Justin Boccitto News

The Group Theatre Too (GTT), in association with Paul Michael's The Network, NYC, presents a star-studded benefit performance, Broadway at the Met Room, at New York's premier cabaret venue, The Metropolitan Room, tonight, December 2nd at 7pm. The performance is raising funds for GTT's Broadway Performance Project and will unveil the "Nicole Fosse Scholarship".

The Group Theatre Too (GTT), in association with Paul Michael's The Network, NYC, will present a star-studded benefit performance, Broadway at the Met Room, at New York's premier cabaret venue, The Metropolitan Room, on Sunday, December 2nd at 7pm. The performance is raising funds for GTT's Broadway Performance Project and will unveil the "Nicole Fosse Scholarship". Created by Kimberly Vaughn, The Broadway Performance Project is dedicated to discovering and nurturing new talent. This mini-conservatory trains the student to achieve Broadway caliber performance which is further shaped by industry professionals in prep for a two-evening performance at a top NY cabaret venue. Early this Fall GTT board member, Nicole Fosse agreed to create a scholarship in her name giving more opportunities for performers to take part in the 2013 season of Broadway Performance Project.

Carol Irvin, who has been a mainstay at Crossville's Cumberland County Playhouse for more than 20 years, is the latest recipient of The First Night Robe,presented on Saturday, November 17, prior to curtain of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Earlier in the same week, Bralyn Stokes received the robe at Rhubarb Theater's Birds in Church, and Michael Holder and Josh Waldrep claimed it at Street Theatre Company's Miss Saigon in Concert.

First Night Award winning directors Mike Fernandez (Doubt, 2010) and Justin Boccitto (Hairspray, 2011) will join forces to co-direct Les Miserables as Lipscomb University Theatre's homecoming musical in early November 2013.

Clay Steakley, who plays the role of F. Scott Fitzgerald in the Actors Bridge Ensemble's world premiere production of Bill Feehely's Outside Paradise, is the latest recipient of The First Night Robe. Jeffrey Ellis, founder and executive producer of The First Night Honors, presented the robe to Steakley on Saturday, November 10, prior to curtain of Outside Paradise at Belmont University's Black Box Theatre.

The Group Theatre Too (GTT), in association with Paul Michael's The Network, NYC, presents a star-studded benefit performance, Broadway at the Met Room, at New York's premier cabaret venue, The Metropolitan Room, on Sunday, December 2nd at 7pm. The performance is raising funds for GTT's Broadway Performance Project and will unveil the "Nicole Fosse Scholarship". Created by Kimberly Vaughn, The Broadway Performance Project is dedicated to discovering and nurturing new talent. This mini-conservatory trains the student to achieve Broadway caliber performance which is further shaped by industry professionals in prep for a two-evening performance at a top NY cabaret venue. Early this Fall GTT board member, Nicole Fosse agreed to create a scholarship in her name giving more opportunities for performers to take part in the 2013 season of Broadway Performance Project.

The Pajama Game's abbreviated run (just four public performances in four days) means that time's a-wasting to get your tickets for the remaining two shows tonight and tomorrow afternoon. So get to it! You'll be glad you did.

Beki Baker directs and 2011 First Night Award-winning Justin Boccitto will choreograph as Lipscomb University's Department of Theatre brings the Richard Adler-Jerry Ross Tony Award-winning musical The Pajama Game to the stage of Collins Alumni Auditorium tonight, November 1-4.

Kelsey Porter, who plays the role of Nettie in Circle Players' production of The Color Purple, is the latest recipient of The First Night Robe. Jeffrey Ellis, founder and executive producer of The First Night Honors, presented the robe to Porter on Thursday, October 25, prior to the opening night performance of The Color Purple, a joint production of Circle Players and Tennessee State University, at TSU's Performing Arts Center.

Lipscomb University Theatre presents the trailer for its upcoming production of Pajama Game. Beki Baker directs and 2011 First Night Award-winning Justin Boccitto will choreograph as Lipscomb University's Department of Theatre brings the Richard Adler-Jerry Ross Tony Award-winning musical The Pajama Game to the stage of Collins Alumni Auditorium November 1-4.

Called "the feel good show of the year", The Needemann Brothers bring their hilarious antics to New York City's premier cabaret theater, The Triad tonight, October 24th at 7pm. The production features never-before-seen material, and decades of popular song. The Needemann Brothers are a two-man musical comedy cabaret act from the west coast featuring Anthony Bollotta, and television, film actor, Jorge Luis Abreu. Musical direction and accompaniment is by off-Broadway composer Rayme Sciaroni, one of the song writers for Naked Boys Singing.

Beki Baker directs and 2011 First Night Award-winning Justin Boccitto will choreograph as Lipscomb University's Department of Theatre brings the Richard Adler-Jerry Ross Tony Award-winning musical The Pajama Game to the stage of Collins Alumni Auditorium November 1-4.

On September 2, 2012-during the presentation of The First Night Honors-a new Nashville and Tennessee theater tradition was unveiled with the presentation of the First Night Robe. Fashioned after and inspired by the legendary Broadway Gypsy Robe, the First Night counterpart is presented to someone who is making their first appearance on a Nashville-area stage.

Justin Boccitto and The Group Theatre Too are currently seeking choreographers for the annual Choreographer's Canvas taking place on May 18th of 2013 at the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center. Now it's sixth year, the Canvas is a showcase opportunity for choreographers to present their work in an Off-Broadway venue in Manhattan. All styles of dance will be considered and featured in the Canvas including but not limited to tap, jazz, theatre dance, contemporary, hip-hop, modern, ballet, lyrical, aerial, flamenco, Bollywood, etc.

Engrossing and compelling, John Logan's Red-which features a pair of tour-de-force performances from Ronnie Meek and Justin Boccitto under the focused and sure-handed direction of Mike Fernandez-is an altogether impressive third season opener for Nashville's Blackbird Theatre, the company that has firmly established itself as one of the region's most ambitious and most confident purveyors of quality theatricality.

For Tennessee theater audiences, this weekend presents a bounty of theatrical riches, with six shows opening: Blackbird Theatre's Red, Sideshow's Crumble (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake), Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre's Spreading it Around, Boiler Room Theatre's Parade, Tennessee Women's Theater Project's Shooting Star and Street Theatre Company's latest incarnation of Macabaret.

Called "the feel good show of the year", The Needemann Brothers bring their hilarious antics to New York City's premier cabaret theater, The Triad on October 24th at 7pm. The production features never-before-seen material, and decades of popular song. The Needemann Brothers are a two-man musical comedy cabaret act from the west coast featuring Anthony Bollotta, and television, film actor, Jorge Luis Abreu. Musical direction and accompaniment is by off-Broadway composer Rayme Sciaroni, one of the song writers for Naked Boys Singing.

Ronnie Meek and Justin Boccitto star in John Logan's Red, to be presented by Blackbird Theater October 18-November 3 at the Shamblin Theatre on the Lipscomb University campus.