Bill Nolte News

Celebrate the festival of lights at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre with Fiddler on the Roof like you've never seen it before!

Currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, a colorful, reimagined version of the classic Tony Award®-winning musical Fiddler on the Roof will hit the Theatre's stage December 2 - 21. Set in 1905 in the village of Anatevka in Tsarist, Russia, the story follows dairyman Tevye as he fights to maintain his family and heritage. Featuring timeless melodies and songs such as "Sunrise Sunset," "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" and "If I Were a Rich Man," this beloved musical will capture your heart.

Celebrate the festival of lights at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre with Fiddler on the Roof like you've never seen it before!

The York Theatre Company, and its acclaimed Developmental Reading Series, present the New York premiere of the new musical, Paris Through the Window, with book & lyrics by Charles Osborne and music by Leo Hurley; and with book, lyrics and music by Ryan Scott Oliver for two performances only tonight, September 9 at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (Entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). The readings are open to the public with a suggested donation of $5.00.

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Andrew Levine, Executive Director), and its acclaimed Developmental Reading Series, present the New York premiere of the new musical, Paris Through the Window, with book & lyrics by Charles Osborne and music by Leo Hurley; and with book, lyrics and music by Ryan Scott Oliver for two performances only on September 9 at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (Entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). The readings are open to the public with a suggested donation of $5.00.

The York Theatre Company, and its acclaimed Developmental Reading Series, present the New York premiere of three new musicals: Mark Felt, Superstar with book, music and lyrics by Joshua Rosenblum; Paris Through the Window, with book & lyrics by Charles Osborne and music by Leo Hurley; and We Foxes with book, lyrics and music by Ryan Scott Oliver at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (Entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). The readings are open to the public with a suggested donation of $5.00.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival and Spectre Productions, LLC will present the new Pop Musical, ZOMBIE STRIPPERS, featuring Billboard chart-topping pop singer Sariah ('Deep N Luv'), July 21 at 3PM, July 25 at 9PM & July 26 at 1PM, at Ford Foundation Studio Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 West 42nd St. ZOMBIE STRIPPERS is directed by Diane Englert with book, Lyrics and music by Mark LaPierre.

A reception at 6:30 precedes the ceremony, which will begin at 7:30. All are welcome to attend the free event, which is fast becoming the theater-networking event in the state.

Theatre professionals who missed IDAHO! at NYMF will have an opportunity to see it in staged reading this Friday, April 25th only. The new musical, named 'Best of Fest' was met with cascades of laughter during its sold-out run, prompting the festival to add extra performances. The show has been described as "a rollicking satire that takes the sexually-charged subtext of the classic musical and puts it front and center." One four-time Tony winning producer called it simply, "A hoot and a half!"

As always, Connecticut's professional theaters offerered a bountiful selection of excellent theater in 2013. It's hard to pick just a few, but here are some of the year's standouts from the theaters I cover for BroadwayWorld.com:

Abingdon Theatre Company presents a staged reading of a dynamic and evocative new adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic GREAT EXPECTATIONS, adapted for the stage and directed by Donald Brenner, on Monday, December 9 at 7pm at the June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street) in Manhattan.

Last installment, I left you with word of a surprise this week that I wouldn't tell you until today. Never in a million years did I think the week would end up the way it has and that I would have so so so so much to bring you…but alas, I do.

For how quiet the town of East Haddam is, this cast has somehow found ways to pack a ton of excitement and activities into our brief time offstage. This past week saw an event that (in my opinion) is pretty rare during the run of a show...one of our cast members got hitched. No, I did not get wasted and end up in Vegas waking up to nuptials and regret, but our very own bossy Italian chef 'Pasquale', Martin Sola, got married to his beautiful fiance Michelle. And I am not exaggerating about her beauty, as I call her his 'Middle Earth Wife' as if she comes from some perfect elf world where everything on the person is flawless...and I suppose Martin is no slouch either

Goodspeed Musicals transports audiences to beautiful Napa Valley with its production of Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella. This all-new production of the beloved musical that Goodspeed sent to Broadway in 1991 will run through December 1 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn. BroadwayWorld brings you highlights from the production below!

This revival is a sweet romance made delightful by Nolte's portrayal of Tony Esposito and a strong performance from Mamie Parris as his love interest, Rosabella.

There's no business, like show business, like no business I know...

Goodspeed Musicals will transport audiences to beautiful Napa Valley with its production of Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella. This all-new production of the beloved musical that Goodspeed sent to Broadway in 1991 will run from September 20 - December 1 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn. The Most Happy Fella will be sponsored by Connecticut Light and Power. BroadwayWorld has a first look at highlights below!

Standing backstage in the wings of the theatre, you begin to notice that your pulse has increased and you're a little sweaty despite the freezing AC coming down on you. 'Rosabella' is singing the last 16 bars of 'Somebody, Somewhere' and you can feel the vibration of the automation kicking in that will soon roll the diner off and take the audience from San Francisco to the Napa Valley. You check and recheck that your prop comb is in your pocket and that your prop newspaper is tucked into your waistband and ready for use. The actors next to you are doing similar actions, whether checking their own props or running lines in their head, looking at times like a manic person on the New York City subway talking to themselves. The song ends and since the scrim is down in front of you, you only hear muffled applause, therefore unable to gauge how things have gone these first 15 minutes of the show. The scrim lifts, the lights blare into your eyes and you see the once vacant seats now full of strangers who have paid to have a great evening of theatre. The time has finally arrived…ladies and gentlemen, it's time for your first preview.

Sometimes the stars align and the universe grants us the rare opportunity to see an actor in a role that they were born to play one day. To say that Bill Nolte is 'Tony Esposito' is the understatement of the year. If you don't get misty eyed during his 'Mama, Mama' or in the last 15 minutes of this show, I will buy you a drink at the Gelston House after the show (Hey Goodspeed, I can borrow that corporate credit card just in case right?). Bill is also one hell of a great guy and someone you'd just love to sit down and enjoy a glass of wine with for the stories alone. So without further ado, I give you my interview with 'the most happy fella' himself, Mr. Bill Nolte.