William Finn News

West 43rd Street will become a little pinker, as will the Easter Parade (and all of New York City in general) when the actor Leslie Jordan arrives to bring his acclaimed solo show, My Trip Down The Pink Carpet, to the Westside Theatre (407 West 43rd Street) this Spring. Producer Bruce Robert Harris announced that performances will begin on Wednesday, April 15, with an official opening night set for Monday evening, April 20. David Galligan directs the 6-week limited engagement.

The fifth year of the acclaimed series, ?Monday Nights, New Voices,' will continue on February 23rd, with Broadway star, Orfeh, who was recently Tony Nominated as Paulette in the Broadway Musical, Legally Blonde.

It is with great pleasure that The West Bank Caf? announces upcoming performances to be presented in The Laurie Beechman Theatre. The West Bank Caf? is located at 407 West 42nd. St., at Ninth Avenue. For reservations, please call 212.695.6909.

Producer Randy Taradash announced recently that bare, the original rock musical by Damon Intrabartolo and Jon Hartmere will hold an invite only New York presentation on Tuesday, February 24 in anticipation of its San Francisco Bay Area premiere in late Fall of 2009.

Celebration Theatre announces that Sharon McNight brings her critically-acclaimed, smash-hit, 'Songs to Offend Almost Everyone' to Celebration Theatre, 7051B Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood. SONGS TO OFFEND ALMOST EVERYONE is the new over-the-top show of Sharon McNight. The selection of songs is a throwback to the party records of the 1950s and is designed to offend minorities and majorities of every persuasion.

The producers of ROCK OF AGES announced the complete, awesome cast for Broadway's new, smash hit musical today. Constantine Maroulis, ('American Idol' Season 4, Broadway's The Wedding Singer, RENT) reprising his critically acclaimed role as 'Drew', is now joined by Broadway's best 1970's & 1980's period actors Amy Spanger (The Wedding Singer, Kiss Me Kate) as 'Sherrie' and James Carpinello (Saturday Night Fever, VH1's 'So NoTORIous') as 'Stacee Jaxx'.

Join celebrated cabaret performer Jamie deRoy when she celebrates Oscar with an evening featuring Academy Award-winning songs and winners as the theme of her Multi MAC Award-winning variety show, Jamie deRoy & friends on Monday, February 16th (7:00PM) at the New York hotspot The Metropolitan Room (34 West 22nd Street - between 5th & 6th Avenues).

Producer Randy Taradash announced today that bare, the original rock musical by Damon Intrabartolo and Jon Hartmere will hold an invite only New York presentation on Tuesday, February 24 in anticipation of its San Francisco Bay Area premiere in late Fall of 2009. The cast for the reading includes Scott Porter (NBC's 'Friday Night Lights', Altar Boyz), Matt Doyle (Spring Awakening, the CW's 'Gossip Girl'), Shoshana Bean (Wicked, Hairspray), Manoel Felciano (2006 Tony award nominee Sweeney Todd), Kecia Lewis-Evans (The Drowsy Chaperone), Janine LaManna (The Drowsy Chaperone, Sweet Charity), Neil Haskell (Altar Boyz), and Alysha Umphress (2008 MAC Award nominee, Make Me A Song: The Music of William Finn).

Phoenix Entertainment is pleased to announce that the Tony Award-winning musical comedy THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, is coming to Grand Rapids' DeVos Performance Hall from April 7-11, 2009 for 7 performances. Tickets are now on sale. SPELLING BEE is directed by James Lapine, the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winner (Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods) who also directed the Broadway production. The musical, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, with additional material written by Jay Reiss, features music and lyrics by Tony Award-winner William Finn (Falsettos, Elegies, A New Brain) and a Tony Award-winning book by Rachel Sheinkin. SPELLING BEE features scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Jennifer Caprio, lighting design by Charlie Morrison, sound design by Craig Cassidy and choreography by Dan Knechtges.

Goodspeed Musicals, the only two time Tony Award-winning theatre in the nation, is proud to announce its 46th season at the Goodspeed Opera House. The 2009 season will include three extraordinary musicals that are sure to delight theatre-goers: the dazzling Broadway song and dance extravaganza 42nd Street will run from April 17 - June 28; Lerner & Loewe's legendary Camelot will run from July 10 - September 19; and the zany adventure A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, will run from September 25 - November 29. Be among the first to purchase tickets for all three shows when the Box Office opens at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, February 22nd, Goodspeed Musicals' 2009 season is produced by Michael P. Price.

