Stafford Arima News

BroadwayWorld Toronto has learned that the Broadway production of ALLEGIANCE will hold open auditions in Toronto. Previews on Broadway are set to begin on Tuesday, October 6, 2015 with opening night set for Sunday, November 8, 2015. Television and film star George Takei will star in the new musical which had its world premiere in a record-breaking engagement at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. Allegiance has book by Marc Acito with music and lyrics by Jay Kuo. Helming the production is Olivier Award nominee Stafford Arima (London's Ragtime, Off-Broadway's Bare, Carrie, Altar Boyz).

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

Lea Salonga is coming back to Broadway in a fabulous new role!

Producers Lorenzo Thione and Andrew Treagus announced today that Tony Award winner Lea Salonga and Telly Leung will co-star with George Takei in Allegiance, a new American musical, set to open on Broadway next season at the Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street).

Virginia's Signature Theatre is proud to announce the full cast for Simply Sondheim, the world premiere special event celebrating Stephen Sondheim and Signature Theatre's special partnership over the last 25 years.

The unique performing arts intensive will take place at the Dallas Convention Center (600 South Griffin Street, Dallas, TX) tonight, March 10 - Saturday, March 14, 2015. The five-day intensive will culminate in a unique Broadway-style concert event featuring performances by Dallas' brightest rising stars on Friday, March 13, 2015 at 8 p.m.

'Shanktunes: A Night of Original Songs by Lynne Shankel' will return to 54 Below on March 22, 2015 at 9:30 p.m.

Last week we introduced you to Emily Lopez, soon to be playing Carrie in the revival of CARRIE THE MUSICAL at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. Today we meet Misty Cotton, the other powerhouse actor who will be leading the cast as the mother of all mothers, Margaret White. A day off from rehearsals gave Misty a chance to catch her breath and tell us a little about her road to CARRIE and what it's like stepping into this iconic role.

Scott Alan's recent EP titled 'Anything Worth Holding on To,' including songs written and performed by Alan himself, is now available on Amazon and iTunes. A lyric video was just released for 'I'm In Pain' (featuring Shoshana Bean) and you can check it out below!

Today we are analyzing all aspects of the hotly anticipated concert event that occured at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall on Monday featuring an all-star cast performing Jason Robert Brown and Alfred Uhry's Tony Award-winning score and book - the Manhattan Concert Productions presentation of PARADE. Outlining his involvement in the unique theatrical event is acclaimed and versatile Tony Award-winning set designer Beowulf Boritt, who opens up about the exciting and idiosyncratic nature of a one night only event such as this as well as the opportunities available in designing for such a spectacular evening in order to bring his artistic vision to fruition. In addition to a thorough discussion of the themes and actual real history elemental to the musical itself and how Boritt has integrated those features into the visual landscape of the piece, he also sheds some light on the intensive design process and intimate collaboration with director Gary Griffin, composer/lyricist/conductor Brown, projection designer Jeff Croiter and lighting designer Jon Weston. Also, Boritt offers a first look at his inspiration for the design elements being created especially for the evening and how he is utilizing vintage photographs and actual historical pieces to maximize authenticity and accuracy in portraying the musical based on a true story occurring in 1915. All of that and much, much more in this expansive design-focused special feature with one of Broadway's brightest behind the scenes visionaries.

The unique performing arts intensive will take place at the Dallas Convention Center (600 South Griffin Street, Dallas, TX) Tuesday, March 10 - Saturday, March 14, 2015. The five-day intensive will culminate in a unique Broadway-style concert event featuring performances by Dallas' brightest rising stars on Friday, March 13, 2015 at 8 p.m.

Allegiance - A New American Musical has been eyeing a Broadway run since it premiered at San Diego's Old Globe in 2012. Since then, a New York City reading was held, led by Lea Salonga, George Takei and Telly Leung, all of whom starred in the San Diego production; there was also a recent backers screening in Austin. Now according to the New York Times, there is reason to celebrate, because the new musical is officially Broadway-bound!

