Liz Smith News

Award winning Book Writer/Lyricist, Stephen Cole, announces the Debut of two Musical theater creations, 'Merman's Apprentice' written with David Evans; and 'Casper the Friendly Musical, ' written with Matthew Martin Ward. 

Winner of the SDSU New Musicals Initiative, 'TIL DEATH DO US PART tells the story of Gracie Jean, a spitfire from hardscrabble Tennessee, who is called to preach God's grace, and Matthew, heir apparent to small town Evangelical royalty, who struggles to rebel against his father while maintaining the privilege of his birth. When they meet, it's love at first sight. But what happens when a fairytale marriage becomes a battle of the sexes?

With magical pixie dust PETER PAN the Musical flies into The Lewis and Shirley White Theatre at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City with 11 performances beginning July 6-28. Evening performances are at 7:30 p.m. and matinees are at 2 p.m.

Author John Bell announces the release of his memoir Elaine Stritch: The End of Pretend, a book about an extraordinary life and the first book about the Broadway actress who died in 2014. The End of Pretend chronicles the twilight of actress Elaine Stritch's career offering a rare first-person and no-holds-barred glimpse into the private persona behind the Broadway icon.

The San Diego State University MFA Musical Theatre Program has launched an innovative two-year development program dedicated to fostering the creation of new musicals. The SDSU MFA New Musical Initiative was conceived with the idea of helping musical theatre writers develop a new work through a two-year process including a reading (fall 2018), a workshop (spring 2019) and a full production (spring 2020). After a competitive submission process, which saw over 120 new scripts and scores, the selection committee chose 'Til Death Do Us Part by Bobby Cronin and Caroline Prugh.

Transport Group just presented its annual A Toast to the Artist gala, honoring Tony Award-winning orchestrator Michael Starboin and composer Carmel Dean with the Transporting American Theatre Award.

Transport Group has announced that its annual A Toast to the Artist gala will honor Tony Award-winning orchestrator Michael Starboin and composer Carmel Dean with the Transporting American Theatre Award. The evening takes place Monday, March 11 at 6:30pm at The Current, Pier 59 @ Chelsea Piers, and includes a cocktail party, seated dinner, performances, dessert reception, and silent and live auctions. The Transporting American Theatre Award recognizes significant contributions to the American Theatre. Past recipients of the Transporting American Theatre Award include Dick Scanlan, Mary- Mitchell Campbell, Michael John LaChiusa, Gretchen Shugart, Barbara Whitman, Beth Williams, Sue Frost, Christian Borle, Paul Huntley, Douglas Carter Beane, Lewis Flinn, A.R. Gurney, Liz Smith, Barbara Frietag, Terrence McNally, and Joe Mantello among others. Tickets are now on sale and may be purchased at transportgroup.org.

Transport Group will honor Tony Award-winning orchestrator Michael Starboin and composer Carmel Dean with the Transporting American Theatre Award. The evening takes place Monday, March 11, at The Current, Pier 59 @ Chelsea Piers, and includes a seated dinner, performances, dessert reception, and silent and live auctions.

The San Diego State University MFA Musical Theatre Program has launched an innovative two-year development program dedicated to fostering the creation of new musicals. The SDSU MFA New Musical Initiative was conceived with the idea of helping musical theatre writers develop a new work through a two-year process including a reading (fall 2018), a workshop (spring 2019) and a full production (spring 2020). 

The San Diego State University MFA Musical Theatre Program has launched an innovative two-year development program dedicated to fostering the creation of new musicals. The SDSU MFA New Musical Initiative was conceived with the idea of helping musical theatre writers develop a new work through a two-year process including a reading (fall 2018), a workshop (spring 2019) and a full production (spring 2020). 

