Portia News

On November 7th, The Score will produce The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown by Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk as a live concert for the next episode of the podcast recording. The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown, an original musical written by Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk (The Bad Years, Republic, Henry and Mudge), will be recorded live at Le Poisson Rouge.

Hold on to your heartstrings. Hamlet Isn't Dead's The Merchant of Venice is full of mirth, merriment, and music.

New Georges will kick off their 25th anniversary season in collaboration with The Sol Project to present the World Premiere of ALLIGATOR, written by Hilary Bettis (The Americans on FX) and directed by Elena Araoz (Dipika Guha's Mechanics of Love with To-By-For Productions; Hook & Eye's She-She in the Ice Factory Festival).

Universal Cable Productions (UCP) has announced several strategic licensing agreements for its critically-acclaimed, boundary-pushing USA Network series MR. ROBOT.

Co-Artistic Directors David Hogan & David Rogers are thrilled to announce the 2017 Season. 'Celebrate With Us' encompasses a Canadian theme as the VPP honours our country in its 150th year. When asked about the line up for the upcoming season, Hogan said 'Happy Birthday Canada - this season is dedicated to you. We wanted to give back to our great nation that has made us feel glorious and free. Everything in this season is written, composed, compiled, choreographed, directed, performed and/or put together by Canadians. We are thrilled to celebrate Canada.' Director of Cultural Services for the Town of Petrolia, Richard Poore echoed Hogan's sentiments, saying, 'I am so pleased and proud to be part of the 2017 VPP Summer Season announcement. I know our audiences will continue to be thrilled by the VPP experience.'

New York, New York: National Alliance for Musical Theatre (Betsy King Militello, Executive Director) is thrilled to announce the first round of casting for the 28th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, which takes place on Today, October 27 and Friday, October 28, 2016 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). The Festival will kick off on Wednesday, October 26 with its celebrated concert, The 46th Minute, which features songs from Festival shows you will not get to hear in the 45-minute presentation.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre presents the 28th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS. The Festival will take place tonight, October 27 and tomorrow, October 28, 2016 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues).

ABC will ring in the holidays with series and specials all season long, celebrating warmth, fun and family. From Thanksgiving through the New Year, ABC will be the place to go 'Home for the Holidays.'

The Talent Managers Association (TMA) is proud to announce this year's Lifetime Achievement honor in Management will be given to Chuck Binder, who founded Binder & Associates in 1978. The TMA recently announced the agent and casting director nominees for the 14th Annual Heller Awards, along with two other Lifetime Achievement honorees: legendary agent Jack Gilardi (ICM Partners) and casting director Craig Fincannon (Fincannon and Associates).

Co-Artistic Directors David Hogan & David Rogers are thrilled to announce the 2017 Season. 'Celebrate With Us' encompasses a Canadian theme as the VPP honours our country in its 150th year.

On November 3rd, PICT Classic Theatre will continue its 2016-2017 season at Union Project with THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, set against the backdrop of pre-World War II America.

Southwest Shakespeare Company's second offering of its 23rd Season is THE MERCHANT OF VENICE and it is, to use the Bard's words, a palpable hit. Contemporizing Shakespeare's plays isn't an original concept, but its application in the current production works especially well and reflects a series of astute decisions by director Kent Burnham that enhance the work's accessibility, relevance, and poignancy.

Faction of Fools Theatre Company presents William Shakespeare's THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, pairing heightened text with heightened physical comedy in the style of Commedia dell'Arte. One of Shakespeare's most rich and intricate plays is also one of his most controversial, as it explores a burgeoning merchant class and what happens when things get personal. By utilizing masks and physical characterizations from Commedia dell'Arte, Faction of Fools puts the comedy back into the text, allowing the tragic junctures to cut all the more profoundly. Performances run November 18th - December 11th, 2016 in the Eastman Studio Theatre at Gallaudet University.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre (Betsy King Militello, Executive Director) has announced the full cast for the 28th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS. The Festival will take place on Thursday, October 27 and Friday, October 28, 2016 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues).

Linked by ocean sounds and the figure of a silent female listener, Spring, and The Last Dance, are a potent, poetic pairing. The girl in Susan Hill's Spring considers the life she has already lived, and the life that lies ahead of her. What might she have to look forward to? But although the sea air on a clifftop in Spring gives the feeling of hope, she's far from carefree.

Coming off the heels of another politically-charged play ALL THE WAY that they presented last month, Orange County's Tony Award-winning regional theater South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa is following up that searing drama with a staging of a brand new production of playwright Aaron Posner's DISTRICT MERCHANTS, a clever, thoughtful, and occasionally humorous re-imagining of William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. This time around, the play-a self-aware comedic drama set during America's post-Civil War Reconstruction era-continues performances through October 23, 2016.

Ten-time Tony Award-nominated smash hit musical comedy Something Rotten! will welcome Tony Award nominee and original Broadway rock star Adam Pascal (Rent, Aida) as 'William Shakespeare' beginning Monday, November 7, through Something Rotten!'s final Broadway performance on January 1, 2017.

New York, New York: National Alliance for Musical Theatre (Betsy King Militello, Executive Director) is thrilled to announce the first round of casting for the 28th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, which takes place on Thursday, October 27 and Friday, October 28, 2016 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). The Festival will kick off on Wednesday, October 26 with its celebrated concert, The 46th Minute, which features songs from Festival shows you will not get to hear in the 45-minute presentation.

The Talent Managers Association (TMA) announces this year's nominees for the 14th Annual Heller Awards. Each year, the TMA honors colleagues in talent representation and casting with a live ceremony. Lifetime achievement honors will be presented to legendary agent Jack Gilardi from ICM Partners and casting director Craig Fincannon of Fincannon and Associates. Additionally, awards are presented to agents and casting directors for their work throughout the year, who've been nominated by the TMA members. The organization will host this year's event at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Thursday, November 10, 2016 from 6:30 PM to 11:00 PM.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, SOMETHING ROTTEN!'s current cod-piece clad Shakespeare -- Will Chase -- will depart the show on October 9, and will be replaced temporarily by understudy Eric Sciotto. Sciotto will assume the role through October 23. A permanent replacement has not yet been announced.