(WASHINGTON)—Washington National Opera (WNO) today announced complete details and casting for the fourth season of the American Opera Initiative, its comprehensive commissioning program that brings contemporary American stories to the stage while fostering the talents of rising American composers and librettists. Three pairings of new opera composers and librettists— Sarah Hutchings and Mark Sonnenblick (Twenty Minutes or Less), David Clay Mettens and Joshua McGuire (Alexandra), and Christopher Weiss and John de los Santos (Service Provider)—will premiere new one-act operas, each based on a contemporary American story, in semi-staged concert performances on December 2, 2015 in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. The 7 p.m. performance is sold out; a second performance at 9 p.m. has just been added to accommodate demand.
In what has become an annual ritual, a total of 36 established and emerging composers, lyricists, and librettists will converge on the Goodspeed campus from mid-January through mid-February 2016 to participate in the Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals. The writing teams, representing 19 new musicals, will populate the campus, creating a truly exciting environment for discovery and inspiration. BroadwayWorld is excited to report that Goodspeed has announced its 2016 participants. Scroll down for details!
(WASHINGTON)-Washington National Opera (WNO) today announced complete details and casting for the fourth season of the American Opera Initiative, its comprehensive commissioning program that brings contemporary American stories to the stage while fostering the talents of rising American composers and librettists. Three pairings of new opera composers and librettists- Sarah Hutchings and Mark Sonnenblick (Twenty Minutes or Less), David Clay Mettens and Joshua McGuire (Alexandra), and Christopher Weiss and John de los Santos (Service Provider)-will premiere new one-act operas, each based on a contemporary American story, in semi-staged concert performances on December 2, 2015 in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. The 7 p.m. performance is sold out; a second performance at 9 p.m. has just been added to accommodate demand.
The Dramatists Guild Fund hosted its annual presentation of new work by DG Fellows at Playwrights Horizons on October 19, 2015. The evening featured excerpts from work by the 2014-2015 class, including Naveen Bahar Choudhury, Camille Darby, Sophie Jaff, Dana Levinson, Kristine M. Reyes, Tim Rosser, Charlie Sohne, Mark Sonnenblick, Aurin Squire, Kathleen Tagg, James A. Tyler, Stacey Weingarten and Ben Wexler. Scroll down for photos from the presentation, including guests Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, Jayne Houdyshell and more!
Don't Tell Mama continues to foster the development of new musicals in their ongoing series, under the direction of Max Friedman, with a staged reading of Noel Carey & Ryan McGovern's new musical THE SHOWMEN.
Following multiple sold out engagements, Charlie Rosen's Broadway Big Band returns to the intimate Manhattan venue 54 Below tonight, October 10th, to continue an official residence for 2015.
This week FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visitwww.54Below.com/Feinsteins or call (646) 476-3551.
The Dramatists Guild Fund to host annual presentation of new work by DG Fellows at Playwrights Horizons (416 W 42nd St) in New York on October 19, 2015 at 7:00 PM. The presentation features excerpts from work by the 2014-2015 class including Naveen Bahar Choudhury, Camille Darby, Sophie Jaff, Dana Levinson, Kristine M. Reyes, Tim Rosser, Charlie Sohne, Mark Sonnenblick, Aurin Squire, Kathleen Tagg, James A. Tyler, Stacey Weingarten and Ben Wexler.
Craving a show after the show? FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, is bringing its popular late-night series with fresh faces and hot new performances to keep the party buzzing into the wee hours. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com/Feinsteins or call (646) 476-3551. FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW welcomes you to loosen your tie and embrace the night at its upcoming event:
This October, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street. For
Following multiple sold out engagements, Charlie Rosen's Broadway Big Band returns to the intimate Manhattan venue 54 Below on Saturday August 22nd to continue an official residence for 2015. The 9:30 PM concert, helmed by director Max Friedman, features returning guest vocalists Gerard Canonico (Spring Awakening, American Idiot), Hannah Elless (Godspell, Steve Martin & Edie Brickell's Bright Star), Rebecca Naomi Jones (Hedwig and The Angry Inch, American Idiot), Janet Krupin (Bring It On, If/Then), Lauren 'LOLO' Pritchard (DCD2 Recording Artist, Spring Awakening), and Ciara Renee? (Big Fish, Pippin, The Hunchback of Notre Dame), plus the Broadway Big Band debuts of Nicholas Christopher (Motown The Musical, Whorl Inside A Loop) and Ben Platt (Pitch Perfect, The Book of Mormon, Dear Evan Hansen). Friedman and Rosen co-produce the series.
