Ed Kleban News

The talented HAMILTON ensemble member recently gave a world premiere performance of a lost Kleban/Hamlisch song.

What does a 'producer' actually do? How does one travel from that great idea for a show to a smash hit opening night on Broadway? John Breglio cannot guarantee you a hit, but he does take the reader on a fascinating journey behind-the-scenes to where he himself once stood as a child, dreaming about the theatre. 

After any given performance of Bright Star, we typically have between 20-40 people waiting at the stage door for autographs. It's interesting to observe how differently the people in our cast (and casts everywhere) deal with greeting fans at the stage door. Over the years, I've isolated a few categories:

The Minneapolis' Children's Theatre Company presents the new musical based on Jeff Kinney's best-selling book series, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, with a score byJonathan Larson Award andEd Kleban Award winner Joe Iconis (THE BLACK SUITS, THINGS TO RUIN), a book by Joe Tracz (BE MORE CHILL w/Iconis).

The Minneapolis' Children's Theatre Company presents the new musical based on Jeff Kinney's best-selling book series, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, with a score byJonathan Larson Award and Ed Kleban Award winner Joe Iconis (THE BLACK SUITS, THINGS TO RUIN), a book by Joe Tracz (BE MORE CHILL w/Iconis).

Skylight Theatre Company is proud to announce that they will be co-producing the World Premiere of Jesse Mu-En Shao's THE END TIMES, in collaboration with Jon Lawrence Rivera's Playwrights' Arena. This marks Jesse's first produced work. The collaboration between the two companies is a longtime in planning. Both companies pride themselves on nurturing and developing new works.

New Musicals at 54 is a series produced by Feinstein's/ 54 Below Programming Director Jennifer Ashley Tepper. Some of the 10 new and diverse musicals by a selection of today's most talented writers have had out-of-town productions, some have had workshops... now's your chance to be first to see them in NYC! Join us at New Musicals at 54 for one-night-only concerts celebrating each new show with songs, behind-the-scenes stories, and all-star casts!

James Houghton, Richard Rodgers Director ofJuilliard's Drama Division, announced today that Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire will join Marsha Normanas new co-director of Juilliard's Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program, beginning in the fall 2016 semester. Mr. Lindsay-Abaire, an alumnus of the program, will succeed Christopher Durang, who has served as co-director of the program with Ms. Norman since 1994.

Skylight Theatre Company is proud to announce that they will be co-producing the World Premiere of Jesse Mu-En Shao's THE END TIMES, in collaboration with Jon Lawrence Rivera's Playwrights' Arena. This marks Jesse's first produced work. The collaboration between the two companies is a longtime in planning. Both companies pride themselves on nurturing and developing new works.

Vintage Theatre presents 'Rabbit Hole' March 11 - April 17, at Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora 80010. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 2:30 p.m.; Monday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m. (No performance Sunday, March 27) Tickets are $24 - $30 and available online at www.vintagetheatre.org or by calling 303-856-7830. Group discounts for 6+ are available.

Today in 2001, A Class Act opened at the Ambassador Theatre, where it ran for 105 performances. A Class Act is a musical with a book by Linda Kline and Lonny Price and music and lyrics by Edward Kleban. The musical is based on the life of composer-lyricist Ed Kleban, who died at the age of 48 in 1987. The musical uses flashbacks and the device of time running backwards to retrace the high and low points of Kleban's personal and professional life.

The Kleban Foundation recently announced the winners of its 26th annual Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre lyricist -- Stacey Luftig -- and its 26th annual Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre librettist -- Daniel Goldstein. The 2016 prizes will be presented today, February 8, 2016, in a private ceremony (by invitation only) hosted by ASCAP and BMI at ASCAP.

Originally announced to be written by Joe Iconis and Joe Tracz, the musical's creative team is now Michael Mahler, Alan Schmuckler and Kevin Del Aquila.

CVRep has undertaken something new -- a medium-sized musical comedy with a four-piece orchestra. The result of its production of A CLASS ACT, the story of A CHORUS LINE's lyricist, is an enjoyable evening of theatre, with fabulous dancing.

Nikolai Foster, Artistic Director at Curve, today announces Lucie Jones as Elle Woods in the award-winning West End and Broadway smash hit musical comedy, Legally Blonde. Lucie rose to prominence on the X Factor in 2009 and has since starred as Victoria in American Psycho (Almeida Theatre) and as Molly in Ghost (Asia Tour).

Broadway Entertainment Group FZ LLC and NETworks Presentations LLC are pleased to announce their first ever, global tour of the English language production of SHREK THE MUSICAL with book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori.  The production begins its journey in Istanbul, Turkey on the 22nd January, 2016 and will tour to diverse markets including Europe, the Middle East and Asia to cities including; Abu Dhabi, Jakarta and Singapore to name a few. 

Nikolai Foster, Artistic Director at Curve, today announces Lucie Jones as Elle Woods in the award-winning West End and Broadway smash hit musical comedy, Legally Blonde. Lucie rose to prominence on the X Factor in 2009 and has since starred as Victoria in American Psycho (Almeida Theatre) and as Molly in Ghost (Asia Tour).

The Kleban Foundation is pleased to announce that the 26th annual Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre lyricist has been awarded to Stacey Luftig and the 26th annual Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre librettist has been awarded to Daniel Goldstein.

Ghostlight Records and Two River Theater announce the release of the Original Cast Recording of the new musical BE MORE CHILL, with physical CDs in stores and online today, December 18.

Rancho Mirage's CVRep is premiering George Eastman's dramedy, HAPPY HOUR. Director Ron Celona, veteran actor Gavin MacLeod, and Los Angeles-based actor John Hawkinson do justice to Mr. Eastman's sensitive and intelligent play about a son's worries over his aging father's safety. The result is another must-see production at CVRep.