David Zinn News

THE NOTEBOOK will play Keller Auditorium in Portland from March 10–15, 2026. The Broadway musical features music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson and a book by Bekah Brunstetter.

The heightened reality replete with elongated pauses –(do people really wait this long in real life to answer one another?) that emanates from the stage of the Pulitzer- Prize and Tony -winning production of Stereophonic –now being produced in a touring /edited two hour and 50-minute version at the National Theatre-- certainly grabbed my attention.

The Critics' Circle has announced the nominations for the 2026 Theatre Awards, highlighting outstanding theatrical achievements.

History will record that in 1976, a rock group named Fleetwood Mac, three men and two women, three Brits and two Americans, congregated with an engineer and staff at a recording studio in Sausalito, north of San Francisco, to begin recording a new album.

THE NOTEBOOK, a new musical adaptation of the beloved novel and film, will grace the stage at The Paramount Theatre in Seattle from March 3-8, as part of the 25-26 Broadway series.

February is going to be an exciting month for Des Moines Performing Arts, as not one, but two Tony Award winners for best musical make their debut on the Civic Center stage. They are opening the month with a week-long run of the 2023 winner for Best Musical, 'Kimberly Akimbo.' If the lead-up activities, like turning their stage into a 90's dance club and a roller skating night, are any indication of how great this show is, then Des Moines Audiences are in for a treat.

The Museum of Broadway has announced a redesign of its permanent costume exhibit will exclusively feature costumes worn by iconic Black performers in celebration of Black History Month.

Second Stage Theater has just announced casting for the final two roles in its upcoming production of Gina Gionfriddo’s BECKY SHAW, directed  by Trip Cullman. Emmy Award-nominee Madeline Brewer (You, The Handmaid’s Tale) will play the title role of  Becky Shaw, and Tony Award-winner Lauren Patten (Jagged Little Pill, 2ST’s Days of Rage) will play the role of  Suzanna.  

The 1/52 Project has opened applications for its 2026 grant cycle supporting early-career theatre designers from historically excluded groups. Founded by Beowulf Boritt, the OBIE Award-winning program provides financial grants of up to $17,500.

Stereophonic, the 2024 Tony Award-winning Best Play, will make its Connecticut premiere at Waterbury's Palace Theater as part of a U.S. National Tour. 

Adapted from Nicholas Sparks' ubiquitous 1996 novel (and its popular 2004 film iteration featuring Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling), THE NOTEBOOK - THE MUSICAL re-stages a generational love story into a quietly sweeping, memory-fractured stage romance that subtly promotes emotional accumulation over plot novelty. Now on stage at OC's Segerstrom Center for the Arts, this 2024 three-time Tony-nominated Broadway musical's first national tour continues performances in Costa Mesa through February 8, 2026.

STEREOPHONIC,  the 2024 Tony Award-winning Best Play, opens its Chicago premiere today at Broadway In Chicago's CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.) for a two-week limited engagement, running through February 8.

New York City Center Encores! is giving a first look inside the rehearsal room for High Spirits. Watch videos of the star-studded cast singing 'You Better Love Me,' 'Where is the Man I Married?,' and 'Go Into Your Trance.'

'Kimberly Akimbo,” winner of five 2023 Tony Awards including Best Musical and the most critically acclaimed musical of its season, will make its Madison premiere at Overture Center for the Arts.

New York City Center Encores! is presenting High Spirits, directed by Tony Award nominee Jessica Stone and Encores! Music Director Mary-Mitchell Campbell. Get a look inside the first day with the orchestra here!

KIMBERLY AKIMBO, winner of five 2023 Tony Awards, including BEST MUSICAL and the most critically acclaimed musical of its season, will make its East Lansing premiere in Wharton Center's Cobb Great Hall from March 10-15, 2026.

New York City Center will present its 2025–2026 Winter/Spring season. From the Tony-honored Encores! series to internationally acclaimed dance companies and singular ballet artists, the season brings unforgettable performances to its stage.

STEREOPHONIC, which is now on stage at the Connor Palace, is a 4-act, 3-hour production, was written by American playwright David Adjmi, with music composed by Will Butler.  

It is no wonder so many movies, tv shows, and musicals start out as the written word. I would argue the best stories are those that draw you in and keep you engaged from start to finish, regardless of how long it takes to finish. Perhaps that is why when I first read The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks in high school, I read it in one day. Reading the book so long ago led me to watch the movie with equal enthusiasm which leads me now to the performance hall of DCPA's Buell Theatre for the National Touring production of this new classic.

The national tour of Kimberly Akimbo has released a new look at the show's national tour, starring Ann Morrison in the title role. Watch the video! A winner of five 2023 Tony Awards including Best Musical, the musical was the most critically-acclaimed musical of its season.