Kaplan News

Nickelodeon has renewed some of its biggest franchises and hit series for the 2020-21 season:

Center Theatre Group has announced its 54th season at the Ahmanson Theatre, which features Hadestown, Dear Evan Hansen, The Prom, To Kill a Mockingbird, and more!

We headed out on I95 but my mind superimposed Rt 17 in New York State. The signs advertising Medical Facilities, Orthopedic Surgeons, and The Hard Rock Casino became the Billboards for Grossingers, The Concord, and Browns Hotel. Freddie Roman, creator and star of Catskills on Broadway and comic superstar was going to receive the Footlighters Club's Shecky Greene Lifetime Achievement Award at Miami Shores Country Club. Getting such an award is usually a momentous solemn ritual, but when 7 of your fellow comedians will be toasting and honoring you the event becomes a room that is filled with the most amount of laughter on the planet.

Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts is pleased to announce the energetic live music concert Soul Spectacular, featuring the eagerly awaited return of The HooDoo Loungers and special guest Mighty Ramon & The Phantoms of Soul, on Saturday, February 29, at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $30 in advance, $40 day of, and are available online 24/7 at baystreet.org or by calling the Box Office at 631-725-9500, open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The producers of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award winning musical Jersey Boys have announced that Jonathan Cable will join the cast as Nick Massi beginning Monday, February 17 at New York City's New World Stages (340 West 50th Street) Stage 1.

Gallery Players will host auditions for the inaugural year of Jewish Theater Lab, a staged reading series featuring emerging writers and new plays. Auditions at the JCC will be on Wednesday February 19th from 7:30-9:30pm and Thursday February 20th from 6:30pm a?" 8:30pm. 

The Growing Stage (TGS), The Children's Theatre of New Jersey, located in the Historic Palace Theatre in Netcong, is now presenting the world premiere production of 'BUNNYBOY' by Philip Kaplan directed by Stephen L. Fredericks.

'Hear ye, hear ye...Prince Wellington is seeking a bride.' The classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen comes to life in a new musical THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA at Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences, 10 Marriott Drive in Lincolnshire, from February 8 to April 19, 2019, with a press opening on Saturday, February 15 at 10 a.m. This new spin on the classic tale features music by Marc Robin, book and lyrics by Rick Boynton, and additional lyrics by Curt Dale Clark and Marc Robin. THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA is directed and choreographed by Artistic Director Aaron Thielen, with musical direction by Patti Garwood.

'Hear ye, hear ye...Prince Wellington is seeking a bride.' The classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen comes to life in a new musical THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA at Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences, 10 Marriott Drive in Lincolnshire, from February 8 to April 19, 2019, with a press opening on Saturday, February 15 at 10 a.m. This new spin on the classic tale features music by Marc Robin, book and lyrics by Rick Boynton, and additional lyrics by Curt Dale Clark and Marc Robin. THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA is directed and choreographed by Artistic Director Aaron Thielen, with musical direction by Patti Garwood.

Hunger & Thirst Theatre will present DISCUS, a vibrant adaptation of the Greek myth of Apollo and Hyacinth, written by Becca Schlossberg and directed by Adin Walker. DISCUS begins performances on Thursday, April 9 for a limited engagement through Saturday, April 18.

 The Montclair Orchestra takes its audience on a Scottish journey led by conductor David Chan for their next concert entitled 'Ceud Mìle Faìlte' on March 8, 2020, at Montclair's Central Presbyterian Church (5pm). Violinist Richard Lin, the 2018 Gold Medal winner of the prestigious Indianapolis Violin Competition, will play Bruch's violin concerto, 'Scottish Fantasy'. Lin, described as 'one of the new generation's most promising and gifted young concert soloists' (The Violin Channel), is applauded for his 'ability to draw the audience in... with tremendous subtlety, never lacking direction' (violinist.com). Also featured on the program is Mendelssohn's 3rd Symphony, 'Scottish' and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies' celebratory 'An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise', featuring world-renowned bagpiper Kenneth Mackenzie.

