Gregory Smith News

Creative Cauldron presents its 18th summer camp schedule, and for the first time, it's all virtual. No worries about screen exhaustion, this is an engaging and interactive program with all of the same elements that campers have come to know and love at Creative Cauldron!

The Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, America's longest running festival of new orchestral music, celebrates its 58th season July 26 - August 9, 2020, with a remarkable season of timely, topical, and thought-provoking new works.

In what has become a holiday tradition, Creative Cauldron reprises its crowd-pleasing production of Madeline's Christmas for the holiday season. With Book and Lyrics by Jennifer Kirkeby, and music by Shirley Mier, this musical based on the beloved Ludwig Bemelmans' classic was hailed by critics as 'a perfect holiday treat, sure to bring smiles and laughter sprinkled with nostalgia and sparkle for all.' Professional actors Anna Phillips-Brown, Chris Rios and Producing Director Laura Connors Hull join a cast with fifteen student actors enrolled in Creative Cauldron's Musical Theater training program.

For its fall Learning Theater Production, Creative Cauldron will present The Jungle Book, adapted from Rudyard Kipling's classic by Laura Connors Hull and Ellen Selby and featuring ten original songs by Matt Conner and Stephen Gregory Smith.

Creative Cauldron announces an open call for submissions for its new a?oeBold New Musical Voicesa?? Festival, to be held from April 27th through May 6, 2020. The festival seeks new and innovative musical works by women and women-identifying writers and composers. Queer women and women of color are encouraged to submit.

The newly opened REACH at Kennedy Center continues the institution's promise set forth by President John F. Kennedy of arts for all.

The 2019 Theatre Week Kickoff Party celebrates the launch of the 2019-2020 theatre season and the start of Theatre Week in the Washington region. The event will take place on Saturday, September 7, 11am-4pm at Arena Stage Mead Center for American Theater. It is a free event and tickets are available through the TodayTix app and website.

2019-20 Season marks Creative Cauldron's eleventh season of programming at ArtSpace Falls Church.  The diverse season offerings include live theater, concerts and cabarets. The season kicks off in October with the regional premiere of Disenchanted, a hilarious musical that takes a second look at the real world fates of fairytale princesses.  Madeline's Christmas returns once more to ring in the holiday season and Crowns, the inspirational gospel musical celebrating the resilient, hat-wearing sisters of the south, takes the stage in February. 

Creative Cauldron closes out its 10th season of award-winning theater with Disney's Beauty and the Beast. In the same spirit of its highly acclaimed Wizard of Oz, Creative Cauldron will tackle the iconic Disney musical Beauty and the Beast, with creativity and simplicity, knowing what is most essential is the story at its heart.

Creative Cauldron's On Air needs tinkering with its storyline and songs in order to broadcast its message loud and clear.

We're counting down the days till the 2nd Annual Plays on the Patio takes place at the Preston Castle, an event not to be missed. Plays on the Patio is a one-night-only event, May 18, 2019, 6:30pm - 9:00pm, at the Preston Castle, 900 Palm Avenue in Ione, CA. Tickets are just $40, which includes wine tasting from seven of Amador's best wineries (Binz, Cooper, E16, Helwig, Karmere, Tanis, & Wine Tree), plus a wine glass to commemorate the event. There will also be a variety of desserts to taste from the National Hotel in Jackson. Tastings begin at 6:30, then at 7:30 guests will be treated to a series of one-acts, scenes and monologs performed by MSTW company actors ~ Julie Anchor, Mallory Broduer, Rick Grant-Coons, Thomas Dean, Bethany Hidden, Jason Kaye, Lee Marie Kelly, Kelley Ogden, Janey Pintar, Brandon Rapoza, Gregory Smith, Earl Victorine, and Kali Wells.

Celebrating its fifth and final installment of "Bold New Works for Intimate Stages," Creative Cauldron presents the world premiere of On Air. Set in Pittsburgh, PA during the 1920s, On Air tells the story of Frank and Flora Conrad, who were on the edge of discovering mass broadcasting. These two unsung radio pioneers established the first radio station in America in their unassuming garage. On Air follows their untold love story, and how radio became a constant companion, messenger and soundtrack of our lives over the past century of American life. Matt Conner and Stephen Gregory Smith, the critically acclaimed creative team for Creative Cauldron's past Bold New Work premieres (Turn of the Screw 2015, Monsters of the Villa Diodati 2016, Kaleidoscope 2017, Witch 2018,) are mining the nostalgia of a bygone era and shedding light on a relatively unknown piece of American history with this newest work. On Air runs May 2 - 26, 2019.

Internationally renowned actor, writer, singer, producer, and director Ray Shell recently celebrated the 35th anniversary of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express with a live Q&A and performance at Spoonfed New York Country. Ray originated the lead role of 'Rusty' in the show's West End production.

Last year, Main Street Theatre Works teamed up with The Preston Castle Foundation for the first ever Plays on the Patio, a cooperative fundraiser for both parties. It was such a wonderful successs, they're doing it again!

Continuing a celebration of its 10th season of award-winning theater, Creative Cauldron will present Alice in Wonderland from March 22 through April 14, 2019. The production features 13 original songs created for the show by Matt Conner, with lyrics by Stephen Gregory Smith.  Twenty-four young people participating in Creative Cauldron's Learning Theater program will perform the iconic characters that have made this story a beloved classic.  Madeline Aldana joins the cast as Alice and Izzy Smelkinson stars as the White Rabbit. Creative Cauldron veterans Will Stevenson and E. Augustus (Gus) Knapp appear as the Queen of Hearts and King of Hearts respectively. Press night is Saturday, March 23 at 7:30 pm.

There is nothing outright wrong with Thunder Knocking on the Door, the blues-filled musical which opened at Creative Cauldron this past Saturday. But there isn't much that is right with it either. Overall, the production is a firmly middle-of-the-road endeavor where the mismatched cast are unable to elevate the subpar source material. At the end of the day, this is a show that thinks it has more to say that it actually does.

The mysterious guitar playing shapeshifter knocks on Creative Cauldron's doors again in Thunder Knocking on the Door, a blues musical fable written by Keith Glover, with lyrics and music by three-time Grammy award winner Keb' Mo' and Anderson Edwards. The acclaimed artists behind Creative Cauldron's Bold New Works productions, Stephen Gregory Smith and Matt Conner, are directing and choreographing the production. Smith received praise for his gorgeously and lovingly directed Thunder Knocking at the Door production, which played a sold out run at Creative Cauldron back in 2013. The show runs from February 14 March 10 at Creative Cauldron in Falls Church, 410 South Maple Avenue. Performances are Thursdays at 7:30PM, Fridays at 7:30PM, Saturdays at 7:30PM, and Sundays at 2:00PM & 7:00PM. Press Night is Saturday, February 16th at 7:30 pm.

We are pleased to announce the winners for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Seattle Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Nominations were reader-submitted and voted on by you - the local theatergoers!

It's the last week to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Seattle Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.

There's just two weeks left to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Seattle Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.