They Wrote That? 2004 - Articles Page 22

Lawrence Edelson, Producing Artistic Director of American Lyric Theater, has announced that Kyrian Friedenberg, the ten-year old singer, violinist and actor most recently seen in Gypsy with Patty LuPone on Broadway, has been cast as Charlie Bucket in ALT's upcoming workshop and reading of The Golden Ticket, a new opera based on Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Speaking of the young performer, Edelson said that 'Kyrian has a wonderful voice, is incredibly musical, and has charisma that is truly contagious. After hearing him sing Charlie's first act Aria from The Golden Ticket, I had no doubt that he was the right boy to bring Roald Dahl's classic character to life in our upcoming workshop.'

Our special series for Women's History Month continues with a profile of Irish Rep's artistic director and cofounder.

Lawrence Edelson, Producing Artistic Director of American Lyric Theater, has announced that Kyrian Friedenberg, the ten-year old singer, violinist and actor most recently seen in Gypsy with Patty LuPone on Broadway, has been cast as Charlie Bucket in ALT's upcoming workshop and reading of The Golden Ticket, a new opera based on Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Speaking of the young performer, Edelson said that 'Kyrian has a wonderful voice, is incredibly musical, and has charisma that is truly contagious. After hearing him sing Charlie's first act Aria from The Golden Ticket, I had no doubt that he was the right boy to bring Roald Dahl's classic character to life in our upcoming workshop.'

Actors/Directors/Musicians and Comedy Icons Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer are doing something they have never done before; performing a six week, 30 city multi-media acoustic tour without wigs and electric instruments, and are set to perform at Detroit?s Fox Theatre at 8 p.m. Friday, May 29.

Lawrence Edelson, Producing Artistic Director of ALT, has announced that the company has commissioned The Golden Ticket, a new opera based on Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In his announcement, Edelson explained that all of Dahl's beloved characters find a unique voice in this exciting new opera. 'If thoughts of Augustus Gloop being swept away in the Chocolate River, Violet Beauregarde inflating like a giant blueberry, Mike Teavee being demagnified into the tele-dimension, and Veruca Salt being thrown down the rubbish shoot by a gang of nut-inspecting squirrels sound like your idea of a fun night at the opera - or better yet, unlike any night at the opera or theater you've ever experienced - The Golden Ticket is....just the ticket!'

Desire Under the Elms has just announced that it will transfer from Chicago's Goodman Theatre to Broadway's St. James Theater. Previews will begin on April 14, with opening night set for April 27th.

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that much rumored third installment of the 'Meet The Parents' comedy franchise, 'Little Fockers', which was first announced two years ago, is finally taking 'baby steps' at Universal Pictures. The big news is that there will be a different creative team guiding this third feature.

Van Hill Entertainment is proud to announce that the Off-Broadway premiere of ROOMS a rock romance, starring Leslie Kritzer and Doug Kreeger, will begin performances on Friday February 27th at New World Stages/Stage 2 (340 West 50th Street). Opening Night is set for Monday March 16th (7 PM). ROOMS a rock romance has music and lyrics by Paul Scott Goodman (Bright Lights Big City) and book by Goodman and Miriam Gordon, and will be directed by Scott Schwartz (Golda's Balcony, Bat Boy: The Musical, tick, tick... BOOM!, Jane Eyre).

Old Globe Executive Producer Lou Spisto announced today that the Theatre will present a special one-night Post Show Forum with John Guare, playwright of Six Degrees of Separation. The event will feature the Obie and New York Drama Critics Circle Award-winning playwright of such plays as House of Blue Leaves, Six Degrees of Separation (which won London's Olivier Award as Best Play and for which he also wrote the screenplay), and Landscape of the Body, and Executive Producer, Lou Spisto in the Old Globe Theatre on Tuesday, February 10 at 8:30pm, following the performance of Six Degrees of Separation at 7pm.

Old Globe Executive Producer Lou Spisto announced today that the Theatre will present a special one-night Post Show Forum with John Guare, playwright of Six Degrees of Separation. The event will feature the Obie and New York Drama Critics Circle Award-winning playwright of such plays as House of Blue Leaves, Six Degrees of Separation (which won London's Olivier Award as Best Play and for which he also wrote the screenplay), and Landscape of the Body, and Executive Producer, Lou Spisto in the Old Globe Theatre on Tuesday, February 10 at 8:30pm, following the performance of Six Degrees of Separation at 7pm.

