Justin Boccitto News

The new short film ALBUM, written and directed by David Rimmer, author of the Pulitzer Prize finalist long-running play, has been accepted into the NYC Independent Film Festival. The short will screen on Sunday, October 21st at 1pm at the Producer's Club, 358 West 44th Street in Manhattan.

The Group Theatre Too, along with choreographer, Justin Boccitto and director, Kimberly Vaughn presents the all new Broadway Performance Project (BPP), an evening of young, aspiring Broadway bound talent performing tonight, July 11th and Thursday, July 12th, 7:00pm at cabaret hub, The Triad.

The Group Theatre Too, along with choreographer, Justin Boccitto and director, Kimberly Vaughn presents the all new Broadway Performance Project (BPP), an evening of young, aspiring Broadway bound talent performing on Wednesday, July 11th and Thursday, July 12th, 7:00pm at cabaret hub, The Triad.

Just when you thought it was safe to go to the theater once again, we welcome you to the debut installment of Music City Confidential, all the news that's fit to print (or not-depending on your perspective) from Nashville's ever-growing, ever-fascinating (okay, so we obviously don't have enough to occupy ourselves) live theater industry (we're trying that out-does it work? Let us know, theaterati!) Here amid the florid prose and flowery praise, you'll find all the stories that don't quite fit elsewhere, some of 'em kind of gossipy, some of 'em stone-cold serious, some of 'em just lists of names you need to know. You'll also find photos from our new "Intermission@" series, details about the latest cast parties and various and sundry minutiae-the veritable flotsam and jetsam-from backstage, onstage, offstage and beyond…

New York's Group Theatre Too (GTT) will honor noted choreographer Tony Stevens at the fifth anniversary presentation of the Choreographer's Canvas tonight, May 10th at the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center.

New York's Group Theatre Too (GTT) will honor noted choreographer, Tony Stevens at the fifth anniversary presentation of the Choreographer's Canvas on May 10th at the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center.

PROVINCETOWN 2012, four one-act plays by the prolific writing team of HYPERLINK Eugene O'Neill, Louise Bryant, Floyd Dell and Pendelton King, all writers of one-acts originally produced by the historic PROVINCETOWN PLAYERS performs on Tuesdays, March 27 and April 3 under the auspices of New York's Group Theatre Too (GTT). PROVINCETOWN 2012 is under the Artistic Direction of Michael Blevins who has adapted, edited and restored this near-century old collection of critically-historic plays hoping to make them more 2012-friendly and accessible to a new, youthful American generation of theater goers.

Circle in the Square Theatre School (CITSTS) presents a Theodore Mann Production of AESOP'S FABLES: A New Musical, featuring a book by Michael Milligan and music & lyrics by Joziah Longo, at Circle in the Square Theatre, 1633 Broadway (50th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue), 10:30 a.m., Monday, March 5 through Friday, March 9, and on Monday, March 12, Thursday, March 15, and Friday, March 16. (www.circlesquare.org, $5.00 for adults and children; reservations required. Phone: 212-307-0388, or e-mail admissions@circlesquare.org)

Named as First Night's Outstanding Musical of 2011 was Lipscomb University Theatre's production of Hairspray, directed and choreographed by Justin Boccitto. ACT 1's production of American Buffalo, directed by Ryan Williams, claimed top honors as First Night's Oustanding Play of 2011, and the national touring company's Memphis, the Musical, which played Andrew Jackson Hall at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, was named as First Night's Outstanding Touring Production of 2011, besting productions of Spring Awakening, In The Heights, Wicked and Les Miserables.

With a capacity crowd of 200 people on hand at The Keeton Theatre, First Night founder and executive producer Jeffrey Ellis, who covers theater, opera and dance throughout Tennessee for BroadwayWorld.com, unveiled his choices via First Night's Top 11 of 2011, while the winners of the BroadwayWorld.com Nashville and Tennessee Theatre Awards were announced by co-hosts Britt Byrd, Jamie Free, Katherine Sandoval Taylor and Lar'Juanette Williams.

