Tom Hewitt News

The St. Louis Municipal Theatre (Muny), the oldest open-air theater in the United States, has announced their 2011 summer season. Shows include: The Muny premiere of Legally Blonde (June 20 - 26); Kiss Me, Kate (June 27 - July 3); The Little Mermaid (July 6 - 14); Singin' in the Rain (July 18 - 24); Little Shop of Horrors (July 25 - 31); Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (August 1 - 7); and Bye Bye Birdie (August 8 - 14).

On Monday, November 22, 2010, the Broadway company of the international musical smash CHICAGO is pleased to welcome back Tony Award nominee Tom Hewitt in the role of slick criminal lawyer Billy Flynn.

On Monday, November 22, 2010, the Broadway company of the international musical smash CHICAGO is pleased to welcome back Tony Award nominee Tom Hewitt in the role of slick criminal lawyer Billy Flynn.

This week we are taking a listen to the soundtrack for the forthcoming ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW homage ala GLEE with a rundown of the second season of the hit Golden Globe-winning musical dramedy series and how it stacks up to last season. Additionally, we take a peek at one of the most famous musicals numbers from the cult classic score - 'Time Warp' featuring all of the central Glee club cast-members of the show, among them Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Dianna Agron and Chris Colfer. The soundtrack also contains a special appearance by John Stamos - late of Broadway's recent BYE BYE BIRDIE, and the other Roundabout revivals of NINE and CABARET - who sings the song made famous by a then unknown Meat Loaf in 1975 who will be making an appearance himself on the episode when it airs October 26th on Fox. So, come up to the lab and see what's on the slab a whole week early as we take a peak at the soundtrack and some special video clips from THE ROCKY HORROR GLEE SHOW.

Dead Agenting, a new play that is 'not about Scientology' by award-winning independent filmmaker/playwright Aaron Mark, will receive a private reading in Manhattan on Monday, October 18th.

In a career that has consisted of everything from voicing Howard the Duck to originating the roles of The Baker in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's musical INTO THE WOODS and Marvin (and Dr. Mendel) in the FALSETTOS trilogy by William Finn, as well as some DePalma and numerous stage roles in between, Chip Zien is a character actor extraordinaire who now is trying out a new role - that of book writer - in the New York Musical Theater Festival's new musical THE HISTORY OF WAR. Last week we spoke to one of the stars of the show, Max Von Essen, and today we shine some light on the process of bringing the show to the stage as well as a look back at many of the notable film and theatre appearances that Zien has made over his nearly four decades in show business. Working with Stephen Sondheim, William Finn, Dustin Hoffman and Nicolas Cage is just the tip of the iceberg, as Zien also opens up about his unusual career and the many friendships he has built along the way. All that, and what it was like to be at the birth of a brand new Sondheim song written just for him in the form of 'No More' from INTO THE WOODS. Marvin to Mendel, Baker to book writer, Chip Zien is an authority of all the glitters and the gold of having a true collaborative breakthrough as he has had on FALSETTOS, INTO THE WOODS and, now, THE HISTORY OF WAR. Tickets are on sale at the link below! Only three performances left, tonight and tomorrow only!

Dead Agenting, a new play that is 'not about Scientology' by award-winning independent filmmaker/playwright Aaron Mark, will receive a private reading in Manhattan on Monday, October 18th.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the not-for-profit foundation of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), announces that Michael Halberstam of Writers' Theatre is the recipient of the 2010 Zelda Fichandler Award, which recognizes an outstanding director or choreographer who is transforming the regional arts landscape through singular creativity and artistry in theatre. The award heralds accomplishment to date and promise for the future, artistic vision, and deep commitment to a region outside of New York. It carries an unrestricted grant of $5000 to the individual recipient.

A friendly giant known best for his devilish and, at times, demonic lead roles in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW as Frank N. Furter, the eponymous DRACULA and the first replacement cast of THE LION KING as Scar - in addition to his current essaying of the role of the lecherous lawyer Billy Flynn in the smash hit Broadway revival of CHICAGO - time and perseverance has aided Tony-nominated actor Tom Hewitt in carving out a career on Broadway quite unlike most others in existence. In this comprehensive conversation we discuss his many marvelous stage performances on Broadway and beyond thus far, including his new lead role in the New York Musical Theater Festival musical THE GREAT UNKNOWN written by William Hauptman (PUMP BOYS & DINETTES) and Jim Wann (BIG RIVER) and directed by Don Stephenson. In addition to a thorough discussion of that new NYMF musical, we also talk about working with Julie Taymor on the PBS film FOOL'S FIRE and Broadway's THE LION KING, what the insane ROCKY HORROR LIVE experience was like from a stage perspective, his many stints in CHICAGO, as well as working with co-stars like Matt Morrison, Kelli O'Hara, Brenda Braxton, Charlotte D'Amboise and Chip Zien. We also discuss his feelings on Dan Savage's IT GETS BETTER campaign and what he thinks of GLEE taking on the garters, boas and stilettos of Frank & Crew when they do their ROCKY HORROR tribute later this month. Performances of the original bluegrass musical THE GREAT UNKNOWN have already begun so be sure to grab some tickets a the link below and catch the show on Sunday if you haven't done so yet!

