tick, tick... BOOM! - 2006 - Articles Page 12

The Chicago company of JERSEY BOYS is thrilled to welcome Chicagoan Cory Grant to the role of Frankie Valli beginning Saturday, September 27, 2008.

Ruth & Stephen Hendel and Roy Gabay present the world premiere of Fela!, a new musical based on the life of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

Ruth & Stephen Hendel and Roy Gabay present the world premiere of Fela!, a new musical based on the life of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

Scott Schwartz and Natascia Diaz talk about the development of a musical from the New York Musical Theatre Festival to its formal premiere in Washington, DC.

13, A New Musical, with music and lyrics by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown, will begin previews on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 and officially open at The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 W. 45th Street) on Sunday, October 5, 2008.

Tony Award nominee Gavin Creel (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and 'American Idol' finalist Diana DeGarmo (Hairspray) will star in the new Broadway production of GODSPELL. The first Broadway revival of the landmark rock musical will officially open on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street) on Thursday, October 23, 2008. Previews will begin on Monday, September 29, 2008.

Producer Robert Greenblatt announced today that 9 To 5: The Musical, based on the 20th Century Fox motion picture, will begin previews on Broadway Tuesday, March 24, 2009, and will open Thursday, April 23, 2009, at the Marriott Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway). 9 To 5: The Musical marks the Broadway debut of seven-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and musician Dolly Parton as composer and lyricist. The musical's book by Patricia Resnick is based on her original story and screenplay for the smash 1980 film comedy.

Ruth & Stephen Hendel and Roy Gabay present the world premiere of Fela!, a new musical based on the life of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Directed and choreographed by Tony® Award winner Bill T. Jones (Spring Awakening) with a book by Jim Lewis and Bill T. Jones, Fela! will feature Kuti's rousing music performed live onstage by Antibalas and other members of the New York Afrobeat community.

Ethan Paulini will star in Counter Productions' 'tick, tick...BOOM!' and 'The Full Monty.'

Village Theatre is pleased to announce its exciting director line-up for the 2008-2009 Mainstage Season. Andrea Dymond, Resident Director of Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago, will direct the new musical and season opener, Saint Heaven. Dymond comments, 'I'd originally directed an earlier version of Saint Heaven in a developmental workshop production, about five years ago, at the Stages Festival at Theatre Building Chicago. That's when I got to know Marty [Martin Casella, book writer] and Keith [Keith Gordon, lyricist and composer] who are every bit as gorgeous to work with as is their musical. I think Saint Heaven is unique in the fullness of its telling, the richness of its characters, and the variety of forms of deeply American music it uses to engage us in the story.' At Victory Gardens Theater, Dymond has staged a wealth of productions such as Gloria Bond Clunie's Shoes (Best Director nomination, Black Theatre Alliance) and Charles Smith's Free Man of Color (winner of the Jeff award for Best New Work). Steve Tomkins, Artistic Director for Village Theatre is set to direct the charming Disney classic Beauty and the Beast. Tomkins gave his directorial debut at Village Theatre with the 1988 production of Gypsy. This upcoming season marks his sixteenth season as Artistic Director for Village Theatre. David Ira Goldstein will direct Oscar Wilde's classic play The Importance of Being Earnest. 'I have been eager to direct Wilde's greatest comedy ever since I directed his earlier play A Woman of No Importance for the University of Washington School of Drama in 1994. If any play can invoke a spirit of pure pleasure for two hours, it is certainly Wilde's Earnest,' Goldstein comments. As artistic director of Arizona Theatre Company (ATC), Goldstein has received the 2003 Governor's Arts Award as Individual Artist for his contributions to the arts in Arizona. He has directed over 30 mainstage productions for ATC and has been a guest director across the country. Before living in Arizona, he was the associate Artistic Director of A Contemporary Theatre in Seattle. Steve Tomkins will also take on the original work Stunt Girl this season. His last three new musical projects, which include Once Upon A Time in New Jersey (2006-2007), Girl of My Dreams (2005-2006), and The Ark (2002-2003), quickly became huge hits amongst Village Theatre audiences. Lastly, Village Theatre is thrilled to announce Jerry Dixon as the director of the musical masterpiece, Show Boat. Dixon began his career as an actor with original Broadway cast performances in Once On This Island and Five Guys Named Moe, with other original roles in Bright Lights, Big City, The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, new yorkers, and tick, tick…BOOM!. Dixon's directing credits vary and include tick, tick…BOOM! (Korea and Singapore), Crowns (Kalamazoo Civic), and concerts and special events for Tony winner LaChanze, recording artist Raúl Midón, Carnegie Hall, and the Belgium National Symphony. Dixon's directorial work was last seen at Village Theatre in 2007, when he was brought from New York to direct the Village Originals production of Barnstormer.

PS Classics will record the cast album of the Broadway musical hit Xanadu on October 29.

London's theatre The Menier Chocolate Factory, with American producer Bob Boyett, have signed a three-year partnership to present Chocolate Factory productions in the United States.

The 34th Annual Jefferson Awards presented seven trophies to House Theatre of Chicago's production of 'The Sparrow.' 'Side Show,' 'Fiorello!' and 'Blues for an Alabama Sky' also took top honors.

Happy Holidays Everyone! Well ... here it is ... our BIGGEST CD coverage EVER and just in time for some last minute 'stocking-stuffer' inspiration ... even though a few of these are better used as coal, if you know what I mean.

Following its staging of the UK premieres of musicals 'Tick, Tick Boom' in 2005 and 'The Last Five Years' in 2006, the Menier Chocolate Factory will go one better this summer by staging the World Premiere of the new Maltby and Shire musical, 'Take Flight' from July 25 to September 22 (previewing from July 13). The Menier will hope to repeat the success of its other 2005 musical production, 'Sunday In the Park With George', as 'Take Flight' reunites the artistic team that presented the award winning Sondheim revival - director Sam Buntrock and designer David Farley.

Due to a high demand for tickets, the Ahmanson Theatre engagement of Jersey Boys, the 2006 Tony Award-winner for Best Musical, has been extended three weeks through Sunday, August 26

Ghostlight Records and Playwrights Horizons have announced the release of the World Premiere Recording of the musical The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin.

This Sunday, March 18 at 7:30 pm, one lucky audience volunteer will share the stage and match spelling acumen (that's right - A-C-U-M-E-N) with three Broadway stars -- Tony Award nominee RAUL ESPARZA (Company) and Tony Award-winners LEA SALONGA (Les Miserables) and BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL (Man of LaMancha) -- at the first ever 'Broadway Night at the Bee' at the hitmusical THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE.

Producer Katie Riegel will present two free readings of Isaac Oliver's new play, Eddie Goshen is Dead, on Monday, March 19, at the Rock Theatre in Manhattan.

Paper Mill Playhouse has announced its mainstage production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, which will run April 11 through May 13

Tony Award-winners Christine Ebersole and Brian Stokes Mitchell, as well as Tony Award-nominee Raul Esparza, will join the cast of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for one night only as guest spellers at the Bee's first ever 'Broadway Night at the Bee' on Sunday, March 18 at 7:30pm

Musical theater writer Joe Iconis will play a show on March 4th, 7:30pm at Joe's Pub.

Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story, a dramatic musical about two of the most infamous murderers of the 20th century, opens at ArtsWest Feb. 28 with the playwright and composer Stephen Dolginoff in one of the two lead roles.

'Things to Ruin: the Songs of Joe Iconis' will play Joe's Pub on January 29th at 7:30pm

'Things to Ruin: the Songs of Joe Iconis' will play Joe's Pub on January 29th at 7:30pm.