Griffin Matthews News

The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts can be called a lot of things: enormous, vital, intimidating… the list can go on for a while. But the most crucial descriptor which Kennedy Center leadership is looking to cement is ambitious. Convening for the fifth year in a row, the 2018 Kennedy Center Arts Summit, titled The Future States of America: Using the Arts to Take Us Where We Want to Go, served as a reminder for how far artistic advocacy has come. The day also served as a sobering reminder of just how far the arts have to go.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, in collaboration with the Annenberg Foundation, the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, the Aspen Institute Arts Program, and Citizen University, presents the 2018 Kennedy Center Arts Summit: The Future States of America: Using the Arts to Take Us Where We Want to Go. Taking place on Monday, April 16, 2018, in the Kennedy Center Theater Lab and adjoining spaces, the annual spring convening brings thought leaders from the arts and related fields together for conversation and connection.

Witness Uganda - a documentary musical that follows co-creator Griffin Matthews' transformative story establishing UgandaProject, an organization that sponsors the education of ten Ugandan orphans - was the focus of a closed new work reading presented by The ASCAP Foundation at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (The Wallis) in Beverly Hills on Monday, September 11. The show, also from co-creator Matt Gould, explores the complexity of race, sexuality and aid work. BroadwayWorld has photos from the reading below!

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater has announced the line-up for NEW SONGS NOW, an unplugged concert series, presented in association with New Neighborhood and Rosalind Productions, Inc. taking place Sunday, July 23 through Thursday, July 27 at 8:30pm at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater (224 Waverly Place New York, NY 10014).

Lincoln Center's American Songbook returns to the The Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse in March with a mini-festival of six intimate concerts which will strike an innovative, new note for the series.

New York, New York: National Alliance for Musical Theatre (Betsy King Militello, Executive Director) is thrilled to announce the first round of casting for the 28th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, which takes place on Today, October 27 and Friday, October 28, 2016 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). The Festival will kick off on Wednesday, October 26 with its celebrated concert, The 46th Minute, which features songs from Festival shows you will not get to hear in the 45-minute presentation.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre presents the 28th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS. The Festival will take place tonight, October 27 and tomorrow, October 28, 2016 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues).

National Alliance for Musical Theatre (Betsy King Militello, Executive Director) has announced the full cast for the 28th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS. The Festival will take place on Thursday, October 27 and Friday, October 28, 2016 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues).

New York, New York: National Alliance for Musical Theatre (Betsy King Militello, Executive Director) is thrilled to announce the first round of casting for the 28th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, which takes place on Thursday, October 27 and Friday, October 28, 2016 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). The Festival will kick off on Wednesday, October 26 with its celebrated concert, The 46th Minute, which features songs from Festival shows you will not get to hear in the 45-minute presentation.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre has announced the directors for the 28th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, which takes place on Thursday, October 27 and Friday, October 28, 2016 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues).

Broadway Inspirational Voices (BIV) is bringing its Outreach Program to Ronald McDonald House NY, with Jeanine Tesori, Jason Robert Brown and more.

Broadway Inspirational Voices (BIV) is bringing its Outreach Program to Ronald McDonald House NY, with Jeanine Tesori, Jason Robert Brown and more.

Producing Artistic Director Chuck Tobin today announced the August 3rd opening of the musical comedy Pete 'n' Keely, at Saint Michael's Playhouse (August 3 - 13). 

Producing Artistic Director Chuck Tobin today announced the August 3rd opening of the musical comedy Pete 'n' Keely, at Saint Michael's Playhouse (August 3 - 13). 

Second Stage Theatre, in association with Stacey MindichProductions, just last night opened the new musical, Dear Evan Hansen, featuring Ben Platt as the title character. Also reprising their performances from the 'splendid (Marks, Washington Post) DC cast are Laura Dreyfuss as Zoe, Mike Faist as Connor, Rachel Bay Jones as Heidi, Will Roland as Jared, Jennifer Laura Thompson as Cynthia. New cast members John Dossett (Larry) and Kristolyn Lloyd (Alana) complete the company.

Untitled Theatricals announced today that Academy Award, Golden Globe Award & BAFTA winner and UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace & Reconciliation, Forest Whitaker (Broadway's Hughie) will host the Performers4Peace benefit concert Monday, May 9, 2016 at 8pm at 42West (514 West 42nd Street www.42west.com), featuring performances by Broadway artists to support the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative's work in peace and community building.

Matt Gould and Griffin Matthews, the Award Winning writers of Invisible Thread (Second Stage and ART) will present a workshop of their new musical THE FAMILY PROJECT in May. The new piece was written as a commission for Los Angeles Center Theater Group.

Untitled Theatricals announced today that Academy Award, Golden Globe Award & BAFTA winner and UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace & Reconciliation, Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland, The Butler, Bird, Broadway's Hughie) will host the Performers4Peace benefit concert Monday, May 9, 2016 at 8pm at 42West (514 West 42nd Street www.42west.com), featuring performances by Broadway artists to support the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative's work in peace and community building. 

THEATRE FORWARD and Chairman JAMES S. TURLEY just led a celebration to support American theatre at the annual Chairman's Awards Gala last night, April 11th at The Pierre New York (2 East 61st Street at Fifth Avenue). The Chairman's Awards Gala supports the creation of theatrical works and arts education at the country's leading nonprofit theatres. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from inside the special night below!

THEATRE FORWARD and Chairman JAMES S. TURLEY will lead a celebration to support American theatre at the annual Chairman's Awards Gala tonight, April 11th at The Pierre New York (2 East 61st Street at Fifth Avenue) at 6:30pm. The Chairman's Awards Gala supports the creation of theatrical works and arts education at the country's leading nonprofit theatres.