John Rando News

Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein today announced the appointment of Travis LeMont Ballenger as Associate Artistic Director. The Globe will have two people in this key position, as Ballenger joins Associate Artistic Director Justin Waldman, who has been at the Globe since 2011. Ballenger and Waldman will report jointly to Edelstein. Ballenger will assume his artistic duties at The Old Globe on May 1.

New York City Center will soon present the final Encores! production of the City Center 75th Anniversary Season, High Button Shoes. The production will feature Aidan Alberto (Stevie), Jennifer Allen (Shirley Simpkins), Kevin Chamberlin (Mr. Pontdue), Carla Duren (Fran), Chester Gregory (Papa Longstreet), Mylinda Hull (Nancy), Marc Koeck (Oggle), Matt Loehr (Uncle Willy), Wayne Pretlow (Elmer Simpkins), Michael Urie (Harrison Floy), and Betsy Wolfe (Sara Longstreet).

New York City Center today announced casting for High Button Shoes, the final Encores! production of the City Center 75th Anniversary Season. The production will feature Aidan Alberto (Stevie), Jennifer Allen (Shirley Simpkins), Kevin Chamberlin (Mr. Pontdue), Carla Duren (Fran), Chester Gregory (Papa Longstreet), Mylinda Hull (Nancy), Marc Koeck (Oggle), Matt Loehr (Uncle Willy), Wayne Pretlow (Elmer Simpkins),Michael Urie (Harrison Floy), and Betsy Wolfe (Sara Longstreet).

The Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Programs end their 2018-19 season with two plays in rep, How We Got On by Idris Goodwin, and She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen. She Kills Monsters, directed by Tatyana-Marie Carlo ('20) tackles grief through one of the most popular role-playing games, Dungeons & Dragons. How We Got On, directed by Josiah Davis('20), is a coming-of-age story for three young hip hop artists in the suburbs growing up alongside a new genre of music. All performances will take place in rep from May 3 - 19 at thePell Chafee Performance Center, 87 Empire Street, Providence. Tickets are on sale now at Trinity Rep's box office, by phone (401) 351-4242, or online atwww.TrinityRep.com/MFAShows.

Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Artistic Producer), New York City's award-winning pioneer in diversity and multi-ethnic casting in the performing arts since 1968 and celebrated its 50th Anniversary at its annual Gala Benefit Concert on Monday, April 1, 2019 at the The Angel Orensanz Foundation (172 Norfolk Street). Honorary Chair for the event is Academy Award-Winning actress and activist Whoopi Goldberg. Tony Award-winner Lillias White will be Mistress of Ceremonies evening.

The Drama League has announced the twelve stage directors who have been selected as the 2019 Directing Fellows of The Drama League Directors Project: NJ Agwuna, Sharifa Elkady, Raz Golden, Chika Ike, Rebecca Marzalek-Kelly, Ismael Lara, Jr., Amanda McRaven, Lindsey Hope Pearlman, Ben Randle, Tai Thompson, Gabriel Torres, and Sophia Watt. They will be publicly introduced to the professional theatre community during the 85th Annual Drama League Awards, which will be held on Friday, May 17, 2019 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway). More information can be found at www.dramaleague.org

Ghostlight Records has announced it will record a new cast album of Cole Porter's 1930 musical The New Yorkers. The recording will be based on the 2017 production from New York City Center (Arlene Shuler, New York City Center President & CEO) Encores!, directed by John Rando with musical direction by Encores! Music Director Rob Berman and choreography by Chris Bailey. The concert adaptation is by Encores! Artistic Director Jack Viertel. The album, produced by Rob Berman and Lawrence Manchester, is being recorded March 25-26.

The Drama League's 2019 Spring Charity Auction has launched, featuring more than twenty once-in-a-lifetime prize packages.

Off-Broadway's The New Group will honor Edie Falco and Serge Nivelle at the company's Annual Gala on Monday, March 11 at Tribeca Rooftop (2 Desbrosses Street between Hudson & Greenwich).  The event will feature a performance by Brandon Victor Dixon and appearances by Peter Dinklage, Warren Leight, Erica Schmidt and Tarik Trotter. The evening, 6:00-10:00pm, includes cocktails, dinner and live auctions.

