Brian Crawley News

Broadway's 40 theatres aren't the only places to catch performances from your favorite stars! Well after Broadway orchestra's begin their overtures, ensemble members take their dance breaks, and performers belt out their eleven o'clock numbers, the party continues at various cabaret venues throughout New York City. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you some cabaret highlights for this week as picked by our theatre editors, including: Andrew Lippa's A Little Princess in Concert, Ewalt & Walker's Holiday Pajamboree, Singing Cyndi Lauper: 54 Just Wants to Have Fun, Daniel Reichard's Decked Out Holiday Party, and The Stephen Schwartz-athon.

This December and January 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Scroll down for details!

On the day BroadwayWorld.com was scheduled to sit down with Broadway actor Jacob Keith Watson ('Violet'), who is on tour with 'Chicago'--bound for Manila next--New Orleans' The Times-Picayune has just showered him with praises for his latest stage role: Amos Hart, Roxie Hart's gullible, negligible husband.

At the age of 14, actress Abigail Shapiro is quite the busy lady. With credits like Cindy Lou Who in HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! and the titular character in LIBERTY under her belt, she is currently gearing up to portray Sara Crewe in a special cabaret presentation of Andrew Lippa's musical A LITTLE PRINCESS. Recently, she and I sat down to discuss this exciting, new cabaret event.

Below, BroadwayWorld brings you an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at the show with Lippa and Shapiro!

Playwrights Horizons' production of POCATELLO, the world premiere of a new play by Obie, Drama Desk and Lortel awards winner and 2014 MacArthur Foundation 'Genius' grantee Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale at PH, The Few, A Bright New Boise), is directed by Davis McCallum (The Whale at PH, The Few, London Wall, A Bright New Boise, Water by the Spoonful). The play is the third production of the theater company's 2014/2015 Season. The production will begin previews tonight, November 21 with an opening night set for Monday, December 15. The limited engagement will play through Sunday evening, January 4, 2015 at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

Andrew Lippa and Brian Crawley's beloved musical, A Little Princess, is coming to 54 Below. The cast will include Abigail Shapiro (current star of Liberty: A Monumental New Musical, "Cindy Lou Who" in How The Grinch Stole Christmas) as Sara Crewe, composer Andrew Lippa (Big Fish, The Addams Family, I am Harvey Milk) as Miss Minchin, Emerson Steele (young "Violet" in Violet) as Becky, Alicia Hall Moran (The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess) as Aljana along with Paige Brady ("Matilda" in Matilda The Musical), Ava Ulloa ("Matilda" in Matilda The Musical), Mavis Simpson-Ernst (Evita), and Emma Howard (Matilda The Musical, Violet). Additional Broadway stars cast in the concert to be announced soon.

Playwrights Horizons' world premiere production of GRAND CONCOURSE, a new play by playwright and two-time Obie Award-winning actress Heidi Schreck (author of There Are No More Big Secrets, Creature, Showtime's 'Nurse Jackie'), opens tonight, November 11, 2014.

Each time I think that the performing arts in Kansas City cannot get any better Spinning Tree Theatre opens another production and proves there is no limit to the highest quality shows available to local audiences. Opening night for Violet at the Just Off Broadway Theatre on Saturday November 8 was no exception, as some of the most talented actors in the area delighted the audience with another outstanding performance.

Playwrights Horizons today announced several major initiatives that will expand the ways in which theater writers are compensated. As a writer's theater dedicated to the support and development of contemporary American playwrights, composers and lyricists and to the production of their new work, Playwrights Horizons is committed to establishing new standards in compensation that will directly benefit all of its writers and taking a leadership position in responding to the reality that theater writers are among the lowest-compensated creative artists in America.