Today Goodman Theatre becomes the first cultural institution to receive the Joyce Award for a second time, after receiving its first award in 2004. The Joyce Foundation announced this morning that the Goodman will receive a grant of $50,000 to support a new play by Latin American playwright Quiara Alegr?a Hudes. Tentatively titled The Jibaro Play, Hudes' new work draws on the cultural heritage of traditional Jibaro music and is due to premier at the Goodman during the 2011 season. The Joyce Foundation encourages cultural organizations to serve and represent the Great Lakes region's diverse population and fosters the development of new works in dance, music, theater and visual arts by artists of color. Goodman Theatre received the 2004 Joyce Award in theatre in support of Naomi Iizuka's play Ghostwritten which will have its world premiere April 4 - May 3, 2009, as part of the Goodman's 'Strong Women, Strong Voices' Owen Theatre Series. Ghostwritten tells the story of Susan, an acclaimed chef specializing in Asian cuisine and the mother of an adopted Vietnamese-born daughter, whose life changes forever when a mysterious stranger from her past returns to collect on an old debt. 'We are honored and thrilled to receive this award to support a new work by visionary Latin American playwright Quiara Alegr?a Hudes,' said Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Robert Falls. 'Diversity has long been at the core of our mission, and we are proud to welcome Quiara to the Goodman.' Other 2009 Joyce Award winners include Chicago's Ravinia Festival (Dance), the Detroit International Jazz Festival (Music) and the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (Visual Arts).

Van Hill Entertainment is proud to announce that the Off-Broadway premiere of ROOMS a rock romance, starring Leslie Kritzer and Doug Kreeger, will begin performances on Friday February 27th at New World Stages/Stage 2 (340 West 50th Street). Opening Night is set for Monday March 16th (7 PM). ROOMS a rock romance has music and lyrics by Paul Scott Goodman (Bright Lights Big City) and book by Goodman and Miriam Gordon, and will be directed by Scott Schwartz (Golda's Balcony, Bat Boy: The Musical, tick, tick... BOOM!, Jane Eyre).

INTAR (Eduardo Machado, Artistic Director/John McCormack, Executive Director/Alina Troyano, Associate Artistic Director) is scrambling today to salvage its season, which was scheduled for two engagements, winter and spring, at the now suddenly shuttered Zipper Factory Theater. The first engagement was to begin February 11th and run through March 7th. Rehearsals for the two one-acts have already begun. In a statement today, Artistic Director Eduardo Machado said, ' we are deeply saddened by these sudden developments. We had no idea this was even a possibility. Tickets were about to go on sale, the cast is in rehearsal, and we are suddenly out on the street. For a non-profit company like us, this is a devastating blow!' He went on to say 'INTAR continues to look for a permanent home since the demolition of it's City owned theatre of 35 years to make way for the long aborning Clinton Green Project. INTAR anticipated a new home in the complex, but after it became clear the small company was expected to raise $12 million for the new space, they had to withdraw. The search for a permanent new home continues.'

Jurors for The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) for the 2009 Next Link Project will include lyricist Susan Birkenhead, composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown, producer Robyn Goodman, and director Francesca Zambello. The New York Musical Theater Festival is currently accepting open submissions for its Next Link Project for the sixth annual festival taking place September 28 ? October 18, 2009. Twelve of the Festival?s full production slots are reserved for participants in The Next Link Project, NYMF?s primary writer service program. The Next Link Project empowers emerging musical theatre writing teams as both artists and entrepreneurs by providing the training and relationships needed to help them move their musicals from mere readings to fully-realized productions and to advance their careers by maximizing the exposure they receive in the Festival. A meet and greet to answer any questions from those interested in applying will be held Wednesday, January 28, 6-8pm at the Irish Rogue (356 West 44th Street, between 8th and 9th Ave). NYMF staff members will be on hand to answer questions about the Next Link Project submissions process and chat about other ways to get involved with the Festival.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2008-09 season with John Guare's Rich & Famous, directed by John Rando (Urinetown, The Musical and Wedding Singer on Broadway) in its first major revival since its 1976 New York debut. From the ingenious mind of John Guare, who brought Six Degrees of Separation and The House of Blue Leaves to the American stage, this delicious dark comedy springs to life with twisted humor, rapid-fire dialogue, and outrageous plot twists. The revival script includes significant rewrites to the original text, as well as hilarious songs freshly scribed by Guare himself. In Rich and Famous, playwright Bing Ringling yearns to savor the sweet taste of celebrity, and he's hoping play number 844 will be his lucky break. But on opening night, he slips into a nightmarish phantasmagoria that shows him just how wrong things can go.

