Welcome to BWW's exclusive talk show, BACKSTAGE WITH Richard Ridge. Follow Richard as he visits the theater's best and brightest in their dressing rooms, on their stages and favorite hang outs to talk about their lives, careers and all of the things you don't know, but want to know. In the special interview below, Richard welcomes 2015 Isabelle Stevenson recipient Stephen Schwartz!
Artists Repertory Theatre will bring its 2014/15 season to close with The Liar, an adaptation of Pierre Cornielle's 17th Century French comedy from the brilliant mind of David Ives, a playwright best known for hilarious adaptations and plays such as All In The Timing and Venus in Fur.
Kathy Evans, Founding Executive Director of Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, announced the 17 writers and 8 new musicals selected for the fifth summer of weeklong retreats. For eight consecutive weeks beginning July 5th, each writing team will have a residency in Rhinebeck, New York. Writers are provided a private home, transportation, food, and a $400 stipend. This year's writers include Obie winner Kirsten Childs, Tony nominee Elizabeth Davis, and 2015 Jonathan Larson award-winners Charlie Sohne, Tim Rosser, and Sam Willmott, who also just won the Kleban Prize.
The American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University will workshop and present a staged reading of the new musical "The Enlightenment of Percival von Schmootz" written by the Fred Ebb Award, Jonathan Larson Grant and Lorenz Hart Award-winning team Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond.
Pride Films and Plays has for the last five years celebrated unique voices in the annual Great Gay Play And Musical Contest with a festival of staged readings in the Hoover-Leppen Theater at Center on Halsted. This year, four new plays and one new musical were performed as enhanced staged readings to enthusiastic audiences.
Bucks County Playhouse (BCP) announces Bucks County's own John Augustine to return (The Hummingbird's Tour, 2014, Director) to the Bucks County Playhouse stage as 'Larry' in Stephen Sondheim's COMPANY, running May 29-June 21. Augustine will play alongside Broadway's Candy Buckley (Scandalous, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Cabaret) as 'Joanne'.
The historic journey comes to an end! Cornerstone Theater Company commences on the final three destinations, after stops in six diverse California cities, with its year-long world premiere adaption of Shakespeare's The Tempest, CALIFORNIA: THE TEMPEST, written by Cornerstone Co-Founder Alison Carey and directed by its Artistic Director Michael John Garces.
Arden Theatre Company announces a final list of performers for the Master Storyteller Award ceremony and concert on Monday, June 1, 2015. The award will be bestowed upon Composer and Lyricist Stephen Sondheim, who will accept the award at a ticketed ceremony and concert, which is a fundraising benefit for the Arden's extensive educational and outreach programs. Composer and Lyricist Jason Robert Brown will present Mr. Sondheim with the award.
The 2015 winners of the Lilly Awards, celebrating and honoring women of distinction in American theater, were announced today by The Lilly Awards Foundation. The winners will be celebrated at the 6th Annual Lilly Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 1, 2015 beginning at 5:00 p.m. at Playwrights Horizons (416 West 42nd Street) and hosted by double 2015 Tony Award nominee Lisa Kron (Fun Home). The ceremony will be live-streamed on the Lilly Awards website (www.thelillyawards.org) and HowlRound TV (www.Howlround.com/tv). #lillyawards #howlround
La Strada Ensemble Theater presents Rainbow Festival 2015: A Celebration of LGBT Theater, six programs of one act plays, readings and a workshop production of a new musical by various playwrights from across the United States beginning June 4-14 at Pub & Vine (formerly Bank on Mattison), 649 Mattison Avenue in Asbury Park.
A new concert series curated by the renowned Tony Award-winning composer, lyricist, conductor, and director, Jason Robert Brown. Each unique performance will incorporate an eclectic mix of material, featuring music from throughout his acclaimed career, along with new works in development. Brown revealed at last week's special concert that the company of Honeymoon in Vegas will reunite next month on June 8 (8pm).
Generations around the world have grown up with Fiddler on the Roof and such unforgettable, iconic songs as "If I Were a Rich Man" and "Sunrise, Sunset." But getting to the "final Fiddler" was a fascinating process, and on May 30, 31 and June 1-closing the 2015 Lyrics & Lyricists season-lyricist Sheldon Harnick takes us inside the creation and history of this cultural landmark.
A new concert series curated by the renowned Tony Award-winning composer, lyricist, conductor, and director, Jason Robert Brown. Each unique performance will incorporate an eclectic mix of material, featuring music from throughout his acclaimed career, along with new works in development. This performance, tonight, May 15, will feature Christopher Jackson (In The Heights, Hamilton) and Shoshana Bean at SubCulture.
IRT and Ricochet Collective announce the addition of Jody Flader (The Slug Bearers… at The Vineyard), to the cast of the World Premiere of GORDY CRASHES, by Sam Byron. Directed by Sherri Eden Barber, previews begin June 5 at IRT Theater with opening night slated for Friday, June 12. Flader replaces Clea Alsip, who leaves to join the cast of Neil Labute's The Way We Get By with Amanda Seyfried and Thomas Sadoski.
Palm Beach Dramaworks concludes its fifteenth anniversary season with Lanie Robertson's Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill, a moving and surprisingly joyous look back at the too-short, turbulent life of the legendary Billie Holiday. Lady Day opens at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre tonight, May 15 and continues through June 7.
Michael Harrison, David Ian and Nederlander Presentations, Inc. are delighted to announce the North American tour of the hit musical THE BODYGUARD. Directed by Thea Sharrock, the tour will launch in the fall of 2016.Michael Harrison, David Ian and Nederlander Presentations, Inc. have announced the North American tour of the hit musical THE BODYGUARD. Directed by Thea Sharrock, the tour will launch in the fall of 2016.
San Francisco-based playwright Lauren Gunderson will lead a talkback with the audience following the 8 p.m. performance of I and You tonight, May 14 at the Fountain Theatre.
The Downtown Urban Theater Festival (Reg E. Gaines, Artistic Director) will present its 13th annual season in New York City today, May 13th - 30th, 2015.
Artists Repertory Theatre will bring its 2014/15 season to close with The Liar, an adaptation of Pierre Cornielle's 17th Century French comedy from the brilliant mind of David Ives, a playwright best known for hilarious adaptations and plays such as All In The Timing and Venus in Fur.
There always seems to be so much to do in Nashville, from a creative and theatrical standpoint, we're often asked for recommendations of what's not to be missed on our calendar. Well, have no fear, gentle readers, we're at your service, at the ready to tell you of the shows you really should see this week and in the coming weeks…