Playwright Nate Eppler, Mas Nashville's FIVE, the Boiler Room Theatre, Lipscomb University's Hairspray, ACT 1's American Buffalo and the national touring company of Memphis, the Musical were the top winners at Sunday night's Midwinter's First Night at Nashville's Keeton Theatre, which also featured the presentation of the BroadwayWorld.com Nashville and Tennessee theatre awards.

Justin Boccitto and The Group Theatre Too are currently seeking choreographers for the annual Choreographer's Canvas taking place in May of 2012.

You can hardly swing a cat in Nashville without hitting someone in costume as Edna Turnblad or her dancing progeny Tracy, so popular has the show become with local theaterati. But, truth be told, if I never live to see another Hairspray, I can now die a happy man: Because I saw director/choreographer Justin Boccitto's exceptional, extraordinary and exhilarating take on the show, starring a phenomenal cast of Lipscomb University theatre students who so brilliantly bring the now-iconic characters of 1962 Baltimore to life with thorough commitment and so much energy you can't help but leave the theater with a spring in your step and a song in your heart.

Even before they hit the stage for Lipscomb University Theatre's production of Hairspray, it's pretty clear that cast members Renna Taylor, Nicolette Carney, Justin Boyd, Darius Cal and Carolanne Deaton truly are 'the nicest kids in town.' Bringing the hit musical to life for Nashville audiences, which will include a large contingent of alumni in town for homecoming (Hairspray runs November 3-6 in Collins Auditorium on the David Lipscomb University campus), the large ensemble of more than 40 actors are hard at work, sharpening their skills, running lines, rehearsing like it's nobody's business and immersing themselves in plenty of 1960s pop culture and nostalgia.

Bringing the hit musical to life for Nashville audiences, which will include a large contingent of alumni in town for homecoming (Hairspray runs November 3-6 in Collins Auditorium on the David Lipscomb University campus), the large ensemble of more than 40 actors are hard at work, sharpening their skills, running lines, rehearsing like it's nobody's business and immersing themselves in plenty of 1960s pop culture and nostalgia.

Even before they hit the stage for Lipscomb University Theatre's production of Hairspray, it's pretty clear that cast members Jamin Craig, Leslie Marberry, Ashley Cobb, Graf Thurman and Mike Knox truly are 'the nicest kids in town.' Bringing the hit musical to life for Nashville audiences, which will include a large contingent of alumni in town for homecoming (Hairspray runs November 3-6 in Collins Auditorium on the David Lipscomb University campus), the large ensemble of more than 40 actors are hard at work, sharpening their skills, running lines, rehearsing like it's nobody's business and immersing themselves in plenty of 1960s pop culture and nostalgia.

Even before they hit the stage for Lipscomb University Theatre's production of Hairspray, it's pretty clear that cast members Nick Hogan, Tyler Ashley, Shelby Smith, Virginia Lodholtz and Day Day Wells truly are 'the nicest kids in town.' Bringing the hit musical to life for Nashville audiences, which will include a large contingent of alumni in town for homecoming (Hairspray runs November 3-6 in Collins Auditorium on the David Lipscomb University campus), the large ensemble of more than 40 actors are hard at work, sharpening their skills, running lines, rehearsing like it's nobody's business and immersing themselves in plenty of 1960s pop culture and nostalgia.

Even before they hit the stage for Lipscomb University Theatre's production of Hairspray, it's pretty clear that cast members Justin Tays, Luciano Vignola, Jared Martin and Sydni Hayes truly are 'the nicest kids in town.'

Without a doubt - and even before they take to the stage in Lipscomb University Theatre's production of Hairspray - it's pretty clear that the production's cast members are truly 'the nicest kids in town.' Bringing the hit musical to life for local audiences, which will include a large contingent of alumni in town for homecoming at the Nashville university (Hairspray runs November 3-6 in Collins Auditorium on the Lipscomb campus), the large ensemble of more than 40 actors are hard at work, sharpening their skills, running lines and rehearsing like it's nobody's business. And their spirit and energy is palpable!