Louis Hobson News

The 2016-2017 SHOWTUNES Theatre Company season defies expectations and dazzles audiences with three rarely produced concert musicals and two very special musical theatre events. With the introduction of a cabaret in February, Defying Expectations, and a musical theatre-themed Writer's Initiative in May, SHOWTUNES continues to diversify their offerings while demonstrating their unparalleled devotion to this all-American art form. The season begins with three performances October 22-23 at ACT's Allen Theatre. Shenandoah is directed by Matt Wolfe with music direction by RJ Tancioco. The expanded season also includes two concert musicals inside Benaroya Hall's Ilsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall: Leap of Faith on December 3-4 and The Unsinkable Molly Brown on March 11-12, 2017.  

I'll admit unfamiliarity with Lerner and Loewe's "Paint Your Wagon" before recently. Never saw the original, never saw the movie, and had only a passing familiarity with the bigger songs in it. So to educate myself before seeing this production I watched the movie, which was also rewritten from the original musical version but what I had available to me. Wow, what a train wreck that is! Horrific story, songs that move nothing along and a movie that seems to be there solely for Lee Marvin to mug to the camera. So I was trepidatious to say the least about this rewritten version at the 5th Avenue Theatre and after seeing it I'm of two minds.

The 5th Avenue Theatre presents an exciting new 'revisal' of the sweeping saga Lerner & Loewe's PAINT YOUR WAGON. Featuring an all-new book by Pulitzer Prize nominee John Marans, this show has taken an incredible journey over the last five years from developmental workshops to The 5th Avenue stage this season. And BroadwayWorld is happy to report that the company has just announced the full cast and creative team.

Broadway Records releases Frank Wildhorn and Friends: Bonnie & Clyde and a Whole Lotta Jazz -- Live at 54 BELOW be digitally and in stores today, June 3, 2016. 

Laura Osnes (Cinderella) and Jeremy Jordan (Supergirl, Newsies), who starred together in Frank Wildhorn's production of Bonnie & Clyde reunited to sing 'This World Will Remember Us' for the CD.

?Ghostlight Records releases the world premiere recording of the acclaimed musical Jasper in Deadland online and in stores today, Friday, May 20. The show - with music and lyrics by Ryan Scott Oliver and book by Oliver and Hunter Foster - was hailed as "a playful, silly-smart, new musical" by The New York Times, which called the score "buoyant and wide-ranging, with rich harmonies." The recording is produced by Ryan Scott Oliver and John Clancy. To order the album, please visit www.sh-k-boom.com/jasper-in-deadland.

The Lerner and Loewe classic score will be performed with a new book by Pulitzer finalist Jon Marans.

Ghostlight Records releases the world premiere recording of the acclaimed musical JASPER IN DEADLAND online and in stores today, May 20.

The 5th Avenue Theatre presents an exciting new 'revisal' of the sweeping saga Lerner & Loewe's PAINT YOUR WAGON. Featuring an all-new book by Pulitzer Prize nominee John Marans, this show has taken an incredible journey over the last five years from developmental workshops to The 5th Avenue stage this season. And BroadwayWorld is happy to report that the company has just announced the full cast and creative team.

How many of these great songs do you know from underappreciated musicals?

Ghostlight Records will release the world premiere recording of the acclaimed musical JASPER IN DEADLAND online and in stores on Friday, May 20.

Broadway Records has announced that Frank Wildhorn and Friends: Bonnie & Clyde and a Whole Lotta Jazz -- Live at 54 BELOW will be released digitally and in stores on June 3, 2016.

Only the incredible Stephen Sondheim could make a musical about Presidential assassins and make it work. It's a dark subject that you think wouldn't be sung about. But Sondheim shows off his storytelling prowess by creating a sort of club or group therapy aspect to the group of killers as they attempt to tie all their works together with the act of their most famous member. And while the cast of the current joint production from the 5th Avenue Theatre and ACT certainly has the talent to pull off this demanding show, they don't always feel cohesive or in the same club but hopefully as they settle in that will come.

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.

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 begins today, February 27 and will run through May 8, 2016.

JASPER IN DEADLAND, featuring music and lyrics by Ryan Scott Oliver, will celebrate the release of its new cast album tonight, February 12, 2016, at Feinstein's/54 Below.

Broadway's 40 theatres aren't the only places to catch performances from your favorite stars! Well after Broadway orchestras begin their overtures, ensemble members take their dance breaks, and performers belt out their eleven o'clock numbers, the party continues at various cabaret venues throughout New York City. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you some cabaret highlights for this week as picked by our theatre editors, including: The Songs of Tor & Lisa, ft. Brandon Victor Dixon, and more; New Musicals at 54: Fallout by Kyle Jarrow and Nick Blaemire; Kyle Dean Massey at 54 Below; Jasper In Deadland CD Release Concert; and Broadway Couples Sing I Do! I Do! For Valentine's Day.

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com/Feinsteins or call (646) 476-3551.

BroadwayWorld is happy to report that JASPER IN DEADLAND, featuring music and lyrics by Ryan Scott Oliver, will celebrate the release of its new cast album February 12, 2016, at Feinstein's/54 Below.