Christopher West News

The Firehouse Theatre is thrilled to announce IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS as the final show of their 2018 season, with opening night scheduled for Friday, November 30th and performances running through Sunday, December 16th, 2018. BroadwayWorld.com Senior Editor Kyle Christopher West is set to direct and choreograph the holiday musical, with John Norine Jr. serving as musical director.

This Summer, The Firehouse Theatre will present the famous musical fable GYPSY from May 31st-June 17th, directed by Derek Whitener, with musical direction by John Norine Jr. and choreography by Kyle Christopher West. Marilyn Setu serves as assistant director; Kim Velten will stage manage; Costume Design is by Victor Newman Brockwell.

BroadwayWorld presents a comprehensive weekly roundup of regional stories around our Broadway World, which include videos, editor spotlights, regional reviews and more. This week, we feature THE COLOR PURPLE, WAITRESS, WICKED and more!

This show is well worth the trip to the Campus Theatre. Whether it is your first experience traveling back to the time of Eva Peron, or you are familiar with this particular story, you will likely find yourself questioning the character of the famous figure.

Music Theatre of Denton's EVITA opens tonight, February 23rd at the Campus Theatre in Denton starring Alena Cardenez as Eva, Michael McCray as Che, Scott Deck as Peron, Spencer Kapral as Magaldi, Gabie Hocson as the Mistress and ensemble members Logan Coley Broker, Katie Buck, Kate Dressler, Trinity Ehrhart, Danielle Taylor Graves, Dillon Hanson, Rae Hillman (Mistress understudy), Tara Linn Hunter, Sara Kennedy (Eva understudy), Belinda King, Jonathan Martin, Megan Maynard, Anthony Ortega (Che understudy), Lorens Portalatin, Tony Rose, Braiden Fisher, Alex Sutherland, Kiba Walker (Magaldi understudy), and Madison Verre (Santa Evita soloist).

What does the rehearsal process for Music Theatre of Denton's EVITA look like from behind the scenes? Check out our first vlog featuring Alena Cardenez as Eva, Michael McCray as Che, and the ensemble rehearse in the theatre space.

When CHICAGO last toured through town, I had the pleasure of speaking with Broadway's Dylis Croman, who returns to the national tour of CHICAGO next week, as the fame-obsessed merry murderess, Roxie Hart. With five Broadway shows under her belt, and several national tours, Ms. Croman returns to Texas, having graduated from the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Ms. Croman is also no stranger to the musical CHICAGO; she's performed in the show alongside the likes of Billy Ray Cyrus, Bebe Neuwirth, Kara DioGuardi and John O'Hurley, to name a few.

What does the rehearsal process for Music Theatre of Denton's EVITA look like from behind the scenes? Check out our first vlog featuring Alena Cardenez as Eva, Michael McCray as Che and the ensemble as they begin to learn Kyle Christopher West's choreography. As a special treat, vocals on this edition of the vlog are by Che understudy Anthony Ortega. EVITA opens February 23rd and runs through March 4th at the historic Campus Theatre in Denton. For tickets and more information, visit www.musictheatreofdenton.com.

Kyle Christopher West is best known to Dallas and Fort Worth as an editor for BroadwayWorld.com, but his theatre critic qualifications are based off nearly two decades experience as a director and choreographer (although his resume lists awards for both costume and scenic design as well). His work has been seen from New York to Boston and Arizona with recent direction and choreography credits including FIDDLER ON THE ROOF for Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre, HAIRSPRAY for Mesa Encore Theatre, CABARET at Arizona State University, and SMOKEY JOES CAFE at Riverside Theatreworks, among others. He is a multiple award recipient, with several honors including the AriZoni Awards, MET Awards, Annie Awards and more. Additionally, before joining the BroadwayWorld team, Mr. West worked for various Broadway marketing departments in NYC, working on everything from the Christina Applegate revival of SWEET CHARITY to New York staple, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY. He has also sat on the Board of Directors for both a ballet company and non-profit theatre group.