Variety is reporting that HBO has signed on as a producer of Will Ferrell's upcoming Broadway show, 'You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush'. The cable network is also set to air a live telecast of the show from Broadway, at a date to be named later. (It's assumed that it'll be from towards the end of the show's run).

Variety is reporting that HBO has signed on as a producer of Will Ferrell's upcoming Broadway show, 'You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush'. The cable network is also set to air a live telecast of the show from Broadway, at a date to be named later. (It's assumed that it'll be from towards the end of the show's run).

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2008-09 season with John Guare's Rich & Famous, directed by John Rando (Urinetown, The Musical and Wedding Singer on Broadway) in its first major revival since its 1976 New York debut. From the ingenious mind of John Guare, who brought Six Degrees of Separation and The House of Blue Leaves to the American stage, this delicious dark comedy springs to life with twisted humor, rapid-fire dialogue, and outrageous plot twists. The revival script includes significant rewrites to the original text, as well as hilarious songs freshly scribed by Guare himself. In Rich and Famous, playwright Bing Ringling yearns to savor the sweet taste of celebrity, and he's hoping play number 844 will be his lucky break. But on opening night, he slips into a nightmarish phantasmagoria that shows him just how wrong things can go.

Producer Howard Panter for Ambassador Theatre Group and co-producers Tulchin/Bartner/Jenkins, Bill Kenwright, Darren Bagert, and Tom Gregory announced today that Craig Bierko (Tony Award nominee for The Music Man; Scary Movie 4) will star as 'Sky Masterson' and Kate Jennings Grant (Proof) will also star as 'Sarah Brown' in the new Broadway production of the greatest musical comedy GUYS AND DOLLS.

Here it is - the year end 'holiday roundup' of books, which, by the way, make for a perfect gift...and an affordable one, that will last much longer than flowers, cookies or fruitcake (that no one wants anyway).

Eric Schaeffer, the Artistic Director of Signature Theatre, tonight announced that Signature will honor Stephen Sondheim at a Gala Benefit in April and establish an annual award as a tribute to America's most influential contemporary musical theater composer. Signature will salute Mr. Sondheim at a black-tie Gala Celebration on Monday, April 27, 2009, in Washington, DC highlighted by a musical tribute, festive dinner, and dancing and inaugurate an annual honor to be known in future years as The Sondheim Award.

For the first time, the Metropolitan Opera will present a work by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Adams: Doctor Atomic, his opera about J. Robert Oppenheimer and the creation of the atomic bomb. The piece is set in New Mexico in the summer of 1945, as scientists, led by Oppenheimer, and the military prepare to test the first nuclear bomb, events that will radically change the course and fabric of history. The new production, starring Gerald Finley in the title role, will open at the Met on Monday, October 13, at 8:00 p.m. When the opera premiered in San Francisco in October of 2005, The Guardian said, 'Adams's ecstatically lyrical writing and the music's visionary eloquence make this a modern masterpiece.' The New York Times later wrote that Doctor Atomic was 'the most complex and inventive of Mr. Adams's works, an engrossing operatic drama.'

New York's eternally boundary-pushing theater company Naked Angels (Geoffrey Nauffts, Artistic Director and Brittany O'Neill, Managing Director) has announced that it will present the Off Broadway premiere of Fault Lines, a new play by Stephen Belber, directed by David Schwimmer.

Flamingo Court, the off-Broadway comedy by Luigi Creatore starring Jamie Farr (television's 'M*A*S*H,' Guys & Dolls) and Tony Award nominee Anita Gillette (Chapter Two, They're Playing Our Song), will play its final performance on Sunday, September 28th at 3:00PM after 68 performances (including 17 previews).

New York's eternally boundary-pushing theater company Naked Angels (Geoffrey Nauffts, Artistic Director and Brittany O'Neill, Managing Director) has announced that it will present the Off Broadway premiere of Fault Lines, a new play by Stephen Belber, directed by David Schwimmer.