Berger News

Kyle Taylor Parker, who has been starring as 'Lola' in the National Tour of the Tony Award-winning musical Kinky Boots, steps into the role on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street) for three months, taking over for Tony Award-winner Billy Porter. Parker makes his debut tonight, January 29, instead. Scroll down for a look at Parker in action!

The Librarian (Randy Kovitz) in Glen Berger's Underneath The Lintel is returning for its final run in off the WALL's In Repertory schedule. Having started his search in August 2014, this weekend, Jan. 29-31, 2015 marks the end of his quest.

Kyle Taylor Parker, who has been starring as 'Lola' in the National Tour of the Tony Award-winning musical Kinky Boots, steps into the role on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street) for three months, taking over for Tony Award-winner Billy Porter. Parker was originally slated to begin performances tonight, January 27, but due to Winter Storm Juno, the actor will make his debut on Thursday, January 29, instead. In the meantime, scroll down for a look at Parker in action!

At first glance, the musicals THE COLOR PURPLE, CALVIN BERGER, and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES may not seem to have much in common. The settings couldn't be more different - the rural South in the early 20th century, a modern day high school, and a drag club in 1970s France. But since I happened to see them all on the same weekend, I couldn't help but draw parallels between them. All three musicals all speak to themes of beauty, identity, self-worth, and having the courage to be who you really are, despite what the world is telling you. In THE COLOR PURPLE, a young, poor, black woman is told that she's ugly and worthless, but after a lifelong journey she arrives at a place of strength and self-love. CALVIN BERGER sets the classic play Cyrano de Bergerac in a modern high school, where a young man feels that his large nose prevents him from getting what he wants in life and chooses to hide behind the handsome popular guy, both of whom eventually learn it's better to be loved for who you are. Finally, in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, a middle aged man who feels more comfortable dressed as a woman is asked by his own son to hide who he is, but confidently declares 'I am who I am!' Another thing these three musicals have in common is that they can all currently be seen on Twin Cities stages featuring talented local casts. Read on for more details on each, pick one that suits your fancy, and go see a local musical that just may inspire you to love you you really are!

Standing Room Only Theatre Company staged in the Van Fleet Theatre, Columbus Performing Arts Center, 549 Franklin Avenue, Columbus, OH 43215.

The 44th annual Theater Hall of Fame gala and induction ceremony will be held tonight, January 26, at the Gershwin Theater, honoring director/choreographer Susan Stroman, actors F. Murray Abraham, Alvin Epstein and Blythe Danner, former theatre critic Frank Rich, chairman of the Shubert Organization Philip J. Smith, playwright Alfred Uhry and director Marshall W. Mason.

BURNING DESIRE, a modern parable written by Lou Diamond Phillips will be presented as a staged reading in New York City at St. Malachy's Church at The Actors Chapel, on Wednesday, January 28th at 8:00 p.m.

Calvin Berger, a modern, musical comedy about a boy, a girl...and a nose, based loosely on the timeless classic Cyrano de Bergerac and set in high school, makes its area premiere in a Minneapolis Musical Theatre (MMT) production running tonight, January 23, through February 15, 2015 at Hennepin Theatre Trust's New Century Theatre.

Theatre Development Fund (TDF) believes that future audiences are built by engaging students first-hand in the vital and exciting activity of the creative process as well as by providing opportunities to attend live performances of great art. TDF enacts this philosophy through its various arts education programs that annually bring over 10,000 students to the theatre and is continually seeking to find ways to continue the dialogue with these novice theatregoers for these program participants and for young theatregoers everywhere.

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle has announced its nominations and special awards for excellence in Los Angeles and Orange County theatre for the year 2014 (Dec. 1, 2013 - Nov. 30, 2014). The 46th Annual Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards ceremony will take place on Monday, March 16, 2015 at Beyond the Stars Palace, 417 N. Brand Boulevard in Glendale.

Sundance Institute presents its U.S. and World Cinema Dramatic and Documentary Competitions and the out-of-competition NEXT <=> section of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, running today, January 22 to February 1 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. The Festival is the centerpiece of the year-round public programs for the Institute, which also hosts 24 residency labs and grants more than $2.5 million to independent artists each year.

Coming up next off-Broadway - Calderon's Life Is A Dream, directed by Matthew Rauch and starring Steven Boyer, Clifton Duncan, Zoe Kazan, Ismenia Mendes, Patrick Page, Jay O. Sanders, Thom Sesma, Nick Westrate, and more on Monday, February 2nd at SoHo Playhouse. Plus, it's your last chance to see Red Bull Theater's finale of its three-part series in collaboration with the Shakespeare Society: Shakespeare and the Jacobeans on Film. See John Ford's 'TIS PITY SHE'S A WHORE, a film by Roland Joffe, on Sunday, January 25th at the SVA Theatre.

The Museum of Modern Art announces Documentary Fortnight 2015: MoMA's International Festival of Nonfiction Film and Media, the 14th annual showcase of recent documentary film that examines the relationship between contemporary art and nonfiction practices and reflects on new areas of documentary filmmaking, from February 13 through 27, 2015.

Broadway Across America/Baltimore is proud to announce that the new U.S. National Tour of ANNIE will play tonight, January 20- February 1, 2015 at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore. Directed by original lyricist and director Martin Charnin for the 19th time, this production of ANNIE will be a brand new physical incarnation of the iconic Tony Award-winning original.

Roundabout Theatre Company just announced a new Broadway production of SHE LOVES ME, starring Tony winner Laura Benanti (Gypsy, Nine) as "Amalia" and Josh Radnor (Disgraced, "How I Met Your Mother") as "Georg", directed by six-time Tony nominee Scott Ellis. This classic musical comedy features a book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and music by Jerry Bock.

The Librarian (Randy Kovitz) in Glen Berger's Underneath The Lintel is returning for its final run in off the WALL's In Repertory schedule. Having started his search in August 2014, Jan. 29-31, 2015 marks the end of his quest.

The nominations for the 2015 GOLDEN REEL AWARDS have been announced. The awards, which are presented by the Motion Picture Sound Editors, recognize the industry's best work in sound editing.

Riverside Theatre's 2014-2015 season continues with the award-winning play, Underneath The Lintel. This compelling adventure by Glen Berger is funny, touching and surprising and performs on the Waxlax Stage from January 27 through February 8, 2015. Underneath The Lintel is sponsored by Dick & Rosemary Haverland, John & Marilyn McConnell, Ray & Sonia McGowan, and Bobbie Olsen along with Riverside Theatre's Patron Producers.

Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2015, beginning with the spring season performance and residency series running January 14 to June 28. Programs at BAC throughout 2015 will exemplify the kind of creative engagement for which BAC has earned recognition during the last decade: presenting and nurturing artists from around the world, at varying stages in their careers, and who are working innovatively across disciplines.

Joe's Pub at the Public has announced its nightly performances, January 14 - 25, 2015. Details below!