John Lasiter News

BroadwayWorld has a first look at the opening centennial season show at The Muny, Jerome Robbin's Broadway. In its first production ever in the world since its original Broadway and national tour productions, Jerome Robbins' Broadway runs June 11 - 17.  Check out the cast in action below!

Charles Dickens' beloved orphan makes his Goodspeed debut in the hope-filled musical set in the dark shadows of Victorian London. Bounced from workhouse to forced labor, Oliver Twist escapes to the streets where he meets Fagin, the Artful Dodger and a band of child pickpockets. Will he find love, home and happiness before it's too late?

The Muny announced today its full cast, design and production teams for the theater's opening centennial season show, Jerome Robbin's Broadway. In its first production ever in the world since its original Broadway and national tour productions, Jerome Robbins' Broadway will run June 11 - 17.

The Muny announced today its complete cast and design team for the theatre's centennial season production of Gypsy, July 27 - August 2. Gypsy is proudly sponsored by Missouri Lottery.

10 Hairy Legs, the all male repertory dance company, dèbuts at Baryshnikov Arts Center for its sixth consecutive New York Season for four performances June 7 -10. The program features World Premieres by Bessie Award Nominee and company member Nicholas Sciscione, and Yin Yue. Works by Al Blackstone, Raja Feather Kelly and Christopher Williams complete the program. Sciscione will perform his solo work and Ofer Pelz his original composition at all performances. Tickets are $25 for Adults and $20 for Students and Groups of 10 or more through 10HL.org.

10 Hairy Legs returns to New Brunswick for its sixth consecutive season at a new location. Tickets for the weeknight show are $10 General Admission.  Tickets: 10HL.org. The evening features works performed in 10 states during the company's national tour in the fall and winter, including debuts at The Kravis Center in West Palm Beach and Dance Place in Washington, DC, and a Preview of a World Premiere by Yin Yue that will debut at the company's 2018 New York Season at Baryshnikov Arts Center. The performance is underwritten in part by a grant from The MagyarBank Charitable Foundation. Loree Dance Theatre is located on the Douglass Campus of Rutgers University, 70 Lipman Drive. Parking and directions.

10 Hairy Legs, the all male repertory dance company, dèbuts at Baryshnikov Arts Center for its sixth consecutive New York Season for four performances June 7 -10. The program features World Premieres by Bessie Award Nominee and company member Nicholas Sciscione, and Yin Yue. Works by Al Blackstone, Raja Feather Kelly and Christopher Williams complete the program.

TheaterWorks (Rob Ruggiero, Director/Producing Artistic Director) announced today that THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA McBRIDE by Matthew Lopez will run March 16 through April 22, 2018. THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA McBRIDE is the 3rd show of TheaterWorks 32nd Season.

10 Hairy Legs returns to New Brunswick for its sixth consecutive season at a new location. Tickets for the weeknight show are $10 General Admission.

Christmas is a season of traditions. From the decorations that have their certain place on the mantel, to the cookies like grandma used to make, people thrive on the familiar during the holidays. This goes for films and TV specials as well. Who doesn't pause to see if George Bailey will save the savings and loan, if Ralphie will actually get his Red Ryder BB Gun, or if Rudolph will finally prove his red nose can do great things. No matter how many viewings, there is something about the characters of these beloved Christmas programs that feels familiar and right. But have you ever wondered what happened to these larger than life characters after their time in the red and green spotlight? These are the questions that TheaterWorks in Hartford hilariously tackles in CHRISTMAS ON THE ROCKS.

If you want to discuss mystery, and I think we need to at this point, there are two essential tropes that must be considered. First, we have Chekhov's gun- if a seemingly important thing is brought up, even casually, near the beginning, it will prove to be important by the end. (Case in point: Chekhov introduces a gun early in Hedda Gabler, and somebody gets shot by the end of the evening.) Second, we have the opposite of Chekhov's gun, the red herring- sometimes, a seemingly important thing is brought up, even casually, to divert attention and create misdirection from what is truly important. (Case in point, Sigmund Freud stated that anything longer than it is wide represented a phallic icon, but justified his own smoking by stating 'sometimes, a cigar can be just a cigar,' not emblematic of anything else.)

An offbeat collection of twisted holiday tales by John Cariani, Jeffrey Hatcher, Jenn Harris & Matt Wilkas, Jacques Lamarre, Theresa Rebeck and Edwin Sanchez.

Pittsburgh Public Theater celebrates Thanksgiving with The Humans, by Scranton, PA native Stephen Karam. The Humans was honored with the 2016 Tony Award for Best Play. Directed by Pamela Berlin, The Humans runs November 9 December 10, 2017 at the O'Reilly Theater, Pittsburgh Public Theater's home in the heart of Downtown's Cultural District. For tickets call 412.316.1600 or visit ppt.org.

A revised version of RAGS is currently on stage at Goodspeed Theatre through December 10. Fresh from Ellis Island, a young mother and her son search for a new life and a sense of home as the 20th century beckons. The streets of Manhattan's Lower East Side may not be paved with gold, but they echo with the music of opportunity, optimism and hope. A ravishing score by the songwriters of Wicked and Annie colors a sweeping saga of America's immigrant past.

10 Hairy Legs will provide the Dance to Learn program to all second grade students at the Jerome Dunn Academy #9 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Join Rebecca and David Hershkowitz as they journey to a 'brand new world' in Goodspeed's reinvented Rags. Original creators Charles Strouse and Stephen Schwartz have teamed up with David Thompson, who has adapted Joseph Stein's book, to rework this timely and inspiring piece.

NEWSIES lyricist Jack Feldman visited The Muny's production of the hit musical on Wednesday and took a moment to snap a photo with the cast - check it out below!

Watch the company of NEWSIES at The Muny get serious in 'The World Will Know' below!

The original film version of NEWSIES wasn't exactly a blockbuster when it was released in 1992, but it developed a substantial cult following, especially as kids and adults alike discovered its many charms on cable and DVD. Actually, the fact that it wasn't a huge hit initially is why it seems like such a great, and logical, choice to rework for Broadway, where its transformation resulted in Tony Awards for best score (music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman) and choreography back in 2012. Perhaps this is proof that the material might have been better served as a stage production from the start. As The MUNY's current, and final, presentation of the season it packs an entertaining wallop that brings the season to a close on a delightfully high note. Audiences certainly will find plenty to enjoy, and I cannot recommend this show highly enough!

BroadwayWorld has an exclusive sneak peek behind the scenes of last night's performance of NEWSIES at The Muny - check out photos below!