William Finn News

Just before GLEE returns to airwaves this September 21, Darren Criss can be seen at the Festival of New American Musicals in Los Angeles. The actor, who's set to take over for Daniel Radcliffe in HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING for three weeks this January, will perform at the September 10th closing party.

McCarter Theatre Center will open its 2011/2012 season with John Doyle's Ten Cents A Dance: The Music of Rodgers and Hart Friday, September 16 and runs through Sunday, October 9. Ten Cent A Dance is a co-production with Williamstown Theatre Festival where it recently completed a successful run. The show previews Friday, September 9 through Thursday, September 15.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has announced the complete cast for its upcoming production of the new musical THE BLUE FLOWER: Sebastian Arcelus (Buddy in Elf, Wicked, Jersey Boys), Marc Kudisch (Three-time Tony Award nominee for 9 to 5, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Thoroughly Modern Millie), Meghan McGeary (The Blue Flower at A.R.T.), Joseph Medeiros (Irving Berlin's White Christmas), Julia Osborne (National Tour of South Pacific), Graham Rowat (Guys and Dolls), Aaron Serotsky (August: Osage County), and Teal Wicks (Elphaba in Wicked).

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) presents Outlaws: The Ballad of Billy the Kid a world premiere rock musical by Perry Liu, Joe Calarco and Alastair William King.

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) has announced the details for the 2011-12 CCM Studio Series of opera, musical theatre and drama.

The only thing RIDICULOUS about this annual event is that Tony Award winner Bill Finn only does it once a year. I remember observing a session of his Music Theater class at NYU when Professor Finn had an extraordinary group of singers perform his students final exams. The unconventional Mr. Finn had instructed his class to write songs based upon unorthodox, outlandish, zany and sometimes kinky subject matter. The result was hilarious, witty, intelligent and downright entertaining. Mr. Finn is the Artistic Head of Barrington Stage Company's Musical Theatre Lab, and his NYU classroom modus operandi has become an annual 'show' at this Berkshire institution. Tony Award-winning composer/lyricist William Finn (Falsettos, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) narrates this fresh, fun introduction to new voices in musical theatre. Direction is by Drama League Directors Project Musical Directing Fellow Shakina Nayfack (Assistant Director BSC's The Game and Mormons, Mothers and Monsters).

Barrington Stage Company's Musical Theatre Lab (under the direction of Artistic Head of the MTL William Finn, Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Tristan Wilson) presents the sixth edition of Songs by Ridiculously Talented Composers and Lyricists You Probably Don't Know But Should... will play Friday, September 2 and Saturday, September 3 at 8pm at Barrington Stage, 30 Union Street.

Third Street Theatre has announced its first production in L.A.'s newest 99-seat Equity Waiver house; the Tony award-winning musical FALSETTOS, with book by James Lapine and William Finn, music and lyrics by William Finn, choreography by John Todd, musical direction by Greg Nabours and directed by Richard Israel.

the BALD theatre company presents A New Brain directed by Stephen Santa with music direction by Nancy Gordon Galluzzo. Starring Justin Zeno, Corey Nile Wingard, Arlene Merryman, Sara Barbisch, Jason Shavers, Rob James, Natalie Hatcher,Cara Walkowiak, and Dustin Wickett at The Grey Box Theatre in Lawrenceville.

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is now playing at Cyrano's Off-Center Playhouse through August 27, 2011.

Playwrights Horizons and 92YTribeca have announced that they will present a panel discussion previewing the theater company's new season on Monday evening, September 12 at 7:30 PM at 92YTribeca (200 Hudson Street). Moderated by The New Yorker culture writer Michael Schulman, joined by Playwrights Horizons Artistic Director Tim Sanford, the panel discussion will feature all six writers from the theater company's 2011/2012 Season.

Bergen County Players will kick off its 2011-12 season with the multiple Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Third Street Theatre has announced its first production in L.A.'s newest 99-seat Equity Waiver house; the Tony award-winning musical FALSETTOS, with book by James Lapine and William Finn, music and lyrics by William Finn, choreography by John Todd, musical direction by Greg Nabours and directed by Richard Israel.

Directed with a palpable sense of style and tongue-in-cheek respect for the musical's unique cast of characters by Brandy Austin, with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Boiler Room Theatre delivers yet another musical theater classic to the stage, reaffirming the company's dominance in that particular theatrical genre. You have a musical you want to see onstage? Tell the BRT folks and they'll deliver the kind of production you have dreamed about and longed for - and they'll do it with a cast of local performers who are guaranteed to knock your socks off! And with music direction by Jamey Green and choreography by Lauri Gregoire, both of whom are BRT resident artists, you'll be assured of a huge hit.

Barrington Stage Company, the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Tristan Wilson, is proud to present the Berkshire County premiere of My Name Is Asher Lev, based on the acclaimed novel by Chaim Potok.

Barrington Stage Company, the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director TriStan Wilson, is proud to present Broadway's Rachel York and Graham Rowat in a new production of the musical The Game. Production dates are through August 28 with a press opening on Wednesday, August 17 at 7pm at BSC Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield. Check out photos from the production below!

Acclaimed theater company Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced it will once again present its popular, annual benefit evening STORIES ON 5 STORIES. This year's event, set for Monday evening, October 17, will feature new works by seven of the theater's alumni writers: Tanya Barfield (Blue Door at PH), Bathsheba Doran (Kin at PH), Obie Award winner Daniel Goldfarb (The Retributionists at PH), Eric Overmyer (The Heliotrope Bouquet... at PH), Jonathan Marc Sherman (Sophistry at PH), Jeanine Tesori (Violet at PH) and Alfred Uhry (Driving Miss Daisy at PH). Each play will be performed in a different, unconventional space throughout all five stories of Playwrights Horizons' home at 416 West 42nd Street, and the entire evening will benefit the company's developmental programs and productions.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) announced today the establishment of The Donna Perret Rosen Award, an annual cash prize to be awarded to a promising composer/lyricist. The $10,000 award was established at the off-Broadway company's annual gala to honor Second Stage Theatre trustee Donna Perret Rosen in recognition of her long-standing commitment to young artists and new works. The award will be chosen by Tony Award-winners James Lapine, Susan Stroman, and Jack Viertel. The first 'Donna Award' will be awarded in 2012.

The Boiler Room Theatre (BRT), Williamson County's original and longest-running professional theatre company, continues its 11th season with the recent Tony Award-winning Broadway musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opening August 12

Barrington Stage Company, the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Tristan Wilson, is proud to present Broadway's Rachel York and Graham Rowat in a new production of the musical The Game. Production dates are August 11 through 28 with a press opening on Wednesday, August 17 at 7pm at BSC Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield.