press yesterday and you can check out complete coverage from the event below!

Second Stage Theatre, in association with Stacey Mindich Productions, will soon present the new musical, DEAR EVAN HANSEN. The company will include several performers who appeared in the World Premiere production at Washington D.C.'s Arena Stage, featuring Ben Platt as the title character, Evan Hansen, in a performance that was called 'extraordinary, bordering on heroic' by Peter Marks in the Washington Post. Also reprising their performances from the 'splendid' (Marks, Washington Post) cast are Laura Dreyfuss as Zoe, Mike Faist as Connor, Rachel Bay Jones as Heidi, Will Roland as Jared, Jennifer Laura Thompson as Cynthia. New cast members John Dossett (Larry) and Kristolyn Lloyd (Alana) complete the company. The cast just met the press today and you can check out a sneak peek from the special day below. Check back later for complete coverage!

Tony Award-winning Broadway producer Stacey Mindich was presented The Commercial Theater Institute's Robert Whitehead Award for 'outstanding achievement in commercial theatre producing' at a reception at Sardi's today, March 15, 2016. BroadwayWorld was there and brings you photos from the event below!

See the New Jersey Premiere of the musical version of 'JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH' at The Growing Stage, The Children's Theatre of New Jersey now through April 3rd.

Virginia Repertory Theatre announced the titles for the 2016/17 Season at the Open House at the November Theatre on Saturday, March 12.

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul's music and lyrics drive DOGFIGHT: THE MUSICAL at The Media Theatre. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Flat Rock Playhouse and Studio 52 will present a new musical version of Roald Dahl's JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, Jr. from March 11 through 20 at the Playhouse Downtown. Written in 1961, JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH was the first novel Dahl penned for children before going on to author Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and many others including the film adaptation of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The Dramatists Guild Fund celebrated the work of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul on Monday, March 7 at an intimate Salon hosted by Advisory Council member Kara Unterberg. BroadwayWorld brings you exclusive photo coverage from the event below!

Symphony Space pays exuberant homage to the Great White Way with Project B-way/95, a two-week celebration comprising 14 events, April 7 - 20. Curated and Produced by Joel Fram and Annette Jolles, and named for the intersection where Symphony Space stands, Project B-way/95 salutes Broadway with an exciting array of concerts, tributes, film screenings, discussions, workshops, and more. Anchored by three starry concerts in the Sharp Theatre - an evening with the incomparable Patti LuPone (Tuesday, April 19), the cheerfully nepotistic "All in the Family" with Kelli O'Hara (Monday, April 11), and this year's installment of Symphony Space's signature event, Wall to Wall Stephen Schwartz (Saturday, April 16) - Project B-way/95 offers something for every lover of American musical theater. Tickets for all events are available at symphonyspace.org.

Broadwayworld.com NJ interviewed Stephen Fox, the Musical Director of 'James and the Giant Peach' at The Growing Stage, the Children's Theatre of New Jersey. The show runs from March 11th through April 3rd.

? The American Theatre Wing announced today that the 2016 Jonathan Larson Grants recipients are Cesar Alvarez (book, music and lyrics), Nikko Benson (music and lyrics), Carson Kreitzer (book and lyrics), and Sam Salmond (book, music, and lyrics). Four prestigious grants of $10,000 each, totaling $40,000, will be presented on Monday, March 21, 2016 at a private event at the WNYC Greene Space. The event will feature special performances of the recipients' work.