Musical Theatre's West's acclaimed "Broadway in Concert" series returns with an exciting line-up of stars from the Great White Way! Opening the series at the intimate Beverly O'Neill Theatre at Long Beach Convention Center, is Broadway's Sam Harris (The Producers, The Life) performing Let Me Sing: An Evening of Broadway, Ballads, and Blues on November 18, 7pm. The series continues with performances by David Burnham (Wicked and Light in the Piazza) & Tami Tappan Damiano (Cyrano and Miss Saigon) in A Broadway Romance (February 3, 2019), and Teri Bibb (Phantom of the Opera and She Loves Me) in Once Upon a Song: A Tribute to the Ladies of the Silver Screen on March 24, 2019. All performances are at 7pm. Season tickets are now on sale, starting at $60 for all three concerts, or each performance is available starting at $35. For tickets, go to www.musical.org, at the Musical Theatre West Box Office, or by calling 562-856-1999 ext 4.

In today's photo flashback, we're attending the star-studded 78th birthday celebration of legendary composer, Jerry Herman! Check out some throwback photos from the evening below!

Seth Sikes of whom NY Arts Review said, "may well be one of the saviors of the Great American Songbook" will return to Provincetown at The Crown & Anchor's Paramount Theatre on Tuesday, July 24 at 8PM. Sikes is one of New York's best known nightclub performers and his debut at the Paramount sold-out as has each of his appearances at Feinstein's/54 Below in New York.

The 29th Street Playwrights Collective NEW WORKS SERIES 2018 will present a staged reading of GLORIOUS DISASTER, a new comedy by Caroline Prugh, Monday April 30, at 7:30pm at the Bernie Wohl Center.

Woman of the World, is a new play by Rebecca Gilman, that tells the true story of the wonderfully complex Mabel Loomis Todd. Kathleen Chalfant plays Todd, best known as Emily Dickinson's posthumous editor, but also a journalist, a naturalist, and a popular public speaker. 

The International Cinematographers Guild (ICG, IATSE Local 600) Publicists announced the winners of its 55 th Annual ICG Publicists Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Friday, March 2, 2018. GET OUT (Universal Pictures) won the top honors for Best Publicity Campaign for Motion Pictures and STRANGER THINGS 2 (Netflix/Wonder View)won the Best Publicity Campaign in Television, both presented by KELLY MARIE TRAN (Star Wars: The Last Jedi). This year's luncheon, which traditionally occurs the week leading up to the Academy Awards, was chaired by HENRI BOLLINGER and co-chaired by TIM MENKE. More than 900 industry leaders attended including guild members, Hollywood public relations and marketing executives, producers, studio and network executives, celebrities and press.

The Internationalnternational Cinematographers Guild (ICG, IATSE Local 600) Publicists today announced winners of its 55th Annual ICG Publicists Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. GET OUT(Universal Pictures) won the top honors for Best Publicity Campaign for Motion Pictures and STRANGER THINGS 2(Netflix/Wonder View) won the Best Publicity Campaign in Television, both presented by KELLY MARIE TRAN (Star Wars: The Last Jedi). This year's luncheon, which traditionally occurs the week leading up to the Academy Awards®, was chaired byHENRI BOLLINGER and co-chaired by TIM MENKE. More than 900 industry leaders attended including guild members, Hollywood public relations and marketing executives, producers, studio and network executives, celebrities and press.

Dan Fogelman, creator and executive producer of the NBC drama This Is Us, one of the most lauded television shows of the past two years, will be named Television Showman of the Year at the 55th Annual International Cinematographers Guild (ICG, IATSE Local 600) Publicists Awards honoring excellence in publicity and promotion for motion pictures and television programs, to be held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel onFriday, March 2.

Andy Serkis, the master of performance capture with unforgettable roles this past year in War for the Planet of the Apes and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, will receive the Motion Picture Showman of the Year Award at the 55th Annual International Cinematographers Guild(ICG, IATSE Local 600) Publicists Awards for his unique contribution to the art of movies. The awards will be held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Friday, March 2, 2018.

Family and friends of the influential and admired syndicated columnist, Liz Smith, will gather at the Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th St.) on Friday, February 2nd at 12:00pm, to celebrate her extraordinary life.