Second Stage Theatre News

Aaron Tveit's sold out concerts in May at New York's 54 BELOW will be recorded and released by Broadway Records. 'The Radio In My Head: Live At 54 BELOW' will be released digitally on September 6th and on CD on September 10, 2013. The CD is now available for pre-order at http://amzn.com/B00CDB2T1C.

Ghostlight Records will present the Original Cast Recording of the musical DOGFIGHT with a digital release on April 30 and the CD in stores on May 21. The show - which debuted Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre last year - features music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (A Christmas Story), a book by Peter Duchan (IFC Films' Breaking Upwards) and directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello (Wicked, Glengarry Glen Ross). DOGFIGHT is based on the Warner Bros. film and screenplay by Bob Comfort. To pre-order the album, please visit www.sh-k-boom.com/dogfight.html.

The Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) at Shepherd University has announced the five-play repertory for its 23rd season of producing and developing new American theater. The four-week festival, consisting of 94 performances and other programming, will be held July 5 - 28 on the Shepherd University campus in Shepherdstown, WV.

Westport Country Playhouse's five-play 2013 season will open with A.R. Gurney's 'The Dining Room,' a witty and heartfelt story of the American family and its vanishing traditions, directed by Mark Lamos, April 30 - May 18. This year the historic Connecticut theater celebrates its 83rd season.

Liz Callaway (Miss Saigon, Baby), Kate Shindle (Legally Blonde, Cabaret), Betsy Wolfe (The Last Five Years, The Mystery of Edwin Drood), F. Michael Haynie (Wicked, Dogfight), Zachary Prince (On A Clear Day…) and Sam Heldt (Junie B. Jones) have joined the lineup of performers for musical theater writer Adam Gwon's upcoming concert at 54 Below tonight April 8, 2013 at 9:30pm. Heading up a five-piece band, Gwon will premiere brand-new songs and share fresh and funny tunes from his musicals Ordinary Days, Cloudlands, The Boy Detective Fails, and String.

To conclude its 45th season, Berkeley Repertory Theatre welcomes back a pair of acclaimed collaborators: Sarah Ruhl and Les Waters, the creators of Eurydice, Three Sisters, and In the Next Room (or the vibrator play), return to Berkeley Rep with another tale of love and longing in Dear Elizabeth.

Trinity Repertory Company announced today that three local Rhode Island residents will be receiving Pell Awards this year in addition to Kate Burton, who had previously been announced as the recipient of the 2013 Pell Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts. The 17th annual Pell Awards will be held on Monday, June 10, 2013 at Trinity Rep with a reception to follow next door at the Providence Public Library.

Second Stage Theatre's production of Jason Robert Brown's musical, The Last Five Years, plays through Sunday, May 12 at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43rd street). The highly anticipated revival officially opened last night, April 2. Starring Adam Kantor and Betsy Wolfe, the beloved two-character musical, which has received more than 500 regional productions and 3,000 performances around the world, returns to New York City after eleven years in an all-new staging directed by MR. Brown. BroadwayWorld was there to chat with Kantor, Wolfe and Brown and opening night and you can check out all of the excitement below!

The Off-Broadway League today announced nominations in 14 categories and two additional special awards for the 2013 Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway. The Lortel Awards will be handed out on Sunday, May 5, 2013 at NYU Skirball Center beginning at 7:00pm EST, and hosted by acclaimed stage and screen actors Aasif Mandvi and Maura Tierney. This year's event will once again benefit The Actors Fund.

Let's see what the critics had to say...

Liz Callaway (Miss Saigon, Baby), Kate Shindle (Legally Blonde, Cabaret), Betsy Wolfe (The Last Five Years, The Mystery of Edwin Drood), F. Michael Haynie (Wicked, Dogfight), Zachary Prince (On A Clear Day…) and Sam Heldt (Junie B. Jones) have joined the lineup of performers for musical theater writer Adam Gwon's upcoming concert at 54 Below on Monday April 8, 2013 at 9:30pm. Heading up a five-piece band, Gwon will premiere brand-new songs and share fresh and funny tunes from his musicals Ordinary Days, Cloudlands, The Boy Detective Fails, and String.

Second Stage Theatre's production of Jason Robert Brown's musical, The Last Five Years, plays through Sunday, May 12 at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43rd street). The highly anticipated revival will officially open tonight, April 2. Starring Adam Kantor and Betsy Wolfe, the beloved two-character musical, which has received more than 500 regional productions and 3,000 performances around the world, is returning to New York City after eleven years in an all-new staging directed by Mr. Brown. BroadwayWorld brings you just-released highlights below!

Due to extremely high ticket demand, Second Stage Theatre's production of Jason Robert Brown's musical, The Last Five Years, has been extended for one additional week through Sunday, April 28. The highly anticipated revival began preview performances on March 7 and officially opens tonight, April 2.

Artistic Director Michael Bloom announces the lineup for the 98th consecutive season of Cleveland Play House, the third in its new state-of-the-art theatres at PlayhouseSquare in downtown Cleveland. Two world premieres and great American music highlight the eclectic and contemporary 2013-14 Season. 'Nowhere else will patrons get such a wide variety of entertainment and at such a high level of quality,' reflects Bloom.

Stars of Second Stage Theatre's The Last Five Years, Betsy Wolfe and Adam Kantor, recently recorded the cast album for their production and then sat down to talk about it. Watch Kantor perform 'Shiksa Goddess,' then Wolfe joins him in a portion of 'Goodbye Until Tomorrow/I Could Never Rescue You.'

Megan Mullally is a two-time Emmy-winning star of TV's Will & Grace, and recent star of Broadway's Young Frankenstein. On April 6, she makes her New Orleans debut in the acclaimed Broadway @ NOCCA series for two shows only, at 7:30PM and 9:30PM, joined by Seth Rudetsky at piano. For tickets please visit http://www.broadwaynola.com/. Megan will also attend a special Meet and Greet reception directly following her 9:30 show that will benefit The NOCCA Institute. Tickets to the reception, which will take place at Reilly Hall at NOCCA, are also available at the above link. The Broadway @ NOCCA series is also announcing that it will initiate a new, $2,500 per-year scholarship.

humRumbleROAR Productions has announced the world premiere production of Chisa Hutchinson's ALONDRA WAS HERE, directed by Jade King Carroll. ALONDRA WAS HERE will play a limited engagement at The Wild Project (195 East 3rd Street, NYC). Performances begin Saturday, May 4 and continue through Saturday, May 18. Opening Night is Wednesday, May 8 (7 p.m.).

Due to extremely high ticket demand, Second Stage Theatre's production of JASON ROBERT BROWN's musical, THE LAST FIVE YEARS, has been extended a second time for an additional two weeks through Sunday, May 12. The highly anticipated revival will officially open on April 2.

Yale Repertory Theatre presents Paul Giamatti in HAMLET by William Shakespeare, directed by James Bundy, at the University Theatre (222 York Street), tonight, March 15-April 13. Opening Night is Thursday, March 21, at 7:30PM.

Dallas Theater Center presents Neil Simon's classic American comedy, The Odd Couple, directed by DTC Artistic Director Kevin Moriarty. When two men with struggling relationships, neat and particular Felix Ungar and disheveled and rough-edged Oscar Madison, decide to live together, the results are funny and poignant. The Odd Couple opens with previews tonight, March 15 and runs through Sunday, April 14 at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre in the AT&T Performing Arts Center.