Stephanie Hsu News

Two River Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst, concludes its 2014/15 Season with Be More Chill, a new musical with music and lyrics by Joe Iconis and book by Joe Tracz, based on the acclaimed 2004 novel by Ned Vizzini. The production is directed by Stephen Brackett, with orchestrations by Charlie Rosen, music direction by Nathan Dame, and choreography by Chase Brock. The production will run May 30-June 21, 2015, with the opening night on Friday, June 5. Tickets starting at $20 are available from 732.345.1400 or www.tworivertheater.org. Be More Chill is supported by lead production sponsor Durso Wealth Management Group at Morgan Stanley.

Storyform Studios, a New York-based digital media startup, has launched an original comedy series this week titled Connection Unavailable. The show revolves around the neurotic-but-lovable members of a therapy group for social media addicts, and in a fitting twist is told across more than 20 real social media accounts, blogs, and websites belonging to these very characters seeking help (albeit in some cases half-heartedly). Viewers can follow the plot through collected 'episodes' of short video, images and text on the show's main website, cuseries.com.

The York Theatre Company and its acclaimed Developmental Reading Series, will present the new musical Cheer Wars with book & lyrics by Gordon Leary and music by Karlan Judd. TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY: Thursday, February 19 at 3:00 p.m. and Friday, February 20 at 12:00 p.m.at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (619 Lexington Avenue, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). The readings are open to the public with a suggested donation of $5.00.

The York Theatre Company, and its acclaimed Developmental Reading Series, will present three new works: The Sleeping Beauty that has book, music & lyrics by Benjamin P. Wenzelberg, Commanders-In-Chief written by P.J. Barry, and Cheer Wars with book & lyrics by Gordon Leary and music by Karlan Judd at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (619 Lexington Avenue, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). The readings are open to the public with a suggested donation of $5.00.

Ensemble Studio Theatre kicks off the New Year with the world premiere of Maggie Bofill's Winners, a wild roller coaster ride for a modern family reeling from the Great Recession, presented in partnership with The Radio Drama Network. Winners begins previews Wednesday, January 14, at 7:00pm at Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 West 52nd Street, for an opening Thursday, January 22, at 7:00pm. Winners is directed by Pamela Berlin and features Curran Connor, David Gelles, Arielle Goldman, Stephanie Hsu, Polly Lee, Florencia Lozano, Scott Sowers and Grant Shaud.

The innovative downtown theater company Naked Angels, under the leadership of Artistic Director Liz Carlson, presents 'Songs At The Seaport,' a benefit concert featuring selections from the folk concert play SeaWife co-created by Seth Moore (The Man With American Skin) and indie-folk rock sextet The Lobbyists. The event will be held on Monday, November 17 at 7:00PM in the historic Melville Gallery at South Street Seaport Museum (213 Water Street) and will featured performances by The Lobbyists with encore sets by emerging talents The Humble Grapes, Stephanie Hsu and Jeanna Phillips. All proceeds will benefit the development of SeaWife, aiming to debut in New York City in the 2015-2016 season.

THE WEST END presents a concert performance of ROYAL FABLES, a new musical by Nick Luckenbaugh, on Saturday, June 28th, 2014. ROYAL FABLES is a new song and dance cycle that takes an unexpected look at classic and not-so-classic fairy tale royals through the lens of contemporary folk, rock, and jazz music.

Theatre Aspen is so excited to kick off their summer with a special pre-season event! From the creators of Spring Awakening, which won eight Tony Awards® including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score, comes Alice by Heart: a fresh, modern, musical take on Alice in Wonderland.

Theatre Aspen's new play development series is underway, with the early workshopping of Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater musical Alice By Heart, based on the Lewis Carroll novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland this Saturday, May 31st, at the Wheeler Opera House at 7:30 pm. Sheik and Sater are best known for their 2007 rock musical Spring Awakening which won eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score.

Casting is complete for award-winning Theatre Aspen's 31st season. Several Broadway notables make up the company, some starring in multiple roles this season which includes the musical comedy The Full Monty (opening June 24th), the musical Little Women (opening July 2nd), and a brand new comedy by Sandy Rustin called The Cottage (opening July 24th).

Theatre Aspen is so excited to kick off their summer with a special pre-season event! From the creators of Spring Awakening, which won eight Tony Awards® including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score, comes Alice by Heart: a fresh, modern, musical take on Alice in Wonderland.

Theatre Aspen announced the launch of a new play development series today, with the early workshopping of Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater musical Alice By Heart, based on the Lewis Carroll novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Sheik and Sater are best known for their 2007 rock musical Spring Awakening which won eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score.

The PEN World Voices Festival is an annual, week-long festival of international literature founded by Salman Rushdie and Paul Auster. This year, the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center will host readings of nine seminal plays from five continents by some of the world's most important and exciting dramatists at their PEN World Voices: International Play Festival.

F*It Club, the New York Innovative Award-winning film and theatre company, continues its annual series of short, commissioned world-premiere plays with The Spring Fling: First Love, six new short plays by Halley Feiffer (How to Make Friends and Then Kill Them), Kate Gersten (Benefit of the Doubt), Jason Grote (Mad Men, Smash, Hannibal, 1001), Mark Sitko (Rocky Philly, Tube), Tommy Smith (White Hot, Pigeon), and Lauren Yee (The Hatmaker's Wife). Performances will be Thursday, May 1st through Sunday, May 11th with Wednesday through Saturday night performances at 8pm and Sunday matinees at 2p.

Carla Ching's comedy Fast Company, about a family of Asian American con artists on the trail of a million-dollar comic book, opens tonight (March 17) at 7:00pm for its New York premiere at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 West 52nd Street.

Carla Ching's comedy Fast Company, about a family of Asian American con artists on the trail of a million-dollar comic book, begins previews for its New York premiere at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 West 52nd Street, Wednesday, March 12, at 7:00pm for an opening Thursday, March 20, at 7:00pm (for a run currently scheduled through April 6). Robert Ross Parker of the Obie-winning troupe Vampire Cowboys directs.

Ars Nova announces a February and March lineup featuring exciting new comedy, music and theater programming.

Ars Nova announces a February and March lineup featuring exciting new comedy, music and theater programming.

Award-winning Pipeline Theatre Company in association with Judson Arts presents the World Premiere of BYUIOO, a musical with book, music and lyrics by Nate Weida. This folk gospel musical, presented in an entirely made-up language, will be directed by Andrew Neisler (Pipeline's acclaimed hit Clown Bar) featuring a cast of sixteen. Previews begin October 26 at The Gym at Judson with opening slated for October 31. Check out a first look at the production below!

Award-winning Pipeline Theatre Company in association with Judson Arts presents the World Premiere of BYUIOO, a musical with book, music and lyrics by Nate Weida. This folk gospel musical, presented in an entirely made-up language, will be directed by Andrew Neisler (Pipeline's acclaimed hit Clown Bar) featuring a cast of sixteen. Previews begin October 26 at The Gym at Judson with opening slated for October 31.