Peter Charney News

Casting has been announced for ASCAP Award-winning writer/director Chip Deffaaa€s next musical production, a€oeMad About the Boy,a€ which is set to open April 12th at the 13th Street Repertory Theater, 50 W. 13th Street.

The 13th Street Repertory Theater will present an 'Irving Berlin Teach-In,' immediately following the Sunday (November 23rd) matinee performance of Chip Deffaa's 'The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue.' The 'Ragtime Revue,' which has been selling out at the theater, will begin at 3 pm. The teach-in is expected to begin at 4:30 pm. Michael Townsend Wright, who previously co-starred at the theater with Giuseppe Bausilio in 'Irving Berlin's America' (as seen in the photo) will be one of the special guests at the teach-in, singing a rare Berlin ballad as well as sharing recollections and insights. (Wright may also be heard on the cast album for 'Irving Berlin's America,' which includes some never-before-recorded material.) Surprise guests with ties to Berlin and his world will be joining Wright, the cast of 'The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue,' pianist Richard Danley, and playwright Chip Deffaa in the teach-in.

ASCAP Award-winning writer/director Chip Deffaa's 'The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue'-currently playing at the 13th Street Theater in repertory with Deffaa's long-running 'One Night with Fanny Brice'--is to receive a cast recording. The cast album will feature all of the singing actors currently appearing in the show: Rayna Hirt, Ken Adams, Michael Cyzz, Maite Uzal, Michael Kasper, Jonah Barricklo, Emily Bordonaro, Missy Dreier, K.W. Andersson; Andrew Lanctot, Ann Marie Calabro, Brandon Pollinger, and Timmy Thompson, with musical direction by Richard Danley. Deffaa will produce the album; Slau Halatyn will be the recording engineer; with production to begin later this month at Be-Sharp Studios in Astoria. The album will be released in the United States on the Original Cast Records label. It will be the sixth show of Deffaa's to get a cast album.

Award-winning cabaret, theater, and concert star Carolyn Montgomery-Forant will be a special guest at select performances of 'The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue' at the 13th Street Repertory Theater (50 W. 13th Street, NYC). Montgomery-Forant-who has won the MAC Award, the Bistro Award, and the New York Nightlife Award--will take time out from her own concert schedule to make guest appearances in the revue at the following performances: Sunday, November 16th at 3 pm and 7 pm, and Sunday November 23rd at 3 p.m.

ASCAP Award-winning writer/director Chip Deffaa will be joined by special guests, including noted showbiz biographer Herb Goldman, writer/entertainer Brian Gari, and actor Michael Townsend Wright, for special audience 'talkback' sessions, following select performances of Deffaa's shows 'One Night with Fanny Brice' and 'The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue,' which are playing in repertory this fall at the 13th Street Theater (50 W. 13th Street, NYC).

When ASCAP Award-winning writer/director Chip Deffaa's "The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue" opens November 9th at the 13th Street Repertory Theater (50 W. 13th Street, NYC), it will include some Berlin rarities and rediscoveries unheard in a century, including some never-recorded Berlin numbers.

Audiences attending the musical comedy 'Theater Boys' at the 13th Street Repertory Theater might notice a camera or two--or three!--filming this week. Brian Gari is shooting an archival video of the entire two-hour show; Sam Donnenberg continues on-location shooting for his documentary about the making of the show, 'For the Theater'; and award-winning independent filmmaker Max Galassi, from Newtown, Connecticut, will be shooting a short film in connection with the show.

When ASCAP Award-winning playwright/director Chip Deffaa's 'The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue' has its world premiere at the 13th Street Repertory Theater on November 9th, it will be the second new show about Berlin to play the theater this year.

Most playwrights would be happy to have one script of theirs produced in New York in a year. "Theater Boys"--which opens tomorrow, September 21st at the 13th Street Repertory Theater--is the third show by ASCAP award-winning writer/director Chip Deffaa to open this year.

The 13th Street Repertory Theater will offer talkbacks--in which audience members can ask any questions they like of the actors, playwright, and choreographers-after select performances of ASCAP award-winner Chip Deffaa's new musical comedy, "Theater Boys." The show-about actors auditioning for a gay musical--opens Sunday, September 21st. Talkbacks will held after the following performances: Sunday, September 21st at 3 p.m; Thursday, September 25th at 7 pm; Sunday, September 28th at 3 p.m.; Thursday, October 2nd at 7 pm; Sunday, October 5th at 3 p.m.; Thursday, Oct 9th at 7 pm; Sunday, October 12th at 3 p.m; Thursday October 16th at 7 p.m.; Thursday, October 23rd at 7 pm; Sunday, October 26th at 3 pm.

