Terrence McNally News

The 5th Avenue Theatre has announced complete casting for the world premiere of Bliss, an empowering original musical fantasy that flips the traditional princess narrative upside down.

In the last decade or so, musicals based on movies have become a regular occurrence. It seems like several new shows are opening each year, so it's not surprising that a?oeAnastasia,a?? Don Bluth's semi-unconventional take on a princess movie, made the transition a?' and thankfully, the end result maintains much of the magic of its source material.

Let's face it: You probably have enough stuff. While deals on vacuums and toothbrushes can feel satisfying in the moment, wouldn't you rather get tickets to an unforgettable theatrical experience? That's where we come in. This Cyber Monday (i.e. today!) deals on theater tix are so good they feel like a steal. Whether it's a show you've been planning to see forever, or a deal that's just too good to pass up, today's the day to buy those tickets.

The Emojiland kingdom is now complete! Arborhouse Productions & Visceral Entertainment (Michael Chase Gosselin and Tim Sulka) today announced that Max Crumm (Grease, Disaster) will take on the role of the Man In Business Suit Levitating emoji, along with Jacob Dickey (Aladdin Broadway as Aladdin) as Smiling Face with Sunglasses, (aka a?oeSunnya??), Dwelvan David (Finding Neverland & The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess Tours) as Guardsman, Heather Makalani (Aladdin) as Kissy Face, Tanisha Moore (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Tour) as Woman Dancing and Jordan Fife Hunt (A Chorus Line First Revival Tour) as Man Dancing.

The Phantom of the Opera's Eric Anthony López is set to appear with the Atlantic Wind Symphony Orchestra in Patchogue, NY, Dec. 2nd at 7:00 PM with an evening dedicated to orchestral holiday favorites as well as selections associated with Lopez's stage career. The evening will be conducted by Maestro Donald Sherman.

Lyric Opera of Chicago announced today that American bass-baritone Ryan McKinny will portray the title role of Mozart's Don Giovanni December 3-8. Unfortunately, Davide Luciano has suffered a torn muscle requiring several weeks of rehabilitation at home in Italy which will prevent him from singing in what would have been his Lyric debut. Lucas Meacham has been in the title role for the month of November and his final performance, as planned, will be November 30.

The Rochester Broadway Theatre League and Albert Nocciolino announced today that the individual tickets for the tour of the critically-acclaimed Broadway production of ANASTASIA are on sale now. Tickets are available at RBTL's Auditorium Theatre Box office or by visiting ticketmaster.com.

Ticket go on sale Friday, November 22 for four additional shows in the Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati season presented by TriHealth. Ticket prices for all four shows start at $31 and will be available at the Aronoff Center Box Office downtown at 650 Walnut Street, online at CincinnatiArts.org or by phone at 513.621.ARTS starting at 9:00AM.

THE GREEN ROOM 42 - the new intimate concert venue dubbed Broadway's 'off-night hotspot' by The New York Times - will present Steven Brinberg in 'Simply Barbra: A Christmas Show,' the annual holiday edition of his acclaimed all-live homage to the legendary Barbra Streisand, on Wednesday, December 11 at 8:00 PM. The evening celebrates both Christmas and Hannukah, featuring holiday classics from Streisand's two Christmas albums, plus some of her biggest hits. Sam Gravitte (Wicked, Almost Famous) will be Brinberg's special musical guest. Christopher Denny will serve as Music Director.

Bay Street Theater and Sag Harbor Center for the Arts has announced the 2020 Summer Mainstage Season. The three productions will be: WINDFALL (May 26 - June 14), a new comedy by Scooter Pietsch, DANCING AT LUGHNASA (June 23 - July 19) by Brian Friel, and the musical RAGTIME (August 4 - September 6), with book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens; based on the novel by E.L. Doctorow. The cast and creative teams will be announced soon. Subscriptions are available by calling the Box Office at 631-725-9500 or online at www.baystreet.org.

