Lynn Ahrens News

ROCKY's Tony Award Winning composing team Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty will join the Drama League's Up Close Series on Wednesday, April 23rd at 7:00PM at the Drama League Theatre Center (32 Avenues of the Americas). This night of industry insights will be hosted by Tony Award Nominee and ROCKY director, Alex Timbers. To purchase tickets and for further information please visit www.dramaleague.org

Co-Hosts Judith Light and Christopher Sieber announced the nominations for the 2014 Drama League Awards, including Distinguished Production of a Play, Distinguished Production of a Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and the much coveted Distinguished Performance Award. The 2014 Drama League Nomination announcement begins the month of celebrations leading up to the 80th Annual Drama League Awards, which will be held at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway) on Friday, May 16, 2014 at noon hosted by Broadway veteran Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

The Arvada Center has announced its six-play season, an impressive line-up of plays and musicals that span a range of human experiences including self-discovery, romance, humor, imagination and intrigue. The three musical, three play package is filled with popular titles and includes two regional premieres and an ongoing collaboration with Creede Repertory Theatre. Subscription packages range in price from $99 to $440 and are now on sale to Arvada Center subscribers and the general public. Single tickets for the 2014-2015 theater season go on sale Monday, August 4. Subscribing donors giving at the $150 level or above by June 2 will receive a free guest voucher for each subscription. These vouchers can be used for theater performances in the 2014-15 season. Orders can be made by phone at (720) 898-7200, in person at the Arvada Center box office or online beginning April 28, at https://arvadacenter.org/on-stage/subscribe-or-renew-2014-15.

Following the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, the 12.14 Foundation was created with the mission of building a landmark Performing Arts Centre in Newtown, Connecticut, in memory of those lost on December 14, 2012. The foundation aims to develop a premier Academy of the Arts with help from local, national, and international collaborations. Through the collective efforts and contributions of local craftsmen and artisans, respected business professionals and corporations, and renowned designers, 12.14 will create a remembrance that expresses respect, passion, resilience and focus on a hope for the future. Now the foundation has teamed with the Broadway production of the Velocity of Autumn to give ticket-buyers an opportunity to contribute to the special cause. By simply entering discount code 'VA1214' when purchasing tickets to the play, $10 from every ticket purchased will be donated to the 12.14 Foundation. CLICK HERE to help the cause today! Producer of The Velocity of Autumn, Van Dean, has also worked extensively with the charity, having organized 'From Broadway With Love: A Benefit Concert For Sandy Hook' and the organization's 2013 production- Seussical. Dean took the time to chat with BroadwayWorld about the foundation's great work, future projects in Newtown, and how Broadway audiences can help. Check out the full interview below!

Acclaimed Off-Broadway theater company Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced additional top items for the 2014 edition of its popular, annual online auction. Bidding for the auction, which features an eclectic array of items and unique opportunities continues at www.biddingforgood/playwrightshorizons now through Monday, April 28 at 8PM.

Ahrens and Flaherty's 'Nice Fighting You: A 30th Anniversary Celebration Live At 54 BELOW' will be released on June 3rd, 2014. The double CD set is now available for pre-order at http://amzn.com/B00JPWSJOI. This star-studded double album features performances by (in alphabetical order): Lynn Ahrens, Annaleigh Ashford, Stephanie J. Block, Liz Callaway, Kevin Chamberlin, Quentin Earl Darrington, Stephen Flaherty, Lewis Grosso, Julie Halston, Jeremy Jordan, LaChanze, Kecia Lewis, Rebecca Luker, Marin Mazzie, Sean McCourt, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Jessica Molaskey, Bobby Steggert and Mary Testa.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Cats,' 'Les Miserables' and 'Songs From An Unmade Bed,' rake in the reviews, 'Road Show' and 'Passion' will be followed by 'Assassins,' Theo readies 'The Andrews Sisters,' Kokandy brings back 'The Full Monty' and 'Loving Repeating,' plus two kids shows and more!

The new original Broadway cast recording of ROCKY will be released on May 27th, 2014, and the show just revealed a preview of five tracks from the album. Click below to get a first listen!

Universal Music Enterprises, Stage Entertainment USA, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Sylvester Stallone announced today the forthcoming release of the new original Broadway cast recording of ROCKY, on May 27th, 2014 (UMe). ROCKY has an original score by the Tony® Award-winning team Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (Ragtime, Once On This Island), who are the album's producers; additionally the score incorporates the iconic songs 'Eye Of The Tiger' and 'Gonna Fly Now.' The musical, which opened Thursday, March 13th at the historic Winter Garden Theatre, stars Andy Karl as Rocky, Margo Seibert as Adrian (making her Broadway debut), Terence Archie as Apollo Creed and features a superb ensemble.

Bristol Riverside Theatre announces its 2014-2015 mainstage season including two comedies, a play with music, a musical and a classic drama. The new season features the Tony Award-winning comedy The 39 Steps adapted byPatrick Barlow, Neil Simon's Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Lost in Yonkers, Always…Patsy Cline about the Grammy Award-winning singer, the Tony Award-winning musical Ragtime with book by Terrence McNally, music byStephen Flaherty, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and the timeless drama An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen.

Timing is everything in theatre and the Old Carey Performing Arts Club seems to have got it right yet again. With school holidays having arrived Seussical could not have come at a better time, providing a wonderfully entertaining experience for kids and those who are kids at heart.

Olney Theatre Center, a Maryland destination for professional theater performance and education, continues its critically-acclaimed 76th Anniversary season with the family musical Once On This Island today, April 9 - May 4, 2014 on the Mainstage.

New York Stage and Film and Vassar College, this summer celebrating the 30th year of their Powerhouse Theater collaboration, are pleased to announce the three new works that will be featured on the Mainstage during the 2014 Powerhouse Theater Season, running from June 20 to July 27 at Vassar College (Poughkeepsie, New York). Subscriptions go on sale May 7; full programming and ticket sale information will be announced at a later date.

Andy Karl and Margo Seibert, the stars of Broadway's “Rocky: The Musical,” stopped by this morning's TODAY on NBC to chat with anchor Matt Lauer about starring in the Broadway version of the Oscar-winning film.

Sylvester Stallone stopped by this morning's TODAY on NBC and revealed that the powers that be in Hollywood did want him to play the iconic role of boxing champ Rocky Balboa.

TODAY's Willie Geist got an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the new "Rocky" musical, Sylvester Stallone's adaptation of his Oscar-winning film

Playwrights Horizons presents the World Premiere production of YOUR MOTHER'S COPY OF THE KAMA SUTRA, a new play by Kirk Lynn (Co-Artistic Director, Austin's Rude Mechanicals), directed by Obie Award winner Anne Kauffman (Detroit, Maple and Vine at PH; Belleville; This Wide Night; The Thugs), which begins previews this weekend.

Harlem School of the Arts has announced their upcoming performance of 'Once On This Island.' The award-winning musical takes place in the Caribbean and is one of the few all-black musicals. Once On This Island is directed by Department Director Aubrey Lynch and will take place today, March 29 at 2:00 & 7:00pm.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater brings the humor and magic of Dr. Seuss to life onstage this summer in the Broadway musical comedy Seussical for young audiences and their families. Directed by Scott Weinstein with musical direction by Michael Mahler, Seussical will be performed July 5 through August 17 in CST's Courtyard Theater.

The original cast recording for the new Broadway production of screen-to-stage adaptation of ROCKY is now available for pre-order.