Ian Eisendrath News

The 5th Avenue Theatre presents an exciting new 'revisal' of the sweeping saga Lerner & Loewe's PAINT YOUR WAGON. Featuring an all-new book by Pulitzer Prize nominee John Marans, this show has taken an incredible journey over the last five years from developmental workshops to The 5th Avenue stage this season. And BroadwayWorld is happy to report that the company has just announced the full cast and creative team.

The 5th Avenue Theatre welcomes audiences to Spotlight Night, an exciting and exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse at the next major musical in the 2015/16 season, Lerner & Loewe's Paint Your Wagon. This Spotlight Night is an evening of story and song exploring the world of this epic Gold Rush musical and its incredible journey to The 5th Avenue stage this season. Hosted by Executive Producer and Artistic Director David Armstrong, this free event will feature fascinating guests, insightful stories and performances from some of the show's brilliantly talented cast including Robert Cuccioli, Kendra Kassebaum and Justin Gregory Lopez.

Ford's Theatre Director Paul R. Tetreault today announced the Ford's Theatre 2016-2017 season will begin with the new musical Come From Away directed by Christopher Ashley. Productions include Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? directed by Aaron Posner and featuring Holly Twyford as Martha; the musical Ragtime, directed by Peter Flynn and featuring an all-local cast including Kevin McAllister, Tracy Lynn Olivera and Nova Y. Payton; and the 35th-annual production of Washington's holiday favorite, A Christmas Carol. Political comedian Mark Russell will return for a one-night-only performance during the height of election season.

Junkyard Dog Productions announced today that the new musical Come From Away will premiere on Broadway in the spring of 2017 at a theatre to be announced following productions at Washington DC's Ford's Theatre as part of their 2016-2017 season from Friday, September 2 - Sunday, October 9, 2016, and in Toronto as part of the Mirvish Theatre's 2016-2017 Subscription Series from Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - Sunday, January 1, 2017, at a Mirvish Theatre to be announced.

Broadway-bound new musical, Come From Away, presented by Seattle Repertory Theatre, wins four Gypsys, tying with another new musical, Lizard Boy, also produced by Seattle Repertory Theatreand also with four Gypsys, a company that has been known for years as a powerhouse dramatic straight-play playhouse! 

Seattle Theater Writers critics' circle is pleased to present the nomination slate of the fifth annual Gypsy Rose Lee Awards, theater awards devoted to recognizing excellence across the economic spectrum of professional Seattle theaters in the prior calendar year.

Dear Readers, I hope you've all fared well over the holidays and had a good time with your families. It's been a tumultuous year with lots of great theater for us to take in. And so I'm pleased to share with you some of the best things I saw this past year and the ones that I felt worthy of getting my Critic's Choice Awards for 2015. So settle in and allow me to expound on all the amazing I saw over the year. The envelope please.

More than 100 local and national theatre artists representing nearly than 60 San Diego theatrical productions will compete for the 2015 Craig Noel Awards, the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle announced today.

Dear Readers, for those that may only read the beginnings of my reviews, I must start off this by telling you to stop reading this right now and go get tickets to the new musical "Come From Away" currently at the Seattle Rep. After you have done that you can come back and read the rest of this. I'll wait. Done? OK now that you've done that I can tell you that what you will be seeing is the best musical I've seen all year and possibly ever. At least it will rank in my top 10 of shows that have affected me so much with its sheer brilliant storytelling and heart. This one CANNOT be missed!

World-premiere musical COME FROM AWAY comes to Seattle Rep now through December 13 in the Bagley Wright Theatre. A co-production with La Jolla Playhouse, COME FROM AWAY is the first musical to be on the main stage of the Rep in over 15 years. It opens tonight, November 18, 2015. Featuring book, music and lyrics by the Canadian husband-and-wife team of Irene Sankoff and David Hein (My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding), the production is directed by La Jolla Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley.

World-premiere musical Come From Away comes to Seattle Rep November 13- December 13 in the Bagley Wright Theatre. A co-production with La Jolla Playhouse, Come From Away is the first musical to be on the main stage of the Rep in over 15 years. Featuring book, music and lyrics by the Canadian husband-and-wife team of Irene Sankoff and David Hein (My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding), the production is directed by La Jolla Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley. Tickets are available now through the Seattle Rep Box Office at 206-443-2222 as well as online at www.seattlerep.org.

The 5th Avenue Theatre New Works Program is seeking Seattle-based musical theater writers and composers for the 2015-2017 cycle of its Seattle Writers Group. The Seattle Writers Group is a selective experience for professional musical theatre writers looking to practice & deepen their craft with the guidance, support, and infrastructure that The 5th Avenue Theatre offers.

The 5th Avenue Theatre New Works Program will bring a new kind of festival to Seattle's vibrant arts community this summer with its inaugural NextFest: A Festival of New Musicals. Taking place in the historic theater's rehearsal halls and studios July 20-August 15, 2015, NextFest is a celebration of new musicals at various stages of development ranging from a first read-through of new text and music all the way to a fully staged studio presentation of a work.

This just in! La Jolla Playhouse has announced the cast and creative team for its season opener, the world-premiere musical Come from Away, featuring book, music and lyrics by the Canadian husband-and-wife team Irene Sankoff and David Hein (My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding), directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley. A co-production with Seattle Repertory Theatre, Come from Away will run May 29 - July 5 in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre (press opening Thursday, June 11).

Beginning this month, A Contemporary Theatre (ACT) continues to partner with the 5th Avenue Theatre, co-producing a musical that appears on each organization's season and performed at ACT. Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris opens tonight, March 12, and runs for 10 weeks in the Falls Theatre, directed by David Armstrong.

Under the direction of Producing Artistic Director Bill Berry, The 5th Avenue Theatre presents a fresh and exciting new take on the tempestuous romance, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel. In its fourth major collaboration with Spectrum Dance Theater, The 5th is thrilled to welcome Tony Award-nominated choreographer Donald Byrd to the creative table, and a host of Seattle's theatrical royalty to its stage.

This exciting new staging will star the radiant Laura Griffith as Julie and 5th Avenue favorite Brandon O'Neill as Billy in his first Seattle production following his Broadway debut in Disney's Aladdin. The cast also includes local luminaries Anne Allgood, Eric Ankrim, Allen Fitzpatrick, Sean G. Griffin, Cynthia Jones, and Billie Wildrick, and marks The 5th Avenue debut of rising talent Joshua Downs.

The 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals, presented by the National Alliance For Musical Theatre (NAMT), kicked off with THE 46TH MINUTE, a concert hosted by Lindsay Mendez and featuring performances by Heidi Blickenstaff, Doreen Montalvo, Mamie Parris, Bryce Ryness, and more. Musical presentations started October 23 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street) and included Beautiful Poison, Cubamor, Great Wall, How To Break, Mary Marie, The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes, String and Stu For Silverton. The Festival concluded on October 24, 2014. Scroll down for photos!

The National Alliance For Musical Theatre (NAMT) is proud to announce final casting for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals. Michael Cassara Casting serves as the resident casting office for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals, taking place on Thursday, October 23, 2014 and Friday, October 24, 2014 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street). Online Festival registration ends Friday, October 17.

The National Alliance For Musical Theatre (NAMT) just announced initial casting for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals. Michael Cassara Casting serves as the resident casting office for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals, taking place on Thursday, October 23, 2014 and Friday, October 24, 2014 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).