Esther Smith News

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) is excited to announce the nominations and presenters for TUTS' 14th annual Tommy Tune Awards, which will be held on April 19 at 7:30 p.m. at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. The Tommy Tune Awards recognize and reward excellence in the production of musical theatre by high school students and their teachers. Co-hosts for this year's awards ceremony include Sarah Pepper and Jim Bernhard. Pepper is a host on Hot 95.7. Bernhard has written several original productions that have debuted at TUTS and authored the organization's theatrical history book, "Stars In Your Eyes".

The cloaking spell has been lifted! HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD has found its full West End company.

The Grandview Heights High School Vocal Music Department will present Meet Me In St. Louis based on the iconic movie "Meet Me In St. Louis" featuring Judy Garland. The production is directed by April Olt with musical direction by Andrew Grega, and choreography by Whitney Thomas Eads.

Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC), currently celebrating its fourth season in its state-of-the-art theatre in Warwick, is pleased to announce its third annual benefit concert presentations - Movie Musicals Live! starring OSTC "kid" alumni on Saturday, January 9 and A Night of Broadway Classics starring Fred Scheff on Saturday, January 16.

Meet Me in St. Louis - the beloved M.G.M. musical - promises to sparkle this holiday season onstage at the Heritage Center Theatre in Morrisville.

Meet Me in St. Louis - the beloved M.G.M. musical - promises to sparkle this holiday season onstage at the Heritage Center Theatre in Morrisville.

History is in the making at Piedmont College, where the play 'Lillian Smith's Strange Fruit' is returning to the stage 70 years after its Broadway premiere. Based on Smith's bold debut novel, the play follows an interracial relationship in a small 1920s Georgia town and speaks to the effects of hate and separation on the lives of people and their communities.

A native of Cypress, Texas, Casey Gilbert came to Nashville to go to school at Belmont University and quickly made a name for herself on local stages. But it seemed, at least to her legions of fans in Music City, that no sooner had she arrived and made herself a home here, she was on her way back to Texas. Of course, there were all sorts of things happening that resulted in that move, not the least of which was a change in college major, family ties and more.

Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC), currently celebrating its third season in its state-of-the-art theatre in Warwick, is pleased to announce two presentations in January - A Night of Broadway Classics on Saturday, January 10 and British Invasion starring OSTC "kid" alumni on Sunday, January 11.

Young Sirena Abalian of Lexington is the shining standout in an otherwise lackluster production of MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, Stoneham Theatre's misguided attempt to stage the bland Broadway version of the classic Judy Garland movie musical.

Ocean State Theatre Company's sweet, song-filled production of MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS is only partially set during the holiday season, but its storyline reflects the most heartwarming characteristics of the Christmas spirit in every scene.

Let your heart be light, and have yourself a Meet Me in St. Louis Christmas, live, on stage at Stoneham Theatre. Performances run from November 28-December 28, 2014. Written by Hugh Wheeler, this musical is based on 'The Kensington Stories' by Sally Benson, and the MGM motion picture Meet Me in St. Louis starring Judy Garland. The songs are composed by Hugh Martin & Ralph Blaine, published by EMI Feist Catalog, and produced for the Broadway stage by Brickhill-Burke Productions, Christopher Seabrooke, and EPI Products. Directed by Stoneham Theatre's Associate Artistic Director Caitlin Lowans, with Ceit Zweil as Choreographer and Bethany Aiken as Musical Director, this show features 'The Trolley Song,' 'The Boy Next Door,' and, of course, 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.'

The Manatee Players' production of MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS opens in Stone Hall at the Manatee Performing Arts Center on Thursday December 4 and plays through Sunday December 21, 2014.

Let your heart be light, and have yourself a Meet Me in St. Louis Christmas, live, on stage at Stoneham Theatre. Performances run from November 28-December 28, 2014. Written by Hugh Wheeler, this musical is based on 'The Kensington Stories' by Sally Benson, and the MGM motion picture Meet Me in St. Louis starring Judy Garland. The songs are composed by Hugh Martin & Ralph Blaine, published by EMI Feist Catalog, and produced for the Broadway stage by Brickhill-Burke Productions, Christopher Seabrooke, and EPI Products. Directed by Stoneham Theatre's Associate Artistic Director Caitlin Lowans, with Ceit Zweil as Choreographer and Bethany Aiken as Musical Director, this show features 'The Trolley Song,' 'The Boy Next Door,' and, of course, 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.'

It's time for the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis and the Smith family couldn't be more excited. Journey back in time with the Yardley Players as they present 'Meet Me in St. Louis' at Mercer County Community College's (MCCC) Kelsey Theatre. Dates and show times for this charming musical are Fridays, tonight, July 18 and July 25 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, July 19 and 26 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, July 20 and 27 at 2 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is located on the college's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. An Opening Night Reception with the cast and crew follows the show on July 18. Scroll down for a first look at the cast!

It's time for the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis and the Smith family couldn't be more excited. Journey back in time with the Yardley Players as they present "Meet Me in St. Louis" at Mercer County Community College's (MCCC) Kelsey Theatre. Dates and show times for this charming musical are Fridays, July 18 and 25 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, July 19 and 26 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, July 20 and 27 at 2 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is located on the college's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. An Opening Night Reception with the cast and crew follows the show on July 18. Scroll down for a first look at the cast!

BroadHollow Theatre Company's latest musical, Meet Me in St. Louis, indeed has a talented cast. However, it seems that when I saw it at Studio Theatre, any magic that was there had vanished.

Honeymoon in Vegas will star television, screen and stage icon Tony Danza (Who's the Boss?, Taxi, The Producers, A View From The Bridge, The Iceman Cometh) as Tommy Korman, a widowed and unscrupulous gambler looking for another shot at love. Leading the company are Tony nominee Rob McClure (Chaplin) as Jack Singer, Brynn O'Malley (Annie) as Betsy Nolan, Tony nomineeNancy Opel (Memphis, Urinetown) as Bea Singer, Matthew Saldivar (Peter and the Starcatcher) as Johnny Sandwich and David Josefsberg(Wedding Singer) as Tony Rocky/Roy Bacon

On Sunday December 16 at Oil Can Harry's in Studio City Peter Mac received the Lifetime Achievement Golden Halo Award from the Southern California Motion Picture Council for his outstanding recreation of Judy Garland onstage. Presenting him the honor was Council President Randal Malone and MGM stars Margaret O'Brien and Mickey Rooney.

In Steve Peterson's interview below, director Larry Eisenberg talks about his theatre background and what led him to choose SHERLOCK'S LAST CASE for Group Rep.