Peter Cor News

The Music City Irish Fest presents, direct from a sold-out run in New York, the BroadwayWorld.com Winner Best New Play of 2016:  THE FINAL DAYS OF WOLFE TONE.   Ciaran Sheehan (star of Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables) leads a cast of Broadway veterans in a brilliant new play that chronicles the finals days of "the George Washington of Ireland," who led the Irish Rebellion of 1798 against the British.

Votes are cast; polls are closed; and results have been tabulated! This was our biggest year yet! After a record number of voters in more than 75 regions worldwide, BroadwayWorld is very excited to announce the 2016 Rockland/Westchester winners! Thanks to all who voted, and huge congratulations to all the winners!

There was a buzz of excitement in theatres across the country on Wednesday, January 4, as Broadway World Regional Managing Editor Christina Mancuso announced each region's winners in the 2016 Broadway World Audience Choice Awards. Here in Maine within seconds of the postings, congratulations and comments poured in on social media and websites. Hoping to get a measure of the reaction, we contacted all the winners and took a sampling of responses to share with everyone.

Ring in 2017 in 1904 Dublin! Irish Repertory Theatre and Dot Dot Productions, in association with The American Irish Historical Society, have announced a special New Year's Eve celebration following the 8:30pm performance of The Dead, 1904.

Irish Repertory Theatre and Dot Dot Productions, in association with The American Irish Historical Society, present the world premiere of THE DEAD, 1904 - an immersive adaptation of James Joyce's classic story, 'The Dead,' adapted by the Pulitzer Prize winning Irish poet Paul Muldoon (Moy Sand and Gravel) and novelist Jean Hanff Korelitz (Admission, You Should Have Known).

Ring in 2017 in 1904 Dublin! Irish Repertory Theatre and Dot Dot Productions, in association with The American Irish Historical Society, have announced a special New Year's Eve celebration following the 8:30pm performance of The Dead, 1904.

Having had the privilege to serve as Broadway World's Maine Editor for more than three years now, I can say with pride that the state, though remote as it may seem from the epicenter of the theatre world, Broadway, is blessed to be home to so many thriving theatre companies who produce exciting, vibrant seasons. As I compiled my list for 2016 with many familiar names, I was also struck by the extraordinary consistency of excellence these companies maintain. Here are my personal choices of the best in Maine, grouped by theatre and show.

Irish Repertory Theatre and Dot Dot Productions, in association with The American Irish Historical Society, have announced full casting for the world premiere of THE DEAD, 1904 - an immersive adaptation of James Joyce's classic story, 'The Dead,' adapted by the Pulitzer Prize winning Irish poet Paul Muldoon (Moy Sand and Gravel) and novelist Jean Hanff Korelitz (Admission, You Should Have Known).

Irish Repertory Theatre and Dot Dot Productions, in association with The American Irish Historical Society, have announced the world premiere of THE DEAD, 1904 - an immersive adaptation of James Joyce's classic story, 'The Dead,' adapted by the Pulitzer Prize winning Irish poet Paul Muldoon (Moy Sand and Gravel) and novelist Jean Hanff Korelitz (Admission, You Should Have Known).

Irish Repertory Theatre and Dot Dot Productions, in association with The American Irish Historical Society, have announced that a limited number of $19.04 tickets to The Dead, 1904 will be available exclusively via the TodayTix mobile lottery.

Irish Repertory Theatre and Dot Dot Productions, in association with The American Irish Historical Society, have announced full casting for the world premiere of THE DEAD, 1904 - an immersive adaptation of James Joyce's classic story, 'The Dead,' adapted by the Pulitzer Prize winning Irish poet Paul Muldoon (Moy Sand and Gravel) and novelist Jean Hanff Korelitz (Admission, You Should Have Known).

