Hunter Bell News

Broadway and television favorite David Garrison, currently starring as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the Off-Broadway smash SILENCE! The Musical, will appear on tonight's (April 23rd) TV Guide Network reunion show, "The Cast of Married With Children: Where Are They Now" at 9 PM (check local listings for channel).

Corbin Bleu, Telly Leung and the entire cast of Broadway's Godspell attended SILENCE! The Musical at P.S. 122 this past Wednesday, April 18th. Also in the audience was Broadway favorite Eden Espinosa, who played Elphaba opposite SILENCE! star David Garrison in Wicked. See the photos below!

On April 13th, SILENCE! The Musical received the 2012 Telly Award for Use of Humor in a Television Commercial. The hit Off-Broadway show's new commercial won the prestigious honor at the 33rd Annual Telly Awards over nearly 11,000 entries from around the world. 'The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video,' said Linda Day, Executive Director of the Telly Awards. SILENCE! The Musical's TV commercial illustrates their creativity, skill, and dedication to their craft and serves as a testament to great film and video production.' See the award-winning commercial below!

[title of show] offers a humorous look a the challenges of writing a musical, and chronicles four friends on a funny and harrowing biographical journey from the page to the stage. The New York Times called [title of show] 'Broadway's most profound exercise in postmodernism…the scrappy little musical about trying to put on a scrappy little musical.' Now a cult-classic among 'theatre-nerds' all over the world, [title of show] features an inventive musical score by Jeff Bowen, an intelligent and witty book by Hunter Bell, and carries a very poignant message about living your dreams, being yourself, and it includes some of the most delightful new songs to make their mark in the American musical theatre canon such as, 'Monkeys and Playbills,' 'Die Vampire, Die,' 'Part of it All,' and the touching ballad, 'A Way Back to Then.'

Purchase a LGBT Night ticket to SILENCE! The Musical on Thursday, April 19th for $35 when you use code LGBT and receive admission to a special post show LGBT Night reception. Directly following the 8PM performance, head over to La Palapa East Village (77 Saint Mark's Place) for the reception and enjoy one complimentary Frozen Margarita.

America's most prolific playwright, Neil Simon, attended SILENCE! The Musical at P.S. 122 this past Wednesday, April 4th accompanied by his wife, Elaine Joyce. View photos below!

SILENCE! The Musical, currently nominated for two Lucille Lortel Awards including Best Musical, will celebrate its 200th performance tonight, April 6th at The 9th Space Theatre at Performance Space 122, 150 First Avenue (at 9th St.) SILENCE! The Musical is the unauthorized parody of The Silence of the Lambs, with book by Hunter Bell, music & lyrics by Jon and Al Kaplan, and direction & choreography by Christopher Gattelli. After opening on July 9, 2011 the show immediately became a sold-out phenomenon and was selected by Time Magazine as one of the year's Top 5 Musicals. Due to overwhelming ticket demand, the producers recently put a new block of seats on sale through September 2nd.

Due to critical praise and popular demand, Vineyard Theatre has announced a final extension - now through April 28 - for the new musical NOW. HERE. THIS., which opened to rave reviews and sold out houses at The Vineyard on March 28. This will be the second and final extension for the show, which must close on April 28 due to season and artist schedules.

SILENCE! The Musical, currently nominated for two Lucille Lortel Awards including Best Musical, will celebrate its 200th performance this Friday, April 6th at The 9th Space Theatre at Performance Space 122, 150 First Avenue (at 9th St.)

[title of show] offers a humorous look a the challenges of writing a musical, and chronicles four friends on a funny and harrowing biographical journey from the page to the stage. The New York Times called [title of show] 'Broadway's most profound exercise in postmodernism…the scrappy little musical about trying to put on a scrappy little musical.' Now a cult-classic among 'theatre-nerds' all over the world, [title of show] features an inventive musical score by Jeff Bowen, an intelligent and witty book by Hunter Bell, and carries a very poignant message about living your dreams, being yourself, and it includes some of the most delightful new songs to make their mark in the American musical theatre canon such as, 'Monkeys and Playbills,' 'Die Vampire, Die,' 'Part of it All,' and the touching ballad, 'A Way Back to Then.'

Two of the stars of SILENCE! The Musical, Jenn Harris (Clarice Starling) and Stephen Bienskie (Buffalo Bill) will be this week's guests on the popular WBAI (99.5 FM) radio program "The Artsy Fartsy Show," hosted by Barika Edwards, tomorrow (Tuesday) between 2 & 3 PM.

The Off Broadway Alliance, the organization of Off-Broadway producers, theaters, general managers, press agents, and marketing firms, will hold another in its series of seminars focused on the culture, business and history of Off-Broadway on Sunday, April 1st.

Despite the loveable antics of those hard-working ladies from Texas, Broadway musicals have always been a little awkward around prostitutes.  The book of New Girl In Town (based on Anna Christie) gets tongue-tied when trying to be honest about its title character's former profession and the creators of Sweet Charity turned Nights of Cabiria's prostitute protagonist into New York's most chaste taxi dancer.  To this day I'm certain there are little boys performing in Oliver! who believe Nancy is some kind of den mother and Bet is her helpful assistant.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: SEMINAR gets a new cast, HOW TO SUCCEED celebrates first birthday, NEWSIES takes a Broadway bow, and so much more!

Nominations in 14 categories were announced today by the Off-Broadway League for the 2012 Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway. This year's ceremony will once again benefit The Actors Fund. The Lortel Awards will be handed out on Sunday, May 6, 2012 at NYU Skirball Center beginning at 7:00pm EST.

'Submissions Only,' Broadway's favorite behind-the-scenes sitcom's newest episode is here with special guest stars Adam Pascal (Rent, Aida), Mary Beth Peil ('Dawson's Creek,' Follies) and more appearing in Episode 7! Click Below to Watch!

[title of show] offers a humorous look a the challenges of writing a musical, and chronicles four friends on a funny and harrowing biographical journey from the page to the stage. The New York Times called [title of show] 'Broadway's most profound exercise in postmodernism…the scrappy little musical about trying to put on a scrappy little musical.' Now a cult-classic among 'theatre-nerds' all over the world, [title of show] features an inventive musical score by Jeff Bowen, an intelligent and witty book by Hunter Bell, and carries a very poignant message about living your dreams, being yourself, and it includes some of the most delightful new songs to make their mark in the American musical theatre canon such as, 'Monkeys and Playbills,' 'Die Vampire, Die,' 'Part of it All,' and the touching ballad, 'A Way Back to Then.'

NOW. HERE. THIS. which is currently receiving its world-premiere production and opened last night at Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street), will extend by one-week - now through April 22 - due to popular demand and strong ticket sales, it has been announced by Artistic Director Douglas Aibel, and Co-Artistic Director Sarah Stern. BroadwayWorld was there for opening night, and we bring you full photo coverage of the festivities below!

'Submissions Only' is in full production for Episode 8 of its second season, and BroadwayWorld was invited inside the shoot with special guest star Jesse Tyler Ferguson! Details of the episode are under wraps, but it promises to deliver special surprises featuring additional returning guest stars Beth Leavel as Penny's mother, Val, and Rick Elice as her step father, Don Martin, with more to be announced soon!