New York Musical Theatre Festival News

Eric Anderson (Broadway's South Pacific, the US tour of Camelot) will join the previously announced cast as Dexter, along with Donna Vivino (Wicked 1st Nat. Tour, Hairspray) as Mother, Jeff Hiller (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) as Tom Wansett, and Stephen Sheffer (NYMF's Bedbugs!!!) as Chad.

Jane Austen's Emma - A Musical Romantic Comedy, with book, music and lyrics by Tony Award nominee Paul Gordon and direction by Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun, will run in the Old Globe Theatre Jan. 15 - Feb. 27. Preview performances run Jan. 15 - Jan. 22. Opening night is Jan. 23 at 7:00 p.m.

Eric Anderson (Broadway's South Pacific, the US tour of Camelot) will join the previously announced cast as Dexter, along with Donna Vivino (Wicked 1st Nat. Tour, Hairspray) as Mother, Jeff Hiller (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) as Tom Wansett, and Stephen Sheffer (NYMF's Bedbugs!!!) as Chad.

MusicalFare Theatre, Western New York's most awarded and only professional musical theatre company, presents the third production of its 2010-2011 subscription season, the Regional Premiere of [title of show].

Mauckingbird Theatre Company's fourth season kicks off with the regional premiere of [title of show], the company's first ever musical production. Hailed by The New York Times as, 'delectable entertainment … a postmodern homage to the grand tradition of backstage musicals,' the hit Broadway musical is a quirky comedy about creative expression and taking risks

On Feb. 7, 2011, Ben Crawford, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Lindsay Mendez, Krysta Rodriguez, and more lead a 17-member Broadway cast as composer-lyricist Ryan Scott Oliver releases his first published songbook at Joe's Pub. Performances are at 7pm and 9:30pm and everyone in attendance receives the collection free of charge.

Today we are talking to the composer of the Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical NEXT TO NORMAL, Tom Kitt, about his influences - from Sondheim to Schwartz to Finn to Elton John to some of his own contemporaries - and working with Green Day on AMERICAN IDIOT and his own eponymous band, to the creation of a Broadway phenomenon by tracing the path of the show from FEELING ELECTRIC to NEXT TO NORMAL - plus, the many exciting projects that he has coming up this year and beyond, including a thorough discussion of his upcoming collaboration with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Amanda Green and Jeff Whitty on BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL and the very first news of a new, original Kitt/Yorkey musical on the horizon - and much, much more.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival smash hit BEDBUGS!!! will receive a long-awaited industry reading at Pearl Studios in NYC on Monday, January 17, 2011, at 3pm and 7pm. 80s rock excess meets the creature feature in this hilarious and extremely timely hard-rocking new musical by Paul Leschen and Fred Sauter, directed by Samuel Buggeln. These readings are open to the public and will feature Celina Carvajal (B'way: Cats, Dracula, Tarzan, 42nd St; Off-B'way: Rooms, Radiant Baby, Kinky Boots workshop, upcoming Diane Paulus/System of a Down musical Prometheus Bound) as tormented exterminator Carly; Brian Charles Rooney (Roundabout's The Threepenny Opera, Yale Rep's POP!) as Canadian chanteuse Dionne Salon; and Chris Hall (Revision Theatre's Rocky Horror Show), whose NYMF performance as Bedbug rock-god Cimex acquired cult-legend status. Additional casting TBA.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) announced today that open submissions to the Next Link Project, which guarantees production slots in the 2011 Festival, have begun. The submission deadline is March 1st; those who submit materials by Tuesday, February 1st will receive a discount on the application fee. The 2011 New York Musical Theatre Festival runs September 26 - October 16, 2011.

MusicalFare Theatre, Western New York's most awarded and only professional musical theatre company, presents the 3rd production of its 2010-2011 subscription season, the Regional Premiere of [title of show].

New York University's program in vocal performance will present a workshop production of the show Fantasy Football: The Musical? at the Provincetown Playhouse, 133 MacDougal Street, March 24-27.

One of the most beloved stories of all time comes to life in White River Junction when Northern Stage, the region's professional theater, stages L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz from December 8 - January 2.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The Broady Awards Celebration at The Call, the Kennedy Center Honors broadcast, 'Spiderman' rumors, January show closings, 'Spamalot,' 'Les Miserables,' 'White Noise,' more....

Rochester Children's Theatre (RCT, www.rochesterchildrenstheatre.org) and Nazareth College Arts Center (http://artscenter.naz.edu) present the world premiere of Sweet House! Hansel and Gretel with a Bold New Flavor on December 11, 12, 18 & 19 at 2 p.m. at Nazareth College Arts Center (4245 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618).

The hit new musical that has earned internationally acclaim and inspired young audiences from New York to South Korea is making history with its world premiere in Florida.

Executive Producer Lou Spisto today announced the complete cast and creative team for Jane Austen's Emma - A Musical Romantic Comedy. The musical, with book, music and lyrics by Tony Award nominee Paul Gordon and direction by Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun, will run in the Old Globe Theatre Jan. 15 - Feb. 27. Preview performances run Jan. 15 - Jan. 22. Opening night is Jan. 23 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

On Feb. 7, 2011, composer-lyricist Ryan Scott Oliver will release his first published songbook of 20 songs from his musicals Darling, 35mm, and more.

The Gallery Players (Heather Curran, Artistic Director; Neal Freeman, Executive Director) announced today that Broadway veteran Gregory Simmons will direct August Wilson's Jitney, running March 19 - April 3, 2011 at the organization's Brooklyn home (199 14th Street, Park Slope).

The Greatest Gift, a special family holiday playreading with music, will be presented by Westport Country Playhouse in association with Bisno Productions as part of the Playhouse's popular Script in Hand series, on Monday, December 13, 7 p.m.

Rochester Children's Theatre (RCT, www.rochesterchildrenstheatre.org) and Nazareth College Arts Center (http://artscenter.naz.edu) present the world premiere of Sweet House! Hansel and Gretel with a Bold New Flavor on December 11, 12, 18 & 19 at 2 p.m. at Nazareth College Arts Center (4245 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618).