Lehman Engel News

New York Theatre Barn will present the next installment of their New Works Series, featuring musical theater writers Michael Cooper and Timothy Huang on Monday, June 23rd at 7:30pm at the DR2 Theatre (Daryl Roth Theatre, 101 E. 15th Street).

The Yale Institute for Music Theatre announces the creative teams and casting for the two original book musicals, Afterland, music and lyrics by Benjamin Velez and book and lyrics by Kathryn Hathaway, and Clouds are Pillows for the Moon, music by Tidtaya Sinutoke and book and lyrics by Ty Defoe, which will be developed in an intensive lab setting in New Haven, June 3-15. The Institute culminates with open rehearsal readings of each project, presented as part of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, on June 14 and 15.

Multi-faceted guitar virtuoso and 2013-14 LABA fellow Nadav Lev brings forth a diverse selection of pieces for guitar and various ensembles, all written for him by some of the most prominent young composers to emerge from Israel.

The Yale Institute for Music Theatre announces the creative teams and casting for the two original book musicals, Afterland, music and lyrics by Benjamin Velez and book and lyrics by Kathryn Hathaway, and Clouds are Pillows for the Moon, music by Tidtaya Sinutoke and book and lyrics by Ty Defoe, which will be developed in an intensive lab setting in New Haven, June 3-15. The Institute culminates with open rehearsal readings of each project, presented as part of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, on June 14 and 15.

Kathy Evans, Founding Executive Director, announced the nine musicals and twenty-six writers selected for the 2014 Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, its fourth year of providing working retreats for musical theatre writers. For nine consecutive weeks beginning June 29th, each writing team will have an individual weeklong residency in Rhinebeck, New York to write their musical. They are provided with a private home, transportation, food, and a stipend. All costs are fully funded by donors including The ASCAP Foundation, The Dramatists Guild Fund, and The Noel Coward Foundation. Writers participating this year include Broadway's Mindi Dickstein (Little Women), this year's Kleban Prize winner Nathan Tysen (Burnt Part Boys), and Peter Mills, past winner of the Kleban, Fred Ebb Award, and Richard Rodgers prize. The musicals' subjects cover 19th century nautical mysteries, 20th century fairy tales, a 1970's gay bar, and modern-day meth addicts. Every score is original and styles include 16th century Renaissance, big band, folk, rock, and electronic music.

PASSAJJ Productions is proud to present Once/Twice, two musical adaptations by veteran composer and lyricist Paul Dick (A For Adultery, Madame Bovary). Once is an adaptation of the short play A Sunny Morning by Serafin and Joaquin Quintero, while Twice is based on The Bear by Anton Chekhov. Once/Twice will be directed by Celine Rosenthal, with music direction by Ming Aldrich-Gan. This production will open tonight, May 16th at 8pm and run through June 1st at Roy Arias Stage IV at the Times Square Arts Center, 300 West 43rd Street in New York City.

Music theatre practitioners from around the world will gather at Sheridan College June 24-26, 2014 for Song, Stage and Screen IX an international conference of papers, talks and practical demonstrations designed to bring together leaders to discuss music theatre. To celebrate the conference theme, 'The Art of Collaboration in Musical Theatre', The Theory of Relativity by Drama Desk Award nominated writers Neil Bartram and Brian Hill will have a one-time, live performance upon the opening of the conference featuring a global virtual choir.

Where The Sky Ends: The Songs of Michael Mott will be released on June 17th, 2014. The CD is now available for pre-order on Amazon at http://amzn.com/B00K616MBY.

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, will present Drew Gasparini and friends in 'From Here & There: The Music & Lyrics of Drew Gasparini' Volume 3 tonight, May 3rd at 11pm.

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, will present Drew Gasparini and friends in 'From Here & There: The Music & Lyrics of Drew Gasparini' Volume 3 on Saturday, May 3rd at 11pm.

