Bill Saunders News

Temple Theatre, in Sanford NC will finally open its doors for the in-person production of THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER. This holiday classic will be performed live and in-person December 3-20, 2020 and is a combined production of Temple Theatre's Academy conservatory program and mainstage season.

Michael Whitney's direction of ELF THE MUSICAL, now at Arizona Broadway Theatre through December 29th, is a merry tale told with smart stagecraft, glitzy well-choreographed numbers, and an energetic cast, led by Adam Vargas as Buddy.

Arizona Broadway THeatre's production of XANADU, directed and choreographed by Courtney Laine Self, is a friendly and joyful reminder that the human experience is rendered comprehensible through art. Otherwise, a campy show with flashes of fine performances. Runs through September 29th.

Arizona Broadway Theatre (ABT), Arizona's Leader in Musical Theatre, finishes the fourteenth season with the hilarious roller-skating, finger-tapping Xanadu.

Arizona Broadway Theatre (ABT), Arizona's Leader in Musical Theatre, finishes the fourteenth season with the hilarious roller-skating, finger-tapping Xanadu.

CAPE FEAR REGIONAL THEATRE is bringing the 4-time Tony Award winning musical 'Memphis' to Fayetteville May 9-26. Directed by Suzanne Agins, with Music and Lyrics by David Bryan and Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPietro, this show stopping musical stars Shonica Gooden from Broadway's company of 'Hamilton'. The show is choreographed by Ellenore Scott ('King Kong', 'CATS', 'Head Over Heels') with music direction by Sarah Wussow.

In the summer of 1990, the genre-bending, sleeper movie 'Ghost' opened. It became the highest grossing film that year.

The movie 'Ghost' opened in the summer of 1990. Twenty years later, it inspired a Broadway musical. While the movie was the highest grossing film of 1990, the Broadway version, which featured a large cast and a multitude of special effects, did not share the same box office success. 'On the Broadway stage they brought in a nationally known illusionist, who builds tricks for magicians all over the world, and it didn't really work,' says Bill Saunders, director of The Temple Theatre's production. 'It was such a huge show,' he says. 'It was 35 people in a show about four people, so we lost the heart and the soul of the musical.' After the show closed and went on tour, the creative team, along with The Fulton Theatre, reworked the show into a smaller-scale, chamber version that would be closer to the movie. The reimagined version premiered at the Fulton Theatre in 2016. Next week, the show opens at the Temple Theatre in Sanford. Hear more of what Saunders and the cast had to say about bringing this beloved movie to the stage.

North Carolina Theatre, the region's premiere nonprofit professional theatre, is proud to announce casting for its final production of the 2017-18 season, Disney's NEWSIES, playing July 24-29 at Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh.

Parade is the tragic, true story of the trial and lynching of a man wrongly accused of murder. This story is brought to an emotional and theatrical life by acclaimed playwright Alfred Uhry and Jason Robert Brown, one of Broadway's most promising young composers. Daring, innovative and bold, Parade won well-earned Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score in 1999. Its subject matter offers a moral lesson about the dangers of prejudice and ignorance that should not be forgotten. Appropriate for ages 16+ (due to adult subject matter, but no harsh language).

Parade is the tragic, true story of the trial and lynching of a man wrongly accused of murder. This story is brought to an emotional and theatrical life by acclaimed playwright Alfred Uhry and Jason Robert Brown, one of Broadway's most promising young composers. Daring, innovative and bold, Parade won well-earned Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score in 1999. Its subject matter offers a moral lesson about the dangers of prejudice and ignorance that should not be forgotten. Appropriate for ages 16+ (due to adult subject matter, but no harsh language).

4th Wall Theatre, a non union professional theatre in Bloomfield, NJ is presenting PARADE, which had its Broadway premiere in 1998 at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre. The show will be directed by NY Casting Director, Bob Cline.

4th Wall Theatre, a non union professional theatre in Bloomfield, NJ is presenting PARADE, which had its Broadway premiere in 1998 at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre. The show will be directed by NY Casting Director, Bob Cline.