The 5th Avenue Theatre and ACT- A Contemporary Theatre are kicking off the presidential election with a bang, presenting the landmark musical ASSASSINS with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by John Wiedman. The production will run February 27-May 8, 2016.
Dear Readers, for those that may only read the beginnings of my reviews, I must start off this by telling you to stop reading this right now and go get tickets to the new musical "Come From Away" currently at the Seattle Rep. After you have done that you can come back and read the rest of this. I'll wait. Done? OK now that you've done that I can tell you that what you will be seeing is the best musical I've seen all year and possibly ever. At least it will rank in my top 10 of shows that have affected me so much with its sheer brilliant storytelling and heart. This one CANNOT be missed!
World-premiere musical COME FROM AWAY comes to Seattle Rep now through December 13 in the Bagley Wright Theatre. A co-production with La Jolla Playhouse, COME FROM AWAY is the first musical to be on the main stage of the Rep in over 15 years. It opens tonight, November 18, 2015. Featuring book, music and lyrics by the Canadian husband-and-wife team of Irene Sankoff and David Hein (My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding), the production is directed by La Jolla Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley.
World-premiere musical Come From Away comes to Seattle Rep November 13- December 13 in the Bagley Wright Theatre. A co-production with La Jolla Playhouse, Come From Away is the first musical to be on the main stage of the Rep in over 15 years. Featuring book, music and lyrics by the Canadian husband-and-wife team of Irene Sankoff and David Hein (My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding), the production is directed by La Jolla Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley. Tickets are available now through the Seattle Rep Box Office at 206-443-2222 as well as online at www.seattlerep.org.
Seattle Repertory Theatre's 2015-2016 season was announced today by Acting Artistic Director Braden Abraham. The season is headlined by the new musical Come from Away, Ayad Akhtar's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Disgraced and the world premiere of R. Hamilton Wright's Sherlock Holmes and the American Problem.
Seattle Repertory Theatre's 2015-2016 season was announced today by Acting Artistic Director Braden Abraham. The season is headlined by the new musical Come from Away, Ayad Akhtar's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Disgraced and the world premiere of R. Hamilton Wright's Sherlock Holmes and the American Problem.
Even Musical Theater nerds such as myself might not be familiar with “Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well & Living in Paris”, currently performing at ACT in a joint production with ACT and the 5th Avenue Theatre. I, myself, admit only a passing familiarity with the work and mostly from the covers that others have done of some of his songs. But now that I've seen it done I can understand the cultish following the show engenders and thankfully it was this production that filled the gap in my Musical Theater knowledge as this incredible ensemble took every angst ridden note and made them soar.
Beginning this month, A Contemporary Theatre (ACT) continues to partner with the 5th Avenue Theatre, co-producing a musical that appears on each organization's season and performed at ACT. Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris opens tonight, March 12, and runs for 10 weeks in the Falls Theatre, directed by David Armstrong.
The new performance/rehearsal/training space in town launched last night with their inaugural performance by hosting an evening of the works of local musical theater composer Richard Gray with "Here's to the Ladies". Gray and some of the most talented women in town got together to explore Gray's work and send off this new space with a bang. And all those in attendance knew they were watching something extra special.
Tony-nominated composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Andy Jones (Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella), Heidi Blickenstaff (The Little Mermaid), Ashley Brown (the original Mary Poppins), Merle Dandridge (Tarzan, Aida), Josh Strickland (the original Tarzan), Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Newsies), and Alton Fitzgerald White (The Lion King), will join 4,500 students and teachers representing 93 groups from 26 states and the District of Columbia at the 2014 Junior Theater Festival, it was announced today by Timothy Allen McDonald, founding Chairman of iTheatrics and the Junior Theater Group. The Junior Theater Festival is being held January 17, 18 and 19 at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta.
Seattle Children's Theatre presents the world-premiere musical, James and the Giant Peach. Just in time for the holidays, Timothy Allen McDonald's wonderful adaptation from Roald Dahl's best seller will include original music by Tony-Award nominated lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. James and the Giant Peach runs at SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre through January 12, 2014. SCT Artistic Director Linda Hartzell directs. BroadwayWorld has a behind-the-scenes look at the show below!
