Dan Elish News

Berkeley Playhouse presents the world premiere of BRIDGES: A NEW MUSICAL, with lyrics and book by Cheryl L. Davis (2009 Writers' Guild Award winner and Daytime Emmy Award nominee for As the World Turns), composed by Douglas J. Cohen (2005 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics for Off-Broadway's Children's Letters to God, Richard Rodgers Grants and the Gilman & Conzalez-Falla Theatre Foundation Award for Off-Broadway's No Way to Treat a Lady), and conceived by Founding Artistic Director Elizabeth McKoy (developer of new musical theatre works for Berkeley Playhouse including: Born And Raised, Bravado, and Just So Stories).

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma presents its first production of the 2016 season, MANN... AND WIFE. This world premiere musical, running tonight, February 3, through February 21 at Lyric's Plaza Theatre, is the third musical to have its first full production at Lyric in the past three years. Written by Douglas J. Cohen and Dan Elish, and based on Elish's novel Nine Wives, the musical is produced in partnership with Larry Hirschhorn and Jayson Raitt.

Before the musical's pre-Broadway premiere, the composer/lyricist received assistance in creating a main character from a student with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Tony Award-winning Composer Jason Robert Brown (The Bridges of Madison County, Parade) and acclaimed singer Shoshana Bean (Wicked, Hairspray) will perform a special One Night Only concert entitled 'JASON ROBERT BROWN IN CONCERT WITH SHOSHANA BEAN' on Monday, January 4th, 2016 at 8:30pm (Doors at 7:00pm).

BroadwayWorld is excited to report that Berkeley Playhouse will present the world premiere of BRIDGES: A NEW MUSICAL, with lyrics and book by Cheryl L. Davis (2009 Writers' Guild Award winner and Daytime Emmy Award nominee for As the World Turns), composed by Douglas J. Cohen (2005 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics for Off-Broadway's Children's Letters to God, Richard Rodgers Grants and the Gilman & Conzalez-Falla Theatre Foundation Award for Off-Broadway's No Way to Treat a Lady), and conceived by Founding Artistic Director Elizabeth McKoy (developer of new musical theatre works for Berkeley Playhouse including: Born And Raised, Bravado, and Just So Stories).

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma announces the cast and creative team of its first production of the 2016 season, MANN… AND WIFE. This world premiere musical, running February 3 through 21 at Lyric's Plaza Theatre, is the third musical to have its first full production at Lyric in the past three years. Written by Douglas J. Cohen and Dan Elish, and based on Elish's novel Nine Wives, the musical is produced in partnership with Larry Hirschhorn and Jayson Raitt.

Adding to its musical-themed programs EMPIRE and pilot series STAR, FOX has anounced that it has a script commitment for LEFT OF CENTER

Red House Arts Center presents 13: The Musical, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown and book by Dan Elish and Robert Horn, playing in its MainStage theatre from July 30th through August 8th. In this production, following a move from New York City to small-town Indiana, young Evan Goldman grapples with his parents' divorce, prepares for his impending Bar Mitzvah, and navigates the complicated social circles of a new school. 13: the Musical focuses on the fun-filled adventure of navigating through a world of cool kids & nerds, jocks & cheerleaders, first kisses & heartbreak. Will Evan come to understand how to survive the school year, not to mention, the rest of his life? 

This August, The Human Race Theatre Company begins a new chapter in its commitment to the development of new theatre with its first-ever Festival of New Works. This new festival combines the efforts of The Race's Musical Theatre Workshops and its Marsha Hanna New Plays Workshops into a unified program. 'It allows us to showcase what we do-musicals and plays-at one time of year,' says Human Race President and Artistic Director Kevin Moore. 'It's a better use of our resources and personnel. Plus, it creates a greater, more diverse experience for our audiences.' The 2015 Festival of New Works presents a collection of readings of five scripts-three plays and two musicals-by local, national and international writers. Readings will be held in the 60-seat Caryl D. Philips Creativity Center of The Human Race and The 212-seat Loft Theatre in downtown Dayton.