Following multiple sold out engagements, Charlie Rosen's Broadway Big Band returns to the intimate Manhattan venue 54 Below on Saturday, October 10th, to continue an official residence for 2015.
WASHINGTON)—Washington National Opera (WNO) today announced details for the fourth season of the American Opera Initiative, its comprehensive commissioning program that brings contemporary American stories to the stage while fostering the talents of rising American composers and librettists. Three pairings of new opera composers and librettists—Christopher Weiss and John de los Santos, David Clay Mettens and Joshua McGuire, and Sarah Hutchings and Mark Sonnenblick—will premiere new one-act operas, each based on a contemporary American story, in a semi-staged concert performance on December 2, 2015 in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Composer Luna Pearl Woolf and librettist Caitlin Vincent, an alumnus of the program's second season, will present their new hour-long work Better Gods—based on the life of Queen Lili'uokalani, the last monarch of Hawaii—on January 8 and 9, 2016 in the Terrace Theater.
Los Angeles continues to be a hotbed of new musicals. After a dizzying number of new musicals appeared in the recent Hollywood Fringe Festival, soon the 18th annual Stages Musical Theatre Festival will be returning to Los Angeles this August. This prestigious festival features new musicals, which have been developed across the country, presented in concert readings. This year's festival features six musicals, presented in two venues over two weekends: This weekend, August 21-23 at New Musicals Inc., 5628 Vineland in North Hollywood and August 28-30 at 3D Theatricals, 1255 N. Knollwood Circle in Anaheim, CA 92801.
Los Angeles continues to be a hotbed of new musicals. After a dizzying number of new musicals appeared in the recent Hollywood Fringe Festival, soon the 18th annual Stages Musical Theatre Festival will be returning to Los Angeles this August. This prestigious festival features new musicals, which have been developed across the country, presented in concert readings. This year's festival features six musicals, presented in two venues over two weekends: August 21-23 at New Musicals Inc., 5628 Vineland in North Hollywood and August 28-30 at 3D Theatricals, 1255 N. Knollwood Circle in Anaheim, CA 92801
Musical Theater Factory will be hosting a party to celebrate the success of its first year. Since its founding in May 2104, the non profit organization has assisted in the development of more than sixty new musicals, with the help of seven hundred volunteers.
The YALE INSTITUTE FOR MUSIC THEATRE (Mark Brokaw, Artistic Director) has selected two original book musicals to be developed in an intensive lab setting in New Haven, June 13-28: gilgamesh & the mosquito, music by Bob Kelly and book and lyrics by Sam Chanse; and Horizons, music by Ben Wexler and book and lyrics by Mark Sonnenblick. The Institute culminates with open rehearsal readings of each project, presented as a part of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, on June 26 and 27.
The new kids on the musical theatre block are here! Five really promising (and really young - under the age of 26!) have just won New Musical Inc.'s 2015 New Voices Project.
Artistic Director James Morgan, The York Theatre Company, and producers Amy Engelhardt and Heather Shields, will be presenting another edition of the quirky and popular musical theater game show Tune in Time, on Monday, April at 7:30 pm with a new cast of contestants and celebrity judges. Joining the composing fray for this round will be composers Lisa deSpain, Mark Sonnenblick, and Rick Bassett, while the lyricists they will team up with could come from a group consisting of Sarah Ziegler, Gordon Leary and cabaret performer, Broadway actress, and musical theater composer/book writer Rosemary Loar. Among the celebrity judges for the next show will be Matt Britten, Executive Producer for Blank! The Musical and marketing director for the New York Musical Theatre Festival; Remy Zaken, from the original Broadway company of Spring Awakening; and Thomas Honeck, the general manager for the Duplex and recent MAC Award winner for his cabaret show, Dancing With Dealth.
We've got a first look at the official press photos for the world premiere of Loch Ness, a new musical, which is the newest show from Ovation Award-winning writer/director Marshall Pailet and Ovation Award-winning choreographer Kelly Todd. The musical opens tonight and runs through March 1 at Chance Theater.
