Jay is trapped in a toxic home environment. Taking care of her drug-addicted mother and lonely and misunderstood younger brother, she dreams of escaping into a better world. She is presented with the chance-of-a-lifetime when winning a nation-wide essay contest to be the new writer of the final book in a beloved series left incomplete by the death of the author. However, Jay's 'dream ending' of the story is threatened when she has to collaborate with an additional, surprise contest winner. Set in the American Midwest, Jay and the Contest explores what it means to make it out of our hometown, no matter the consequences.
Tony Award winner Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon) sat down with Ilana and shared stories of growing up in a small suburb in New Jersey and feeling like no one else looked like her and how the unexpected reaction to a solo she sang in kindergarten changed her life forever . Nikki opens up about how the loss of her father changed her so deeply at a very young age and that time she was in London and got a call asking if she might be able to take over in the London production of Mormon -that night- even though she had been out of the Broadway production for quite a while. This is an actress who takes on huge challenges and never stops working on her craft.
Goodwill Cultural Ambassador Ronald Rand, recently returned from performing at Nairobi's National Theatre in The Kenya International Theater Festival, will celebrate his 20th year of touring, performing his celebrated solo play, LET IT BE ART! in a special performance presented by Tennessee Valley Art Association (TVAA) at The Ritz Theatre's Ritz Studio in Sheffield, Alabama on February 29th.
THE BOY FRIEND by Sandy Wilson will come direct to Toronto from an acclaimed, sell-out season at the prolific Menier Chocolate Factory in London and prior to a West End transfer, will have a new star. Stage and screen actor Kelsey Grammer will make his Canadian stage debut in this new production. THE BOY FRIEND will be performed March 29 to May 3, 2020 at Toronto's Princess of Wales Theatre. Mr. Grammer will star as Lord Brockhurst.
Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director/CEO) announces Tony, Grammy & Emmy Award winner Cyndi Lauper will join the 2020 Gala evening celebrating Tony Award winner and longtime friend Alan Cumming with The Jason Robards Award for Excellence in Theatre, and Michael Kors & Lance Le Pere with The Ovation Award for Excellence in Philanthropy. This year's gala 'The Life of the Party' is set for Monday, March 2 at the Ziegfeld Ballroom. Lauper will perform a unique concert created exclusively for the special occasion.
The Drama League (Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Director Bevin Ross) announced today the acting company for the 36th annual DirectorFest, the only festival in the United States dedicated to the art of contemporary stage directing. Directorfest will take place January 10 - February 4, 2020 at various locations around NYC: The New Ohio Theatre (154 Christopher Street), The Drama League Theater Center (32 Avenue of the Americas), LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (31-10 Thomson Avenue), and Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette Street). For festival details and tickets, visit directorfest.org or call (212) 244-9494 x102.
Today's top stories: watch the first official trailer for the In The Heights film, read the reviews for Harry Connick, Jr. - A Celebrations of Cole Porter, and more!
New York Stage and Film has announced that its annual Winter Gala will feature remarks by Annette Bening, Josh Groban, Michael Mayer, and Heidi Schreck; and will feature performances by Brittain Ashford, Cosmo Castaldi, Daya Curley, Sofia Dobrushin, John Gallagher Jr., Jonathan Groff, Marcy Harriell, Van Hughes, Taylor Symone Jackson, Lea Michele, Nasia Thomas, Ana Villafañe, and Candice Marie Woods.
Rodgers & Hammerstein's cinematic treasure a?oeThe Sound of Musica?? airs Sunday, December 15 (7:00-11:00 p.m. EST), on ABC. Celebrate the Oscar-winning classic with popular favorites a?oeEdelweiss,a?? a??My Favorite Things,a?? a?oeClimb Every Mountain,a?? a?oeDo-Re-Mi,a?? a?oeSixteen Going on Seventeen,a?? a?oeThe Lonely Goatherda?? and a?oeThe Sound of Music.a??
