Luke Cantarella News

Theatre Philadelphia's Barrymore Awards were announced yesterday. The awards recognized the best Philadelphia area theater from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018. Judges and recommenders saw 112 productions by 40 companies were eligible, of which 10 companies won awards, for 11 productions.

Theatre Philadelphia, the region's marketing and leadership organization for theatre, proudly announces the 2018 nominees for the Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theatre. Celebrating the rich, diverse professional theatre scene in the Greater Philadelphia region, the Barrymore Ceremony will be held on Monday, November 5th at 7pm at the Bok Building at 1901 S. 9th Street in South Philadelphia. Guests will continue the festivities with an after-party Celebration at the same location. Tickets for artists, supporters, and the general public are now on sale at www.theatrephiladelphia.org.

TheaterWorks - Rob Ruggiero, Producing Artistic Director announced today that TheaterWorks will present HAND TO GOD by Robert Askins as the fifth and final show of the 2017-2018 Season. Directed by Tracy Brigden, the Broadway smash hit and Tony Award nominated play begins previews July 20 and runs through August 26, 2018.

Meet the stars who will bring The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis' lavish production of Evita to life.

Grief can be a very strange thing and people react to traumatic events in very different ways. Some may become reserved and avoid contact with people. Some may turn to their faith for support during trying times. Others, like the young man in TheaterWorks' HAND TO GOD, channel anger, fear and confusion into a demonic and controlling puppet. Yes, you read that right. In Robert Askins' Tony Award nominated play, young Jason and his evil puppet alter ego, Tyrone, wreak havoc on a small Texas church and raunchy, rude, unhinged hilarity ensues.

Rob Ruggiero, Producing Artistic Director announced today that TheaterWorks will present HAND TO GOD by Robert Askins as the fifth and final show of the 2017-2018 Season. Directed by Tracy Brigden, the Broadway smash hit and Tony Award nominated play begins previews July 20 and runs through August 26, 2018.  

The Muny announced today its complete cast and design team for the theatre's centennial season production of Gypsy, July 27 - August 2. Gypsy is proudly sponsored by Missouri Lottery.

Producers Matt Murphy and Shawn Nightingale have announced that pop culture phenomenon & Off-Broadway's longest running comedy Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man, will end its New York City run after four and a half years of performances.

Building on the Blaine County School District's mission of inspiring, engaging, educating and empowering every student, Company of Fools announces the 21st year of Stages of Wonder-an in-school dramatic arts program that has served as the theatre curriculum in local elementary schools since 1997.

In a cramped, secret Amsterdam annex, alongside seven other refugees, a Jewish girl hides from the Nazis. In the midst of this nightmare scenario, Anne Frank channels her lively intelligence into a diary that resonates decades after her death. Wendy Kesselman's adaptation captures the immediacy of Anne's unique voice, and the courage and terror of a life evading Hitler's genocide of the Jews.

Based on the international best-selling book of the same title, this romantic comedy takes the audience on a hilarious and wild ride where no topic is taboo and the insider tips come straight from the source a gay man. Set at a local university auditorium, shy and studious Robyn is the moderator of the English department's monthly meet the authors event. This month's featured author is Dan Anderson of Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man, but with the help of hunky stage assistant Stefan, Dan turns the event into a highly theatrical, audience interactive, sex tip seminar.

A stellar ensemble of People's Light veterans, including some of the most celebrated actors in Philadelphia, brings to life Paul Osborn's classic American comedy, Morning's at Seven. In a small, Midwestern town, four close-knit sisters and their husbands confront long-held secrets and simmering tensions that threaten to upend the status quo. Artistic Director Abigail Adams directs this charming tribute to family dysfunction in which the relationships are ultimately as universal as the humor (Los Angeles Times). Morning's at Seven plays on the Steinbright Stage in Malvern from January 10 through February 4, 2018.

A revised version of RAGS is currently on stage at Goodspeed Theatre through December 10. Fresh from Ellis Island, a young mother and her son search for a new life and a sense of home as the 20th century beckons. The streets of Manhattan's Lower East Side may not be paved with gold, but they echo with the music of opportunity, optimism and hope. A ravishing score by the songwriters of Wicked and Annie colors a sweeping saga of America's immigrant past.

BroadwayWorld is excited to announce that Broadway star Caroline Bowman will be taking us behind the scenes at The Muny's thrilling new production of ALL SHOOK UP!

ALL SHOOK UP, a celebration of music performed by the King, Elvis Presley, is a entertaining mash-up of Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT, combined with some ideas from FOOTLOOSE, and with just a pinch of the movie version of GREASE (book by Joe DiPietro). I know how that sounds, but instead of taking itself or the music too seriously, this show actually achieves a sort of subversive and hilarious kitsch appeal. It's the current production on the MUNY's stage, and it's a splashy, funny, silly, and tune-filled hoot from start to finish.

The Muny just celebrated its opening night performance of All Shook Up last night, July 13, 2017, and BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Set to the chart-topping hits of the King of Rock 'n' Roll, himself, Elvis Presley, and based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, All Shook Up follows the story of Natalie, a tomboy mechanic with a longing heart, and Chad, a mysterious, hip-swiveling roustabout who is new to town and ready to shake things up. Set in the 1950s, and filled with secret crushes, hysterical shenanigans and matters of the heart, this is one Muny production that promises to have the entire family dancing in their "Blue Suede Shoes."

SEX TIPS FOR STRAIGHT WOMEN FROM A GAY MAN takes the audience on a hilarious and wild ride where no topic is taboo and the insider 'tips' come straight from the source: a gay man.

Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man, the hit comedy written by Matt Murphy, based on the best-selling book by Dan Anderson andMaggie Berman, is coming to the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts for six hilarious, fun-filled shows April 12-15. Kicking off the hit show's engagement on Wednesday, April 12 at 6:00 pm in the Rinker Playhouse lobby, the Kravis Center is offering a special "Date Night with Benefits" party.

Due to popular demand, Golnesa 'G.G.' Gharachedaghi, star of 'Shahs of Sunset,' will extend her limited engagement in New York's longest running comedy Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man as 'Robyn' by one week. Previously set to depart the show today, December 10, G.G. will now play her final performance today, December 17, 2016 at The 777 Theatre (777 Eighth Avenue, between 47th and 48th Streets). BroadwayWorld has a first look at G.G. onstage below!