Michael Barra News

The first words sung in A Bronx Tale, the tonally uneven and musically disappointing touring show that opened at D.C.'s National Theatre on Tuesday, are literally "this is a Bronx tale." The artistic subtleties don't get much better from there, as the musical (based on a movie based on a one-man show) proceeds to tackle issues from morality to racism with all the delicateness of a mobster smashing someone's head in with a baseball bat. Everything about this production is underwhelming from the performances to the design to the direction and choreography. Ultimately, A Bronx Tale is the perfect example of why we should stop adapting movies into musicals.

A BRONX TALE, the streetwise Broadway musical based on the one-man show and now classic film, will make its Washington, D.C. premiere at the National Theatre for one week only from March 26 through 31, 2019.

No doubt about it, A Bronx Tale - the musical version of Chazz Palminteri's original 1989 one man show (he played some 18 characters in the original work) that ultimately led to a 1993 film directed by Robert DeNiro - is one engaging night of theater, telling an intriguing story of a boy who grows to manhood on the mean streets of The Bronx, in the shadow of local wiseguy/mob kingpin Sonny, played here by Joe Barbara with chilling authenticity and palpable, if oily, charm.

It's a homecoming of sorts for Joey Barreiro this week as he and his castmates from the national tour of A Bronx Tale - the Broadway musical that's based on a one-man show created by actor/writer Chazz Palminteri - encamp at Nashville's Tennessee Performing Arts Center for a week-long stand.

A new stage musical, Punk Rock Girl, is in development featuring a score of popular songs written and made famous by female artists and female-fronted bands including Pat Benatar, Bikini Kill, Blondie, Echosmith, Avril Lavigne, Pink, TraLaLa, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and more, and also featuring the title song by The Dead Milkmen.

Lively McCabe Entertainment has announced it has entered into a new agreement with BMG. The deal grants the production company, recently launched by producer Michael Barra, access to BMG's vast music publishing catalogue to develop new multimedia entertainment projects across various platforms including the live stage, as well as films, television, and digital media.

The North American Tour of A BRONX TALE, the new musical featuring a book by Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri, music by Oscar, Grammy, and Tony Award winner Alan Menken, and lyrics by Grammy Award winner and Oscar and Tony Award nominee Glenn Slater, directed by two-time Oscar winner Robert De Niro and four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks, with choreography by Tony nominee Sergio Trujillo is now on tour.

BroadwayWorld has a first look at the North American Tour of A BRONX TALE, the new musical featuring a book by Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri, music by Oscar, Grammy, and Tony Award winner Alan Menken, and lyrics by Grammy Award winner and Oscar and Tony Award nominee Glenn Slater, directed by two-time Oscar winner Robert De Niro and four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks, with choreography by Tony nominee Sergio Trujillo. 

Rehearsals began this week in New York for the upcoming North American Tour of A BRONX TALE. Get a look at the company in action below!

Full casting has been announced for the North American Tour of A BRONX TALE, the new musical featuring a book by Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri, music by Oscar, Grammy, and Tony Award winner Alan Menken, and lyrics by Grammy Award winner and Oscar and Tony Award nominee Glenn Slater, directed by two-time Oscar winner Robert De Niro and four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks, with choreography by Tony nominee Sergio Trujillo.

Lively McCabe Entertainment is pleased to announce that it has signed the original classic children's property Free To Be . . . You and Me as a management client.  The company will focus primarily on securing a new music administration agreement, the development of a new regional live stage musical, and the exploration of book publishing opportunities in the lead up to Free To Be's 50th anniversary in 2022.

Lively McCabe Entertainment will collaborate with Grammy and Tony Award nominees Plain White T's to develop a television adaptation of the band's chart-topping song 'Hey There Delilah."  Described as a contemporary fairy tale expanding on the story within the song, the concept is from T's front man and songwriter Tom Higgenson, writer Jeremy Desmon (Pump Up The Volume, One Hit Wonder), and Lively McCabe's Michael Barra, with Desmon attached to write. Primary Wave's Deb Klein is attached to produce.

Belmont Avenue is leaving the Great White Way. A Bronx Tale will play its final performance on Broadway today, August 5, 2018. The show will have played 29 previews and 700 regular performances at the Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street). The show began previews Thursday, November 3, 2016 and opened Thursday, December 1, 2016.

Lively McCabe Entertainment announces that it has inked a deal with Round Hill Music, a full-service, creative music company with a core focus on music publishing.  The deal grants the company, recently launched by producer Michael Barra, access to Round Hill Music's catalogue of music and artists to package into new entertainment projects.  Lively McCabe Entertainment will package and produce projects in which the music is instrumental to the storytelling -- as opposed to solely serving as the soundtrack. The projects will span across various media platforms, including the live stage, as well as television series, films, digital media, and book publishing.

Producer Michael Barra, who most recently served as President of Media & Entertainment at Broadway's The Araca Group (and was previously an exec at Disney), announces the official launch of Lively McCabe Entertainment. Co-founded with Katie Dietz, Lively McCabe Entertainment is an independent production company that will allow Barra to continue as a packager and producer of media intellectual properties for the live stage, as well as television series, films, digital media, and book publishing. Lively McCabe has now signed with Abrams Artists Agency, and will work closely with their Literary departments in Los Angeles and New York to package projects built around existing high profile Hollywood IP to which the company has secured rights. Lively McCabe and Mr. Barra are also represented by Adam Cooper at Jackoway Tyerman.

As A Bronx Tale enters its final weeks of Broadway performances, the show welcomes Kimber Sprawl, who will join in the role of Jane beginning tonight, July 17. Christiani Pitts played her final performance on July 15.

As A Bronx Tale enters its final weeks of Broadway performances, the show welcomes Gerald Caesar, Frankie Leoni and Kimber Sprawl to the cast. Nick Cordero, Bradley Gibson, and Hudson Loverro have departed the show. Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri continues in the role of Sonny, now performing Tuesdays through Fridays and Sundays beginning next week.

It has been announced that A BRONX TALE, the musical featuring a book by Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri, music by Oscar, Grammy, and Tony Award winner Alan Menken, and lyrics by Grammy Award winner and Oscar and Tony Award nominee Glenn Slater, directed by two-time Oscar winner Robert De Niro and four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks, with choreography by Tony nominee Sergio Trujillo, will close on Broadway Sunday, August 5, 2018.

Beginning today, A BRONX TALE will offer a limited number of $32 tickets via a digital lottery for select performances at the Longacre Theatre(220 West 48th Street).

The hit Broadway musical A Bronx Tale will perform trackside at Belmont Stakes Day on Saturday, June 9 as part of the 2018 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.