Chip Deffaa News

The 13th Street Rep has  presented  its 'Lisa Lambert Award'--named after the Tony Award-winning co-creator of the musical comedy 'The Drowsy Chaperone,' and honoring an outstanding woman in theater--to actress Maite Uzal.  Currently appearing in the musical 'Mad About the Boy,' Uzal is a resident member of both the New York-based  Rebel Theater Company and of Chip Deffaa's repertory company at the 13th Street Theater.  

The 13th Street Repertory Theater celebrated veteran stage/film/TV actor Ray DeMattis' 50th anniversary in the business -- honoring his lifetime achievements -- by proclaiming May 10th 'Ray DeMattis Day.'  DeMattis was presented with a framed certificate of honor by one of his proteges -- Michael J.C. Anderson, an actor with the 13th Street Rep.  And DeMattis, in turn, presented the first annual  'Ray DeMattis Award,' honoring young artists-to-watch, to actors Cody Jordan and John Brady, co-stars of Chip Deffaa's musical-comedy success  'Mad About the Boy.'  They each received a plaque, a copy of a cast album featuring DeMattis ('Flora the Red Menace'), and a $100.00 honorarium.

Benjamin Grier--currently co-starring in, and serving as dance captain for Chip Deffaa's musical comedy 'Mad About the Boy' at the 13th Street Repertory Theater--has won the theater's 'Matthew Nardozzi Award,' which recognizes professionalism, a strong work ethic,  and reliability, as well as talent. Nardozzi flew up from Florida to present Grier with the honor.  ASCAP  Award-winner Deffaa, the theater's most widely produced playwright, emceed the award ceremony, the first of several award ceremonies to be held at the theater this year.  

Jon Peterson has a lot to celebrate right now. Peterson, who won numerous honors when he starred in Chip Deffaa's Off-Broadway musical play 'George M. Cohan Tonight!' at the Irish Repertory Theater, will celebrate today his tenth year of starring in the show, which--since its debut in New York--has taken him all across the country.

Jon Peterson has a lot to celebrate right now. Peterson, who won numerous honors when he starred in Chip Deffaa's Off-Broadway musical play 'George M. Cohan Tonight!' at the Irish Repertory Theater, will celebrate on Friday his tenth year of starring in the show, which--since its debut in New York--has taken him all across the country.

The 13th Street Repertory Theater will present a teach-in on the history of gay musical theater, and gay songs in pop music, following the performances next Sunday (April 26th) at 2 pm and 7 pm of its current hit musical 'Mad About the Boy.' The presentation will be moderated by ASCAP Award-winning writer/director Chip Deffaa (creator of 'Mad About the Boy'), and will feature members of the cast, joined by a special surprise guest.

Steele Spring Stage Rights officially publishes ASCAP Award-winner Chip Deffaa's musical play 'Irving Berlin's America'--which successfully premiered in 2014 at the 13th Street Repertory Theater in New York City--on Monday, April 20th. The 13th Street Rep will celebrate the publication on 5 pm this Sunday, April 19th. Coinciding with publication of the script, filmmaker Max Galassi is releasing a brand new video to promote 'Irving Berlin's America' -- check it out below!

Steele Spring Stage Rights officially publishes ASCAP Award-winner Chip Deffaa's musical play 'Irving Berlin's America'--which successfully premiered in 2014 at the 13th Street Repertory Theater in New York City--on Monday, April 20th. The 13th Street Rep will celebrate the publication on 5 pm Sunday, April 19th.

The 13th Street Repertory Theater will honor the woman widely considered to be the world's greatest blues singer by making Sunday, April 19th, 'Bessie Smith Day.' The theater will be offering free admission to its new hit show, 'Mad About the Boy' (which includes a tribute to Smith) to anyone who can sing a chorus of a song recorded by Smith. ASCAP award-winning playwright/director Chip Deffaa, who's created and produced 'Mad About the Boy,' will also award prizes to those who do the best job of singing Smith's songs. Deffaa--who profiled Smith in the book 'Harlem Speaks: A Living History of the Harlem Renaissance' (Sourcebooks, Inc.) and has lectured on her (most recently at the University of Idaho)--will be the judge, assisted by members of his theater company.

ASCAP award-winning playwright/director Chip Deffaa will host talkback sessions--in which audience members can ask any questions they wish of the cast or creative team--after the following performances of his new musical comedy 'Mad About the Boy' at the 13th Street Repertory Theater (50 W. 13th Street, NYC).

