Joel Paley News

Olathe Civic Theatre Association (OCTA) announces its exciting 2017-2018 season of five diverse shows, which will kick off September 15, 2017.

"Dying is easy, comedy is hard". The old adage has been attributed to countless comedians over the years. When a musical comedy attempts to combine comedy and death, the outcome can either be successful (think Monty Python) or fall on its face. Ruthless! The Musical, a 1992 off Broadway campy musical, which opened this week at Creative Cauldron in Falls Church, falls into the latter category. The intermission-less show written by Marvin Laird and Joel Paley has funny bits, and a few memorable songs, but overall the piece, which has had a successful life in regional theater, is just flat. Sure, it spoofs musicals like Gypsy and movies like All About Eve, but the humor is a bit rudimentary and plays more like a bad SNL skit, then a well-polished farce.

Creative Cauldron presents the regional premiere of award-winning cult-hit Ruthless! The Musical, with book and lyrics by Joel Paley, music by Marvin Laird, and direction by Creative Cauldron Artistic Associate Matt Conner.

The 2016-17 Season will mark Creative Cauldron's eighth year producing and presenting live theater and music at ArtSpace Falls Church.

Adorable eight-year-old girls are supposed to play with dolls, be obsessed with the color pink, and gossip about their friends on a smart phone. Right? Wrong, if you are Tina Denmark. She wants to be a theatrical star. Now! Not later, NOW! (foot stomp!) What will she do to get her dream?

Beck Center for the Arts proudly opens its 2016-2017 theater season with the campy cult musical Ruthless! September 16 through October 16, 2016 in the Mackey Theater. Show times are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are now on sale. Buy early and save with promo code: PIPPI to receive $5 off each adult/senior ticket purchased by September 15. This production contains strong language and content.

Off-Broadway's RUTHLESS! THE MUSICAL concluded its run last Saturday, September 10th. Following the sold-out final performance, the Entire company partied into the wee hours at Philippe. RUTHLESS! opened July 13, 2015.

The Off-Broadway smash RUTHLESS! THE MUSICAL will conclude its triumphant 14-month run tomorrow (Saturday) at St. Luke's Theatre, 308 West 46 Street (just west of Eighth Ave.) RUTHLESS! opened July 13, 2015 to unanimous rave reviews led by Entertainment Weekly which called the show, "Uproarious! A mash-up of THE BAD SEED, GYPSY, ALL ABOUT EVE, plus the films of Douglas Sirk and John Waters!" Just some of the celebrities spotted in the audience have included Ron Howard, Regis & Joy Philbin, Bernadette Peters, Lynn Cohen, Chelsie Hightower, Mario Cantone, Dmitry Chaplin, Laura Bell Bundy, Barbara Eden, Jan Maxwell, Legacy, Larry Thomas (The Soup Nazi), Jackie Hoffman, Sierra Boggess, and Dame Gillian Lynne. The original cast recording, produced by Robert Sher, is set for release this fall.

The Off-Broadway smash Ruthless! The Musical will end its 14-month run tonight, September 10th, prior to a national tour which will kick off in November -- finalized dates will be announced soon.

Creative Cauldron presents the regional premiere of award-winning cult-hit Ruthless! The Musical, with book and lyrics by Joel Paley, music by Marvin Laird, and direction by Creative Cauldron Artistic Associate Matt Conner.

There are only five performances remaining for the Off-Broadway smash RUTHLESS! The Musical, which concludes its triumphant 14-month run on September 10th. 

This week's final installment included a performance by the Broadway cast of Ruthless! including: Tori Murray and Kim Maresca. Watch highlights below, as they perform 'To Play This Part,' and 'It Will Never Be That Way Again.'

The Off-Broadway smash Ruthless! The Musical will end its 14-month run on September 10th, prior to a national tour which will kick off in November -- finalized dates will be announced soon.

The 2016-17 Season will mark Creative Cauldron's eighth year producing and presenting live theater and music at ArtSpace Falls Church.

The Off-Broadway smash, RUTHLESS! The Musical, marked its one-year anniversary on July 13th and the cast celebrated into the wee hours at Becco. RUTHLESS! opened July 13, 2015 to unanimous rave reviews led by Rex Reed who called the show, 'Malicious & Delicious...A Total Joy!' Just some of the celebrities who have been spotted in the audience so far include Ron Howard, Regis & Joy Philbin, Bernadette Peters, Lynn Cohen, Chelsie Hightower, Mario Cantone, Dmitry Chaplin, Laura Bell Bundy, Barbara Eden, Jan Maxwell, Legacy, Larry Thomas (The Soup Nazi), Jackie Hoffman, Sierra Boggess, and Dame Gillian Lynne. The original cast recording, produced by Robert Sher, is set for release later this summer.

Sylvia St. Croix (as played by the fabulous Paul Pecorino in RUTHLESS!), is preparing for this year's Gay Pride festivities on Sunday. Earlier this week she brought Marcel, her newest fancy man, over to St. Luke's Theatre to show him off to her fellow cast members. Although she won't be walking the parade route (too rough on her bunions), Sylvia & Marcel will be hanging around the West Village, most likely near any booths offering food. Sylvia is widely known for her frequent eating binges (and subsequent purging).

Original cast member Tracy Jai Edwards returns to Off-Broadway's musical smash RUTHLESS! tonight (June 20) in the dual roles of Eve Allabout and Louise Lerman. Due to overwhelming demand for tickets, the show was recently extended through September 10th.

The new recording of RUTHLESS! The Musical, produced by Robert Sher for Caroline Records, will feature the entire original cast: Peter Land, Kim Maresca, Tori Murray, Rita McKenzie, Andrea McCullough, and Tracy Jai Edwards. The recording is set for today (Tuesday) at Carriage House Studios, with music supervision by Marvin Laird and music direction by Ricky Romano.

The stars of Off-Broadway's award-winning musical smash RUTHLESS!, Kim Maresca and Tori Murray, performed songs from the show at the May 25th launch party celebrating the special June travel issue of W42ST Magazine. Here they are wowing the crowd at Hudson Boulevard Park accompanied by the great Marvin Laird. 

The fabulous Rita McKenzie, star of the award-winning musical smash RUTHLESS!, recently attended a pre-Tony bash thrown by the HAMILTON company. Here she is celebrating their whopping 16 nominations with the cast and creative team at the IAC Building.