William Finn News

Barrington Stage Company, the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Tristan Wilson, will present an industry reading of a new musical, Presto Change-O, on December 19 at 11am at Manhattan Theatre Club, 311 W 43rd Street, (8th Fl., Studio 3)

Having seen Mary Testa in a cabaret concert in Houston, I feel I had an idea of what to expect from her and Michael Starobin's album HAVE FAITH. While I expected it to be eccentrically eclectic and haunting, nothing could have prepared me for how it was beautifully hypnotizing and simultaneously so unlike anything I've ever heard before. The unique album utilizes well-known pop songs (hits from The Beach Boys to Alanis Morissette) and songs written by William Finn and Michael John LaChiusa to explore thoughts on faith and doubt in ways that are equally alluring and unexpected.

The Museum of the City of New York celebrates and interprets the city, educating the public about its distinctive character, especially its heritage of diversity, opportunity, and perpetual transformation. Last night at it's annual Cabaret Gala it presented Broadway legend Chita Rivera, whose stage career has spanned a remarkable six decades.

Ghostlight Records has announced the release of the new CD from MARY TESTA - the two time Tony Award nominated singer and actress currently starring in Wicked on Broadway - and MICHAEL STAROBIN, the Tony Award winning orchestrator and arranger. The album will be available in stores and via online outlets today, December 2, 2014. Mary and Michael will perform a special CD release engagement at The Laurie Beechman Theater at The West Bank Cafe January 4-5,11-12, 2015 at 7:00 PM. For tickets, please visit www.lauriebeechmantheatre.com.

THE CONNECTICUT CABARET THEATRE PRESENTS The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee A Musical Comedy by Rachel Sheinkin Music and Lyrics by William Finn Directed by Kris McMurray November 28th thru January 17th, 2015 (No Performances December 26-27 and January 2-3) Join an eclectic group of six awkward adolescents and their proctors, as they work through a daunting and hilarious spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing amusing and touching stories from their home life, the tweens spell their way through a series of [potentially made-up] words hoping to never hear the soul crushing, pout inducing, life un-affirming 'ding' of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves! At least the losers get a juice box. A delight for young and old and it is worthy of much A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E. Winner of the Tony and the Drama Desk Awards for Best Book

Round House Theatre continues its 2014/15 season with a magical, fresh new take on a beloved classic - The Nutcracker, a new holiday musical created by Tommy Rapley, Jake Minton, Phillip Klapperich, and Kevin O'Donnell. Directed by the award-winning Joe Calarco, The Nutcracker makes its area premiere at Round House Theatre from tonight, November 26 thru December 28, 2014.

BroadwayWorld brings you photos of Rasche in the BroadwayWorld.com series 'In The Spotlight' by acclaimed photographer Walter McBride!

Every year, despite a litany of warnings they come to the Big Apple with big dreams. Warnings like: “You have to pay your dues.” “It's a tough business, kid.” “How are you going to survive?” There's no such thing as an overnight success, yet still they come to be at “the top of the heap,” as Kander and Ebb so eloquently put it. The four young performers featured here haven't yet vaulted to the top of the cabaret heap, but they've certainly made their marks with excellent shows during 2014, while exhibiting the potential to get there. The spotlight is already shining on Chrysten Peddie, Angela Dirksen, Rembert Block, and Kristoffer Lowe.

Playwrights Horizons' production of POCATELLO, the world premiere of a new play by Obie, Drama Desk and Lortel awards winner and 2014 MacArthur Foundation 'Genius' grantee Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale at PH, The Few, A Bright New Boise), is directed by Davis McCallum (The Whale at PH, The Few, London Wall, A Bright New Boise, Water by the Spoonful). The play is the third production of the theater company's 2014/2015 Season. The production will begin previews tonight, November 21 with an opening night set for Monday, December 15. The limited engagement will play through Sunday evening, January 4, 2015 at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

What do you get when you throw six quirky kids bubbling with adolescence, three frazzled school administrators trying to relive their glory days, a live band, and four new audience members each night into a spelling bee? Magic. Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee onstage at the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre tonight, November 20th through December 7th

What do you get when you throw six quirky kids bubbling with adolescence, three frazzled school administrators trying to relive their glory days, a live band, and four new audience members each night into a spelling bee? Magic. Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee onstage at the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre tomorrow, November 20th, through December 7th. Winner of Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Theatre World and Tony Awards in 2005, Spelling Bee will delight audiences. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

On March 30, 2015, Virginia's Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre will honor the multiple Tony Award-winning Broadway playwright and director James Lapine with the company's sixth Stephen Sondheim Award. The award, established in 2009 in honor of America's most influential musical theatre writer and composer, will be presented at a black-tie Gala Benefit at the Embassy of Italy. The Sondheim Award Gala will benefit Signature Theatre's artistic, education, and community programs.

Following sold-out runs at Stage 72 (158 West 72nd Street), The Bijou Theatre, and Barrington Stage Company (Tony-Award winning William Finn's Cabaret Series) the incredibly talented and inspirational Amy Oestreicher will bring her hit one-woman musical Gutless & Grateful back to NYC as part of the United Solo Festival with a sold-out performance on October 11th at 4pm, and an additional performance tonight, November 13th at 9pm. In this moving and entertaining evening of song, performer Amy Oestreicher weaves her near death experience and unique personal story with an eclectic set of songs, highlighting the disappointments, struggles, triumphs and humor in her life.

Playwrights Horizons' world premiere production of GRAND CONCOURSE, a new play by playwright and two-time Obie Award-winning actress Heidi Schreck (author of There Are No More Big Secrets, Creature, Showtime's 'Nurse Jackie'), opens tonight, November 11, 2014.

?Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC), the not-for-profit professional theatre company, currently celebrating its third season in Warwick, and AIDS Care Ocean State (ACOS) are teaming up for a fundraising event. Broadway veteran Brad Bradley will be bringing his cabaret show, B Squared - a "gay romp" and musical journey about taking chances and earning smile lines, to Ocean State Theatre for one performance only on Sunday, November 23 at 7:00 pm.

The new musical THE NINE FATHERS OF ARIEL is currently undergoing a New York workshop, concluding with invited rehearsals for industry members today and tomorrow, November 6 and 7.

Playwrights Horizons today announced several major initiatives that will expand the ways in which theater writers are compensated. As a writer's theater dedicated to the support and development of contemporary American playwrights, composers and lyricists and to the production of their new work, Playwrights Horizons is committed to establishing new standards in compensation that will directly benefit all of its writers and taking a leadership position in responding to the reality that theater writers are among the lowest-compensated creative artists in America.

Ghostlight Records has announced the release of the new CD from MARY TESTA - the two time Tony Award nominated singer and actress currently starring in Wicked on Broadway - and MICHAEL STAROBIN, the Tony Award winning orchestrator and arranger. The album will be available in stores and via online outlets December 2, 2014. Mary and Michael will perform a special CD release engagement at The Laurie Beechman Theater at The West Bank Cafe January 4-5,11-12, 2015 at 7:00 PM. For tickets, please visit www.lauriebeechmantheatre.com.

What do you get when you throw six quirky kids bubbling with adolescence, three frazzled school administrators trying to relive their glory days, a live band, and four new audience members each night into a spelling bee?

After six consecutive years, Disney's Beauty and the Beast has relinquished its place as the top musical in the annual survey of most-produced titles in United States high school theatres, unseated during the 2013-14 season by another adaptation of an animated anti-hero: Shrek the Musical. Returning to the list, and rounding out the top three, is Godspell, which has seen its popularity rise after a recent Broadway revival and subsequent national tour.