Benj Pasek News

Marc Blitzstein's The Cradle Will Rock, the inaugural show of New York City Center's new Encores! Off-Center series will play for five performances through July 13 at City Center. The production stars Danny Burstein, Eisa Davis, Raul Esparza, Peter Friedman, Aidan Gemme, Judy Kuhn, David Margulies, Martin Moran, Michael Park, Robert Petkoff, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Anika Noni Rose, Matthew Saldivar and Henry Stram. Opening was last night and you can check out photos from the celebration below!

Eight exceptional educators from schools and performing arts centers around the country will work one-on-one with Broadway greats at the 4th Annual FREDDIE G BROADWAY EXPERIENCE July 10th - 14th.

There's a new generation of musical theater mavericks taking New York City by storm. The days of the standard musical are waning and the genres as you know them are bending into exciting hybrids. From rock music to interactive productions and quirky subject matter, these pioneers are breaking the barriers of the traditional musical by creating original productions that vibrate with today's savvy and diverse audience. Just last night, SAG Foundation & Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation presented The New Generation of Musical Theatre- a special panel discussion at Baruch Performing Arts Center.

New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) presents MINT'D, which is comprised of two performances: Inheritance (5PM) and EXPLORERS (8PM). MINT'D will play at the Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at the Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street).

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein have announced two upcoming performers at the all-new Feinstein's at the Nikko -- actor and comedian Bruce Vilanch and Tony Award nominated composers Pasek and Paul. Located within Hotel Nikko (222 Mason Street, San Francisco), Feinstein's at the Nikko will present a wide range of entertainers all within an intimate 140-seat cabaret setting. Bruce Vilanch will perform for one-night-only on Thursday, July 18th at 8 p.m. Pasek and Paul will perform two performances only - Friday, July 19 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, July 20 at 7 p.m.

Last week's poll asked which project you're most excited to see on stage. Check out your response below!

In June 2013, two contemporary American musicals by Tony Award winning composer Jason Robert Brown and nominees Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, have their premieres in France: The Last 5 Years and Edges.

From today, June 23 to June 29, 14 emerging professional songwriters will participate in The Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project at Northwestern University -- an intensive weeklong program on the Evanston campus that has produced 2013 Tony Award-nominated songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (nominated for 'A Christmas Story, The Musical'), Fred Ebb Award-winner Sam Willmot, and Latin Grammy Award-winners Obed Bermudez and Jennifer Pena.

Foa recently chatted with BroadwayWorld about his crazy summer schedule, which will include rehearsals in Connecticut, filming Season 5 of NCIS:LA, and a recent gig at the 2013 Tony Awards. Check out what he had to say below!

New BroadwayWorld.com Poll - Which Disney project are you most excited for?

Last week BroadwayWorld reported that Disney Theatrical Productions has been experimenting with bringing a live stage version of THE MUPPETS to Broadway, but according to the New York Times, that's not the only project in the works. Many other shows based on animated Disney classics are being created for the stage including THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Peter Parnell and direction by Scott Schwartz), for which a table reading was recently held. It was announced several year ago that stage adaptations of DUMBO (direction by Stephen Daldry), and Tim Burton's version of ALICE IN WONDERLAND (direction by Rob Ashford) were in the works, though no new information has been released recently on either project.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: Broadway celebrates its biggest night, the Public brings back PENZANCE, CINDERELLA gets a cast album and so much more!

In June 2013, two contemporary American musicals by Tony Award winning composer Jason Robert Brown and nominees Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, have their premieres in France: The Last 5 Years and Edges.

The casts of KINKY BOOTS, PIPPIN, MATILDA and many more shows and entertainers joined host Neil Patrick Harris on last night's broadcast of the 67th Annual Tony Awards on CBS! After the ceremony all of Broadway's best traveled to the Plaza for the star-studded, annual Tonys Ball. BroadwayWorld was there for the celebration and you can check out photo coverage below!

The producers of A Christmas Story, The Musical, have announced that the three-time Tony nominated production will return for the holiday season with engagements at the The Bushnell in Hartford, CT (November 12-17) and The Wang Theatre in Boston, MA (November 20 - December 8) before returning to New Yorkat The Theater at Madison Square Garden (December 11 – 29). Tickets are now on sale for the New York engagement. Single tickets for the general public go on sale for the Boston engagement June 16, and for the Hartford engagement on September 9.

Most people expected after last night's Tony Awards that A CHRISTMAS STORY would be headed back to Broadway, but it turns out that they had a slightly different plan in mind.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, June 9, 2013 - Sunday, June 9, 2013.

We'll be updating the Tony winners all night long in real-time, including the pre-show and during the commercials creative awards. Keep refreshing for updates!

Speaking on tonight's Tonys red carpet, composing team Benj Pasek and Justin Paul revealed that they are writing an original musical to be directed by Michael Greif, as well as crafting a new stage musical for Disney. The duo is nominated tonight for Best Score for A Christmas Story - The Musical, which they say has hopes of returning to Broadway -- or at least New York -- every year for the holiday season.

It's today! The 2013 Tony Awards will air on CBS tonight at 8pm and, as usual, BroadwayWorld.com will be your one-stop shop for all things Tonys on Tony Day, Night and Beyond!