Willie Reale News

A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD has music by Robert Reale, with a book and lyrics by Willie Reale. Based on the books by Arnold Lobel, directed by Nick DeGruccio. CREATIVE TEAM: Fred Kinney (set design), Soojin Lee (costume design), Stephen Young (lighting design), Mark Johnson (sound design), Deborah Wicks La Puma (musical director/arranger) and Amy Brownewell (stage manager). Starring Justin Michael Duval (Bird/Snail/Lizard/Father Frog/Mole), Jim Holdridge as Toad, Emily Eiden (Bird/Mouse/Squirrel/Young Frog/Mole), Alex Miller (Frog) and Erika Whalen (Bird/Turtle/Squirrel/Mother/Frog/Mole). HONORARY PRODUCER: Pacific Life Foundation MEDIA PARTNER: OC Family Oh, what a joy to spend a year with two charming woodland characters and their friends! TICKETS: $16-$23 previews; $20-$28 regular performances. RUNS: Feb 13 - March 1, 2009

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, powers up this January with a new version of one of television's most beloved children's series, The Electric Company. The new series, designed to combat the literacy crisis America's second graders are facing, has been re-energized with 35 half-hour episodes for today's media-driven generation with a truly interactive experience. The series launches on PBS KIDS GO! January 19th with a special two hour sneak peek marathon before it settles into its regular weekly timeslot on Fridays beginning January 23rd (check local listings).

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, powers up this January with a new version of one of television's most beloved children's series, The Electric Company. The new series, designed to combat the literacy crisis America's second graders are facing, has been re-energized with 35 half-hour episodes for today's media-driven generation with a truly interactive experience. The series launches on PBS KIDS GO! January 19th with a special two hour sneak peek marathon before it settles into its regular weekly timeslot on Fridays beginning January 23rd (check local listings).

JANUARY - APRIL 2009 JANUARY January 4 - 25 ● Julianne Argyros Stage ● World Premiere YOU, NERO By Amy Freed Directed by Sharon Ott The World Premiere of Pulitzer Prize nominee Amy Freed's new comedy about the infamous Roman emperor who decides to commission a play that could be the Colosseum's biggest hit ever - if its hapless author lives to tell the tale. Commissioned by SCR, You, Nero is directed by Sharon Ott who directed the staged reading at the 2008 Pacific Playwrights Festival. Freed's plays include the SCR commissions The Beard of Avon, Safe in Hell and Freedomland. Previews Jan. 4-8, opens Jan. 9, closes Jan. 25. Tickets: $20-$64 (Previews $20-$45, Regular Run $28-$64) See last page for performance schedule.

South Coast Reperatory Calendar of events for December - March 2009

South Coast Reperatory Calendar of events for December - March 2009

King Lear will crown South Coast Repertory's 45th season under the direction of Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan.

Ensemble Studio Theatre presents Series C of 'Marathon 2008', E.S.T.'s 30th annual festival of new one-act plays.

Ensemble Studio Theatre announces Series A of 'Marathon 2008' beginning May 8th.

ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATRE (William Carden, Artistic Director, Paul Alexander Slee, Executive Director) will present MARATHON 2008, E.S.T.'s 30th annual festival of new one-act plays, at E.S.T. (549 West 52nd Street). Performances begin Thursday, May 8th, and continue through Saturday, June 28th. MARATHON 2008 offers fifteen World Premieres of one-act plays in three separate evenings.

ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATRE (William Carden, Artistic Director, Paul Alexander Slee, Executive Director) will present MARATHON 2008, E.S.T.'s 30th annual festival of new one-act plays, at E.S.T. (549 West 52nd Street). Performances begin Thursday, May 8th, and continue through Saturday, June 28th.

Eight young playwrights (ages 12 to 13), all members of The 52nd Street Project from Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, will debut plays that they have written for themselves to perform alongside a cast of actors that will feature such stage and television stars as Nancy Giles ('CBS Sunday Morning'), Jeremy Beck, Tim Cain, Angel Desai, Reg Flowers, Maile Holck, Josh Moody, and Keira Naughton. The short plays entitled WHAT'S NEW?!? will play Friday, October 19 at 7:30 PM; Saturday, October 20 at 7:30 PM; and Sunday, October 21 at 3:00 PM at The Julia Miles Theater (424 West 55th Street, corner of 9th Avenue). Admission is free, but reservations are required.

According to Fox News, Dreamgirls stars Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce Knowles and Anika Noni Rose will perform 'Listen,' 'Love You I Do' and 'Patience' on the Academy Awards telecast on February 25th.

Matthew Morrison will be featured in 'Sky,' a new pilot for NBC written by A Year with Frog and Toad's Willie Reale

The Chicago Children's Theatre is making a big splash at the Goodman's Owen Theatre with their inaugural production of Robert and Willie Reale's Tony Award-nominated musical, A Year With Frog and Toad.

Round House Theatre's production of A Year with Frog and Toads should be a wartless delight both for children and their parents

Edie Falco, Martha Plimpton and others will perform in an evenign of short plays written by nine young playwrights, aged 9 to 11, from December 9th through 11th