Tom Kitt News

Segerstrom Center for the Arts (formerly the Orange County Performing Arts Center) just announced its brand new Broadway Series for the 2011 - 2012 Season, a year which also coincides with the Center's 25th Anniversary. For it's BROADWAY SERIES, the Center will host touring companies of SHREK THE MUSICAL, BLUE MAN GROUP, IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS, MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, LES MISERABLES, and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, plus 'Curtain Call Series' shows COME FLY AWAY, TRACES and AMERICAN IDIOT.

The American Theatre Wing announced today that the recipients of the 2011 Jonathan Larson® Grants are Danny Larsen (Composer/Co-Lyricist) & Michelle Elliott (Bookwriter/Co-Lyricist), Cloaked; Marisa Michelson (Composer) & Joshua H. Cohen (Bookwriter/Lyricist), Tamar and the River; and Andy Monroe (Composer), Jack Lechner (Lyricist) & Michael Zam (Bookwriter), The Kid. The prestigious grants, totaling $10,000, will be presented on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at a private event in New York City. The event will feature special performances of the recipients' work.

At a media announcement today, Dancap Productions added two new shows to their 2011 line-up at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts: DONNY & MARIE and COLM WILKINSON IN CONCERT: BROADWAY AND BEYOND; and one new show at the Toronto Centre for the Arts, the explosive Broadway musical GREEN DAY'S AMERICAN IDIOT.

The producers of the critically acclaimed AMERICAN IDIOT announced today that the GRAMMY® Award winning musical will launch a first national tour in the fall of 2011 in a city to be announced. Open call auditions, for all roles, will be held in Los Angeles, Toronto, Boston and Chicago this spring.

ard winner Daniel Sullivan opened yesterday, March 3 at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street). Check out arrival photos from opening night below!

Production photos of the new cast of AMERICAN IDIOT have been released! Davey Havok (lead vocalist of the American rock band AFI) has joined for a limited two week engagement as 'St. Jimmy.' In addition, Justin Guarini (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) will play the role of 'Will,' and current and original Broadway cast members Van Hughes and Libby Winters took over the roles of 'Johnny' and 'The Extraordinary Girl,' respectively on March 1, 2011.

The explosive Broadway hit 'American Idiot' will be presented in Los Angeles next spring as part of Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre's 2011-2012 season at the Los Angeles Music Center. The 2010 Tony Award-nominated Best Musical, called 'thrillingly raucous' and 'emotionally charged' by Charles Isherwood of The New York Times, will be presented March 14 through April 22, 2012, at the Ahmanson Theatre, with the opening set for March 16.

The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical NEXT TO NORMAL comes to the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) Tuesday, March 22 through Sunday, March 27, 2011 as part of the 2010/2011 Broadway Series.

Fox Associates is thrilled to bring the smash hit Broadway musical and Tony and Pulitzer Prize-Winning Next to Normal to the Fabulous Fox Theatre for a limited engagement April 12-24.

Broadway Across America - Boston is pleased to announce the upcoming 2011-2012 Broadway Season which will include eight theatrical productions at the Boston Opera House and Citi Performing Arts Center Shubert Theatre. 'International smash hits, screen sensations on stage, ground-breaking musicals and cherished Broadway favorites are what Boston audiences can look forward to,' said Rich Jaffe, Vice President of Broadway Across America - Boston. 'For over 20 years, we've been bringing the best of Broadway to Boston. We are thrilled to continue our tradition of lighting up Boston theatres with world class Broadway entertainment.'

PNC Broadway Across America - Pittsburgh is thrilled to announce the smash hit Broadway musical and Tony and Pulitzer Prize-Winning Next to Normal is playing at the Benedum Center for a limited engagement April 5-10, 2011.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has announced that DAVID GARRISON will complete the cast of Lynn Nottage's new play, BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK. This world premiere comedy will also feature the previously announced STEPHANIE J. BLOCK, DANIEL BREAKER, KIMBERLY HÉBERT GREGORY, KEVIN ISOLA, SANAA LATHAN, and KAREN OLIVO. Directed by Jo Bonney, BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK is Ms. Nottage's first play to be produced in New York since she won the Pulitzer Prize for Ruined in 2009.

The 5th Avenue Theatre is presenting the touring production of the Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning musical "Next To Normal" which began part of its life in a workshop locally at Village Theatre. This odd musical theater show about dealing with mental illness proves that the art form is alive and well and need not be the cookie cutter formula.

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce the smash hit Broadway musical and Tony and Pulitzer Prize-Winning Next to Normal is playing at the Bank of America Theatre for a limited engagement April 26 - May 8, 2011.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has announced the two world premiere plays which will be presented as part of the company's ninth annual Second Stage Theatre Uptown Series this summer: Michael Mitnick's Sex Lives of Our Parents, directed by Davis McCallum, and Anna Kerrigan's The Talls, directed by Carolyn Cantor.

The producers of the critically acclaimed AMERICAN IDIOT announced today that the GRAMMY® Award winning musical will launch a first national tour in the fall of 2011 in a city to be announced. Open call auditions, for all roles, will be held in Los Angeles, Toronto, Boston and Chicago this spring.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Bohemian Theatre Ensemble season, a Stephen Schwartz world premiere, Alice Ripley in concert, the Chicago Symphony plays 'West Side Story,' 'Tomorrow Morning,' more.

?Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) continues its commitment to the development of new musicals in 2011 with two productions premiering at its home on Navy Pier, and one of its most successful musical commissions launching an international tour. On CST's stages, the musical murder mystery Murder for Two runs from May 12 to June 19, 2011, and the puppet-infused family musical The Adventures of Pinocchio joins the CST Family Series from July 13 to August 28, 2011.

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce the smash hit Broadway musical and Tony and Pulitzer Prize-Winning Next to Normal is playing at the Bank of America Theatre for a limited engagement April 26 - May 8, 2011.

Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre will be collaborating with other local theatre companies to present a production of the new musical Vanities as well as the tour of the Tony Award winning Next to Normal.