Long Beach Opera honors the man named by Opera News as "one of the 25 people that will be a major force in the field of opera in the coming decade" with The Best of 20, a celebration of Artistic and General Director Andreas Mitisek's 20 years with Long Beach Opera.
Legendary Broadway and Hollywood songwriter Stephen Schwartz was announced today as special guest of the annual 'OZ-Stravaganza!'/WIZARD OF OZ festival, June 1-3, in Chittenango, NY. The Oscar and Grammy Award-winning composer/lyricist will take part in two separate events today and Sunday that weekend, celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of WICKED, which opened on Broadway in 2003. The musical is among Schwartz's greatest international successes, recounting the saga of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda the Good Witch in the Land of Oz. Chittenango, just east of Syracuse, is the birthplace of L. Frank Baum, who introduced those characters in his iconic children's book, THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ (1900).
The New York City Opera series at Bryant Park Picnics continues with this hour-long presentation of highlights from Giacomo Puccini's classic opera, Madama Butterfly. Offered to the New York public free-of-charge, this presentation is a perfect introduction to opera for newcomers of any age.
Following the success of last season's production of Peter Eotvos's Angels in America, New York City Opera presents Charles Wuorinen's Brokeback Mountain as the second installment in its annual LGBT Pride Series. Annie Proulx, author of the original short story that also inspired the 2005 blockbuster film, created the opera's libretto. Jacopo Spirei directs the production which premiered in 2016 at Salzburger Landestheater. Conductor Kazem Abdullah leads the New York City Opera Orchestra. The production marks the American premiere of the opera which was commissioned by City Opera in 2008. Four performances of Brokeback Mountain will be presented at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center on May 31 and June 4 at 7:30 p.m., June 2 at 2:00 p.m., and June 3 at 4:00 p.m.
Rodgers and Hammerstein's great American classic Oklahoma! bursts onto the Ogunquit Playhouse stage June 13 to July 7. The Playhouse is thrilled to create an exciting new production of this beloved classic as part of its 75th Anniversary since first opening on Broadway. This groundbreaking musical was Rodgers and Hammerstein's first collaboration, and in many ways their most innovative, having set standards for musical theatre that are still being followed today. The lively musical features the timeless classics, 'Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin',' 'The Surrey with the Fringe On Top,' 'I Cain't Say No,' 'People Will Say We're in Love' and of course the triumphant 'Oklahoma!'
The Santa Barbara Symphony, under the baton of guest conductor Carolyn Kuan, will perform John Corigliano's Academy Award-winning score for The Red Violin, accompanied by Francois Girard's engrossing film in its entirety, at the Granada Theatre on Saturday, June 16, and Sunday, June 17. Also featuring Canadian violinist Lara St. John as soloist, the concerts will take place at 8 pm on June 16 and at 3 pm on June 17. Originally scheduled for January 20 and 21, these concerts were postponed on account of the catastrophic debris flows in Montecito earlier that month. Tickets purchased for the originally scheduled concerts will be honored at these performances. Tickets can be purchased at www.granadasb.org or by calling 805-899-2222. Prices start at $29.
McCarter is proud to welcome a group of esteemed and emerging playwrights and theater artists to Princeton for the Sallie B. Goodman Artists' Retreat. The annual Retreat in June is a centerpiece of McCarter's LAB, a platform and creative incubator devoted to ongoing theatrical development and artist cultivation. The 2018 Retreat will take place from June 6 - June 13.
Opera Saratoga's Artistic and General Director Lawrence Edelson announced that the company's 2018 Summer Festival will feature new productions of four operas at The Spa Little Theatre in Spa State Park, along with a wide variety of free and ticketed concert events from May 26 through July 15 at venues throughout the region.
The Muny announced today its full cast, design and production teams for the theatre's centennial season production of Annie, July 18 -25.
The Guthrie Theater (Joseph Haj, artistic director) announced it will present BAD NEWS! i was there… created and directed by JoAnne Akalaitis with Kate Atwell, Greg Taubman and Ashley Tata with original music and sound by Bruce Odland. Playing June 2-3, 2018, for four performances only, this unique theater experience will take place in the Guthrie lobbies in promenade style, which requires patrons to stand and walk during the performance. A limited number of chairs will be available for accessible seating.
Big wins for Broadway Actor turned Director Charles Mandracchia. On the heels of recently winning for Best Animated Film with WE ARE FRIENDS at the Ridgewood International Film Festival in NJ on May 5th 2018 in Ridgewood NJ, & 6 HERMES AWARDS in various categories for You Got a Problem, We Are Friends & Untitled Animated film, Mandracchia adds 6 Big wins to the list.
On August 25 this year, Leonard Bernstein would have celebrated his 100th birthday. To honor this centennial, the 2018 Bard SummerScape festival launches with the first major revival of the composer's Peter Pan. Commissioned from Olivier Award-winning director and Bernstein specialist Christopher Alden, and presented complete in an intimate new chamber arrangement, Bard's new production is the only one of Bernstein's theatrical works to be staged in the New York area during the centenary year. Alden's psychologically gripping treatment reveals the childhood fantasy's darker side, combining new choreography from Jack Ferver, with Bernstein's joyous, shimmering score. By turns whimsical and sinister, the production's cast is led by William Michals as Captain Hook, Peter Smith as Peter Pan, Erin Markey, as Wendy, and Ferver as Tinker Bell.
Chaos reigns supreme in this hilarious reinvention of the classic American family drama. When Isaac returns home from Afghanistan to help take care of his ailing father, he discovers a household in revolt. His mother, Paige, has been liberated from an oppressive marriage, and with the help of her newly "out" transgender teen is passionately dismantling the patriarchy. But in Taylor Mac's shocking and subversive comedy, even the most radical changes can't always free you from the past.
Composer Thea Musgrave is celebrating these days. It's not just that she's marking her 90th birthday on May 27 with a concert in New York, but that the concert is showcasing a gaggle of world premieres, US premieres and NY premieres (along with more familiar works), which highlight her rich musical vocabulary and keen sense of drama.
Vencl Dance returns to Graham Center of Contemporary Dance June 21-23 with 'Critical Junctures,' an evening of contemporary modern dance by Susan Vencl with music by Arlene Sierra. The concert premiers 'Intersections,' a 35 minute sextet, and presents a 33 minute reconstruction of Vencl's 2016 meditation on randomness and unpredictability, 'Long Before Afterward.'
David Zinn has won the 2018 Tony Award for Best Scenic Design of a Musical for SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: THE MUSICAL.
Long Beach Opera honors the man named by Opera News as "one of the 25 people that will be a major force in the field of opera in the coming decade" with The Best of 20, a celebration of Artistic and General Director Andreas Mitisek's 20 years with Long Beach Opera.
New York City Center is sure to be a singular sensation this fall!
On Day 4 of 30 Days of Tony, we celebrate a Best Direction of a Musical nominee, My Fair Lady director, Bartlett Sher!
Grand Band, a New York-based "supergroup" (New York Times) formed by pianists Erika Dohi, David Friend, Paul Kerekes, Blair McMillen, Lisa Moore and Isabelle O'Connell, makes its Midwest debut at the Ordway Concert Hall today, May 16. Their performance features the world premiere of Three Fragile Systems by Missy Mazzoli alongside music by Julius Eastman, Michael Gordon, Paul Kerekes and Kate Moore.
