Michael John LaChiusa News

Apple hosted its annual Beer Bash employee gathering in California this week, to celebrate the start of the holiday season, according to Mac Rumors.

The Blank Theatre, a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization, has announced a Charitybuzz auction to raise funds for the 28-year-old critically acclaimed company in Hollywood.

Philadelphia Theatre Company announces the director and full cast for the Philadelphia premiere of Marsha Norman and Jason Robert Brown's sweeping musical version of the best-selling novel, The Bridges of Madison County. The production is the second of the inaugural season under Producing Artistic Director Paige Price. For Bridges, Price has tapped Mark Martino to direct a cast rich with local theatre stars and Barrymore Award-winners, alongside actors with notable national and Broadway credits. The cast is led by Philadelphia actress Sarah Gliko and PA Native and Broadway actor Gregg Goodbrod.  Recent Barrymore Award winner Amanda Morton (Passing Strange, Wilma Theater) will serve as the Music Director. The Bridges of Madison County runs February 8-March 3, 2019 at Philadelphia Theatre Company's stage at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad Street. Single tickets and subscriptions are on sale now and available at the box office, online at philatheatreco.org or by phone at 215-985-0420.

THIRD, written by and featuring Broadway World-award winning actor Ty Autry, featuring Hector Matias and directed by Andrew J. Mullins, comes to the stage as a one-night-only event at the 14th Street Y Theater at 8pm on Tuesday, December 11th.

GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS has announced the release of Hundred Days, the original cast recording of the critically acclaimed new musical, on CD in stores and online today, Friday, November 30. The unique album was recorded with a live studio audience that captures the excitement and emotion of the original production. It was released in streaming and digital formats earlier this season. Hundred Days features a book by The Bengsons and Sarah Gancher, music and lyrics by The Bengsons, and was directed by Anne Kauffman with movement direction by Sonya Tayeh. The show earned 2018 Lucille Lortel and Drama League Award nominations for "Outstanding Musical." To order the album, please visit: smarturl.it/hundreddays

The Fred Ebb Foundation and Roundabout Theatre Company this week presented the fourteenth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Will Reynolds and Eric Price.

Firebrand Theatre is pleased to announce award-winning actress Barbara E. Robertson will star as Anna (Annie) Edson Taylor in its Chicago premiere of QUEEN OF THE MIST featuring book, music and lyrics by Michael John LaChiusa (The Wild Party, Marie Christine) direction by Elizabeth Margolius and music direction by Charlotte Rivard-Hoster. Newly-arranged for an all-femme quintet, QUEEN OF THE MIST will play May 25 - July 6, 2019 at The Den Theatre's Janet Bookspan Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago.

PS CLASSICS, the label that celebrates the heritage of Broadway and American popular song, has released its groundbreaking new recording Philip Chaffin: Will He Like Me? today, Friday, November 9. The album is featured in The New York Times "2018 Holiday Gift Guide," which raves, "From 'When I Marry Mr. Snow' to 'I Got Lost in His Arms,' Chaffin tells a familiar story that has never sounded so new." 

Broadway actress-singer Raissa Katona Bennett has a very full and exciting calendar of performances this fall. Having just concluded the off-Broadway run of Spoolie Girl, she's setting her sights on cabaret and concert performances through the New Year.

Ghostlight Records has announced that it will record The Jonathan Larson Project to be released in early 2019. The album will be based on a concert originally presented at Feinstein's/54 Below, directed and conceived by Jennifer Ashley Tepper, and featuring music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Charlie Rosen. The show features the music of the late composer Jonathan Larson, who wrote Rent and tick tick BOOM, the former an iconic Broadway landmark and the latter a beloved musical gem. The Jonathan Larson Project is an evening of Jonathan's unheard work featuring songs from never-produced shows like 1984 and Superbia; songs that were cut from Rent and tick tick BOOM; songs written for theatrical revues and songs written for the radio; songs about politics and love and New York City; songs never before publicly performed or recorded. The album will be produced by Jennifer Ashley Tepper, Charlie Rosen and Kurt Deutsch.

On Monday, November 5, 2018, The Ziegfeld Club Inc, one of New York City's first performing arts charities to benefit women presented it's annual grants during a private ceremony held at the historic New Amsterdam Theater.

The Ziegfeld Club, Inc., one of New York City's first performing arts charities to benefit women, is thrilled to announce that Lucille Lortel Award-Nominee Julianne Wick Davis (Southern Comfort) has been named the recipient of the fourth annual Billie Burke Ziegfeld Award (BBZA). Created to honor a female composer of musical theatre, the BBZA is a prestigious $10,000 cash grant. In addition, the recipient receives one year of artistic and professional mentorship from a prominent composer and a producer of musical theatre.

Jason Robert Brown will be honored with The Museum of the City of New York 2018 Louis Auchincloss Prize on Wednesday, November 14, 2018.  The prize is presented to writers and artists whose work is inspired by and enhances the five boroughs of New York City.

PREMIERES (Paulette Haupt, Artistic Director), the New York based music theater organization whose mission is "to bring new music theater to light," is pleased to announce the cast and creative teams for this season's INNER VOICES, the biennial series of solo works featuring new teams of playwrights and composers. Performances begin TONIGHT at 8:00pm for a limited run through Saturday, November 17, 2018 at The TBG Mainstage Theatre (312 West 36th Street - between 8th & 9th Avenues). Opening Night is Thursday, November 1, 2018 at 8:00pm.

THE GREEN ROOM 42 will present VIVIAN REED in an encore performance of her centennial tribute to entertainment icon Lena Horne on Today, October 20 at 7:00 PM. The evening is back by popular demand after the first show at the venue on Horne's birthday this summer. 

Broadway actress-singer Raissa Katona Bennett has a very full and exciting calendar of performances getting underway this week, beginning with the premiere of Spoolie Girl, a new and original fractured rock fairytale by Rosemary Loar. Spoolie Girl runs Oct. 17th through Oct. 27th at Actors Temple Theatre. 

Tony Award-winning actress, singer and performer Idina Menzel's music video for her studio version of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is out now. Watch/share the video HERE. The song comes from her upcoming album idina: live which is slated for release October 12. Along with "Bridge Over Troubled Water," Menzel recently released her live versions of Rent's "Seasons of Love," and "Don't Rain on My Parade" which premiered at Playbill and TheaterMania respectively. 

THE GREEN ROOM 42 will present VIVIAN REED in an encore performance of her centennial tribute to entertainment icon Lena Horne on Saturday, October 20 at 7:00 PM. The evening is back by popular demand after the first show at the venue on Horne's birthday this summer. 

Cleveland Play House (CPH) brings to life Lynn Nottage's complex story of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Rust Belt drama Sweat.  Set in Reading, PA, this relevant story offers audience members suspense through its intricate portrayal of characters battling to survive in a city crippled by economic stagnation. CPH Artistic Director Laura Kepley will direct. Previews begin on October 13th, with press opening on October 19th at the Outcalt Theatre in Playhouse Square. This production is sponsored by Great Lakes Brewing Company.

SKB Records has announced the tenth month of the groundbreaking new music and video series LENA HALL Obsessed from the Tony Award winner and Grammy nominee.