Cary Michele Miller News

11th Hour Theatre Company finishes its Next Step Concert Series with Andrew Lippa and John August's musical retelling of the wildly popular Daniel Wallace novel and Tim Burton movie, Big Fish. This concert performance runs June 18-20 at the Christ Church Neighborhood House, 20 N. American Street. Tickets cost $11-30 and are available online at www.11thhourtheatrecompany.org or by phone 267-987-9865.

'We are all Irish. Everyone loves the free, spirited, easy come-easy go air of the Irish, and this show makes everyone want to be Irish all the time - not just on St. Patrick's Day.' There is a twinkle in his eye, as Maine State Music Theatre's Artistic Director, Curt Dale Clark, utters those words. Immediately his sentiments are seconded by the show's director/choreographer, Marc Robin, and Portland Stage's Artistic Director, Anita Stewart, all three of whom will be joining forces to create Frank McCourt's play with music, The Irish and How They Got That Way, from August 16- September 4, 2016, at Portland Stage.

“We came up with this pitch that alliterates,” says Maine State Music Theatre's Managing Director Stephanie Dupal of the theatre's description of their upcoming 2016 summer season. “Relive the romance of Ghost; feel the fire of Evita; welcome the warmth of Fiddler; and experience the excitement of Mama Mia,” she recites. Joined by Artistic Director Curt Dale Clark, the pair is talking about their plans for their main stage productions and the various new initiatives this dynamic team has launched since taking the helm of the company's leadership in 2013. By all accounts it is to be a season to surpass even the excellence of the prior ones!

Who doesn't love Meredith Willson's classic musical, Music Man, with its thrilling score, its witty humor, its irresistible combination of bravura and unabashed romanticism?. Generations have grown up on movie versions and memories of the big Broadway productions. So when a company undertakes a revival of such a classic, they risk the inevitable comparisons. Undaunted, Maine State Music Theatre has mounted a grand, original, and compelling look at this cornerstone of American musical theatre. The new production, directed by Marc Robin, starring Curt Dale Clark and Lauren Blackman, which opened at Brunswick's Pickard Theatre on July 16, skillfully fuses the familiar and the fresh into an evening of absolute delight.

Maine State Music Theatre (MSMT) presents Meredith Willson's beloved all-American classic THE MUSIC MAN. This six-time TONY Award-winning musical has been entertaining audiences since 1957. THE MUSIC MAN runs tonight, July 15, through August 1, 2015.  Check out a sneak peek below!

In the first act of the Menken/Slater/Steinkellner musical comedy, Sister Act, the heroine, Sister Mary Clarence (aka Deloris Van Cartier) tells Mother Superior that song should come from the soul to raise the rafters. Maine State Music Theatre's second season offering does just that with a dazzling production and a cast whose talent is, indeed, cause for celebration!

The Full Monty, which opened Maine State Music Theatre's fifty-seventh season, has all the makings of a new hit for the company! The rollicking, sometimes raucous story of unemployed Buffalo steel workers who create a male strip act to make money has characters to embrace and identify with, clever and provocative dance numbers, music which underscores advances the dramatic development of the script, and one of the most anticipated final numbers in all of Broadway musicals. In addition, at MSMT in a shared production with Lancaster's Fulton Theatre, the David Yazbek -Terrence McNally show is blessed with a stunning ensemble and witty, heartfelt direction and choreography by Donna Drake.

?Maine State Music Theatre (MSMT) kicks off the 2015 season with the heartwarming upbeat comedy THE FULL MONTY. This 10-time Tony Award-nominee is filled with honest affection, engaging melodies and a raucous mix of razor-sharp humor and toe-tapping pizazz, not to mention the most highly anticipated closing number in Broadway history! THE FULL MONTY runs tonight, June 3 - June 20, 2015.

?Maine State Music Theatre (MSMT) kicks off the 2015 season with the heartwarming upbeat comedy THE FULL MONTY. This 10-time Tony Award-nominee is filled with honest affection, engaging melodies and a raucous mix of razor-sharp humor and toe-tapping pizazz, not to mention the most highly anticipated closing number in Broadway history! THE FULL MONTY runs June 3 - June 20, 2015.

Walnut Street Theatre concludes its landmark 205th season with an all-new production of Broadway's Tony Award-winning Best Musical, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING. Directed by Casey Hushion, with choreography by Michele Lynch, this musical extravaganza began previews on May 13th, opens on May 21st and runs through July 13th on the WST Mainstage. Check out a first look at the cast in action below!

Walnut Street Theatre concludes its landmark 205th season with an all-new production of Broadway's Tony Award-winning Best Musical, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING. Directed by Casey Hushion, with choreography by Michele Lynch, this musical extravaganza begins previews tonight, May 13th, opens on May 21st and runs through July 13th on the WST Mainstage.

