How I Got to Broadway - Off-Broadway Articles Page 16

Paradise has a name!

Dreamland, a new musical conceived, written, composed by 14-time Emmy Award winner John Francis Smith with daughter Asia Ray Smith, will have its first ever "off-book" staged performances at the NoHo Arts Center Friday, June 17 at 8:00 pm; and Saturday, June 18 at 2:00 and 8:00 pm.  The production is also produced by Smith.  Robert Arnold directs, with musical direction by Christian Regul and Jake Anthony (who also serves as vocal director).

Sorry for the late update but things are in full swing here at the barn. I am finishing up the first week of rehearsals for Peace Love and Cupcakes! The main stage show Smoke on the Mountain opened this week! (It's fantastic) The first show downstairs began rehearsals and it already sounds amazing! Everything is in full swing and the barn is busy once again.

'We do art because of what it does for us - how it transforms us,' actor Gregg Goodbrod states with quiet conviction. 'Being an actor helps me to understand other people and see their lives and my own from a different perspective. That's why doing a play like Ghost becomes a journey that really resonates for me.' Goodbrod is speaking about his emotionally and physically demanding role as Sam Wheat in the new chamber version of the original 1990 movie and 2011 stage musical, which is currently playing at Maine State Music Theatre. He uses an example of the scene in which Sam, now a ghost, watches his beloved Molly sort through his belongs. 'I am really very Method as an actor, so I try to get into it completely and feel the actual feelings. And as I am watching Liz [Shivener] play this scene, it suddenly hits me that all these things are not what are important. If I were go, I know it is the love that I would miss. That's why I am an actor - so I can take these journeys and learn new lessons.'

It's that time of year, and I can't help but wonder if your CD collection and iPod are Tonys ready. It's just a handful of hours until the 70th annual Tony Awards, and New York City and theatre fans across the world are excitedly buzzing about this year's ceremonies which will be broadcast live on Sunday, June 12, 2016 at 8/7c on CBS. This Broadway season has some exciting contenders in the musical categories, and to get you ready for the big night, I'm recapping the albums you should be listening to (or at least pre-ordering).

A friendly reminder! Previews begin tonight for Irish Repertory Theatre's production of Conor McPherson's acclaimed play SHINING CITY, starring two-time Tony Award-winner Matthew Broderick. Directed by Ciaran O'Reilly, SHINING CITY also features Billy Carter (The Weir, Port Authority), Lisa Dwan (the acclaimed Beckett Trilogy), and James Russell (Port Authority, Juno and the Paycock).

Saturday, May 21, 2016 was a special day. Not because of the many pre-Memorial Day sales in the stores or the beautiful weather we had the few days prior. But mainly because it marked the 10th annual Dance Parade and Festival. This year's theme was Decade of Dance to celebrate 10 years and to showcase the cultural diversity of the world through dance.

Today Slater speaks exclusively with BWW about his remarkable career and shares details on the possibility that GALAVANT and TANGLED may one day make their way to the Great White Way!

A chance meeting at an opening night party changed the career of a young actor.

In an interview with SlashFilm writer Blake Harris for the podcast 'How Did This Get Made?', comedy legend actually answers the question that the title asks, explaining how his producing the sci-fi flop SOLARBABIES threatened to ruin his life.

Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts has announced the July, August, and September lineup for the 2016 Comedy Club. Monday nights at 8 pm. All dates are available online at www.baystreet.org or calling the Box Office at 631-725-9500. All comedy performances are suggested for ages 17 and up. Comedy Club is sponsored by Saunders & Associates and The Friars Foundation. Media sponsor is Beach Magazine.

A friendly reminder! Previews begin tonight for Irish Repertory Theatre's production of Conor McPherson's acclaimed play SHINING CITY, starring two-time Tony Award-winner Matthew Broderick. Directed by Ciaran O'Reilly, SHINING CITY also features Billy Carter (The Weir, Port Authority), Lisa Dwan (the acclaimed Beckett Trilogy), and James Russell (Port Authority, Juno and the Paycock).

AXS TV, the premier destination for music festivals and everything rock and roll, expands its music based programming lineup with the launch of REEL TO REEL an all-new series premiering a different critically acclaimed documentary on the last Tuesday of each month.

Today, Pickler speaks exclusively with BWW about her recent appearance on the Series Finale of AMERICAN IDOL, her recent partnership with Flonase Allergy Relief and her dream of one day starring in a Broadway musical!

