Des McAnuff News

The Original Broadway Cast Recording of the new musical Ain't Too Proud The Life and Times of The Temptations will be released by UMe this spring. The album, which was recorded earlier this year, is available for pre-orders beginning today, and will be released on March 21 on physical CDs, sold exclusively at the Imperial Theatre (249 West 45th Street), with the digital album available on March 22. The CD will be available in wide release on April 19, and a double-LP vinyl will be available on June 7.

Beginning on first preview, tomorrow, Thursday, February 28, Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations will launch a $42 digital lottery and a $29 in-person student rush ticket policy.

Ain't Too Proud is heading for Broadway! The musical, about the life of The Temptations, will play Broadway's Imperial Theatre beginning Thursday, February 28, 2019, with an official Opening Night set for Thursday, March 21, 2019.

Midnight Theatricals has annouced an updated performance schedule and released a new trailer for WE ARE THE TIGERS, the original pop/rock musical and teen horror comedy written & composed by Preston Max Allen and produced by S. Asher Gelman, that will open Off-Broadway at Theater 80 (80 St. Mark's Place) tonight at 8:00PM Michael Bello directs the pitch-black comedy about a dismally low-ranking team of cheerleaders trying to survive the night while being terrorized by a serial killer. Music supervision and arrangements are by Patrick Sulken. The production began previews on Thursday, February 7, 2019, and will run through April 17. www.tigersmusical.com

The cast of the UK and Ireland tour of Jersey Boys arrived at the Edinburgh Playhouse in true Scottish style yesterday, ahead of their two week run. Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers based on the Royal Mile kindly donated kilts and accessories to the Four Seasons Michael Watson (Frankie Valli), Simon Bailey (Tommy DeVito), Lewis Griffiths (Nick Massi) and Declan Egan (Bob Gaudio) who will play to over 27,000 people across the run!

Dates have been announced for the Charlotte return of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, playing Ovens Auditorium Dec. 6-8, 2019.

Now entering its 28th year, Broadway Theatre Project (BTP) announces Ben Vereen will rejoin the visiting faculty team in 2019.  During the 28 years BTP has been educating young artists, Ben has served in a variety of capacities: as a Master Artist, Artistic Advisor to the Project, and Co-Artistic Director. BTP's faculty members in 2019 include dancers and choreographers, vocal technique teachers as well as coaches, directors, playwrights, casting directors, and talent agents and an award winning photographer. The 2019 Summer Apprenticeship program is being held June 23-July 14 on the campus of the University of South Florida. Applications and recorded auditions are due March 1st.  Requests for exceptions should be addressed to Debra McWaters, Co-Artistic Director, at 888-874-1764.   

Ghostlight Records has announced the release of Unbreakable - Original Cast Recording in physical, digital and streaming formats today, Friday, February 8. Spanning 120 years of unsung history, Unbreakable is an epic choral work exploring the gay experience in America through the words and music of Andrew Lippa.

Life is changing for Frank and Stella. On the day of Frank's retirement party, this once loving and simple couple find themselves pulled in different directions as the winds of change blow through Joy, Illinois.

Today, influencer and talent manager ChiChi Anyanwu of the NYC Black Theater Network, Marcia Pendelton, President of Walk Tall Girl Productions/Black Theater Online, and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (Kevin Young, Director, Schomburg Center) announced BLACK PLAYWRIGHTS: THEY SPEAK. WHO LISTENS? A Black Theater Winter Preview: Broadway and Off-Broadway Edition. The event is scheduled at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (515 Malcolm X Blvd) on Monday, January 28, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. Four-time Tony Award-winning producer Ron Simons of SimonSays Entertainment (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Porgy & Bess, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Jitney) will host the program whose purpose is to bring attention to the unprecedented number of plays by black playwrights being produced on Broadway and Off-Broadway this season.

Ghostlight Records has announced the release of Unbreakable - Original Cast Recording in physical, digital and streaming formats on Friday, February 8.

City Circle Theatre Company of Coralville will present the rock musical, The Who's Tommy on February 15-17 at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts.

JERSEY BOYS is coming to Oklahoma on February 18th, 2019.

This season, Blank Canvas will welcome four female directors to its staff! Blank Canvas theater is committed to fostering a diverse and equitable theater community.

The 2005 jukebox musical is making it's way to Oklahoma on February 18th, 2019.

The McCallum Theatre announces the return engagement for Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS for eight performances, January 15 through January 20.  Opening night performance on Tuesday, January 15 is presented through the generosity of Jerry and Sarah Mathews. JERSEY BOYS is the behind-the-music story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. They were just four guys from Jersey, until they sang their very first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard, and the radio just couldn't get enough. But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a very different story, a story that has made them an international sensation all over again. The show features all their hits including "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Oh What a Night," "Walk Like a Man," "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" and "Working My Way Back to You."

Midnight Theatricals has announced full casting and the creative team for WE ARE THE TIGERS, an original pop/rock musical and teen horror comedy written & composed by Preston Max Allen and produced by S. Asher Gelman, that will make its New York Premiere Off-Broadway at Theater 80

Legend has it that when Frankie Valli, as lead singer, decided to enter into a business partnership with the keyboardist and songwriter Bob Gaudio, the musician asked Frankie "should we have somebody draw up a contract?" Frankie responds by offering his hand. "You want a contract? Here - a Jersey contract." Their handshake became a pact, cementing a relationship that has endured for close to 50 years.

Tickets will go on sale Friday, December 7 at 10A for the return engagement of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. The musical will make its much-anticipated return to the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC), May 10 - 12, 2019.   

The UC San Diego Department of Theatre and Dance presents Our Town, by Thornton Wilder and directed by Kim Walsh.