Lynn Ahrens News

Theatreworks USA (Barbara Pasternack, Artistic Director; Ken Arthur, Producing Director) will continue its 2016 weekend family performance series this Sunday, January 17th, with Seussical, a condensed one-act version for young audiences of the Broadway musical, adapted from the works of Dr. Seuss, the Off-Broadway premiere of Seussical was nominated for Outstanding Revival by the Lortel Awards in 2008

RAGTIME National Tour at North Carolina Theatre

?San Diego Musical Theatre announces the first production of their 2016 season, RAGTIME, February 5-21, 2016 (press opening on Saturday, February 6th) at the Spreckels Theatre.

Gallery Players continues its 49th season with the Seussical, the fantastic family musical based on the books of Dr. Seuss.  Tony winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Lucky Stiff, My Favorite Year, Once On The Island and Ragtime)  have lovingly brought to life all of our favorite characters, with a rich and dazzling score to create an almost entirely sung-through show that transforms the theatre into the Jungle of Nool, the Circus McGurkus, the invisible world of the Whos, and beyond.  Seussical will be helmed by Barrie Gelles, with musical direction by Trevor M. Pierce.  Opening night will be January 30th at 7:30PM.         

Just months after their beloved director was inducted into the NJACT Hall of Fame, the award-winning ShowKids are ready to take us on an adventure in SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL! 'Oh, the thinks you can think' when Dr. Seuss's best-loved characters collide and cavort in an unforgettable musical caper staged by ShowKids Invitational Theatre (SKIT).

California Musical Theatre and BroadwayWorld bring you the 2016 lineup for Sacramento Music Circus at the Wells Fargo Pavilion, the 66th season for the venerable institution. The season includes four shows that have never been produced at Music Circus: The smash hit musical comedy Legally Blonde, based on the hilarious film starring Reese Witherspoon; the family favorite Seussical, a journey through the witty and whimsical world of Dr. Seuss; Nice Work If You Can Get It, the song-and-dance spectacular filled with the music of George and Ira Gershwin; and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, a brand new musical exploring the dark themes of the epic novel while featuring the beautiful music of the animated Disney film. The 2016 Music Circus season will also feature two shows that are all-time patron favorites, the irresistible musical theatre gem Hello, Dolly! and the Tony-winning Kander and Ebb classic Cabaret.

Theatreworks USA (Barbara Pasternack, Artistic Director; Ken Arthur, Producing Director) will kick off its 2016 weekend family performance series this Saturday, January 9th, with Junie B.'s Essential Survival Guide To School, the New York premiere of the new children's musical based on the best-selling series of books by Barbara Park (published by Random House Books for Young Readers), penned by Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich (Ever After, Dear Edwina).

At the dawn of a new century, everything is changing.and anything is possible.  RAGTIME returns to the road in an all-new touring production that Bloomberg News hails as 'explosive, thrilling and nothing short of a masterpiece.' Morristown will be swept away by this ravishing and relevant production on Thursday, January 28, 2016 at 7:30 pm at Mayo Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $49-79.

The Coral Springs Center for the Arts is presenting a major Broadway hit later this week at the state-of-the-art performing arts center located at 2855 Coral Springs Drive.

As a new year begins, Connecticut's professional theater scene offers many exciting viewing opportunities including premieres of new shows as well as some old some old favorites. What shows am I most looking forward to? Here are some tops picks for 2016:

The Grand 1894 Opera House presents RAGTIME: THE MUSICAL, Saturday, February 20, at 8 pm, and Sunday, February 21 at 3 pm.

Theatreworks USA, the nation's premiere producer of theatre for family audiences, held an invitation-only work-in-progress presentation earlier today of their new musical, PETE THE CAT, based on the best-selling book series by Kimberly and James Dean.

RAGTIME, Broadway's 13-time Tony Award nominated portrayal of American life at the dawn of a new century, returns to the road in an all-new touring production that Bloomberg News hails as "explosive, thrilling and nothing short of a masterpiece." Waterbury will be swept away by three performances of this ravishing and relevant production on Friday, Jan. 22 and Saturday, Jan. 23 at the Palace Theater.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has announced awards totaling more than $27.6 million in its first round of funding for fiscal year 2016, including an Art Works award of $10,000 to Hartford Stage to provide production support for the new musical Anastasia in May.

At the dawn of a new century, everything is changing...and anything is possible. RAGTIME returns to the road in an all-new touring production that Bloomberg News hails as 'explosive, thrilling and nothing short of a masterpiece.' Raleigh will be swept away by this ravishing and relevant production January 12-17 at Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts as part of the North Carolina Theatre Series and Broadway Series South.

Playwrights Horizons presents the New York premiere of 2015 Pulitzer Prize finalist Marjorie Prime, a new play by Jordan Harrison (Maple and Vine, Doris to Darlene at PH; Amazons and Their Men; Kid-Simple; 'Orange is the New Black'). Commissioned by Playwrights Horizons and directed by Obie Award winner Anne Kauffman (Detroit, Maple and Vine, Your Mother's Copy of the Kama Sutra at PH; Belleville; This Wide Night; The Thugs), the play is the third production of the theater company's 2015/2016 Season. The production opens tonight, December 14, at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street), and will play a limited engagement through Sunday, January 3.

As millions of the faithful around the world light the last candles of their menorahs, we take a look at a handful of musical moments that have a decidedly Jewish flair. On the last night of Hanukkah, we want to celebrate some of our favorite Broadway tunes about the faith while honoring the contributions of our immensely talented Jewish legends who have helped mold the American musical into what it is today. Therefore, we have selected eight Jewish-themed showtunes for the occasion. You can watch a video of each below, along with an incredible film about the importance of Jewish writers to the history of the musical theatre.

The new Broadway revival of THE COLOR PURPLE opens tonight, December 10, at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 W 45th Street). Scroll down to learn more about the company and watch highlights from the show!

The Coral Springs Center for the Arts is kicking off 2016 with eight sensational shows, from classical music to rock headliners, from Off Broadway hits to hilarious comedians, all at the state-of-the-art performing arts center located at

Long Island certainly has some brilliant holiday productions this season. Currently running through December 29th, Oakdale's Noel S. Ruiz Theatre at CM Performing Arts Center (CMPAC) has mounted a delightful showing of the musical version of A Christmas Carol; the one Madison Square Garden has produced. With music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and book by Ms. Ahrens with Mike Ockrent, the wonderful cast surely didn't disappoint.