Stephen Flaherty News

Paper Mill Playhouse just announced full casting for the Millburn, New Jersey, theater's production of Once On This Island (book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, music by Stephen Flaherty). More than 20 years after its premiere, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens are re-inventing their first musical with Tony-nominated director Thomas Kail (In the Heights, Lombardi, Magic/Bird), choreographer Bradley Rapier (So You Think You Can Dance, Jesus Christ Superstar) and new orchestrations by music director Lynne Shankel (Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Altar Boyz). Once On This Island begins performances on Wednesday, May 30, 2012, and runs through Sunday, June 24, 2012. Once On This Island is proudly sponsored by Bank of America. The official press opening is scheduled for Sunday, June 3, 2012.

The Camp Broadway Kids, which is comprised of 58 theatre-loving kids, ages 12-16, are set to perform in the New York Pops 29th Birthday Gala titled 'Journey On' at Carnegie Hall on Monday, April 30. Under the direction of Camp Broadway's Artistic Director,Tony Parise (Broadway credits include Me and My Girl and 42nd Street), the cast, which was selected from a nation-wide pool of over 500 auditionees, will perform alongside Broadway stars during musical numbers honoring the work of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Award-winning and Oscar-nominated songwriting team of such renowned Broadway musicals as Ragtime, Once On This Island, Seussical, My Favorite Year, A Man of No Importance, The Glorious Ones and the feature film Anastasia.

Today we are talking to a Broadway superstar beloved from the time of her breakthrough performance in the original cast of Stephen Sondheim's PASSION nearly twenty years ago all the way to two tremendous revivals in the early 00s - KISS ME, KATE and MAN OF LA MANCHA - to her most recent trio of roles on Broadway, first appearing in the straight drama ENRON, then as the troubled lead character of Diana in the Pulitzer Prize-winning NEXT TO NORMAL, and, most recently, as the tortured Margaret White in the long-awaited New York return of CARRIE - the one and only Marin Mazzie. Recalling many memories of working on the original productions of such seminal musicals as INTO THE WOODS, PASSION, RAGTIME, SPAMALOT and NEXT TO NORMAL with some of Broadway's best and brightest talents, Mazzie expresses her sincere appreciation for the unforgettable shows she has been associated with and opens up about her experiences as both an originator of a role, as in the cases of PASSION and RAGTIME, and also as a replacement star and the challenges that that position poses for a performer. Additionally, Mazzie shares her enthusiasm for the words and music of the Tony Award-winning RAGTIME creators Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, whom she will be saluting alongside a starry assortment of notables on Monday at the NY Pops JOURNEY ON Gala at Carnegie Hall. Plus, Mazzie clues us in on all aspects of her journey with the recent New York reworking and reappraisal of CARRIE and gives us first news on recording the cast album, which is set for a Fall release, as well as news on her second duets album with husband, Jason Danieley and solo album thoughts. All of that and much, much more!

Theatre IV announces the return of Seussical the musical, to the Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre, running tonight, April 27 through Sunday, May 20, 2012. Based on the work of Dr. Seuss with music and lyrics by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, this production offers a new generation of kids the timeless story of friendship and community. Director, Chase Kniffen, calls Seussical, "the perfect family musical that will both touch and entertain all ages, from four to four hundred." Seussical is one of several Theatre IV offerings in the Minds Wide Open: Virginia Celebrates Children and the Arts initiative.

DESSA ROSE, featuring Stacey Cabaj as Ruth, by Lynn Ahrens with music by Stephen Flaherty, will be presented in a co-production with Firehouse Theatre Project and Richmond CenterStage. The show features music direction by Leilani Giles, choreography by Karen Getz and is directed by Richard M. Parison, Jr. It runs May 4 - June 3, 2012, Thurs.-Sat. at 8pm, Wed. May 23 at 2pm, and Sun. May 6, 13, 20, and June 3 at 4pm.

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's exclusive multi-part InDepth InterView series focusing on the New York Pops 29th Birthday Gala concert celebrating the music and musicals of Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty, JOURNEY ON, that will take place at Carnegie Hall on April 30 at 7 PM, by talking to the musical half of the Tony Award-winning songwriting team, Stephen Flaherty.

Over the next five weeks, Paper Mill Playhouse will launch five, short video interviews with Once on This Island composer, Stephen Flaherty. Watch the third part of the interview series below.

Lynn Ahrens ist eine Frau mit vielen Facetten. Seit über 30 Jahren arbeitet sie mit dem Komponisten Stephen Flaherty zusammen und schrieb mit ihm die Musicals Ragtime, Seussical:The Musical und die Musik zu den animierten Film Anastasia (Oscar-Nominierung). Derzeit befindet sich ihr neustes Werk Rocky, basierend auf dem Oscar gekrönten Film von 1975 mit Sylvester Stallone, in Pre-Production und wird im November Welturaufführung im Operettenhaus Hamburg feiern. Mein Kollege Pat Cerasaro sprach mit Lynn Ahrens über dieses Projekt.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, April 22, 2012 - Sunday, April 22, 2012.

