William Finn News

Second Stage Theatre is pleased to announce that the critically acclaimed production of Anna Deavere Smith's LET ME DOWN EASY, has extended four weeks, through December 6. Conceived, written, and performed by Ms. Smith and directed by Leonard Foglia, LET ME DOWN EASY opened on Wednesday, October 7 and was originally scheduled to run through November 8.

The Town Hall, Broadway's landmark concert venue, presents the fifth annual Broadway Cabaret Festival, October 16th- 18th. This three-concert series, created, written an hosted by Scott Siegel, takes place over one weekend and includes A Tribute to David Merrick, staring Corbin Bleu of High School Musical, on Friday October 16th at 8pm, All of Me staring Linda Eder on Saturday October 17th at 8pm and Broadway Originals on Sunday October 18th at 3pm.

Broadway's perfectly magical musical MARY POPPINS is pleased to welcome the West End's original ‘Mary', Olivier Award winner LAURA MICHELLE KELLY, and Tony® Award nominee CHRISTIAN BORLE (Broadway's Legally Blonde) beginning Monday, October 12 at 7pm. Produced by Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh, MARY POPPINS will celebrate its three-year anniversary at the New Amsterdam Theatre (214 West 42nd Street) on Monday, November 16.

Broadway's perfectly magical musical MARY POPPINS is pleased to welcome the West End's original ‘Mary', Olivier Award winner LAURA MICHELLE KELLY, and Tony® Award nominee CHRISTIAN BORLE (Broadway's Legally Blonde) beginning Monday, October 12 at 7pm. Produced by Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh, MARY POPPINS will celebrate its three-year anniversary at the New Amsterdam Theatre (214 West 42nd Street) on Monday, November 16.

It's 'back to school' with CityRep! They're partnering again with UCO, who joined them in closing last season with Zombie Prom, and they're rocking the house and opening their eighth season with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! Tickets are on sale now for this Oklahoma Premiere of the Tony-nominated Broadway hit musical. Click here to purchase your tickets online NOW, or call the CityRep Ticket Hotline at 405.848.3761.

Additional names have been announced for Chance and Chemistry: A Centennial Celebration of Frank Loesser, a concert to benefit The Actors Fund taking place at the Minskoff Theatre on Monday, October 26, 2009 at 7:30PM.

Few cabaret performers electrify an audience. Peter Allen was able to do it with sheer energy, talent and drive. You had to see him jump on top of the piano to understand just how much energy was used up during one number. Hugh Jackman can do it. His personality and good looks alone drive both men and women crazy...and his stamina is also phenomenal. Then there's Alan Cumming - appearing last week for one week only at the Geffen Playhouse-whose extraordinary vocal style and devilish sense of humor can keep a show in high gear.

The Huntington Theatre Company continues its 28th season - a season of American Stories - with Grammy Award winner, Broadway star, and pop icon Maureen McGovern's world premiere musical memoir A Long and Winding Road, conceived and written by Philip Himberg and Maureen McGovern and presented in cooperation with Arena Stage.

The Weekend Theatre in Little Rock, AK, will open its 2009-10 season with the production of FALSETTOS. Opening with a performance at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, at the Weekend Theater, the musical presents the story of a neurotic, gay, Jewish man attempting to create a new life for himself that will not completely exclude the best parts of his old life as a married man and father. Andy Hall directs, with music direction by Steve Whaley and choreography by Pamela Crane.

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is coming to City Rep October 9 through 25, 2009 at the CitySpace Theatre at the Civic Center Music Hall. SPELLING BEE has music and lyrics by William Finn and a book by Rachel Sheinkin.

SARTA, The Sacremento Area Regional Theatre Alliance, announces both general and show-specific auditions for the Sacremento Area.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) will launch its 31st season this fall with the New York premiere of Anna Deavere Smith's LET ME DOWN EASY. Conceived, written, and performed by Ms. Smith and directed by Leonard Foglia, LET ME DOWN EASY will begin preview performances on Tuesday, September 15 and will officially open on Wednesday, October 7 at 6:45pm.

American Express will sponsor the upcoming Second Stage Theatre production of Let Me Down Easy, conceived, written and performed by Anna Deavere Smith.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) will launch its 31st season this fall with the New York premiere of Anna Deavere Smith's LET ME DOWN EASY. Conceived, written, and performed by Ms. Smith and directed by Leonard Foglia, LET ME DOWN EASY will begin preview performances on Tuesday, September 15 and will officially open on Wednesday, October 7 at 6:45pm.

The Weekend Theatre in Little Rock, AK, will open its 2009-10 season with the production of FALSETTOS. Opening with a performance at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, at the Weekend Theater, the musical presents the story of a neurotic, gay, Jewish man attempting to create a new life for himself that will not completely exclude the best parts of his old life as a married man and father. Andy Hall directs, with music direction by Steve Whaley and choreography by Pamela Crane.

Noble Fool Theatricals, the premier professional theater in the Fox Valley area, announces a calendar-year series for 2010, including the heartfelt family comedy, Over the Tavern, February 4 - March 28, 2010; the Tony Award-Winning musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, April 22 - June 13, 2010; the cleverly hilarious who-dun-it, Red Herring, September 2 - October 24, 2010; and concluding with the radio-style retelling of a holiday favorite, It's a Wonderful Life; A Live Radio Play, November 5 - December 26, 2010. This four-show subscription series will be produced by Noble Fool Theatricals and presented at Pheasant Run Resort (4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, IL; telephone 630-584-6342).

It's 'back to school' with CityRep! They're partnering again with UCO, who joined them in closing last season with Zombie Prom, and they're rocking the house and opening their eighth season with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! Tickets are on sale now for this Oklahoma Premiere of the Tony-nominated Broadway hit musical. Click here to purchase your tickets online NOW, or call the CityRep Ticket Hotline at 405.848.3761.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is proud to have Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine return to Studio 54 with Sondheim on Sondheim, a new original Broadway musical starring Barbara Cook, Vanessa Williams, Michael Arden & Leslie Kritzer. Music & lyrics are by Stephen Sondheim, conceived & directed by James Lapine. Sondheim on Sondheim will begin previews on March 19th, 2010 and open officially April 22nd, 2010 at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 West 54th Street). This will be a limited engagement through Sunday, June 13th, 2010.

Celebrated cabaret performer Jamie deRoy presents a special evening of her multi MAC Award-winning variety show, Jamie deRoy & friends on Thursday, October 15th at 7pm. The concert will take place at New York hotspot The Metropolitan Room

Award-winning NYC cabaret performer Hector Coris brings his debut solo show Life is Wonderful. at Don't Tell Mama (343 West 46th Street, NYC - 212-757-0788; www.donttellmamanyc.com). Show dates are Tuesday, September 8th @ 7:15PM and Sunday, October 11th @ 6:30PM.