Michael Kooman News

The 10th Annual Goodspeed Festival of New Musicals, produced by Goodspeed Musicals' Max Showalter Center for Education in Musical Theatre, kicks off its much-anticipated three day festival of brand-new works on Friday, January 16, 2015 at the Goodspeed Opera House with a staged reading of the Jesse James-inspired musical Outlaws. On Saturday, January 17, the musical comedy The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes debuts. On the final day of the festival, the riveting For Tonight will be presented. Several special events will round out this exciting weekend.

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell Bernard, Trustee) has announced that its 2014 donation to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will total $1.65 million dollars, marking the largest single contribution in BC/EFA history and bringing the foundation's total contribution to BC/EFA to $10 million since it began ten years ago.

The inaugural Canadian Music Theatre Project (CMTP) Festival will take place this week, from today, November 6 to 8 at Sheridan's Oakville campus, and on November 9 at the Betty Oliphant Theatre in Toronto.

The 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals, presented by the National Alliance For Musical Theatre (NAMT), kicked off with THE 46TH MINUTE, a concert hosted by Lindsay Mendez and featuring performances by Heidi Blickenstaff, Doreen Montalvo, Mamie Parris, Bryce Ryness, and more. Musical presentations started October 23 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street) and included Beautiful Poison, Cubamor, Great Wall, How To Break, Mary Marie, The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes, String and Stu For Silverton. The Festival concluded on October 24, 2014. Scroll down for photos!

The inaugural Canadian Music Theatre Project (CMTP) Festival will take place this week, from November 6 to 8 at Sheridan's Oakville campus, and on November 9 at the Betty Oliphant Theatre in Toronto.

The National Alliance For Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today its selections for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals. Beautiful Poison, Cubamor, Great Wall, How To Break, Mary Marie, The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes, String and Stu For Silverton make up the eight new musicals that will be presented at the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals today, October 23, 2014 and Friday, October 24, 2014 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

The National Alliance For Musical Theatre (NAMT) is proud to announce final casting for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals. Michael Cassara Casting serves as the resident casting office for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals, taking place on Thursday, October 23, 2014 and Friday, October 24, 2014 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street). Online Festival registration ends Friday, October 17.

The main goal of Straight From New York Workshop and Concert Series is to offer "educational opportunities for performing arts students to work with top Broadway artists in cities around the country. In addition, the concert series features Broadway artists in performance for the public!" This October, Tony Award Nominee Jennifer Damiano and Broadway/TV Star Wesley Taylor are touring Texas to teach a series of Musical Theatre Audition Masterclasses.

Performances are today, October 4 at 8 PM and Sunday, October 5 at 2 PM and 7 PM. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $15 for students and industry, and are available at www.11thhourtheatrecompany.org or by calling 267-987-9865.

The National Alliance For Musical Theatre (NAMT) just announced initial casting for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals. Michael Cassara Casting serves as the resident casting office for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals, taking place on Thursday, October 23, 2014 and Friday, October 24, 2014 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

Performances are Saturday, October 4 at 8 PM and Sunday, October 5 at 2 PM and 7 PM. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $15 for students and industry, and are available at www.11thhourtheatrecompany.org or by calling 267-987-9865.

The National Alliance For Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today the all-star lineup of directors and musical directors participating in the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals on Thursday, October 23, 2014 and Friday, October 24, 2014 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

It's a musical theater nerd's paradise and as a nerd one of my favorite times of the year. Village Theatre has once again brought together an incredible weekend of new works for workshop readings and one full production. Five shows put up for one performance as readings with music stands and scripts in hand and then one larger production put up for two weekends. And while the weekend may be over (and only for members anyway) there's still time to see the larger production and I've got some wonderful photos for you all. But let's start with the production you can still see and then we'll move onto the workshops.

The Village Theatre is the birthplace of new works such Next to Normal and Million Dollar Quartet. And now, it has announced its lineup for the 14th Annual Village Originals Festival of New Musicals, which runs today, Aug 8 to 17. They will be showcasing six new musicals which have been under development.

Triple Rock Theatre will present their inaugural production, the Houston premiere of DANI GIRL, from August 8-10, 2014. DANI GIRL is the story of Dani, a precocious nine-year-old, who loses her hair to leukemia and embarks on a magical journey to get it back. Simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking, DANI GIRL is a tale of life in the face of death, hope in the face of despair, and the indomitable power of the human imagination.

Over one jam packed weekend, today, August 8 -10, six new musicals will be brought to life with help from more than 100 artists and one dozen directors and authors from across the country.

If you invest yourself even a little bit into Dani Girl, it will leave you exhausted. You will grin until your cheeks hurt. Your throat will tighten when you choke back tears. You will most likely audibly say, 'Awwww.' You may want to drive home in silence just to recover from the hilarity and the hardship, from the overall intensity of this play, the moments in it, and the moments that it recalls in your memory.

DANI GIRL, a musical about a nine-year-old cancer-stricken girl Dani Lyons, created by the writing team of Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond, is not to be missed.

The Village Theatre is the birthplace of new works such Next to Normal and Million Dollar Quartet. And now, it has announced its lineup for the 14th Annual Village Originals Festival of New Musicals, which runs from Aug 8 to 17. They will be showcasing six new musicals which have been under development.

Over one jam packed weekend, August 8 -10, six new musicals will be brought to life with help from more than 100 artists and one dozen directors and authors from across the country.