Today we are kicking off BroadwayWorld's exclusive multi-part InDepth InterView series focusing on the New York Pops 29th Birthday Gala concert celebrating the music and musicals of Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty, JOURNEY ON, that will take place at Carnegie Hall on April 30 at 7 PM by taking to the lyricist half of the lauded Tony Award-winning songwriting team herself, the thoughtful and candid Lynn Ahrens. In a wide-ranging conversation covering many of her theatrical collaborations with Stephen Flaherty from their first musical, LUCKY STIFF, in the 1980s, to their Tony-winning success with RAGTIME in the 1990s, to their astounding slate of shows since - SEUSSICAL: THE MUSICAL, DESSA ROSE and THE GLORIOUS ONES included - all the way up to 2012 and their new musical in pre-production in Germany, ROCKY, based on the iconic 1975 Oscar-winning Sylvester Stallone-starring boxing film. Ahrens also shares firsthand news on the new Ahrens & Flaherty musical based on the art and life of Degas and the upcoming feature film version of LUCKY STIFF, directed by Christopher Ashley, as well as reflects on her work for the stage, page and screen outside of her work with Flaherty - songs for SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK and songs for the hit indie musical film CAMP among them. Plus, Ahrens shares her enthusiasm for her many collaborators and the performers famous for interpreting her work as well as relates her excitement for the star-studded JOURNEY ON concert spectacular at Carnegie Hall. All of that and much, much more!

According to a video report by NY1, New York Pops' 29th Birthday Gala JOURNEY ON will serve as an all-star tribute in honor of Tony-winning pair Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, known for their work on Ragtime, Once On This Island and Suessical. Carnegie Hall will host the event April 30.

Paper Mill Playhouse has announced the Winter-Spring, 2012 Season of Children's Programming.

The Firehouse Theatre Project and Richmond CenterStage present the Civil War-Era musical Dessa Rose May 2 - June 3, 2012. Dessa Rose will be performed at the Firehouse Theatre and comes during Virginia's commemoration of the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War and Emancipation.

Over the next four weeks, Paper Mill Playhouse will launch five, short video interviews with ONCE ON THIS ISLAND composer, Stephen Flaherty.

Amas Musical Theatre's Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy (Donna Trinkoff, Artistic Producer) will present the musical "Seussical", book by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, from Friday, May 3rd through Sunday May 13th the LABA Theatre at the 14th Street Y, 344 East 14thStreet (between 1st and 2nd Avenues).

On Monday, April 30, The New York Pops marks its 29th birthday with a grand gala evening titled 'Journey On' honoring Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Award-winning and Oscar-nominated songwriting team of such renowned Broadway musicals as Ragtime, Once On This Island, Seussical, My Favorite Year, A Man of No Importance, The Glorious Ones and the feature film Anastasia.

Paper Mill Playhouse has just announced that American Idol finalist Syesha Mercado has been cast as Ti Moune in the Millburn, New Jersey, theater's production of Once On This Island (book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, music by Stephen Flaherty). More than 20 years after its premiere, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens are re-inventing their first musical with Tony-nominated director Thomas Kail (In the Heights, Lombardi, Magic/Bird) and choreographer Bradley Rapier (So You Think You Can Dance). Once On This Island begins performances on Wednesday, May 30, 2012, and runs through Sunday, June 24, 2012. Complete casting will be announced at a later date. Once On This Island is proudly sponsored by Bank of America.

The Shaw Festival embarks on the first season of its next 50 years by proudly initiating a provocative conversation through the Tony Award-winning musical Ragtime. Based on E.L. Doctorow's novel of the same name, Ragtime is directed by Artistic Director Jackie Maxwell and brought to life by The Shaw's renowned acting Ensemble. This powerful and complex story of a young America on the cusp of defining itself and the hopes and dreams of its citizens continues to gain resonance today. Surpassing all expectations, early tickets sales to the Shaw Festival's production of Ragtime are nearly 20% above projected totals, while early April and May ticket purchases for special matinees are already 80% sold out. Yesterday's preview performance of Ragtime received a standing ovation.

Over the next five weeks, Paper Mill Playhouse will launch five, short video interviews with Once on This Island composer, Stephen Flaherty.

Casting is now complete for the European premiere of Lynn Ahrens' and Stephen Flaherty's multiple Drama Desk-nominated Off-Broadway musical, The Glorious Ones, which will play at the Landor Theatre, London, from Tuesday March 6 to Saturday April 7.