BroadwayWorld presents a comprehensive weekly roundup of regional stories around our Broadway World, which include videos, editor spotlights, regional reviews and more. This week, we feature BIG FISH, SISTER ACT, HAND TO GOD and more!

Not only does actress Karen Ziemba have a career for the history books, but her work in 2017 alone has been jam-packed with credits most performers would trade their career for. Since making her Broadway debut in A CHORUS LINE in 1975, Ms. Ziemba has worked steadily on the stages of New York, starring in everything from CRAZY FOR YOU to CONTACT to CURTAINS. Now back on the road in IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS, I caught up with the actress about her transition from song-and-dance starlet to larger-than-life character roles.

For most young actors, it takes many years of pounding the hot New York City pavement to catch their big break after college. And for many, that big break may never come. But just one year into her pursuit of a Bachelors of Fine Arts at Rider University, spunky songstress Lyndie Moe landed the dream of a lifetime: playing the iconic role of Maureen Johnson in the national tour of RENT. I caught up with Lyndie in Milwaukee, Wisconsin after only a few weeks on her journey with RENT, and although the professional credits on her resume may be few (for now), her dreams and dedication are clear!

FEARnyc, New York City's most terrifying horror film festival, has announced the lineup for the 2017 festival. Sponsored by Bloody Disgusting and Dread Central, FEARnyc will be held October 27-29, 2017 at The Producer's Club Sonnet Theater in Times Square.

WaterTower Theatre Board President Paul Shultz announced today that Managing Director Gregory Patterson will be leaving WaterTower Theatre at the conclusion of his current contract on September 30, 2017.

Dallas Theater Center presents the world premiere of Hood: The Robin Hood Musical Adventure, a new musical comedy written and directed by five-time Tony-nominated playwright Douglas Carter Beane with music and lyrics by Lewis Flinn. The production runs through Sunday, August 6, at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre.

Bette is back! The Dallas/Fort Worth tour of Camilla Carr's award-winning play, starring Morgana Shaw and directed by Ryan Matthieu Smith, continues. “Bette” will run two nights only, at 8 p.m. August 11-12, at Stage West in Fort Worth. Following the Stage West presentation, “All About Bette” moves to the Stone Cottage Theatre in Addison. The performances will be August 18, 19, 25 and 26 at 8 p.m.

BroadwayWorld presents a comprehensive weekly roundup of regional stories around our Broadway World, which include videos, editor spotlights, regional reviews and more. This week, we feature BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, HOOD, PIPPIN, and more!

This summer, Brian Charles Rooney will star as Miss Blanche, in the Premiere of the solo musical, Miss Blanche Tells It All by Jason Jacobs & Matthew C. Pritchard. Directed by Gisela Cardenas, with musical direction by Robert Frost and choreography by Nicole Curcio, it will begin performances as part of this year New York Musical Festival (NYMF) beginning July 12 at Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Playwrights Horizons (416 W 42nd St).

With the challenges of putting a brand new musical on its feet, finding a moment where actress Alysha Umphress could steal away from rehearsal for this interview was a challenge of its own. And when we did connect, it was not without technical difficulties on my end, and a coffee spilling fiasco on her end as she prepared for her long day of rehearsal. Through it all, Alysha, who has appeared on Broadway in AMERICAN IDIOT, ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER, PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT, BRING IT ON and ON THE TOWN (starring opposite DFW's Jay Armstrong Johnson), was upbeat, down-to-earth, excited to talk about her new big gig, and just as happy to humor me with stories from her early career.

This summer, Brian Charles Rooney will star as Miss Blanche, in the Premiere of the solo musical, Miss Blanche Tells It All by Jason Jacobs & Matthew C. Pritchard. Directed by Gisela Cardenas, with musical direction by Robert Frost and choreography by Nicole Curcio, it will begin performances as part of this year New York Musical Festival (NYMF) beginning July 12 at Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Playwrights Horizons (416 W 42nd St).