Benjamin Eakeley News

Need something new to listen to or read? Check out this week's list of new and upcoming releases!

PS CLASSICS, the label that celebrates the heritage of Broadway and American popular song, has announced plans to record and release the cast album of the new Off-Broadway musical revue Anything Can Happen in the Theater: The Musical World of Maury Yeston.

A world-famous director can suffer a creative block during a midlife crisis, an unsinkable ship can go under on its initial voyage and death can even take a holiday. These are just three examples of how, when penned by composer/lyricist Maury Yeston, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN THE THEATER.

Harry Connick Jr. is making his official return to Broadway tonight with the opening night of Harry Connick, Jr. - A Celebration of Cole Porter. To celebrate, we're looking back at his turn in Broadway's On a Clear Day You Can See Forever opposite Tony winner Jessie Mueller. Check out this video to get a peek inside the show's opening night festivities, including a special peek at Jessie's first time ever meeting Harry's former co-star Kelli O'Hara!

The York Theatre Company has announced via twitter that for tonight's show only, Maury Yeston will be stepping in and performing in his musical revue ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN THE THEATER: THE MUSICAL WORLD OF MAURY YESTON.

The York Theatre Company presents the Off-Broadway premiere of the new musical revue Anything Can Happen in the Theater: The Musical World of Maury Yeston with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston. Directed and conceived by Tony Award winner Gerard Alessandrini, the famed creator of Forbidden Broadway (the longest-running revue in Off-Broadway history) and the smash spoof Spamilton, the production has choreography by Gerry McIntyre (York's Hallelujah, Baby!) and music direction by Greg Jarrett (Pacific Overtures). The five-member cast features Benjamin Eakeley (She Loves Me), Jovan E'Sean (The Secret Life of Bees), Alex Getlin (Slay It With Music), Justin Keyes (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying), and Mamie Parris (School of Rock).

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Evans Haile, Executive Director), dedicated to the development of new musicals and rediscovery of musical gems from the past, presents the Off-Broadway premiere production of the new musical revue Anything Can Happen in the Theater: The Musical World of Maury Yeston with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston.

Join The York for the Off-Broadway premiere of Anything Can Happen in the Theater: The Musical World of Maury Yeston, an unforgettable evening in the theater featuring a collection of songs from the two-time Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist. The genius of Yeston's songs -- intricate yet emotional, cerebral yet romantic, clever yet unendingly melodic -- is coupled with an outstanding cast (to be announced soon!) for a memorable evening showcasing the myriad sides of the writer's repertoire. Showstoppers from Nine, Grand Hotel, Titanic, Phantom, and Death Takes a Holiday intertwine with premieres of new songs from the Yeston songbook to show off his immense breadth of style -- from the hilarious to the deeply moving.

The York Theatre Company presents the Off-Broadway premiere of the new musical revue Anything Can Happen in the Theater: The Musical World of Maury Yeston with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston. Directed and conceived by Tony Award winner Gerard Alessandrini, the famed creator of Forbidden Broadway (the longest-running revue in Off-Broadway history) and the smash spoof Spamilton, the production will have choreography by Gerry McIntyre (York's Hallelujah, Baby!) and music direction by Greg Jarrett (Pacific Overtures). The five-member cast features Benjamin Eakeley (She Loves Me), Jovan E'Sean (The Secret Life of Bees), Alex Getlin (Slay It With Music), Justin Keyes (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying), and Mamie Parris (School of Rock).

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Evans Haile, Executive Director), dedicated to the development of new musicals and rediscovery of musical gems from the past, announces the cast and creative team for the Off-Broadway premiere production of the new musical revue Anything Can Happen in the Theater: The Musical World of Maury Yeston with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston. Performances begin Tuesday, November 26, 2019 for a limited engagement through Sunday, December 29, 2019 at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). Opening Night is Thursday, December 5 at 6:45 p.m.

'The Rainmaker,' a deeply touching play, is being performed through August 18 on the Mainstage of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ). Written by N. Richard Nash, the show is brilliantly directed by the Theatre's Artistic Director, Bonnie J. Monte.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey continues its 57th season, entitled Incredible Journeys, with N. Richard Nash's The Rainmaker. Directed by Artistic Director Bonnie J. Monte, this compelling story of love and hope has captivated audiences since it hit the stage in 1954. Patrons can purchase tickets at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre Box Office located at 36 Madison Avenue in Madison, by calling the Box Office at 973-408-5600 or by going online at www.ShakespeareNJ.org. Performances begin on July 31.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) continues its 57th season, entitled Incredible Journeys, with N. Richard Nash's The Rainmaker. Directed by Artistic Director Bonnie J. Monte, this compelling story of love and hope has captivated audiences since it hit the stage in 1954. Patrons can purchase tickets at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre Box Office located at 36 Madison Avenue in Madison, by calling the Box Office at 973-408-5600 or by going online at www.ShakespeareNJ.org. Performances begin on July 31.

Classic Stage Company announces two events in conjunction with Tony Award-winner John Doyle's production of Marc Blitzstein's 1937 play in music The Cradle Will Rock. On May 14, legendary former New York Times labor reporter Steven Greenhouse, author of the forthcoming Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present, and Future of American Labor (Alfred A. Knopf, August 2019),and Kate Shindle, president of Actors' Equity Association, will discuss the history and current state of labor and union movements in relation to Cradle's timely and timeless themes. 

Classic Stage Company announces two exciting and illuminating events in conjunction with Tony Award-winner John Doyle's production of Marc Blitzstein's 1937 play in music The Cradle Will Rock.

Classic Stage Company presents Marc Blitzstein's allegorical play in music The Cradle Will Rock, directed by John Doyle, March 21 - May 19, 2019.

In June of 1937, the United States government padlocked New York's Maxine Elliot Theatre and sent security guards to prevent the performance of a new musical, but the unknown leading lady Olive Stanton courageously fought her fears and led an act of defiance that made headlines the morning after opening night.

In the spirit of Classic Stage Company's new production of The Cradle Will Rock, Marc Blitzstein's historic pro-labor American play in music (March 21 - May 19), CSC is implementing a policy through which members of any union will receive $25 rush tickets to the show. In order to redeem these tickets, patrons must show their union ID at the box office the day of the performance they would like to attend, pending availability. This will be in addition to CSC's regular and student rush policies.

Classic Stage Company presents Marc Blitzstein's allegorical play in music The Cradle Will Rock, directed by John Doyle, March 21 - May 19, 2019. A Depression-era indictment of rampant capitalism told almost entirely in song, The Cradle Will Rock maintains a twinkle in its eye while bearing sharp fangs. The 1937 premiere of this story of American class tensions-directed by Orson Welles-was famously shut down on the eve of opening night by federal authorities over so-called 'budget cuts,' commonly considered a thin veil for fears of the play's pro-labor stance. The artists involved rebelliously circumvented its cancellation, making for one of the most memorable stories in 20th century theater history. While Blitzstein's libretto is very much a product of its own 1930s political context, The Cradle Will Rock pulses with immediacy in an era of expanding economic inequality and policy for purchase. CSC's 2018-2019 season began with The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Bertolt Brecht's allegory about the rise of fascism via a charismatic tyrant; this spring, it closes with an all-American Brecht-and-Weill-inspired work, which carries a message of defiance built into its very title.