William Finn News

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Spelling Bee,' 'The Bee Gees,' 'The Jungle Book' and 'Phantom' extend, 'Cabaret,' 'Uptown Opera' the Aguilars in 'Double Trouble,' 'Elf' and more!

Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, presents heartwarming production of the two-time Tony Award-winning musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Audiences will enjoy the fun now through August 18 when Theater at the Center spells out another winner with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Featuring witty and endearing music and lyrics by William Finn and a delightful book by Rachel Sheinkin, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is the touching story of a group of prepubescent overachievers who are pitted against one another in the spelling challenge of a lifetime. The production is directed by David Perkovich and celebrated its press opening on Sunday, July 14. Scroll down for photos from opening night!

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Julianne Boyd Artistic Director and TriStan Wilson Managing Director present Mr. Finn's Cabaret, located on the lower level of the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. Mr. Finn's Cabaret, named after the Tony Award-winning composer/lyricist of Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Artistic Producer of BSC's Musical Theatre Lab, continued with Sibling Revelry Starring Liz Callaway and Ann Hampton Callaway. Sisters and Tony-nominated Broadway divas put the revelry into rivalry in this award-winning show of great songs and witty banter. Join Liz and Ann in a cabaret The New York Times calls "a thrilling display of vocal prowess."

Uncommon words become uncommonly funny in College of the Mainland's production of 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.' In the fast-paced musical comedy, six students - and four audience volunteers - vie to become the winner of the competition of a lifetime. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action at College of the Mainland!

The New York Musical Theater Festival presents a one-night-only staged concert featuring the music and lyrics of the 2013 Kleban Award-winning writer Daniel Mate tonight, July 15th, with performances at 6:30pm and 9:30pm.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival will present a one-night-only concert of new music by up-and-coming composers Josh Freilich and Nikko Benson on Monday, July 22nd at 9:00pm at The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre. Previously presented in a sold-out weekend at Mr. (William) Finn's Cabaret at Barrington Stage Company, this evening of new, irreverent tunes will showcase the talents of two promising young alumni of the NYU Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival will present a one-night-only concert of new music by up-and-coming composers Josh Freilich and Nikko Benson on Monday, July 22nd at 9:00pm at The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre. Previously presented in a sold-out weekend at Mr. (William) Finn's Cabaret at Barrington Stage Company, this evening of new, irreverent tunes will showcase the talents of two promising young alumni of the NYU Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program.

Theater at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, will present a heartwarming production of the two-time Tony Award-winning musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Audiences can enjoy the fun now through August 18 as Theater at the Center spells out another winner with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Featuring witty and endearing music and lyrics by William Finn and a delightful book by Rachel Sheinkin, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is the touching story of a group of prepubescent overachievers who are pitted against one another in the spelling challenge of a lifetime. Check out a first look below!

The Theatre Group at SBCC is excited to open the 2013-2014 season with the quirky musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Music and Lyrics by William Finn, Book by Rachel Sheinkin, Conceived by Rebecca Feldman, and additional material by Jay Reiss. Directed by R. Michael Gros and Musical Direction by David Potter, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a hilarious tale of overachievers' angst chronicling the experience of six adolescents vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. The show's Tony Award-winning creative team has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time.

Theater at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, will present a heartwarming production of the two-time Tony Award-winning musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Audiences will enjoy the fun today, July 11 through August 18 when Theater at the Center spells out another winner with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Featuring witty and endearing music and lyrics by William Finn and a delightful book by Rachel Sheinkin, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is the touching story of a group of prepubescent overachievers who are pitted against one another in the spelling challenge of a lifetime. The production will be directed by David Perkovich with a press opening on Sunday, July 14 at 7 p.m.

Kaufman Center's Broadway Close Up takes you behind the scenes of musicals old and new with eye-opening interviews and inspiring performances by some of Broadway's greatest talents.

For one night only, stage and screen star Linda Lavin brought POSSIBILITIES to Barrington Stage Company, with Billy Stritch on the piano. Featuring an eclectic mix of Broadway standards and cabaret songs, Tony and Golden Globe-winning actress Linda Lavin's new cabaret shows you why Stephen Holden of The New York Times calls her "…a human tornado who lets nothing stand in her way…She has a jazz side, can swing and scat and even growl like Louis Armstrong, and displays a special fondness for Brazilian bossa nova."

Bay Street Theatre presents the final production of the 2013 Mainstage Season with A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, beginning August 6 and running through September 1. The show stars Peter Scolari with Conrad John Schuck and Jackie Hoffman. The book is by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart with lyrics and music by Stephen Sondheim; music direction by Ethyl Will; and directed and choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge.

MAC Award-winning vocal group Marquee Five will star in 'Broadway By The Letter: Act One', directed by Lennie Watts with Dan Feyer on Piano on Sunday, August 4, 2013 at 7pm at the South Orange Performing Arts Center One SOPAC Way, South Orange, NJ.

The hilarious Broadway musical THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE opens July 18th at Ocean County College.

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Julianne Boyd, Artistic Director, and Tristan Wilson, Managing Director, presents the BSC Musical Theatre Lab (William Finn Artistic Producer) world premiere production of Southern Comfort, a new musical with book and lyrics by Dan Collins and music by Julianne Wick Davis, directed by Thomas Caruso (Associate Director of Broadway's Matilda).

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has found its LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. Nine-year old HANNAH ROSE NORDBERG will play Olive Hoover, who aspires to the coveted title of 'Little Miss Sunshine,' in this new musical comedy from Tony Award winners JAMES LAPINE (book/direction) and WILLIAM FINN (music and lyrics).

Today we are talking to a passionate and prolific performer who has appeared in a number of impressive properties over the course of his career thus far - Milky White in the most recent Broadway revival of INTO THE WOODS to his starring roles in MEMPHIS and beyond - the charming Chad Kimball.

On Sunday June 23 consummate singer Eileen Barnett brought a new version of her night club show to Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal entitled You Must Believe in Spring with superb musical direction from John Boswell and crisp direction from Kristen Benton Chandler.

Second Stage Theatre's (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) upcoming 35th Anniversary Season will kick off with the previously announced new musical LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, by James Lapine and William Finn, and will continue with the New York premiere of Quiara Alegria Hudes' THE HAPPIEST SONG PLAYS LAST, the follow-up to last season's acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning, Water by the Spoonful, and the final play in Ms. Hudes' Elliot trilogy, directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. The season will also include the New York Premiere of Laura Eason's provocative play,SEX WITH STRANGERS, directed by David Schwimmer.