Jonathan Larson News

Ucross, a prestigious artist residency program and creative laboratory for the arts in northeast Wyoming, premiered its "Ucross Spotlight" series on Wednesday, June 19, with a bold, intimate conversation between playwright alums Michael R. Jackson, Billy Porter, and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, as well as choreographer Raja Feather Kelly on the themes present in Jackson's provocative new musical A Strange Loop. The panel took place at the world-famous Playwrights Horizons theater following a performance of the show, with major themes of the conversation including reconciling with religion as a member of the LGBTQ community and "watering down" queer art for straight audiences. It is the first of many planned Ucross Spotlight events, which will celebrate its alumni's art and offer a first-hand look at their creative process.

Netflix has acquired worldwide rights to Imagine Entertainment's film adaptation of Tick, Tick...Boom! 

Director of Soho Estates Fawn James and Artistic Director Rachel Edwards together announce the opening programme for the Boulevard as the newly-reimagined venue opens its doors to the public for the first time in October 2019. The first show will be the London premiere of Dave Malloy's celebrated song cycle Ghost Quartet brought to life by the team behind the recent hit production of Sweeney Todd which won great acclaim in London and New York. Ghost Quartet will run alongside a packed roster of late-night and Sunday performances of cabaret, improv, jazz, comedy, classical music and poetry. The Boulevard Theatre's 2020 season will be announced in September.

Director of Soho Estates Fawn James and Artistic Director Rachel Edwards together announce the opening programme for the Boulevard as the newly-reimagined venue opens its doors to the public for the first time in October 2019. The first show will be the London premiere of Dave Malloy's celebrated song cycle Ghost Quartet brought to life by the team behind the recent hit production of Sweeney Todd which won great acclaim in London and New York. Ghost Quartet will run alongside a packed roster of late-night and Sunday performances of cabaret, improv, jazz, comedy, classical music and poetry. The Boulevard Theatre's 2020 season will be announced in September.

Playwrights Horizons, in association with Page 73, present the world premiere production of A Strange Loop, with book, music, and lyrics by 2017 Jonathan Larson Award and 2017 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award-winner Michael R. Jackson, directed by Stephen Brackett (Be More Chill, Buyer and Cellar), and choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly (Playwrights: If Pretty Hurts Ugly Must Be a Muhf**ka; Ugly (Black Queer Zoo), Fairview). A Strange Loop explores the thoughts of Usher, a black, queer writer working a job he hates while writing his original musical: a piece about a black, queer writer, working a job he hates while writing his original musical. Michael R. Jackson's blistering, momentous new musical (and his professional debut) follows a young artist at war with a host of demons-not least of which are the punishing thoughts in his own head-in an attempt to capture and understand his own strange loop.

Dallas Summer Musicals (DSM) and Broadway Across America (BAA) announced today that new 2019-2020 season subscription packages are now available to the general public. Pop-culture phenomenon DEAR EVAN HANSEN and Disney's FROZEN anchor the nine-show season made up of Tony Award winners, acclaimed revivals, North Texas premieres and beloved family favorites.

For a fresh experience of a musical that really took the theatre world by storm in the early 2000s, definitely take the time to see Rent: School Edition at DreamWrights. I have no doubt you will be impressed by the fearlessness, passion, and talent in this group of young performers.

Rogers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma ushered in the era of book-centric American musicals that have been designated as musical comedies. The beginning, middle and ending structured stories normally contain singing, dancing, show stoppers, comedy, a few conflicts, and a satisfying ending, in a two-act format.

McCarter will welcome a group of esteemed and emerging playwrights and theater artists to Princeton for the Sallie B. Goodman Artists' Retreat. The annual retreat in June is a centerpiece of McCarter's LAB, a platform and creative incubator devoted to ongoing theatrical development and artist cultivation. The 2019 Retreat will take place from June 12 - June 19.

Ucross, a prestigious artist residency program and creative laboratory for the arts in northeast Wyoming, is proud to announce the debut of "Ucross Spotlight": a nationwide series of performances, live readings, moderated panels, and cultural events featuring its esteemed alumni. "Ucross Spotlight" will debut on Wednesday, June 19, at Playwrights Horizons (416 West 42nd Street), with a conversation between Michael R. Jackson, Billy Porter and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, moderated by Jacobs-Jenkins.

When David Taylor Gomes and Kyle Holmes set out to write an original musical for their students at Granite Bay High School, they never could have foreseen the impact their work would have on high schools across the nation. Students are reacting to having their voices heard, and the effect is monumental. People are clamoring to see and produce Ranked: A New Musical, which deals with the pressures that teenagers face today in maintaining grades, social status, and their fight to get into the college of their choice. Due to the popularity of Ranked, they decided to bring the original cast together for one more night to perform the show in concert style at The Crest Theatre. Broadway World Sacramento spoke to Holmes and Gomes about the making of Ranked and what we can expect in the future.

The cultural phenomenon RENT will play at The Biz Aug. 15-18.

The Dramatists Guild of America has announced Tony-nominee Matthew Sklar as the recipient of the Frederick Loewe Award for Dramatic Composition for his score to the Broadway musical, The Prom. 

Uptown Players continues its 2018-2019 season with the regional premiere of The View Upstairs, by Max Vernon, running June 21 - July 7, 2019. The all-star cast assembled for this 2017 off-broadway hit includes the return to the Kalita Humphreys Theater of Blake McIver and New York Cabaret Singer, William Blake.

Broadway Across Canada announced today that RENT 20th Anniversary Tour tickets will go on sale Monday, June 17, 2019 at 10 a.m.; the Broadway musical will play September 3 to 8, 2019 at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.

Broadway Across Canada announced today that RENT 20th Anniversary Tour tickets will go on sale Monday, June 17, 2019 at 10 a.m.; the Broadway musical will play September 10 to 15, 2019 at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.

This summer Goodspeed Musicals will produce the heartwarming new musical Because of Winn Dixie. This touching tale based on the award-winning novel by Kate DiCamillo will run June 28 - September 1 at The Goodspeed in East Haddam, Conn.

The 20th Anniversary Tour of RENT (in its third year!) boasts a magnificent cast in a powerhouse production that celebrates the genius and imagination of its author, Jonathan Larson. The show, now on stage for a brief run at ASU's Gammage Auditorium, is, in every respect a compelling and intensely human narrative ~ a mix of exhilaration, wit, and poignancy. One after another of knockout performances bring life to Larson's memorable songs, and a solid gold orchestra, conducted by Matthew DeMaria, brings his music all the way home to the heart.

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop) has announced that it will produce Intimate Apparel, a new opera with music by Ricky Ian Gordon and a libretto by Lynn Nottage, based on her critically acclaimed play.  The production, which will be directed by Bartlett Sher, will begin previews Thursday, February 27 and open on Monday, March 23 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater (150 West 65 Street). 

Musical Theatre Factory's (MTF)'s collective High Five celebrated of the first five years of the magic that is the MTF with a gala hosted by Larry Owens at Town Stages, 221 West Broadway, NYC on May 13, 2019 at 7:30pm.