Brian Sills News

Based on the rocky romance shared by quintessential Irish wordsmith James Joyce and his muse, chambermaid Nora Barnacle, HIMSELF AND NORA enjoyed a successful run as part of NYMTF at the Theatre at St. Clement's in the summer of 2012. With a sparse cast of five, tautly constructed economical harmonies, and a small five member band, Jay Records' release of HIMSELF AND NORA (Original Off-Broadway Cast) excellently captures the heart and soul of this biographic musical.

This week, Jay Productions LTD released the original cast album of Jonathan Brielle's critically acclaimed musical 'Himself and Nora' about the tumultuous romance of famed writer James Joyce and his muse, lover and most ardent supporter, chambermaid Nora Barnacle. After it's success at the 2012 New York Musical Theatre Festival in July, 2012 at The Theater at St. Clements, Michael Bush's critically production was then presented last season at Hamilton Stage in Rahway, New Jersey.

Hospitality Queen Susan Buckley and Producing Artistic Director, Jacob Langfelder helped launch the new 14,000 square foot event space 42West in a big way over the weekend with appearances by Tony and Grammy Award-Winner, Billy Porter (Kinky Boots, Billy's Back on Broadway) as well as Elizabeth A. Davis (Once, FairPlay), Robin DeJesus (In The Heights, La Cage Aux Folles), Emmy Award-Winner Lance Horne, DJs Andrew Andrew and Ali Luminescent and Christine Geiger as The Intergalactic Unicorns.

Brian Sills returns to Kansas City Repertory Theatre to star in David Sedaris' irreverent holiday comedy The SantaLand Diaries, about the merry misadventures of an out-of-work New York writer hired to play an elf named Crumpet in a Macy's SantaLand. The show is directed by the Rep's Producing Director Jerry Genochio and runs November 29-December 22 at Copaken Stage. Sills is well known to Rep audiences who cheered his performance as the emcee in the 2011 critically acclaimed production of Cabaret.

Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse, Josie Rourke, will direct the world premiere of award-winning writer Matt Charman's new work: The Machine. This new play is based on Grandmaster Garry Kasparov's headline-grabbing 1997 New York chess tournament against Deep Blue, a super-computer developed by technology giant IBM. BroadwayWorld has a first look below!

Casting has been announced for Matt Charman's new play, The Machine, which will have its U.S. premiere at Park Avenue Armory September 4-18 and its world premiere at Manchester International Festival July 10-21. Hadley Fraser will star as chess Grandmaster Garry Kasparov. Fraser has recently starred as Sid in The Pajama Game at Chichester Festival Theatre and is known, amongst other roles, for his portrayal of Javert in Les Miserables in the West End. Francesca Annis will play Garry's mother, Clara. Recently seen on television in Cranford, Annis' film credits include Revolver, The Libertine, and Milk. The wunderkind engineer behind Deep Blue, Doctor Hsu will be played by Kenneth Lee, who starred in US comedy drama Delocated.

Happy Birthday, Heidi Holland! Asolo Rep will present a special evening of interactive theatre to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of The Heidi Chronicles tonight, February 11, 2013 at 7 p.m.

The Lynne Show is about courageously living the life you meant to live and Jay Patterson is a role model for it. Although he says “I can never remember wanting to be anything other than an actor” as a child he suffered from a “horrible stutter” and was afraid to try.

Happy Birthday, Heidi Holland! Asolo Rep will present a special evening of interactive theatre to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of The Heidi Chronicles on February 11, 2013 at 7 p.m.

Asolo Repertory Theatre challenges its audiences to answer questions both women and men have been asking themselves since the second wave of feminism emerged in the 1960's: is it possible for women to balance a career and a family at the same time? If yes, then does 'having it all' equate fulfillment in life? The Heidi Chronicles, Wendy Wasserstein's 1989 Pulitzer and Tony Award winning play, maps the coming of age of Heidi Holland, a member of the baby boomer generation and a successful art historian, during the 1960's, 1970's, and 1980's.

Click below to watch a fun and funny video featuring Broadway's Caroline O'Connor (A Christmas Story, Prince of Broadway), Mark Price (Mary Poppins, Rocky Horror, Dance of the Vampires, Wonderful Town), Sarah Litzsinger (Beauty and the Beast) and Adam Monley (Mamma Mia!) in Brian Sills' 'The Sills System for Success in Regional Theater', a lighthearted, satirical look at the realities of an actor's life.

