William Finn News

'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' has its regional premiere March 3-28 at The Media Theatre. The hilarious one act musical comedy takes place at a fictional spelling bee in Putnam Valley Middle School. Six quirky junior high school students participate in the bee. One of the humorous highlights of the show is that the students are portrayed by adult actors.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee comes to Kean University's Wilkins Theatre in a hysterical production by the Department of Theatre February 26th through March 6th. This award-winning musical features a cast of Kean students and alumni, and offers opportunities for audience participation that keep the laughs coming.

This February, TheatreWorks New Milford will premiere the hit musical comedy, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, with music and lyrics by the William Finn, and book by Rachel Sheinkin.

Actors' Playhouse has chosen to present four Tony Award-winning shows and one world premiere from a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright in its new season line up. With one more show to be announced, Actors' Playhouse 2010 - 2011 season at the Miracle Theatre is shaping up to be one hot ticket. After a critically acclaimed production of Boublil and Schönberg's Les Misérables in 2009, which received the most Carbonell nominations for any one show, and with Miss Saigon, another musical from the same creators about to open in March, Actors' Playhouse shows no indication of slowing down the pace for the upcoming year.

How do you follow up thirteen Carbonell nominations? Actors' Playhouse has chosen to present four Tony Award-winning shows and one world premiere from a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright in its new season line up.

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) is now accepting entries for its popular LIVEforFIVE online lottery for $5 tickets to the World Premiere of A COOL DIP IN THE BARREN SAHARAN CRICK, a new play by Kia Corthron (Breath, Boom at Playwrights Horizons/PH, Force Continuum).

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced a two-week extension for the World Premiere of CLYBOURNE PARK, a new play by Bruce Norris ('A wonderful, original, grab-you-by-the-guts playwright' - WOR Radio; 'He specializes in comedies of discomfort' - The New York Times) that has just opened to excellent reviews.

For old-world cabaret, performers still swoon over the stately, romantic elegance of the Oak Room at the Algonquin, but this sleek, two-year-old spot is threatening to encroach on the turf of such established institutions.

The Gretna Theatre has announced their 2010 summer season. Productions will include Nunsense starring Sally Struthers, The Marvelous Wonderettes, The Will Rogers Follies, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Peter Pan, Mr. Hobbs' Vacation, and Mame. The season will begin with Nunsense, opening June 3rd.

On Monday, February 22nd, New York Theatre Barn presents its monthly showcase for emerging writers and performers at the D-Lounge at the Daryl Roth Theater which will feature the music of Katya Stanislavskaya and Eric March.

Tony Award winners John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle star as MR. & MRS. FITCH in the world premiere comedy from Douglas Carter Beane at Second Stage Theatre. The production marks MR. Beane's return to Second Stage Theatre where his critically acclaimed, Tony-nominated play The Little Dog Laughed premiered in 2005. MR. & MRS. FITCH will be directed by Scott Ellis, who also staged the world premiere and Broadway transfer of The Little Dog Laughed. Opening night for MR & MRS FITCH is scheduled for Thursday, February 22.

Playwrights Horizons has announced complete casting for the World Premiere of CLYBOURNE PARK, a new play by Bruce Norris (The Pain and the Itch at Playwrights Horizons/PH 2006-2007 Season).

On Monday, February 22nd, New York Theatre Barn presents its monthly showcase for emerging writers and performers at the D-Lounge at the Daryl Roth Theater which will feature the music of Katya Stanislavskaya and Eric March.

On March 8, 2010, the award-winning The Play Company will present its annual Cabaret Gourmet Gala. In an evening billed as a celebration of food and entertainment, New York City's finest chefs will sample dishes from their restaurants to performances by entertainment's most exciting talent. A silent auction, now open online, will conclude the evening. The event will take place at the American Airline's Theatre Penthouse in Times Square from 7:00pm - 9:30pm.

The Canadian Stage Company's Festival of Ideas & Creation returns May 10 - 22 to the Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley Street, Toronto.

Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner will help make Times Square a little pinker - and all of New York City, in fact - when they present actor Leslie Jordan in his acclaimed solo show, My Trip Down The Pink Carpet, at the Midtown Theater (163 West 46th Street) this Spring.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee comes to Kean University's Wilkins Theatre in a hysterical production by the Department of Theatre February 26th through March 6th. This award-winning musical features a cast of Kean students and alumni, and offers opportunities for audience participation that keep the laughs coming.

Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner will help make Times Square a little pinker - and all of New York City, in fact - when they present actor Leslie Jordan in his acclaimed solo show, My Trip Down The Pink Carpet, at the Midtown Theater (163 West 46th Street) this Spring.

On Friday, February 26 at 8 p.m., TheatreWorks New Milford opens its 2010 season with the Connecticut premiere of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, with music and lyrics by William Finn, and book by Rachel Sheinkin. The show is scheduled for a five-week run.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment are t-h-r-i-l-l-e-d to present the third production of La Mirada Theatre's 2009-2010 season of shows, the Tony Award-winning musical THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, additional material by Jay Reiss, choreography by DJ Gray, musical direction by David O and directed by Jeff Maynard.