The New York Musical Theatre Festival, Patricia Miller and DiStar Productions/Diana Glazer are pleased to announce the world premiere production of THE GREAT UNKNOWN, choreographed by Liza Gennaro and directed by Don Stephenson.

A very scientific princess meets a frog she is determined to turn into a prince - with the assistance of a troupe of Celestial Tap-Dancing Taoist Masters. In this saucy 'n' swingin' new musical, will Clementine get the Prince of her dreams, or will she find herself in bed with just another horny toad? It's a bedtime story with a bawdy twist! Based on the Stephen Mitchell novella The Frog Prince.

Last night, September 27, the 2010 New York Musical Theatre Festival celebrated its official opening night, hosted by Baz Lurhmann. Some of the many guests on hand to celebrate were Claire Danes ('Romeo + Juliet', 'The Hours'), Anthony Rapp (Rent), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent), Tamara Tunie (Law and Order: SVU), Kerry Butler (Xanadu), Liz Larsen (The Most Happy Fella), Liz McCartney (Taboo), Ann Harada (Avenue Q), Tom Hewitt (The Rocky Horror Show), Max Von Essen (Les Miserables), Curtis Holbrook (West Side Story), Chip Zien (Into the Woods), Diedre Goodwin (Chicago), and many more.

Hoping to inspire and revive a fractured nation, one-armed Civil War veteran John Wesley Powell leads a daring expedition of veterans down the Colorado River to the Grand Canyon, in the spring of 1869. Aware of the physical dangers, Major Powell barely anticipates the emotional and spiritual challenges of the trip, leading back to the War. The guide of the expedition is Somers, who escaped from slavery and embraced the new world of the West. Major Powell's wife Emma Dean, a noted environmentalist of the day, is present in the minds and hearts of both Major Powell and his brother Walter, a survivor of Andersonville prison; as they are in hers. With a score of bluegrass, country, folk, littered with environmental elements, The Great Unknown is an American musical adventure.

In order to grow we must confront our demons... An eccentric therapist is on the brink of falling in love for the first time in years when a neurotic rock musician comes to call. Dream play? Ghost story? Romantic comedy? Gothic Tragedy? Jonathan Spottiswoode and his cult band, Spottiswoode & His Enemies, bring a sexy expressionist twist to Don Giovanni that is tinged with jazz, blues, rock, gospel, classical and punk. They say love is a game - so who can you blame for playing?

A very scientific princess meets a frog she is determined to turn into a prince - with the assistance of a troupe of Celestial Tap-Dancing Taoist Masters. In this saucy 'n' swingin' new musical, will Clementine get the Prince of her dreams, or will she find herself in bed with just another horny toad? It's a bedtime story with a bawdy twist! Based on the Stephen Mitchell novella The Frog Prince.

Tess's spirited and innocent life unravels when her impoverished family's desperate need to connect to a once mighty bloodline results in an act of violence and shame. Desired by two men, forsaken by Victorian society, and burdened by secrets and duty, Thomas Hardy's dark heroine struggles to remain pure in a stained world as she is pulled towards her ultimate fate.

My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding is a true story musical comedy for anyone who's ever been in love. What do you get when a straight white male from Canada discovers that his mother's a lesbian? A hilarious and heartfelt story that celebrates love in all its forms. The hit of the 2009 Toronto Fringe, My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding is based on a true story that will make you laugh, cry and realize that nothing's impossible. Click below for the preview!

Aspiring writer Keith has been a temp in a wacky office's soul crushing cubicle for six years. When an evil nemesis emerges to squash his coffee-stained hopes and dreams, Keith makes a decision that causes him to get summarily fired… with security escorts and everything! Naturally he retaliates by writing a musical. Based on a true-ish story. Some names have been changed to protect the guilty.

Locked inside the Tenth Floor, the Miami-Dade Correctional Facility's juvenile division, 16-year-old Victor Alvarez escapes into fantasy to escape the harsh realities of prison and his home life. Fueled by a contemporary rock, hip hop, and salsa-influenced score, this high-energy musical follows Victor as he struggles to come to terms with both the truth of his present and the ramifications of his past.

The History Of War is spun from the imagination of a 12 year old boy - a megalomaniac in training. As he struggles with homework assignments and peculiar visions, he conjures up seven of the most famous tyrants of all time. They did horrible things. He wants to do horrible things. His parents are worried. ...and everybody sings! ... well, almost everybody. Reality and pathology neatly converge in this terrifyingly subversive new musical.