Rob Ruggiero News

Three-time Tony Award-winning 1776 with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and book by Peter Stone is based on the events in Philadelphia leading up to the creation of the United States of America's Declaration of Independence, by making real people of historical giants like John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. It is with drama and comedy that this dialogue-heavy musical invites us to enter the chamber of the Second Continental Congress and sit for a while with our country's forefathers as they struggle to figure out how to give birth to a new...

BroadwayWorld has a first look at The Muny's production of 1776, the third show of its second century - not on stage through July 3. Check out the video!

It's time to head to Philadelphia because Keith Hines is taking over BroadwayWorld's Instagram Story tomorrow, June 29th, at the Muny's production of 1776! Be sure to tune in all throughout the day to get a look behind-the-scenes of the historical musical! You're definitely gonna want to vote yes for this takeover, so you're not gonna want to miss it!

The Muny announced today its complete cast, design and production team for 1776, the third show of its second century, June 27 - July 3. 

TheaterWorks Producing Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero announced today the cast and creative team for the Connecticut Premiere of ACTUALLY. The cast features Ronald Emile as Tom and Arielle Siegel as Amber. TheaterWorks Producing Associate and Aetna Breaking Barriers Fellow Taneisha Duggan will direct. ACTUALLY runs May 22 through June 23 and is the 4th show of the 2018-2019 season adn will be presented at the Wadsworth Atheneum

Summer 1993 was an eventful year for this reviewer. I had just graduated from High School and was preparing for the next chapter in my life - college in Athens, Georgia. Like so many young people before me and so many after, it was a time in between, one that was both thrilling and completely terrifying. But it was also the beginning of a journey of self-discovery and an opportunity to redefine who I was and who I would be as a newly minted adult. So, it was particularly poignant to see the newest production from TheaterWorks (performed at the Wadsworth due to their current remodel), the musical GIRLFRIEND, with a book by Todd Almond and music by 90's rocker, Matthew Sweet.  

Rob Ruggiero, TheaterWorks Producing Artistic Director announced today that a $5.7 million renovation of the theater's historic home at 233 Pearl Street will begin immediately. TheaterWorks previously announced that the theater had received 2 Urban Act Grants in the amount of $2.7 million as grants-in-aid to assist with the renovations and improvements to City Arts on Pearl.

TheaterWorks Producing Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero announced today the cast and creative team for the Connecticut Premiere of Todd Almond and Matthew Sweet's GIRLFRIEND. The cast features David Merino (Rent, National Tour) and CJ Pawlikowski (Book of Mormon, National Tour) in this tender, truehearted rock musical based on Matthew Sweet's seminal album Girlfriend.

TheaterWorks Producing Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero announced today the cast and creative team for the Connecticut Premiere of Lucas Hnath's A DOLL'S HOUSE, PART 2. Tasha Lawrence, most recently seen in Long Wharf's The Roomate will make herTheaterWorks debut as Nora. Sam Gregory (Torvald), Kira Player (Emmy) and Amelia White (Anne Marie) also make their TheaterWorks debuts.

The Muny announced today the directors, choreographers and music directors for its 2019 season, which opens on June 10 with Guys and Dolls.

The Muny announced today the directors, choreographers and music directors for its 2019 season, which opens on June 10 with Guys and Dolls.

Christmas is a season of traditions. From the decorations that have their certain place on the mantel, to the cookies like grandma used to make, people thrive on the familiar during the holidays. This goes for films and TV specials as well. Who doesn't pause to see if George Bailey will save the savings and loan, if Ralphie will actually get his Red Ryder BB Gun, or if Rudolph will finally prove his red nose can do great things. No matter how many viewings, there is something about the characters of these beloved Christmas programs that feels familiar and right. But have you ever wondered what happened to these larger than life characters after their time in the red and green spotlight? These are the questions that TheaterWorks in Hartford hilariously tackles in CHRISTMAS ON THE ROCKS.

Queer as Folk and Broadway star Randy Harrison is the newest cast member to join Connecticut's run away holiday hit Christmas on the Rocks. Running now through December 23rd, this is the 6th year TheaterWorks has staged the production to an ever-growing audience. Seats for the production, which also feature Jenn Harris (Gayby, New York Is Dead), and Tom Bloom (Broadway's Cyrano, Henry IV) are selling fast.

There's just one month left to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld St. Louis Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.

Fresh, funny and smart - it's back. Conceived and directed by Producing Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero, Connecticut's favorite holiday tradition is celebrating its 6th year. Christmas on the Rocks features seven playwrights each adding their own spin to the canon of holiday traditions past.

Aetna and TheaterWorks announced today their artistic partnership, BREAKING BARRIERS, a pilot fellowship program providing opportunity for female directors of color in theater. The only one of its kind, the fellowship addresses the lack of parity in artistic leadership positions in the theater, particularly as it relates to women-identifying people of color.

When does a passion for something become an obsession? And does the desire to share that passion with another person create a unique opportunity to build a bond or an opportunity to push the other person away? 'When we find each other, are we trying to recapture someone that was once lost?' These are some of the questions answered in Jez Butterworth's (JERUSALEM, THE FERRYMAN) THE RIVER, the opening play of TheaterWorks' current season in Hartford.

On a moonless night in August when the sea trout are ready to run, a man brings his new girlfriend to the remote family cabin where he has come to fly-fish since he was a boy. But she's not the only woman he has brought here - or indeed the last. Seductive, chilling and poetic, THE RIVER asks: when we find each other, are we trying to recapture someone we once lost?

TheaterWorks - Rob Ruggiero, Producing Artistic Director announced today that the theater will perform 2 full productions this season at the Wadsworth Atheneum. The theater company anticipates being off-site for the latter part of the 2018 - 2019 season due to previously announced renovations to City Arts on Pearl, its home at 233 Pearl Street in downtown Hartford. Actually by Anna Zeigler (May 23 - June 23, 2019) and Fully Committed by Becky Mode (August 1- September 1) will both be performed in the Wadsworth theater.  

On a moonless night in August when the sea trout are ready to run, a man brings his new girlfriend to the remote family cabin where he has come to fly-fish since he was a boy. But she's not the only woman he has brought here - or indeed the last. Seductive, chilling and poetic, THE RIVER asks: when we find each other, are we trying to recapture someone we once lost?