Colin Donnell News

The American Repertory Theater is pleased to announce the cast for Johnny Baseball, a world premiere musical about the Red Sox, with music by Robert Reale, lyrics by Willie Reale, book by Richard Dresser, story by Richard Dresser and Willie Reale, with musical direction and vocal arrangements by Wendy Bobbitt Cavett; musical arrangements by Bruce Coughlin.

The Wicked Witch of the West has arrived in Dayton, but her mayhem is limited to the Mead Theatre of the Schuster Center. The national tour of Wicked plays from now until March 7th and it is definitely a show not to be missed.

With the strains of 'Auld Lang Syne' mere moments away, minds are apt to be caught up in reflection, remembering the year now ending as a new one awaits just over the horizon. Certainly that's what I've been doing lately, looking back over the past year in Nashville theatre as I pencil in dates in my new 2010 (Here's a question to ponder: Is it 'two thousand ten' or 'twenty ten'...think about it and get back to me) calendar for the shows set to open in the months ahead.

The 2nd National Tour of Wicked will welcome a new Boq and a new Wizard beginning December 9 in Schenectady, New York. Don Amendolia will step into the role of Wizard following Tom McGowan's exit, while Zach Hanna assumes the part of Boq from Ted Ely.

Everything you've heard about Wicked is true; it's an awe-inspiring stage spectacle filled with special effects, gorgeous sets and lighting, exquisite costumes, an amazingly gifted cast, a glorious musical score and an immensely entertaining, yet slightly irreverent (and maybe even a little subversive) script. It also has plot points so broad that you could drive a freight train through them, but if you're willing to suspend disbelief and allow yourself to become totally immersed in the phenomenon, you can't help but walk away tremendously satisfied, humming those wonderful tunes and having a sort of 'which came first: the chicken or the egg' debate with your companions.

Wicked opened its run at Nashville's Tennessee Performing Arts Center Wednesday with a capacity crowd enjoying the performance by the Second National Touring Company in Andrew Jackson Hall. Opening night also featured the inaugural Nashville.BroadwayWorld.com First Night Theatre Event, with some 25 theatre devotees attending the show, with cocktails and hors d'oevres before curtain and a dessert/champagne reception afterward.

Don't tell Marcie Dodd and Helene Yorke (Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, in the second national company of Wicked), but during every performance Colin Donnell, aka Fiyero, has a ritual, 'a tradition' if you will, that he follows. He stands in the wings and watches his two leading ladies in a scene 'and everytime I do it, it gives me chills,' he says, 'it sort of reminds me what's going on with the show and why I'm doing it. They inspire me.'

The 2nd North American tour of the worldwide smash WICKED will land at the Tulsa Chapman Music Hall from July 15-August 9, 2009.

The 2nd North American tour of the worldwide smash WICKED will land at the Tulsa Chapman Music Hall from July 15-August 9, 2009.

The 2nd North American tour of the worldwide smash WICKED launches at the Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers, FL on March 7, and runs through March 29, 2009. A limited number of seats are still available for all performances and can be purchased at the box office, by calling (239) 481-4849 or online at www.bbmannpah.com. Stephen Schwartz discusses the story behind the story of WICKED with Florida Weekly Online, you can read it by clicking here.

The 2nd North American tour of the worldwide smash WICKED launches at the Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers, FL on March 7, and runs through March 29, 2009.

The 2nd North American tour of the worldwide smash WICKED launches at the Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers, FL on March 7, and runs through March 29, 2009. A limited number of seats are still available for all performances and can be purchased at the box office, by calling (239) 481-4849 or online at www.bbmannpah.com.

The Producers of the worldwide smash WICKED announced casting for the 2nd North American Tour today. The role of Elphaba will be played by Marcie Dodd and the role of Glinda will be played by Helene Yorke. Playing the role of Madame Morrible will be Marilyn Caskey and The Wizard will be played by Tom McGowan.

Plain Language Productions, Inc. will present a reading of the new musical, SILAS, (www.silasthemusical.com) based on George Eliot's novel Silas Marner, on Friday, December 5th at 11a.m. and 3:30p.m.

Monday December 1st ASTEP@NYU will host a benefit concert at the Triad Theater. This exciting cabaret style show will feature the talents of 'Tale of Two Cities' alum Anne Tolpegin, Rebecca Robbins, Alison Cimmet, Michael Halling, Randy Glass, and Kevin Greene as well as Autumn Hurlbert (Legally Blonde), Andy Kelso (Mamma Mia), Colin Donnell (Jersey Boys, Pride & Prejudice), Alice Lee, Emma Hunton, Gabe Violett, and Zach Reiner-Harris (Spring Awakening), and Jessica Grove (Sunday in the Park with George). Additional performers include Shauna Goodgold, Jacob Hoffman, and Kimberly Moye.

ASTEP@NYU utilizes the diverse and rich pool of talent in its community to support ASTEP's mission and sustain the arts in underprivileged communities.

Plain Language Productions, Inc. will present a reading of the new musical, SILAS, (www.silasthemusical.com) based on George Eliot's novel Silas Marner, on Friday, December 5th at 11a.m. and 3:30p.m.

Monday December 1st ASTEP@NYU will host a benefit concert at the Triad Theater. This exciting cabaret style show will feature the talents of 'Tale of Two Cities' alum Anne Tolpegin, Rebecca Robbins, Alison Cimmet, Michael Halling, Randy Glass, and Kevin Greene as well as Autumn Hurlbert (Legally Blonde), Andy Kelso (Mamma Mia), Colin Donnell (Jersey Boys, Pride & Prejudice), Alice Lee, Emma Hunton, Gabe Violett, and Zach Reiner-Harris (Spring Awakening), and Jessica Grove (Sunday in the Park with George). Additional performers include Shauna Goodgold, Jacob Hoffman, and Kimberly Moye.

Plain Language Productions, Inc. will present a reading of the new musical, SILAS, (www.silasthemusical.com) based on George Eliot's novel Silas Marner, on Friday, December 5th at 11a.m. and 3:30p.m.

A one-night-only concert performance Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, The New Musical on Tuesday, October 21, at Rochester, NY's historic Eastman Theatre earned a lengthy standing ovation from its full house of almost 3,000, and drew glowing reviews from local press.