Rona Siddiqui News

Salaam Medina: Tales of a Halfghan, with book, music and lyrics by Rona Siddiqui, will hold an invited industry reading on November 15, 2019. The reading will be directed by Raja Feather Kelly, with Music Direction by Emily Goldman and Dramaturgy by Jessica Kahkoska.

Michael Longoria has released a sultry music video for 'Kiss Me (Like They Do In The Movies)', an original song written by Michael Longoria and arranged by James Dobinson. The music video is directed by Matt Simpkins and stars Longoria and Anthony Crouchelli. 'Kiss Me (Like They Do In The Movies)' is the first single from Longoria's new studio album, Michael Longoria: Like They Do In The Movies, available now at www.BroadwayRecords.com, www.Amazon.com, in stores and across digital platforms. Michael Longoria: Like They Do In The Movies was released by Broadway Records on October 11, 2019 and reached #5 on the iTunes Vocal Albums Chart.

New Writers At 54! is an ongoing series at Feinstein's/54 Below showcasing exciting work by today's hottest emerging voices. This season's concerts are curated by Assistant Programming Director Alexa Spiegel. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com/series/New-Writers-at-54 or call (646) 476-3551.

New Writers At 54! is an ongoing series at Feinstein's/54 Below showcasing exciting work by today's hottest emerging voices. This season's concerts are curated by Assistant Programming Director Alexa Spiegel. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com/series/New-Writers-at-54 or call (646) 476-3551.

The Ziegfeld Club, Inc., one of New York City's first performing arts charities to benefit women has announced that composer and lyricist Rona Siddiqui, whose autobiographical musical Salaam Medina Talse of a Halfghan will be workshopped at Playwrights Horizons this month, has been named the recipient of the fifth annual Billie Burke Ziegfeld Award (BBZA). Created to honor a female composer of musical theatre, the BBZA is a prestigious $10,000 cash grant. In addition, the recipient receives one year of artistic and professional mentorship from a prominent composer and a producer of musical theatre.

Tony Award-winning actress LAURA BENANTI (My Fair Lady) has been announced to host and perform at the 17th annual BROADWAY STANDS UP FOR FREEDOM concert on Monday, October 28 at 7:30 p.m. at The Town Hall in New York City (123 W. 43 St.) Also joining the previously announced line-up of stars will be performers ALYSHA UMPHRESS (On The Town), KIM BLANCK (Octet) and MILI DIAZ (Wicked).  

The lineup has been announced for the 17th annual Broadway Stands Up For Freedom concert on Monday, October 28th at 7:30 PM at The Town Hall (123 W. 43 St.). The lineup includes Kelli O'Hara, Montego Glover, Judy Kuhn, Phillipa Soo, Eva Noblezada, Krystina Alabado, Julia Murney, Jeannette Bayardelle, Shoba Narayan, Shaina Taub, Starr Busby, L Morgan Lee, We Mcdonald, Liana Stampur, and The Brooklyn Youth Chorus.

Broadway Records will release Michael Longoria's new studio album, Like They Do In The Movies, digitally and in stores tomorrow, Friday, October 11, 2019. The album is currently available for pre-order at www.BroadwayRecords.com.

The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) just presented Intersecting Chords, the annual NYMF concert that celebrates female, trans, and non-binary songwriters who are changing the landscape of musical theatre. Intersecting Chords was directed by Shelley Butler, music directed by Charity Wicks, and produced by Hannah Lang.

The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) has announced the performer lineup for Intersecting Chords, the annual NYMF concert that celebrates female, trans, and non-binary songwriters who are changing the landscape of musical theatre. Intersecting Chords is directed by Shelley Butler, music directed by Charity Wicks, and produced by Hannah Lang.