It's the biggest, most ambitious undertaking in years for the historic 13th Street Repertory Theater, at 50 West 13th Street, NYC. On September 21st, they'll be launching ASCAP award-winner Chip Deffaa's new musical comedy "Theater Boys"-and also, during the run, the cast album for the show.

Casting has just been announced for the 13th Street Rep's forthcoming production of ASCAP Award-winning playwright/director Chip Deffaa's new show "The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue." The show, which opens November 9th, will be the third production of Deffaa's to play this year at the 13th Street Theater (50 W. 13th Street, NYC, www.13thstreetrep.org); the others are Deffaa's "One Night with Fanny Brice" and "Theater Boys," playing in repertory at the theater this fall.

Casting has just been announced for the 13th Street Rep's forthcoming production of ASCAP Award-winning playwright/director Chip Deffaa's new show "The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue." The show, which opens November 9th, will be the third production of Deffaa's to play this year at the 13th Street Theater.

Casting has just been announced for the 13th Street Rep's production of ASCAP Award-winning playwright Chip Deffaa's new musical comedy 'Theater Boys.' The show, which opens September 21st, will run in repertory this fall at the 13th Street Repertory Theater (50 W. 13th Street, NYC,,www.13thstreetrep.org), along with Deffaa's musical play 'One Night with Fanny Brice' (starring Chloe Brooks), and Israel Horovotz's 'Line' (now in its 40th year at the theater), which is New York's longest-running production. A cast album for 'Theater Boys'--now in the works--will be released in October. And the Rep, according to founder/artistic director Edith O'Hara, has plans to present two additional shows by Deffaa, following 'Theater Boys.'

Casting has just been announced for the 13th Street Rep's production of ASCAP Award-winning playwright Chip Deffaa's new musical comedy 'Theater Boys.' The show, which opens September 21st, will run in repertory this Fall at the 13th Street Theater

The 13th Street Repertory Theater will offer audience talkbacks after the following performances of Chip Deffaa's new musical play 'Irving Berlin's America': Sunday, June 22nd at 8 p.m.; Thursday, June 26th at 8 p.m.; Sunday, June 29th at 8 p.m.; Monday, June 30th at 8 p.m.; Sunday, July 6th at 8 p.m.; and Thursday, July 10th at 8 p.m.

ASCAP award-winning writer Chip Deffaa, joined by director Rachel Hundert and star Chloe Brooks, will give a talkback on the legendary Fanny Brice, after Monday's performance of Deffaa's show, 'One Night with Fanny Brice,' at the 13th Street Repertory Company (50 W. 13th St., NYC, www.13thStreetRep.org).

The most popular single songwriter in history, Irving Berlin wrote more hits-and made more money-than any of his competitors. But no one has told Berlin's life story. Until now! ASCAP award-winning writer Chip Deffaa-who wrote and directed such Off-Broadway successes as 'George M. Cohan Tonight!' and 'One Night with Fanny Brice'-has now dramatized the life of Irving Berlin. His musical play, 'Irving Berlin's America'--co-starring stage/screen veteran Michael Townsend Wright and young Giuseppe Bausilio from Broadway's 'Billy Elliot' and 'Newsies'--opens June 15th at the 13th Street Repertory Theater. The premiere recording (Original Cast Records) has recently been released to enthusiastic reviews.

"One Night with Fanny Brice," which opened Off-Broadway at St. Luke's Theater on 46th Street in 2011 and moved to the 13th Street Theater (50 W. 13th St., New York City) in 2013, will go on summer hiatus following the Monday, June 9th performance. The show will resume performances at the 13th Street Theater in September. This summer, the show will play at the Open Eye Theater (Amie Brockway, Artistic Director) in the Catskills. The show is published/licensed by Leicester Bay Theatricals. The Off-Broadway cast album, released by Original Cast Records, is available from Amazon, CDBaby, iTunes, etc.

The most popular single songwriter in history, Irving Berlin wrote more hits-and made more money-than any of his competitors. But no one has told Berlin's life story. Until now! ASCAP award-winning writer Chip Deffaa-who wrote and directed such Off-Broadway successes as 'George M. Cohan Tonight!' and 'One Night with Fanny Brice'-has now dramatized the life of Irving Berlin. His musical play, 'Irving Berlin's America'--co-starring stage/screen veteran Michael Townsend Wright and young Giuseppe Bausilio from Broadway's 'Billy Elliot' and 'Newsies'--opens June 15th at the 13th Street Repertory Theater.