Tom Kitt News

Musical Theatre and Jazz Workshop members, friends and colleagues of Jean Banks, who managed BMI's jazz and musical theater department for more than a quarter century, will come together Thursday, March 8 at 5:30 PM at the Snapple Theater for a celebration of her life and her professional calling.

Philadelphia Theatre Company will present PTC@Play, a two-week festival of new work on February 2-March 11 at PTC's home at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets).

TOPHER GRACE and OLIVIA THIRLBY will co-star in Second Stage Theatre's production of Paul Weitz's world premiere comedy, LONELY, I'M NOT, directed by Trip Cullman. Preview performances are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, April 10 at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43rd street). The production will officially open on Monday, May 7. For tickets or more information, please visit www.2ST.com. Additional casting will be announced shortly.

The Public Theater announced today that Tituss Burgess, John Ellison Conlee, Lili Cooper, Matt Doyle, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Greg Hildreth, Eli James, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Justin Levine, Norm Lewis, Betsy Morgan, Jessica Phillips, Bobby Steggert, and Katie Thompson will join the star-studded PUBLIC SINGS! benefit on Monday, March 5 at Joe's Pub. A limited number of $250 tickets for the performance only are available now by calling (212) 539-8554.

American Idiot, Green Day's explosive Broadway hit called "wonderfully raucous" and "emotionally charged" by the New York Times, makes its Minnesota debut at Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre through February 26, 2012.

Casting has been announced for the upcoming North American tour of Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT, the two-time Tony Award®-winning Broadway hit called "wonderfully raucous" and "emotionally charged" by The New York Times, which will play The Buell Theatre March 6 - March 11, 2012. Tickets are now on sale at www.denvercenter.org or by calling 303.893.4100.

The National Tour of Bring It On: The Musical arrives in St. Louis for 16 performances at the Fabulous Fox Theatre March 27 - April 8, 2012!

Counter Productions will present the area premiere of Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's Next to Normal. Winner of 3 Tony Awards including Best Score and the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Ethan Paulini will direct with musical direction by Casey Sanderson.

American Idiot, Green Day's explosive Broadway hit called "wonderfully raucous" and "emotionally charged" by the New York Times, makes its Minnesota debut at Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre February 21-26, 2012.

NEXT TO NORMAL, written by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, will play the Everett Theatre in Middleton, DE from March 9th-18th.

AMERICAN IDIOT concludes performances in Chicago at the Oriental Theatre on February 19.

Check out this new video of begind the scene of BRING IT ON. It features the creative team talking about the concept of the musical, the nature of cheerleading, and how they brought both to life on stage, plus plenty of clips of the show itself and rehearsal footage.

The Stages Repertory Theatre is proud to bring NEXT TO NORMAL and the Goodman household to Houston audiences this summer. The rock musical will play the theater's main stage from May 16 to June 24. Tickets start at $19 and are available at www.stagestheatre.com. Performances are scheduled for Wednesdays through Sundays.

Second Stage Theatre's opened Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, directed by Kate Whoriskey and starring Norbert Leo Butz and Elizabeth Reaser, last night, February 13. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you photo coverage of the theater arrivals below!

Last night, SMASH cast Marilyn Monroe in the big Broadway musical based on her life at the show's center. Or, did they? While Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty) may have done whatever it took to make an impression on the show's lothario director, Derek (Jack Davenport), it was Ivy's long-standing friendship with the songwriting team of Julia & Tom (Debra Messing & Christian Borle) and the belief in her readily apparent talent by the lead producer, Eileen (Anjelica Huston), that really sealed the deal. So, where does that leave Karen (Katharine McPhee)? In the chorus, it seems - at least for now. The drama escalated and reached an early peak along with the crescendos of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's smashing "Twentieth Century Fox Mambo" showstopper - the musical highlight of the impossibly strong second episode - as the heated fully-staged and fully-choreographed audition gave way to a dream reality which finally showed us all out there in the audience what a Karen/Marilyn could potentially be: a true blonde bombshell to beat the band. Of course, nothing is quite so cut and dry as it may appear and Karen may get her chance in the spotlight on the actual Marilyn musical's stage after all. Yet, for the next few episodes at least, Ivy is the star of the show - and she is going to wring every last wiggle, coo and peck out of the role. Plus, who can put over a number in true Broadway fashion - as Marilyn Monroe, perfectly played, no less - than Megan Hilty? Did you hear her line in the newly envisioned 'Let Me Be Your Star'? In much the same way as Hilty with the Broadway pizazz, McPhee effortlessly puts over treacherously tricky pop songs with smoothness, sweetness and near-tangible sincerety and conviction. Which way will the score ultimately go - and, furthermore, what shall be of the show that contains it? Will the musical be more Norma Jean or more Marilyn, thus more befitting of Karen or Ivy, respectively? Who knows, perhaps there ultimately will be two Marilyns required - as was proposed in this very column last week at this time and seems the logical ultimate conclusion of the casting dilemma at the show's core. We will certainly have to wait and find out what happens next on SMASH and what the show ends up requiring of its incredibly talented cast of hoofers and stars-to-be. Plus, Nick Jonas, Uma Thurman and Bernadette Peters make guest star debuts in the next several weeks!

Second Stage Theatre's current season continues with a new production of Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, directed by Kate Whoriskey and starring Norbert Leo Butz and Elizabeth Reaser. The show opens tonight, and you can get a first look with production highlights below!

San Jose Rep's Artistic Director Rick Lombardo has announced San Jose Repertory Theatre's 2012-2013 season, with seven productions starting August 30, 2012 to July 14, 2013.

The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts announced today its 2012-2013 Broadway Series.