Magic on Broadway - 1996 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 10

Good morning, BroadwayWorld, and TGIF! Catch up on the latest Broadway news before you jump into your weekend!

Theatre for a New Audience presents About Alice, the world premiere of a new play by Calvin Trillin, inspired by his 2007 memoir of the same name. The production, directed by Leonard Foglia, plays January 8-February 3, 2019 at Polonsky Shakespeare Center (262 Ashland Place, Brooklyn). 

With a mix of new and traditional takes on opera, Seattle Opera unveils a 2019/20 Season that offers something for everyone. Audiences will experience new-to-Seattle productions of Rigoletto, Cinderella, and Eugene Onegin; the company premiere of Charlie Parker's Yardbird; and the return of a beloved classic, La boh me.

As previously reported, actress and director Penny Marshall has passed away at the age of 75, due to complications with diabetes.

Theatre for a New Audience presents About Alice, the world premiere of a new play by Calvin Trillin, inspired by his 2007 memoir of the same name. The production, directed by Leonard Foglia, plays January 8-February 3, 2019 at Polonsky Shakespeare Center (262 Ashland Place, Brooklyn). 

The Public Theater announced initial casting today for the world premiere of WHITE NOISE, written by Public Theater Master Writer Chair and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks. 

Remy Bumppo Theatre Company is pleased to announce that Mike Durst, Yeaji Kim, Christopher Kriz, Joe Schermoly, and Ellen Willett have been the first to be named Associate Artists of the company. The newly created Associate Artist program honors the work of these talented collaborators and will give them more opportunities to work with the company on future projects.

Last night, Renee Taylor won the annual The United Solo Special Award, which recognizes artists who have made significant recent contributions to solo theatre during the year, for her critically acclaimed autobiographical comedy MY LIFE ON A DIET. Along with Ms. Taylor, this year's nominees included Derek DelGaudio (In & Of Itself), Alison S. M. Kobayashi (Say Something Bunny!), John Lithgow (Stories By Heart), Chita Rivera (An Evening with Chita Rivera) and Bruce Springsteen (Springsteen on Broadway).

San Francisco Playhouse celebrates the magic of the holiday season with the hit Broadway musical Mary Poppins. Susi Damilano will direct the Playhouse production, with music direction by Katie Coleman and choreography by Kimberly Richards.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre today announced the full cast and creative team for Paradise Square: An American Musical. The world premiere is helmed by acclaimed director Moises Kaufman, with choreography by the legendary Bill T. Jones and a book by Marcus Gardley, Craig Lucas, and Larry Kirwan. Music by Jason Howland and Larry Kirwan, with lyrics by Nathan Tysen, and based on the songs of Stephen Foster. Paradise Square is produced by special arrangement with Garth H. Drabinsky in association with Peter LeDonne and Teatro Proscenium Limited Partnership.

Gulfshore Playhouse, Naples' premier professional regional theater, travels back to Ancient Rome for its second production of the 2018-19 season, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum." The Tony Award-winning farce written by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, takes the stage Nov. 17 to Dec. 30.

Michael James Scott must have known he had some enormous golden slippers to fill when he took over the role of the Genie in the national touring version of DISNEY'S ALADDIN, which will be in Columbus from Oct. 24 to Nov. 4. Not only will Scott be judged against the performance of the late Robin Williams, who masterfully played Genie in the movies, ALADDIN (1992) and ALADDIN AND THE KING OF THIEVES (1996), but he also had to emerge from the big blue shadows of James Monroe Iglehart who won a Tony Award for best performance by a featured actor in the Broadway musical in 2014.

The Round Barn Theatre first produced "Annie" in 1996, its first year of repertory theatre. Nine year old Sarajane Morse Mullins captured the hearts of that first year's audience as the world's most famous redhead. Now twenty-two years later, Sarajane returns as Miss Hannigan on the same stage she began her professional career. Annie's red dress has been passed to Maddi Reese Ames, the next generation of budding starlets. It promises to be a special homecoming and debut for the two actresses and audiences.

