Brooks Atkinson News

Read on to catch up on this past week's trends: August 28- September 2.

The talented artist speaks with Billboard.com for their September 5th issue and shares, 'I'm living out my dream!'

Deaf West's acclaimed production of Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik's Spring Awakening, directed by Michael Arden and choreographed by Spencer Liff, began rehearsals earlier this month for its big Broadway transfer. Earlier this week, the company invited the press inside their rehearsal room for a sneak peek of what they've been working on. Since the production aims to bridge a gap between hearing and deaf audiences, we are bringing you a special close-captioned version of the festivities below! CLICK HERE to watch the footage without captions.

DJ Kurs, Artist Director of Deaf West Theatre, explains to hearing community playgoers how the company wanted Spring Awakening's Broadway art work to contain a message specific to the deaf community.

Deaf West's acclaimed production of Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik's Spring Awakening, directed byMichael Arden and choreographed by Spencer Liff, began rehearsals earlier this month for its big Broadway transfer. The company invited BroadwayWorld inside the rehearsal room today for a special sneak peek of 'Mama Who Bore Me,' 'The Bitch of Living,' and 'The Song of Purple Summer'. Check out performance previews and interviews with the whole team below!

'We're trying to say something about what was happening in deaf culture at the time, a very dark time in deaf history.'

Deaf West's acclaimed production of Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik's Spring Awakening, directed byMichael Arden and choreographed by Spencer Liff, began rehearsals earlier this month for its big Broadway transfer. The company invited BroadwayWorld inside the rehearsal room today for a sepcial sneak peek of 'Mama Who Bore Me,' 'The Bitch of Living,' and 'The Song of Purple Summer'. Check out photos from the special day below!

Deaf West's acclaimed production of Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik's Spring Awakening, directed by Michael Arden and choreographed by Spencer Liff, began rehearsals earlier this month for its big Broadway transfer. The company invited BroadwayWorld inside the rehearsal room today for a sepcial sneak peek of 'Mama Who Bore Me,' 'The Bitch of Living,' and 'The Song of Purple Summer', and you can check it out below!

Ghostlight Records just released the Original Broadway Cast Recording of IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU - starring Tyne Daly, Harriet Harris, Sierra Boggess and Lisa Howard - in digital formats, with the physical CD online and in stores on Friday, October 9, 2015. Directed by Emmy and Tony Award-winner, David Hyde Pierce in his Broadway directorial debut, IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU features an original book and lyrics by Brian Hargrove and music by Barbara Anselmi. Below, check out an exclusive video of Lisa Howard performing 'Jenny's Blues'!

On August 30th, several cast members from the upcoming Broadway revival of Spring Awakening will mingle with past cast members at 54 Below in 'Spring & Summer.' Katie Boeck (Voice of Wendla), Alex Boniello (Voice of Moritz), Daniel Durant (Moritz), Sandra Mae Frank (Wendla), Kathryn Gallagher (Voice of Martha), Austin McKenzie (Melchior), and Alexandra Winter (Gretl) join the previously announced Broadway & tour performers Krystina Alabado, Christy Altomare, Julie Benko, Justin Scott Brown, Amanda Castaños, Anthony Lee Medina, Ben Moss, Zach Reiner-Harris, Claire Sparks, Taylor Trensch, and Gabe Violett.

WAITRESS, the promising new musical adaptation of the 2007 indie rom-com that starred Kerri Russell and Nathan Fillion, may need a bit more shaking and baking before it's ready to contend for Broadway's Blue Ribbon. However, singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, screenwriter-turned-librettist Jessie Nelson, director Diane Paulus and star Jessie Mueller have stirred enough tasty ingredients into their bittersweet concoction to whet the audience's appetite for a second serving.

Ghostlight Records just released the Original Broadway Cast Recording of IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU - starring Tyne Daly, Harriet Harris, Sierra Boggess and Lisa Howard - in digital formats, with the physical CD online and in stores on Friday, October 9, 2015. Directed by Emmy and Tony Award-winner, David Hyde Pierce in his Broadway directorial debut, IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU features an original book and lyrics by Brian Hargrove and music by Barbara Anselmi. Below, go behind the scenes of the company's recording sessions!

'Theatre for the deaf? On Broadway?' It's a question that many theatre fans have asked since July 7, when official word came that Deaf West Theatre's production of Spring Awakening would land on Broadway this fall. The upcoming production, which will run September 8 through January 9 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, will sound the same to fans of the 2006 Tony-winning musical, but it will be performed simultaneously in American Sign Language by a cast of 27. Wait...what? That's right- this production, which marks the first Broadway revival of the show since it closed in 2009, comes complete with ASL, and though the concept seems revolutionary, this is far from the first time that it has been done (and has worked). Let's review:

A little teaser of members of the Deaf West Theatre Company's SPRING AWAKENING cast warming up for last night's guest appearance with New York rock gospel icon Lady J.

Ghostlight Records releases the Original Broadway Cast Recording of IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU - starring Tyne Daly, Harriet Harris, Sierra Boggess and Lisa Howard - in digital formats today, August 21, with the physical CD online and in stores on Friday, October 9, 2015. 

The revival of Spring Awakening started rehearsals just last week and Broadway veteran Andy Mientus is taking over the musical's Instagram account to give fans an inside look into the new production!

Following the success of their FUN HOME/Ingrid Michaelson mashup, Melanie Brook, Anna Ty Bergman, and Kerri George have debuted a new video on YouTube - this time featuring two songs by Sara Bareilles, including one from the Broadway-bound musical WAITRESS!

Today in 2007, the second Broadway revival of Grease opened at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, where it ran for 554 performances. Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School (loosely based on William Howard Taft School), follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love, cars, and drive-ins.

Original cast member Jonathan Groff recently shared a special moment with Spring Awakening's new 'Melchior', Austin McKenzie, and posted a photo on Twitter. Check it out below!

Deaf West's acclaimed production of Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik's Spring Awakening, directed by Michael Arden and choreographed by Spencer Liff, just began rehearsals for its Broadway transfer. The Brooks Atkinson Theatre box office will open next Monday, August 17. Check out photos of the marquee below!