Joann Hunter News

Rehearsals are underway for the Alliance Theatre's world premiere production of EVER AFTER. a musical based on the hit film that starred Drew Barrymore, starring Broadway favorite, Sierra Boggess!

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the independent, not-for-profit affiliate of SDC, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, today announced unique plans for its 2019 award evening, which will feature original choreographic pieces resulting from a special commissioning program, with the application period now open. SDCF also announced that Victoria Traube would receive a special 'Mr. Abbott' Award at the event, to be held March 25 at the French Institute Alliance Francaise (FIAF).

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the independent, not-for-profit affiliate of SDC, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, today announced unique plans for its 2019 award evening, which will feature original choreographic pieces resulting from a special commissioning program, with the application period now open. SDCF also announced that Victoria Traube would receive a special 'Mr. Abbott' Award at the event, to be held March 25 at the French Institute Alliance Francaise (FIAF).

The Tony Awards Administration Committee announced today the Nominating Committee for the 2018-2019 Broadway season. The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.

Andrew Lloyd Webber has become a household name and he is having a resurgence in popularity of late. His 1970 JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR garnered great accolades this past Sunday in it's TV presentation. Buffalo audiences will have no less than 4 of his works to see in the next year in the Shea's Buffalo Broadway Seasons with PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, LOVE NEVER DIES, and CATS all in the lineup. But his latest musical to hit Broadway is SCHOOL OF ROCK and the slick new touring production is in town for the week.

Still shaking off the holidays? Well look no further than to rock into the new year with SCHOOL OF ROCK at the Dr. Phillips Center. Based off the 2003 movie starring Jack Black, this musical features new music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It plays like a rock concert that is fun for both families and adults with a talented cast that delights all.

It's a head-banging good time.

Broadway lyricist Glenn Slater speaks with BWW about the much-anticipated release of the full music CD set from GALAVANT, the CD signing for A BRONX TALE, BEATSVILLE, and what it's really like to write for musical theater.

Abingdon Theatre Company, under the artistic direction of Tony Speciale, presents the world premiere of CHESS MATCH NO. 5, conceived and directed by Anne Bogart, with text arranged by Jocelyn Clarke from the words of John Cage. Created by Siti Company, CHESS MATCH NO. 5 began previews March 9, and opened officially last night, March 19, in Abingdon's June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street).

La MaMa in association with SuperYou FUNdation will present the pop/rock musical CHIX 6 by Lourds Lane (book, music, lyrics) for four performances only. Directed by Jackson Grace Gay, musical direction by Wendy Bobbitt Cavett and choreographed by JoAnn Hunter, will play this weekend, December 1- 4, 2016 at the Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 E 4th St).

La MaMa in association with SuperYou FUNdation will present the pop/rock musical CHIX 6 by Lourds Lane (book, music, lyrics) for four performances only. Directed by Jackson Grace Gay, musical direction by Wendy Bobbitt Cavett and choreographed by JoAnn Hunter, will play December 1- 4, 2016 at the Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 E 4th St). Tickets are $35 (adults), $30 (seniors/kids) and can be purchased by visiting  www.lamama.org or calling 212-352-3101. 

Sheri Sanders is not only a trailblazing educator when employing pop/rock music in Musical Theatre, but she has also been surviving death-defying acts as the 'Company Cover' in the workshop of a new Broadway-bound musical 'Chix 6'. While Sanders is about to launch exciting things in January for her online training program 'Rock The Audition', she's been embodying a plethora of comic book superheroes by day.

Known as 'the only podcast that shows you Broadway from the inside out,' The Ensemblist podcast has become the champion of the unsung performance heroes and inner workings of the theatre world. Co-created and co-hosted by Nikka Graff Lanzarote (Chicago, Women on the Verge) and Mo Brady (SMASH, The Addams Family), the podcast has covered everything from the Gypsy Robe ceremony, to the audition process, to what it's like to be a Broadway babysitter during its first three years on the air. Now, following a successful first season covering the 'Ensemblist Essentials,' this past spring, The Ensemblist is entering into its second season (check out the first episode below!) and I sat down to talk with Nikka and Mo about how the podcast has grown, what it looks like to balance careers in the arts with being podcast masters, which Broadway ensemble they'd like to join, and more-check out the full interview below!

The 34th Annual Fred & Adele Astaire Awards, which recognizes outstanding achievements in dance on Broadway and in film, takes place on Monday, May 16, 2016.

 Disaster and School of Rock's choreographer Joann Hunter. Joann was born in Japan, raised in Rhode Island and has two shows opening on Broadway this season. She has worked with the icon Jerome Robbins, her Idol Susan Stroman, the legend Andrew Lloyd Webber, and now is paving the way to become a theatre titan herself.

Nominees for the 2014 LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards were announced on the evening of Monday, September 22 at Native Voices at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles. The nominations were revealed by past Ovation Award recipients Gigi Bermingham, Brighid Fleming, Parmer Fuller, Jennifer Haley, Brian Kite, Glynn Turman, and John Zalewski, along with LA STAGE Alliance Chief Executive Officer Terence McFarland.

Nominees for the 2014 LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards were announced on the evening of Monday, September 22 at Native Voices at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles. The nominations were revealed by past Ovation Award recipients Gigi Bermingham, Brighid Fleming, Parmer Fuller, Jennifer Haley, Brian Kite, Glynn Turman, and John Zalewski, along with LA STAGE Alliance Chief Executive Officer Terence McFarland.

Less than twenty four hours after celebrating the opening of Grease at Paper Mill, we found ourselves back in tech! This time, our sleepy cast was standing on the deck of the sparkling Skirball Center, preparing to honor Pat Birch at this year's Fred and Adele Astaire Awards. Birch is, of course, the five-time Tony Award nominee and two-time Emmy Award-winning choreographer who staged the musical numbers for original Broadway production of Grease, and both subsequent films. At the Astaire Awards, she was being honored with the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Broadway-bound new musical THE NUTTY PROFESSOR, premiering next week at TPAC in Nashville, will feature the talents of Broadway favorites Mark Jacoby, Marissa McGowan and Michael Andrew. They will star as Dean Warfield, Stella, and Julius Kelp respectively.

The winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical and featuring, 'The most gorgeous Broadway score this decade,' (Entertainment Weekly) the 2010 - 2011 National Tour of SPRING AWAKENING will launch in mid October and visit over 60 cities including Los Angeles, Nashville, Chicago and Fort Lauderdale.