Debbie Allen News

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announced the full cast for the world premiere of Marcus Gardley's every tongue confess, which opens the new Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle, the third theater space in the Mead Center.

The award-winning Billie Holiday Theatre launches its 39th season on October 15, with the world premiere of Jackie Alexander's play Brothers from the Bottom. The Equity production, also directed by Jackie Alexander, will open October 28 and run through December 19 at the 200-seat Billie Holiday Theatre, Restoration Plaza, 1368 Fulton Street, Brooklyn; Thursday - Saturday at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 3:00pm, and Sundays at 4:00pm, with tickets $15 - $25, available at zerve.com/BHolidayInc/Brothers.

The first national tour of the current Broadway production of WEST SIDE STORY is coming to Omaha. WEST SIDE STORY will be presented at the Orpheum Theater October 19 - 24, 2010 by Omaha Performing Arts and Broadway Across America. Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents' Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater presents the world premiere of Marcus Gardley's every tongue confess, which opens the new Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle, the third theater space in the Mead Center.

Producers Tony Ponturo and Fran Kirmser will present LOMBARDI at Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre this fall starring Dan Lauria as Vince Lombardi and Judith Light as Marie Lombardi, written by Academy Award winning playwright Eric Simonson and directed by Tony Award nominee Thomas Kail.

Northrop Dance at the University of Minnesota presents American Ballet Theatre's ABT II on Sat, Oct 9 at 8:00 pm at Northrop.

The lights have barely dimmed on Alliance Theater's production of Twist, Debbie Allen's New Orleans 1928 rendition of the Charles Dickens' classic, and the director/choreographer has already announced the Premier of The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker, her hilarious and culturally rich take on the perennial holiday classic.

The lights have barely dimmed on Alliance Theater's production of Twist, Debbie Allen's New Orleans 1928 rendition of the Charles Dickens' classic, and the director/choreographer has already announced the Premier of The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker, her hilarious and culturally rich take on the perennial holiday classic. The show will run at UCLA's Royce Hall from December 9, 2010 to December 11, 2010, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefitting the children of the Debbie Allen Dance Academy (www.debbieallendanceacademy.com) and the greater Los Angeles community.

The New York Times now has further details, including word that the Stafford Arima directed production is aiming for Off Broadway, produced by MCC and to play the Lucille Lortel Theater. Seller and McCollum are no longer involved with the production which has said to be further revamped, including the removal of the ACT II opener - Out for Blood. Click here for the full scoop!

Tony Award nominated actress Debbie Allen will direct the new musical TWIST at the Alliance Theatre from September 1 through October 3 as a part of the 2010-2011 season.

Northrop Dance at the University of Minnesota presents American Ballet Theatre's ABT II on Sat, Oct 9 at 8:00 pm at Northrop.

Fame star and sometimes So You Think You Can Dance choreographer will direct an episode of the CW's Hellcats, according to E! Online. Reportedly, Allen will incorporate a large musical dance number into the episode.

Reworking a classic story is not a new concept in the theatre world. Just ask the creators of Wicked or West Side Story. Taking something that audiences are already familiar with and turning it on its ear can be quite a task and is not without its challenges. First, there are the constant comparisons to the source material (or previous adaptations). Next, there is the daunting task to "reinvent" the plot and bring audiences on a fresh and new journey. But with the Alliance Theatre's premiere of Twist - an American Musical (a modern, American take on Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist) they beat the odds and have created a magical tapestry of music, story and life that, even with a classic tale at its heart, feels like a something completely new.

On September 1, 2010 The Alliance Theatre opened Twist for its Atlanta debut. Inspired by Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, and in the rich musical tradition of Jelly's Last Jam, this heart-warming musical brings award-winning director/choreographer Debbie Allen (Fame) back to the Alliance, following her hugely successful Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (winner of the 2010 Olivier Award for Best Revival). The production runs through October 3, 2010

As BroadwayWorld has previously reported, producers Jeffrey Seller and Kevin McCollum, resurrected the infamous flop musical CARRIE for an Equity reading that had a notoriously short 3 night, 5 performance run on Broadway in 1988. The reading took place on November 20, 2009. The hope is to bring 'Carrie' and her supernatural powers back to the Broadway stage.

The Alliance Theatre's 2010-11 Season kicks off with Twist - an American musical, inspired by the Dickens' classic Oliver Twist, set in New Orleans in 1928. There, while the Roaring 20s dance their way down Bourbon Street, an orphan in search of home finds family in the most unexpected of places. Twist is the story of the emotional struggle of an orphan, whose father was a black song-and-dance man and whose mother was a southern white aristocrat, seeking a place to belong and a family to love while guided by a fierce yearning for home.

On September 1, 2010 The Alliance Theatre opened Twist for its Atlanta debut. Inspired by Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, and in the rich musical tradition of Jelly's Last Jam, this heart-warming musical brings award-winning director/choreographer Debbie Allen (Fame) back to the Alliance, following her hugely successful Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (winner of the 2010 Olivier Award for Best Revival). The production runs through October 3, 2010. Check out the newly-released production photos below!

The first national tour of the current Broadway production of WEST SIDE STORY is coming to Omaha. WEST SIDE STORY will be presented at the Orpheum Theater October 19 - 24, 2010 by Omaha Performing Arts and Broadway Across America. Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents' Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

The Alliance Theatre will be presenting several events in the upcoming weeks, including: Twist and Midtown Block Party. Additional infortmation is listed below.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic's Creative Chair for Jazz Herbie Hancock closes his first season of jazz programming at the Hollywood Bowl with a triumphant celebration of his 70th birthday. Hosted by talk show giant Tavis Smiley, The all-star line-up includes special guests India.Arie, Juanes, Wayne Shorter, Esperanza Spalding, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Terence Blanchard, Jack DeJohnette, Alex Acuña, Zakir Hussain, Paulinho DaCosta, Niladri Kumar, the Debbie Allen Dance Academy and the Imagine Project Band.