James Royce Edwards News

The off-Broadway staple Altar Boyz, played its final performance on January 10, 2010 at its home, New World Stages after playing 2032 performances. It is the 9th longest running off-Broadway musical in history.

Full casting has been announced for the upcoming staged readings of WANDA'S WORLD taking place at The Gerald W. Lynch Theatre at John Jay College. The cast will include Sandie Rosa, James Royce Edwards, Leo Ash Evens, Heather Jane Rolff, Michael Dexter, Devin Ilaw, Karla Mosley, Christine Scharf, Valerie Wright, Alan H. Green and Liz Holtan. Lynn Taylor-Corbett directs with musical direction by Lynn Shankel. Two readings will take place on January 11th at 3:00pm and 6:00pm.

On Wednesday, January 6, the current cast of ALTAR BOYZ, in addition to cast alum, presented a $203,916 check to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids that the show raised for the organization at New World Stages.

Full casting has been announced for the upcoming staged readings of WANDA'S WORLD taking place at The Gerald W. Lynch Theatre at John Jay College. The cast will include Sandie Rosa, James Royce Edwards, Leo Ash Evens, Heather Jane Rolff, Michael Dexter, Devin Ilaw, Karla Mosley, Christine Scharf, Valerie Wright, Alan H. Green and Liz Holtan. Lynn Taylor-Corbett directs with musical direction by Lynn Shankel. Two readings will take place on January 11th at 3:00pm and 6:00pm.

The Los Angeles debut production of Dr. Seuss' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! The Musical, began preview performances on Tuesday, November 10th and officially opens today, November 14th. The production will play the Pantages Theatre for a limited engagement during the 2009 holiday season, through January 3. Stefan Karl, John Larroquette (Old Max) leads the 24-member cast.

The Los Angeles debut production of Dr. Seuss' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! The Musical, begins performances today, Tuesday, November 1oth. The production will play the Pantages Theatre for a limited engagement during the 2009 holiday season, through January 3. Stefan Karl, John Larroquette (Old Max) leads the 24-member cast.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical book & lyrics by Timothy Mason; music by Mel Marvin directed by Matt August Pantages Theatre through January 3, 2010

The Los Angeles debut production of Dr. Seuss' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! The Musical, began preview performances on Tuesday, November 10th and officially opens today, November 14th. The production will play the Pantages Theatre for a limited engagement during the 2009 holiday season, through January 3. Stefan Karl, John Larroquette (Old Max) leads the 24-member cast.

The Los Angeles debut production of Dr. Seuss' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! The Musical, begins performances today, Tuesday, November 1oth. The production will play the Pantages Theatre for a limited engagement during the 2009 holiday season, through January 3. Stefan Karl, John Larroquette (Old Max) leads the 24-member cast.

Producers have announced the cast for the Los Angeles debut of Dr. Seuss' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! The Musical, playing at the Pantages Theatre for a limited engagement during the 2009 holiday season, November 10 through January 3. Leading the 24-member cast will be Christopher Lloyd as The Grinch and John Larroquette as Old Max.

On behalf of the Kleban Foundation, New Dramatists presented the 19th Annual Kleban Award for the most promising musical theater lyricist has to Beth Falcone and the award for the most promising musical theater librettist has to Kait Kerrigan. The 2009 awards were presented on June 1, 2009, in a private ceremony at BMI.

New York: Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Producing Artistic Director; Rosetta LeNoire, Founder), will celebrate its 40th Anniversary with a Benefit Gala on Monday, March 30th, 2009. The evening will feature a special 'Blast from the Past' concert of songs and numbers from four decades of Amas Musicals, including Bubbling Brown Sugar, Zanna Don't!, Barrio Babies, Bobos, SHOUT! The Mod Musical, Four Guys Named Jose, Latin Heat, Starmites, Langston Hughes's Little Ham, From My Hometown, Lone Star Love, and Wanda's World. The director and choreographer for the evening is Amas Artist-in-Residence Maria Torres, with musical direction by Doug Oberhamer. The event will take place at the Lighthouse International, 111 East 59th Street, at 7pm.

Amas Musical Theater presents an On-Line Auction, now live www.amasmusical.cmarket.com Bid on Vacation Homes - Beautiful Jewelry - Beautiful Artwork - Broadway Show Tickets - Delicious Restaurants- Haute Couture - Beauty Treatments - and LOTS MORE!

