TheatreWorks News

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre's (NAMT) 25th Annual Festival of New Musicals takes place tomorrow, Thursday, October 17 and Friday, October 18 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street). Below, meet the writers of the 25th Annual Festival of New Musicals shows!

The Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Boulevard in downtown Aurora, Illinois, invites families, schools, scout troops, daycare centers and kids' clubs to enjoy an affordable, entertaining and educational live theater experience at any of its 2013-14 family presentations, announced today.

Roundabout Theatre Company presents The Winslow Boy, starring Tony nominee Michael Cumpsty as 'Desmond Curry', Academy & Tony Award nominee Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as 'Grace Winslow', Alessandro Nivola as 'Sir Robert Morton' and Tony Award winner Roger Rees as 'Arthur Winslow'.

Westport Country Playhouse invites the community to a Family Festivities Kick-Off Party on Sunday, November 10, from 1 to 4 p.m. Free-of-charge and open to the public, the event will celebrate the Playhouse's upcoming 2013-14 Family Festivities Series, which begins on November 17. The popular series will feature musicals based on children's classic stories, including "Madeline and the Bad Hat," and an adaptation of Broadway's "Seussical," as well as daredevil acrobatics, magic, puppetry, andglowing electroluminescent creatures.

'Crossing The River', a discussion featuring interfaith leaders led by Reverend Susan Turchin, and 'The Power of the Voice', a discussion with innovative contemporary theater composers hosted by Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812's Dave Malloy, will be offered as free post-performance events following upcoming performances of Prospect Theater Company's world premiere of TAMAR OF THE RIVER. The announcement was made today by Cara Reichel and Melissa Huber, the Producing Artistic Director and Managing Director of Prospect Theater Company.

TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, presents the Regional Premiere of Lauren Gunderson's SILENT SKY, directed by Meredith McDonough. An exquisite blend of science, history, and romance, SILENT SKY is the story of Henrietta Leavitt, an early 20th century astronomer struggling for recognition in a man's industry.

MEMPHIS, the 2010 Tony Winning Best Musical is preparing to launch the national tour in Appleton, WI at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center tonight, October 15th. MEMPHIS is in Boise, ID for technical rehearsal at the Morrison Center with three performances beginning October 9th - 11th.

Just last week, Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group announced the casting and initial tour schedule for their spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera launching a major North American Tour in Providence, R.I. at the Providence Performing Arts Center. With newly reinvented staging and stunning scenic design, this new version of PHANTOM, the most successful musical of all-time, will be performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this one of the largest productions on tour in North America. Meet the cast below!

Marin Theatre Company continues its 2013-14 Season with the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere of I and You by San Francisco-based playwright Lauren Gunderson. Running for a limited time now through November 3, this highly anticipated new play written by a 'rising national talent' (Creative Loafing) will be directed by Sarah Rasmussen, the resident director for Oregon Shakespeare Festival's Black Swan Lab, and feature local actor Jessica Lynn Carroll and New York actor Devion McArthur. Opening night is Tuesday, October 15. Based in Mill Valley, MTC is a 47-year old professional nonprofit theater that is a destination for exhilarating performances, inspired new American plays and powerful theatrical experiences. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Today, Camp Broadway has announced its roster of guest artists visiting its three-day musical theater dance intensive geared towards dancers ages 14-18, occurring over the Columbus Day weekend, today, October 12-14, 2013.

Award-winning theatre company, Son of Semele Ensemble (SOSE), will present the West Coast premiere of Civilization (All You Can Eat), by playwright Jason Grote. Directed by SOSE ensemble member Don Boughton and choreographed by Ken Roht, Civilization opens October 11th at the Son of Semele Theater.

Landmark on Main Street launches its 2013-14 Season with a very exciting Fall Line-Up.

The Civilians, the award-winning New York-based theatre company, announces the members of its 2013-14 R & D Group. The group's emerging and established artists were selected from over one hundred applicants. The R & D Group is comprised of artists from multiple theatrical disciplines. Each artist or creative team will develop an original work over the season. The artists and projects were selected to represent a range of different strategies for making new work from creative inquiry and research. This diversity of approach helps feed a culture of innovation in the group, making the R & D Group an effective lab of experimentation for the field of investigative theater.

Manhattan Theatre Club has announced full casting for the American premiere of Taking Care of Baby by Dennis Kelly and directed by Erica Schmidt. Joining previously announced cast members Reed Birney (Blasted, Our Leading Lady), Kristen Bush (Kin, The Common Pursuit), Tony nominee Amelia Campbell (A Streetcar Named Desire, Our Country's Good) and Margaret Colin (The Columnist, 'Gossip Girl'), are Francois Battiste (Magic/ Bird), Michael Crane (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson off-Broadway), Ethan Phillips (Golden Age) and Zach Shaffer ('Smash').

'Crossing The River', a discussion featuring interfaith leaders led by Reverend Susan Turchin, and 'The Power of the Voice', a discussion with innovative contemporary theater composers hosted by Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812's Dave Malloy, will be offered as free post-performance events following upcoming performances of Prospect Theater Company's world premiere of TAMAR OF THE RIVER.

Recently, TheatreWorks president Glenn R. Couture, other members of the board, and special dignitaries were on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the new enclosed reception area, which was once part of TheatreWorks New Milford's back deck. The ceremony was held as the theater was getting ready to stage a performance of its current main stage offering, the Irish comedy-drama, THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN by Martin McDonagh.

Walden, a story-theatre style musical adaptation of Thoreau's best seller, featuring his work on the underground railroad and his star-crossed romance will be performed as a stage reading today, Monday, October 7th at The Gym at Judson Memorial Church. Book and Lyrics for Walden are written by Katherine Brann Fredricks and the music is composed by Bert Draesel. Brian Maschka directs a cast of eleven including Drew Aber, Cole Burden, Tyrone Davis, Jr, Susannah Jones, Lisa CM Lamothe, Rob Langeder, Heather Lundstedt, Ronnie Nelson, Doug Shapiro, Thalia St. Hubert and Stephanie Umoh.

Top talent from Broadway come to The Ridgefield Playhouse today, October 7, at 7:30 p.m. in a concert reading of Ridgefielder Adam Safir's new musical Kilty's Revolt, to benefit A Better Chance (ABC) in Ridgefield. Tally Sessions, featured in the new Broadway Play Big Fish, brings his powerful high baritone to the lead role of Revolutionary War era indentured servant Kilty. Kate Fahrner, who plays Glynda inthe blockbuster Wicked, will display comic and tragic versatility as his brash and puckish lover Elizabeth. Proceeds from this event will help support the seven extraordinary young women from the East Coast who attend Ridgefield High School and revel in all the town has to offer through A Better Chance. This event is part of the Ridgefield Magazine Broadway and Cabaret Series. Bernard's (22 West Lane, Ridgefield) is offering a special prix-fixe menu before the show when tickets are presented; reservations suggested. This event is sponsored by Ridgefield Magazine with media sponsor WMNR Fine Arts Radio.

Savory Thymes hosts a benefit for Marin Theatre Company's New Play Program today, October 6, 2013, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Hillside Gardens in Mill Valley.

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of Thornton Wilder's great dramatic homage to small-town American life and the greater universal experience of life, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents Our Town beginning October 17th and continuing through November 17th at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Ave. (at Lancaster Road) in Madison. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased by calling the Box Office at973-408-5600 or by visiting www.ShakespeareNJ.org. Performances are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays at 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Individual tickets range from $35 to $70; student rush tickets are available 30 minutes prior to curtain for $15.