Joe DiPietro News

As the season of romance is upon us, Ray of Light Theatre continues its astronomical 2008/2009 season with I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. A laugh-inducing, award-winning musical comedy about love in the suburbs, this stage sensation has been described as 'Seinfeld set to music'. It's a hilarious look at love and relationships that is touching, insightful and humorous. With six actors playing over forty roles scaling the dizzying spectrum of male/female relationships, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change reveals the difficulties and joys of connecting with another person. Featuring amazing local talent (with many familiar faces) and live musicians, Ray of Light Theatre is bringing I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change to the San Francisco stage at Off-Market Theatres - 965 Mission St (between 5th/6th). Running February 5 - 28, 2009, this 4-week limited engagement makes for the perfect Valentine's treat. The show plays Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm. For tickets ($18-$30) and information, please visit www.roltheatre.com. Tickets may also be purchased at TIX Bay Area (Booth in Union Square) or by calling 1-800-838-3006. Student/senior discounts available. The Cast Sarah Kathleen Farrell Holly Nugent Amy Penney Alex Kirschner Justin Taylor Nixon Justin Torres Director/Choreographer: Ellyn Marie Marsh Ellyn Marie Marsh is very happy to be back in the Bay Area, where she was raised. She was last seen in the bay in Steve Silvers Beach Blanket Babylon, where she received rave reviews for her spot-on impressions of Barbara Streisand, Britney Spears, Hillary Clinton and the legendary Pineapple Princess. Other performing credits include Lincoln Center's My Fair Lady (Mrs. Hopkins) where she shared the stage with Kelsey Grammar, Brian Denehey and Kelli O'Hara, European and National Tours and Regional Credits of Broadway Dancin', West Side Story (Anita), Grease (Rizzo), Chorus Line (Diana), Sweet Charity (Nickie), Xmas Carol-Madison Square Garden Version (Xmas past), blah blah blah. Her directing and choreographing credits include, Once on this Island, Grease, Annie and High School Musical. She directed Ray of Light Theatre's 2006 production of Seussical. www.ellynmarsh.com. Love and thanks to Shane and the ROLT family, and to her husband, Travas, who supports all she does.

To celebrate Inauguration Day, 5th Avenue Theatre is selling tickets for 'Memphis' and 'Hello, Dolly!' for only $20.09. Tickets are available at this low price for one day, Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 9:30 a.m. to midnight (online only) and 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (box office and phone). Shows on sale include the first week of the Broadway-aimed musical 'Memphis' (Jan. 27 to Feb. 1) and the first week of 'Hello, Dolly!' (March 7 to 15).

Tony Award-nominee Nancy Opel will be reunited with her Tony Award-winning Urinetown director, John Rando, when she stars in the new musical, The Toxic Avenger. The casting was announced today by the show's producers, Jean Cheever and Tom Polum. Ms. Opel, who created her role in the show's world premiere at George Street Playhouse (New Brunswick, New Jersey), plays the mayor of a mythical small New Jersey town (not dissimilar to a real-life former mayor of a small Alaska town).

The racially-fueled rock 'n' roll musical Memphis will arrive at 5th Ave Theater Jan. 27. Memphis will officially open Feb. 5 and run through Feb. 15 at the 5th Avenue Theatre.

Beginning January 9th, the new year is the best time to see live theatre in Fort Myers with a captivating Irish drama, a laugh-out-loud comedy, a brand-new murder mystery, a touching comedy about eighty-somethings in love and the hilarious story of England's favorite housewife.

Soon there'll be another 'Jersey Boy' in town! The Toxic Avenger, a new musical by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change) & David Bryan (Bon Jovi), with direction by John Rand0 (Urinetown), will begin performances on Wednesday, March 18, 2009, at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street), it was announced today by the show's producers Jean Cheever and Tom Polum. Opening Night is set for Monday, April 6th.

The Spirit of Broadway theater ended its 11th season this Saturday by presenting its 8th annual Spirit Awards during a black tie gala at the Spa at Norwich Inn. The awards winners are determined by subscriber votes. Joe DiPietro served as the Guest Master of Ceremonies.

VANITIES, A New Musical by Jack Heifner, with music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by two-time Tony? Award-winner Judith Ivey and musical staging by Dan Knechtges, has postponed a planned Broadway run.

TheatreWorks has announced that Kent Nicholson will be leaving his post as Director of New Works to become the Director of Musical Theatre Development at Playwrights Horizons. He will be transitioning into the position as a job share until March of 2009, where he is replacing the recently departed Christie Evangalisto. His position there was cemented by the Mellon Foundation's recent $2 million grant to Playwrights Horizons to establish collaborations with regional theatres to develop new musicals, an area in which Nicholson has excelled for TheatreWorks, where he has led the charge, establishing the New Works Festival and Writers Retreat programs as sources for the development of works of national importance.

VANITIES, A New Musical by Jack Heifner, with music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by two-time Tony® Award-winner Judith Ivey and musical staging by Dan Knechtges, will open on Broadway Thursday, February 26, 2009 at the Lyceum Theatre, 149 West 45th Street (preview performances will begin Monday, February 2).

LONG STORY SHORT follows the engaging story of socially-inept Charles, an East Coast Jew who falls head-over-heels in love with his polar opposite, feisty Hope, an Asian-American from Los Angeles.

Ever dream of being Elvis for the day? From November 1 through December 6, The Marriott Theatre invites all Chicagoans to show their love for the King of Rock 'n Roll by wearing their Blue Suede Shoes, sequins and leisure suits to the hit musical ALL SHOOK UP.

The exhilarating Broadway musical 'ALL SHOOK UP', featuring the songs of the legendary Elvis Presley, previews September 24th, opens October 1st, and runs through December 7th at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive. Led by Chicago's favorite Director and Choreographer Marc Robin, ALL SHOOK UP will have you dancing in your seats!

Three years after its Broadway debut, the lively musical comedy 'All Shook Up' has found a perfect Chicagoland setting at Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. This fast-paced show is a real crowd-pleaser, with frequent moments of mistaken identity, gender confusion and unexpected love triangles.

The opening night reception of 'ALL SHOOK UP' at Marriott Theatre benefited Season of Concern, the Chicagoland theatre community's fund raising effort in the fight against AIDS

The exhilarating Broadway musical ALL SHOOK UP, featuring the songs of the legendary Elvis Presley, previews September 24th, opens October 1st, and runs through December 7th at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive. Led by Chicago's favorite Director and Choreographer Marc Robin, 'ALL SHOOK UP' will have you dancing in your seats!

We go green in honor of WICKED's 5th anniversary on Broadway with a profile of a modern-dance-to-musical-theater transplant.

The exhilarating Broadway musical 'ALL SHOOK UP', featuring the songs of the legendary Elvis Presley, previews September 24th, opens October 1st, and runs through December 7th at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive. Led by Chicago's favorite Director and Choreographer Marc Robin, ALL SHOOK UP will have you dancing in your seats!

The upcoming Broadway production of IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS, a new musical stage reinvention of the beloved classic film, is pleased to announce that Stephen Bogardus, Kerry O'Malley, Jeffry Denman, Meredith Patterson, Charles Dean and Susan Mansur will lead a cast of 33 in the highly anticipated holiday engagement.

La Jolla Playhouse announced today the initial lineup of cast and creatives for the upcoming musical 'Memphis - The Birth of Rock 'n' Roll' slated for August 19th through September 28th in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.