Let the bells peal!  Ring in the holidays with a classic tale.  Long Island's newest theatrical venue The Argyle Theatrepresents the musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame, based on the novel by Victor Hugo and songs from the Disney film originally developed by Disney Theatrical Productions, with music by Alan Menkin, lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and book by Peter Parnell.

Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) is delighted to announce its 2018-2019 ReDiscovery Reading Series will open on Monday, October 22 at the Lansburgh Theatre (450 7th Street NW) at 7:30 p.m. with Peerless, written by Jiehae Park.

This year, a living legend of musical theatre turns 90: Lyricist-bookwriter Tom Jones (who also, under a stage name) appeared in the original company of his most famous and wildly successful record-breaking musical, The Fantasticks. His collaborator, composer Harvey Schmidt, just recently passed away. The production's record-breaking run closed, on January 13, 2002, after 17,162 performances. Their shows also include 110 in the Shade, I Do! I Do!, Philemon, Celebration and many more. And celebration is what it's about when Broadway veterans Carole Demas, who originated the role of Sandy in Grease, and Sarah Rice, who originated the role of Johanna in Sweeney Todd, return to celebrate Jones & Schmidt. Demas and Rice have based the show on their 50 years of work and personal relationships with Tom and Harvey. With very special guest Broadway's Hal Robinson who is also a Fantasticks alumni.

Cameron Mackintosh's spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA will make its highly anticipated premiere in Honolulu at the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall August 7th - September 1, 2019 as part of the 2019 Broadway in Hawaii season. With newly reinvented staging and stunning scenic design, this new version of PHANTOM is performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this one of the largest productions on tour in North America. This blockbuster production is part of a three-show series presented by Broadway in Hawaii beginning in the fall of 2019 that also includes The Illusionists - Live From Broadway and RENT - The 20th Anniversary Tour. The only way to secure your tickets now is by purchasing the three-show package or by ordering a group of 10+.  Visit www.BroadwayinHawaii.com for details.

San Francisco Playhouse celebrates the magic of the holiday season with the hit Broadway musical Mary Poppins. Susi Damilano will direct the Playhouse production, with music direction by Katie Coleman and choreography by Kimberly Richards.

Award-winning actor, writer, director, producer, polymath and advocate for science communication Alan Alda has been named the 55th recipient of SAG-AFTRA's highest tribute: the SAG Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment. Alda will be presented the performers union's top accolade at the 25th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, which will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019, at 8 p.m. (ET)/ 5 p.m. (PT).

Broadway in San Antonio is thrilled to announce WAITRESS, playing the Majestic Theatre as part of the North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio 2018-2019 season, for eight performances, January 8-13, 2019.   Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m., Friday, October 5.

Camp Broadway LLC is pleased to announce that the company has formed an alliance with T School, a prestigious, private International School in Beijing, to introduce musical theatre to their students from around the world. This Broadway/Beijing alliance commences today, Monday, October 1, when a 4-member team from Camp Broadway begins a 6-day residency at the school.

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce its next season will go on sale to the public this Sunday, September 23. The season includes: A BRONX TALE, ANASTASIA, CATS and Tony Award-winning COME FROM AWAY, FALSETTOS and A BAND'S VISIT.

Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues has found a new pal for Blue in TV newcomer and Broadway actor Joshua Dela Cruz, and a brand-new title: Blue's Clues & You. Dela Cruz will have a new generation of preschoolers searching for clues with the beloved energetic girl puppy Blue. Production on Blue's Clues & You will commence this month in Toronto.

As the school year begins across the country, Broadway Producers Fran Kirmser and Chris Burney team up with area D.C. theater organizations to present AMERICAN SCOREBOARD's back-to-school performance of The Betsy DeVos Confirmation Hearing for The Secretary of Education to take place at The Mead Center for American Theater at Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth Street SW, Washington, D.C. on September 17th, 2018 at 6pm. This will mark the first visit of Kirmser and Burney's American Scoreboard educational program to the D.C. area.

The Broadway League has announced the recipients of its twenty-third annual National Education and Engagement Grants.