McDonald News

Singer-songwriter Raquel Aurilia kicks off the New Year with new original music for 2019 from her Nashville sessions. Aurilia announced today the release of her new single 'Show Me' - an original song from her Nashville sessions with Producer Michael Lattanzi. 'Show Me' is now available on iTunes & Spotify. Listen to 'Show Me' here.

As a kid we have huge dreams on what we are going to do over the summer. Usually when it comes to the end of the summer and the school year is getting ready to start, we find that those dreams haven't been fulfilled. In "Judy Moody & Stink: The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt" by Allison Gregory, which was based on the book series by Megan McDonald, Judy is going into her third-grade year of school and doesn't have an adventure to tell all her classmates about. She doesn't even have a t-shirt with words to show what she did over the summer. In the Des Moines Playhouse production, which opened on February 22, Judy gets to go on an adventure, and the Playhouse takes the audience right along with her.

Producers Hunter Arnold, Debbie Bisno and Tom Kirdahy have just announces that the new Broadway production of Terrence McNally's Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, starring Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winner Audra McDonald and two-time Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon, directed by Obie Award winner Arin Arbus, will play the Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street) on Broadway.

Actor/writer and 2018 Fred Ebb Award winner Will Reynolds makes his Birdland debut premiering all new songs, including selections from his musicals RADIOACTIVE and THE VIOLET HOUR (recently developed by MTC), written with collaborator Eric Price. Special guests include trumpeter and Birdland favorite Benny Benack III, Broadway stars Kirsten Anderson (MY FAIR LADY), Aisha Jackson (FROZEN), Adam Kaplan (A BRONX TALE), and soul singer-songwriter Chris Ams (FAVORITE STATES band).

'This is a story of kings.' The opening line of playwright Ayad Akhtar's JUNK gives the audience an epic summary of what they're about to experience. Kings not determined by the biggest crown or most expansive army, but by the fullest pockets. Robert Merkin, played by Carlo Lorenzo Garcia, is one such king, though unconventional in that the lead character of Akhtar's longest work sees debt as an asset. Robert sits proudly on the cover Time Magazine, and he's ready to capitalize on his role as 'America's Alchemist'. Performer Garcia revels in all the teeth sucking, furtive gesticulating, and slick talking of a classic 1980's Wall Street yuppie.

TOMMY CASTRO AND THE PAINKILLERS is playing at Festival Place in Vancouver on March 9, 2019.

Ruby Slippers Theatre is proud to produce the Western Canadian premiere production of Marine Life by Rosa Laborde in association with the Firehall Arts Centre from March 15-23, 2019.

Do you ever wonder what would happen if we could live our lives all over again but be fully conscious of it the second time?

The Acting Company announced today initial casting for the first reading in the 23rd John McDonald Salon Reading Series, Lillian Hellman's acclaimed drama Watch on the Rhine.

If you see a spunky, red-haired little girl around downtown Arlington soon, follow her to Theatre Arlington and be prepared to be entertained as she is none other than Junie B. Jones, star of Barbara Parks' New York Times bestselling book series. Creators Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich add music and lyrics to create this delightful "world according to Junie" in Junie B. Jones The Musical JR., opening Friday, February 22nd. Graduating from kindergarten seemed like a breeze, but now it's time for first grade, which can be very intimidating, even for someone like Junie. Losing your best friend to someone else. Making new friends on the school bus. Breaking in a new home room teacher. And what if you need to (gulp!) ...wear glasses?! No worries, our heroine Junie B. and her all her first-grade wisdom is getting it all figured out in her own unique way. If you're lucky she might even let you read her "Top-Secret Personal Beeswax Journal!"

Currently celebrating its 25th Silver Anniversary Season, The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre is set to bring the most requested show by its audience members to the stage when it presents a brand new production of the classic Lerner & Loewe musical My Fair Lady. The beloved musical will be the dinner theatre's spring 2019 presentation following its area premiere production of Gilligan's Island - The Musical.

The McCallum Theatre presents Neil Berg's Fifty Years of Rock and Roll for three performances - Tuesday, March 5, at 8:00pm, and Wednesday, March 6, at 2:00pm and 8:00pm.  With a cast consisting of both stars from Broadway's greatest rock musicals, as well as incredible Rock and Roll singers, Neil Berg shares the often-unknown stories from the fifty-year history of the music that changed the world forever. From the progenitors of Rock and Roll in the 1940s, through the glory years of the '50s, '60s, and '70s, up until MTV in the early '80s,

Welsh National Opera will return to their English home of Birmingham Hippodrome this March with another sensational season of Opera including Un ballo in maschera (6 Mar), The Magic Flute (7 & 9 Mar) and Roberto Devereux (8 Mar).

British author Roald Dahl is well known for his dark humor, quirky characters, and unexpected twists and turns. Among his most popular works are Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, and Fantastic Mr. Fox. In 1961 he wrote James and the Giant Peach. James and the Giant Peach was adapted for television, film, and the stage. Among the stage versions is the dramatization by Richard R. George, which can be enjoyed at DreamWrights Center for Community Arts.

Birdland will kick-off their exciting month of programming with the following acts

Little Orphan Annie will charm the hearts of all when she takes to the Irvington Town Hall Theater stage March 9-17. Clocktower Players, the award-winning community theater of the Rivertowns presents the beloved classic musical with a cast that's sure to bring smiles and happiness to the community.

Beck Center for the Arts to produce Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill, featuring regional favorite and talent Nicole Sumlin.

Having already tasted 'the fine wine' after an exquisite journey with 'The Daylight Atheist', award-winning playwright Tom Scott's story about his father, I was unsure how I was going to feel about 'Joan', Scott's play about his mother. 'Joan' takes us on a different path and so it should.

Theatre enthusiasts packed the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts last night to hear Founding Artistic Director Robert Kelley and Executive Director Phil Santora of TheatreWorks Silicon Valley reveal the lineup for the company's 50th season, which launches this summer. Kelley's 50th and final season as Artistic Director of TheatreWorks Silicon Valley includes triumphant returns of TheatreWorks favorites, bold premieres developed at the company's annual New Works Festival, and celebrated works from the nation's leading playwrights.