Chip Zien News

TriArts Sharon Playhouse, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Simpkins and Managing Director Justin Ball, has announced initial casting for its 25th Anniversary Season with the musicals LES MISERABLES, Falsettos, and Disney's The Little Mermaidon the Mainstage. Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie and the new musical Nine Wives (by Douglas J. Cohen and Dan Elish) will play Stage 2 in the Bok Gallery. The Youth Theatre will present the Tony-winning Spring Awakening.

John Schreiber, NJPAC's President and CEO, and David Rodriguez, Executive Producer of the Arts Center, announced today a 2014-15 season packed with new, NJPAC- created, season-long series', collaborations with renowned artists and companies, an expansion of diverse programming, further integration of NJPAC's arts education programs within mainstage performances, and a continuation of the Arts Center's 17-year tradition of presenting world-class artists. With over 100 performances and special events announced for the acoustically superb 2,800- seat Prudential Hall, intimate 514-seat Victoria Theater, 250-seat Chase Room, and outdoors in Theater Square, by artists ranging from Patti LaBelle to The Metropolitan Opera Rising Stars; from Chris Botti to Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience; from Golda's Balcony with Tovah Feldshuh to the Brick City Jazz Orchestra; from Bela Fleck to Lula Washington Dance Theatre; from Beres Hammond to Audra McDonald; and from The Second City to Dinosaur Train Live!, NJPAC's new season has something for everyone.

If you are even a semi-regular reader of this column of reviews, you know that about every three or four months, I post a compilation of observations of shows from the previous quarter of the year. This cabaret critiquing mash up happens for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that I admittedly see too many cabaret shows for the amount of time I have to promptly review them (and then, of course, the usual writer's procrastination sets in). So I have to prioritize the timeliness of the reviews based on the prestige of the performer, the length of a show run, the strength (or lack thereof) of the performance, etc. The quality of the shows in these compilations—which can range from a half dozen to a dozen reviews in one shot—are usually a mixed bag of outright raves, qualified positives, and constructive pans (I'm not a fan of the word “negative” in the reviewer lexicon). With that in mind here are a collection of cabaret show reviews going back to the start of a very harsh winter.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: It's a busy Monday! The NY Drama Critics' circle announces its 2014 winners today, Playwrights Horizons and Second Stage are both hosting their annual galas tonight, SEA MARKS opens off-Broadway, the National August Wilson Monologue Competition is today, and Joe Iconis stops by MURDER FOR TWO tonight!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: yesterday's Tony nominees meet the press, and we'll be bringing you TONS of coverage!

Acclaimed Off-Broadway theater company Playwrights Horizons announced today a list of performers and speakers for its annual Spring Gala on Monday evening, May 5 at the event space 583 Park Avenue. Titled "IN THE BEGINNING," the evening will honor the theater company's Founding Artistic Director Bob Moss.

The cast and creative team of the hit Off-Broadway musical Murder for Two are teaming up with some of New York's brightest up and coming composers and BroadwayWorld.com every Monday night for their spring concert series, Murderous Musical Mondays. Composer Joe Iconis contines the series on Monday, May 5, 2014, immediately following the 7pm performance of Murder for Two at New World Stages (Stage 5 - 340 West 50th Street). Performers will include Liz Lark Brown, Katrina Rose Dideriksen, Seth Eliser, Lauren Marcus, Jeremy Morse, Lance Rubin, Jared Weiss, and Jason "SweetTooth" Williams.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

This April, May and June at 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54thStreet. For a detailed schedule of upcoming performances at 54 Below and to purchase tickets, visit www.54Below.com.

The American Dream takes on a Latin Beat, as Cabrillo Music Theatre will present the regional professional premiers of this 'new classic' - the multi-Tony-winning Best Musical of 2008, IN THE HEIGHTS. IN THE HEIGHTS fuses contemporary music with timeless family struggles, and its' warmth, humor and joyful message resonates with all ages. IN THE HEIGHTS opens tonight, March 28, 2014, playing until Sunday, April 6th, at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.

