Howard Ashman News

Disney Theatrical Productions is pleased to announce CHELSEA MORGAN STOCK as Ariel in THE LITTLE MERMAID. Stock will begin performances on Tuesday, June 2 (8pm show).

Musical Theatre West is proud to present Little Shop of Horrors. Little Shop of Horrors previews on July 10th and opens July 11, 2009 and runs through July 26, 2009 at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach.

New York?s Naked Angels (Geoffrey Nauffts, Artistic Director; Brittany O?Neill, Managing Director) has announced complete casting for its World Premiere production of Geoffrey Nauffts? new play Next Fall (formerly titled TheGospel According To Adam), directed by Sheryl Kaller. The cast will feature Patrick Breen, Maddie Corman, Sean Dugan, Patrick Heusinger, Connie Ray, andCotter Smith.

West Virginia Public Theatre's Founder and Executive Director Ron Iannone has announced the lineup for the 2009 summer season, which runs June 23 through August 9, 2009. WVPT will be celebrating its 25th anniversary season and has, once again, lined up another summer filled with Broadway's best productions.

Stages St. Louis will open its 2009 season with Little Shop of Horrors at The Robert G. Reim Theater in Kirkwood from May 29 - June 30.

This summer, June 9-11, 2009 from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., The Academy at Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) brings the groundbreaking new production of Disney's Aladdin: Dual Language Edition to Miller Outdoor Theater, free to the public! TUTS has licensed this pilot production through Music Theatre International and by special permission from Disney Theatrical Productions. 'Houston is such a perfect city for a musical like this.

This summer, June 9-11, 2009 from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., The Academy at Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) brings the groundbreaking new production of Disney's Aladdin: Dual Language Edition to Miller Outdoor Theater, free to the public! TUTS has licensed this pilot production through Music Theatre International and by special permission from Disney Theatrical Productions. 'Houston is such a perfect city for a musical like this. Many families really value the benefits of a bi-lingual education and we're very proud to produce a show that so many people can enjoy. Community outreach is a hugely important part of our mission at TUTS and Disney's Aladdin: Dual Language Edition is a perfect vehicle for TUTS to reach into the Hispanic community. ' Says Bob Lawson, Director of Education and Outreach.

Located on the Southwest coast of Florida nestled next to Lemon Bay and half way between Fort Myers and Tampa is a very small town with one high school and less than 1400 students. The town is a melting pot of transferred families, retirees, multi-generational 'locals,' working class, the extremely impoverished, and the exceptionally wealthy.

Producer Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions is pleased to announce DREW SEELEY, star of ?Another Cinderella Story,? as Prince Eric and CHELSEA MORGAN STOCK as Ariel in THE LITTLE MERMAID. Stock will begin on Tuesday, June 2 and Seeley will appear in the show Tuesday, June 9 though Sunday, August 30 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater (205 West 46th Street).

Performance Network Theatre is pleased to announce the seven shows in their 2009-2010 Professional Season. Each show has been carefully selected to create a season filled with meaningful contemporary dramas, entertaining comedies and well-loved classics. PNT's 28th Season will include seven of the best, most important and most cutting edge plays from around the country.

Jennifer Leigh Warren has been cast as the lead in Chan Poling's new musical VENUS. A regular performer at Joe's Pub, Mr. Poling is the founder of the seminal 80's punk/pop The Suburbs and composer of Tony Award-winning Theatre de la Jeune Lune's award-winning 'Children Of Paradise' among other shows.

Step into the enchanted world of Broadway's modern classic, Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Based on the Academy Award winning animated feature, the stage version of Disney's Beauty and the Beast includes all of the wonderful songs from the film, written by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, (the team responsible for Little Shop of Horrors), plus new songs written especially for the Broadway version by Mr. Menken and Tim Rice (Aladdin, Aida).

15 years after opening on Broadway, Disney's Beauty and the Beast continues to beguile audiences around the world: a new production opened in São Paulo, Brazil last night; a production is currently running in Moscow to unprecedented box office success; a production is running in Barcelona, Spain after completing a two-year run in Madrid; a production recently completed its run in Johannesburg, South Africa after winning five Naledi Awards, that country's highest theatrical honors; and a new production will open in Milan, Italy in October 2009.

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College welcomes legendary composer/performer and 2008 Theater Hall of Fame inductee Marvin Hamlisch for an elegant evening of unforgettable music on Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 8pm. Mr. Hamlisch holds the distinction of being one of only twelve people to win all four major US performing awards (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) and one of only two to have won all four of those plus a Pulitzer Prize (the other being Richard Rogers).

New York?s Naked Angels (Geoffrey Nauffts, Artistic Director; Brittany O?Neill, Managing Director) has announced complete casting for its World Premiere production of Geoffrey Nauffts? new play Next Fall (formerly titled TheGospel According To Adam), directed by Sheryl Kaller. The cast will feature Patrick Breen, Maddie Corman, Sean Dugan, Patrick Heusinger, Connie Ray, andCotter Smith.

Online sources are reporting that The Little Mermaid ensemble member Chelsea Morgan Stock has won the leading role of Ariel and will be replacing current star Sierra Boggess when Boggess leaves the production to create the role of Christine Daae in the upcoming sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, 'LOVE NEVER DIES'. Stock has some experience playing the lovelorn Ariel as she has understudied the role since the hit show opened on Broadway. Reports indicate that Chelsea Morgan Stock will take over in June 2009.

Disney Theatrical Productions welcomed Tony Award winner Faith Prince to the Broadway company of THE LITTLE MERMAID last night, Tuesday, April 7, 2009 (Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 West 46th Street, NYC). Prince stars as 'Ursula,' the evil sea witch. BroadwayWorld's cameras joined in the cheers as the Broadway favorite made her debut in the show and took her first curtain call 'under the sea'!

Get ready to be swept away by one of the most popular romantic stories ever told by seeing HITS Theatre's production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast - The Broadway Musical at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park on April 9-11 and 16-18 at 8 p.m. Free admission.

Disney Theatrical Productions proudly welcomes Tony Award winner FAITH PRINCE to the Broadway company of THE LITTLE MERMAID tonight, Tuesday, April 7, 2009 (Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 West 46th Street, NYC). Prince stars as 'Ursula,' the evil sea witch.

Disney Theatrical Productions will welcome Tony Award winner FAITH PRINCE to the Broadway company of THE LITTLE MERMAID beginning Tuesday, April 7, 2009 (Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 West 46th Street, NYC). Prince will star as 'Ursula,' the evil sea witch.