David Gold News

One of my very favorite Christmas stories of all time is A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote about his boyhood growing up with his eccentric cousin Sook Faulk. Geraldine Page played Sook in a 1966 telefilm, and it was later remade for television in the 80s with Patty Duke. It is the Page version that stays with me, having left a lasting impression of the woman, the era and its fierce impact on humanity. Playwright Duane Poole has fashioned a retelling of the story with music by Larry Grossman and lyrics by Carol Hall in a new musical version of A Christmas Memory, now onstage at the Sierra Madre Playhouse through December 27. On this intimate stage with the orchestra in full view behind the actors, the flavor of the original story is well preserved by Alison Eliel Kalmus' fine direction and with a terrific ensemble.

A terrifically sung and designed mounting can't mask the lack of strong storytelling.

Penny Jackson's dark comedy I KNOW WHAT BOYS WANT, now playing at Theatre Row's Lion Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street, NYC, will host a talk-back about cyber bullying following the 3 PM Sunday matinee on July 26th lead by Nicholas Carlisle, the founder of No Bully, an evidence-based program that leverages student empathy to stop bullying and cyber bullying.  The No Bully System has created bully-free campuses for over 120,000 students.

THE NEW YORK MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL and DARK PROPHETS PRODUCTION LLC are pleased to announce an added extra performance to the world premiere production of Wearing Black, named by Backstage Magazine as one of the '10 Musical Highlights from NYMF', with book, music and lyrics by Riley Thomas (writer/composer of the sold out award-winning NYMF show STUCK, now a feature film starring Giancarlo Esposito, Amy Madigan and Ashanti.), music direction by Ben Caplan and directed by J. Scott Lapp (Broadway's Bonnie & Clyde; National Tours Murder for Two, Xanadu; Old Globe; La Jolla Playhouse; The Barn Stage  Company).

THE NEW YORK MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL and DARK PROPHETS PRODUCTION LLC are pleased to announce the world premiere production of Wearing Black, winner Best Original Score at FRIGID New York, with book, music and lyrics by Riley Thomas (writer/composer of the sold out award-winning NYMF show STUCK, now a feature film starring Giancarlo Esposito, Amy Madigan and Ashanti.), music direction by Ben Caplan and directed by J. Scott Lapp (Broadway's Bonnie & Clyde; National Tours Murder for Two, Xanadu; Old Globe; La Jolla Playhouse; The Barn Stage  Company).

THE NEW YORK MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL and DARK PROPHETS PRODUCTION LLC present the world premiere production of WEARING BLACK, winner Best Original Score at FRIGID New York, with book, music and lyrics by Riley Thomas (writer/composer of the sold out award-winning NYMF show STUCK, now a feature film starringGiancarlo Esposito, Amy Madigan and Ashanti.), music direction by Ben Caplan and directed by J. Scott Lapp(Broadway's Bonnie & Clyde; National Tours Murder for Two, Xanadu; Old Globe; La Jolla Playhouse; The Barn Stage Company). BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsal below!

For nearly three vigorous hours, MOTOWN - THE MUSICAL provides one helluva show. More like a CONCERT rather than your typical book musical, this dazzling, high-octane extravaganza of music and dance is a visual and aural feast that gamely crams in more than 60 hits from the groundbreaking record company's discography. The story---penned by Motown founder Berry Gordy himself---may be its lone weak spot, but there's no denying how fun it is to see and hear this impressive cast of quintuple-threats recreate these greatest hits live on stage. The rousingly entertaining, exuberantly-performed stage spectacular continues at Costa Mesa's Segerstrom Center for the Arts through June 28.

THE NEW YORK MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL and DARK PROPHETS PRODUCTION LLC are pleased to announce the world premiere production of Wearing Black, winner Best Original Score at FRIGID New York, with book, music and lyrics by Riley Thomas (writer/composer of the sold out award-winning NYMF show STUCK, now a feature film starring Giancarlo Esposito, Amy Madigan and Ashanti.), music direction by Ben Caplan and directed by J. Scott Lapp (Broadway's Bonnie & Clyde; National Tours Murder for Two, Xanadu; Old Globe; La Jolla Playhouse; The Barn Stage  Company).

New York: Deep Love: A Ghostly Rock Opera gets its NY premiere at this year's New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) in July. Deep Love: A Ghostly Rock Opera has music and lyrics by Ryan Hayes & Garrett Sherwood, book by Jon Peter Lewis, Ryan Hayes & Garrett Sherwood and will be co-directed by Jon Peter Lewis and Michael Rader, with musical direction by Ben Mathews and choreography by Ray Mercer. Deep Love: A Ghostly Rock Opera will play July 17 - July 24, 2015 at The Griffin Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street). 

