Lynn Ahrens News

The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) has announced the performer lineup for two of their concert events: Women of Note, and How The Light Gets In; and a new panel discussion with Honest Accomplice Theatre, titled Expanding Representations of Gender Identity and Sexuality on Stage.

After an extensive search, Artistic Director Barbara Pasternack and the Board of Theatreworks USA have announced that Michael Harrington has been tapped to be the new Managing Director of the award-winning 55-year-old organization.

The Barn Players are pleased to announce their 2018 season of award-winning shows, and their director selections who will helm each production.

Playwrights Horizons has announced complete casting for THE TREASURER, the world premiere of a new play by Max Posner (Judy) and directed by three-time Lortel Award winner David Cromer (The Band's Visit, Our Town, Adding Machine). Commissioned by Playwrights Horizons, the play will be the second production of the theater company's 2017/2018 Season.  

Feeling the urge to let your imagination run wild, your spirit to soar or to just leave the world in which you live and go on an adventure? Sounds like a trip to the theater is in order! Luckily, companies all over the Volunteer State have been hard at work, creating new productions to transform and to transport, shows that will entertain you this summer. That's where THE NASHVILLE THEATER CALENDAR comes in handy: Peruse our listings every week to find out what shows you should see!

Stray Dog Theatre will present Ragtime: The Musical in August. Set in the volatile melting pot of New York at the turn of the century, three distinctly American tales are woven together.

Ragtime, the stirring Lynn Ahrens-Stephen Flaherty-Terrance McNally musical about American society at the turn of the 20th century - based on the E. L. Doctorow novel of the same name - premieres on the Murfreesboro stage of the Center for the Arts, directed by Rachel Jones and starring a cast of Middle Tennessee's favorite performers.

Jackson's New Stage Theatre will present ONCE ON THIS ISLAND JR. as part of its Broadway Junior Summer Camp program.

Trinity Repertory Company, in partnership with Rhode Island Latino Arts (RILA), announces the second year of its program Shakespeare en el Verano (Shakespeare in the Summer).

Murfreesboro's Center for the Arts explores what it means to be an American with its production of Ragtime, running July 7-23. The Tony Award-winning musical with book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens is directed by Rachel Jones, a CFTA newcomer.

Eight outstanding educators from schools and performing arts centers around the U.S., and (for the first year Australia), will work one-on-one with Broadway greats at the 8th Annual FREDDIE G FELLOWSHIP July 12th - 15th. 

Feeling the urge to let your imagination run wild, your spirit to soar or to just leave the world in which you live and go on an adventure? Sounds like a trip to the theater is in order! Luckily, companies all over the Volunteer State have been hard at work, creating new productions to transform and to transport, shows that will entertain you this summer. That's where THE NASHVILLE THEATER CALENDAR comes in handy: Peruse our listings every week to find out what shows you should see!

Enter the magical world of Dr Seuss in this fantastical musical extravaganza from Tony-winners, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.

Seussical is a fantastical, magical, musical extravaganza! All of our favorite Dr. Seuss characters are lovingly brought to life, including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, lazy Mayzie and a little boy with a big imagination ? JoJo. The colorful characters transport us from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus and to the invisible world of the Whos.

Theater Works presents the summer production SEUSSICAL on stage July 14 - 30, 2017 at the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts. Plunging audiences, striped-hat-first, into Dr. Seuss's whimsical world, SEUSSICAL takes over the Gyder stage with all your favorite Dr. Seuss characters including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, lazy Mayzie and a little boy with a big imagination - Jojo. The colorful characters transport us from the Jungle of Nool to Circus McGurkus to the invisible world of the Whos. The Cat in the Hat tells the story of Horton, an elephant who discovers a speck of dust that contains the Whos, including Jojo, a Who child sent off to military school for thinking too many "thinks." Horton faces a double challenge: not only must he protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, but he must guard an abandoned egg, left in his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird. SEUSSICAL is fun for the whole family!

In our June Debut of the Month feature, talented actor Zach Adkins tells us, 'I'm just trying to take it all in stride, take those mental pictures, because you only get one debut and you just gotta hold on to it!'

The Original Broadway Cast Recording of the new musical Anastasia is now available, and the cast just celebrated its release at Barnes & Noble! ANASTASIA features a lush, original score from Tony Award winners Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics). The score also includes several of the most beloved songs from the 1997 animated film, adapted for the stage. The 75-minute album will include the Academy Award nominated favorite 'Journey to the Past' alongside new numbers from the show such as Christy Altomare's haunting 'In My Dreams,' Ramin Karimloo's passionate 'Still' and Derek Klena's heart-racing 'My Petersburg.'

Due to popular demand, Griffin Theatre Company's newly-orchestrated chamber version of the Tony Award-winning musical RAGTIME will add one additional week of performances, extending through July 22, 2017 at The Den Theatre's Heath Main Stage, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago.

Murfreesboro's Center for the Arts explores what it means to be an American with its production of Ragtime, running July 7-23. The Tony Award-winning musical with book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens is directed by Rachel Jones, a CFTA newcomer.

92Y announces Ted Chapin, President & Chief Creative Officer of Rodgers & Hammerstein, will serve in the newly created role of Producer of Lyrics & Lyricists, beginning next season. For nearly five decades, L&L has been at the forefront of exploring and sharing the best of the American Songbook, and this opens a new chapter.