Sometimes Broadway musicals run forever, like Cats or Les Miserables. But sometimes, Broadway musicals run for only a minute, like Merrily We Roll Along, High Fidelity, or Via Galactica. This is their story.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Today, Red Bull Theater announced the cast for their Staged Concert Reading of Happy End, the musical by Bertolt Brecht & Kurt Weill, translated by Michael Feingold: Nancy Anderson, J. Bernard Calloway, Carson Elrod, Steven Eng, Tom Hewitt, Matthew Maher, Karen Mason, Martin Moran, Alexandra Silber, Price Waldman, Kristine Zbornik, Chip Zien, and more to be announced. Happy End will be directed by Leigh Silverman with music direction by James Cunningham and will take place Monday March 17th at 7:30pm at the Lucille Lortel Theater, 121 Christopher Street, between Bleecker and Hudson Streets.

Sometimes Broadway musicals run forever, like Cats or Les Miserables. But sometimes, Broadway musicals run for only a minute, like Merrily We Roll Along, High Fidelity, or Via Galactica. This is their story.

Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Chip Zien, Karen Mason, Sebastian Arcelus, Tonya Pinkins, Beth Leavel, Carolee Carmello,Stephanie J. Block, Karen Akers, Emily Skinner, Julia Murney, Lari White, John Easterlin, Noah Racey, Camille Saviola, Mark Nadler, Jillian Louis, Danny Gardner and the Broadway by the Year Chorus all took part in Town Hall's 14th season opener of its Broadway by the Year Series on Monday night, February 24 at 8pm, THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1915-1939. BroadwayWorld was there for the special concert and you can check out backstage photos below!

Red Bull Theater will present the 30th Anniversary Revival of Charles Ludlam's The Mystery of Irma Vep, starring Arnie Burton and Robert Sella, directed by Everett Quinton. The Mystery of Irma Vep will have scenic design by John Arnone, costume design by Ramona Ponce, lighting design by Peter West, and sound design by Brandon Wolcott.

Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Chip Zien, Karen Mason, Sebastian Arcelus, Tonya Pinkins, Beth Leavel, Carolee Carmello, Stephanie J. Block, Karen Akers, Emily Skinner, Julia Murney, Lari White, John Easterlin, Noah Racey, Camille Saviola, Mark Nadler, Jillian Louis, Danny Gardner and the Broadway by the Year Chorus all took part in Town Hall's 14th season opener of its Broadway by the Year Series last night, February 24 at 8pm, THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1915-1939. BroadwayWorld was there for the special concert and you can check out photo coverage below!

Tony Award-nominee Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Avenue Q), Drama Desk-nominees Chip Zien (Into the Woods, Falsettos) & Karen Mason (Sunset Boulevard, Mamma Mia!), Sebastian Arcelus (Elf, A Time to Kill), Nightlife Award-Winner Mark Nadler, Jillian Louis, Danny Gardner and the Broadway by the Year Chorus have been added to Town Hall's 14th season opener of its Broadway by the Year Series on Monday, February 24 at 8pm, THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1915-1939. They join previously announced Tony Award-winners Tonya Pinkins and Beth Leavel, Tony Award-nominees Carolee Carmello, Stephanie J. Block, Karen Akers and Emily Skinner, Drama Desk Award-nominee Julia Murney, Grammy Award-winners Lari White and John Easterlin, Noah Racey (Curtains), Camille Saviola (Nine), concert and recording artist Howard Fishman and Nightlife Award-winner Carole J. Bufford. Individual tickets ($57 and $47) are on sale at www.TicketMaster.com or by phone at 800-982-2787; series subscriptions ($180-$220) are available at www.TheTownHall.org.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

The American Dream takes on a Latin Beat, as Cabrillo Music Theatre will present the regional professional premiers of this "new classic" - the multi-Tony-winning Best Musical of 2008, IN THE HEIGHTS. IN THE HEIGHTS fuses contemporary music with timeless family struggles, and its' warmth, humor and joyful message resonates with all ages. IN THE HEIGHTS opens on Friday, March 28, 2014, playing until Sunday, April 6th, at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.