Shaina Taub News

Sundance Institute today announced the seven artists selected for its 2014 Playwrights Retreat at Ucross Foundation. The 15th annual writing colony at the 20,000-acre working cattle ranch outside of Sheridan, WY takes place February 3-21. Under the supervision of Artistic Director Philip Himberg and Producing Director Christopher Hibma, the Playwrights Retreat is made possible through the generosity of Ucross Foundation.

Brittain Ashford, who plays 'Sonya' in the production, recently chatted with BroadwayWorld about bringing the show to a new audience uptown. Check out the full interview below!

NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 will host an elegant and enticing masquerade ball for its Halloween performance tonight, October 31st at 8pm, featuring a costume contest and an exclusive after-party at Kazino (45th Street between Times Square and 8th Avenue).

Come spend an elegant afternoon sipping tea with Tolstoy's young lovers and the most illuminating musical in town at Kazino (45th Street between Times Square and 8th Avenue). Beginning Wednesday, October 30th, all matinee performances of NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 will host a Russian High Tea, complete with tea service and complimentary pastries.

Ghostlight Records has announced the release of the original cast recording of Dave Malloy's hit electropop operaNATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812. The complete 111 minute recording of the through-sung score will be available from digital outlets today, October 29 and the deluxe two-CD set will be in stores on December 10. A highlights version, featuring special selections from the acclaimed work, will also be available in digital format on October 29.

NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 will host an elegant and enticing masquerade ball for its Halloween performance this Thursday, October 31st at 8pm, featuring a costume contest and an exclusive after-party at Kazino (45th Street between Times Square and 8th Avenue).

Ghostlight Records has announced the release of the original cast recording of Dave Malloy's hit electropop operaNATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812. The complete 111 minute recording of the through-sung score will be available from digital outlets on October 29 and the deluxe two-CD set will be in stores on December 10. A highlights version, featuring special selections from the acclaimed work, will also be available in digital format on October 29.

Applications are now being accepted for the January 2014 installment of the tri­annual CAP21 Writers Residency , focusing on new musicals. The CAP21 Writers Residency is offered by CAP21 as an opportunity for a concentrated time and place to be artistically productive in a focused atmosphere while remaining in NYC . It will take place for a 1­2 week period ( Jan 6th ­ 17 ) depending on the needs of the writers. During the length of the residency, selected writing teams are provided a beautiful studio space at CAP21 in New York City , complete with a piano and wireless internet , between the hours of 10am and 6pm , Monday through Friday .

The Show Goes On Productions (TSGP) welcomed seven special guests for the latest theatrical concert in the ROCK TONIC Series, HERE IN THE DARK, written and performed by Ashkon Davaran, developed and directed by Shakina Nayfack on September 30th. Scroll down for photos from the peformance!

The Show Goes On Productions (TSGO) has announced seven special guests for the latest theatrical concert in the ROCK TONIC Series, HERE IN THE DARK, written and performed by ASHKON DAVARAN, developed and directed by SHAKINA NAYFACK.

NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 will stand with the Russian LGBT community and to support one of the great advocates for human rights, Human Rights Watch, in their work to end discrimination and abuse against the LGBT community in Russia. The producers of The Great Comet will make a donation of $10,000 plus all food and beverage sales from the show's first performance in the Theater District. In addition, they will contribute all proceeds from a special first night after-party beginning 11pm this Friday, September 27, which is open to the public with or without a ticket to The Great Comet. Attendance at the party is free of charge and will feature live entertainment and an opportunity for guests to show their support for the Russian LGBT community.

THE GREAT COMET will now land in Times Square on Friday, September 27th, just a few days later than the intended first performance date of Tuesday, September 24th. NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, which concluded a hit summer engagement downtown on September 2nd, will take up residence in the Theater District, on West 45th Street between Times Square and 8thAvenue, for a 14-week limited run. The delay is due to minor complications in the physical transfer of the show's pop-up supper club venue to midtown. Those issues are now resolved and the production is on-track to begin performances this Friday, September 27th at 8pm. Ticketholders for the cancelled performances on September 24-26 can contact their point of purchase to reschedule for a different performance or receive a refund.

The Show Goes On Productions (TSGO) has announced seven special guests for the latest theatrical concert in the ROCK TONIC Series, HERE IN THE DARK, written and performed by ASHKON DAVARAN, developed and directed by SHAKINA NAYFACK.

Producers Howard & Janet Kagan have confirmed that the complete cast from the hit downtown production of NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, will join the show for its Times Square transfer, beginning next Tuesday, September 24th. THE GREAT COMET which concluded a hit summer engagement downtown on September 2nd, will take up residence in the Theater District, on West 45th Street between Times Square and 8thAvenue, for a 14-week limited run. Since its first production at Ars Nova in the fall of 2012, the show has become a sensation, meriting expansion this summer to a 199 seat pop-up supper club built specifically for the production in the Meatpacking District. After playing to packed houses since May, producers Howard & Janet Kagan will bring Dave Malloy's acclaimed electopop opera and its opulent custom venue - Kazino - to the heart of the theater district.

Ghostlight Records will release the original cast recording of the hit downtown production of Dave Malloy's electropop opera NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 later in 2013. The album was recorded Monday, August 26th at MSR Studios in New York City. The recording - which preserves the entire score on two discs - was produced by Dean Sharenow, Howard and Janet Kagan and Kurt Deutsch. Sign up to pre-order at www.sh-k-boom.com/greatcomet.

Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director; Jeremy Blocker, Managing Director) will begin accepting applications for Uncharted, it's newly expanded program for burgeoning musical theater writers, on September 3. The Uncharted program, initially co-conceived with Ars Nova's first Composer-in-Residence Andrew Lippa, has grown this year to include two-year residencies in a writers group designed to support the development of first drafts of new musicals. The Uncharted writers group brings together four writing teams for monthly meetings, providing them with peer and artistic support as they work on new pieces. First year group members will also receive public concerts produced by Ars Nova as a chance to debut their new material in front of a live audience. During the second year of the residency, the writers will receive weeklong workshops of their musicals, culminating in full public readings.

New composer Trevor Bachman made his Joe's Pub debut on Monday, August 12 in Songs of a Brave Soldier- a musical chronicle of truth. Wielding music as a storytelling force, this evening of rock, soul, and classical styles is a sampling of two original musicals (Pyre Cantata and Coromandel), as well as brand new songs. Bachman is an indie music theatre composer/lyricist with an eclectic sound, fusing tight harmonies, soulful grooves and addictive melodies, creating an emotional theatrical experience. Check out highlights from the concert below!

Bachman is joined by Remy Zaken (Spring Awakening), F. Michael Haynie (Wicked), Jo Lampert (Marie Antoinette), Alex Goley, Stevi Incremona, Andrew Martin, Ebonee Noel, Paul Pontrelli and Josephine Spada. The concert is produced by Lina Renzina.

Bachman is joined by Remy Zaken (Spring Awakening), F. Michael Haynie (Wicked), Jo Lampert (Marie Antoinette), Alex Goley, Stevi Incremona, Andrew Martin, Ebonee Noel, Paul Pontrelli and Josephine Spada. The concert is produced by Lina Renzina.

This week at Joe's Pub at the Public, July 22-28, the lineup will feature: Sasha Siem, Mike Brun and Rachel Brotman, CMA Songwriter Series, Toninho Horta, Rael, Simon Townshend, Ian Thomas, David Raleigh, Timur and the Dime Museum, JD Walter and Vagabond Opera. Details below!