Ego Actus will present the World Premiere of Penny Jackson's dark comedy I KNOW WHAT BOYS WANT at Theatre Row's Lion Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street, NYC, beginning performances on July 16th, opening July 18th at 8 PM and continuing through August 2nd. The Equity production will be directed by Joan Kane with scene design by David Goldstein, costumes by Caitlin Cisek, lights by Dennis Parichy, sound by Andy Evan Cohen, projections by Jim Marlow. The Stage Manager is Tyler Winthrop.

Actors Co-op is thrilled to announce its fifth and final show in its 2014-2015 season (and 23rd year of producing theatrical excellence in Los Angeles!) with AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, by Mark Brown (based on the novel by Jules Verne), produced by Thomas Chavira and directed by Rhonda Kohl. AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS will preview tonight, May 6 and Thursday, May 7 at 8pm and will open on Friday, May 8 at 8pm and run through Sunday, June 14 at the Actors Co-op David Schall Theatre, 1760 N. Gower St. (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

Actors Co-op is thrilled to announce its fifth and final show in its 2014-2015 season (and 23rd year of producing theatrical excellence in Los Angeles!) with AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, by Mark Brown (based on the novel by Jules Verne), produced by Thomas Chavira and directed by Rhonda Kohl. AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS will preview on Wednesday, May 6 and Thursday, May 7 at 8pm and will open on Friday, May 8 at 8pm and run through Sunday, June 14 at the Actors Co-op David Schall Theatre, 1760 N. Gower St. (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

First mounted in 1985 at Theatre West, Jim Beaver's Verdigris was critically acclaimed. He has since reworked the play and now in its second production 30 years later, Verdigris still holds up as a major exploration of the dysfunctional American family in both a serious and comic vein. Directed skillfully once more by Mark W. Travis and boasting a stellar ensemble cast, Verdigris remains a winner.

The New Zealand based theatrical company, Playground NZ, under the Artistic Direction of Sam Trubridge, has announced that it will be staging NEW ZEALAND NEW PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL, a ten day showcase of contemporary performance featuring nine different works belonging to award winning and internationally respected artists from New Zealand from dance to standup comedy and physical theatre to installation today, March 12th - March 29th at one of New York City's most exciting venues, LaMaMa.

The New Zealand based theatrical company, Playground NZ, under the Artistic Direction of Sam Trubridge, has announced that it will be staging NEW ZEALAND NEW PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL, a ten day showcase of contemporary performance featuring nine different works belonging to award winning and internationally respected artists from New Zealand from dance to standup comedy and physical theatre to installation, March 12th - March 29th at one of New York City's most exciting venues, LaMaMa.

'Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike' will be onstage at Paper Mill Playhouse from January 21st through February 15th. Broadwayworld.com had the opportunity to interview Mark Nelson who stars as Vanya in this touching and comical Tony Award winning play.

Any long-time theatregoer will have horror stories of audiences that got too enthusiastic at a show with well-known music, especially jukebox musicals made up of mostly pre-existing pop tunes. I've known people to hum or outright sing along, whoop, cheer and scream like they're at a concert, or even get up and dance in the aisles. At most shows, this behavior is frowned upon by other audience members, or suppressed by ushers. However, at 'Motown,' the Berry Gordy bio-musical, this engaged behavior is encouraged- hell, it's part of the show. You see, audiences at 'Motown' fill a triplicate role: first, the traditional audience at a play, watching the events unfold through the fourth wall; second, the (in-world) audience watching a Motown retrospective show; finally, the various real, historical audiences at performances by Motown artists, from Parisians getting to hear the first international performances by The Supremes, to a spontaneously integrated audience in the Deep South, at a Motown show interrupted by gunshots.

The new off-Broadway production of Soul Doctor, created by Daniel S. Wise, David Schechter, and Shlomo Carlebach and directed and choreographed by Mindy Cooper, opens tonight, December 14, at the Actors Temple Theatre, 339 West 47th Street.

The new off-Broadway production of Soul Doctor, created by Daniel S. Wise, David Schechter, and Shlomo Carlebach and directed and choreographed by Mindy Cooper, is currently in previews at the Actors Temple Theatre, 339 West 47th Street. Opening night is set for Sunday, December 14. Check out photos of the cast in action below!

The new off-Broadway production of Soul Doctor, created by Daniel S. Wise, David Schechter, and Shlomo Carlebach and directed and choreographed by Mindy Cooper, begins performances tonight, November 26, 2014. This new presentation of Soul Doctor will be performed in one act at the Actors Temple Theatre, 339 West 47th Street. With the venue's intimacy and spiritual setting, the show's story and vibrant music will captivate theatergoers. The opening is slated for Sunday, December 14.