'We are the storytellers; we are the musicmakers; we are the dreamers of dreams.' With these words the cast of Frank McCourt's The Irish and How They Got That Way brings to a close a spellbinding evening of story and song that has the audience clapping, foot-tapping, weeping, and laughing in one of the most vibrant theatrical experiences in recent memory. The co-production of Pulitzer Prize winning author Frank McCourt's 1997 play with music marks a stunningly successful collaboration between Maine State Music Theatre and Portland Stage and promises to be a major hit for its brief four-week engagement. McCourt's one-hundred-minute drama tells the story of several centuries of the Irish experience on both sides of the Atlantic. No mere history lesson, however, as much knowledge as the play does impart, rather The Irish is a poetic, saucy, irreverent, and exquisitely beautiful tapestry of music, language, narrative, peopled with colorful characters and showcased in compelling song and dance.

Two of Maine's most revered cultural institutions, Portland Stage in Portland and Maine State Music Theatre (MSMT) in Brunswick, are pleased to announce their co-production of Frank McCourt's THE IRISH... AND HOW THEY GOT THAT WAY.  BroadwayWorld brings you a first look below!

'There are two kinds of people in the world, as ye very well know,' Peter Cormican asserts in a lilting accent, 'those that are Irish and those that want to be.' The English-born actor, son Irish parents - a Protestant mother from Belfast and a Catholic father from Galway - is currently in Maine to make his Maine State Music Theatre/Portland Stage debut in Frank McCourt's play The Irish and How They Got That Way, directed by Marc Robin, which opens in Portland August 19th. The production, a bold new collaboration between two of Maine leading Equity companies, marks an exciting new chapter for both theatres and promises to be one of the season's biggest hits, as it has been in every town its played. Cormican is joined in our conversation by two of the other four principals from the a small cast that also stars Curt Dale Clark [see BWW interview 5/24/16], Charis Leos and Cary Michele Miller, (and features Cameron Wright and Emily Davis, Ernest Sauceda (fiddler) and two other musicians). Both Leos and Miller are MSMT veterans, but new to McCourt's play. 'This is my debut at Portland Stage,' Miller says with anticipation. 'I always look forward to working with Curt and Charis and Marc, and I am enjoying getting to know Peter. And I am always excited to learn new material and new music.'

Two of Maine's most revered cultural institutions, Portland Stage in Portland and Maine State Music Theatre (MSMT) in Brunswick, are pleased to announce their co-production of Frank McCourt's THE IRISH... AND HOW THEY GOT THAT WAY.

Robert Cuccioli and Glory Crampton reunited at a special gathering for the official release of the new cast recording of the York Theatre Company production of Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick, and Sherman Yellen's musical Rothschild & Sons last night, July 25, at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). The event featured appearances by cast members Mr. Cuccioli and Ms. Crampton, along with Sheldon Harnick, Sherman Yellen, Jeffrey B. Moss, and James Morgan, York's Producing Artistic Director. BroadwayWorld has photos from the celebration below!

Robert Cuccioli and Glory Crampton will reunite at a special gathering for the official release of the new cast recording of the York Theatre Company production of Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick, and Sherman Yellen's musical Rothschild & Sons on Monday, July 25 at 6:00pm at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).

After a completely sold-out run in February, the popular improvisers behind Clued-In: An Improvised Murder Mystery has been invited back to The Beat Lounge in the Second City Training Center for an open run starting Saturday, May 14. The Beat Lounge is one of Second City's newest performance spaces, and will be a place for young talent to create humorous productions that are experimental, innovative and hilarious. One such show is an improv performance that is so challenging...it's murder. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

'We are all Irish. Everyone loves the free, spirited, easy come-easy go air of the Irish, and this show makes everyone want to be Irish all the time - not just on St. Patrick's Day.' There is a twinkle in his eye, as Maine State Music Theatre's Artistic Director, Curt Dale Clark, utters those words. Immediately his sentiments are seconded by the show's director/choreographer, Marc Robin, and Portland Stage's Artistic Director, Anita Stewart, all three of whom will be joining forces to create Frank McCourt's play with music, The Irish and How They Got That Way, from August 16- September 4, 2016, at Portland Stage.

After a completely sold-out run in February, the popular improvisers behind CLUED-IN: AN IMPROVISED MURDER MYSTERY has been invited back to The Beat Lounge in the Second City Training Center for an open run starting tonight, May 14. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in character below!