Pat McRoberts News

ZACH Theatre will present Austin's first professional theatre staging of international musical theatre sensation LES MISERABLES as the opening production of the 2013-14 season, the second season in the new Topfer Theatre, tonight, Sept. 25. The world's longest running musical, LES MISERABLES has been seen by more than 65 million people in 42 countries.

ZACH Theatre will present Austin's first professional theatre staging of international musical theatre sensation LES MISERABLES as the opening production of the 2013-14 season, the second season in the new Topfer Theatre, Sept. 25. The world's longest running musical, LES MISERABLES has been seen by more than 65 million people in 42 countries.

The big buzz this summer has been about Barter Theatre's production of LES MISERABLES. Now, the already epic show will grow to larger-than-life proportions when Barter artists join The Symphony of the Mountains on one stage for two nights only. The Barter/Symphony collaboration will take place at the Toy F. Reid Eastman Employee Center in Kingsport, TN, tonight and tomorrow, August 16 and 17 at 7:30pm. This is a very rare chance to hear all the gorgeous and powerful songs of 'Les Mis' backed by a full, professional orchestra.

BroadwayWorld collected as many of yesterday's evening Saturday Intermission Pics as we could to bring you Part 2 of our August 3rd SIP round-up. Yesterday's photos include the cast of Ogunquit Playhouse's JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, featuring Clay Aiken as Joseph, LES MISERABLES at Surflight Theatre, MATILDA, CINDERELLA, MARY STUART at Stratford Festival and lots of regional shows!

Yesterday evening's photos featured a slew of regional productions, including Weekend Theatre's SPAMALOT, Barter Theatre's LES MISERABLES, Broadway Palm's SHREK, Stratford Festival's TOMMY, LEGALLY BLONDE and many more!

The big buzz this summer has been about Barter Theatre's production of LES MISERABLES. Now, the already epic show will grow to larger-than-life proportions when Barter artists join The Symphony of the Mountains on one stage for two nights only. The Barter/Symphony collaboration will take place at the Toy F. Reid Eastman Employee Center in Kingsport, TN, on August 16 and 17 at 7:30pm. This is a very rare chance to hear all the gorgeous and powerful songs of 'Les Mis' backed by a full, professional orchestra. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

BroadwayWorld collected as many of yesterday's evening Saturday Intermission Pics as we could to bring you Part 2 of our July 6th SIP round-up. Yesterday evening's photos featured Julia Murney paying a visit to Dollywood, SIPs from Broadway's NEWSIES and CINDERELLA, Stratford Festival's FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and TOMMY, MAHAL in Chicago and lots of regional shows!

It's Saturday, and that means it's time for BroadwayWorld's 'Saturday Intermission Pics' round-up. Today's photos feature NYC Pride-inspired pics from MATILDA, THE NANCE, THE FANTASTICKS, and Stratford Festival's FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, plus images from THE BOOK OF MORMON, KINKY BOOTS, TOP HAT, and lots of regional shows!

BroadwayWorld collected as many of yesterday's evening Saturday Intermission Pics as we could to bring you Part 2 of our June 22nd SIP round-up. Yesterday evening's photos featured a last SIP from THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE off-Broadway, starring Elizabeth A. Davis and Christopher Lloyd, plus shots from ANN's Holland Taylor, TOMMY at Stratford Festival, CINDERELLA, MATILDA, PETER AND THE STARCATCHER, KINKY BOOTS, THE BOOK OF MORMON, THE WIZARD OF OZ in Toronto, PHANTOM at Pittsburgh CLO, JERSEY BOYS, BILLY ELLIOT, THE LION KING and more!

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today updated casting for the 24th Annual Festival of New Musicals and for the Songwriters Showcase that Tony nominee Nancy Opel and Tony winner and NAMT alum Joe DiPietro (O. Henry's Lovers '98) will host as part of the Festival on Friday, October 12 from 1:20-2:30pm at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

Westchester Broadway Theatre presents HAIRSPRAY now through June 3, starring Erin McCracken as the unstoppable Tracy and Tad Wilson, donning his heels to play Edna Turnblad. Bruce Rebold is appearing as Wilbur, Kara Dombrowski as Amber, Ann Van Cleave as scheming villain, Velma Von Tussle, Pat McRoberts as Corny Collins, Stacie Gogo as Penny, Tripp Hampton as Link, Inga Ballard as Motormouth, Elgin Giles as Seaweed, and Sydni Beaudoin as Little Inez. Watch a video of highlights from the show below!

Based on the film written and directed by John Waters, Hairspray takes place in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, where the '50s are out and change is in the air. Loveable, plump teenager, Tracy Turnblad's dream is to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program. But how can she hold her own with the cool, sleek girls on Corny's show?

Based on the film written and directed by John Waters, Hairspray is described as 'a musically rockin' story which takes place in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, where the '50s are out and change is in the air.'

Based on the film written and directed by John Waters, Hairspray is described as 'a musically rockin' story which takes place in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, where the '50s are out and change is in the air.'

Based on the film written and directed by John Waters, Hairspray is a musically rockin' story which takes place in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, where the '50s are out and change is in the air. Loveable, plump teenager, Tracy Turnblad's dream is to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program.

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) welcomes Project Y Theatre Company with the world premiere of the anti-musical LOVESICK or THINGS THAT DON'T HAPPEN, written by Lia Romeo, with music and lyrics by Tony Biancosino, musical direction by Jon Spurney, and conceived and directed by Michole Biancosino.

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) welcomes Project Y Theatre Company with the world premiere of the anti-musical LOVESICK or THINGS THAT DON'T HAPPEN, written by Lia Romeo, with music and lyrics by Tony Biancosino, musical direction by Jon Spurney, and conceived and directed by Michole Biancosino.

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) welcomes Project Y Theatre Company with the world premiere of the anti-musical LOVESICK or THINGS THAT DON'T HAPPEN, written by Lia Romeo, with music and lyrics by Tony Biancosino, musical direction by Jon Spurney, and conceived and directed by Michole Biancosino.

There have been several musical plays based on Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. The first and biggest hit was Lionel Bart's Oliver, which went on to a major film in 1968 and a multitude of Oscars. There has been a gay version as well, also titled Twist, that was nominated for Critics' prizes in New York, and now there's the interracially cast adaptation Twist in its West Coast premiere at the Pasadena Playhouse. From top to bottom the show is slick and a triumph for director/choreographer Debbie Allen. The cast is fine-tuned, and much of the music quite memorably singable. Its only flaw, for purists like me, is in the book, which does not include the charming Fagin, whose deliciously mischievous manipulation of everybody in Oliver Twist is a major highlight.

Reworking a classic story is not a new concept in the theatre world. Just ask the creators of Wicked or West Side Story. Taking something that audiences are already familiar with and turning it on its ear can be quite a task and is not without its challenges. First, there are the constant comparisons to the source material (or previous adaptations). Next, there is the daunting task to "reinvent" the plot and bring audiences on a fresh and new journey. But with the Alliance Theatre's premiere of Twist - an American Musical (a modern, American take on Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist) they beat the odds and have created a magical tapestry of music, story and life that, even with a classic tale at its heart, feels like a something completely new.