George Howe News

What do you get when you introduce a daydreaming house painter to a dozen delightful penguins? A flipper-flapping musical tale that will make you believe in the power of ingenuity and determination, according to Nashville Children's Theatre's executive artistic director Ernie Nolan, who describes it as a show packed with puppetry, humor, and heart, Mr. Popper's Penguins is bound to put a smile on your face.

What do you get when you introduce a daydreaming house painter to a dozen delightful penguins? A flipper-flapping musical tale that will make you believe in the power of ingenuity and determination, according to Nashville Children's Theatre's executive artistic director Ernie Nolan, who describes it as a show packed with puppetry, humor, and heart, Mr. Popper's Penguins is bound to put a smile on your face.

At Main Street Theater, we know how important it is to begin to introduce some sort of normalcy to our children, to help them to grieve, to talk, to feel, to smile, to laugh, says Vivienne M. St. John, Theater for Youth Producing Director at Main Street. Our upcoming production of Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type is the perfect respite the children need from the Hurricane: a chance to engage with something familiar (the production is based on the beloved children's book), a chance to laugh and be silly, a chance to be with family and friends.

Since Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, Main Street Theater has held Hurricane Camps (both free & deeply discounted) and taken storybook characters to shelters and bookstores to engage with and cheer children. National and international media outlets shared news of MST's efforts (American Theatre Magazine shared news of our Hurricane Camp, BBC World Service's The Cultural Frontline spoke with MST's Mark Roberts re his social media updates about the Houston theater community and damage status/reports, and TYA Today Online, the nationally and internationally respected magazine for the field of theatre for young people published by Theatre for Young Audiences/USA, requested and published a reflection on the Hurricane and the Houston theater community by MST. (http://tyatodayonline.org/2017/09/07/tya-after-hurricane-harvey-main-street-theater/)

Nashville Children's Theatre, the nation's oldest professional theatre for young audiences today announces full casting and creative teams for the 2017-2018 season, opening the theater's 87th season - its first with programming designed by new executive artistic director Ernie Nolan.

Lifeline Theatre's KidSeries presents Arnie The Doughnut, a family musical based on the popular children's book by Laurie Keller, with script by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Frances Limoncelli (three-time Non-Equity Jeff Award winner), music and lyrics by George Howe (two-time Non-Equity Jeff Award winner), and directed by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Elise Kauzlaric (two-time Non-Equity Jeff nominee). Arnie, a loveable chocolate-frosted, rainbow-sprinkled doughnut, is the happiest pastry in the bakery when he's chosen to be taken home by a new owner. But when mild-mannered Mr. Bing tries to eat the unsuspecting Arnie, both are in for the surprise of their lives. Man and doughnut are drawn into a sugar-fueled existential crisis as they work to redefine their relationship while trying to outwit the meddlesome President of the Cozy Confines Condo Community. Join Arnie on a zany quest to prove that he's more than just delicious - and that friends come in all shapes and sizes - in this hit musical adaptation of the 2003 book that kicked off the beloved series by Laurie Keller. This production is recommended for children ages five and up (children under two not permitted), and runs approximately one hour with no intermission. 

Lifeline Theatre's KidSeries presents Arnie The Doughnut, a family musical based on the popular children's book by Laurie Keller.

Asheville Creative Arts (ACA), Asheville's professional children's theatre announces the culminating production of its 5th Milestone Season, CLICK, CLACK, MOO: COWS THAT TYPE.

Asheville Creative Arts (ACA), Asheville's professional children's theatre announces the culminating production of its 5th Milestone Season, CLICK, CLACK, MOO: COWS THAT TYPE.

Today, The Hawk Chicago announced nominations for the inaugural Chicago Theatre Awards, a contest in which all winners are chosen entirely by audience vote. The first round, which invited write-in submissions, ended June 23rd. The official nominees were decided by almost 1,600 voters.

Asheville Creative Arts (ACA), Asheville's professional children's theatre announces the culminating production of its 5th Milestone Season, CLICK, CLACK, MOO: COWS THAT TYPE.

"At the Table", Michael Perlman's drama of scintillating conversation between diverse friends during a weekend in the country, took home the most honors on Monday, June 5, during the 44th Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards ceremony recognizing excellence in non-union Chicago theatre. 

The Jeff Awards announced, via a special video presentation, a total of 127 nominations in 26 categories for the 44th Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards for productions that opened between April 1, 2016, and March 31, 2017.  Hosting the video presentation were Alexis Roston and Lillian Castillo, who will be this year's Mistresses of Ceremonies at the Awards event on June 5 at The Athenaeum.

Nashville Children's Theatre (NCT) yesterday revealed its 2017-18 Season - its 86th season and its first under new executive artistic director Ernie Nolan - featuring three regional premieres and the return of a holiday season favorite by the late Scot Copeland, NCT's longtime producing artistic director, who led the company's rise to national prominence during his tenure.

Lifeline Theatre's KidSeries presents Giggle, Giggle, Quack; a family musical based on the book by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Betsy Lewin (Originally published by Atheneum, 2002. Used with permission of Pippin Properties, Inc.).

Asheville Creative Arts (ACA), Asheville's professional children's theatre has unveiled its new brand and brand new initiatives for its 5th Milestone Season.

South Coast Repertory opens the 2016-17 Theatre for Young Audiences series with the classic children's story, Mr. Popper's Penguins, Nov. 4-20. Six actors and 24 puppets bring this musical adaptation to life, which is directed and choreographed by Art Manke.

Duck for President, adapted by James E. Grote, based on the book by Doreen Cronin, with music and lyrics by George Howe, will be directed by Robin Robinson with music direction by Debbie Wylie at Main Street Theater, 3400 Main St., Houston, TX 77002 October 2 & 9 (Sundays) at 12:30pm and 3:30pm; and October 15, 22 & 29 (Saturdays) at 11am and 2pm.

After last season's uproarious adaptation of Doreen Cronin's Click, Clack, Moo, Columbia Children's Theatre (CCT)--the Midlands' only professional theatre for families and young audiences--will present a new musical adaptation of her next book Duck for President, September 16 - 25. 

To accommodate ticket demand, Lifeline Theatre announces seventeen added performances of its critically-acclaimed production of Northanger Abbey, a world premiere musical with book by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Robert Kauzlaric (Non-Equity Jeff Awards: New Adaptation, The Island of Dr. Moreau and Neverwhere), music and lyrics by George Howe (Non-Equity Jeff Award: New Work-Musical, Queen Lucia), and directed by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Elise Kauzlaric (Non-Equity Jeff nomination: Director-Play, Mariette in Ecstasy), based on the novel by Jane Austen. Catherine Morland leaves her quiet country home for the splendors of Bath, armed only with an innocent heart and the examples of her favorite literary heroines. Immersed in a new world of parties, balls, and high society, Catherine soon finds herself caught in a web of social scheming far above her skill to master. False friends, greedy lovers, and a wealth of misunderstandings lead to the revelation that bruises of the heart can be far more painful than the imagined terrors of Gothic novels. The production runs two and a half hours with one intermission. The book is on sale in the lobby.