Jeremy Desmon News

Midtown Direct Rep (MDR), the ensemble-based theater company based in South Orange/Maplewood, NJ, announces A CONVERSATION WITH BILLY PORTER, on Monday, June 15, 2015 at 7:30 PM at the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) in a one-night-only benefit appearance hosted by NY1's Budd Mishkin.

As part of Tennessee Shakespeare Company's first year-round season, the development of three exciting new musicals launches on the University of Memphis Mainstage this summer with Showplace Memphis: Musical Works in Progress.

Playscripts, Inc., an independent theatrical publishing and licensing agency, announces that Bradley Lohrenz, previously the Director of Licensing at Samuel French, has joined the company as Vice-President. Mr. Lohrenz will now oversee all of the agency's Professional & Amateur licensing and acquisitions.

Tony Nominees Laura Osnes and Rob McClure star in an all-new ten minute musical on this month's episode of the musical theater podcast: Take A Ten. The brand new audio musical also co-stars Ryan Andes of Big Fish and Peter Pan Live. The musical, 'Veronica at the Altar' tells the story of Veronica (Osnes), a woman conflicted between marrying her fiance?e (McClure), a secure and simple accountant, and her ex- boyfriend, a daring treasure hunter (Andes). 'Veronica at the Altar' features a book by Edward Kleban Prize winner, Jeremy Desmon (Pump Up the Volume, Good News). Music for the episode was written by Andy Roninson with lyrics by George Merrick, both of whom are recipients of the Jerry Harrington Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement

Concert goers will hear greatest hits from the Disney classics 'Aladdin,' 'The Little Mermaid' and Disney/Pixar's 'Toy Story' remixed to rock, pop, reggae, hip-hop, jazz and country, among other jams at Disney Live! Mickey's Music Festival this weekend, October 3, 4 and 5.

Midtown Direct Rep (MDR), the company that brought New Jersey the award-winning Rated P for Parenthood and Listen to Your Mother: North Jersey, returns to the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) with Theatre in the Loft, a series of staged readings of new plays and musicals. Chisa Hutchinson's The Subject, directed by Jade King Carroll, premieres on Sunday, October 12 at 7 pm at SOPAC (One Sopac Way, South Orange, NJ, 07079).

MIDTOWN DIRECT REP (MDR), the company that brought New Jersey the award-winning Rated P for Parenthood and Listen to Your Mother: North Jersey, returns to the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) with Theatre in the Loft, a series of staged readings of new plays and musicals. Chisa Hutchinson?s The Subject, directed by Jade King Carroll, premieres on Sunday, October 12 at 7 pm at SOPAC (One Sopac Way, South Orange, NJ, 07079). The reading is $15 and open to the public. Tickets can be purchased online http://www.sopacnow.org/504/mdr or by calling 973-313-ARTS (2787).

Production company Stageworks Media, best known for adapting music, publishing and film studio source material directly for the stock and amateur theatrical licensing marketplace, proudly announces its new global publishing/distribution deal with leading stage publishing and licensing company Playscripts, Inc. The deal's inaugural projects include two new titles from Stageworks' Pop Musicals Collection, Cyrano de BurgerShack by Jeremy Desmon, and Emma! A Pop Musical by Eric Price.

Concert goers will hear greatest hits from the Disney classics "Aladdin," "The Little Mermaid" and Disney/Pixar's "Toy Story" remixed to rock, pop, reggae, hip-hop, jazz and country, among other jams at Disney Live! Mickey's Music Festival October 3, 4 and 5.

On Monday, March 3, Musical Theatre Factory presented the second edition of 'Songs by Ridiculously Talented Composers and Lyricists you Probably Don't Know but Should,' celebrating the work of emerging musical theatre writers mentored by two-time Tony Award winner William Finn. Scroll down for some pictures of the cast and the performance!

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

This March, April and May at 54 BELOW presents a lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street. For a detailed schedule of upcoming performances at 54 Below and to purchase tickets, visit www.54Below.com.

Musical Theatre Factory presents second round of 'Ridiculously Talented,' hosted by William Finn at 54 Below, Monday, December 16th at 9:30pm. Musical Theatre Factory presents the second edition of 'Songs by Ridiculously Talented Composers and Lyricists you Probably Don't Know but Should,' celebrating the work of emerging musical theatre writers mentored by two-time Tony Award winner William Finn.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Title of Show's Susan Blackwell will host Cutting-Edge Composers at 54 Below on 2/17 at 9:30pm! She will be joined by Broadway performers Ben Platt (Book of Mormon), Ben Fankhauser (Newsies), Emma Hunton (Next to Normal) and many more as they present material from new musicals by up-and-coming composers. Tickets are available at http://54below.com/artist/cutting-edge-composers.

Stageworks Media will present an industry reading of Cyrano de Burger Shack, A New High School Musical written by award-winning playwright Jeremy Desmon and directed by Jeremy Dobrish, which will take place on Friday, February 7th at 1:00 pm at 54Below (254 West 54th Street, NYC). Featured in the cast of Cyrano de Burger Shack are F. Michael Haynie (Wicked) as Cyrano, Julia Mattison (Godspell) as Roxanne, and Michael Campayno (Sound of Music Live) as Christian, as well as Ashley Kate Adams (La Cage aux Folles), Trista Dollison (Avenue Q), Rebecca LaChance (Beautiful), Ellyn Marie Marsh (Kinky Boots), Shina Ann Morris (Cinderella), Jeremy Morse (Papermill's Oliver!), and Alex Wyse (Lysistrata Jones). The music director /arranger is Meg Zervoulis.

Nic Rouleau, currently starring in The Book of Mormon on Broadway, and Donna Vivino, who played Elphaba in Broadway's Wicked, will sing songs from brand new musicals in the Cutting-Edge Composers concert at 54 Below on 2/17 at 9:30pm.

On February 17th at 9:30pm, Cutting-Edge Composers will present their fifth concert at 54 Below! Committed to showcasing up-and-coming musical theatre writers by providing them with concert venues, Broadway performers and musicians, Cutting-Edge Composers has an exclusive video spotlight on Broadwayworld.com. The concert, directed and produced by Laura Pietropinto, with Musical Direction by Julie McBride and Benjamin Rauhala, will feature songs from new musicals in the works.

Stageworks Media proudly announces the launch of the LIVE FROM GRAMERCY PARK cabaret series at The Players Club (16 Gramercy Park South). The series will kick-off on Monday January 27th, 2014 with Tony nominee Euan Morton, backed by Grandpa Musselman & His Syncopators. Mr. Morton and the six-piece jazz ensemble will perform a repertoire of turn of the century ragtime, 1920?s jazz and depression-era swing by composers such as Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton and Duke Ellington. Show times are at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM (doors open 45 minutes prior to show time). Tickets are priced at $25-$35 (cocktails and light fare will be available, but there is NO food or drink minimum). Tickets are available now at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/537761.

Media Executive Michael Barra announces the launch of STAGEWORKS MEDIA, a multi-platform production company focused on adapting content for stages around the globe, and developing theatrical-inspired stories for film, TV, digital, and publishing.