R. Lee Kennedy News

Lighting designer R. Lee Kennedy has a planetarium's worth of stars flooding the Connolly Theatre's stage at the outset of Transport Group's production of Nancy Shayne's new musical, Marcy In The Galaxy. But gleaming through the clusters is the face of Donna Lynne Champlin, shining with hopefulness and wonder. The galaxy her title character occupies is actually the Galaxy Diner of Hell's Kitchen but Marcy is also one of the countless number of barely distinguishable stars that form the spiraling galaxy of Manhattan. The musical's story of a struggling artist nearing 40 and wondering for how long she can continue the struggle is a familiar one, but though Shayne's material offers no unique spin, her chamber musical is an inviting and sincere charmer mounted by Jack Cummings III with a light and whistful touch.

Transport Group, the winner of a special 2007 Drama Desk Award and a 2007 Obie Award, will present the first major New York revival of Irwin Shaw's Bury the Dead, directed by Joe Calarco, beginning performances Friday, October 31, at 220 East 4 Street, between Avenues A and B (6 to Astor Place, W/N to 8th Street or F/V to Second Avenue). The opening has been scheduled for Sunday, November 9, at 3pm.

Transport Group will present Marcy in the Galaxy, a world premiere musical, with book, music, and lyrics by Nancy Shayne, based on a story by Ms. Shayne and Michael Patrick King, and directed by artistic director Jack Cummings III beginning performances Friday, March 28. The opening has been scheduled for Sunday, April 6 at 3PM.

Transport Group will present Marcy in the Galaxy, a world premiere musical, with book, music, and lyrics by Nancy Shayne; opening April 6. To star Donna Lynne Champlin and Teri Ralston.

Transport Group's heart-tugging musical 'Crossing Brooklyn' deals with post 9/11 stress while MCC's 'Spain' is a whimsical tale of a modern day woman and a Spanish conquistador

Transport Group, the winner of a special 2007 Drama Desk Award and a 2007 Obie Award, will present Crossing Brooklyn, a world premiere musical, with music by Jenny Giering and book and lyrics by Laura Harrington, and directed by Artistic Director Jack Cummings III (a Drama Desk nominee for Transport Group's The Audience) beginning performances Friday, October 19, at the Connelly Theatre, 220 East 4th Street, between Avenues A and B. The opening has been scheduled for Sunday, October 28.

Transport Group Artistic Director Jack Cummings III has announced that performances of the official 50th anniversary production of William Inge's The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, will begin Friday, March 30 at 8pm at the Connelly Theatre, 220 East 4 Street.

Full casting and creative team have been announced for the Transport Group's upcoming revival of Tad Mosel's All the Way Home, which will run at the Connelly Theatre from October 26th through November 18th, with an opening night slated for November 5th

The world premiere of John Cariani's new play cul-de-sac will begin performances on April 20th

Normal, a new dramatic musical featuring Barbara Walsh, will be presented by The Transport Group from October 20th through November 12th

Transport Group artistic directors Robyn Hussa and Jack Cummings III have announced that the world premiere of a new American musical, Normal, with book by Yvonne Adrian, lyrics by Cheryl Stern, and music by Tom Kochan, will begin performances on Thursday, October 20 at 8pm at the Connelly Theatre, 220 East 4 Street.

The 50th Annual Drama Desk Awards Ceremony took place on Sunday, May 22. The big winners of the night were Doubt and The Light in the Piazza, each of whom received 5 awards. Outstanding Musical however, went to Spamalot.

The Official Drama Desk Cocktail Reception honoring this year's nominees was held on May 3. The awards ceremony takes place on Sunday, May 22.

Spamalot leads the pack with 12 nominations, followed by Light in the Piazza with 11, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels with 10. Click in to see all the nominees.