Jonathan-David News

With Max von Essen returning to Broadway in AN AMERICAN IN PARIS at The Palace Theatre, it's the perfect time to dig up the concept cast albums for Jonathan David Sloate's THE NEW PICASSO. Spanning two discs, the music to this romantic fantasy piece is equal parts stirring and familiar.

Sundance Institute announced today the program of short films selected to screen at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, January 22 to February 1 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. The 2015 Short Film program is comprised of 60 short films selected from 8,061 submissions. The Festival is the centerpiece of the year-round public programs for the Institute, which also hosts 24 residency labs and grants more than $2.5 million to independent artists each year.

Aaron Posner's Stupid f**king Bird, a 'sort of' adaptation of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, makes its Michigan premiere beginning tonight, November 14 at Ferndale's The Ringwald Theatre.

A lot of people have had their hands in creating Peter Pan, Jr., and the result is a wonderful show for the children. Based on the 1904 J.M. Barrie and 1953 Disney film, Peter Pan, Jr. streamlines a lot of the story and songs of the productions with which most adults are familiar. The most glaring omissions are the songs, 'I'm Flying' and 'I Won't Grow Up' and the barely visible strings of the flying effects. But this production at the Downtown Cabaret Children's Theatre more than make up for that. And, after all, most of the kids won't know what they missed, and will enjoy the show anyway.

Aaron Posner's Stupid f**king Bird, a "sort of" adaptation of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, makes its Michigan premiere beginning November 14 at Ferndale's The Ringwald Theatre. After previous productions played in Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Los Angeles to great acclaim, The Ringwald is honored to bring the play to Detroit.

Aaron Posner's Stupid f**king Bird, a "sort of" adaptation of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, makes its Michigan premiere beginning November 14 at Ferndale's The Ringwald Theatre. After previous productions played in Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Los Angeles to great acclaim, The Ringwald is honored to bring the play to Detroit.

Uzo Aduba (Broadway's Godspell) currently stars in Netflix's 'Orange is the New Black' for which she recieved an Emmy Award for her portrayal of Suzanne 'Crazy Eyes' Warren.

The original cast recording of VENICE - the new musical produced by The Public Theater - is now available as an online exclusive with a digital booklet through iTunes, Amazon.com and other outlets. The physical CD will be available online and in stores on December 2.

59E59 Theaters welcomes Smoke & Mirrors Collaborative with NDEBELE FUNERAL, written by Zoey Martinson and directed by Awoye Timpo. NDEBELE FUNERAL begins performances tonight, September 11 for a limited engagement through Sunday, October 5. Press opening is Tuesday, September 16 at 7:30 PM.

59E59 Theaters welcomes Smoke & Mirrors Collaborative with NDEBELE FUNERAL, written by Zoey Martinson and directed by Awoye Timpo. NDEBELE FUNERAL begins performances on Thursday, September 11 for a limited engagement through Sunday, October 5. Press opening is Tuesday, September 16 at 7:30 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7:30 PM; Friday at 8:30 PM; Saturday at 2:30 PM & 8:30 PM; and Sunday at 3:30 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets are $25 ($17.50 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or go to www.59e59.org.

Second Generation Productions (2g), a major incubator and producer of Asian American theater, announced today that Julian Cihi (Romeo and Juliet, Classic Stage Company) and Diane Phelan (Bernarda Alba, Lincoln Center) lead the cast of 2g's commissioned musical, Galois, by Sung Rno and Aaron Jones, directed by Victor Maog and produced by Jane Jung. The creative team also includes Music Director J. Oconer Navarro (The Adding Machine), Choreographer Camille A. Brown (tick, tick...BOOM!) and Fight Director Jacob Grigolia-Rosenbaum (Peter and the Starcatcher).

There are approximately 1,350 diverse concerts in this year's Make Music New York, which takes place (as always) on the first day of summer, today, June 21, from dawn 'til dusk. Below are a few highlights, listed chronologically.

There are approximately 1,350 diverse concerts in this year's Make Music New York, which takes place (as always) on the first day of summer, June 21, from dawn 'til dusk. Below are a few highlights!

The Foundry Theatre presents a play that exemplifies the company's work: Marcus Gardley's The Box: A Black Comedy. The play, directed by Seth Bockley (writer of February House, director of Philip Dawkins' Failure: A Love Story at Victory Gardens), is a hilarious satire that delivers a punch to the gut of U.S. policing and imprisonment. Written for five actors who perform over a dozen characters spanning generations of captivity and freedom dreams, The Box: A Black Comedy is currently making its world premiere, through May 11 at the Irondale Center (85 South Oxford St., Brooklyn).

Songs from The New Picasso The Musical, music & lyrics by Jonathan David Sloate, won the 2014 Featured Artist Award at ReverbNation, home to over 3 million music artists.

Magenta Giraffe Theatre Company of Detroit presents A Play by Franco Vitella, by Franco Vitella, directed by Jonathan Davidson. The show runs from today, January 31-February 22, 2014.

Magenta Giraffe Theatre Company of Detroit presents A Play by Franco Vitella, by Franco Vitella, directed by Jonathan Davidson. The show runs from January 31-February 22, 2014. Tickets are $15-$18, with pay-what-you-can tickets available to all performances. Tickets may be reserved by phone at 313-408-7269 or at www.magentagiraffe.org. A Play by Franco Vitella will be Magenta Giraffe's fifth production in residence at the Abreact Performance Space (1301 W. Lafayette, #113, Detroit, MI 48226). As the space is very intimate, reservations are strongly suggested.

Our final three introductions - Andrew Goodwin, David Greco and Alexandra Oomens. Three wonderful young Australians making their way in the world of singing and opera, each with their own story to tell; from Russian studies, to beautiful Bach, and the experience of singing with Gondwana Choirs.

Magenta Giraffe Theatre Company of Detroit presents Saint Joan, by George Bernard Shaw, adapted and directed by Matthew Turner Shelton. The show runs from October 18-November 9, 2013. Tickets are $15-$18, with pay-what-you-can tickets available to all performances. Tickets may be reserved by phone at 313-408-7269 or at www.magentagiraffe.org. Saint Joan will be Magenta Giraffe's fourth production in residence at the Abreact Performance Space (1301 W. Lafayette, #113, Detroit, MI 48226). As the space is very intimate, reservations are strongly suggested.

Magenta Giraffe Theatre Company of Detroit has announced its sixth season of productions and projects, in residence at the Abreact Performance Space in Detroit. Following its popular and critically acclaimed past five seasons, the company is finding new ways to enhance and enrich the community through theatre. This season Magenta Giraffe offers new work from three local playwrights: one adaptation of a classic and two original scripts, both of which were first seen by audiences at the company's recent staged reading festival. Magenta Giraffe also welcomes new and familiar faces to its staff and board of directors.