The American Theatre Wing today announced the recipients of the 2009 Jonathan Larson? Grants. The grants, given annually to honor emerging composers, lyricists and book writers, help to continue Tony Award-winning composer Jonathan Larson's dream of infusing musical theatre with a contemporary, joyful, urban vitality.

Passion, piety, and the enticement of power sparks a once in a lifetime historic event. Based on the enduring account of a young scholar's rise to the papacy, and brought to life by the original producer of HAIR on Broadway, this musical extravaganza unleashes one of the most controversial stories in the history of mankind. A cast of 26 professionals, an award winning team, and live music create this stunning premiere, for a limited run at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood.

The fifth year of the acclaimed series, ?Monday Nights, New Voices,' will continue on February 23rd, with Broadway star, Orfeh, who was recently Tony Nominated as Paulette in the Broadway Musical, Legally Blonde.

Join celebrated cabaret performer Jamie deRoy when she celebrates Oscar with an evening featuring Academy Award-winning songs and winners as the theme of her Multi MAC Award-winning variety show, Jamie deRoy & friends on Monday, February 16th (7:00PM) at the New York hotspot The Metropolitan Room (34 West 22nd Street - between 5th & 6th Avenues).

The Laurie Beechman Theatre will be home to an extraordinary night of new work and stellar talent on February 6, 2009, as Alexander Gemignani ('Road Show', 'Les Mis?rables'), Jason Tam ('A Chorus Line'), Donna Lynne Champlin ('Sweeney Todd'), Alysha Umphress ('Make Me A Song') and others perform in 'Marry Me, America: An Evening of Songs by Daniel Mat?.' Show time is 8 PM

The National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO) -- whose revivals of western classics performed by all Asian-American casts since 1989 include such acclaimed productions as BERNARDA ALBA, OTHELLO, A LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, OUR TOWN, YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU and IVANOV -- will expand its mission to include world premieres about non-Asian peoples performed by an all-Asian cast with the world premiere of LEAH'S TRAIN, Karen Hartman's play about three generations of women from a Jewish family whose lineage spreads from Russia to present-day San Francisco, previewing February 6th prior to opening February 10th Off-Broadway at the TBG Theatre (312 West 36th Street) in Manhattan.

The Laurie Beechman Theatre will be home to an extraordinary night of new work and stellar talent on February 6, 2009, as Alexander Gemignani ('Road Show', 'Les Mis?rables'), Jason Tam ('A Chorus Line'), Donna Lynne Champlin ('Sweeney Todd'), Alysha Umphress ('Make Me A Song') and others perform in 'Marry Me, America: An Evening of Songs by Daniel Mat?.' Show time is 8 PM

Playwrights Horizons announces completion of a major renovation to 440 Studios, which is Lower Manhattan's largest rehearsal space complex (located at 440 Lafayette Street). The $1.2 million project took 8 months for demolition and renovation.

Playwrights Horizons announces completion of a major renovation to 440 Studios, which is Lower Manhattan's largest rehearsal space complex (located at 440 Lafayette Street). The $1.2 million project took 8 months for demolition and renovation. 440 Studios is the third and fourth floors of the Playwrights Horizons Theater School. When not in use by the School for classes, workshops and productions, the rehearsal studios and theaters are rented out to hundreds of New York City cultural groups each year. The School and the studios are an integral part of Playwrights Horizons and perform a vital service for students, the theater community and the surrounding neighborhood. The renovation of the third floor was made possible, in large part, through generous capital funding from New York City and New York State.

As of this morning, Wednesday, January 28, Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) is now accepting entries for its popular LIVEforFIVE online lottery for $5 tickets to its next production, the New York premiere of THE SAVANNAH DISPUTATION, a new play by Evan Smith (Psych and The Uneasy Chair at Playwrights Horizons, Servicemen at The New Group). At least 50 tickets will be available via the online lottery. A ticketing initiative created last season as part of the theater company's Arts Access program, LIVEforFIVE makes $5 tickets available for the first preview performance of each Playwrights Horizons production through a lottery via the company's website (www.playwrightshorizons.org). The LIVEforFIVE lottery for THE SAVANNAH DISPUTATION will be for tickets to the first preview on Friday, February 6 at 8:00 PM at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).