The Children's Theatre News

Just a two years after its Broadway debut, Performance Network Theatre will engage, challenge, and inspire audiences to discover the hilarity and tragedy of hard work versus sheer luck with the 2011 Tony Nominee for Best New Play, Good People by David Lindsay-Abaire previewing February 21st-February 29th, opening with a champagne reception on March 1st with performances through March 31st.

The Growing Stage, The Children's Theatre of New Jersey, located in the Historic Palace Theatre on Route 183 in Netcong, New Jersey is proud to present the East Coast Premiere of WITH TWO WINGS from tonight, February 1st through February 24th with performances Friday evenings at 7:30 PM, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 4:00 PM.

The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati will bring "The Magical Adventure of Merlin" to life February 15-17 & 23 on the Taft Theatre stage. This world-premiere musical will introduce audiences to the teenage wizard, Merlin, and his mysterious and magical youth. This coming-of-age tale, will share the backstory of Merlin, his boyhood friend ,-- King Arthur, and the beautiful, bewitching Morgana, as teens in mythical ancient England. Come and take a journey with Merlin and discover the greatest magic of all, friendship! Featuring magic tricks, illusions, sword fighting and more!

As the world premiere production of Will Ledesma and Braden Hunt's musical version of THUMBELINA was in its opening weekend at A.D. Players, I got the opportunity to speak with book and lyric writer Will Ledesma. We discussed his career as a writer, his process, and the show itself.

Philadelphia Theatre Company presents PTC@Play, a two-week festival of new work on February 18-March 3 at PTC's home at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets). The festival will feature staged readings of four new plays by both established and emerging playwrights, a new play with music in development starring Tony and Barrymore Award winner Forrest McClendon as African American vaudeville legend Bert Williams, and an evening of short plays, FuturePhilly@Play, by seven emerging playwrights. Each playwright will be in-residence at PTC for their reading, and every reading will conclude with a reception where audiences and artists can meet. All events are free with curtain time at 7:30 PM. A highlight of PTC@Play will be the February 18th announcement of the winner of the Terrence McNally New Play Award, a $10,000 cash prize given annually to recognize a new play that celebrates the transformative power of art.

The Growing Stage, The Children's Theatre of New Jersey, located in the Historic Palace Theatre on Route 183 in Netcong, New Jersey is proud to present the East Coast Premiere of WITH TWO WINGS from February 1st through February 24th with performances Friday evenings at 7:30 PM, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 4:00 PM.

The Theatre School at DePaul University proudly presents LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY, based on the book by Gary D. Schmidt, adapted by Cheryl L. West, and directed by John Jenkins, as the second piece in the 2012-2013 Chicago Playworks for Families and Young Audiences Series. This production opens today, January 19, and runs through Saturday, March 2, 2013, at DePaul's historic Merle Reskin Theatre.

Performance Network Theatre forms a special 'artnership' with Creative Rights and Pop Up A2 to install visual art that follows the theme of the current and upcoming shows in the theatre's lobby. Brill by David Wells with music by Frank Allison (now - February 10, 2013) features works by Adam Bota, Lea Bult, and Katie Halton in the theatre's lobby for the duration of the performance. For tickets or information regarding the pieces call 734-663-0681.

The zany musical adventure based on the popular 1970s cartoon series, Schoolhouse Rock Live!, is back for two more rockin' performances, presented by Florida Rep's Lunchbox Theatre Series!

From acclaimed Scottish theater company Visible Fictions (Jason and the Argonauts, New Vic 2009), comes The Mark of Zorro, a thrilling tale about a mysterious masked avenger. By using simple props and physical ingenuity, the cast of three whizzes through a multitude of characters, conjuring all the drama, wit and suspense of an action flick. The Mark of Zorro will run at The New Victory Theater, 209 West 42nd Street, from February 8 through February 24, 2013.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Cincinnati's stage for the classics, presents William Shakespeare's poetic history 'Richard II', playing from tonight, January 11- February 3, 2013. This production is directed by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company Producing Artistic Director Brian Isaac Phillips and features CSC Resident Ensemble Members Giles Davies, Jim Hopkins and Brent Vimtrup. Get a first look at the show in the photos below!

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Cincinnati's stage for the classics, presents William Shakespeare's poetic history 'Richard II', playing from tonight, January 11- February 3, 2013.

Performance Network Theatre with the support of The Ann Magazine presents the world premiere of Brill, a play with music written by Ann Arbor playwright, David Wells, with music by Frank Allison (from Frank Allison and the Odd Sox) tonight, January 10, 2013 at 7:30pm at the Performance Network Theatre on 120 East Huron Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Florida Rep's Lunchbox Theatre Series presents Celeste Raspanti's I Never Saw Another Butterfly, an inspiring true story about children living in the Jewish Ghetto, Terezin, during the Holocaust.

From acclaimed Scottish theater company Visible Fictions (Jason and the Argonauts, New Vic 2009), comes The Mark of Zorro, a thrilling tale about a mysterious masked avenger. By using simple props and physical ingenuity, the cast of three whizzes through a multitude of characters, conjuring all the drama, wit and suspense of an action flick. The Mark of Zorro will run at The New Victory Theater, 209 West 42nd Street, from February 8 through February 24, 2013.

Spies, secrets, and sensuality abound as Park Square Theatre presents the regional premiere of Liz Duffy Adams' stylish play OR, on stage February 22-March 17, 2013. A comedic romp set in 1666 Restoration England, OR, combines fact with fiction in a tale complete with secret agents, cross dressing, rhyming couplets, and lovers hiding in cupboards. Playwright Adams brilliantly weaves Elizabethan verse and clever transitions into modern prose, all in a style reminiscent of the film Shakespeare in Love.

BroadwayWorld brings you the Best of New Jersey in the year 2012. Check out the Top Theatre Stories from each month during in the year 2012. We look forward to another exciting year of theatre in 2013!

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Cincinnati's stage for the classics, presents William Shakespeare's poetic history 'Richard II', playing from January 11- February 3, 2013. This production is directed by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company Producing Artistic Director Brian Isaac Phillips and features CSC Resident Ensemble Members Giles Davies, Jim Hopkins and Brent Vimtrup. This production is generously sponsored by Charles Parsons and The Mercantile Library's Canon Club, the design is sponsored by Osborne Rohs Williams & Donohoe and the ensemble is sponsored by Messer Construction.

One of the goals of The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre has always been to provide entertainment for all ages. That is why, alongside the theatre's Mainstage season which features Broadway style productions, it launched the Children's Theatre in 1996. Since then, the Children's Theatre at Way Off Broadway has brought all of the most popular children's fairytales and stories to life on the stage. From productions of Jack and the Beanstalk and Dora the Explorer Live! to The Three Little Pigs and Disney's 101 Dalmatians, Way Off Broadway has been the home to some of the most well known children's characters of all time.

Six D.C.-area playwrights have been selected to participate in the inaugural Playwrights' Arena as part of the American Voices New Play Institute at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Playwrights' Arena is a collaborative group of local writers dedicated to the support and development of each other's work and practice. The yearlong program commences in January 2013, and the inaugural members include Norman Allen, Randy Baker, Jacqueline E. Lawton, Heather McDonald, Danielle Mohlman and Shawn Northrip. Also in January as part of the Institute's programming will be the next installment of the Kogod Cradle Series featuring readings of The Age of Innocence, a new adaptation for the stage by Resident Playwright Karen Zacarías, January 14-16, 2013.