Ucross, a prestigious artist residency program and creative laboratory for the arts in northeast Wyoming, premiered its "Ucross Spotlight" series on Wednesday, June 19, with a bold, intimate conversation between playwright alums Michael R. Jackson, Billy Porter, and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, as well as choreographer Raja Feather Kelly on the themes present in Jackson's provocative new musical A Strange Loop. The panel took place at the world-famous Playwrights Horizons theater following a performance of the show, with major themes of the conversation including reconciling with religion as a member of the LGBTQ community and "watering down" queer art for straight audiences. It is the first of many planned Ucross Spotlight events, which will celebrate its alumni's art and offer a first-hand look at their creative process.

In response to critical acclaim and popular demand, Playwrights Horizons , in association with Page 73 is pleased to announce a three-week extension of the world premiere production of Michael R. Jackson's A Strange Loop, to July 28 (from the initially-announced closing date of July 7).

Today, the Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association (TSDCA) announced their fourth annual membership meeting, with events for both members as well as the general public. On June 23rd-24th, the TSDCA will hold two days of public panels and discussions regarding sound design and composition in theatre. After three years of holding the annual meeting in New York City, the TSDCA will be changing its location this year to Chicago, in order to highlight the organization's growing national membership. The events will be held at the brand new headquarters of Shure, 125 S Clark St, Chicago, IL 60603 from 11am-8pm on June 23rd, and 10:30am-8pm on June 24th.

Ucross, a prestigious artist residency program and creative laboratory for the arts in northeast Wyoming, is proud to announce the debut of "Ucross Spotlight": a nationwide series of performances, live readings, moderated panels, and cultural events featuring its esteemed alumni. "Ucross Spotlight" will debut on Wednesday, June 19, at Playwrights Horizons (416 West 42nd Street), with a conversation between Michael R. Jackson, Billy Porter and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, moderated by Jacobs-Jenkins.

Red Caravan presents a new take on William Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, adapted & directed by Andrew Willis-Woodward with original music by Rona Siddiqui.

RATTLESTICK PLAYWRIGHTS THEATER announces upcoming programming for June 2019 at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater (224 Waverly Place New York, NY 10014). 

Since George Washington took office in 1783, writing letters to the President has provided citizens of all ages, races, political parties, and backgrounds an outlet to express their most personal concerns, hopes, and dreams. Letters to the President reimagines this archival canon of letters as a multi-composer song cycle, with each song inspired by an individual letter in the archive.

Playwrights Horizons (Artistic Director Tim Sanford, Managing Director Leslie Marcus), will, from today, May 13, through Thursday, May 16, accept entries for the Live for Five online lottery, giving out $5 tickets to the world premiere production of 2019 Whiting Award Winner Michael R. Jackson's A Strange Loop, (May 24-July 7), presented in association with Page 73 (Producing Artistic Director Michael Walkup, Managing Director Amanda Feldman). Directed by Stephen Brackett (Be More Chill, Buyer and Cellar) and choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly (Playwrights: If Pretty Hurts Ugly Must Be a Muhf**ka; Ugly (Black Queer Zoo), Fairview), A Strange Loop explores the thoughts of Usher, a black, queer writer working a job he hates while writing his original musical: a piece about a black, queer writer, working a job he hates while writing his original musical. Michael R. Jackson's blistering, momentous new musical (and his professional debut) follows a young artist at war with a host of demons-not least of which are the punishing thoughts in his own head-in an attempt to capture and understand his own strange loop.

Bonnie Comley, Founder of BroadwayHD, was the guest speaker at MAESTRA's May seminar at SongSpace. Composer/lyricist and music director Georgia Stitt founded the MAESTRA organization in 2017 to give support, visibility, and community to the women who make the music in the musical theater industry. The MAESTRA membership is made up of female-identifying, non-binary, and gender non-conforming composers, music directors, orchestrators, arrangers, copyists, rehearsal pianists and other musicians who are underrepresented minorities in musical theater. Songwriter and composer, Kathy Sommer, moderated the seminar.

The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) has announced that in recognition of his 2019 Tony Award nomination and his history as a NYMF Alum, Joe Iconis (Be More Chill, Broadway Bounty Hunter) will be the 2019 NYMF Honorary Chair.