Heath Saunders News

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts has announced the full casting for the Theatre Company's world premiere of The 12,a brand new rock musical with book and lyrics by Tony Award winner Robert Schenkkan (All The Way) and music and lyrics by Neil Berg (Grumpy Old Men).

Musical Theatre Factory to present first looks at NIKOLA TESLA DROPS THE BEAT and SHADES OF WAYNE in ACT ONEs, Monday, January 26th at 8pm.

oming up this week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

Set in 'Ancient Greece,' GODS & KINGS is an original alt-rock musical that boldly brings to life the timeless fable of The Bacchae. The story centers on the conflict between the unyieldingly rational King Pentheus (Ben Garrett) and the wildly anarchic God Dionysus (Jonathan Grunert) as they struggle for influence and power over the people of Thebes. With music by Neil Douglas Reilly (Rocky, The Gershwins' Porgy & Bess) and book and lyrics by Austin Ruffer, the musical asks: Do people really have to live a life stuck between Gods and Kings?

I Need Some Space: The Lyrics of Robby Sandler, returning to the Laurie Beechman Theatre on Monday, May 19th at 7 pm, after a sold out debut this past July, features the talents of Mariand Torres (The Great Comet, Wicked), Ken Clark (The Great Comet, February House), Andrew Keltz (The Golden Land), Lizzie Hagstedt (Southern Comfort, Sweeney Todd), Shoshanna Richman (I Heart NY, Fiddler), and Ariana Shore (The Performers). The hour long evening of music by the BMI lyricist is produced by Rudy Scala and features a number of composer collaborators including Daniel Green, Lizzie Hagstedt, Jonathan Monro, and Andy Roninson. Tickets are $15 and may be reserved by visiting lauriebeechmantheatre.com.

Tickets are on sale for I Need Some Space: The Lyrics of Robby Sandler, returning to the Laurie Beechman theatre on Monday, May 19th at 7 pm, after a sold out debut this past July. The evening of music by the BMI lyricist is produced by Rudy Scala and features the talents of Mariand Torres (The Great Comet, Wicked), Ken Clark (The Great Comet, February House), Andrew Keltz (The Golden Land), Lizzie Hagstedt (Southern Comfort, Sweeney Todd), Shoshanna Richman (I Heart NY, Fiddler), and Ariana Shore (The Performers). Among the composer collaborators featured in the hour long evening are Daniel Green, Lizzie Hagstedt, Jonathan Monro, Andy Roninson, and Benjamin Velez. Tickets are $15 and may be reserved by visiting lauriebeechmantheatre.com.

Tony-nominated composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Andy Jones (Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella), Heidi Blickenstaff (The Little Mermaid), Ashley Brown (the original Mary Poppins), Merle Dandridge (Tarzan, Aida), Josh Strickland (the original Tarzan), Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Newsies), and Alton Fitzgerald White (The Lion King), will join 4,500 students and teachers representing 93 groups from 26 states and the District of Columbia at the 2014 Junior Theater Festival, it was announced today by Timothy Allen McDonald, founding Chairman of iTheatrics and the Junior Theater Group. The Junior Theater Festival is being held January 17, 18 and 19 at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta.

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table are storming The 5th Avenue Theatre in Monty Python's Spamalot, the perfect musical to fight the winter blues. Based on the blockbuster 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, this hilarious musical comedy lays siege to Seattle featuring a stellar lineup of local talent including Joshua Carter, Allen Fitzpatrick, Richard Gray, Laura Griffith, Louis Hobson, Greg McCormick Allen, Matt Owen, and Dane Stokinger. Called "Fantastic! Gorgeously silly!" by The New York Post, Spamalot blends cerebral audacity with slapstick absurdity in this wacky version of King Arthur's mythical search for the Holy Grail. Bringing to the stage such classic Monty Python shticks as the Knights Who Say Ni, the killer rabbit, flying cows, and "Always Look on the Bright Side of Your Life," Spamalot is side-splitting fun.

