Mark Hollman News

Rubicon Theatre Company is humming with much anticipation as the Musical Theatre Camp's production of Urinetown the Musical directed by BrIan McDonald with choreography by Carolanne Marano and Musical Direction by Miriam Arichea opens for a five public performance run from tonight, August 9 through Sunday, August 11.

Rubicon Theatre Company is humming with much anticipation as the Musical Theatre Camp's production ofUrinetown the Musical directed by Brian McDonald with choreography by Carolanne Marano and Musical Direction by Miriam Arichea opens for a five public performance run from Friday, August 9 through Sunday, August 11.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) and MusicalWriters.com announce the inaugural presentation of a Musical Writers First Act Feedback Fest on Saturday, July 20, 2013 from 10am-5pm at The Players Theatre's Steve & Marie Sgouros Theatre, 3rd floor, 115 MacDougal Street, NYC. Space is limited. Tickets for audience members are $25 ($15 for TRU members). Reservations are required, and can be arranged by emailingTRUStaff1@gmail.com.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. RIP 'Smash,' plus the seven local shows closing soon, replaced by BET's 'Howlin Wolf' show, LOW's 'Pinafore' and the five fall touring shows, plus benefits for Midwest New Musicals, Porchlight, Pride Plays and more!

Imagine Productions of Columbus will present Urinetown: The Musical with Music and Lyrics by Mark Hollman and Book and Lyrics by Greg Kotis May 15-26, 2013 at Wall Street Night Club located at 144 N. Wall Street, Columbus 43201. Urinetown is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. 421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019.

While Urinetown may have an unconventional subject matter (you'd be hard pressed to think of another musical that focuses so heavily on bodily functions), it doesn't kill the show at all. This may not be your grandma's musical, but (please forgive the litany of bad puns you're about to read) it's a piss-your-pants funny show. Joke after joke whiz by as the show flushes musical theater conventions down the drain.

As 2013 begins, there are already several productions that are on BroadwayWorld's radar. Here is a brief list of some of the most highly anticipated productions Austin has to offer in the coming year…

Ted Sod, Education Dramaturg, interviewed Rupert Holmes to talk to him about his work on The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Under the direction of John Morales, this theatre company lives up to their reputation of being the home of the professional amateurs, pulling together a fun, irreverent performance that hooks the audience and keeps them enthralled to the end in URINETOWN.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival, LC Productions and Julie Miller present the world debut of ZAPATA! The Musical, at the Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre, Pershing Square Signature Center.

The University of Texas at Austin, in collaboration with Texas State University-San Marcos, is offering the inaugural Texas Musical Theatre Workshop, a pre-collegiate summer intensive for high school students exploring a potential career in musical theater June 10-30. This unique program brings New York's Broadway talent to Texas, providing students the best in musical theater training byindustry professionals.

Anaheim Hills, California…Chance Theater is thrilled to present the third show of its 2012 season with the legendary musical of our time, like you have never seen it before, WEST SIDE STORY, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Arthur Laurents, musical direction by Robyn Wallace, choreography by Kelly Todd and directed by Chance Theater's Artistic Director Oanh Nguyen. WEST SIDE STORY will preview on Friday, July 6 & Saturday, July 7 at 8pm; Sunday, July 8 at 2pm; Thursday, July 12 & Friday, July 13 at 8pm and will open on Saturday, July 14 at 8pm and continue through Sunday, August 12 at the Chance Theater, 5552 E. La Palma Ave. in Anaheim Hills.

The MIT Musical Theatre Guild presents its IAP production: Urinetown, The Musical, with music and lyrics by Mark Hollman, book and lyrics by Greg Kotis, directed by Kaitlin Burroughs, with vocal direction by Ashley Caval. The show features choreography by Nicole O'Keeffe and orchestra direction by Matthew Putnam. Urinetown plays tonight April 27 through April 29, with performances at 8 p.m. and 2 p.m. on the 29th, and May 3-5 at 8 p.m., at the Kresge Little Theatre, 48 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, Mass.

The MIT Musical Theatre Guild presents its IAP production: Urinetown, The Musical, with music and lyrics by Mark Hollman, book and lyrics by Greg Kotis, directed by Kaitlin Burroughs, with vocal direction by Ashley Caval. The show features choreography by Nicole O'Keeffe and orchestra direction by Matthew Putnam. Urinetown plays April 27-29, with performances at 8 p.m. and 2 p.m. on the 29th, and May 3-5 at 8 p.m., at the Kresge Little Theatre, 48 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, Mass.

According to their website, Atlantic Productuctions will present the Asian premiere of Disney's Aladdin. The show will open at Manila's Meralco Theatre in November 2012. Casting has not yet been announced.

URINETOWN is a satirical musical based on the idea that an ecological disaster could create a situation whereby individuals have to pay for the opportunity to eliminate their wastes in public amenities. If that sounds like an odd concept, you're right, it is. And, with it's grungy atmosphere and grimy costuming, it might seem unappealing. But, Urinetown works because it makes fun of itself, and the conventions of musical theatre, while actually managing to communicate a potent message about conserving our resources and being socially responsible. There's also the clever, dense lyrics and engaging melodies of Greg Kotis and Mark Hollmann. Stray Dog Theatre's current production is excellent and because of it drawing sell-out crowds the run has been extended.

The Village Gate's Old Fashioned Piano Party will be celebrating the upcoming Fringe NYC show Yeast Nation - The Triumph of Life written by Greg Kotis and Mark Hollman(Urinetown) this Sunday, July 24th @ 9pm. Stars Harriet Harris (Thoroughly Modern Millie, 'Frasier'), Manu Narayan (Bombay Dreams, suburbia) and more will be previewing songs from the show, which will be running August 13-25, 2011.

The Village Gate's Old Fashioned Piano Party will be celebrating the upcoming Fringe NYC show Yeast Nation - The Triumph of Life written by Greg Kotis and Mark Hollman(Urinetown) this Sunday, July 24th @ 9pm. Stars Harriet Harris (Thoroughly Modern Millie, 'Frasier'), Manu Narayan (Bombay Dreams, suburbia) and more will be previewing songs from the show, which will be running August 13-25, 2011.

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present the smash-hit Broadway Musical Urinetown, featuring Broadway star Andrea McArdle, April 14 - 17 & 27 - 30, 2011 in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre on the Storrs campus. For tickets and information, call 860-486-4226 or visit www.crt.uconn.edu.

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present the smash-hit Broadway Musical Urinetown, featuring Broadway star Andrea McArdle, April 14 - 17 & 27 - 30, 2011 in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre on the Storrs campus. For tickets and information, call 860-486- 4226 or visit www.crt.uconn.edu.