After a sold-out initial run in Thousand Oaks, Panic! Productions is bringing its hit production of Jason Robert Brown's musical '13' to the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood for two performances, today and tomorrow, May 8 and 9.

Today, we begin the 5 SONGS BY... series with multiple Tony Award-winning composer, lyricist and orchestrator Jason Robert Brown who discusses his work on the fan favorite two-character musical THE LAST FIVE YEARS which was recently translated into a successful movie musical iteration earlier this year and is now available on DVD and Blu-ray as well as comments on selections from his stage musicals SONGS FROM A NEW WORLD, PARADE, 13 and THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY.

Composer Jason Robert Brown has built quite a catalog of his own songs, having written the music to such Broadway shows as Parade, Honeymoon in Vegas, The Bridges of Madison County, and many more, but now he is branching out into the works of the Piano Man himself. Brown recently released his own covers of songs from Billy Joel's 'The Stranger' album- check them out below! He writes on his official website:

After a sold-out initial run in Thousand Oaks, Panic! Productions is bringing its hit production of Jason Robert Brown's musical "13" to the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood for two performances, May 8 and 9. The high-energy show, with a cast of 19 teens, features music and lyrics by Tony Award-winner Jason Robert Brown, with a book by Dan Elish and Robert Horn. The production is directed by Broadway and Hollywood veteran Barry Pearl, with choreography by Keenon Hooks and musical direction by Diann Alexander.

MANN... AND WIFE, a new musical by Douglas J. Cohen and Dan Elish based on Elish's novel Nine Wives, will receive its world premiere at Lyric's Plaza Theatre in February of 2016. This musical will continue the new works initiative started in 2014 with TRIANGLE by Tom Mizer, Curtis Moore, and Joshua Scher and continuing in October 2015 with BERNICE BOBS HER HAIR by Adam Gwon and Julia Jordan.

Panic! Productions continues its third season with the musical '13,' tonight, April 10 through 19 at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts in Thousand Oaks. The high-energy show, with a cast of 19 teens, features music and lyrics by Tony Award-winner Jason Robert Brown, with a book by Dan Elish and Robert Horn. The production is directed by Broadway and Hollywood veteran Barry Pearl, with choreography by Keenon Hooks and musical direction by Diann Alexander.

Jason Robert Brown revealed in concert on Friday night at SubCulture in New York City that he is at work on a new musical adaptation of the 1992 Tom Hanks film, A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. No word yet as to when we may hear the Tony Award-winner's score or who else is on the creative team.

Panic! Productions continues its third season with the musical "13," April 10 through 19 at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts in Thousand Oaks. The high-energy show, with a cast of 19 teens, features music and lyrics by Tony Award-winner Jason Robert Brown, with a book by Dan Elish and Robert Horn. The production is directed by Broadway and Hollywood veteran Barry Pearl, with choreography by Keenon Hooks and musical direction by Diann Alexander.

Jason Robert Brown's 2011 high-powered concert with Tony winner Anika Noni Rose, recorded at New York City's historic Abrons Art Center, is now available to stream or download for $5, the three-time Tony-winning composer announced today on his official website. Click here for the concert!

This January on THIRTEEN and WLIW, three-time Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown makes his broadcast television debut in a high-powered concert with Tony winner Anika Noni Rose. Recorded in 2011 at New York City's historic Abrons Art Center, Brown and Rose and a band of some of Broadway's greatest musicians perform Brown's best-known and most-loved selections from The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World, 13, Wearing Someone Else's Clothes and his new Broadway smash Honeymoon In Vegas! Also tune in to hear the world premiere of four new songs from Brown's forthcoming second solo CD.

This January on THIRTEEN and WLIW, three-time Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown makes his broadcast television debut in a high-powered concert with Tony winner Anika Noni Rose. Recorded in 2011 at New York City's historic Abrons Art Center, Brown and Rose and a band of some of Broadway's greatest musicians perform Brown's best-known and most-loved selections from The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World, 13, Wearing Someone Else's Clothes and his new Broadway smash Honeymoon In Vegas! Also tune in to hear the world premiere of four new songs from Brown's forthcoming second solo CD.