On Sunday, February 9th, Broadway Workshop presented an all new pilot production of THE ADDAMS FAMILY Younger@Part, in a new thirty-minute edition. Students in the production had the opportunity to create their roles in a studio setting, which culminated in a presentation at The Ailey Studios. The Studio Workshop program starred a cast of twenty talented young students, and was directed by Cassie Okenka (School of Rock, Wicked), choreographed by Halle Mastroberardino, with musical direction by Sarah Statler, and was produced by Marc Tumminelli and Sarah Glugatch. 

Deadline reports that Awkwafina has joined the cast of 'The Baccarat Machine,' from SK Global. SK Global produced 'Crazy Rich Asians,' Awkwafina's breakout performance.

The New York Philharmonic has announced plans for the 2020–21 season, Jaap van Zweden's third as Music Director. Van Zweden once again conducts a wide range of repertoire, including four World Premieres, a US Premiere, and symphonic cornerstones. As in his first two seasons as Music Director, he continues to connect with New Yorkers through impactful projects, performances, and collaborations with other cultural institutions, and conducts the Orchestra on an Asian tour.

Mansa Productions founder Kellon Akeem has announced that Y'lan Noel (“Insecure”) has been cast as the lead in Mo McRae's directorial debut A LOT OF NOTHING. Producers for the thriller include Inny Clemons, McRae, who co-wrote the screenplay with Sarah Kelly Kaplan, Anonymous Content, Mansa Productions founder Kellon Akeem and Jason Tamasco on behalf of Bad Idea. Golden Globe-nominated actor David Oyelowo will serve as an executive producer for the project along with Mansa Production's Yandy Smith, Kim Hodgert and Nina Soriano on behalf of Anonymous Content as well as Zak Kristofek for Bad Idea and Ethan Lazar. Leslie Woo is currently casting the project, which is set to begin shooting principal photography this spring.

The not-for-profit Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts is pleased to announce the cast and creative for the next production in its Live Edition educational initiative. The Diary of Anne Frank, a stage adaptation of the book,The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank will be presented to students Wednesday, March 11 thru Friday, March 13 at 10am and to the public on Friday, March 13 at 8pm and Saturday, March 14 at 2pm and 8pm. Purchase online, by phone or at the box office. For more information, visit PatchogueTheatre.org, call the Patchogue Theatre Box Office at 631-207-1313, or stop by 71 East Main Street, Patchogue, NY.

Pan's Flute Productions, Chicago's newest production company, is set to present Poisoned: A Snow White Rock Musical, based on the classic story of Snow White, written and directed by T. James Callahan as their inaugural production. Poisoned is set to run at Stage 773 (1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago) April 17 through May 3. For ticket information, please go to www.poisonedarockmusical.com or www.stage773.com.

SHOWTIME has given a series order to the first season of the hour-long drama FIRST LADIES, starring and executive produced by Oscar, Emmy and Tony® winner Viola Davis, who will play former first lady Michelle Obama. Produced by SHOWTIME and Lionsgate Television, the series will also be executive produced by Julius Tennon, Oscar winner Cathy Schulman (Crash, Five Feet Apart), Jeff Gaspin (Rhythm + Flow, L.A.'s Finest), Brad Kaplan (Mr. Church) and author Aaron Cooley (Four Seats: A Thriller of the Supreme Court), who created the series and will write. The announcement was made today by Jana Winograde, President of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc.

The Growing Stage will present the world premiere production of 'BUNNYBOY' by Philip Kaplan. The show will be on the Netcong stage from February 8 through 16 with performances on Saturdays at 4:00PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM. Broadwayworld.com had the pleasure of interviewing Jason Pumarada who plays Skip in the show.

The Music Institute of Chicago's Chicago Duo Piano Festival (CDPF) celebrates the joy of two-piano and four-hand piano performance at the CDPF Winter Mini-fest March 6a?"8 at the Evanston East campus, 1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston. Registration deadline is Saturday, February 1, 2020.