Year of the Rooster - 2013 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 8

Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch announced plans today for the company's 2013-2014 season, including eight promotions and additions of several new dancers. Houston Ballet's roster now stands at 53 dancers.

On the heels of a critically acclaimed tour to London, Boston Ballet returns home to kick off the 50th season with Night of Stars on Boston Common, a massive free performance for the greater Boston community. Admirals Bank is the Presenting Sponsor for this sensational one-night-only event taking place on Saturday, September 21 at 7:00pm.

From tonight, September 5-15, 2013, Houston Ballet launches its 44th season with a mixed repertory program of premieres by emerging and established choreographers. Famed choreographer James Kudelka will create a new work for the company. British master and Houston Ballet's associate choreographer Christopher Bruce's Intimate Pages will have its Houston Ballet premiere. World premieres by Garrett Smith and Melissa Hough round out the program.

From September 5-15, 2013, Houston Ballet launches its 44th season with a mixed repertory program of premieres by emerging and established choreographers. Famed choreographer James Kudelka will create a new work for the company. British master and Houston Ballet's associate choreographer Christopher Bruce's Intimate Pages will have its Houston Ballet premiere. World premieres by Garrett Smith and Melissa Hough round out the program.

Don't let this summer end without seeing 'America's Favorite Original Boy Band'! Olney Theatre Institute presents a limited return engagement of Forever Plaid today, August 24 through September 15 on Olney Theatre Center's Historic Stage.

Called 'the greatest singer in the world' by Frank Sinatra, the always charming, classy and debonair Tony Bennett crooned his way into the heart of America. In this sexy musical revue, three superb male singers perform an anthology of Bennett's best work - from 'Rags to Riches' to 'Put On a Happy Face' to the title track and many more - celebrating more than six decades of remarkable music in this swingin' walk down memory lane. David Grapes and Todd Olson are co-creators for the production; Todd Olson will also be directing The Rep's production. Original piano and vocal arrangements for I Left My Heart are by Vince di Mura. The cast features singers Eric Jon Mahlum, Andrew McMath and Rob Tucker, all making their Rep debuts, and Richard Carsey, well-known to Milwaukee audiences from his years with Skylight Music Theatre, will accompany them on piano. Carsey is also the Music Director for the production. I Left My Heart: A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett runs in the Stackner Cabaret from tonight, August 23 - October 20 and opens Sunday, August 25.

Lark Play Development Center is proud to announce that seven plays have been chosen for its 20th annual Playwrights' Week, which will take place September 23rd - 28th.

Called "the greatest singer in the world" by Frank Sinatra, the always charming, classy and debonair Tony Bennett crooned his way into the heart of America. In this sexy musical revue, three superb male singers perform an anthology of Bennett's best work - from "Rags to Riches" to "Put On a Happy Face" to the title track and many more - celebrating more than six decades of remarkable music in this swingin' walk down memory lane. David Grapes and Todd Olson are co-creators for the production; Todd Olson will also be directing The Rep's production. Original piano and vocal arrangements for I Left My Heart are by Vince di Mura. The cast features singers Eric Jon Mahlum, Andrew McMath and Rob Tucker, all making their Rep debuts, and Richard Carsey, well-known to Milwaukee audiences from his years with Skylight Music Theatre, will accompany them on piano. Carsey is also the Music Director for the production. I Left My Heart: A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett runs in the Stackner Cabaret from August 23 - October 20 and opens Sunday, August 25.

Don't let this summer end without seeing 'America's Favorite Original Boy Band'! Olney Theatre Institute presents a limited return engagement of Forever Plaid August 24 through September 15 on Olney Theatre Center's Historic Stage.

Mark Rylance directs James Earl Jones and Vanessa Redgrave in Shakespeare's timeless comedy Much Ado About Nothing opening on 19 September 2013 with previews from 7 September. Further cast includes Tim Barlow, Penelope Beaumont, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Katherine Carlton, Beth Cooke, Alan David, Michael Elwyn, Lloyd Everitt, James Garnon, Melody Grove, Trevor Laird, Leroy Osei-Bonsu, Mark Ross, Peter Wight and Danny Lee Wynter.

Drew Friedman, in association with Robert R. Blume (Executive Producer of the Drama Desk Awards) will present the 20th anniversary, off-Broadway revival of Elizabeth Fuller's international hit comedy ME AND JEZEBEL, a play based on a true story about the irascible queen of Hollywood, Bette Davis. Previews began Wednesday, July 17, 2013 at 8PM and the official opening is tonight, July 24, 2013 at 8PM at the Snapple Theater Center (210 West 50th St.), in Manhattan. Mark S. Graham directs.

Don't dismiss Theatre by the Sea's current production as 'just another' summer stock ANNIE. Matunuck's staging of this long-time family-favorite musical is one of the best of Rhode Island's theatricals so far this year.