New York: Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Producing Artistic Director; Rosetta LeNoire, Founder), will celebrate its 40th Anniversary with a Benefit Gala on Monday, March 30th, 2009. The evening will feature a special 'Blast from the Past' concert of songs and numbers from four decades of Amas Musicals, including Bubbling Brown Sugar, Zanna Don't!, Barrio Babies, Bobos, SHOUT! The Mod Musical, Four Guys Named Jose, Latin Heat, Starmites, Langston Hughes's Little Ham, From My Hometown, Lone Star Love, and Wanda's World. The director and choreographer for the evening is Amas Artist-in-Residence Maria Torres, with musical direction by Doug Oberhamer. The event will take place at the Lighthouse International, 111 East 59th Street, at 7pm.

BroadwayWorld gave the cast of Center Theatre Group and Deaf West Theatre's production of 'Pippin' a FLIP video camera and then set them free backstage during rehearsals as they prepared for opening night on January 25th and beyond!

The Los Angeles cast of Pippin includes Michael Arden, Jonah Blechman, Dan Callaway, Bryan Terrell Clark, Nicolas Conway, Rodrick Covington, James Royce Edwards, TL Forsberg, Sara Gettelfinger, Tyrone Giordano, Harriet Harris, Rebecca Ann Johnson, Troy Kotsur, Jose F. Lopez, Jr., John McGinty, Anthony Natale, Aleks Pevec, Victoria Platt, Ty Taylor, Nikki Tomlinson, Melissa Van Der Schyff and Alexandria Wailes. Tony Award winning, the musical is composed by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell) and is directed by Jeff Calhoun. Deaf West Theatre is best known to Los Angeles audiences for their CTG productions of Big River, at the Taper and Sleeping Beauty Wakes at the Kirk Douglas Theatre.

Ben Vereen earned a Tony Award for his singing and dancing in Pippin, and while his vast and celebrated career has taken him far beyond those early days of that Fosse hit, his heart will always belong to the stage. Vereen was there for the opening night of the CTG and Deaf West Theatre production of Pippin at the Mark Taper Forum. He spoke to the Los Angeles Time about performing in the original Broadway mounting, and how much the show still matters to the audience...and him. Vereen explained to the LA Times that 'Pippin' holds an undeniably central spot in his heart. 'Well, first of all, it got me a Tony,' he said with a loud laugh that echoed outside the theater minutes before the opening night curtain. 'It was also an honor to work with Bob Fosse. There was nothing more rewarding.'

The Center Theatre Group and Deaf West Theatre opened Pippin at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles January 25. Composer Stephen Schwartz and original cast members Ben Vereen and John Rubenstein joined in on the celebration.

Center Theatre Group and Deaf West Theatre's production of 'Pippin' opens the Mark Taper Forum's 2009 season on Sunday, January 25, at 6:30 p.m. Both deaf and hearing actors sign and sing the magical musical comedy with book by Roger O. Hirson and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun, 'Pippin' continues performances through March 15. 'Pippin' is the captivating coming of age story about a young man's search for meaning in his life, as told by a lively band of troubadours in the Roman Empire. The episodic quest of Pippin, the son of the powerful Charlemagne, takes him through battlefields, orgies, revolution, and finally, love and domesticity, as he tries to find a place for his 'spirit to run free,' for his 'corner of the sky.' This production interweaves music, voice, American Sign Language and dance, and combines powerful storytelling techniques from both hearing and deaf cultures. The cast includes (in alphabetical order) Michael Arden, Jonah Blechman, Dan Callaway, Bryan Terrell Clark, Nicolas Conway, Rodrick Covington, James Royce Edwards, TL Forsberg, Sara Gettelfinger, Tyrone Giordano, Harriet Harris, Rebecca Ann Johnson, Troy Kotsur, Jos? F. Lopez, Jr., John McGinty, Anthony Natale, Aleks Pevec, Victoria Platt, Ty Taylor, Nikki Tomlinson, Melissa van der Schyff and Alexandria Wailes.

BroadwayWorld gave the cast of Center Theatre Group and Deaf West Theatre's production of 'Pippin' a FLIP video camera and then set them free backstage during rehearsals as they prepared for opening night on January 25th. This production interweaves music, voice, American Sign Language and dance, and combines powerful storytelling techniques from both hearing and deaf cultures. BWW TV is proud to bring you this very special video feature, stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon! 'Pippin' opens the Mark Taper Forum's 2009. Both deaf and hearing actors sign and sing the magical musical comedy with book by Roger O. Hirson and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun, 'Pippin' continues performances through March 15. 'Pippin' is the captivating coming of age story about a young man's search for meaning in his life, as told by a lively band of troubadours in the Roman Empire. The episodic quest of Pippin, the son of the powerful Charlemagne, takes him through battlefields, orgies, revolution, and finally, love and domesticity, as he tries to find a place for his 'spirit to run free,' for his 'corner of the sky.' This production interweaves music, voice, American Sign Language and dance, and combines powerful storytelling techniques from both hearing and deaf cultures.