Seth Rudetsky's Broadway Concert Series at the Parker Playhouse produced by Mark Cortale will welcome Audra McDonald -- the historic six-time Tony winner and star of Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, Porgy and Bess, Ragtime, and Master Class as well as TV's Private Practice, on January 8, 2015; followed by Cheyenne Jackson -- star of TV's 30 Rock and Glee and Broadway's Damn Yankees and Xanadu on February 14; and Sutton Foster -- two-time Tony winner for Anything Goes and Thoroughly Modern Millie and star of ABC's Bunheads and the new TV Land series Younger debuting on March 20. Each concert will feature Seth Rudetsky as pianist and host. What differentiates the series from any other is the seamless mix of intimate behind-the-scenes stories from Broadway's biggest stars -- prompted by the encyclopedic-minded Rudetsky's probing, funny, revealing questions -- and their stellar singing of Broadway show tunes.

Rehearsals begin tomorrow, Tuesday, October 21 for the Playwrights Horizons production of POCATELLO, the world premiere of a new play by Obie, Drama Desk and Lortel awards winner and 2014 MacArthur Foundation 'Genius' grantee Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale at PH, The Few, A Bright New Boise). Directed by Davis McCallum (The Whale at PH, The Few, London Wall, A Bright New Boise, Water by the Spoonful), the play will be the third production of the theater company's 2014/2015 Season.

Previews begin tomorrow, Friday, October 17 at 7:30 PM for the Playwrights Horizons' world premiere production of GRAND CONCOURSE, a new play by playwright and two-time Obie Award-winning actress Heidi Schreck (author of There Are No More Big Secrets, Creature, Showtime's 'Nurse Jackie'). Directed by Kip Fagan (The Revisionist, Asuncion), the play is the second production of the acclaimed theater company's 2014/2015 Season. It follows the critically-acclaimed Bootycandy, a new play written and directed by Robert O'Hara, which concludes its extended run this Sunday evening on the Mainstage.

The Spinning Tree Theatre production of the musical Violet opens at the Off Broadway Theatre November 6. Michael Grayman and Andy Parkhurst co-direct the Kansas City premiere, which is one of the first regional theatres to secure the rights to the musical. Angie Benson provides the musical direction and leads a five-piece orchestra.

Playwrights Horizons announced the appointment of Liz Fallon Culp as the institution's new Director of Development. Ms. Culp joins the acclaimed theater company direct from New York Public Radio (WNYC/WQXR), where she served as the Senior Director of Major Gifts and Legacy Giving. She began with the theater company this month, leading its seven-person Development department.

Hello Broadway World! Have you purchased our CD yet? I still can't believe that it's out, and that we've reached my final guest blog for Broadway World! Now I know some of you may be wondering what comes next for the Shapiro Sisters after completing our series of cabaret at 54 BELOW, and releasing our CD. There are a few very exciting projects we have in the works…

After a national search, Playwrights Horizons announced today the appointment of Kyle Sircus as the institution's new Director of Marketing. Beginning Monday, September 22, Mr. Sircus will join the acclaimed theater company direct from Berkeley Repertory Theatre in Berkeley, CA, where he currently serves as Marketing Manager, a position created especially for him in July 2012. Mr. Sircus will lead the theater company's seven-person Marketing Department.

Hello Broadway World! As you may know, my sister and I have been performing at 54 BELOW, and today, I'm going to tell you a bit about our experience. When I first heard about the opportunity to perform at the famed supper club 54 BELOW, I was thrilled! Both my sister and I have always wanted to do some kind of “sister act” together professionally (well, at least more professional than the shows we subjected our parents to in our living room growing up).

Join O'Neill Center artistic directors Wendy Goldberg, of the National Playwrights Conference, and Paulette Haupt, of the National Music Theater Conference, distinguished alumni Adam Gwon, Sarah Hammond and Deborah Zoe Laufer, and moderator Anne G. Morgan, for a look at the O'Neill's influential role as a theatrical laboratory over the last 50 years.

Roundabout Theatre Company's production of Violet, starring two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster, Colin Donnell, Alexander Gemignani and Tony Award nominee Joshua Henry conclude sits limited engagement at Broadway's American Airlines Theatre today, Sunday, August 10, 2014 at 2:00PM.