Stephen Flaherty News

Seussical: The Musical, one of Broadway's most joyous musicals, written by the esteemed, Tony Award winning team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, will be presented at the Newtown High School this summer. Authors, Ahrens and Flaherty (Ragtime, Once on This Island, My Favorite Year, A Man of No Importance and the upcoming Rockymusical) have expressed their joy that this musical has been selected as the inaugural production of the 1214 Foundation.

It is summer in Houston. The heat index is soaring more and more each day. Moreover, many of our local theatre companies are producing family friendly fare that allows each and every one of us to beat the heat for fun theatrical treats. Championing this campaign is Country Playhouse with their whimsical and captivating production of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens' SUESSICAL. The Broadway incarnation tried out in Boston before moving into the Richard Rogers Theatre late in 2000. It was met with lukewarm reviews and closed on May 20, 2001 after 198 performances and 34 previews. Before hitting the road on its first of two national tours, the book underwent extensive revisions because of its marginal showing on Broadway.

Hale Centre Theatre West Valley's production of RAGTIME is exquisite in every way. It could easily be the best theatrical production in Utah this year.

Beginning today, June 15th, Charlie Williams will be the new Dream Hannibal in Off-Broadway's long-running smash SILENCE! THE MUSICAL at the Elektra Theatre in the heart of Times Square. SILENCE! announced this week that it will end its triumphant two-year run Sunday, July 7th. The show's producer, Theater Mogul, is currently negotiating licensing deals for futureSILENCE! productions to open during the 2013-14 season in major markets across the country and around the world.

Beginning tomorrow, June 15th, Charlie Williams will be the new Dream Hannibal in Off-Broadway's long-running smash SILENCE! THE MUSICAL at the Elektra Theatre in the heart of Times Square. SILENCE! announced yesterday that it will end its triumphant two-year run Sunday, July 7th. The show's producer, Theater Mogul, is currently negotiating licensing deals for future SILENCE! productions to open during the 2013-14 season in major markets across the country and around the world.

Olney Theatre Center Artistic Director Jason Loewith announced the company would scrap its traditional subscription format while producing an ambitious slate of three seasons and nine productions for the Theatre's 2014 76th Anniversary Season. Three "mini-seasons" will feature Rolling World Premieres, 20th century American classics, four extraordinary musicals and an outdoor Shakespeare production beneath the stars.

What a treat to see a brand new theatre company present such a fine opening show like A Man of No Importance! Winner of the 2003 Outer Critics Circle Award in New York as Best Off-Broadway Musical, Man..., based on a 1994 film starring Albert Finney, tells a simple but rich story of an ordinary bus conductor in Dublin in 1964 who invests his poetic soul in the spirit of Oscar Wilde and comes up all the richer. Now onstage at the Lillian Theatre in Hollywood, A Man of No Importance is a triumph for Good People and director Janet Miller, who has assembled a fantastic cast.

Rebecca Luker announced on the Tonys red carpet tonight: 'I'll be doing THE LITTLE DANCER musical at The Kennedy Center in about a year and a half.' According to the AP, the show is inspired by a Degas sculpture called 'Little Dancer Aged Fourteen', and features book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, with music by Stephen Flaherty and direction and choreography by Susan Stroman.

Today, a newly formed Board of Directors joined with Producing Artistic Director Janet Miller to announce the launch of a non-profit theater venture-the Good People Theater Company (GPTC)-and its opening show, LA's first fully staged production of A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE.

The Centre Theater presents, Ragtime, the musical. running June 7 to June 23. The play is performed Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm in The Centre's fourth floor space.. Tickets are available by calling 610-279-1013.

Sell A Door Theatre Company has just announced that SEUSSICAL (young audiences version) will once again perform for a limited season at the Arts Theatre from the 30th November 2013 - 5th January 2014. This version, specifically adapted for young audiences is presented in family-friendly matinees with a special early evening performance on Mondays.

Raleigh Little Theatre presents the captivating musical, Once On This Island, from June 7-23 in the Cantey V. Sutton Theatre. This is RLT's second production of the play and first since the 1993-94 season. Once On This Island was nominated for eight Tony's during its original Broadway run.

Tim Federle, Broadway performer and author of Simon & Schuster's, Better Nate Than Ever, (a New York Times Editor's Choice), will serve as Master of Ceremonies as hundreds of students from middle and intermediate New York City Public Schools make their Broadway debut on stage at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 W. 44 St.) today, June 3rd at 10:30 a.m. (Press set up at 9:30 a.m.; select pre-show photo ops at 10 a.m.).

The Country Playhouse will pre­sent Seussical: The Musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty on its Cerwinske main stage for three weekends only, June 14 - 29. The eleven performances are on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m., plus one Saturday matinee on Saturday, June 29 at 2:00 p.m.

Tim Federle, Broadway performer and author of Simon & Schuster's, Better Nate Than Ever, (a New York Times Editor's Choice), will serve as Master of Ceremonies as hundreds of students from middle and intermediate New York City Public Schools make their Broadway debut on stage at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 W. 44 St.) on Monday, June 3rd at 10:30 a.m. (Press set up at 9:30 a.m.; select pre-show photo ops at 10 a.m.).

The Planet Connections Theatre Festivity presents Walden, a story-theatre style musical adaptation of Thoreau's best seller, featuring his work on the underground railroad and his star-crossed romance. Six performances for Walden will be held at the Robert Moss Theatre, 440 Lafayette Street, NYC from today, May 29-June 15 as part of The Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. The Festivity will take place May 29th through June 23rd at Gene Frankel and Robert Moss Theatres in New York City.

SILENCE! THE MUSICAL will play a special added holiday performance today at the Elektra Theatre in the heart of Times Square. The show, which normally plays at 5 PM on Sundays, will have two performances today at 2 & 7 PM. Winner of the 2012 Off Broadway Alliance Award for Best Musical, SILENCE! is the unauthorized parody of THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, with book byHunter Bell, music & lyrics by Jon and Al Kaplan, and direction & choreography by Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli. After opening initially at Theatre 80 on July 9, 2011 to unanimous rave reviews, the show immediately became a sold-out phenomenon and was selected by Time Magazine as one of the year's Top 5 Musicals.

The world premiere of Rocky took place November 18 in Hamburg under the direction of PETER AND THE STARCATCHER Tony nominee Alex Timbers. It will transfer to Broadway in Feburary 2014. Check out the pre-Broadway commercial below!

4TH WALL THEATRE closes its 16th season with the comedy Lucky Stiff, the first musical by one of Broadway's hottest writing teams, Lynn Ahrens (book and lyrics) and Stephen Flaherty (music). This musical farce is based on the book The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo by Michael Butterworth. First produced at Playwrights Horizons off-Broadway (Richard Rodgers Award) the show later went on to win Washington's Helen Hayes Award for Best Musical.

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Andrew Levine, Executive Director), present a one-night only benefit concert celebrating up and coming musical theatre writers, with the NEO 9 on Monday, May 20, 2013 at The York Theatre. Check out a look back at the night, featuring performances by LaChanze, Lisa Brescia, Titus Burgess, and more!