Lynn Ahrens News

Stagecrafters proudly presents Ragtime, onstage at the Baldwin Theatre from Friday, September 13, through Sunday, October 6, 2019.

Arden Theatre Company in Old City, Philadelphia opens their 2019-20 season with the winner of the 1998 Tony Awards for Best Score, Book and Orchestrations, RAGTIME.

The Tony Award winning book by Terrance McNally and score by Stephen Flahrety and Lynn Ahrens, focus on events taking place over a century ago, but RAGTIME's content and messages remain highly relevant, and important, particularly given the current socio-political climate.

The Summer Festival, August 8-18, 2019, is the culmination of 5 weeks of preparation by Young Company students and their professional Directors, Music Directors, Choreographers, Stage Managers, and Design Teams. Performed by actors in grades 4-12, The Young Company Summer Festival includes 6 fully staged productions: family friendly Freckleface Strawberry The Musical, hilarious murder mystery Curtains, and the toe tapping classic Singin' in the Rain. High School Students continue the fun with the madcap musical farce Lucky Stiff, as well as musical satire How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and finally the action-packed adventures of She Kills Monsters.

Broadway World's own Genevieve Rafter Keddy dropped by East Side Sound to capture the recording session of 'Mark William: Come Croon With Me', which will be available this fall on all music streaming services and on CD through Amazon.com Mark William has enjoyed a season full of sold-out performances of his debut nightclub act, Mark William: Come Croon With Me, at The Green Room 42. Putting his own unique, youthful spin on golden age crooner styling, Mark performs a collection of classic tunes from Broadway and The Great American Songbook. With his glossy approach, he glides from Jerry Herman to Peter Allen to Henry Mancini‬ with charismatic ease and a spring in his step. Both critics and audiences alike are over the moon for Mark William. Theatre Pizzazz said “ Mark William is the epitome of panache, adding his own brand of pizazz. Whatever that 'it' is, he's got IT!” and Times Square Chronicles called him “ The newest star rising in the heavens of cabaret and musical theatre.” Tony-winning lyricist Lynn Ahrens calls him “Baby Sinatra” and John Lloyd Young, the original, Tony-winning Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys, says he is “Golden-Age Hollywood Reborn”. Mark was named one of the top ten cabaret acts of 2018 by both Theater Pizzazz and Times Square Chronicles, and rang in 2019 headlining New Years Eve at the famed ‪McKittrick Hotel‬. He will spend Fall 2019 at the Walnut Street Theatre playing Bertram Batram in Young Frankenstein, and has appeared around the world in such shows as My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins, Mame with Leslie Uggams, and Jerry's Girls with Susan Anton. Backed by a stellar five-piece band led by musical director Clint Edwards, Come Croon With Me is directed by Preston and Richard Ridge. This November, Mark returns to The Green Room 42, continuing his love affair with the Great American Songbook. Mark William: Feeling Good hypnotizes with a set of enduring classics filtered through Mark's youthful perspective and talent set. The show is distinctly new-age romantic, while still evocative of golden-age cinematic glamour. This performance will also celebrate the release of Mark's debut album, Mark William: Come Croon With Me. Closing out 2019, Mark will be playing luxury cruise engagements, featuring both of his shows.

The The British Theatre Academy returns to Southwark Playhouse for a second summer season of shows.

This fall, audiences at Garden Theatre will be asked to confront themes of violence, immigration, and race during the theatre's season opener of Ragtime the Musical. The production, directed by Mark Edward Smith, features music direction by Robby Stamper and choreography by Carrie Crawford. 

A sweeping, grandiose, and emotionally-searing stage musical adaptation of E.L. Doctorow's expansive 1975 novel, RAGTIME is a gripping, multi-character, and multi-story theatrical experience that uses era-authentic specificity to depict America's past during a time when its increasingly diverse population has been forced to adjust to the ramifications of new technological, social, political, and economic changes that are spreading throughout the nation. Of course, one can't help but observe that, eerily, many of these very same issues are somehow still top-of-mind today, particularly in recent years with the surge in anti-immigrant policies and sentiments, the increasing gap between the rich and the poor, and, of course, the horrific rise of racist sentiments and, worse, racist acts against people of color. Perhaps this overarching motif---that many of these era-specific issues that RAGTIME's characters struggled with in 1906 are still alarmingly present in 2019---is the true motivator behind director Casey Stangl's impressive, 'intimate' theater reimagining of RAGTIME for Chance Theater, which continues performances in Anaheim through August 11, 2019.