The Drama League announced today the 2020 line-up of DirectorFest: The 36th Annual Directors Festival, the only festival in the United States dedicated to the art of contemporary stage directing. For its 36th year, the festival will include six fully-staged productions, a showcase concert of a new musical, a town hall, and conversations with directors including 2017 Tony Award Winner Rebecca Taichman (Indecent), 2014 Tony Award Winner and 2010 Drama League Founders Award for Excellence in Directing Kenny Leon (A Soldier's Play), and Intimacy Director Claire Warden (HBO's Mrs. Fletcher).
New York Stage and Film is thrilled to announce that its annual Winter Gala will honor six-time Tony Award-nominated producer and philanthropist Diana DiMenna, and Academy Award and four-time Golden Globe-nominated and Tony Award-winning actor and producer Tom Hulce. The Winter Gala, a fundraising event to support New York Stage and Film's year-round theater and film development initiatives, will be held on Sunday, December 8, 2019 at The Ziegfeld Ballroom (141 West 54th Street, New York City). For more information on New York Stage and Film, please visit www.newyorkstageandfilm.org.
Today's conversation is with Lang Leav- an international best-selling author and social media sensation. She is the winner of a Qantas Spirit of Youth Award and coveted Churchill Fellowship. Her books continue to top bestseller charts in bookstores worldwide.
Craft Recordings has announced a special, 60th-anniversary reissue of The Sound of Musica?'Original Broadway Cast Recording. Featuring legendary stage actress Mary Martin as Maria von Trapp opposite renowned actor Theodore Bikel, the album includes such unforgettable classics as a?oeMy Favorite Things,a?? a?oeEdelweiss,a?? a?oeDo-Re-Mi,a?? a?oeClimb Ev'ry Mountaina?? and, of course, a?oeThe Sound of Music.a?? Set for a December 6th release date, the soundtrack has been deftly remastered from the original three-track tape by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound and will be available on CD or 180-gram vinyl. The CD edition features new liner notes by The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization's Ted Chapin, while the two-LP vinyl seta?'pressed at RTIa?'comes housed in a replica of the original album's gatefold jacket. The remastered album will also be available digitally, including hi-res (192/24).
Jodie Prenger will host this year's UK Theatre Awards, which take place on Sunday 27 October at London's Guildhall. The Blackpool-born actor has spent 2019 touring the UK in a succession of hit productions including Abigail's Party and Annie, and is currently starring in the tour of the National Theatre's production of A Taste Of Honey, which transfers to the West End in December.
A Very Happy Scrappy Sackler Family Thanksgiving, premiering October 24 at DARE Festival 2019, explores the civil lawsuits filed against members of the billionaire family who own Purdue Pharma, the maker of the opioid prescription painkiller OxyContin.
Performing in his 25th country, Goodwill Cultural Ambassador Ronald Rand will represent the United States at the Kenya International Theatre Festival, during his 20th year touring around the world in his celebrated solo play, LET IT BE ART! as Harold Clurman, 'the elder statesman of the American Theatre' on November 3rd in Nakuru at the Nakuru Players Theatre, and on November 5th at the Kenya National Theatre in Nairobi.
Roundabout Theatre Company announces its annual 2020 Gala will celebrate Tony Award winner and longtime friend of the theater Alan Cumming with The Jason Robards Award for Excellence in Theatre. Michael Kors & Lance Le Pere will be honored for their outstanding contributions to the theater with The Ovation Award for Excellence in Philanthropy.
Keen Company Artistic Director Jonathan Silverstein today announced the cast for the first play of the new season, Keen's 20th: Paul O'Brien, Pamela Sabaugh and Tommy Schrider will star in Brian Friel's Molly Sweeney directed by Mr. Silverstein.
On Friday, August 30, the theatre community lost dramaturg Robert Blacker, who passed away suddenly at the age of 71. Longtime collaborator Des McAnuff, who worked with Blacker at La Jolla Playhouse and Stratford Shakespeare Festival, writes a tribute to his friend below:
