New York Musical Theatre Festival News

Actor's Express stages Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks' Father Comes Home from the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) May 13-June 11, 2017.

With tech week taking up virtually every moment of their lives this week, the talented foursome - and their equally impressive co-director - found time to answer our Friday 5 (+1) questions to offer some insight into what makes them tick, what the creative process is like for each of them and to explain why you should come see their show.

Hot on the heels of the TBA Recommended One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Los Altos Stage Company brings the 2016-2017 season to a close with a celebration of artistic collaboration when it presents the Tony-nominated musical, [title of show]. [title of show] open May 25 and runs through June 24, 2017.  

To anyone who has ever had a dream and dared to try and make that dream a reality, no matter what the obstacle, the Roxy Regional Theatre has just the show for you.  Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell's unique, unusually named hit musical comedy [title of show] comes to the corner of Franklin and First in Historic Downtown Clarksville, April 28 - May 13.

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the final mainstage production it its 2016 - 2017 season Marry Me a Little starring Austin Cook and Bethany Thomas, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and originally conceived by Craig Lucas and Norman Rene, with direction by Jess McLeod and music direction by Porchlight Artistic Associate Cook. Previews are Friday, April 14 at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 15 at 8 p.m., Sunday, April 16 at 2 p.m. and Monday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. Opening night is Tuesday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. with an added matinee performance Thursday, May 11 at 1:30 p.m. NOTE There are no 7:30 p.m. performances Thursday, April 20 and  May 11 and no 4 p.m. performance  Saturday, April 22. Tickets to Marry Me a Little are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Stage 773 box office, 773.327.5252. 

 Tony Award-winning producer Margot Astrachan (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder) is joined by a panel of musical theatre industry veterans on Wednesday, April 19 at 7pm for an insightful discussion about how musicals come together.  Topics will include moving a work from concept to full production, and how musicals are selected for prestigious showcases like the New York Musical Festival.

Tony Award-winning producer Margot Astrachan (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder) is joined by a panel of musical theatre industry veterans on Wednesday, April 19 at 7pm for an insightful discussion about how musicals come together.

Princess Cruises and Oscar, Grammy and Tony award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin, Godspell) today announced the creative team for the third show in its exclusive partnership, The Silk Crane. 

Naomi Wallace's searing psychological drama The War Boys, directed by James Will McBride, is entering its final two weeks at Access Theater (380 Broadway, NYC). Performances continue through April 16, 2017.

The Yale Institute for Music Theatre announces the two original book musicals which have been selected for this year's two-week summer lab: COWBOY BOB, created by Molly Beach Murphy, Jeanna Phillips, and Annie Tippe, book by Molly Beach Murphy, music and lyrics by Jeanna Phillips; and GUMBO, music by Brett Macias and book and lyrics by Christina Quintana.

Royal Family Production (RFP) will present a benefit workshop presentation of the new musical Brass Heart by RFP associate artistic director Jessica Wu. The musical will be directed by Chris Henry with choreography by Lorna Ventura and will take place on Sunday, April 2nd with a special pre-show cocktail reception ($250, reception begins at 5pm) and Monday, April 3rdat 12:30pm. Royal Family Performing Arts Space is located at 145 West 46th Street, 3rd Floor. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.RoyalFamilyProductions.org.

Broadway and popular music stars come together for a special performance of protest songs and political satire, Songs of Protest, on Wednesday, March 29th at 9:30 PM at Feinstein's/54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit the National Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

11th Hour Theatre Company is closing its first Spotlight Series with a bang! The Spotlight Series will host an appearance by the wildly popular Martha Graham Cracker Cabaret. Martha Graham Cracker Sings Musicals will close the series Monday, April 2 at 7 p.m. All shows are upstairs at World Cafe Live Philadelphia, 3025 Walnut Street. Tickets cost $40 and are available online at www.11thhourtheatrecompany.org or by phone 267-987-9865.

On March 13, Vineyard Theatre's 2017 Gala Fundraiser celebrated the 10th anniversary of Vineyard Theatre's hit musical [title of show] with Hunter Bell, Jeff Bowen, Susan Blackwell, Heidi Blickenstaff, and a toast to Broadway producer Kevin McCollum.

On March 13, Vineyard Theatre's 2017 Gala Fundraiser celebrated the 10th anniversary of Vineyard Theatre's hit musical [title of show] with Hunter Bell, Jeff Bowen, Susan Blackwell, Heidi Blickenstaff, and a toast to Broadway producer Kevin McCollum. Michael Berresse directed the gala show. Larry Pressgrove was the music director.

Jennifer Diamond is set to make her Joe's Pub solo debut on March 27th, at 9:30 P.M. After selling out at FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, with her debut act, IT MY FIRST TIME: PLEASE BE GENTLE, she's bringing it to the LES's music hot-spot with IT'S MY FIRST TIME: DOWNTOWN EDITION. Both were directed by longtime pal Richard Jay-Alexander. They first worked together on LES MISERABLES and a number of benefits, and Jay-Alexander found her uniquely talented and versatile enough to put a special spin on a debut act for her, visiting her arrival into the business, her story as an up-and-coming actress and all the good and bad (and bad) that goes with it. New material has been added and, of course, new stories continue in the saga of "Girl comes to New York to Take Broadway By Storm."

Theatre Calgary's Board of Directors have announced Stafford Arima as the new Artistic Director of Theatre Calgary. Mr. Arima becomes the 12th Artistic Director in the theatre's 49-year history.

Amity Dry has done it again with 39 Forever.

Gabi Does Gasparini is a collaboration between awarded contemporary musical theatre composer Drew Gasparini and powerhouse performer Gabi Garcia. The evening will be presented at The Green Room 42 on April 10, and will feature brand new music from Gasparini and special guest performers. Doors open at 6:30pm for dinner and cocktails. Show starts at 8:00pm. The Green Room 42 is located at 570 Tenth Ave, 4th Floor.

The Huntington Theatre Company presents the explosive Pulitzer Prize winner Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Tony, Grammy, and Drama Desk Award winner Billy Porter (The Colored Museum at the Huntington and Lola in Kinky Boots on Broadway). Performances run March 10 - April 9, 2017 at the Avenue of the Arts / BU Theatre.