There's nothing subtle about Lyric Opera's staging of Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally's contemporary opera DEAD MAN WALKING. Based upon the novel of the same name by Sister Helen Prejean, DEAD MAN WALKING focuses on Sister Helen's relationship with 29-year-old Joseph De Rocher, a prisoner on death row in Angola, Louisiana convicted of the murder of a young couple (and the sexual assault of a young woman). While DEAD MAN WALKING clearly aims to be morally complex in its exploration of capital punishment and the notion of whether or not we should also treat criminals as human beings, the piece feels overwrought. The debate at the opera's center is painted with broad strokes; at one point, we literally see protestors outside the prison holding picket signs depicting both sides of the argument.

The York Theatre Company, dedicated to the development of new musicals and preserving musical gems from the past, recently honored Tony Award winner André De Shields (Hadestown) with the 2019 Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre and producer Riki Kane Larimer (Cagney) with The York Theatre Company Founders' Award on Monday evening, November 11, 2019 at The Edison Ballroom (240 West 47th Street).

Festival Producers Doug Nevin and Michael Urie, and Festival Director Nick Mayo, in partnership with Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, are proud to present Pride Plays 2020. Initially intended as a one-time celebration of Stonewall 50 and theatrical pride, the festival will return in 2020 due to rapturous community response and overwhelming demand. Pride Plays 2020 will run from June 25 a?" June 29, 2020 at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater in the West Village (224 Waverly Place).

Chita Rivera's two shows at Club Helsinki Saturday, November 16, 2019, have been cancelled. On doctors' orders, and as a result of an infection, Ms. Rivera must have bed rest for the next several weeks.  A new date for the shows will be announced soon.

At first glance, the musical stage adaptation of ANASTASIA looks and feels like an appropriately grand, luxe affaira?"from its gorgeous costumes designed to the lush soundscapes created by the orchestra and the vocal talents that have been assembled for this tour. But the undeniable wow factor of the show is, of course, the stunning visual trifecta of its scenic design working in keen harmony with dazzling projections and stage lighting. The overall technical prowess of this stage musical is just jaw-droppinga?"and, I must say, is quite an adequate enough reason to experience the show. The adaptation's execution of the story itself, however, suffers slightly from its well-meaning intentionsa?"revealing a stage show that feels stilted by its own drama, and with an unsure footing of what it truly wants to be.

Lynne Meadow (Artistic Director) and Barry Grove (Executive Producer) have announced that Sasha Allen and Ana Villafañe will perform at the Manhattan Theatre Club 2019 Fall Benefit, joining previously announced performers Olivier nominee Sierra Boggess, Tony nominee Melissa Errico, Tony nominee Norm Lewis, Tony nominee Patrick Page and Tony nominee Tony Yazbeck.

Dead Man Walking, the powerful opera by composer Jake Heggie and librettist-playwright Terrence McNally, will have its long-awaited Lyric premiere this month. There will be six performances Nov. 2-22 at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Dr., Chicago. Tickets start at $39 and are available at lyricopera.org/dmw or by calling 312-827-5600.

ScoBar Entertainment has announced that PIANO BAR LIVE!has been extended through November, at Brandy's Piano Bar on the Upper East Side, beginning Monday, November 4 from 7-8:30pm. Joining Piano Bar Maestro, MICHAEL McASSEY at the keys, will be a veritable Who's Who of Cabaret and Broadway! PIANO BAR LIVE! is an interactive, live-streaming Piano Bar experience. THERE IS NO COVER CHARGE for PIANO BAR LIVE! but there is a two drink minimum.

The League of Professional Theatre Women (Shellen Lubin and Catherine Porter, Co-Presidents), an organization which has been championing women in the professional theatre for over three decades, will present an Oral History Project event with the legendary, five-time Tony Award-winning actress, Angela Lansbury on Thursday, November 14 starting at 6pm (doors at 5:30pm) in the Bruno Walter Auditorium at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (111 Amsterdam Avenue at 65th Street). Admission to the FREE event is currently sold out.

BroadwayWorld is checking in with the cast to uncover some little known facts about the political giants they play onstage. Today, watch as Marc Kudisch gives us a lesson on Richard J,. Daley.