San Diego Repertory Theatre (San Diego REP) presents 'Rapture, Blister, Burn,' the 2013 Pulitzer Prize finalist hit comedy from 'House of Cards' writer Gina Gionfriddo, for its sixth and final show of the 40th anniversary season. REP Co-Founder and Artistic Director Sam Woodhouse directs this play that the New York Times calls 'intensely smart and immensely funny,' and has been called 'a smart, funny, and lightning-paced look at feminism' by New York Daily News. The show's run began on Thursday, April 21, 2016 and plays through Sunday, May 15, 2016 with an opening night tonight, April 27, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the Lyceum Space Theatre at San Diego REP in Horton Plaza.

The Colony Hotel - which The Palm Beach Post has hailed as 'probably the best place for cabaret on the planet' - has just launched a new Young Stars Summer Residency Program that will present many of Manhattan's hottest rising cabaret stars every weekend until Labor Day, all of which have been audience favorites during previous Royal Room engagements.

San Diego Repertory Theatre (San Diego REP) presents "Rapture, Blister, Burn," the 2013 Pulitzer Prize finalist hit comedy from "House of Cards" writer Gina Gionfriddo, for its sixth and final show of the 40th anniversary season. REP Co-Founder and Artistic Director Sam Woodhouse directs this play that the New York Times calls "intensely smart and immensely funny," and has been called "a smart, funny, and lightning-paced look at feminism" by New York Daily News. The show's run begins today, April 21, 2016 and plays through Sunday, May 15, 2016 with an opening night on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the Lyceum Space Theatre at San Diego REP in Horton Plaza.

I am personally excited to see the spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA coming to Omaha this week! Hailed by critics as "bigger and better than ever," Laurence Connor's re-imagination of the longest-running production on Broadway is drawing superlatives: "stunning!" "spectacular!" "brilliant!" "majestic!" and "beautiful!" Because of all the references to beauty, I called Jacquelynne Fontaine, who plays Carlotta, and happens to be a former beauty title holder.

San Diego Repertory Theatre (San Diego REP) presents "Rapture, Blister, Burn," the 2013 Pulitzer Prize finalist hit comedy from "House of Cards" writer Gina Gionfriddo, for its sixth and final show of the 40th anniversary season. REP Co-Founder and Artistic Director Sam Woodhouse directs this play that the New York Times calls "intensely smart and immensely funny," and has been called "a smart, funny, and lightning-paced look at feminism" by New York Daily News. The show's run begins on Thursday, April 21, 2016 and plays through Sunday, May 15, 2016 with an opening night on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the Lyceum Space Theatre at San Diego REP in Horton Plaza.

Paper Mill Playhouse has announced complete casting for Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's classic musical West Side Story, directed by Paper Mill Playhouse's Producing Artistic Director Mark S. Hoebee and Jerome Robbins' original choreography recreated by Alex Sanchez. West Side Story is based on a conception by Jerome Robbins and features a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

The Irish Repertory Theatre has announced that Conor McPherson's acclaimed play SHINING CITY, starring two-time Tony Award-winner Matthew Broderick, will inaugurate its newly renovated theater, located at 132 West 22nd Street.

The Colony Hotel - which The Palm Beach Post has hailed as "probably the best place for cabaret on the planet" - is doing something completely different this year. For the first time in the 15-year history of the Royal Room, the world famous cabaret will not close at the end of "season" but will continue offering extraordinary entertainers straight-through the summer months with dinner shows every Friday and Saturday night.

Should you ask Bryce McDonald to point out the year of his life in which it was changed - irrevocably, but most certainly, for the better - chances are he would have difficulty in pinning down the most significant time in his life. He might select 1984, the year he first attended a show at Cumberland County Playhouse (it was Annie), or 1996 when he first stepped onto the CCP stage as a young man (in Oliver!) or it might be 1999, when he first began to train as a stage manager at the iconic Crossville theater (again, it was Annie) that has become 'home' for countless theater artists over the years.

 Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts is pleased to announce the 3rd ANNUAL NEW WORKS FESTIVAL, April 29 - May 1. THE READINGS ARE FREE. Reserve seats online at www.baystreet.org or by calling the Bay Street Theater Box Office at 631-725-9500, open Tuesday through Saturday 11 am to 5 pm.

In 1941, the Jones-Haywood Dance School in Washington D.C. was one of the country's few places where minority students could learn classical ballet.