Christine Jon News

One of the theater world's most prestigious playwriting prizes, the Yale Drama Series Prize, will be given to Emily Schwend for her play Utility.  The 2016 award recipient was chosen by playwright Nicholas Wright, who has served as judge for the 2015 and 2016 competitions.

Author extraordinaire J.K. Rowling took to Twitter on Monday to dispel a rumor that her forthcoming West End play HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD is eyeing a big screen debut. 

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a new play by Jack Thorne will receive its world premiere in London's West End at the Palace Theatre in the summer of 2016.  Check out a behind the scenes video that was posted on their official Twitter account here.

The Amoralists present the world premiere of UTILITY, written by Emily Schwend and directed by Jay Stull. UTILITY runs from January 28 - February 20, 2016 in a limited engagement at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, located at 224 Waverly Place between Perry & West 11th Streets in New York City. Previews begin January 28 for a February 1 opening.

The Connecticut school's drama directed work with MTI to create a HS version of the script, but there still were complaints.

New musical CLOSE TO YOU: BACHARACH REIMAGINED will end its limited West End run on Valentine's Day, Sunday 14 February. Featuring Burt Bacharach's songbook, CLOSE TO YOU broke box office records at the Criterion Theatre when it opened on 15 October, with the biggest advance in the venue's history.  Check out a first look below!

Broadwayworld.com interviewed Emily Schwend, playwright for UTILITY. The show is presented by The Amoralists and will be onstage at Rattlesnake Playwrights Theater from January 28th to February 20th.

The Amoralists proudly present the world premiere of UTILITY, written by Emily Schwend and directed by Jay Stull. UTILITY runs from January 28 - February 20, 2016 in a limited engagement at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, located at 224 Waverly Place between Perry & West 11th Streets in New York City. Previews begin January 28 for a February 1 opening.

Kyle Riabko's CLOSE TO YOU: BACHARACH REIMAGINED, currently playing in the West End at the Criterion Theatre in an extended run through Valentine's Day 2016, is getting a cast album! Riabko took to Instagram last week to reveal the news about the show, which features Bacharach's iconic songbook. Below, check out some behind-the-scenes shots of the cast in the recording studio!

CLOSE TO YOU: BACHARACH REIMAGINED has today announced that it is extending its West End transfer at the Criterion Theatre until Valentine's Day 14 February 2016. The new booking period is now on sale.

Opening to public and critical acclaim on 15 October, new musical CLOSE TO YOU featuring Burt Bacharach's songbook, broke box office records at the Criterion Theatre with the biggest advance in the venue's history. 

It's London's hottest ticket! Public booking for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child opened today (October 30) and to ensure customers are given the best possible chance to obtain tickets the Producers opened up a further booking period from 11 January 2017 to 30 April 2017.  With the exception of late release and lottery tickets (not available to be purchased at this stage) from tomorrow at 11am, all available tickets will be on public sale.  

The memories found in the costumes, the reason for the bock of ice, and music played backwards.

Tickets for the first booking period  (7 June - 18 September 2016) for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child sold out during priority on sale today (28 October 2015) and as a result the Producers have now put on sale seats for the second booking period to 8 January 2017 to those who registered for priority booking.

Now that the artwork has been unveiled, the creative team for the West End's upcoming HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD, PARTS I & II is opening up about the plot, which until now has been kept under a strict cloaking spell. Despite earlier rumors the plays would center on Harry Potter's parents, it looks like 'CURSED CHILD' will be a sequel, not a prequel.

We couldn't conjure a better poster for J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany's upcoming Harry Potter prequel plays HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD, PARTS I & II. Scroll down for a first look at the new artwork (which Rowling tweeted she 'loves') for the West End's upcoming, two-part production!

The highly anticipated West End transfer of CLOSE TO YOU: BACHARACH REIMAGINED, the new musical featuring Burt Bacharach's songbook, opened last night 15 October at the Criterion Theatre, London. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The highly anticipated West End transfer of CLOSE TO YOU: BACHARACH REIMAGINED, the new musical featuring Burt Bacharach's songbook, opened last night 15 October at the Criterion Theatre, London. After the performance, Burt Bacharach joined the cast in Piccadilly Circus for a very special performance of 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head,' followed by a party at the Haymarket Hotel. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

With nine number one songs, forty-eight top 10 and seventy top 40 hits, Burt Bacharach is unequivocally one of the greats.