Drew Friedman, in association with Robert R. Blume (Executive Producer of the Drama Desk Awards) will present the 20th anniversary, off-Broadway revival of Elizabeth Fuller's international hit comedy ME AND JEZEBEL, a play based on a true story about the irascible queen of Hollywood, Bette Davis. Previews Begin tonight, July 17, 2013 at 8PM and the official opening is on Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at 8PM at the Snapple Theater Center (210 West 50th St.), in Manhattan. Mark S. Graham directs.

'Leapin' Lizards!' ANNIE, one of the best-loved family musicals of all time, takes the stage at Theatre by the Sea (TBTS) from tonight, July 17, through Saturday, August 10. Press night is scheduled for Friday, July 19 at 8pm.

After more than 35,000 submissions, PEDIGREE was awarded the coveted Silver Lion in branded entertainment at the 2013 Cannes Festival for Creativity for the documentary, 'ANNIE'S Search for Sandy.' The 2013 Cannes Lions received submissions from creative agencies and advertisers representing more than 90 countries around the world. 'ANNIE'S Search for Sandy,'hosted by Al Roker, was produced by Al Roker Entertainment and ANNIE The Musical LLC and was sponsored by PEDIGREE Food for Dogs.

Dallas Theater Center presents the world premiere of Fly, a new musical based on J.M. Barrie's novel, Peter Pan. Three-time Tony Award-winning producer Jeffrey Seller (Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights) makes his directorial debut with this production.

Today we are talking to a passionate and prolific performer who has appeared in a number of impressive properties over the course of his career thus far - Milky White in the most recent Broadway revival of INTO THE WOODS to his starring roles in MEMPHIS and beyond - the charming Chad Kimball.

'Leapin' Lizards!' ANNIE, one of the best-loved family musicals of all time, takes the stage at Theatre by the Sea (TBTS) from Wednesday, July 17, through Saturday, August 10. Press night is scheduled for Friday, July 19 at 8pm.

Drew Friedman, in association with Robert R. Blume (Executive Producer of the Drama Desk Awards) will present the 20th anniversary, off-Broadway revival of Elizabeth Fuller's international hit comedy ME AND JEZEBEL, a play based on a true story about the irascible queen of Hollywood, Bette Davis. Previews Begin Wednesday, July 17, 2013 at 8PM and the official opening is on Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at 8PM at the Snapple Theater Center (210 West 50th St.), in Manhattan. Mark S. Graham directs.

See what's coming up at the Fox Theatre as of June 24th. All shows are on sale now unless otherwise noted. Details below!

Charlie Whitehead, a.k.a. Raw Spitt, 1970 first full-length, produced by Swamp Dogg for Canyon records, and a highly sought after collectors' album of unconventional Southern Soul. The remastered CD version includes 5 bonus tracks and new liner notes penned by Swamp Dogg. Raw Spitt will also be available today, June 25th as a Digital Download, along with Limited Edition Colored Vinyl exclusive to Bomp-mailorder.

The Mama Foundation for the Arts proudly announces that two new musicals will open Off-Broadway this fall in Harlem: WE ARE!, an original musical about and starring the acclaimed Gospel for Teens Choir (first seen in an Emmy Award-Winning '60 Minutes' story), and ALIVE!, an original musical featuring a full company of performers who are age 55 and over. Both WE ARE! and ALIVE!, conceived, written and directed by Vy Higginsen and Ken Wydro, will join MAMA, I WANT TO SING: THE NEXT GENERATION and SING HARLEM SING in Repertory at The Dempsey Theater in Harlem (127 W. 127 St.). Performances for ALIVE! begin on Saturday, October 5th; performances for WE ARE! begin Saturday, October 12th. MAMA . . . will join the two new musicals in rep beginning Saturday, October 19th, and SING, HARLEM, SING will be performed on Saturday, November 16th. Tickets to all four musicals presented by The Mama Foundation at The Dempsey are $35 and are available by calling the Mama Foundation for the Arts at 212-280-1045, or online at SmartTix.com.

Emmy Award-winning actress Jane Lynch, who stars in the hit FOX television show "Glee" as ruthless cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester and who recently made her Broadway debut as tyrannical orphanage matron Miss Hannigan in ANNIE, will be a guest on NBC's "Today" tomorrow, Tuesday, June 4, in the 10:00 AM hour. In the New York area, "Today" airs on WNBC-TV Channel 4. Check local listings.

Black Ensemble Theater announces Ain't No Crying the Blues (In The Memory of Howlin Wolf), written by Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor, directed by Associate Director Rueben Echoles, and starring Rick Stone, one of the stars of the classic movie Cooley High. Ain't No Crying the Blues will be presented at the new Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, tonight, June 1 - August 11, 2013. The official press opening is scheduled for Sunday, June 9, 2013 at 3:00PM.

Dallas Theater Center announced the complete cast and creative team for the world premiere of Fly, a new musical based on J.M. Barrie's novel, Peter Pan. Three-time Tony Award-winning producer Jeffrey Seller (Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights) makes his directorial debut with this production.