Lynne Shankel News

The 56th Annual Drama Desk Awards, hosted by Harvey Fierstein, will be held Monday, May 23, at 9:00 PM at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan Center, 8th Avenue and 34th Street. This year, for the first time, a 90-minute Highlights Special of the Drama Desk Awards Ceremony will be televised nationally on OVATION, the national cable network dedicated to presenting creative arts programming to national TV audiences. The ceremony will be given two primetime broadcasts plus four other airings between June 4 and June 19, 2011.

BroadwayWorld has confirmed that Chita Rivera will lead a 29 Hour reading of THE DISTANT BELLS for Roundabout Theatre Company. Rivera will play Margaret Bell, the plays heroin. The story centers on her relations with her deceased husband and daughters. The reading is by invitation only and will take place on March 29.

Executive Producer Lou Spisto today announced The Old Globe's presentation of a developmental workshop of Allegiance - A New American Musical. Created by Jay Kuo (music, lyrics and book) and Lorenzo Thione (book), the original musical tells the story of a Japanese American family forced into an internment camp during World War II. Directed by Stafford Arima (Altar Boyz, West End premiere of Ragtime) with musical direction and arrangements by Lynne Shankel (Cry-Baby, Company) and choreography by Christopher Gattelli (South Pacific, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), the industry-only workshop will take place in New York City on July 27 and 28. Tony Award-winning actress Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon, Les Misérables), television and film icon George Takei ('Star Trek,' 'Heroes') and Telly Leung ('Glee,' Rent) have all participated in past workshops and are expected to return to their roles in July. The creative team includes Donyale Werle (scenic design) and David Zinn (costume design).

Executive Producer Lou Spisto today announced The Old Globe's presentation of a developmental workshop of Allegiance - A New American Musical.

Rising songwriters Jonathan Reid Gealt and Kait Kerrigan & Brian Lowdermilk had a joint celebration of their respective CD releases 'Thirteen Stories Down' and 'Our First Mistake' on Sh-K-Boom Records with back-to-back concerts at downtown venue (Le) Poisson Rouge on Monday, February 7th. Gealt's concert beganat 7pm. Check out some photos from the event below!

Rising songwriters Jonathan Reid Gealt and Kait Kerrigan & Brian Lowdermilk will have a joint celebration of their respective CD releases 'Thirteen Stories Down' and 'Our First Mistake' on Sh-K-Boom Records with back-to-back concerts at downtown venue (Le) Poisson Rouge on Monday, February 7th. Gealt's concert begins at 7pm. Kerrigan-Lowdermilk start at 10pm. Doors open thirty minutes before show time. Tickets are $20 for each show or $30 for a full-night concert pass.

Composer Jonathan Reid Gealt's music is captured on his debut CD, Thirteen Stories Down,' by some of Broadway's brightest young stars, including Caissie Levy (Hair), Adam Chanler-Berat (Next to Normal), Tituss Burgess (Jersey Boys), Natalie Weiss (American Idol), Will Chase (Rent), Kate Baldwin (Finian's Rainbow), Lauren Kennedy (Spamalot), Capathia Jenkins and the Broadway Inspirational Voices, and more! The album, produced by Joel Moss and Lynne Shankel and featuring musical direction and arrangements by Shankel, will be released later this month and available for shipping on December 28. Pre-orders are being accepted on the Sh-K-Boom website.

In a conversation encapsulating everything from Albee and WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF to Aristophanes and Virginia Woolf herself - and even a little Stephen King - this concluding portion of this exclusive interview with this remarkably gifted actor ends with a look ahead to LEAP OF FAITH. Plus, what's on his iPod, what books he's reading, and a whole lot more!

Tonight is the annual ASTEP benefit concert at 7 PM on at Joe‘s Pub, so be sure catch Raul Esparza as the host of NEW YORK CITY CHRISTMAS, directed by Lynne Shankel, to benefit Actors Striving To End Poverty. Information available here!

Since today is only a week away from Christmas Day, we are taking a special look at the absolute must-own Christmas- themed releases for the Broadway baby on your list. From Barbra Streisand to Sondheim, Raul Esparza to Liza Minnelli, Barbara Cook to Straight No Chaser - there's certainly a little bit of holiday cheer to cast some winter starlight upon even the saddest of Charlie Brown Christmas trees. Here are seven ways to make your holiday a little more sparkling and bright - and some cool Yule selections for how to change-up your Christmas tune listening for the last seven days until Santa Claus & Co. arrive late next Friday night!

Dreamlight Theatre Company, under the leadership of Dean A. Carpenter (Executive Producer) and Chip Klose (Artistic Director), in association with Third Coast Creative (Deborah Stavis, CEO and Monte Stavis, President) proudly announces casting and creative team for the world-premiere of the new Off-Broadway musical The Extraordinary Ordinary.

Here is the second part of our three-part discussion, in which Esparza and I analyze his roles and performances in plays, as well as a thorough discussion of the art of acting - and, additionally, a chat about roles he would like to play in the future, both near and far.

In this exclusive interview with BroadwayWorld, Raul Esparza takes a comprehensive look back at his spectacular rise to fame from this time ten years ago in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW on Broadway, his first New York stage role, to now, with career-defining reviews for the out-of-town tryout of the new Alan Menken musical LEAP OF FAITH - as well as his sold-out American Songbook concerts early next year in New York. What does the future hold for Raul Esparza onscreen and onstage? Will it be Shakespeare or Sondheim or something completely new? Mamet or MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG? You may very well find your answer here.

'Thirteen Stories Down - the songs of Jonathan Reid Gealt' is released digitally December 14th, 2010 on Sh-k-Boom/Ghostlight Records.

On December 20, Tony nominee Raul Esparza will join previously announced Orfeh, Andy Karl, Chester Gregory, and many more for Joe's Pub's New York City Christmas Benefit.

'Thirteen Stories Down - the songs of Jonathan Reid Gealt' will be released worldwide on Itunes December 14, 2010 on Sh-k-Boom/Ghostlight Records.

Dreamlight Theatre Company, under the leadership of Dean A. Carpenter (Executive Producer) and Chip Klose (Artistic Director), in association with Third Coast Creative (Deborah Stavis, CEO and Monte Stavis, President) proudly presents the world-premiere of the new Off-Broadway musical The Extraordinary Ordinary.

Joe's Pub at The Public Theater debuted in October 1998 and has quickly became one of New York City's most celebrated and in-demand showcase venues for live music and performance.

Dreamlight Theatre Company, under the leadership of Dean A. Carpenter (Executive Producer) and Chip Klose (Artistic Director), in association with Third Coast Creative (Deborah Stavis, CEO and Monte Stavis, President) proudly announces casting and creative team for the world-premiere of the new Off-Broadway musical The Extraordinary Ordinary.

Composer Jonathan Reid Gealt's music is captured on his debut CD, Thirteen Stories Down,' by some of Broadway's brightest young stars, including Caissie Levy (Hair), Adam Chanler-Berat (Next to Normal), Tituss Burgess (Jersey Boys), Natalie Weiss (American Idol), Will Chase (Rent), Kate Baldwin (Finian's Rainbow), Lauren Kennedy (Spamalot), Capathia Jenkins and the Broadway Inspirational Voices, and more! The album, produced by Joel Moss and Lynne Shankel and featuring musical direction and arrangements by Shankel, will be released later this month and available for shipping on December 28. Pre-orders are being accepted on the Sh-K-Boom website.