David Darrow News

Lynn Nottage's 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, Sweat, performing at American Conservatory Theater's Geary Theater now through Sunday, October 21, 2018. 

Several years ago, I remember watching the Tony Awards and seeing Broadway power couple Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker presenting the award for Best Score and getting all giddy and nerdy over it because "NEW SONGS!" Well that's how I feel every summer at Village Theatre's Festival of New Musicals. I get to see what's out there up and coming and maybe get to walk away seeing a new gem. And this year was no exception with a couple of shows blowing me away. Now, of course, these are workshops and staged readings of shows, so we cannot really review them, but I can at least tell you what they offered us.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) announced today casting for Lynn Nottage's 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, Sweat, performing at A.C.T.'s Geary Theater (415 Geary St., San Francisco) September 26-October 21, 2018.

With one week left until The 18th Annual Festival of New Musicals, Village Theatre is excited to announce this summer's casting and creative teams! Tony Award-winner Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza) will direct Hansel & Gretl & Heidi & Gu?nter, a hilarious family adventure of what happens after Hansel and Gretl escape. Village Theatre's new artistic director Jerry Dixon (If/Then, Once on this Island) will direct the kick-off show Elysium: An American Fable, the moving story of a family dying under the weight of their own secrets; and associate artistic director Brandon Ivie (Jasper in Deadland) will direct The Passage, a coming-of-age mystery about a boy battling a monster holding his father captive. Joining them will be music directors Jason Hart (American Psycho), Rona Siddiqui (Bella: An American Tall Tale), R.J. Tancioco (Here Lies Love), and resident music director Tim Symons (Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion), among others.

Village Theatre is excited to announce the lineup for The 18th Annual Festival of New Musicals, a series of five staged readings of musicals currently in development. The Festival will take place in Issaquah on August 10-12, 2018.

Asolo Rep continues its 2017-18 season with the celebrated American musical RAGTIME. Directed by Peter Rothstein, founding artistic director of Theater Latte Da in Minneapolis, RAGTIME features a book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, who all garnered Tony Awards for the production. The original Broadway production was directed by Frank Galati, who received a Tony nomination for his work and is an Associate Artist at Asolo Rep. A collaboration with Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, RAGTIME is currently on stage through May 27 in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. Check out photos of the new production below!

RAGTIME is such an underrated piece of art. Although written in 1996 and staged for Broadway in 1998, it is almost prophetic in its reflection of the social unrest, racism and immigration sanctions prevalent in our world today. Based on the 1975 novel by E. L. Doctorow, with a book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, RAGTIME is as relevant today as it was when first conceived. Its timelessness is a credit to its brilliant and perceptive writing, albeit a sad commentary of our present society which has not learned from its past and has not progressed much in civility or compassion.

Asolo Rep continues its 2017-18 season with the celebrated American musical RAGTIME. Directed by Peter Rothstein, founding artistic director of Theater Latte Da in Minneapolis, RAGTIME features a book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, who all garnered Tony Awards for the production. The original Broadway production was directed by Frank Galati, who received a Tony nomination for his work and is an Associate Artist at Asolo Rep. A collaboration with Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, RAGTIME is currently on stage through May 27 in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. Check out photos of the new production below!

Asolo Rep continues its 2017-18 season with the celebrated American musical RAGTIME. Directed by Peter Rothstein, founding artistic director of Theater Latte Da in Minneapolis, RAGTIME features a book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, who all garnered Tony Awards for the production. The original Broadway production was directed by Frank Galati, who received a Tony nomination for his work and is an Associate Artist at Asolo Rep. A collaboration with Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, RAGTIME previews May 1 - 3, opens May 4 and runs through May 27 in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. 

An invitation-only sneak peak of TILL SOON, ANNE (book and lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson, music by Bobby Cronin) will take place as part of the Dramatists Guild's 'Today Night Footlights' series on January 5, 2018 in New York City. Johnson and Cronin, along with Wade McCollum (ERNEST SHACKLETON LOVES YOU), Jaygee Macapugay (SCHOOL OF ROCK), Devin Ilaw (MISS SAIGON), Lauren Elder (SIDE SHOW), Cat Brindisi (THE PASSAGE) and David Darrow (book/music/lyrics writer of THE PASSAGE) will be singing songs from the show with William Demaniow at the piano and David Darrow on guitar.

An invitation-only sneak peak of TILL SOON, ANNE (book and lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson, music by Bobby Cronin) will take place as part of the Dramatists Guild's 'Friday Night Footlights' series on January 5, 2018 in New York City. Johnson and Cronin, along with Wade McCollum (ERNEST SHACKLETON LOVES YOU), Jaygee Macapugay (SCHOOL OF ROCK), Devin Ilaw (MISS SAIGON), Lauren Elder (SIDE SHOW), Cat Brindisi (THE PASSAGE) and David Darrow (book/music/lyrics writer of THE PASSAGE) will be singing songs from the show with William Demaniow at the piano and David Darrow on guitar.

Leave your troubles at the door and just enjoy this entertaining spectacle.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre presents its 29th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, set for today, October 19, and tomorrow, October 20, 2017 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). The Festival kicked off yesterday, October 18, with its celebrated concert, The 46th Minute.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre kicks off the 29th Annual Festival of New Musicals with its celebrated The 46th Minute concert tonight, October 18th, at 6:30 pm directed by Branden Huldeen and produced for NAMT by Ciera Iveson with Karin Nilo.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre (Betsy King Militello, Executive Director) is thrilled to announce this year's line-up for the MIDDAY CABARETS and SONGWRITERS SHOWCASE hosted byCome From Away's Caesar Samayoa, which are part of the 29th annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS. The Festival will take place on Thursday, October 19 and Friday, October 20, 2017 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues).

National Alliance for Musical Theatre announces additional casting for the 29th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, which takes place on Thursday, October 19 and Friday, October 20, 2017 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). The Festival kicks off on Wednesday, October 18 with its celebrated concert, The 46th Minute.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre will kick off the 29th Annual Festival of New Musicals with its celebrated The 46th Minute concert on October 18th at 6:30 pm directed by Branden Huldeen and produced for NAMT by Ciera Iveson with Karin Nilo.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre (Betsy King Militello, Executive Director) is thrilled to announce the line-up of directors and initial casting for the 29th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, which takes place on Thursday, October 19 and Friday, October 20, 2017 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). The Festival kicks off on Wednesday, October 18 with its celebrated concert, The 46th Minute.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre (Betsy King Militello, Executive Director) is thrilled to announce the line-up of new musicals for their 29th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, which takes place on Thursday, October 19 and Friday, October 20, 2017 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). The Festival will kick off on Wednesday, October 18 with its celebrated concert, The 46th Minute.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre has announced the line-up of new musicals for their 29th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, which takes place on Thursday, October 19 and Friday, October 20, 2017 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). The Festival will kick off on Wednesday, October 18 with its celebrated concert, The 46th Minute.