Lauren Kennedy News

Theatre Raleigh has the exciting opportunity to welcome two-time Tony Nominee Laura Osnes as the special guest on Living Room LIVE!

Director David Ruttura (Beautiful, School of Rock) reunites with host Patrick Oliver Jones as they discuss his Broadway career assisting Tony-Award winning directors as well as the production that brought them together - FOOTLOOSE on Norwegian Cruise Line.

Stars in the House continues today (2pm) with a Regional Theatre Spotlight On: Theatre Raleigh.  Hosted by Lauren Kennedy Brady with guests Kate McMillan, Yolanda Rabun and Gerard Williams.

This weekend (August 1-2) in live streaming: Cheyenne Jackson sings with Seth Rudetsky, Renee Fleming sings for the Met, and so much more!

PlayMakers Repertory Company and Theatre Raleigh are co-sponsoring Higher Ground Conversations, a series of conversations with experts on topics of racial justice, hosted by North Carolina theatre artist and activist, Mike Wiley.

On June 8th, North Carolina Theatre announced that based on recommendations from the City of Raleigh and given the circumstances surrounding the current health pandemic, they ended up canceling the remainder of their 2019-20 Season, which includes productions of Memphis, The Sound of Music, and Edges.

Theatre Raleigh will be spotlighted on the acclaimed series Stars in the House with Seth Rudetsky & James Wesley. The 'take over' will be hosted by Producing Artistic Director Lauren Kennedy Brady.

Broadway composer Andrew Lippa (THE ADDAMS FAMILY, BIG FISH) joins Patrick Oliver Jones, host of the Why I'll Never Make It podcast, to discuss his musical work on and off Broadway, including his latest collaboration with Kristin Chenoweth on a TIGER KING parody song called 'Little Pieces.'

Theatre Raleigh presents its most ambitious virtual show yet! Don't miss The Show and Tell-a-thon, with an exclusive concert of Daddy Long Legs featuring the cast from our 2018 production, MAX CHERNIN  as Jervis (Broadway Credits: Bright Star and Sunday in the Park with George) and HILARY MAIBERGER as Jerusha (International tour of Beauty and the Beast as Belle).

Composer/lyricist and performer Jeremy Schonfeld posted a video to Facebook, of himself playing a new song to help people cope with the trying times.

MasterVoices, led by Artistic Director Ted Sperling, continues its 2019-20 season on January 10 and 11 at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College of Criminal Justice with the New York premiere of Iron & Coal, Jeremy Schonfeld's multimedia rock-opera about his family's experience in the Holocaust and its aftermath. Along with MasterVoices, joining Schonfeld onstage will be distinguished theater artist Rinde Eckert, tenor Daniel Rowan, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, and the New York-based contemporary music ensemble, Contemporaneous.

RAGTIME is a musical that is as relevant now as it was in 1998 when it premiered and the production currently on at PlayMakers Repertory Company makes that abundantly clear. While the show might be set in the state of New York in 1906, it makes statements about immigration, race relations, corrupt justice, and women's rights that continue to ring true today. Director Zi Alikhan stages the show as you've never seen before, cutting away the period clothing and elaborate setting to focus on its brilliant music and lyrics and the poignant themes it explores. The new 360 degree theatre layout puts the audience firmly into the action, letting them get even closer to the characters than in a normal show. 

 PlayMakers Repertory Company presents Zi Alikhan's innovative staging of Ragtime, the musical by Terrance McNally, Stephen Flaherty, and Lynn Ahrens. Ragtime stars Hamilton's Fergie L. Philippe and Theatre Raleigh's Lauren Kennedy and began previews last night (Nov 20). With press opening on Saturday, November 23 at 8:00pm, the show runs through December 15.

Theatre Raleigh presents their annual holiday tradition, Oh What A (Holy) Night! This Christmas cabaret will ease you into the holiday season with a talented and professional cast of actors, singers, dancers and musicians from both local and national stages. The show will feature some of their favorite performers in this seasonal twist of the Theatre Raleigh acclaimed Broadway concert Oh What a Night!

When you open a program to find a page recommending ways that people can take action after seeing a musical (like registering to vote and supporting groups like the ACLU), you know that you're going to see something special. Theatre Raleigh's last show of their 2019 Summer Season, THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS, is a daring musical about the Scottsboro Boys trials in the 1930s in Alabama. It has a company of all African-American performers, except one, and takes inspiration from minstrel shows. The show is directed and brilliantly choreographed by Gerry McIntyre who manages to make it very impactful, without feeling overdone.

Ted Sperling, Artistic Director of MasterVoices, announced details of the acclaimed ensemble's 78th season, celebrating the joy of choral singing and the power of the human voice to unite, inspire and connect since 1941. Highlights include three major musical presentations at top venues, including a New York premiere, and the World Premiere of a new work, commissioned by the Company. Throughout the season there will be collaborations with leading singers, artists, ensembles and organizations, some who are familiar with and others who are new to the Company.

BroadwayWorld presents a comprehensive weekly roundup of regional stories around our Broadway World, which include videos, editor spotlights, regional reviews and more. This week, we feature JOSEPH on Broadway, Lea Salonga in SWEENEY TODD, FROZEN Tour First Look and More!

There are some musicals that it's difficult to imagine someone could watch without their heart being touched. Theatre Raleigh's production of THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, directed by their Artistic Director Lauren Kennedy Brady, is certainly one of those pieces. Based on the novel of the same name, it's a story of family and isolation, love and romance, and wondering if you were meant for more than the life you're leading. With gorgeous music by Jason Robert Brown, this heart-wrenching show is sure to connect with audiences.

Theatre Raleigh presents the next show in its 2019 Summer Series, The Bridges of Madison County. Based on the best-selling novel by Robert James Waller and winner of the 2014 Tony Award for Best Score and Orchestrations, you don't want to miss this sweeping romance about the roads we travel, the doors we open and the bridges we dare to cross.