Mike Dowdy News

New Line's season closes with the regional premiere of this new rock musical, inspired by true events, with music and lyrics by Amanda Green (High Fidelity, Bring It On), music by Trey Anastasio (of the rock band Phish), and a script by Doug Wright (Pulitzer Prize winner, I Am My Own Wife), adapted from the 1997 documentary of the same name.

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre, ' continues its 23rd season of adult, alternative musicaltheatre with an all-new, re-imagined production of the Pulitzer Prize winning contemporary classic, the iconic rock opera RENT, running March 6-29, 2014.

I'm a horror film fan, and I saw NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD for the first time at a midnight show when I was a teenager. Like the movie, the musical version (music by Matt Conner, lyrics by Stephen Gregory Smith and Conner) focuses our attention on the victims of a sudden outbreak of zombies. Sure, there are plenty of scenes of zombie mayhem in the original work, but the bulk of the film is really about a group of disparate people struggling to survive in an abandoned farmhouse. This is why I particularly enjoyed New Line's St. Louis premiere of this surprisingly tuneful adaptation. It's a serious-minded production that doesn't take a campy approach or attempt to spoof its subject, and I can appreciate that tact. This is an engaging and well acted presentation that takes a look at how humans behave in the direst of circumstances, and it's a must-see for fans of daring musical theatre.

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre, ' opens its 23rd season of adult, alternative musical theatre with the regional premiere of the new musical thriller NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, running now through November 2, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre, ' opens its 23rd season of adult, alternative musical theatre with the regional premiere of the new musical thriller NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, running Oct. 10-Nov. 2, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast below!

New Line Theatre, 'the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' created a side identity last season called New Line Theatre Off Line, a framework for the New Line actors to explore other music and theatre projects, including New Line's own unique brand of adult cabaret, and other kinds of performance opportunities, as well as master classes, workshops, and more. New Line actor Mike Dowdy (Forbidden Planet, Spelling Bee, The Wild Party, Evita, Two Gentlemen of Verona, bare, Cry-Baby, High Fidelity, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) heads up the Off Line brand under his title of New Line's Associate Artistic Director.

New Line Theatre, 'the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' created a side identity last season called New Line Theatre Off Line, a framework for the New Line actors to explore other music and theatre projects, including New Line's own unique brand of adult cabaret, and other kinds of performance opportunities, as well as master classes, workshops, and more. New Line actor Mike Dowdy (Forbidden Planet, Spelling Bee, The Wild Party, Evita, Two Gentlemen of Verona, bare, Cry-Baby, High Fidelity, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) heads up the Off Line brand under his title of New Line's Associate Artistic Director.

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," announces its 23rd season of adult, alternative musical theatre, including the regional premiere of the new musical thriller NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, running Oct. 10-Nov. 2, 2013; the Pulitzer Prize winning rock opera RENT, running March 6-29, 2014; and the regional premiere, straight from Broadway, of the new rock musical HANDS ON A HARDBODY, running May 29-June 21, 2014.

SCHLEMIEL THE FIRST is a giddy delight, with songs and laughs barreling along at a frenetic pace. Based on the play by Isaac Bashevis Singer (conceived and adapted by Robert Brustein), this Klezmer musical (composed by Hankus Netsky and Zalmen Miotek, with lyrics by Arnold Weinstein) is guaranteed fun from start to finish, and The New Jewish Theatre has put together an exceptional production that is well worth your time and attention.

New Line Theatre has announced the cast for the regional premiere of the taut musical thriller NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, which will open its 23rd season, running Oct. 10-Nov. 2, 2013, and closing on Halloween weekend. The rest of New Line's 2013-2014 season will be announced soon.

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre,' now in its 22nd season of alternative, adult musical theatre, presents the powerhouse Pulitzer Prize winning rock opera NEXT TO NORMAL, running now through March 23, 2013 at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast onstage below!

I remember seeing NEXT TO NORMAL at the Fox Theatre a while back and being impressed by the show, especially since so many things that happened to the lead character were/are taking place in my own life. But, New Line Theatre, for me, sets the local standard for musical theatre in our burgeoning arts community, and they've put together a superior staging of the play that hits even closer to the bone, and part of this is due to intimacy of the theatre itself, but a major reason is the fact that it's blocked and staged in a manner that brings the message of the play clearly in focus. New Line Theatre's production of NEXT TO NORMAL is easily the best show I've seen this year so far. It has a terrific cast, a top notch band which is augmented with strings, and brilliant direction. This is a show you must see, even if it may hit home a little deeply with its subject manner.

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre,' now in its 22nd season of alternative, adult musical theatre, presents NEXT TO NORMAL, running Feb. 28-March 23, 2013 at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production shots below.

New Line Theatre, now in its 22nd season of alternative, adult musical theatre, has announced its cast for the powerhouse Pulitzer Prize winning rock opera NEXT TO NORMAL, running Feb. 28-March 23, 2013 at the Washington University South Campus Theatre.

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre,' now in its 22nd season of alternative, adult musical theatre, presents NEXT TO NORMAL, running Feb. 28-March 23, 2013 at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the show below.

New Line Theatre, now in its 22nd season of alternative, adult musical theatre, has announced its cast for the powerhouse Pulitzer Prize winning rock opera NEXT TO NORMAL, running Feb. 28-March 23, 2013 at the Washington University South Campus Theatre.

New Line Theatre Off Line presents a quirky, decidedly adult evening of cabaret, SOME SONGS 'N' SH!T, for one night only, January 19 at the Kranzberg Arts Center Cabaret in Grand Center, featuring the New Generation of New Liners, Taylor Pietz (Evita, Cry-Baby, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Love Kills, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), Zachary Allen Farmer (Hair, Assassins, Urinetown, Return to the Forbidden Planet, Love Kills, High Fidelity), and Mike Dowdy (Cry-Baby, bare, Spelling Bee, Forbidden Planet, High Fidelity, The Wild Party), with music direction by Justin Smolik and direction by Mike Dowdy.

The St. Louis Theater Circle has just announced the nominees for the 2013 Louie Awards, honoring excellence in professional theater. The ceremony is set to take place on March 11 at the Gaslight Theater (358 North Boyle Avenue). To reserve tickets, email stltheatercircle@sbcglobal.net.

New Line Theatre Off Line presents a quirky, decidedly adult evening of cabaret, SOME SONGS 'N' SH!T, for one night only, January 19 at the Kranzberg Arts Center Cabaret in Grand Center, featuring the New Generation of New Liners, Taylor Pietz (Evita, Cry-Baby, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Love Kills, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), Zachary Allen Farmer (Hair, Assassins, Urinetown, Return to the Forbidden Planet, Love Kills, High Fidelity), and Mike Dowdy (Cry-Baby, bare, Spelling Bee, Forbidden Planet, High Fidelity, The Wild Party), with music direction by Justin Smolik and direction by Mike Dowdy. BroadwayWorld has a first look below.

New Line Theatre Off Line presents a quirky, decidedly adult evening of cabaret, SOME SONGS 'N' SH!T, for one night only, January 19 at the Kranzberg Arts Center Cabaret in Grand Center, featuring the New Generation of New Liners, Taylor Pietz (Evita, Cry-Baby, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Love Kills, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), Zachary Allen Farmer (Hair, Assassins, Urinetown, Return to the Forbidden Planet, Love Kills, High Fidelity), and Mike Dowdy (Cry-Baby, bare, Spelling Bee, Forbidden Planet, High Fidelity, The Wild Party), with music direction by Justin Smolik and direction by Mike Dowdy.