Stephen Brackett News

Be More Chill: Original Broadway Cast Recording is available for digital download and streaming today, Friday, May 3. This new album completes a remarkable full-circle journey for Be More Chill, as the original recording from Ghostlight - which has now been streamed over 300 million times to date - helped propel the show from Two River Theater to a viral Broadway hit. Be More Chill was nominated for a 2019 Tony Award for "Best Original Score." CD and vinyl releases are planned for later this year. The album is produced by Kurt Deutsch, Joe Iconis, and Charlie Rosen, and co-produced by Ian Kagey and Emily Marshall. To download or stream the album, please visit ghostlightrecords.lnk.to/bemorechillbroadway

GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS has announced that Be More Chill: Original Broadway Cast Recording will be released for digital download and streaming tomorrow, May 3. This new album completes a remarkable full-circle journey for Be More Chill, as the original recording from Ghostlight (which has now been streamed over 300 million times to date) helped propel the show from Two River Theater to a viral Broadway hit. CD and vinyl releases are planned for later this year. Starting today, Friday, April 26, customers who pre-order the digital album will immediately receive a download of the single 'More Than Survive.' The album is produced by Kurt Deutsch, Joe Iconis, and Charlie Rosen, and co-produced by Ian Kagey and Emily Marshall.

Founding Executive Director Kathy Evans announced the 27 writers of nine new musicals for Rhinebeck Writers Retreat's summer weeklong residencies. This year's artists include Obie-winner Heather Christian, Kleban-winner Brian Crawley, TV and film writers Bekah Brunstetter (THIS IS US) and Cinco Paul (DESPICABLE ME), inaugural Stephen Schwartz Award winner Oliver Houser, and ASCAP Foundation scholarship winner Khiyon Hursey. The musicals cover a wide range of subjects. Four have LGBTQ themes: a historical look at Florida in the 1950s (IN A SUNSHINE STATE), a Palestinian/Israeli love story (BORDERS), a modern coming of age of a young black man (SEAN'S STORY PART I | THE AWAKENING), and a fantasy queer rock musical celebrating lady love (TL;DR: THELMA LOUISE; DYKE REMIX). Two are darkly comedic historical musicals: one featuring Mary Magdelene (A.D. 16) and the second a WWII plot to foil Hitler (OPERATION MINCEMEAT). Other subjects include the opioid crisis (ALMOST HEAVEN), the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 (THE GOLDEN SPIKE), and a mystery involving a woman with a sleep disorder (NARCOLEPSY).

After receiving his first Tony nomination for Best Score, Be More Chill composer Joe Iconis and star George Salazar hit the stage tonight for a special post-show encore of the show's anthem, 'Michael In the Bathroom.' BroadwayWorld has an exclusive look at the performance below! Congratulations, Joe!

The Bushwick Starr is thrilled to present the world premiere of CABIN, the latest from Bessie nominated Sean Donovan (The Reception at HERE, House/Divided at BAM), with original compositions by Obie Award winner Heather Christian (Animal Wisdom at The Bushwick Starr, The World is Round at BAM).   

The third volume of the anthology releases this evening! The publication will be celebrated with a party at The Pershing Square Signature Center and will feature book signings at 6:30PM by various contributors in the volume, including composer-lyricist Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop), director Stephen Brackett (Be More Chill), composer-lyricist Timothy Huang (American Morning), composer-lyricist Peter Mills (The Hello Girls), and Cara Loelle Reichel (Producing Artistic Director, Prospect Theater Company).

Be More Chill: Original Broadway Cast Recording will be released for digital download and streaming on Friday, May 3. This new album completes a remarkable full-circle journey for Be More Chill, as the original recording from Ghostlight (which has now been streamed over 300 million times to date) helped propel the show from Two River Theater to a viral Broadway hit. CD and vinyl releases are planned for later this year. Starting today, Friday, April 26, customers who pre-order the digital album will immediately receive a download of the single "More Than Survive." The album is produced by Kurt Deutsch, Joe Iconis, and Charlie Rosen, and co-produced by Ian Kagey and Emily Marshall. To pre-order or pre-save the album, please visit ghostlightrecords.lnk.to/bemorechillbroadway

Watch in the clip below as Chris McCarrell performs from THE LIGHTNING THIEF Musical!

Dear Readers, I am not the intended audience for 'The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical', currently playing at the 5th Avenue Theatre, and if you're over the age of twelve and a musical theater aficionado like me, I suspect it's not for you either. However, if you are indeed a pre-teen or younger or a parent looking for something to thrill your kids or maybe even give them an introduction to theater, this may be perfect for you. Because of that, we're going to have two reviews in one here. One to point out why I think it appealed to kids and one to explain why I couldn't leave the theater fast enough.

The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) today announced the 2019 Drama League Awards Nominees for Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the much-coveted Distinguished Performance Award. The nominations were announced this morning by the current stars of Waitress, Shoshana Bean and Jeremy Jordan, at the official announcement event at Sardi's Restaurant, which was streamed live online here at BroadwayWorld.

David Carpenter, John Arthur Pinckard, Christian Campbell, and America Olivo will present a private, industry only reading of the musical Reefer Madness The Musical on Thursday, April 18, 2019.

The third volume of the anthology will release on Monday, April 29th. The publication will be celebrated with a party at The Pershing Square Signature Center and will feature book signings at 6:30PM by various contributors in the volume, including composer-lyricist Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop), director Stephen Brackett (Be More Chill), choreographer Raja Feather Kelly (A Strange Loop), composer-lyricist Peter Mills (The Hello Girls), and Cara Loelle Reichel (Producing Artistic Director, Prospect Theater Company).

Doug Nevin, Michael Urie, and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater present Pride Plays, an upcoming festival of play readings to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. Nick Mayo serves as Festival Director.

Be More Chill, now playing at the Lyceum Theatre (149 W. 45th Street), today announced a Digital Lottery ticket policy for select performances of the show.

Broadway Sacramento is thrilled to announce that THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL, an musical adaption of The New York Times best-selling novel written by Rick Riordan, will play Community Center Theater for five performances only, April 18 - 21. This will be the California premiere of the hit musical.

Portland'5 Centers for the Arts is thrilled to announce that THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL, an "electrifying" (Newsday) musical adaption of the New York Times best-selling novel written by Rick Riordan,will play Keller Auditorium on May 7th and 8th. Tickets are now on sale at www.portland5.com, the Portland'5 Centers for the Arts box office at 1111 SW Broadway Ave (Monday through Saturday 10am to 5pm), by phone at 800-273-1530, and at all TicketsWest outlets.

The Drama League has announced the twelve stage directors who have been selected as the 2019 Directing Fellows of The Drama League Directors Project: NJ Agwuna, Sharifa Elkady, Raz Golden, Chika Ike, Rebecca Marzalek-Kelly, Ismael Lara, Jr., Amanda McRaven, Lindsey Hope Pearlman, Ben Randle, Tai Thompson, Gabriel Torres, and Sophia Watt. They will be publicly introduced to the professional theatre community during the 85th Annual Drama League Awards, which will be held on Friday, May 17, 2019 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway). More information can be found at www.dramaleague.org

Be More Chill is taking Broadway by storm! Today they took the country by storm too, with a performance on Good Morning America's Strahan and Sarah!

BroadwayWorld has just learned that hit Broadway musical sensation Be More Chill will record a new cast album! 

Be More Chill is taking Broadway by storm, and today they took the country by storm too, with a performance on Good Morning America!