Tom Viertel News

Following their triumphant performances as 'Matilda' in the Broadway smash Matilda The Musical, 11 year old Paige Brady, 11 year old Gabriella Pizzolo, 11 year old Ripley Sobo and 9 year old Ava Ulloa (aka the 'Newtildas') perform some of their favorite songs from Broadway and beyond in their upcoming concert, 'When Children Rule The World' at 54 BELOW tonight, October 10, 2014.

Following their triumphant performances as 'Matilda' in the Broadway smash Matilda The Musical, 11 year old Paige Brady, 11 year old Gabriella Pizzolo, 11 year old Ripley Sobo and 9 year old Ava Ulloa (aka the 'Newtildas') perform some of their favorite songs from Broadway and beyond in their upcoming concert, 'When Children Rule The World' at 54 BELOW on Friday, October 10, 2014. BroadwayWorld is excited to bring you an exclusive sneak peek of the ladies in rehearsal below!

The National Music Theater Institute (NMTI) students have just returned to campus from two weeks training in New York City; scroll down for photos from the visit! NMTI is the newest credit-earning, semester-long intensive from the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. Utilizing the O'Neill's 50-year experience in training young theater artists and history of developing new musicals (including Nine, Avenue Q, In The Heights, [title of show], and Violet), NMTI offers broad-based training in all areas of musical theater: acting, singing, directing, writing, dance, composition, and choreography. In addition to the semester's rigorous curriculum-classes 14 hours a day, 7 days a week with emphasis on collaboration and the creation of original work- two weeks of the semester are spent learning in the epicenter of American music theater.

Following their triumphant performances as "Matilda" in the Broadway smash Matilda The Musical, 11 year old Paige Brady, 11 year old Gabriella Pizzolo, 11 year old Ripley Sobo and 9 year old Ava Ulloa (aka the "Newtildas") perform some of their favorite songs from Broadway and beyond in their upcoming concert, "When Children Rule The World" at 54 BELOW on Friday, October 10, 2014.

Tom Viertel, Executive Director of Commercial Theater Institute (CTI), has announced the 2014-2015 Season. CTI is the theatre industry's leading training and professional development program which covers a wide range of topics and features over 100 of the most distinguished industry professionals as lecturers and panelists including many Tony Award- winning producers. CTI programs include a 14-week program that explores producing in-depth, a 3-day intensive introduction to producing and half-day or one day workshops on specialized topics. More to be announced!

Chicago actress, TV and film star Jane Lynch did the honor today of announcing the nominees for the 2013-2014 Equity Jeff Awards.

The Shapiro Sisters announced today that their debut album Live Out Loud: Live at 54 BELOW will be released on September 9th, 2014. The Shapiro Sisters, 11-year old Milly Shapiro (Matilda, Original Broadway Cast of Matilda The Musical) and older sister, 14-year-old Abigail Shapiro (Cindy Lou Who, How The Grinch Stole Christmas), recorded the album live at the famed 54 BELOW over a series of three performances this past May and June.

Award-winning songwriters Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler ('Taylor the Latte Boy', 'Alto's Lament', Ever After) brought their their vivacious, eclectic, romantic, and seriously funny songbook to 54 Below last night, June 12. Check out coverage of their performance below!

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center with their April panel, Nurturing New Works: What Producers Can Learn from the National Playwrights Conference tonight, April 30, 2014 at 7:30pm at The Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Mainstage Theatre, NYC. Doors open at 7pm for networking and refreshments, presentations and roundtable introductions start at 7:30pm (come prepared with your best half-minute summary of who you are, and what you need).

Meryl Streep was honored with the 14th-Annual Monte Cristo Award at Edison Ballroom last night, presented by the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. BroadwayWorld was there for the special night and you can check out photos from the celebration below!

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center with their April panel, Nurturing New Works: What Producers Can Learn from the National Playwrights Conference on Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 7:30pm at The Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Mainstage Theatre, NYC. Doors open at 7pm for networking and refreshments, presentations and roundtable introductions start at 7:30pm (come prepared with your best half-minute summary of who you are, and what you need).

On Wednesday, a group of producers and presenters of Touring Broadway; members and representatives of The Broadway League; and elected officials announced a proposed Empire State Live Production Tax Credit to 'Keep Broadway in New York State.' The tax credit would apply to productions that begin their on-stage activities in Upstate New York.

Broadway Records will release Jarrod Spector's 'A Little Help From My Friends: Live At 54 BELOW' digitally and on CD on March 25th, 2014. The CD is available for pre-order at http://amzn.com/B00IP9ZAG2. The CD will be available in advance to those attending Jarrod's upcoming 54 BELOW concerts on March 10th, 23rd and 24th. Spector will be signing CDs at these 54 BELOW performances as well as at his engagement on March 31st at 54 BELOW.

Producers announced today that the hit off-Broadway comedy, OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES, which has entertained Chicago audiences for more than five months, will close at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted Street, on Sunday evening, March 2, at 5pm.

Now in its fifth month at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted Street, the hit comedy, OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES continues to make news, by eliminating winter parking woes and offering free valet parking at the theater on weeknights!

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center announced that tickets are publicly available for the 14th Annual Monte Cristo Award, honoring Meryl Streep. The award, presented to Ms. Streep at a Gala event in her honor, will be held at the Edison Ballroom, New York City, on Monday, April 21. Individual tickets start at $750, and can be purchased at www.theoneill.org.

Now in its fifth month at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted Street, the hit comedy, OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES continues to make news, by eliminating winter parking woes and offering free valet parking at the theater on weeknights!

Hailed by The Wall Street Journal as being 'blessed with strong voices and leading man looks,' Will & Anthony Nunziata returned to 54 Below debut with an encore performance of 'Broadway, Our Way,' last night. The singers, actors and recording artists have won acclaim for their concert and symphony performances throughout the country and around the world putting their fresh take on pop standards, Broadway showstoppers, as well as contemporary and classic Italian music. Check out photos from the concert below!

Tom Viertel, Executive Director of CTI, has announced the Commercial Theater Institute's 2014 Spring Season. CTI is the theatre industry's leading training and professional development program. It covers a wide range of topics, and features over 100 of the most distinguished industry professionals as lecturers and panelists including many Tony Award winning producers. CTI programs include a 14-week program that explores producing in depth, a 3-day intensive introduction to producing and half-day or one day workshops on specialized topics.

Hailed by The Wall Street Journal as being 'blessed with strong voices and leading man looks,' Will & Anthony Nunziata made their 54 Below debut with a special one-night only concert 'Broadway, Our Way,' last night. The singers, actors and recording artists have won acclaim for their concert and symphony performances throughout the country and around the world putting their fresh take on pop standards, Broadway showstoppers, as well as contemporary and classic Italian music. Check out photos below!