Seattle Children's Theatre presents the world-premiere musical, James and the Giant Peach. Just in time for the holidays, Timothy Allen McDonald's wonderful adaptation from Roald Dahl's best seller will include original music by Tony-Award nominated lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. James and the Giant Peach runs at SCT's Charlotte Martin Theatre through January 12, 2014. SCT Artistic Director Linda Hartzell directs. BroadwayWorld has a behind-the-scenes look at the show below!

Seattle Children's Theatre features Tony nominees Justin Paul and Benj Pasek's musical version of James and the Giant Peach as a part of its 2013-2014 Mainstage Season. The musical features a book by Timothy Allen McDonald, and is based on the book by Roald Dahl. James and the Giant Peach runs at the Charlotte Martin Theatre, now through January 12, 2014. Check out a first look below!

Seattle Children's Theatre features Tony nominees Justin Paul and Benj Pasek's musical version of James and the Giant Peach as a part of its 2013-2014 Mainstage Season. The musical features a book by Timothy AllenMcDonald, and is based on the book by Roald Dahl. Check out a sneak peek below!

When casting my reviewers eye to the world premiere musical version of Roald Dahl's "James and the Giant Peach", currently playing at Seattle Children's Theatre, I am forced to look upon the show from two perspectives. From the kid perspective, as this is children's theatre, will this be entertaining and accessible enough for kids? And from the adult musical theater lover perspective, as this is a brand new musical from some up and comers in the musical theater scene Justin Paul, Benj Pasek and Timothy Allen McDonald, is this something that can make a musical theater lover squeal with delight at the thought of it getting a wider audience (like maybe Broadway)? And while from the kid perspective this was a lovely and thoroughly fun time for any age, the musical theater snob in me felt the show just needs a little more work to be truly great. But it's certainly on its way.

Be at the barricade with Balagan Theatre this September for an intensely intimate and immersive staging of the worldwide musical phenomenon, Les Miserables, featuring Broadway actor Louis Hobson in his debut performance with Balagan as Artistic Director. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below!

Balagan Theatre continues their effort to get new musicals a place to be heard with their New Works Summer Series and their offering of the new musical “Island Song”, a show exploring the lives of the young and ambitious in a city that can at the same time foster and crush such ambition.

Seattle Children's Theatre will soon feature Tony nominees Justin Paul and Benj Pasek's musical version of James and the Giant Peach as a part of its 2013-2014 Mainstage Season. The musical features a book by Timothy Allen McDonald, and is based on the book by Roald Dahl.

I NEED SOME SPACE: The Lyrics of Robby Sandler will play Today, July 13 at 7:00pm - at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, Downstairs at West Bank Cafe 407 West 42nd Street. Tickets are $15, for more information visit www.robbysandler.com.

I NEED SOME SPACE: The Lyrics of Robby Sandler will play Saturday, July 13 at 7:00pm - at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, Downstairs at West Bank Cafe 407 West 42nd Street. Tickets are $15, for more information visit www.robbysandler.com.

The 5th Avenue Theatre presents Hairspray in Concert, featuring some of Seattle's favorite musical theatre stars and the powerful voices of the 250-member Seattle Men's Chorus. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Hairspray's 2002 Broadway debut, this unique concert event will play for six very special performances of glorious and irreverent John Waters-inspired wackiness (Friday-Sunday, June 20-23). BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production photos below!

Let me start out, Dear Readers, by saying there is no way for me to not be biased about this show. I have loved it since I saw the original preview at the 5th way back when (twice) and all productions since then have never failed to make me happy. Hell, I've even done the show before (hence the bias). So please take that into account as I talk about the current concert version of "Hairspray" being presented at the 5th Avenue in conjunction with the Seattle Men's Chorus. While the talent and fun energy was definitely up there on the 5th Avenue stage, some keys roles seemed to be missing that spark of camp that is so crucial for the show.

The 5th Avenue Theatre presents Hairspray in Concert, featuring some of Seattle's favorite musical theatre stars and the powerful voices of the 250-member Seattle Men's Chorus.