William Finn News

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is a hip musical comedy which follows six young people in the throes of puberty, who are overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, as they learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. The musical, featuring emotionally revealing musical selections filled with side-splitting lyrics written by William Finn, chronicles the overachievers' angst of six precocious adolescents who turn out to be the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom the Bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time.

Theo Ubique Artistic Director Fred Anzevino's cast for the company's upcoming production of the semi-autobiographical musical A NEW BRAIN will include a mix of newcomers as well as faces familiar to Chicago audiences.

Due to extremely strong ticket sales, Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song has been extended for two additional weeks of performances, announced Second Stage Theater (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director, Casey Reitz, Executive Director). The production will now play through Sunday, December 3.

Cape Rep Theatre's 32nd season continues with the Cape Cod premiere of A New Brain, music and lyrics by William Finn, book by William Finn and James Lapine September 14th through October 15th.

The Geffen Playhouse presents the first play in its 2017 / 2018 season, Halley Feiffer's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center of New York City.

TheaterWorks (Rob Ruggiero, Producing Artistic Director) announced today that THE WOLVES by Sarah DeLappe will run October 5 through November 5, 2017 (please note date change). THE WOLVES is the 1st show of TheaterWorks 32nd Season,

'A New Brain' opens at Nutley Little Theatre this Friday September 8th at 8 PM with a benefit for the Nutley Family Services Bureau. 

'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' by William Finn, based on the book by Rachel Sheinkin, and conceived by Rebecca Feldman is directed by Cheryl Blauer this month at Stage Coach Theatre. It is a heartwarming, and sometimes heartwrenching, glimpse in the unexpectedly complicated lives of a group of spelling bee participants. Three adult supervisors and six spellers make up the story with the added fun of four audience members being brought up to fill out the contestant seats (don't worry, only those who offered by signing up are considered).

All For One Theater (AFO), the company that last produced My Name is Gideon, continues its legacy of producing acclaimed solo works with its upcoming production of Aaron Mark's SQUEAMISH starring two-time Tony nominee Alison Fraser (The Secret Garden, First Daughter Suite).

Second Stage Theater (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director, Casey Reitz, Executive Director) has announced that Emmy Award nominee Brian Tyree Henry will join the cast of Kenneth Lonergan's LOBBY HERO, directed by Trip Cullman.

Previews begin tonight, September 6, at 8PM for the Playwrights Horizons world premiere production of The Treasurer, a new play by Max Posner (Judy) and directed by three-time Lortel Award winner David Cromer (The Band's Visit, Our Town, Adding Machine). Commissioned by Playwrights Horizons, the play is the second production of the theater company's 2017/2018 Season.

Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) announces its 27th season, with performances in THE BLACK BOX, FPAC's home and performance venue in downtown Franklin, and two holiday productions staged at Franklin High School. FPAC opens the season with award-winning playwright Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage, presented September 29-October 1. Winner of the 2009 Tony Award for Best Play, the acclaimed dark comedy takes place in the Cobble Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn, where civility unravels as two sets of parents discuss how to deal with a playground altercation that occurred between the couples' sons the previous day.

After the highly successful debut of her brand new cabaret show, 'New SCHERL in Town' in April, New York born vocalist Wendy Scherl is offering two additional performances this October at Don't Tell Mama.    

Stephen Sondheim was in the audience at Barrington Stage Company's production of COMPANY the night before, but last night it was all about Joe Iconis and family appearing on the dark Mainstage for a one night concert as COMPANY rested for the evening.  Mr. Sondheim was  highly enthusiastic for the Julianne Boyd directed COMPANY and spent time with Aaron Tveit and the cast after the show.  It was an historic evening for the BSC community as Stephen Sondheim was generous with his praise for all involved with the production, which is the talk of the Berkshires this season. 

The Geffen Playhouse today announced the full cast for the first play in its 2017 / 2018 season, Halley Feiffer's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center of New York City.

Join Rebecca and David Hershkowitz as they journey to a 'brand new world' in Goodspeed's reinvented Rags. Original creators Charles Strouse and Stephen Schwartz have teamed up with David Thompson, who has adapted Joseph Stein's book, to rework this timely and inspiring piece.

The extraordinary beauty of one of Bucks County's most storied estates and the rocking sounds of a 1960s pop sensation set the stage for the Third Annual Galavant in the Garden Gala to benefit Bucks County Playhouse.

After a smash run last fall, Playwrights Horizons will present MILES FOR MARY, a new play by The Mad Ones. Directed by Lila Neugebauer, MILES FOR MARY received critical acclaim during its fall 2016 run at The Bushwick Starr.

 Bristol Riverside Theatre spells F-U-N when it opens its Mainstage season with the multiple Tony Award-winner The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, and conceived by Rebecca Feldman, running September 19-October 15.  Directed by Amy Kaissar, the ensemble cast features Will Carlyon, Andrew Coleman, Leigha Kato, Kathryn McCreary, Joshua Morgan, Robert Smythe, Phebe Taylor, T.J. Wagner, and Brooke Wetterhahn.

In the final part of this edition of PUTTING IT TOGETHER, a monthly series of narratives from artists putting together cabaret shows in New York, Amy Oestreicher recalls putting on the final touches to her show GUTLESS & GRATEFUL, how it all came together, and how it continues to grow.