Two-time Tony Award-winning Goodspeed Musicals has brought together an extraordinary group of artists to helm the five exciting productions planned this season: an All-American classic, a heart-warming musical tale, an electric dance-filled tuner, an extraordinary true story, and an inspirational journey that's sure to inspire. Single tickets for all five shows set for Goodspeed's 2019 season go on public sale this Sunday, February 17 at 10:00 a.m..

Bring a valentine to enjoy the production of Lerner and Loewe's "My Fair Lady" with the Utah Symphony playing the exquisite musical score in Abravanel Hall on February 15 & 16 7:30 PM. This classic Broadway hit will be performed by Broadway singers in period costumes and the Utah Symphony will play under the direction of Utah Symphony Associate Conductor Conner Gray Covington. Tickets, priced from $18 to $69 ($10 for students), are available for purchase through www.utahsymphony.org or by calling (801) 355-2787.

Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Artistic Producer), New York City's award-winning pioneer in diversity and multi-ethnic casting in the performing arts since 1968 and will celebrate its 50th Anniversary at its annual Gala Benefit Concert on Monday, April 1, 2019 at the The Angel Orensanz Foundation (172 Norfolk Street). Honorary Chair for the event is Academy Award-Winning actress and activist Whoopi Goldberg. Tony Award-winner Lillias White will be Mistress of Ceremonies evening.

Bring a valentine to enjoy the production of Lerner and Loewe's "My Fair Lady" with the Utah Symphony playing the exquisite musical score in Abravanel Hall on February 15 & 16 7:30 PM. This classic Broadway hit will be performed by Broadway singers in period costumes and the Utah Symphony will play under the direction of Utah Symphony Associate Conductor Conner Gray Covington. Tickets, priced from $18 to $69 ($10 for students), are available for purchase through www.utahsymphony.org or by calling (801) 355-2787.

The Drama League (Executive Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks) has announced casting for DirectorFest 2019: The 35th Annual Directors Festival, the only festival in the United States exploring the art of contemporary stage directing. DirectorFest takes place at various locations around NYC: New Ohio Theatre (154 Christopher Street), The Drama League Theater Center (32 Avenue of the Americas), LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (31-10 Thompson Avenue, Long Island City), and Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette Street). Festival programming, tickets and additional details are available at www.directorfest.org, or by calling (212) 244-9494.

Over the past hundred years the theater community has celebrated some of the most notable events in Broadway's history at the Friars Club.   Last night the Barrington Stage Co. the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, Ma. under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd held their New York City Benefit in the legendary building where so many legends of the theater community have socialized and entertained each other.   John Rando the famed director was celebrated for his extraordinary talent and his contributions to BSC.  John has directed two of the most popular musicals in BSC history, The Pirates of Penzance and On the Town, which transferred to Broadway and received four Tony Award nominations, including Best Director.  At BSC John also directed The Royal Family of Broadway and Guys and Dolls and on Broadway, he won a Tony Award for his direction of Urinetown, The Musical.  

A Christmas extravaganza, with plenty of dance to energize your holiday season! It's not sugarplums dancing in Ralphie's head; it's a Red Ryder air rifle! A Christmas Story, The Musical is a clever and humorous adaptation of the hit film that became an instant classic early 1980s and had everyone echoing 'You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!'

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, will host its annual New York City Benefit, BSC/NYC, on Tuesday, November 27, 2018, to honor director and BSC Associate Artist John Rando with the William Finn Award for Innovation and Excellence in Musical Theatre. This one-night only cabaret will take place at the Friars Club (57 East 55th Street).

The Drama League announced today the 2019 line-up of DirectorFest, the only festival in the United States exploring the art of contemporary stage directing. For its 35th year, the festival will include six fully-staged productions, a showcase evening of a new musical, discussion forums, and conversations with America's notable directors. 

At an SRO ceremony held at Zion Lutheran Church in Pittsfield, the Board of the Berkshire Theatre Critics Association presented the Berkshire Theatre Awards on the evening of Monday, November 12, 2018. This was the third year the awards have been presented to honor and celebrate the excellence and diversity of theatre in the greater Berkshire region.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), the theatrical union that unites, empowers and protects professional stage directors and choreographers throughout the United States, announced the election of four officers and two new members of the Executive Board at Monday's Annual Membership Meeting. In addition, Sharon Ott received the annual President's Award for service to SDC.