Stephen Schwartz News

The WICA/Hedgebrook Literary Series Presents An Evening with Winnie Holzman on March 27 at 7:30 p.m.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator, original leading man (Usnavi), and Tony and Grammy Award-winning composer of the critically-acclaimed Broadway musical IN THE HEIGHTS, just landed in Manila to attend the opening night of Atlantis Productions Inc.'s restaging of IN THE HEIGHTS - its first ever licensed production in Asia, which features an all-Filipino cast - on Friday, March 16 at Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati City, Philippines.

Last night, March 14, the casts of GODSPELL and WICKED gathered outside the Gershwin Theatre to wish Stephen Schwartz a happy birthday, which he celebrated last week. On hand for the festivities were Hunter Parrish (GODSPELL), Wallace Smith (GODSPELL), Lindsay Mendez (GODSPELL), Jackie Burns (WICKED), Richard H. Blake (WICKED) and more. BroadwayWorld also stopped by for the photo op and brings you coverage below!

Hunter Parrish will release his debut album April 17, which is preceded by his single. Listen to the single, Sitting at Home, in the video below!

Tony-winner Sutton Foster departed the hit production of ANYTHING GOES last night, March 11th to begin filming ABC Family's new drama series BUNHEADS. Stephanie J. Block returns as 'Reno Sweeney' to the 2011 Tony Award winning musical comedy on March 15, 2012. Check out the new show art featuring the new leading lady below!

Looking for a quick roundup of this week's events? Look no further - here are some of the best articles the week had to offer!

The Music Theatre Company, Highland Park's Equity theatre, is announces its spring production of Pippin by Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson, directed and choreographed by Founding Artistic Director Jessica Redish. The production will run March 22 - May 6, 2012 at The Music Theatre Company located in the Karger Center in Highland Park.

New York City Opera announces that VOX, the company's workshop for new American operas, will be presented in conjunction with OPERA America's New Works Forum for New York City Opera's 2012-13 season. Composers are invited to submit works-in-progress or completed, previously unproduced works to this year's showcase, which will have a public performance on November 8 (eligibility requirements are listed below, with further details still to be announced). Since 1999, composers Mark Adamo, Charles Wuorinen, Richard Danielpour, John Zorn, and Stephen Schwartz are among those who have had pieces presented in VOX that have gone on to redefine the American opera genre. VOX, described by the New York Times as an "invaluable showcase," gives American composers and audiences the opportunity to hear professional performances of excerpts of new operatic works, unstaged and read by members of the New York City Opera orchestra and soloists. As the only program in the country that gives composers the opportunity to hear their new works and works-in-progress with full instrumental ensembles and professional soloists, VOX continues to be a vital part of the fabric of American opera.

Pittsburgh CLO and Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama, in partnership with The ASCAP Foundation and Academy and Grammy Award -winning composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz, have announced that SCARY MUSICAL has been selected for further development as part of the Pittsburgh CLO/Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama New Works Program. The program encourages the exploration and refinement of new works of the American musical theater.

American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) has announced that it will present the musical Pippin as part of its 2012 - 13 Season. The production will be directed by Diane Paulus with choreography by Gypsy Snider of the Montreal-based circus company Les 7 doigts de la main, also known as 7 Fingers. Performances will begin in December 2012 at the Loeb Drama Center, Cambridge.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will present the 15th and grand finale edition of THE BROADWAY BEARS, the annual Broadway auction of teddy bears dressed in museum-quality outfits based on original costumes and created by acclaimed designers on March 18, 2012.

The Today Show's Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kota made a very special appearance at GODSPELL recently. Watch the humorous performance here, and hear what they had to say about it below!

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS presents the 15th and grand finale edition of The Broadway Bears, the annual Broadway auction of teddy bears dressed in museum-quality outfits based on original costumes and created by well-known designers.

The Today Show's Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb made a very special appearance at GODSPELL recently. Watch the humorous performance below!

What happens once the Ugly Duckling comes out of her shell? She takes a show business journey to become a singing swan superstar! Kansas City audiences can catch the one-night-only performance of Lucky Duck by the Coterie Theatre at 7 p.m. March 8 at the Folly Theater, 1020 Central. The musical comedy with its Kansas City cast will then take flight for its debut at the New Victory Theater in New York March 16-25.

Tasty Monster Productions, a new theater company dedicated to the production of cutting edge original and re-envisioned theatrical and musical works for new audiences is presents their inaugural production Personals, 'a love story for the rest of us' featuring the talents of DC metro actors Heather Bagnall Scheeler, Jenny Donovan, Stephen Hoch, Kristen Jepperson, Ken Kemp, and Luke Tudball and the musical talents of Musical Director Mike Noonan and the award winning musical trio the Unified Jazz Ensemble.

BETH MALONE...SO FAR, returns to NYC for 3 performances only after last year's triumphant debut at Joe's Pub. Broadway (Ring of Fire), Off-Broadway (The Marvelous Wonderettes, Bingo) and NY favorite Beth Malone 'takes you on a journey from Castle Rock, Colorado to the South Pacific, to Broadway and beyond - from little girl crushes to grown-woman heartbreak.'

Caldwell Theatre Company is set to launch the revamped, updated, and contemporized musical Working, featuring the music of Tony winners, Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell),Lin Manuel Miranda (In the Heights) and Grammy winner James Taylor. The original source material for this unabashedly American musical is based on the novel Working by Studs Terkel.

Actress and comedienne Lisa Lampanelli attended SILENCE! The Musical at P.S. 122 this past Friday, March 2nd. Check out a snapshot below!