The Show Off - 1950 - Broadway Articles Page 20

William F. Brown, the Tony-nominated American writer who is best known for his libretto to the long-running Broadway musical The Wiz, died on June 23 in Westport, CT, according to his longtime wife and collaborator, Tina Tippit. He was 91.

SDMT kicks off this summer with the feel good comedy All Shook Up. Nominated for 3 Outer Critics Circle awards including Best Musical, featuring the songs of Elvis Presley. Loosely based on Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night,' 'All Shook Up' tells the story of a small town girl with big dreams from somewhere in the middle of a square state in the middle of a square decade, and the motorcycle-riding stud she falls for. He changes everything and everyone he meets in this hip-swiveling, lip-curling musical fantasy that'll have you jumpin' out of your blue suede shoes with such classics as 'Heartbreak Hotel,' 'Jailhouse Rock,' and 'Don't Be Cruel.'

The French Institute Alliance Fran aise (FIAF), New York's premier French cultural and language center, today announced the 2019 Crossing the Line Festival, featuring 11 performances and a gallery exhibition from a geographically, generationally, and artistically diverse group of artists whose work transcends genres and boundaries. All performances are world, US, or New York premieres; they are united by their convention-breaking fearlessness as they confront topics from social injustice to personal demons. Many of the performances pay homage to legendary artists of our time and previous eras, while the theme of migration and its transformational effects on identity informs several others. The festival runs from September 12 to October 12. Ticket are available at crossingtheline.org.

THE DUPLEX presents Amy Jo Jackson in "The Brass Menagerie" on July 25th, 2019 at 9:30pm. Actor, kabarettist and proud recipient of the 2019 Denovan Fellowship in Cabaret, Amy Jo Jackson stars as the Women of Tennessee Williams in a show conceived of and crafted specifically for The Duplex Cabaret stage.

Bullet Theatre Collaborative and The Theater Project will present musical comedy Little Shop of Horrors, July 12 - 28 at the YMCA in Union, NJ.

Omaha's South High Magnet School with Rebecca Noble, curriculum specialist for Visual Performing Arts, has once again tackled a big story requiring cast diversity with abilities in dance, vocal, and acting.

Houston Chamber Choir announces its 24th season, Illuminations, with a diverse and enthralling repertoire featuring world renowned special guests and guest artists, new partnerships and a world premiere. Some of the works explore deeper, existential matters, while other performances will lean toward lighter fare and tradition.

The National Theatre has announced 15 productions of new plays and fresh adaptations by leading writers.

McCarter will welcome a group of esteemed and emerging playwrights and theater artists to Princeton for the Sallie B. Goodman Artists' Retreat. The annual retreat in June is a centerpiece of McCarter's LAB, a platform and creative incubator devoted to ongoing theatrical development and artist cultivation. The 2019 Retreat will take place from June 12 - June 19.

West Side Story, the 1950's musical of forbidden love amid rival New York youth gangs, will be staged with a 21st century perspective as the Seacoast Repertory Theatre moves into its summer season.

With Pride Week approaching, Birmingham Festival Theatre is on time with offering an emotional and striking production of Robert Anderson's 1953 drama 'Tea and Sympathy.' Set at an all boys' school in the early 1950's, the show tackles the fear, insecurity and the eventual anger that people under persecution face. The teenage boys attending the school are written with an amped jocular rambunctiousness. The carnal behavior lurking behind the boy's clean crisp khaki's and sweater vests is a starter kit for toxic masculinity.

The beautiful Connor Palace is jumping back in time to transport Cleveland to the Golden Era of Cinema during the 22nd Annual Cinema at the Square classic film series, presented by Medical Mutual, August 1-18. Fifteen fan-favorites will screen reel-to-reel on a large non-Imax screen, featuring some of the most popular films from every generation. Movie tickets are on sale now for just $5 each!

The always working French Stewart, a most recognizable face from television, will next be seen on the theatrical boards of the Laguna Playhouse, co-starring with his wife Vanessa Claire Stewart in Mary Chase's Pulitzer Prize-winning HARVEY, opening June 2, 2019. French plays the pivotal role of Elwood P. Dowd who befriends the titular Harvey, a six-foot-and-a-half tall rabbit. French graciously made some time available to answer a few of my inquiring queries.