Seattle Children's Theatre features Tony nominees Justin Paul and Benj Pasek's musical version of James and the Giant Peach as a part of its 2013-2014 Mainstage Season. The musical features a book by Timothy Allen McDonald, and is based on the book by Roald Dahl. James and the Giant Peach runs at the Charlotte Martin Theatre, now through January 12, 2014. Check out a first look below!
Seattle Children's Theatre features Tony nominees Justin Paul and Benj Pasek's musical version of James and the Giant Peach as a part of its 2013-2014 Mainstage Season. The musical features a book by Timothy AllenMcDonald, and is based on the book by Roald Dahl. Check out a sneak peek below!
When casting my reviewers eye to the world premiere musical version of Roald Dahl's "James and the Giant Peach", currently playing at Seattle Children's Theatre, I am forced to look upon the show from two perspectives. From the kid perspective, as this is children's theatre, will this be entertaining and accessible enough for kids? And from the adult musical theater lover perspective, as this is a brand new musical from some up and comers in the musical theater scene Justin Paul, Benj Pasek and Timothy Allen McDonald, is this something that can make a musical theater lover squeal with delight at the thought of it getting a wider audience (like maybe Broadway)? And while from the kid perspective this was a lovely and thoroughly fun time for any age, the musical theater snob in me felt the show just needs a little more work to be truly great. But it's certainly on its way.
Balagan Theatre and Artistic Director Louis Hobson's high-profile production of CARRIE the musical closed Saturday, but will live on in an original Squigs caricature featuring Tony Award winner Alice Ripley, Keaton Whittaker (A Little Night Music), Kendra Kassebaum (Wicked), Larissa Schmitz, Kody Bringman, Tessa Archer and Andrew Brewer (Cougar, the Musical). Scroll down for a look at the artwork!
On Wednesday, October 30th, the blockbuster musical, WICKED, will celebrate its 10th Anniversary on Broadway, a milestone achieved by only ten other Broadway productions in history. The creative team and many of the musical's previous cast members will celebrate WICKED's first decade with a special performance, followed by a company party, on October 30th at 7:00pm. BroadwayWorld will be counting down to the milestone with daily flashbacks of Wicked's biggest events, most memorable cast members, and best performances. In today's installment, we remember the actors that have taken on the role of Glinda!
Tony Award-winning Broadway actress Alice Ripley (Next to Normal) leads the cast of CARRIE the musical, now playing through October 26, 2013, at the historic Moore Theatre, also featuring fellow Broadway alumni Kendra Kassebaum (Wicked) and Keaton Whittaker (A Little Night Music), and directed by Broadway alum Louis Hobson (Next to Normal). Check out a first look at the production shots below!
Any true Broadway Geek knows of the infamous flop that is "Carrie: The Musical". Having only run for 16 previews and 5 actual performances back in 1988, some believed it to be one of the worst shows around while others still proclaimed its merits and longed for its return. So when the show was retooled by authors Michael Gore, Dean Pitchford and Lawrence D. Cohen and an Off-Broadway run was announced for 2012, the news was met with excitement and skepticism. The modest run was enough to remove some of the stigma of the show and made the show ripe for regional productions to put their stamp on it. And this leads us to 2013 as powerhouse company Balagan Theatre mounts their production with none other than Tony Award Winner Alice Ripley in the role of Carrie's Mother, Margaret White. And while the show itself is now about half good, the Balagan Production manages enough stellar moments to make the show into something special but they still have a ways to go to achieve greatness.
Tony Award-winning Broadway actress Alice Ripley (Next to Normal) leads the cast of CARRIE the musical, opening tonight, October 11 and running through October 26, 2013, at the historic Moore Theatre, also featuring fellow Broadway alumni Kendra Kassebaum (Wicked) andKeaton Whittaker (A Little Night Music), and directed by Broadway alum Louis Hobson (Next to Normal).
Tony Award-winning Broadway actress Alice Ripley (Next to Normal) leads the cast of CARRIE the musical, October 11-26, 2013, at the historic Moore Theatre, also featuring fellow Broadway alumni Kendra Kassebaum (Wicked) andKeaton Whittaker (A Little Night Music), and directed by Broadway alum Louis Hobson (Next to Normal). In the video below, Alice Ripley sings 'When There's No One' from the production!
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