Michael Cooper News

Small town charm is the fuel for the Canadian Opera Company's ELIXIR OF LOVE. Set in any town Ontario, Donizetti's beloved characters appear even more appealing and recognizable in James Robinson's quaint production. As part of the bel canto operatic repertoire, beautiful singing is an exceptionally fitting description for this production, masterfully sung by a cast of emerging Canadian artists.

Swanky sets, shimmering voices, sumptuous costumes - it all sparkles when met with sublime Strauss. The Canadian Opera Company presents the Canadian premiere of ARABELLA, a lyric comedy by Richard Strauss. A co-production with Santa Fe Opera and Minnesota Opera, ARABELLA is sung in German with English surtitles, the libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal still resonating humorously against Strauss' score. Director Tim Albery has created a fine production, where every detail brims with elegance.

Sometimes you know, within the first thirty seconds, that you're seeing something truly special. Britta Johnson's LIFE AFTER is exquisite from start to finish. Produced by the Musical Stage Company, Canadian Stage and Yonge Street Theatricals, the new Canadian work is the epitome of well-constructed musical. Johnson's remarkable, complex score binds with a moving story, creating a musical that is concise, complete - perfect.

Zeiders American Dream Theater presents the world premiere new musical, Second To Nun, running June 29 through August 5, 2017. Opening night was Saturday, July 1, coinciding with Canada's 150th Anniversary. Performances continue Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7pm.

Tickets are on sale for the US debut for SOULPEPPER, Toronto's largest and most celebrated theatre company, in a four-week engagement Off-Broadway at The Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 West 42nd Street in New York City. A true repertory program of plays, musicals and concert performances, featuring a company of over 65 artists, the festival, entitled SOULPEPPER ON 42nd STREET, will be presented July 1-July 29, 2017. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the productions below!

Zeiders American Dream Theater (ZADT) in Town Center, under the leadership of Artistic Director Bart Kuebler and Executive Director Terry Flint, is pleased to present the world premiere new musical, Second To Nun, written by Broadway songwriter Michael Cooper and award-winning librettist Anton Dudley.

The inaugural Made in NY Writers Room fellowship class was announced today, marking a major milestone in an innovative program to develop diverse writing talent in New York City's entertainment industry.

You're a guest at the riotous wedding of Rebecca Steinberg and Brian Howard in Smithtown Center For The Performing Arts' fantastic musical production 'It Shoulda Been You.' Family squabble, friendly foolery, and shocking surprises are all present in this delightful show that revolves around a young couple on their wedding day. This Long Island premiere has a book and lyrics by Brian Hargrove with music by Barbara Anselmi. Michael Cooper, Will Randall, Carla Rose Fisher, Ernie Lijo, and Jill Abramovitz also contributed to the lyrics.

Immigration, the development of Luna Park, and new adaptations of the films Bread and Roses and Teeth are among the subjects explored in this concert celebrating new works-in-process created or co-created by women writers.

Complete casting has been announced for the Good to Go Songwriters' Showcase.

The 16th annual Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T, today announced its lineup of 57 thought-provoking and diverse short films in competition, including 36 world premieres. The selected shorts, 40% of which were directed by women, and include filmmakers from every corner of the globe, were curated from a record 4,385 submissions. They will be presented in 10 distinct competition programs, consisting of five narrative, four documentary, and, for the second year, one animated program. In addition, there is the Sports Shorts program as part of the 11th annual Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival, sponsored by Mohegan Sun. The Shorts program, sponsored by Nutella Originals, is a part of the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, which runs April 19-30.

Two-time Tony Award nominee Mary Testa (Queen of the Mist, On the Town), Arielle Jacobs (Wicked, In the Heights), Krysta Rodriguez (The Addams Family, Smash) and Jason Gotay (Bring It On, Spider-Man; Turn Off the Dark) have joined the cast of the Good to Go Songwriters' Showcase.

Next Wednesday, March 1st, composer Jaime Lozano's new Song Cycle, 'A Never-Ending Line,' will have its world premiere at Broadway au Carre in Paris, France.

Immigration, the development of Luna Park, and new adaptations of the films Bread and Roses and Teeth are among the subjects of Prospect Theater Company's upcoming Good to Go Songwriter's Showcase, a concert celebrating new works-in-process created or co-created by women writers.

Visit Feinstein's/ 54 Below for an evening featuring songs from the original musical 5th Republic to celebrate the return of the Paris-based company Broadway au Carre which features contemporary American Musical Theater writers in France every month.

Peter Mills, composer of the the Broadway bound The Honeymooners, and Cara L. Reichel, producing artistic  director of Prospect Theater Company, have joined nine other real life couples for Love! I Hear!: Broadway's Love Letter To Valentine's Day, on Tuesday, February 14th, 2017  (7:00pm & 9:30 pm) at Feinstein's/54 Below.

Alan Thicke, perhaps best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the father on the ABC television series Growing Pains, died on Tuesday, December 13th. He was 69. Thicke's manager confirmed the actor's death.

Based on the beloved holiday film, this hilarious fish-out-of-water comedy follows Buddy the Elf in his quest to find his true identity.  Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa's bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised, unaware that he is actually a human, until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa's permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the naughty list and that his half-brother doesn't even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Canadian Rep Theatre Artistic Director Ken Gass is thrilled to present the world premiere of The Damage Done by George F. Walker, one of Canada's most prolific and popular playwrights as well as one of Canada's most widely produced dramatists at home and internationally.

I am always happy to spread the good news about arts in our area. Here is an extremely informative and exciting press release from William- Michael Cooper and the Contemporary South Dance Company. I am happy to share it with BroadwayWorld.com readers. Congratulations to William- Michael Cooper and Contemporary South Dance Company. For more information on this amazing program go to http://www.contemporarysouthdance.com.