Jon Peterson returns to the Stage Door Theatre today, March 20th in George M. Cohan Tonight! an entertaining and energetic one-man musical based on the life and career of one of America's most beloved song and dance men. The play captures the essence of the man, his music, and an era of show business and of Broadway that has rarely been matched. The production will run through April 26th.

Jon Peterson will return to the Stage Door Theatre on March 20th in George M. Cohan Tonight! an entertaining and energetic one-man musical based on the life and career of one of America's most beloved song and dance men. The play captures the essence of the man, his music, and an era of show business and of Broadway that has rarely been matched. The production will run through April 26th.

Most Off-Broadway shows don't get a cast album, but ASCAP Award-winning writer/director Chip Deffaa's show "Irving Berlin's America" is about to get its second cast album. And this one will be released on February 2nd as a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

The 13th Street Rep's 'George M. Cohan Song-and-Dance Award'-honoring a triple-threat singer/dancer/actor--has this year been presented to two people: Rayna Hirt and Michael Czyz. Cohan himself-the quintessential song-and-dance man-may have long since gone to his reward. But his great-granddaughter, singer/actress Jennifer Cohan Ross, was on hand to present the awards. The 13th Street Rep's 97-year-old founder/artistic director, Edith O'Hara-a longtime believer in the importance of encouraging fresh talent--was there, too, to congratulate the winners. Playwright Chip Deffaa, whose work has often been presented by the theater, emceed the event.

Steele Spring Stage Rights announced today that two new musicals are the recipients of the 2014 Stage Rights/NYMF Publishing Award: "The Snow Queen" and "Searching For Romeo."

Monday, November 24th will be "Eddie Cantor Day" at "One Night with Fanny Brice," the long-running musical play at the 13th Street Repertory Theater (50 W. 13th Street, NYC).

The 13th Street Rep's 'Betty Buckley Award'-honoring a 'young artist-to-watch'--has been presented to Emily Bordonaro, 18. Tony Award-winner Betty Buckley-who was performing a concert several thousand miles away on the night of the awards presentation in New York City--presented the award via videotape.

The 13th Street Repertory Theater will present an 'Irving Berlin Teach-In,' immediately following the Sunday (November 23rd) matinee performance of Chip Deffaa's 'The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue.' The 'Ragtime Revue,' which has been selling out at the theater, will begin at 3 pm. The teach-in is expected to begin at 4:30 pm. Michael Townsend Wright, who previously co-starred at the theater with Giuseppe Bausilio in 'Irving Berlin's America' (as seen in the photo) will be one of the special guests at the teach-in, singing a rare Berlin ballad as well as sharing recollections and insights. (Wright may also be heard on the cast album for 'Irving Berlin's America,' which includes some never-before-recorded material.) Surprise guests with ties to Berlin and his world will be joining Wright, the cast of 'The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue,' pianist Richard Danley, and playwright Chip Deffaa in the teach-in.

ASCAP Award-winning writer/director Chip Deffaa's 'The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue'-currently playing at the 13th Street Theater in repertory with Deffaa's long-running 'One Night with Fanny Brice'--is to receive a cast recording. The cast album will feature all of the singing actors currently appearing in the show: Rayna Hirt, Ken Adams, Michael Cyzz, Maite Uzal, Michael Kasper, Jonah Barricklo, Emily Bordonaro, Missy Dreier, K.W. Andersson; Andrew Lanctot, Ann Marie Calabro, Brandon Pollinger, and Timmy Thompson, with musical direction by Richard Danley. Deffaa will produce the album; Slau Halatyn will be the recording engineer; with production to begin later this month at Be-Sharp Studios in Astoria. The album will be released in the United States on the Original Cast Records label. It will be the sixth show of Deffaa's to get a cast album.

Award-winning cabaret, theater, and concert star Carolyn Montgomery-Forant will be a special guest at select performances of 'The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue' at the 13th Street Repertory Theater (50 W. 13th Street, NYC). Montgomery-Forant-who has won the MAC Award, the Bistro Award, and the New York Nightlife Award--will take time out from her own concert schedule to make guest appearances in the revue at the following performances: Sunday, November 16th at 3 pm and 7 pm, and Sunday November 23rd at 3 p.m.