Elliot Davis News

Rehearsals are underway for The Alliance Theatre's upcoming world premiere musical, BECOMING NANCY.  Get a peek inside the rehearsal room!

Watch in the video below as Jerry Mitchell breaks down everything you need to know about the new musical BECOMING NANCY!

Today's top stories: Vanessa Carlton begins in Beautiful, and more!

The Alliance Theatre in Atlanta announced today casting for its upcoming world premiere BECOMING NANCY. Based on the best-selling British novel by Terry Ronald, this new musical is directed and choreographed by two-time Tony Award® winner Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Hairspray), with a book by Elliot Davis (Peter Pan, Loserville), and a score by the songwriting team of George Stiles (Music) and Anthony Drewe (Lyrics) (Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, Honk!). BECOMING NANCY will open the Alliance Theatre's 51st season on its newly renovated Coca-Cola Stage, September 6 - October 6, 2019. Opening Night is Wednesday, September 18.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, announces the recipients of the first round of the 2019 Edgerton Foundation New Play Awards. The awards, totaling $509,000, allow 13 productions extra time for the development and rehearsal of new plays with the entire creative team, hoping to extend the life of the world premiere play after its first run.

Aria Entertainment, an independent producing company has announced today that they will offer a full time literary department for International New Musicals. Since 2013, Aria have offered an annual festival of new musicals which has supported over 100 new musicals in development from showcases of new musicals, to readings and also full productions - with last year's headline musical Unexpected Joy receiving premieres both in London and Off-Broadway.

Atlanta's nationally acclaimed Alliance Theatre and Jennings Hertz Artistic Director Susan V. Booth are pleased to announce the productions of the Theater's 51st season.  Since opening in 1968 the Alliance has been dedicated to expanding hearts and minds on stage and off with diverse programming for all ages.  The 2019/20 season marks the Alliance's first full season back in its transformed performance space, the newly opened Coca-Cola Stage.

BroadwayWorld has learned the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta has announced their 2019/2020 season including three world premieres, including the new musical BECOMING NANCY directed by two-time Tony Award® winner Jerry Mitchell, two musicals, including MAYBE HAPPY ENDING directed by two-time Tony Award® nominee Michael Arden, and three productions for youth and families including the world premiere of  MAX MAKES A MILLION based on the book by Maira Kalman and adapted & directed by Liz Diamond.

A rowdy and rustic retelling of the familiar French fable, Beauty and the Beast features an ensemble of six actor-musicians who all play instruments whilst on stage. Devised by English/Norwegian group New International Encounter (NIE), along with Cambridge Junction and Tobacco Factory Theatres, and directed by NIE founder and artistic director Alex Byrne, this play with music weaves spellbinding narration, clever dialogue and a Jazz Age score into a ferociously fun show about love, family and the notion that beauty-and beastliness-are only skin-deep. Brimming with surprises and broad comic delights, this charming production from England features a feisty heroine, a preposterous pair of loudmouthed, spoiled sisters and an enchanted prince with some monstrously bad pick-up lines. See it for yourself on the New Victory stage from October 26 - November 11, 2018!

Thank you, BroadwayWorld, for asking me to write a blog on our new musical theatre season From Page To Stage. It's given me the opportunity to truly look over the previous five years' work and all we have achieved and contributed to the British landscape of new musicals.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater's summer family musical PETER PAN is chock full of dazzling moments that will delight children and adults alike. With music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe with a new book by Elliot Davis (based upon the book by Willis Hall), this production captures all the magic of the classic story of the boy who refuses to grow up in just 75 minutes. Adult audience members who are fans of J.M. Barrie's original novel or the iconic Disney animated film will find this PETER PAN a refreshing mix of the familiar and the new. And of course, young audiences seeing the story of PETER PAN for the first time will be altogether surprised and amazed by this telling.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces the cast and creative team for the summer family musical production of Peter Pan - A Musical Adventure at the Theater's home on Navy Pier, June 27-August 19, 2018. Based on J.M. Barrie's beloved tale about the boy who wouldn't grow up, this heartwarming musical dazzles with a score written by George Stiles and lyrics by Anthony Drewe-the award-winning songwriting duo behind Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's smash hit Mary Poppins and the Olivier Award-winning Honk! Amber Mak takes the helm as the production's director and choreographer in this newly updated version by Elliot Davis based on the book by Willis Hall.

Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell is going full out these days. Not only is he directing and choreographing the original musical, Half Time, at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey, but he's also about to begin rehearsals as the director and choreographer for Broadway's Pretty Woman.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces the cast and creative team for the summer family musical production of Peter Pan - A Musical Adventure at the Theater's home on Navy Pier, June 27-August 19, 2018. Based on J.M. Barrie's beloved tale about the boy who wouldn't grow up, this heartwarming musical dazzles with a score written by George Stiles and lyrics by Anthony Drewe-the award-winning songwriting duo behind Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's smash hit Mary Poppins and the Olivier Award-winning Honk! Amber Mak takes the helm as the production's director and choreographer in this newly updated version by Elliot Davis based on the book by Willis Hall.

Chicago Shakespeare announces today fourteen productions in the Theater's 2018/19 Season-encompassing the dynamic and diverse range of offerings which have come to characterize a company that defies theatrical category. The season features programming across Chicago Shakespeare's performance spaces-the Courtyard Theater, the theater Upstairs, The Yard, and even in the lobby's Pub-fully activating the Theater's vibrant and multifaceted campus on Navy Pier.

"These individuals bring a breadth of expertise and experience that we need to be effective in both running a highly complex business, and in responding to the needs of our community.  They've generously commited their time and talent to help us create the vibrant cultural scene the region needs to thrive, and to enrich the lives of each member of our community, and particularly our kids. "We also look forward to the leadership of Jeff Hay, who has been a highly effective Board member and officer for a number of years.  We are deeply grateful to outgoing Chair Kristin Hills Bradberry for her leadership, vision and service to our community."

On March 23, 2018, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release Days Of Future Passed Live by The Moody Blues on DVD, Blu-ray and 2CD. Filmed in high definition, this title captures The Moody Blues delivering an incredible performance of Days Of Future Passed live in its entirety with a full orchestra. This stunning concert includes: Nights In White Satin , Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon) , I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band) , Isn't Life Strange , I Know You're Out There Somewhere , Question , Ride My See-Saw , and many more.

Stepping into the Tobacco Factory Theatre this Christmas and you're immediately transported to an eerie forest in rural France for a re-telling of this classic French fairy tale.

Do you hear the people sing? Yes! Fabulous harmonies, incredible vocals, dashing good looks and fantastic personalities! Stars of Les Mis rables, THE BARRICADE BOYS - Scott Garnham, Simon Schofield, Kieran Brown & Craig Mather - invite you to a Christmas party packed with a stocking full of festive family favourites, as they celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.

This is the first London production in 20 years of the hit Burt Bacharach/Hal David/Neil Simon Broadway musical Promises, Promises, based on the Billy Wilder film 'The Apartment'.