Cat Brindisi News

Minneapolis and Saint Paul theatre artists joined James A. Rocco to create HOLD YOUR HAND TWIN CITIES, proving #NothingCanStopLiveTheatre

Jessica Fredrickson plays Sophie in the long-running MAMMA MIA! as the Chan extends the run through Feb. 22, 2020. There's literally no excuse not to go see this infectious show.

Actors, directors, writers, composers, choreographers and a live band combine to create four brand new musicals in a single day. Extraordinary artists from across the Twin Cities theater community join forces for an unmissable gala event to benefit musical theater scholarships for UMD Theatre and Spotlight Education. Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (CDT) and the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) School of Fine Arts partner to present a unique, engaging theatrical experience for our community a?" the inaugural performance of The 24 Hour Musicals in the Twin Cities on Monday, August 19, 2019 at 7:30pm on CDT's Main Stage. (Ticket information below.)

The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) just presented Intersecting Chords, the annual NYMF concert that celebrates female, trans, and non-binary songwriters who are changing the landscape of musical theatre. Intersecting Chords was directed by Shelley Butler, music directed by Charity Wicks, and produced by Hannah Lang.

Actors, directors, writers, composers, choreographers and a live band combine to create four brand new musicals in a single day. Extraordinary artists from across the Twin Cities theater community join forces for an unmissable gala event to benefit musical theater scholarships for UMD Theatre and Spotlight Education. Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (CDT) and the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) School of Fine Arts partner to present a unique, engaging theatrical experience for our community a?" the inaugural performance of The 24 Hour Musicals in the Twin Cities on Monday, August 19, 2019 at 7:30pm on CDT's Main Stage. (Ticket information below.)

An invitation-only sneak peak of TILL SOON, ANNE (book and lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson, music by Bobby Cronin) will take place as part of the Dramatists Guild's 'Today Night Footlights' series on January 5, 2018 in New York City. Johnson and Cronin, along with Wade McCollum (ERNEST SHACKLETON LOVES YOU), Jaygee Macapugay (SCHOOL OF ROCK), Devin Ilaw (MISS SAIGON), Lauren Elder (SIDE SHOW), Cat Brindisi (THE PASSAGE) and David Darrow (book/music/lyrics writer of THE PASSAGE) will be singing songs from the show with William Demaniow at the piano and David Darrow on guitar.

An invitation-only sneak peak of TILL SOON, ANNE (book and lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson, music by Bobby Cronin) will take place as part of the Dramatists Guild's 'Friday Night Footlights' series on January 5, 2018 in New York City. Johnson and Cronin, along with Wade McCollum (ERNEST SHACKLETON LOVES YOU), Jaygee Macapugay (SCHOOL OF ROCK), Devin Ilaw (MISS SAIGON), Lauren Elder (SIDE SHOW), Cat Brindisi (THE PASSAGE) and David Darrow (book/music/lyrics writer of THE PASSAGE) will be singing songs from the show with William Demaniow at the piano and David Darrow on guitar.

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts presents one of the best-loved musicals of all time, Annie, directed by the Twin Cities' own Austene Van. Full of holiday spirit and family fun, this new Ordway Original production will be on stage December 7-31.

Following a critically acclaimed performance as Mama Rose in Gypsy at the John W. Engeman Theatre in New York this past month, Michele Ragusa comes to the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts to play Miss Hannigan in Annie.

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts presents one of the best-loved musicals of all time, Annie, directed by the Twin Cities' own Austene Van. Full of holiday spirit and family fun, this new Ordway Original production will be on stage December 7-31.

Following a critically acclaimed performance as Mama Rose in Gypsy at the John W. Engeman Theatre in New York this past month, Michele Ragusa comes to the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts to play Miss Hannigan in Annie. Ms. Ragusa is best known for her Broadway performances in A Class Act, Titanic, Ragtime and taking over for Megan Mullally in Young Frankenstein. She has also performed with some of the top Symphonies in the country including: Detroit Symphony, Oklahoma City Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Phoenix Symphony and The Kennedy Center Holiday Pops with Marvin Hamlisch.

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts presents one of the best-loved musicals of all time, Annie, directed by the Twin Cities' own Austene Van. Full of holiday spirit and family fun, this new Ordway Original production will be on stage December 7-31.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre presents its 29th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, set for today, October 19, and tomorrow, October 20, 2017 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). The Festival kicked off yesterday, October 18, with its celebrated concert, The 46th Minute.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre announces additional casting for the 29th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, which takes place on Thursday, October 19 and Friday, October 20, 2017 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). The Festival kicks off on Wednesday, October 18 with its celebrated concert, The 46th Minute.

Erin Mackey (IN TRANSIT, WICKED) and Wade McCollum (ERNEST SHACKLETON LOVES ME) will lead a private reading of TILL SOON, ANNE, a new musical with book and lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson and music by Bobby Cronin on Friday, October 6.

The Guthrie Theater has announced casting for the theater's summer musical, Sunday in the Park with George. Leading the cast will be Randy Harrison (Guthrie: The Glass Menagerie) who will play French pointillist painter George Seurat, a role originated by Mandy Patinkin in the 1984 Broadway production, and Erin Mackey (Guthrie: South Pacific) who will play Seurat's lover and model, Dot, a role originated by Bernadette Peters.

Hennepin Theatre Trust announced that celebrated actors Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield have joined the cast of the Minnesota premiere of THE 24 HOUR PLAYS® on Monday, March 13 at 8 p.m. at the historic Pantages Theatre (710 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis). This one-night-only event brings together the extraordinary talent of local and nationally-known artists to create six new theatrical plays within 24 hours.

Hennepin Theatre Trust announced today that celebrated actors MELISSA GILBERT and TIMOTHY BUSFIELD are joining the cast of the Minnesota premiere of THE 24 HOUR PLAYS® on Monday, March 13 at 8 p.m. at the historic Pantages Theatre (710 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis). This one-night-only event brings together the extraordinary talent of local and nationally-known artists to create six new theatrical plays within 24 hours.

In celebration of the historic Pantages Theatre's 100th anniversary, Hennepin Theatre Trust and the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) School of Fine Arts are partnering to support emerging musical theatre talent in Minnesota by presenting the premiere of THE 24 HOUR PLAYS.

There have been various responses to the new presidency and the current political climate, including Facebook groups, letter writing and calling campaigns, petitions, and a nation-wide women's march. But what do artists do in response to injustice? They make art. Last weekend 7th House Theater opened a short run of what they call a 'pop up production' of the 1959 play RHINOCEROS, written by Eugene Ionesco as a response to the rise in Fascism in pre-WWII Europe. As company member David Darrow explained before the show, their new original musicals take about a year to plan, write, create, and produce, which makes it challenging to stay current. But with this piece, 7th House is presenting 'a specific work at a specific time in history.' After just ten days of rehearsal, they very intentionally opened on the night of the inauguration, a work presented in what David called 'a mostly sort of way.' While the staging is minimal and actors have scripts in their hands, Rhinoceros is a work that is wholly entertaining, eerily relevant, and exactly what we need right now.