John Todd News

Third Street Theatre in association with Oddbird Theatricals is thrilled to present the World Premiere, fully-realized production of the Hollywood Fringe Festival Best Musical Award-winning, BRONIES: THE MUSICAL, with music by Joe Greene, book and lyrics by Heidi Powers and Tom Moore, choreography by John Todd, musical direction by Jennifer Lin and direction by Richard Israel. BRONIES: THE MUSICAL will begin previews on Thursday, September 25; will open on Friday, September 27 and run through Sunday, November 1 at the THIRD STREET THEATRE, 8115 W. Third Street in West Hollywood.

Musical Theatre Guild, the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critic's Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in the theatre, will open their 2014-2015 season with the multiple Tony Award nominated musical SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS. The one-night-only concert will take place at the Moss Theatre at New Roads School in Santa Monica on Sunday, September 14, 2014 at 7:00 pm.

San Diego Musical Theatre presents Irving Berlin's ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, which opened last Saturday, May 10, at the North Park Theatre. Performances continue weekends through May 25. BroadwayWorld has a first look below!

San Diego Musical Theatre presents Irving Berlin's ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, which opened Saturday, May 10, at the North Park Theatre. Performances continue weekends through May 25. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek below!

San Diego Musical Theatre presents Irving Berlin's ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, which opened last Saturday, May 10, at the North Park Theatre. Performances continue weekends through May 25. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night party below!

San Diego Musical Theatre announces Irving Berlin's ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, (press opening on Saturday, May 10) at the North Park Theatre.

San Diego Musical Theatre announces Irving Berlin's ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, (press opening on Saturday, May 10) at the North Park Theatre.

Despite an injury, good sport Davis Gaines---who plays the title role in Musical Theatre West's new production of Meredith Willson's ever-enduring Tony Award-winning musical THE MUSIC MAN---continues the 'show must go on' mantra and plows through, turning in a rousing performance that does not disappoint. Added bonus: the huge cast also helps play up this local regional revival's family-friendly cuteness factor. Remaining performances of this nearly 60-year-old musical theater staple continue through Sunday, March 2 at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach.

What do the 1950s have in common with 1912? Ages of innocence, both. When Meredith Willson wrote his story with Franklin Lacey about a con artist bamboozling an Iowa town in 1912, which formed the substance of his musical The Music Man (1957), the effect became like that of N. Richard Nash's The Rainmaker. People were jubilant, ecstatic and welcomed Professor Harold Hill, as they craved a good old-fashioned love story coated with ironic excitement. He was a charmer, and they saw way past his bad side. Now in a colorful new production at Musical Theatre West (MTW) in Long Beach, this company pulls out all the stops and presents a delightfully bigger-than-life show that would do Willson proud. With super direction from Jeff Maynard and a divine cast led by Davis Gaines, The Music Man offers a refreshing take on the way life should be, whether 1912, 1955 or 2014.

Musical Theatre West presents the second production of their 61st season, Davis Gaines (Los Angeles' longest-running Phantom in The Phantom of The Opera) starring as Professor Harold Hill and Gail Bennett (Mary Poppins) starring as Marian Paroo in Meredith Willson's timeless and joyous, THE MUSIC MAN, book, music and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey, musical direction by Corey Hirsch, choreography by John Todd and directed by Jeff Maynard.

Musical Theatre West presents the second production of their 61st season, Davis Gaines (Los Angeles' longest-running Phantom in The Phantom of The Opera) starring as Professor Harold Hill and Gail Bennett (Mary Poppins) starring as Marian Paroo in Meredith Willson's timeless and joyous, THE MUSIC MAN, book, music and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey, musical direction by Corey Hirsch, choreography by John Todd and directed by Jeff Maynard.

Musical Theatre West presents the second production of their 61st season, Davis Gaines (Los Angeles' longest-running Phantom in The Phantom of The Opera) starring as Professor Harold Hill and Gail Bennett (Mary Poppins) starring as Marian Paroo in Meredith Willson's timeless and joyous, THE MUSIC MAN, book, music and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey, musical direction by Corey Hirsch, choreography by John Todd and directed by Jeff Maynard.

Musical Theatre West at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach, CA opened its 61st season with Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein, a musical comedy from the creative team of the 12-time Tony Award winning smash hit The Producers. The production, with music and lyrics by Brooks and a book by Thomas Meehan, marks the regional theater premiere of this hilariously tuneful show based on the 1974 smash hit film Young Frankenstein which was a wickedly inspired re-imagining of the Mary Shelleyclassic from the comic genius of Mel Brooks. Check out the opening night shows below!

Davis Gaines (Southern California's Longest-running PHANTOM) and Victoria Strong star in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza premiere of Cole Porter's most raucous, sexy, and best loved musical ever, KISS ME, KATE! Cabrillo Music Theatre's 20th Anniversary Season kicks off with the popular favorite, playing until Sunday, October 27th, at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Broadway's original 'Kate' from KISS ME, KATE, Patricia Morrison, came to Cabrillo Music Theatre's production on opening night, Friday, October 18, to meet cast members Davis Gaines, Victoria Strong and Lois Reba Buhr. Check out photos of her backstage below!

Kiss Me Kate/book by Sam & Bella Spewack/music & lyrics by Cole Porter/directed by Richard Israel/Cabrillo Music Theatre, Thousand Oaks/through October 27

CABRILLO MUSIC THEATRE welcomes Davis Gaines (Southern California's Longest-running PHANTOM) and Victoria Strong in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza premiere of Cole Porter's most raucous, sexy, and best loved musical ever, KISS ME, KATE! Cabrillo Music Theatre's 20th Anniversary Season kicks off with the popular favorite tonight, October 18th, 2013, playing until Sunday, October 27th, at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.

CABRILLO MUSIC THEATRE announces its full cast to join the previously announced Davis Gaines (Southern California's Longest-running PHANTOM) and Victoria Strong in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza premiere of Cole Porter's most raucous, sexy, and best loved musical ever, KISS ME, KATE! Cabrillo Music Theatre's 20th Anniversary Season kicks off with the popular favorite on Friday, October 18th, 2013, playing until Sunday, October 27th, at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.

When Cole Porter met William Shakespeare, the result was a Tony Award-winning musical. When Southern California's Longest-Running 'Phantom,' Davis Gaines, meets Cabrillo Music Theatre, it all adds up to the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza premiere of Porter's most raucous, sexy, and best loved musical ever, KISS ME, KATE! Cabrillo Music Theatre's 20th Anniversary Season kicks off with the popular favorite on Friday, October 18th, 2013, playing until Sunday, October 27th, at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.

To close out its 60th Season in grand fashion, Musical Theatre West has commissioned a lush new revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Tony Award-winning musical SUNSET BOULEVARD on its home stage at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach. Directed by Larry Raben and featuring musical direction by David Lamoureux and choreography by John Todd, this impressive, admirable 20th Anniversary Southern California production continues its limited engagement through July 28.