General Mischief Dance Theatre presents its spring performance, Rascals with Altitude. Performances will take place from today, April 25 - May 4 at The Connelly Theatre, 220 East 4th Street, NYC.

The 2013-2014 season at Cleveland Play House (CPH) continues with the compelling world premiere production of Deborah Zoe Laufer's Informed Consent. Co-produced with Geva Theatre Center, this incredibly thought-provoking production is inspired by the real life court case between the Havasupai Indian tribe and Arizona State University, and sparks an intriguing debate on both ethicality and morality. Directed by Sean Daniels and Sponsored by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic and MetroHealth, Informed Consent will serve as the centerpiece to CPH's 2014 New Ground Theatre Festival and will run from today, April 23 - May 18 in the Second Stage.

Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis announces Spun. The show opened last night, April 17, 2014 in the Livia and Steve Russell Theatre at the Phoenix, and runs through May 11, 2014. It is directed by Bloomington Playwrights Project Producing Artistic Director Chad Rabinovitz. The show stars Lisa Ermel as Molly and Chris Roe as Jesse. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

4@15: Four New Fifteen-Minute Musicals, performed in conjunction with University of California, Irvine, will commence performances Friday, April 18 and Saturday, April 19, for three performances only at the Playroom Theater. Tammy Holder serves as Music Director; Brian Blythe directs.

Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis announces Spun. Opening tonight, April 17, 2014 in the Livia and Steve Russell Theatre at the Phoenix, this show runs through May 11, 2014 and will be directed by Bloomington Playwrights Project Producing Artistic Director Chad Rabinovitz.

General Mischief Dance Theatre presents its spring performance, Rascals with Altitude. Performances will take place from April 25 - May 4 at The Connelly Theatre, 220 East 4th Street, NYC. Tickets are $20 in advance for general admission ($25 at the door, $15 for students and seniors, $10 for children ten and under) and are available at https://www.artful.ly/store/events/2754 or by calling (212) 714-4694. Performances are Friday, April 25 at 8pm; Saturday, April 26 at 8pm; Sunday, April 27 at 5pm; Friday, May 2 at 8pm; Saturday, May 3 at 3pm and 8pm; and Sunday, May 4 at 3pm. The performance is appropriate for ages 4 and up.

PASSAJJ Productions is proud to present Once/Twice, two musical adaptations by veteran composer and lyricist Paul Dick (A For Adultery, Madame Bovary). Once is an adaptation of the short play A Sunny Morning by Serafin and Joaquin Quintero, while Twice is based on The Bear by Anton Chekhov.

General Mischief Dance Theatre presents its spring performance, Rascals with Altitude. Performances will take place from April 25 - May 4 at The Connelly Theatre, 220 East 4th Street, NYC. Tickets are $20 in advance for general admission ($25 at the door, $15 for students and seniors, $10 to children ten and under) and are available at https://www.artful.ly/store/events/2754 or by calling (212) 714-4694. Performances: Friday, April 25 at 8pm; Saturday, April 26 at 8pm; Sunday, April 27 at 5pm; Friday, May 2 at 8pm; Saturday, May 3 at 3pm and 8pm; Sunday, May 4 at 3pm. Appropriate for ages 4 and up.

The 2013-2014 season at Cleveland Play House (CPH) continues with the compelling world premiere production of Deborah Zoe Laufer's Informed Consent. Co-produced with Geva Theatre Center, this incredibly thought-provoking production is inspired by the real life court case between the Havasupai Indian tribe and Arizona State University, and sparks an intriguing debate on both ethicality and morality. Directed by Sean Daniels and Sponsored by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic and MetroHealth, Informed Consent will serve as the centerpiece to CPH's 2014 New Ground Theatre Festival and will run from April 23 - May 18 in the Second Stage.

Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis announces Spun. Opening April 17, 2014 in the Livia and Steve Russell Theatre at the Phoenix, this show runs through May 11, 2014 and will be directed by Bloomington Playwrights Project Producing Artistic Director Chad Rabinovitz.