Jay Productions LTD is currently recording the original cast album of Jonathan Brielle's critically acclaimed musical HIMSELF AND NORA about the tumultuous romance of famed writer James Joyce and his muse, lover and most ardent supporter, chambermaid Nora Barnacle.

Assassins will be directed at The Milwaukee Rep by Artistic Director Mark Clements. This will be the third musical he has directed since he began his tenure at The Rep following last season's hit Next to Normal and Cabaret from his first season. With the selection of Assassins for the 2012/13 Season, Milwaukee Repertory Theater shows its commitment to continuing to produce full-scale musicals as part of its repertoire. Clements has assembled a top-notch cast for this production featuring many performers with extensive Broadway credits. Assassins runs in the Quadracci Powerhouse from tonight, September 4 - October 7, and opens on Friday, September 7.

Assassins will be directed at The Milwaukee Rep by Artistic Director Mark Clements. This will be the third musical he has directed since he began his tenure at The Rep following last season's hit Next to Normal and Cabaret from his first season. With the selection of Assassins for the 2012/13 Season, Milwaukee Repertory Theater shows its commitment to continuing to produce full-scale musicals as part of its repertoire. Clements has assembled a top-notch cast for this production featuring many performers with extensive Broadway credits. Assassins runs in the Quadracci Powerhouse from September 4 - October 7, and opens on Friday, September 7.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater announced casting today for the groundbreaking American musicalAssassins, the first production in The Rep's Quadracci Powerhouse for the 2012/13 Season. T

Today, July 9, at the New York Musical Theater Festival, director Michael Bush brings to life Jonathan Brielle's "Himself and Nora", a musical tale of one of the greatest romances of the 20th Century -Himself...the brilliant and hard drinking Irish novelist James Joyce, Nora...the passionate chambermaid Nora Barnacle who became his lover, his partner, and his muse for 29 years. In this bawdy and funny, uplifting, and melodic new musical, "Himself and Nora" sings the story of one of the great love affairs of the time. A love which resulted in their exile from their beloved Ireland, the condemnation of the Catholic church, and ultimately some of the greatest writing of the 20th century.

MAC Award nominated songwriters Sam Carner & Derek Gregor (Unlock'd) and Drew Fornarola (COLLEGE The Musical) team up for AWKWARD THREESOME: Carner & Gregor and also Fornarola at The Duplex Thursday, June 28 at 9:30pm. They will be joined by some of Broadway's top young performers. The songwriters will present selections from their shows, as well as debuting a new song co-written by all three of them. The evening will be directed by Marlo Hunter with music direction by Gregor and Emily Whitaker. Scheduled to perform are Claybourne Elder (Bonnie and Clyde); Ali Ewoldt (Les Miserables); Alyssa Fox (Wicked - SF); Julie Reiber (Wicked); A.J. Shively (La Cage Aux Folles); Brian Sills (The Lion King Tour); Sarah Stiles (Avenue Q); and Dashaun Young (The Lion King).

On July 9, at the New York Musical Theater Festival, director Michael Bush brings to life Jonathan Brielle's "Himself and Nora", a musical tale of one of the greatest romances of the 20th Century -Himself...the brilliant and hard drinking Irish novelist James Joyce, Nora...the passionate chambermaid Nora Barnacle who became his lover, his partner, and his muse for 29 years. In this bawdy and funny, uplifting, and melodic new musical, "Himself and Nora" sings the story of one of the great love affairs of the time. A love which resulted in their exile from their beloved Ireland, the condemnation of the Catholic church, and ultimately some of the greatest writing of the 20th century.

MAC Award nominated songwriters Sam Carner & Derek Gregor (Unlock'd) and Drew Fornarola (COLLEGE The Musical) team up for AWKWARD THREESOME: Carner & Gregor and also Fornarola at The Duplex Thursday, June 28 at 9:30pm. They will be joined by some of Broadway's top young performers. The songwriters will present selections from their shows, as well as debuting a new song co-written by all three of them. The evening will be directed by Marlo Hunter with music direction by Gregor and Emily Whitaker. Scheduled to perform are Claybourne Elder (Bonnie and Clyde); Ali Ewoldt (Les Miserables); Alyssa Fox (Wicked - SF); Julie Reiber (Wicked); A.J. Shively (La Cage Aux Folles); Brian Sills (The Lion King Tour); Sarah Stiles (Avenue Q); and Dashaun Young (The Lion King).

When the curtain goes up for Kansas City Repertory Theatre's production of John Kander and Fred Ebb's hit Broadway musical Cabaret, the audience will be transported back in time to an exciting, decadent cabaret world of pre-war WW II Berlin