Keith Gordon News

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) is pleased to announce that an exciting lineup of prominent Broadway producers and general managers has joined the Dollars and Sense panels to follow readings of the winning selections of the 2008 TRU Voices New Musicals Series. The series is unique because it develops new producers as well as new musicals, and in keeping true to its mission, the TRU talkbacks focus on producer concerns regarding the development of these works beyond the series. The panels will follow readings of the works on Mondays, December 8 and 15, 2008 at 7:30pm at the Players Theatre, located at 115 MacDougal Street, NYC.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) is pleased to announce the winning selections of the 2008 TRU Voices New Musicals Series. In a series that is unique because it develops new producers as well as new musicals, two works were chosen from submissions by emerging or established producers, as well as writers. The works will be read on Mondays, December 8 and 15, 2008 at 7:30pm at the Players Theatre, located at 115 MacDougal Street, NYC.

Village Theatre announces the cast of Saint Heaven, the new American musical by Keith Gordon and Martin Casella, on stage September 17 - October 26, 2008 in Issaquah and October 31-November 23, 2008.

Village Theatre opens the 2008-2009 Season with the West Coast Premiere of the new American musical, Saint Heaven.

Village Theatre is pleased to announce its exciting director line-up for the 2008-2009 Mainstage Season. Andrea Dymond, Resident Director of Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago, will direct the new musical and season opener, Saint Heaven. Dymond comments, 'I'd originally directed an earlier version of Saint Heaven in a developmental workshop production, about five years ago, at the Stages Festival at Theatre Building Chicago. That's when I got to know Marty [Martin Casella, book writer] and Keith [Keith Gordon, lyricist and composer] who are every bit as gorgeous to work with as is their musical. I think Saint Heaven is unique in the fullness of its telling, the richness of its characters, and the variety of forms of deeply American music it uses to engage us in the story.' At Victory Gardens Theater, Dymond has staged a wealth of productions such as Gloria Bond Clunie's Shoes (Best Director nomination, Black Theatre Alliance) and Charles Smith's Free Man of Color (winner of the Jeff award for Best New Work). Steve Tomkins, Artistic Director for Village Theatre is set to direct the charming Disney classic Beauty and the Beast. Tomkins gave his directorial debut at Village Theatre with the 1988 production of Gypsy. This upcoming season marks his sixteenth season as Artistic Director for Village Theatre. David Ira Goldstein will direct Oscar Wilde's classic play The Importance of Being Earnest. 'I have been eager to direct Wilde's greatest comedy ever since I directed his earlier play A Woman of No Importance for the University of Washington School of Drama in 1994. If any play can invoke a spirit of pure pleasure for two hours, it is certainly Wilde's Earnest,' Goldstein comments. As artistic director of Arizona Theatre Company (ATC), Goldstein has received the 2003 Governor's Arts Award as Individual Artist for his contributions to the arts in Arizona. He has directed over 30 mainstage productions for ATC and has been a guest director across the country. Before living in Arizona, he was the associate Artistic Director of A Contemporary Theatre in Seattle. Steve Tomkins will also take on the original work Stunt Girl this season. His last three new musical projects, which include Once Upon A Time in New Jersey (2006-2007), Girl of My Dreams (2005-2006), and The Ark (2002-2003), quickly became huge hits amongst Village Theatre audiences. Lastly, Village Theatre is thrilled to announce Jerry Dixon as the director of the musical masterpiece, Show Boat. Dixon began his career as an actor with original Broadway cast performances in Once On This Island and Five Guys Named Moe, with other original roles in Bright Lights, Big City, The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, new yorkers, and tick, tick…BOOM!. Dixon's directing credits vary and include tick, tick…BOOM! (Korea and Singapore), Crowns (Kalamazoo Civic), and concerts and special events for Tony winner LaChanze, recording artist Raúl Midón, Carnegie Hall, and the Belgium National Symphony. Dixon's directorial work was last seen at Village Theatre in 2007, when he was brought from New York to direct the Village Originals production of Barnstormer.

Village Theatre announces its 2008-2009 Mainstage Season, comprised of five shows that explore the perils of young love and the thrill of a great story.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) and Executive Director Kathy Evans announced the casts and directors of the eight musicals for its 19th Annual Festival of New Musicals to be held at New World Stages (340 West 50th St between 8th and 9th Avenues) on Sunday, October 7 and Monday, October 8, 2007.

The New York International Fringe Festival is presenting The Program, written by Michèle Aldin

The first annual Howard L. Blau Award for a promising new work of musical theater was presented to Friends Like These, with music by John McMahon, lyrics by Jay Jeffries, and with book by Jeffries and McMahon.

Complete scheduling information has been announced for the New York Musical Theatre Festival

The TRU Voices New Musicals Reading Series is currently accepting submissions from theatrical producers

Lucky Pelican Productions will present Michèle Aldin's Dear America, as part of the 10th Annual New York International Fringe Festival from August 12th through August 24th

Tony Award-winner Chuck Cooper will star with Deborah Gibson in Saint Heaven, a world premiere musical that will run from June 1st through 11th Stamford Center for the Arts' Rich Forum in Stamford, CT