Skylight Music Theatre today announced that Michael Unger will become the company's new artistic director. Unger, a theatre and opera director based in New York City, has worked in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Yekaterinburg, Russia - and many places in between. 

'Oh, the thinks you can think' when Dr. Seuss' best-loved characters collide and cavort in an unforgettable musical caper from Theatre Under The Stars!

"My favorite line in musical theatre history is the one where Irene says, 'Dolly, the world is full of wonderful things!' When I said it in rehearsal the first time to Charis [Leos], I broke down in tears. It's a thought I repeat to myself if I am down. Irene is saying, 'Take risks, go enjoy this wonderful world!'" Actress Lauren Blackman is talking enthusiastically about her upcoming portrayal of Irene Malloy in Maine State Music Theatre's new production of HELLO, DOLLY!, which runs July 17 - August 3, 2019, at the Pickard Theater in Brunswick. Blackman returns not only to a beloved role, but also to friends and a theatre company and community she calls "home." Last season, she appeared briefly in the gala 60th Anniversary Concert, but it has been almost four years since she graced the stage in a major role - last in 2015 as Marion in THE MUSIC MAN and before that in 2013 in MARY POPPINS. Those intervening years have, indeed, been fruitful ones for Blackman - filled with all kinds of wonderful things!

We are 'waiting for life to begin' until July 19-28 as Broadway at Boston Avenue presents Once on This Island, playing at the Boston Avenue United Methodist Church.

The North American tour of ANASTASIA will be back for a second year on the road!

Chance Theater, Anaheim's official resident theater company, is delighted to announce that we will be extending the sold-out run of Ragtime: The Musical. Based on the novel Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime: The Musical is written by Terrence McNally, and composed by Stephen Flaherty with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. This production is directed by Casey Stangl, with choreography by Kelly Todd, and music direction by Robyn Manion. Ragtime: The Musical will now run for an additional two weeks through August 11th on the Cripe Stage at the Bette Aitken theater arts Center.

Tickets for State Theatre New Jersey's 2019-20 Broadway Season, featuring Tony Award-winning hits, beloved classics, and some returning favorites, goes on sale Friday, July 19 at 10am.

Chance Theater, Anaheim's official resident theater company, is delighted to produce the award-winning musical Ragtime: The Musical. Based on the novel Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime: The Musical is written by Terrence McNally, and composed by Stephen Flaherty with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. Ragtime: The Musical will preview from June 28th through July 5th; regular performances will begin July 6th and continue through July 28th on the Cripe Stage at the Bette Aitken theater arts Center.

Eight outstanding educators from schools and performing arts centers around the U.S. will work one-on-one with Broadway greats at the 10th Annual FREDDIE G FELLOWSHIP July 10th - 13th.  The event is underwritten by Freddie ('G') Gershon, Co-Chairman of the global theatrical licensor Music Theatre International (MTI), his wife Myrna and MTI. The four days of classes and activities honor instructors and teachers who are working to make a difference for their students and communities through the process of staging musical theatre productions in their schools and educational theatre groups. In addition to the all-expense paid visit to New York, each of the teachers' schools receives $5,000 from Freddie and Myrna. The teachers are empowered to identify and select how their respective school's theatre program can best utilize the funds.

Overture Center for the Arts is proud to present the Madison premiere of ANASTASIA in Overture Hall from Tuesday, July 30-Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. The tour of the critically acclaimed Broadway production began performances in October 2018 at Proctors in Schenectady, NY before journeying to over 30 cities in its first year. Touring the country with ANASTASIA is Tari Kelly, a graduate from Madison's East High.

 It's a season of magic for students of the arts as Rubicon Theatre Company's summer educational programs swing into action. With four camps, the Jack Oakie Summer Youth Program offers professional level training for budding performing artists as well as emerging young designers and stagecraft enthusiasts: The Stinky Feet camp for five to twelve year-olds, the Fearless Shakespeare Camp for students aged fifteen to twenty-five, the Theatre Camp for kids from eleven to fourteen years old and finally the Musical Theatre Intensive which accepts young actorsingers who are between fifteen and twenty-five years-old. Each camp culminates in a fully staged production. This year's offerings include Giants In The Sky (music and lyrics by Denver Casado, book and lyrics by Kerry Kazmierowicztrimm), The Tempest (by William Shakespeare), Once On This Island Jr. (book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, music by Stephen Flaherty) and Into The Woods (music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine).

Theatre Aspen is the proud recipient of seven Henry Award nominations from the Colorado Theatre Guild for the company's 2018 production of Ragtime.