Max Showalter News

To make live theatre accessible to all, Goodspeed Musicals will be offering a special Sensory-Friendly Performance of Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical on Sunday, Aug. 28 for the 6:30 p.m. performance.

Goodspeed Musicals will be producing a workshop of a new musical from Marshall Pailet, Private Gomer Jones, with industry readings scheduled to take place in New York on May 2, 2022.      

Goodspeed Musicals will kick off its first full season of musicals since 2019 with the spring production of Kander and Ebb’s dazzling and daring classic, Cabaret. The Kit Kat Klub comes alive for the first time on the Goodspeed stage from May 13 – July 3 at The Goodspeed in East Haddam, Conn.

Goodspeed Musicals announced today that it will produce the world premiere of Christmas in Connecticut – A New Musical this holiday season at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn.

Come in from the cold and check out what’s hot at the 16th Annual Goodspeed Festival of New Musicals. The much-anticipated three-day festival of brand-new works returns to the Goodspeed campus after having been canceled in 2021 due to Covid-19. 

In a return to producing full-scale musicals at the iconic Goodspeed Opera House, Goodspeed Musicals has announced four productions for the Tony Award-winning theatre’s 2022 season

The next Musical Theatre Melodies broadcast, hosted by Rob Morrison on 96.5 FM on Tuesday, August 31st will mark the 50th anniversary of Claibe Richardson and Kenward Elmslie's THE GRASS HARP (based on the novel and play by Truman Capote), the 1971 Broadway musical which starred Barbara Cook, Karen Morrow, Carol Brice, Russ Thacker, Ruth Ford and Max Showalter.

Now entering their ninth year of collaboration the Johnny Mercer Foundation (JMF) and Goodspeed Musicals have announced an official name change for their annual writers retreat.

Goodspeed has announced a new fun and foot-stomping evening of live music featuring fan-favorite David Lutken and The Seat Of The Pants Band. Based on the huge success of the first set of outdoor concerts, Goodspeed Musicals has scheduled three new weekends of jubilant Americana music by the riverside!

Goodspeed Musicals' Board of Trustees announced today that a change in leadership will occur at the theatre after the 2020 season. Michael Gennaro, who has led the organization since 2015, has decided to retire from the position of Executive Director in December of 2020.

In what has become an annual ritual, a total of 40 established and emerging composers, lyricists, and librettists will converge on the Goodspeed campus from mid-January through mid-February 2020 to participate in the Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals. The writing teams, representing 15 new musicals, will populate the campus, creating a truly exciting environment for discovery and inspiration.

Is your musical theatre performer eager to learn more? Goodspeed's Kids Company Academy is the perfect way for students ages 7 to 18 to hone their musical theatre performance skills all in one place. Academy classes are taught by an exceptional faculty of teaching artists who share Goodspeed's passion for arts education and are excited to work with young performers, cultivating the next generation of musical theatre artists. Learn more about Goodspeed's popular training program for local students by attending the free winter open house on December 8th from 1pm-5pm.

Goodspeed Musicals' Executive Director Michael Gennaro announced today that longtime Resident Music Director Michael O'Flaherty has decided to retire after leading the music department for 28 years.

Michael Gennaro, Goodspeed's Executive Director, has announced three thrilling titles on track for next season at The Goodspeed.

Goodspeed Musicals' holiday hit A Connecticut Christmas Carol returns for a third year to The Terris Theatre, December 4 - 28, and it could be your chance to join a professional acting company! Goodspeed will be holding auditions for local Non-Equity child actors between ages 7-10 for its upcoming production of A Connecticut Christmas Carol. Auditions will be held on Sunday, July 28 from 12:00p.m. - 3:00p.m. at the Alice Hammerstein Mathias Rehearsal Studio in East Haddam, Conn. 

Goodspeed Musicals is delighted to announce that Alexandra Olinyk has been selected as the first recipient of The Andrew A. Isen Prize at Goodspeed Musicals. This award is funded through a generous gift given by DC-based entrepreneur and musical theatre devotee Andrew A. Isen and was created to give young people who are in the early stages of professional development financial assistance and encouragement to focus on artistic excellence in musical theatre.

The 14th Annual Goodspeed Festival of New Musicals kicks off its much-anticipated three-day festival of brand-new works on Friday, January 18 at The Goodspeed with a staged reading of The Peculiar Tale Of The Prince Of Bohemia And The Society Of Desperate Victorians.  

Last night during an exclusive Member event, Michael Gennaro, Goodspeed's Executive Director, announced the next season at The Goodspeed along with two tremendous new musicals set for The Terris Theatre.

Go inside rehearsals for Goodspeed Musicals' The Drowsy Chaperone. Check out rehearsal photos below!

Goodspeed Musicals is delighted to announce the cast of the spirited musical comedy The Drowsy Chaperone. This high-speed spoof will run September 21 through November 25, 2018 at The Goodspeed in East Haddam, CT. [Official Press Opening will be October 10, 2018.]