Klendez is at it again! Stafford Arima just directed a a holiday music video featuring Broadway favorites Lindsay Mendez and Derek Klena. The song, 'I Got All I Need (This Christmas)' was written by Lynne Shankel and was shot at Joe's Pub and around the city. It's available for download on iTunes and proceeds from go to Astep, www.asteponline.com.

Ring in the holidays with a song for a good cause!

Artists Striving to End Poverty (ASTEP) just held its Sixth Annual New York City Christmas: A Concert to Benefit ASTEP, taking place last night, December 15 at Joe's Pub at The Public in New York City. Back by popular demand, the evening featured Broadway's most sought-after talent singing new and classic holiday songs. Two new special releases are now available for purchase: 'I Got All I Need (This Christmas)' an original song written by Lynne Shankel and Jon Hartmere sung by Lindsay Mendez (Wicked, Godspell, Everyday Rapture) and Derek Klena (The Bridges of Madison County, Wicked, Carrie, Dogfight) and a hip-hop version of 'Twas The Night Before Christmas' (music by Shankel) sung by Aurelia Williams (Sistas, The Musical, Papermill's Once On This Island), Kenita Miller (Merrily We Roll Along, Ragtime) and Kay Trinidad (The Little Mermaid, Bare) based on the traditional poem. The two songs were recorded on Yellow Sound Label are available on iTunes and wherever digital music is sold. All proceeds go to benefit ASTEP.

Two new special releases will be performed and sold at Artists Striving to End Poverty (ASTEP) Sixth Annual New York City Christmas: A Concert to Benefit ASTEP, taking place tonight, December 15 at 9:30 PM at Joe's Pub at The Public in New York City. 'I Got All I Need (This Christmas)' performed by Lindsay Mendez and Derek Klena with music by Lynne Shankel and lyrics by Jon Hartmere and 'Twas The Night Before Christmas' performed by Aurelia Williams, Kenita Miller and Kay Trinidad with music by Shankel based on the traditional poem.

This week's spotlight is on composer/lyricist Drew Fornarola and bookwriter Scott Elmgreen. TIANANMEN is an original rock musical that follows the events of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing, focusing on the stories of three student demonstrators and the Communist leaders they dare to challenge. The students communicate through music while government leaders communicate through spoken dialogue, and in this way the show uses musical theatre to starkly and viscerally portray the generational and cultural divides that come between both sides. Selections from Tiananmen premiered in a March 2014 concert at 54 Below starring Telly Leung, Ruthie Ann Miles, and Karl Josef Co, and the show continues to be developed under the artistic guidance of director Stafford Arima and with academic support from the Harvard University Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations. For more, email: TiananmenMusical@gmail.com.

Two new special releases will be performed and sold at Artists Striving to End Poverty (ASTEP) Sixth Annual New York City Christmas: A Concert to Benefit ASTEP, taking place on Monday, December 15 at 9:30 PM at Joe's Pub at The Public in New York City. 'I Got All I Need (This Christmas)' performed by Lindsay Mendez and Derek Klena with music by Lynne Shankel and lyrics by Jon Hartmere and 'Twas The Night Before Christmas' performed by Aurelia Williams, Kenita Miller and Kay Trinidad with music by Shankel based on the traditional poem.

Allegiance - A New American Musical has been eyeing a Broadway run since it premiered at San Diego's Old Globe last fall. Since then, a New York City reading was held, led by Lea Salonga, George Takei and Telly Leung, all of whom starred in the San Diego production; there was also a recent backers screening in Austin. Below, check out 'Paradise' from the new musical, as performed by Marc Delacruz, Katie Boren, Diane Phelan, and Kay Trinidad.

The York Theatre Company, dedicated to the development of new musicals and preserving musical gems from the past, concludes the Fall 2014 Musicals in Mufti Series with the first New York revival and world premiere of a new re-imagined version of the 1992 musical, My Favorite Year, with book byJoseph Dougherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and music by Stephen Flaherty, based on the motion picture by Dennis Palumbo and Norman Steinberg. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you production photos from the show!