Jay Reiss News

With just under two weeks until the 2nd annual BROADWAY BEE fundraiser (May 8 at NYC's Le Poisson Rouge), will Broadway's next major competition see Team Beautiful 'The Carole King Musical' take home the trophy for a second year in a row?

Broadway Bound Kids, a NYC performing arts education organization, will host its second annual BROADWAY BEE fundraiser on Monday, May 8, at 7pm at Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker Street, NYC). The Broadway Bee is an adults only spelling bee, featuring actors from current hit Broadway Shows. All proceeds go to provide performing arts opportunities for NYC youth.

Cleveland Play House's newly announced 2017-18 Season contains a wide range of work certain to captivate, enlighten, excite and engage Cleveland audiences. Bursting with action, adventure, romance, and suspense, audiences will find joy in unexpected places in each production this Season.  The Season will include a swashbuckling romantic comedy, an urgent revival of an international classic, soul-shaking gospel performances, a political thriller from a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, a Tony Award-winning musical, and an electrifying athletic drama that packs a punch. With characters ranging from rebels and outsiders, to misfits, revolutionaries and geniuses, audiences will be swept up into the stories of one and all, and will be reminded that the most efficient way to resolve conflict whether on the stage or in life, is through collaboration.  

Brelby is committed to encouraging, nurturing and producing the work of local playwrights. Their 2017 lineup features ten world premieres.

KWP Productions has an ambitious season planned for 2016 - 2017.  The company will produce 6 'adult' plays and 3 children's productions at the Bhetty Waldron Theater at Actor's Rep in West Palm Beach.

COMING SOON: Hayes Theatre Company's Second Half Of 2016

Les Barres de Broadway will present the French Premiere of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in Paris. The premiere will be held on June 13th, 2016 at Le Grand Studio of MPAA Broussais in Paris.

Les Barres de Broadway are proud to present the French Premiere of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE in Paris. The premiere will be held on June 13th, 2016 at Le Grand Studio of MPAA Broussais.

The first annual Broadway Bee, featuring Paige Davis (Chicago), Laura Michelle Kelly (Finding Neverland), Tony winner Christian Borle (Something Rotten), and Jose Llana (The King and I) took place just last night at The Cutting Room (44 E. 32nd St). Proceeds benefit Broadway Bound Kids, a NYC performing arts education organization. Ten teams, each representing a Broadway show, were encouraged to pull out all the stops to correctly spell the words. The more funds each team raised, the more they were allowed to cheat! 

The award-winning Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC) is pleased to present a look into their production of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, now playing through Saturday, May 28, 2016 at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 30-44 Crescent St (@30th Rd), in Astoria, Queens. With music & lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, additional material by Jay Reiss, choreographed by Misha Shields,  music directed by Michael Ferrara, directed by Artistic Director Dev Bondarin. 

Award-winning actor and playwright John Cariani (Something Rotten!) will be the Comfort Counselor for the first annual Broadway Bee, featuring Paige Davis (Chicago), Laura Michelle Kelly (Finding Neverland), Tony winner Christian Borle (Something Rotten), and Jose Llana (The King and I)  in an adults only spelling bee, on Monday, May 9 at 7pm at The Cutting Room (44 E. 32nd St). Proceeds benefit Broadway Bound Kids, a NYC performing arts education organization.

The award-winning Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC) presents THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, with music & lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, additional material by Jay Reiss, choreographed by Misha Shields, music directed by Michael Ferrara, directed by Artistic Director Dev Bondarin.

Today in 2005, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre, where it ran for 1136 performances. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a one act musical comedy conceived by Rebecca Feldman with music and lyrics by William Finn, a book by Rachel Sheinkin and additional material by Jay Reiss. The show centers on a fictional spelling bee set in a geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School. Six quirky adolescents compete in the Bee, run by three equally-quirky grown-ups. The 2005 Broadway production, directed by James Lapine, was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two, including Best Book. The show has spawned various other productions in the U.S., including a national tour with performances in Canada, and Australian productions.

Paige Davis (Chicago) and Laura Michelle Kelly (Finding Neverland) join Tony winner Christian Borle (Something Rotten) and Jose Llana (The King and I) for the first annual Broadway Bee, featuring actors from current hit musicals, in an adults only spelling bee, on Monday, May 9 at 7pm at The Cutting Room (44 E. 32nd St). Proceeds benefit Broadway Bound Kids, a NYC performing arts education organization.

The award-winning Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC) is pleased to present a behind the scenes look at rehearsals for THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, with music & lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, additional material by Jay Reiss, choreographed by Misha Shields,  music directed by Michael Ferrara, directed by Artistic Director Dev Bondarin. The limited engagement will be at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 30-44 Crescent St (@30th Rd), in Astoria, Queens. Performances begin Thursday, May 5 and continue through Saturday, May 28. Tickets are available at www.apacny.org.

Broadway Bound Kids, a NYC performing arts education organization, will host the first annual BROADWAY BEE on Monday, May 9, at 7pm at The Cutting Room (44 East 32nd St.), featuring actors from current hit musicals, in an adults only spelling bee, that will benefit the organization.

The award-winning Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC) presents THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, with music & lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, additional material by Jay Reiss, choreographed by Misha Shields, music directed by Michael Ferrara, directed by Artistic Director Dev Bondarin.

The Garden Theatre, located at 160 West Plant Street in historic Winter Garden, is pleased to announce its 2016-2017 Theatre Season, running from September 2016 - May 2017.  In addition to the six full-length theatrical presentations, the season will be dotted with weekend events such as music and dance concerts, as well as movies and holiday offerings. Subscriptions will go on sale April 1 for current subscribers, April 15 for new subscribers, and May 1 for single tickets at gardentheatre.org or by calling the Garden Theatre Box Office at 407-877-GRDN (4736).

As 2015 comes to a close, BroadwayWorld takes one last look at this season's brightest moments before the curtain comes down, showcasing what readers - and audiences - loved most. Below, check out the curtain call highlights on Broadway from 2015!

Good Day Philadelphia got into the spirit of Broadway today when they held their own The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! The crew of Good Day Philadelphia got together with the cast of the Bucks County Playhouse production to share some laughs and show off their amazing spelling skills. Can you spell F-U-N?