Wonderful Time - 1996 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 5

In celebration of its 30th Anniversary, EgoPo Classic Theater will be presenting two major collaborative productions with artists and arts organizations from South Africa and Indonesia.

This time, the reader question was: which Broadway shows had the biggest overhaul from their out-of-town tryout to their Broadway opening?

 Love! Valour! Compassion! - Terrence McNally's most honored and celebrated play about eight gay friends who spend the holidays over one summer at one's beautiful hundred-year-old house in upstate New York, kicks off Island City Stage’s 12th season. Learn more about the production here!

From stand-up to late night talk show host, Ferguson brigs host of his life experiences when he visits the Southern Theatre.

BroadwayWorld is saddened to learn that theatre director Michael Boyd has died from cancer. His career took him from training in Moscow to artistic directorships at the Tron Theatre Glasgow [1985-96] and the Royal Shakespeare Company, after joining as an Associate Director in 1996.

Featuring distinctively intuitive direction from Matthew McCray, and an amazing, youthful ensemble cast that are consistently giving it their all, this latest OC iteration of Jonathan Larson's Tony-winning 1996 rock opera is much more impactful than even past stagings that have toured---and is one of the best stage musicals they've ever produced.

The complete ensemble cast has been announced for the all-new production of the Tony Award-winning musical The Wiz! The casting comes in advance of the musical's national tour, which kicks off this fall before returning to Broadway in the Spring of 2024.

The Franklin Stage Company, Delaware County's renowned professional summer theater, will present a new play by Kyle Bass entitled TOLIVER & WAKEMAN, directed by Vernice Miller. It will begin performances on August 4 and run through August 2, 2023.

The Muny has announced its full cast, design and production teams for the cult classic, Little Shop of Horrors, July 25 - 31. 

Elena Skye will play Twiggy in the world première of Close Up – The Twiggy Musical at The Menier Chocolate Factory.

On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, I had the excellent opportunity to sit down with Eric Sciotto, Director and Choreographer of Rock of Ages at MTWichita, and Brian J. Marcum, Artistic Director at MTWichita. It was a wide ranging interview, with a very stream of consciousness feel, and they were gracious enough to grant me an hour over a lunch break during rehearsal last Tuesday. The energy was high, and I was able to get some excellent insight into Eric’s choreographic process. I also spoke to Brian about leading MTWichita into a new era.

The new West End cast has been announced for Daniel Raggett's production of Accidental Death of an Anarchist, following a sell-out run at Lyric Hammersmith.

The Paris Opera announces the resignation of Gustavo Dudamel as Music Director at the end of the  22/23 season for personal reasons.  

Ballet Tech’s Kids Dance will return to The Joyce Theater June 8-11 following an acclaimed production last year.

Austin Playhouse 2023-2024 Season will include an Austin premiere, two regional premieres, a return favorite, and an uplifting musical.

Popular Broadway performer Jason Danieley will stage 'Ragtime: The Symphonic Concert with the Boston Pops May 12-13 at Boston's Symphony Hall, and July 8 at Tanglewood in Lenox, MA.

 The Board of Trustees of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) has announced that Brian B. Crowe will succeed Bonnie J. Monte as the company's new Artistic Director starting on January 1st of 2024. 

The Muny has announced that three-time Tony nominated actor Robin De Jesús, Patti Murin, Michael McGrath, Ryan Vasquez and Nicholas Ward will star in the comedy to die for, Little Shop of Horrors, July 25-31, 2023.

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC) and Steven Maler, Artistic Director, announce the complete cast and creative team for this summer's production of Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth on the Boston Common.

The second mainstage production of Pasadena Playhouse’s six-month-long Sondheim celebration A Little Night Music opens April 30, 2023 (with previews beginning April 25th). David Lee directs this 50th anniversary production of A Little Night Music with a cast of 19, accompanied by a full-sized orchestra.  Jodi Long, who plays Madame Armfeldt, took some time to answer a few of my queries.

In the world of theatre, there are some shows that simply resonate on a different level. In my experience, this happens when the perfect cast comes together with visionary creatives at the perfect moment in time. And when these puzzle pieces all snap into place, it delivers a performance that just feels different, one that makes the audience feel like they are lucky to be in that moment together. If you have experienced this before, you know, it is truly magical. Typically, this has been, for me, a feeling primarily reserved for popular, highly acclaimed shows, usually on Broadway (but not always). On Thursday night – I experienced that same rush, those same chills, and that same rare feeling sitting in the audience for the first time at the historic Athens Theatre in Deland, Florida – witnessing their latest production of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. As I sat there, I forgot that the amazingly talented cast were all volunteers – brought together by their love for the art and a passion for performance – and reveled as they delivered a stunning piece of musical theatre that was truly wonderous to behold.

With Marjorie Prime currently running at the company's home base in South London and Funny Girl on Broadway, the Menier Chocolate Factory announced forthcoming programming for 2023. Learn more about the lineup here!

 Performing Arts Houston has announced its 23/24 Season of national and international touring artists and new works from artists in the Houston community. The arrival of the new season will coincide with major advances in the multi-year renovation of Jones Hall, including the installation of new auditorium seating, expanded restrooms, and more.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley has announced its 53rd season to be presented October 2023 through June 2024.