Jonathan Larson News

Theatreworks USA (Barbara Pasternack, Artistic Director; Ken Arthur, Producing Director) will continue its 2016 weekend family performance series Saturday, March 19th, with Junie B.'s Essential Survival Guide To School, the New York premiere of the new children's musical based on the best-selling series of books by Barbara Park(published by Random House Books for Young Readers), penned by Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich (Ever After, Dear Edwina). Featured in the cast are Lizzy Brooks, Gino Chaviano, Michelle Croll, Charles Engelsgjerd, and Annabelle Fox.

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Tristan Wilson, announced today two additional productions for their 2016 season, in addition to two one-night-only special events.

The Wilbury Theatre Group proudly continues its 2015/16 season with the New England premiere of the new indie rock musical Murder Ballad, April 14-30, 2016. Created by Jonathan Larson Award winner and two-time Susan Smith Blackburn Prize finalist Julia Jordan with book and lyrics by Jordan and music and lyrics by indie rock singer/songwriter Juliana Nash and directed by Wendy Overly (Next to Normal) with musical direction by Courtney Swain, Murder Ballad is the 'hot blooded and electrifying' new musical that the New York Times says audiences 'won't be able to resist.'

On Saturday, March 12th, the Orpheum Theatre announced its highly-anticipated 2016-2017 Broadway Season. The year's subscription series includes DIRTY DANCING - The Classic Story On Stage, ANNIE, THE BODYGUARD, BEAUTIFUL - The Carole King Musical, and THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Season options include a return engagement of JERSEY BOYS, and a special weekend-only engagement of the RENT 20th Anniversary Tour. The 2016-2017 Broadway Season is generously sponsored by Bank of America and Memphis Area Honda Dealers.

Annette O'Toole gives an outstanding performance in a musical based on Kate Davis' documentary.

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director;  Evans Haile, Interim Executive Director) welcomes the return engagement of the game show for musical theater lovers called Tune in Time, presented by Amy Engelhardt and Heather Shields, with an evening celebrating Broadway's Online/Internet Showstopperson Monday, March 14, 2016 beginning at 7:30 p.m. at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). 

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) has announced an extension for RED SPEEDO, the third production of the New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) 2015/16 Season. RED SPEEDO began previews on Wednesday, February 17, 2016 and officially opened on Thursday, March 3, 2016 at New York Theatre Workshop (79 E. 4th Street New York, NY 10003), and will now run through Sunday, April 3, 2016. Tickets for RED SPEEDO are on sale at www.nytw.org.

Jo has twenty-four hours to save Hiram Hall, her father's once famous country western saloon. She thinks she has booked a country music trio that is sure to save the day, but there's been a little misunderstanding: can the classical Coghill Trio turn themselves into the country Cowgirl Trio in time to put on a rip-roaring show that will save Hiram Hall from foreclosure?

Theatreworks USA will continue its 2016 weekend family performance series this Sunday, March 13th, with Page Turner Adventures' THE MIXED-UP FAIRY TALE - hilarious storytelling with a touch of vaudeville, featuring Riley Roam as "World Famous Storyologist" Page Turner and former Ringling Bros. clown Kenny Mikey as her bumbling assistant.

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) announced today that tickets are now on sale for HADESTOWN, written by celebrated singer-songwriter Anais Mitchell and developed with and directed by the inventive two-time OBIE award-winning director Rachel Chavkin (Three Pianos; Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812) transforms Mitchell's 'phenomenal concept album' (Rolling Stone) into a bold new work for the stage.

The Public Theater presents the new musical Southern Comfort, the true story of a group of transgender friends living life on their own terms in the back hills of rural Georgia,  directed by Thomas Caruso and based on the film by Kate Davis. Southern Comfort features book and lyrics by Dan Collins, music by Julianne Wick Davis, choreography by Ryan Kasprzak, and was conceived for the stage by Robert DuSold and Thomas Caruso. The new musical will run through Sunday, March 27 in The Public's Anspacher Theater. Check out photos from opening night below!

Nancy Manocherian's the cell presents the World Premiere of SHOES & BAGGAGE, a one-woman musical about the "high of the buy." Written and performed by Broadway veteran Cheryl Stern (La Cage Aux Folles, The Women), it is directed by Joe Barros with music by Emmy Award-winning composer Tom Kochan. Previews begin May 5 at the cell with opening slated for Thursday, May 12. NOTE: this limited engagement is produced on an Off-Broadway contract.

Award-winning musical theatre writing Joel B. New is combining his loves of songwriting, performing, and Jessica Fletcher to create something unique, weird, unexpected, and very him: an EP of songs inspired by 'Murder, She Wrote'.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT makes its NYC debut, and two off-Broadway galas welcome a slew of stars!

tick, tick...BOOM!, the autobiographical musical by visionary musical theatre writer Jonathan Larson (RENT) is set to open at Chapel off Chapel on 21 April!

Little Radical Theatrics, Inc. (Fatima Viegas, Executive Producer; Michael Mirra, Artistic Director) presents its spring 2016 production, a 20th Anniversary mounting of RENT, featuring book, music & lyrics by Jonathan Larson.

? The American Theatre Wing announced today that the 2016 Jonathan Larson Grants recipients are Cesar Alvarez (book, music and lyrics), Nikko Benson (music and lyrics), Carson Kreitzer (book and lyrics), and Sam Salmond (book, music, and lyrics). Four prestigious grants of $10,000 each, totaling $40,000, will be presented on Monday, March 21, 2016 at a private event at the WNYC Greene Space. The event will feature special performances of the recipients' work.

A college production uses revisions to emphasis a look at the musical's issues from a more modern perspective.

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) presents RED SPEEDO, written by Lucas Hnath (The Christians) and directed by NYTW Usual Suspect Lileana Blain-Cruz (Hollow Gates). RED SPEEDO officially opened last night, March 3, 2016, for a limited run through Sunday, March 27, 2016. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from inside the big night below!

Audience members see actor Alex Breaux swimming through Plexiglas walls.