Walnut Street Theatre is pleased to announce that it will honor US Airways, the official airline for Walnut Street Theatre, with the 2014 Edwin Forrest Award. The award will be presented to Robert Ciminelli, VP of Customer Experience and a Walnut Street Theatre Trustee, at its annual Gala. The evening's events will begin with a 90-minute concert hosted by Ben Lipitz, who Walnut audiences will remember from The Producers and God of Carnage. Featuring some of Philadelphia's favorite performers, including Rachel Beiswenger, Rachel Camp, Jeffrey Coon, Ben Dibble, Jennie Eisenhower, Sarah Gliko, Scott Langdon, Mary Martello, Ben Michael, Cary Michele Miller, Ellie Mooney, Michael Philip O'Brien, Lyn Philistine, Fran Prisco, Christopher Sutton, Tara Tagliaferro, Lilly Tobin and Denise Whelan, voices will fill the theatre with unforgettable musical moments from stage and screen. All proceeds from the Gala benefit the Walnut Street Theatre's Education and Outreach programming, which reaches over 120,000 students, teachers and families annually in the Delaware Valley.

Walnut Street Theatre is pleased to announce that it will honor US Airways, the official airline for Walnut Street Theatre, with the 2014 Edwin Forrest Award. The award will be presented to Robert Ciminelli, VP of Customer Experience and a Walnut Street Theatre Trustee, at its annual Gala. The evening's events will begin with a 90-minute concert hosted by Ben Lipitz, who Walnut audiences will remember from The Producers and God of Carnage. Featuring some of Philadelphia's favorite performers, including Rachel Beiswenger, Rachel Camp, Jeffrey Coon, Ben Dibble, Jennie Eisenhower, Sarah Gliko, Scott Langdon, Mary Martello, Ben Michael, Cary Michele Miller, Ellie Mooney, Michael Philip O'Brien, Lyn Philistine, Fran Prisco, Christopher Sutton, Tara Tagliaferro, Lilly Tobin and Denise Whelan, voices will fill the theatre with unforgettable musical moments from stage and screen. All proceeds from the Gala benefit the Walnut Street Theatre's Education and Outreach programming, which reaches over 120,000 students, teachers and families annually in the Delaware Valley.

Walnut Street Theatre concludes its landmark 205th season with an all-new production of Broadway's Tony Award-winning Best Musical, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING. Directed by Casey Hushion, with choreography by Michele Lynch, this musical extravaganza begins previews on May 13th, opens on May 21st and runs through July 13th on the WST Mainstage. Scroll down to see a behind the scenes look at the production!

Riverside Theatre's celebrated 40th Anniversary Season comes to a close with the witty and exuberant How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. With a book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert, and music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying is based on a best-selling, satirical book of the same name by Shepherd Mead. How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying performs on the Stark Stage now through April 27, 2014 and is sponsored by Marriott Spring Hill Suites and our Patron Producers. How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a co-production between Riverside Theatre and the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Riverside Theatre's celebrated 40th Anniversary Season comes to a close with the witty and exuberant How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. With a book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert, and music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying is based on a best-selling, satirical book of the same name by Shepherd Mead. How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying performs on the Stark Stage from today, April 8 - 27, 2014 and is sponsored by Marriott SpringHill Suites and our Patron Producers.

Walnut Street Theatre concludes its landmark 205th season with an all-new production of Broadway's Tony Award-winning Best Musical, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING. Directed by Casey Hushion, with choreography by Michele Lynch, this musical extravaganza begins previews on May 13th, opens on May 21st and runs through July 13th on the WST Mainstage.

Riverside Theatre's celebrated 40th Anniversary Season comes to a close with the witty and exuberant How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. With a book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert, and music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying is based on a best-selling, satirical book of the same name by Shepherd Mead. How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying performs on the Stark Stage from April 8 - 27, 2014 and is sponsored by Marriott SpringHill Suites and our Patron Producers. How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a co-production between Riverside Theatre and the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia.

Walnut Street Theatre continues its landmark 205TH season with an all-new production of Broadway's family musical, ELF. Based on the Hollywood hit, and directed and choreographed by Marc Robin, this production will bring the Sparklejollytwinklejingley to Philadelphia audiences this holiday season. ELF began previews on November 5th, opens tonight, November 13th and runs through January 5th on the WST Mainstage. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Walnut Street Theatre continues its landmark 205TH season with an all-new production of Broadway's family musical, ELF. Based on the Hollywood hit, and directed and choreographed by Marc Robin, this production will bring the Sparklejollytwinklejingley to Philadelphia audiences this holiday season. ELF began previews on November 5th, opens on November 13th and runs through January 5th on the WST Mainstage. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!