Erik Liberman News

The U.S. premiere of The Hunchback of Notre Dame at La Jolla Playhouse, featuring a score by the multiple Academy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning team of composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz , book by Peter Parnell and direction by Scott Schwartz, begins performances tomorrow, October 26 in the Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Theatre. Just yesterday, the cast gathered for the sitzprobe - check out a photo, posted by Erik Liberman on Twitter, below!

Kim H. Kowalke, President of The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, announced today the launch of the 2015 Lotte Lenya Competition, a program of the Foundation. The Lotte Lenya Competition seeks exceptionally talented young singer/actors who excel in a wide range of musical theater styles for the 2015 contest. Contestants will compete for top prizes of $15,000, $10,000 and $7,500; total prizes awarded will exceed $50,000.

D23 spoke with star of La Jolla Playhouse's upcoming produciton of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, Patrick Page, about why he was drawn to the project and the role of 'Frollo' and what to expect from the premiere. Scroll down for some excerpts from the interview!

Due to popular demand, La Jolla Playhouse announces a week-long extension for its U.S. premiere production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, featuring a score by the multiple Academy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning team of composer Alan Menken (Newsies, Little Shop of Horrors) and lyricist Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin), book by Peter Parnell (The West Wing, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever) and direction by Scott Schwartz (Playhouse's Jane Eyre, Broadway's Golda's Balcony). Produced in association with Paper Mill Playhouse, by special arrangement with Disney Theatrical Productions, The Hunchback of Notre Dame will now run October 26 - December 14, 2014 in the Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Theatre.

La Jolla Playhouse announces the cast for its upcoming U.S. premiere musical, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, featuring a score by the multiple Academy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning team of composer Alan Menken (Newsies, Little Shop of Horrors) and lyricist Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin), book by Peter Parnell (The West Wing, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever) and direction by Scott Schwartz (Playhouse's Jane Eyre, Broadway's Golda's Balcony). Produced in association with Paper Mill Playhouse, by special arrangement with Disney Theatrical Productions, The Hunchback of Notre Dame will run October 26 - December 7, 2014 in the Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Theatre.

'I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.' - Jack London

As Transcendence Theatre Company prepares to open "Fantastical Family Night" of the Broadway Under the Stars concert series, I wanted to let you in on some of the fun that we've been having. Along with leading an incredibly special Broadway Kids Camp that was more inspiring than I could ever have imagined (see previous blog), I've loved every second of making magic with this uniquely amazing group of TTC artists.

Tony Award-winners Chita Rivera and Karen Ziemba, Norman Norman Jewison, Academy Award-winning director of the 1971 film version of Fiddler on the Roof (Irving Thalberg Award Recipient), and Ambassador Ido Aharoni, Counsul General of Israel, were just some of the stars who took part in Raising the Roof, an all-star benefit concert celebrating the 100th anniversary of The National Yiddish Theatre - Folksbiene, the 50th Anniversary of iconic American musical, Fiddler on the Roof, and the 90th birthday of its Pulitzer Prize- and Tony-winning lyricist, Sheldon Harnick, last night, June 9 at New York's The Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street). BroadwayWorld brings you photo coverage from the special night below!

Tony Award-winners Chita Rivera and Karen Ziemba, Norman Norman Jewison, Academy Award-winning director of the 1971 film version of Fiddler on the Roof (Irving Thalberg Award Recipient), and Ambassador Ido Aharoni, Counsul General of Israel, have joined the lineup of Raising the Roof, an all-star benefit concert celebrating the 100th anniversary of The National Yiddish Theatre - Folksbiene, the 50th Anniversary of iconic American musical, Fiddler on the Roof, and the 90th birthday of its Pulitzer Prize- and Tony-winning lyricist, Sheldon Harnick, on Monday, June 9, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. at New York's The Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street).

Music, Lyrics, and Book duo Michael Roberts and Charlie Schulman reunite once again after their recent production of The Fartiste, which had a successful run Off-Broadway in 2011-12 and West End Concert following its 2006 FringeNYC Outstanding Musical Award. Their newest venture, The Goldstein Variations, after concert presentations at the JCC in Manhattan, American University, and Abingdon Theater, will be seen by supporters at The Playroom Theater in a limited, developmental presentation from May 12th through 15th, open to the general public. The Goldstein Variations will be directed by Daniel Kutner.

On Monday, April 28, Symphony Space hosted its spring gala, Fiddler at 50 to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Fiddler on the Roof. The evening also honored the 90th birthday of Sheldon Harnick, the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning lyricist behind the iconic musical. The Symphony Space's Gala, held at Capitale, was co-chaired by Lenore Davis and Amy Wilson. Honorary co-chairs for the evening were Mary Rodgers Guettel, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Harold Prince, and Stephen Sondheim.

Joshua Bell, Frank London, Austin Pendleton and Jackie Hoffman have joined the lineup for Raising the Roof - an all-star benefit concert celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Fiddler on the Roof, its Pulitzer Prize- and Tony-winning lyricist, Sheldon Harnick, and the 100thanniversary of The National Yiddish Theatre - Folksbiene - on Monday, June 9th, at New York's The Town Hall.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Fiddler on the Roof, Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning lyricist Sheldon Harnick will be honored and will perform with the largest-ever reunion of original, revival and film cast members as part of an all-star benefit concert for The National Yiddish Theatre - Folksbiene on Monday, June 9th, at New York's Town Hall.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Craving a show after the show? 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, is expanding its popular late-night series with fresh faces and hot new performances to keep the party buzzing into the wee hours. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th St., 54 BELOW welcomes you to loosen your tie and embrace the night at its upcoming events:

Muse Match, an evening that seeks to answer the question, 'What happens when 18 composers go on a blind date with 18 singers?,' will be presented Feb. 24, 2014, at 11:30 PM at 54 Below.

The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music has announced the online release of Singing the Story: The Lotte Lenya Competition, a new documentary film about the prestigious international contest for singer-actors.

The lush music, the period costumes, and Andrew Samonsky's performance kept me involved. There's some trimming to be done, and some rewriting, and maybe it will work for fans of the movie. But there could be so much more.

Broadway's powerful new production of Shakespeare's Macbeth, starring Tony and Olivier Award winner and two-time Emmy Award nominee Alan Cumming (Cabaret, 'The Good Wife'), opened on Broadway last night, April 21, 2013. Veteran stage actors Jenny Sterlinand Brendan Titley complete the cast. BroadwayWorld.com was there to capture the night, and you can check out photos from the after party below!

Douglas Carpenter, baritone, of New York, won the $15,000 First Prize in the finals of the 15th annual Lotte Lenya Competition, held on April 13, 2013, at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. Maren Weinberger, soprano, of New York, received the Second Prize of $10,000, and two Third Prizes of $7,500 each were awarded to Alison Arnopp, soprano, of County Cork, Ireland, and Lauren Roesner, soprano, of Cincinnati. Founded in 1998 to celebrate the centenary of Lenya's birth, the Lotte Lenya Competition is an international theater singing contest that recognizes talented young singer/actors, ages 19-32, who are dramatically and musically convincing in a wide range of repertoire.