William Finn News

Celebrity Series of Boston will present What Makes It Great? With Rob Kapilow today, November 3, 2013, at 3pm at NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough Street, Boston. Sponsored by Amy and Joshua Boger. Celebrity Series of Boston has presented What Makes It Great? with Rob Kapilow 33 times since its Boston debut in 1997.

This November, December and January, 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street.

Now in its 16th season, Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook will continue to expand its scope celebrating the best in American singing and songwriting. New this year, the opening night concert will befree, in the David Rubenstein Atrium, on Wednesday, January 22, 2014. 'Live From Lincoln Center,' the Emmy Award-winning program broadcast nationally on PBS stations, will shoot four of the first week's American Songbook concerts in The Allen Room: by James Naughton, Lawrence Brownlee, Jason Isbell, and Patina Miller. These performances will be broadcast nationally beginning in Spring 2014. In addition, American Songbook concerts taking place in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse at Lincoln Center will be live-streamed via http://watch.lincolncenter.org.

In the video below, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE's Hannah Nordberg, Tony nominee Will Swenson and more give you an inside look at the show's journey to the stage. Check out the behind the scenes video below!

Little Miss Sunshine, anew musical is based on the film of the same name by Michael Arndt, is currently in previews at Second Stage Theatre. It was adapted for the stage by James Lapine, who wrote the book, and William Finn, who wrote the lyrics and music. Little Miss Sunshine will run until December 8. BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at the cast in action below!

Falsettos may be a show that challenges both performers and audience members due to its complexity and subject matter, but any audience member who is up to the challenge (and I hope you are) must see this show. Falsettos is funny, intelligent, entertaining, and an important piece of musical theater history, and Austin Theatre Project's production of it is superb.

Carmel Dean and Anna K. Jacobs are two great artists we are thrilled to feature on Cutting-Edge Composers Corner! Their song, 'Little Precious' was sung by Lilli Cooper at our concert at the Canal Room.

A comical Tony Award-winning musical about an angst-filled spelling championship, and performances of a Jane Austen classic are among the November productions at the Theatre and Interpretation Center (TIC) at Northwestern University. For young audiences, TIC is staging a family musical based on a Newberry Honor Book with an anti-bullying message.

Artistic Director Paul Kerryson has announced a new production of Hairspray, with David Witts as Link Larkin. The production opens on 5 March 2014, with previews from 28 February, and running until 5 April.

Two years ago I heard the relatively new “Marquee Five” perform a show at the Laurie Beechman Theatre called “8-Track Throwback,” which was a five part harmony homage to the music of the 1960s and '70s. They hadn't gotten even halfway through their set when I realized that in Marquee Five I'd heard my Manhattan Transfer for the new millennium. Marquee Five's style is less jazzy and more pop than the Transfer, and their sound is infused with the tones of a co-ed barbershop quintet, Broadway belting, and holiday season caroling. Marquee Five's new show last Saturday night at 54 Below did nothing to push me off their bandwagon. In Broadway By the Letter: Act One (a set of songs representing the first half of the alphabet), this fabulous five-some once again delivered delicious harmonies on a variety of song styles, standout individual performances, and intricate yet accessible vocal arrangements.

The Brown Paper Box Co. is excited to announce their upcoming production, A NEW BRAIN, with music and lyrics by William Finn and book by Finn and James Lapine. The show will run Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM from February 21-March 9 at the Rivendell Theatre in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood (5779 N. Ridge Ave.). Audition information and more will be posted at www.brownpaperbox.org.

Playwrights Horizons presents its New York premiere production of Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play, a new play by Anne Washburn, with music by Obie Award winner Michael Friedman. Directed by Steve Cosson, the Obie Award-winning Artistic Director of The Civilians, Mr. Burns is being presented as the first production of Playwrights Horizons' 2013/2014 Season.

Asolo Repertory Theatre will open its 2013-2014 season with SHOW BOAT, based on the novel by Edna Ferber, music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. This winner of the 1994 Tony Award for best revival features a score of timeless classics, including 'Ol' Man River, 'Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man' and 'Make Believe.' Previews will be held November 12 - 14 and the show will run from November 15 - December 29. Opening night will be held on Friday, November 15 at 8pm.

Artistic Director Paul Kerryson today announces the full cast for his new production of Chicago. Leading the company are Verity Rushworth (Velma Kelly), Gemma Sutton (Roxie Hart), David Leonard (Billy Flynn) and Sandra Marvin (Mama Morton) with Adam Bailey (Mary Sunshine) and Matthew Barrow (Amos)

The UK tour of William Finn's Tony Award Winning musical comedy - 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee', starring Darren Day and Niki Evans, has been cancelled following its first two stops. According to the offfcial website of the Connaught Theatre, the full tour, including stops in Barnstaple, Kettering, High Wycombe, Crawley, Blackpool, Jersey and Eastbourne have been cancelled due to a lack of funding.

Second Stage begins previews for its production of Little Miss Sunshine tonight at 7pm. This new musical is based on the film of the same name by Michael Arndt. It was adapted for the stage by James Lapine, who wrote the book, and William Finn, who wrote the lyrics and music. Lapine and Finn also worked together on The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Falsettos. Little Miss Sunshine will run until Dec 8.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

From the author of Ella: Off the Record comes Mrs. Mannerly by Jeffrey Hatcher. The irreverent and clever comedy will run at TheaterWorks in Downtown Hartford, tonight, October 11 through November 17, 2013.

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) has announced details for its 2013-14 Studio Series of opera, musical theatre, drama and dance productions.

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE's Hannah Nordberg (Olive Hoover) and Tony nominee Rory O'Malley appear in this new Backstage Pass video for the new musical based on the film of the same name written by Michael Arndt. Check out the behind-the-scenes look below!