City Theatre's Artistic Director, Margaret Ledford, was a joy to interview- as intelligent as she was funny. We talk all things SUMMER SHORTS. City Theatre and the Adrienne Arsht Center present Summer Shorts 2019, May 30 - June 23, at Carnival Studio Theater. The summer theater season starts with a fresh batch of City Theatre's SHORTS at the Arsht Center!

For his starring role in Netflix's groundbreaking first original series, Lilyhammer, actor/musician Steven Van Zandt explored uncharted waters as a New York mobster who flees to Norway under the witness protection program. In addition to acting in, co-writing and co-producing the acclaimed show, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer also scored the music for most of the three seasons, where just like his character, the musician best known as Little Steven of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and an accomplished solo artist who helped pioneer the rock-meets-soul sound, also delved into some terrain foreign to him: the worlds of New York jazz and Norwegian folk music.

New Paradigm Theatre (NPT) announces that Cameron Burrill has won the role of 'Conrad Birdie' out of 150 applicants and seven finalists. At NPT's May Gala audience members were treated to the live callbacks of seven men vying for the role and their votes, American Idol- style. Finalists commuted from all over Connecticut as well as New York and Boston to compete for the title role in Bye Bye Birdie, being produced by NPT Aug 16th and 17th at Black Rock Church in Fairfield CT.

Craft Latino proudly pays tribute today to one of Mexico's greatest stars, Antonio Aguilar, on what would have been his 100th birthday, with the release ofAntonio Aguilar Centenario: Colección de la Familia—a 100-song playlist curated by his sonPepe Aguilar and family. Available on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and other streaming platforms, the career-spanning playlist includes the Aguilar family's personal favorites from Don Antonio's extensive catalog, including his biggest hits (“Albur de Amor,” “Un Puño de Tierra”) as well as songs made popular by his iconic films (“Heraclio Bernal,” “Caballo Prieto Azabache”). Listeners will enjoy a variety of styles like rancheras (Mexican folk songs), corridos(storytelling ballads), tambora (a style of banda music from Aguilar's home state of Zacatecas) and the popular mariachi.

Hot Flushes- The Musical takes us back to 2016 (if you can remember a time before Brexit!) and tells the story of a BHS worker, a pension age woman, who discovers that not only is her BHS pension in jeopardy, and her bus pass on hold, but her state pension has been postponed 6 years without warning.

The June 2019 So-fi festival announces that it will be presenting works at The Clemente's Los Kabayitos and Flamboyan Theaters (107 Suffolk St. between Rivington & Delancey) and Westbeth (463 West Street between Bethune and West 12th St) June 6th-23rd 2019.

Over the course of each Broadway season, unexpected and unique storylines inevitably pop up. This morning, with the announcement of the 2019 Tony Award nominations, a number of new narratives have come to life.

STAGES St. Louis is thrilled to announce casting for its 33rd Season: THE BOY FROM OZ, GREASE, MAN OF LA MANCHA, and its Emerson Family Theatre Series production of Disney's 101 DALMATIANS. 'The tagline at STAGES is 'Experience The Story' and our 2019 Season stays true to these words offering something special for everyone,' expresses Associate Producer Andrew Kuhlman.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Power through the end of your week by catching up on the latest Broadway news!

The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King and adapted to the stage by Owen O'Neill and David Johns. Directed by Bob Paisley and being performed at the Metropolitan Theatre Ensemble in the Warwick Theatre Kansas City MO April 4-21, 2019 World Premier

Grab your black leather jacket, pull on your poodle skirt, and get ready to hand-jive as the award-winning Riverdale Rising Stars present GREASE, the classic rock-and-roll musical celebrating high school life in the 1950's, at the Riverdale YM-YWHA for six performances only, from March 31 to April 14, 2019.

The Music Business Association (Music Biz) today announces this year's inductees for its Music Business Hall of Fame, including the late Sir George Martin, who will be inducted by his son Giles Martin. This year's honorees will be recognized during the Music Biz 2019 Awards & Hall of Fame Dinner -- sponsored by BuzzAngle Music, City National Bank, Cracker Barrel, Jammber, and TiVo -- as part of Music Biz's Annual Conference on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 pm.