Peter James Zielinski News

Due to popular demand and critical acclaim, WANDA'S MONSTER A Family Musical will receive a commercial Off-Broadway engagement beginning tonight, July 13 and running through September 8 at The Vineyard's Dimson Theatre (108 East 15th Street), it has been announced by Barbara Zinn Krieger, Artistic Director of Making Books Sing, the non-profit and theatre company that commissioned the musical and presented it to critical acclaim and sold-out houses earlier this season.

The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center proudly presents rock/funk/R & B legend Nona Hendryx, the two-fisted, avant-garde alumnus of the groundbreaking vocal group Labelle ('Lady Marmalade'), in a high-energy, multi-media-techno mix of new works as well as her classic material ('Busting Out,' 'Why Should I Cry?'). Hendryx's performance incorporates cutting-edge music technology, including a Plexiglas tutu with built-in speakers, wireless remote-controlled visuals, and the wired-up ability to manipulate digital instruments. With powerfully principled lyrics wrapped in funky grooves, soulful vocals, and driving, rock-charged rhythms, Hendryx is once again discovering new artistic territory and ushering in the future.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) began earlier this week on July 8th and will continue through July 28th. An additional slate of special events, free events, staged readings and several educational panel discussions will be announced shortly. Below, check out a roundup of photos of this year's casts!

Mint Theater today announced the cast for their next production, Philip Goes Forth by George Kelly. Jerry Ruiz (Love Goes to Press, Basilica) directs a cast that includes Cliff Bemis, Teddy Bergman, Bernardo Cubria, Jennifer Harmon, Carole Healey, Christine Toy Johnson, Natalie Kuhn, Brian MacDonald, Jennifer McVey and Rachel Moulton. Philip Goes Forth will have scenic design by Steven C. Kemp, costume design by Carisa Kelly, lighting design by Christian DeAngelis, and sound design by Toby Algya. Performances begin on August 24th and continue through October 20th. Opening Night is set for September 16th at Mint's home (311 West 43rd Street).

The 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival and Angel Wings NYC present the New York premiere of THE AWAKENING OF ANGEL DELUNA, an original new musical set against the backdrop of a Depression era family circus. THE AWAKENING OF ANGEL DELUNA is an official selection of the 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival and will play The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street) in Manhattan beginning July 12th, 2013 for 5 performances only. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the show in rehearsal!

Due to popular demand and critical acclaim, WANDA'S MONSTER A Family Musical will receive a commercial Off-Broadway engagement beginning July 13 and running through September 8 at The Vineyard's Dimson Theatre (108 East 15th Street), it has been announced by Barbara Zinn Krieger, Artistic Director of Making Books Sing, the non-profit and theatre company that commissioned the musical and presented it to critical acclaim and sold-out houses earlier this season. The official press re-opening night of WANDA'S MONSTER A Family Musical is Sunday July 21, 2013, and is presented Off-Broadway by Making Books Sing and Jamie Cesa.

Chicago Magazine's 'Funniest Man in Chicago,' Nick Vatterott, will visit Comix at Foxwoods for the first time for four shows Thursday, Aug. 1 to Saturday, Aug. 3. Vatterott will take the stage at 8 p.m. nightly for his first three performances, before wrapping up the weekend with a 'nasty'-themed appearance for his final outrageous performance on Aug. 3 at 10:30 p.m.

The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center proudly presents rock/funk/R & B legend Nona Hendryx, the two-fisted, avant-garde alumnus of the groundbreaking vocal group Labelle ('Lady Marmalade'), in a high-energy, multi-media-techno mix of new works as well as her classic material ('Busting Out,' 'Why Should I Cry?'). Hendryx's performance incorporates cutting-edge music technology, including a Plexiglas tutu with built-in speakers, wireless remote-controlled visuals, and the wired-up ability to manipulate digital instruments. With powerfully principled lyrics wrapped in funky grooves, soulful vocals, and driving, rock-charged rhythms, Hendryx is once again discovering new artistic territory and ushering in the future.

Playwright/Actor Lori Fischer's latest work, The Memory of Damage, will have a private industry reading today, June 7, 2013 at 3pm at The Goldberg Theatre at N.Y.U. (721 Broadway, 7th Floor). Alexander Gemignani (John Doyle's Sweeney Todd, Les Miserables), Jeffry Denman (White Christmas, John Doyle's Passion), and Michael Countryman (Wit) star. Gabriel Barre (Amazing Grace, Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party) directs.

Playwright/Actor Lori Fischer's latest work, The Memory of Damage, will have a private industry reading on Friday, June 7, 2013 at 3pm at The Goldberg Theatre at N.Y.U. (721 Broadway, 7th Floor). Alexander Gemignani (John Doyle's Sweeney Todd, Les Miserables), Jeffry Denman (White Christmas, John Doyle's Passion), and Michael Countryman (Wit) star. Gabriel Barre (Amazing Grace, Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party) directs.

The Onomatopoeia Theatre Company (OTC), under the artistic direction of Thomas R. Gordon, kicks off its 2nd season ("a season focused on dreams") with Shakespeare's classic bloody tale - MACBETH, previews began April 25 prior to an official press opening of Sunday, April 28 at the Gene Frankel Theatre (24 Bond Street) in Manhattan. MACBETH will run through May 5th, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below!

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University has announced that three-time Emmy Award-winning actor Bryan Cranston will play the lead role of Lyndon Baines Johnson in Robert Schenkkan's new play All The Way opening the A.R.T.'s 2013-14 Season at the Loeb Drama Center. The production, directed by Bill Rauch, will begin performances on September 13, 2013.

According to the Daily Mail, Andrew Lloyd Webber's new musical STEPHEN WARD is still searching for a West End venue, with hopes to begin rehearsals in October in time for November previews. Lloyd Webber is looking for a mid-sized theatre; if the right one is not booked soon, the musical will be pushed back until late spring or early summer 2014.

At an upfront presentation held this morning at New York City's Sony Club, GSN announced plans to greenlight two new series and unveiled an impressive development slate representing GSN's ongoing commitment to originals.

TVLine reports Marilu Henner is set to guest star on the Season 10 finale of CBS's TWO AND A HALF MEN.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber is nearly finished with his work on a musical based on the events surrounding the 1963 Profumo Affair, and we revealed back in December that the project will reunite him with lyricist Don Black and playwright Christopher Hampton - the team behind SUNSET BOULEVARD, which debuted in the West End in 1993 and later won seven 1995 Tony Awards including Best Musical.

Strange Sun Theater - under the direction of co-Artistic Directors Jessica Bashline and Evan Mueller - will present as its inaugural production the US premiere of the multi-award winning play THE DROWNING GIRLS by Beth Graham, Daniela Vlaskalic & Charlie Tomlinson, with preview performances beginning March 15 prior to an official press opening of March 18 at Walkerspace (46 Walker Street) in Manhattan. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

Faux-Real's new take on an ancient play, Sophocles' tragedy 'Oedipus the King' translated by Robert Fagles, directed by Mark Greenfield (Artistic Director, The Faux-Real Theatre Company). BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production photos below.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced today that it will continue its collaboration with Dallas Theater Center to co-produce the new musical THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE in 2014. Following the success of the musical Giant, THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, based upon the bestselling novel by Jonathan Lethem, will premiere at Dallas Theater Center in March and continue in New York as part of The Public's 2014-15 Season at Astor Place.

Academy Award winner Jane Fonda will join Jennifer Garner, Kristen Stewart and Kerry Washington to present on the Oscar telecast, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today.