Nell Benjamin News

Arena Stage presents the new musical Dave, get a first look below!

Today's subject Rob Berman is currently living his Theatre Life as the Musical Director for the world premiere of Dave at Arena Stage. The production, based on the 1993 film and directed by Tina Landau, runs through August 19th in Arena Stage's Kreeger Theatre space.

Musicals at Richter (MAR), celebrating its 34th season as the longest-running outdoor theater in Connecticut, kicks off the summer with 'Legally Blonde,' the effervescent and wildly upbeat musical based on the popular 2001 film comedy starring Reese Witherspoon. Staged on the grounds of the Richter Arts Center in Danbury, performances take place outdoors under the stars Friday through Sunday evenings at 8:00 p.m., with additional specially discounted performances on Thursday, July 5 and 12. There is no show on Friday, July 13.

LEGALLY BLONDE, the 2007 feel good musical is strutting its stuff on the open air stage of the Pinewood Bowl in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Drury Lane Theatre announces casting for its sultry summer drama, Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, directed by Tony nominee Marcia Milgrom Dodge (2009 Broadway revival of Ragtime, Drury Lane's Smokey Joe's Cafe). Cat on a Hot Tin Roof runs July 5 - August 26, 2018, at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. The press opening is scheduled for Thursday, July 12 at 8:00 p.m.

The first five preview performances of the world-premiere musical Dave have been cancelled due to actor illness; preview performances will now begin on Wednesday, July 18, 2018.

Drury Lane Theatre announces casting for its sultry summer drama, Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, directed by Tony nominee Marcia Milgrom Dodge (2009 Broadway revival of Ragtime, Drury Lane's Smokey Joe's Cafe). Cat on a Hot Tin Roof runs July 5 - August 26, 2018, at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. The press opening is scheduled for Today, July 12 at 8:00 p.m.

ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATRE (EST) (William Carden, Artistic Director, Sarah McLellan, Executive Director) is proud to announce its 50th Anniversary season. The season will commence in October 2018 with the world premiere of TRAVISVILLE a new play by William Jackson Harper ("The Good Place") and directed by Steve H. Broadnax III (The Hip-Hop Project). This marks the playwriting debut of Harper, who has been developing the piece with EST over the past 8 years.

Eight outstanding educators from schools and performing arts centers around the U.S. will work one-on-one with Broadway greats at the 9th Annual FREDDIE G FELLOWSHIP July 11th - 14th. The event has once again been underwritten by Myrna and Freddie ("G") Gershon, Co-Chairman of the global theatrical licensor Music Theatre International (MTI). The four days of classes and activities honor instructors and teachers who are working to make a difference for their students and communities through the process of staging musical theatre productions in their schools and educational theatre groups. In addition to the all-expense paid visit to New York, each of the teachers' schools receives $5,000 from Freddie and Myrna. The teachers are empowered to identify and select how their respective school's theatre program can best utilize the funds.

Nearly 30 students from seven different middle and high schools, plus two dogs, are having the time of their lives putting on this feel-good show.

New Village Arts Theatre is excited to announce its upcoming production of LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL, with book by Heather Hatch, music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, directed by NVA's Executive Artistic Director Kristianne Kurner, with music direction by Tony Houck and choreography by Kyle Hawk.

The award-winning hit new Broadway musical Mean Girls has broken the August Wilson Theatre box office record for the third consecutive week, and fourth time overall. The musical grossed $1,592,304.50 for the week ending July 1, 2018.

The Blank Theatre in Hollywood is now accepting script submissions through July 30 for its 2018-2019 Living Room Series, which will begin in September.

Musicals at Richter (MAR), celebrating its 34th season as the longest-running outdoor theater in Connecticut, kicks off the summer with 'Legally Blonde,' the effervescent and wildly upbeat musical based on the popular 2001 film comedy starring Reese Witherspoon. Staged on the grounds of the Richter Arts Center in Danbury, performances take place outdoors under the stars Today through Sunday evenings at 8:00 p.m., with additional specially discounted performances on Thursday, July 5 and 12. There is no show today, July 13.

It seems like just yesterday that Maddie Baillio was waking up in Baltimore as Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray Live. Now she's joined forces with Naarai and Jada Banks-Mace to cover a new anthem of Broadway. Watch as they perform 'I'd Rather Be Me' below!

Musicals at Richter (MAR), celebrating its 34th season as the longest-running outdoor theater in Connecticut, kicks off the summer with 'Legally Blonde,' the effervescent and wildly upbeat musical based on the popular 2001 film comedy starring Reese Witherspoon. Staged on the grounds of the Richter Arts Center in Danbury, performances take place outdoors under the stars Friday through Sunday evenings at 8:00 p.m., with additional specially discounted performances on Thursday, July 5 and 12. There is no show on Friday, July 13.

OMG! You mean, like, Elle Woods isn't from the San Fernando Valley, but from Malibu? Wow! And- she not only attended college locally but got into Harvard Law School? May seem a bit far-fetched or too hard to swallow, but it doesn't matter, because once you've seen Elle in action, she's irresistible: a cross between Goldie Hawn, Glinda from Wicked and a splash of Mary Poppins thrown in for good measure. You're gonna love her, guys, in this grande spanking, freshly blossomed pink rosebud of a show. If you liked Reese Witherspoon, you will adore perky, gorgeous Callandra Olivia and everyone else in the fantastically sugar-coated romp Legally Blonde The Musical currently onstage at Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre.

The award-winning hit new Broadway musical Mean Girls, produced by Lorne Michaels, Stuart Thompson, Sonia Friedman, and Paramount Pictures, has once again broken the August Wilson Theatre box office record for an eight performance week, grossing $1,572,995.95 for the week ending June 17, 2018. A new block of tickets has been released for performances through Sunday, July 7, 2019 with group bookings open through November 24, 2019.

Paper Mill Playhouse is currently hosting the East Coast premiere of Half Time, a new musical. Get a first look at the company in action below!

Broadway Kids Jam has released their latest jam, 'Mean Girls Medley' from the new Broadway musical, Mean Girls. This jam features Sami Bray (1984, How the Grinch Stole Christmas), Carly Gendell (School of Rock), Hudson Loverro (A Bronx Tale, Ragtime/Ellis Island), Molly Richardson (Matilda), Mckayla Twiggs (Anastasia, Les Miserables, Once), Joshua Turchin (The Pill, TrevorLIVE LA, A Christmas Story the Musical) and Shaina Turchin.