Brenda Bell News

Tis the season for family, tradition, good cheer and of course "A Christmas Carol".  The Players Theatre continues their annual holiday tradition of presenting "A Christmas Carol the Musical" for the 10th year.  The production is a warm and uplifting adaptation of the classic Dickens tale that celebrates the essence of holiday spirit.  With original music by Michael Sgouros, played by a live percussion trio, the show is wrapped in the warmth of joy, suspense and a sprinkling of tender-hearted redemption.

As long autumn shadows cast their spell across Greenwich Village, the days grow shorter and the nights grow restless and long, enticing the Headless Horseman to realize his lonely, faithful quest.  Sleepy Hollow, an original musical by Michael Sgouros and Brenda Bell, which began previews on September 28th at The Players Theatre in New York City's Greenwich Village, reveals a haunting deeper than the woods of the hollow. Its shadows are cast from the darkness of the human soul.

In the city that never sleeps the Players Theatre Short Play and Musical Festival has encouraged playwrights to create plays that share a unique aspect of urban life in the annual NYC - themed festival. Celebrating its 8th year, 'Only in New York' opens Thursday, June 7 and runs for three weeks. Each week five original short plays or musicals, by a variety of playwrights (including one high school student) will be presented with a 'Best of the Week' production being selected by audience vote.

A beautiful woman, a dead body and a smoking gun!  Agatha Christie's classic play The Unexpected Guest, celebrates its 60th birthday this year having opened in the West End at the Duchess Theatre on August 12, 1958.  Be Bold Productions has mounted a faithful production of her plot-twisting work Off-Broadway at the Player Theatre.

Now playing at the Players Theatre, "Cinderella" is a light-hearted, touching adaptation of the well-known fairy tale.  The show features book and lyrics by Brenda Bell and original music by Michael Sgouros, played by two live percussionists and a trumpet player, creating a delightful mixture of good-hearted humor and tender remembrances.  This Cinderella doesn't wait around for her dreams to come true - she makes them happen.  Of course, she is inspired by a little magic along the way.

On Sunday, February 18, Cinderella the Musical marked the creators' 40th Off-Broadway production with a sold-out performance at the Players Theatre in Greenwich Village. Michael Sgouros (music) and Brenda Bell (book/lyrics), who have been collaborating since 2008, have written 12 original Off-Broadway musicals together. This latest production of Cinderella marks the shows fourth revival.

The third floor windows are steaming up at the Players Theatre on MacDougal Street as they prepare to present the seventh annual Short Play Festival - Sex! There is nothing like a spicy play to chase away those winter blues and these 15 playwrights have created the forbidden cure.

Bravo Bell, Off-Broadway Theatre Dog, Celebrates National Dog Day at the Players Theatre

Bravo Bell, Off-Broadway Theatre Dog, Celebrates National Dog Day at the Players Theatre

The Players Theatre continues their annual holiday tradition of presenting A Christmas Carol the Musical for the ninth year. The production is a warm and uplifting adaptation of the classic Dickens tale that celebrates the essence of holiday spirit. With original music by Michael Sgouros, played by a live percussion trio, the show is wrapped in the warmth of joy, suspense and a sprinkling of tender-hearted redemption.

As the chill in the air seeps into our summer-warmed hearts, and long days surrender to long shadows, a gothic horror story holds a growing appeal. Be Bold! Productions' Frankenstein - The Musical, began previews Off-Broadway on September 29th, officially opening on October 7th and runs through November 12th at the Players Theatre in Greenwich Village. BroadwayWorld has a shot of the cast wishing audiences a Happy Halloween below!

Fall has arrived, and with a chill finally arriving, thoughts of our grey city streets may be sending your mind to warmer climes, and giving the kids in your life a case of cabin fever. Fear not, intrepid explorers! Literally Alive Family Theatre's musical, Treasure Island, opened October 8th and has dropped anchor through November 12that the Players Theatre in Greenwich Village.

As the chill in the air seeps into our summer-warmed hearts, and long days surrender to long shadows, a gothic horror story holds a growing appeal. Be Bold! Productions' Frankenstein - The Musical, began previews Off-Broadway on September 29th, officially opening on October 7th and runs through November 12th at the Players Theatre in Greenwich Village. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Bravo Bell, Off-Broadway Theatre Dog, Celebrates National Dog Day at the Players Theatre

There is no place like New York!  With a city this rich in culture, scandal and diversity, the possibilities for theatrical reenactment are endless.  The Players Theatre Short Play and Musical Festival and Be Bold! Productions encourage playwrights to mine this precious resource by offering an annual NYC - themed festival each June.  Celebrating its 7th year, "Only in New York" opens Thursday, June 8 and runs for three weeks.  Each week four/five original short plays or musicals, by a variety of playwrights (including one high school student) will be presented with a "Best of the Week" production will being selected by audience vote.

Agatha Christie's renowned murder mystery novel, And Then There Were None, published in 1939 and adapted for the stage by Ms. Christie in 1943 is being staged at the Players Theatre in Greenwich Village.  The production is part of Be Bold! Productions American Classic series which produced The Glass Menagerie in 2015 and Driving Miss Daisy in 2016.

In 1837 Hans Christian Anderson wrote his most beloved tale "The Little Mermaid".  180 years later she is still swimming her way into the hearts of young and old.  On February 26th, Literally Alive Theatre opened their Off-Broadway musical adaptation of this classic tale with books and lyrics by Brenda Bell and music by Michael Sgouros at the Players Theatre located at 115 MacDougal Street (between Bleeker and West 3rd) in Manhattan.  Their adaptation is true to the original story by Hans Christian Andersen, unlike the Disney version, which has a different ending.  "We tell the story in its original form" says Artistic Director Brenda Bell, "We believe that the true ending shows children that every wish has a price and that love comes with many sacrifices."

It may be tempting to reduce Keith Maitland's new rotoscoped documentary film TOWER, about the 1966 shooting at the University of Texas, to its device - a curious novelty, a cartoon about a decades-old school shooting - but that would miss the point, and the difficulty, of what Maitland and his team have accomplished through an approach still closely associated with Saturday morning Hanna-Barbera fare.

The Players Theatre Short Play Festival - Boo! has announced that Michael Long's short horror play, Details, is the winner of the sixth annual October festival.  A best of the week winner is chosen by audience vote for this three week festival. Scroll down for photos!

If you are hungry for a great family show, that can tickle the funny bone and tug at your heart strings, all while serving up a beautiful message - then Stone Soup should be on your fall menu. A proclamation of gratitude and collaboration are the notable themes in Literally Alive Theatre's fall musical, "Stone Soup". With music by Michael Sgouros, book and lyrics by Brenda Bell, and directed/choreographed by David M. Beris, the began performances this weekend and runs through November 13th at the Players Theatre located at 115 MacDougal Street (between West 3rd and Bleecker) in the West Village.