Laura Kleinbaum News

Two-time Tony Award winner William Finn just hosted 'Songs by Ridiculously Talented Composers and Lyricists you Probably Don't Know but Should.' The concert celebrated the work of young writers mentored by the composer of Falsettos, A New Brain, The 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee, Elegies, and this season's Little Miss Sunshine. Originating at Barrington Stage Company (BSC) and now in its 8th year, the 'Ridiculously Talented' concert series has become a hallmark of BSC's Musical Theatre Lab, where Mr. Finn serves as Artistic Producer.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Broadway's Future Songbook Series - presented by Arts and Artists at St. Paul - will continue Dec. 14 at 2:30 PM and Dec. 16 at 6 PM with two holiday concerts featuring new holiday songs.

Prospect Theater Company will present THE GREAT NYC TREASURE QUEST as part of the 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival. Performances will be held on Friday, July 26 at 1pm and Saturday, July 27 at 11am at The PTC Performance Space.

On July 15th Sparkification Productions presents An Evening Celebrating Emerging Female Composers: a concert to promote gender parity in musical theatre. The concert will feature the songs of Jennifer Lucy Cook, Shoshana Greenberg, Kathryn Hathaway, Janine McGuire, Julia Meinwald, Nicky Phillips and Sarah M. Underwood with contributions by Carmel Dean, Laura Kleinbaum, Tina Lear, Gordon Leary, Jeffery Dennis Smith, and Stephanie Smith. Performers include Erin Davie, Lesli Margherita, Christiane Noll, Alice Ripley, Krysta Rodriguez, Betsy Wolfe, and more to be announced. The evening features Musical Direction by Mary-­?Mitchell Campbell.

Sierra Boggess and Caissie Levy join the previously announced Erin Davie, Lesli Margherita, Christiane Noll, Alice Ripley, Krysta Rodriguez, and Betsy Wolfe for Sparkification Productions presents An Evening Celebrating Emerging Female Composers: a concert to promote gender parity in musical theatre. The July 15th concert will feature the songs of Jennifer Lucy Cook, Shoshana Greenberg, Kathryn Hathaway, Janine McGuire, Julia Meinwald, Nicky Phillips and Sarah M. Underwood with contributions by Carmel Dean, Laura Kleinbaum, Tina Lear, Gordon Leary, Jeffery Dennis Smith, and Stephanie Smith. The evening features Musical Direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell.

On July 15th Sparkification Productions presents An Evening Celebrating Emerging Female Composers: a concert to promote gender parity in musical theatre. The concert will feature the songs of Jennifer Lucy Cook, Shoshana Greenberg, Kathryn Hathaway, Janine McGuire, Julia Meinwald, Nicky Phillips and Sarah M. Underwood with contributions by Carmel Dean, Laura Kleinbaum, Tina Lear, Gordon Leary, Jeffery Dennis Smith, and Stephanie Smith. Performers include Erin Davie, Lesli Margherita, Christiane Noll, Alice Ripley, Krysta Rodriguez, Betsy Wolfe, and more to be announced. The evening features Musical Direction by Mary-­?Mitchell Campbell.

Auditions are currently underway for Prospect Theater Company's annual Musical Theater Summer Intensive for students aged 12-17. Beginning July 8 and running through July 27, students will participate in a daily musical theater training program from 10am - 6pm.

Acclaimed composer, Rona Siddiqui will present her collection of musical theatre songs ranging from comic metal love songs to aquatic funk and everything in between with Songs Rona Wrote: The Music of Rona Siddiqui at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, June 10th at 9:30pm. The concert event will include performances by Erin Dilly (A Christmas Story), Sarah Stiles (Avenue Q, Into the Woods), Gideon Glick (Spring Awakening), Mykal Kilgore (Hair), MJ Rodriguez (Rent), Manu Naruyan (Bombay Dreams), Margo Seibert, Ayesu Lartey, Matt Bauman, Andrew Leggieri, and Ben Langhorst. For more information on Rona Siddiqui check out her website, www.ronasiddiqui.com

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) has announced the lineup of special events, concerts, student productions, and free developmental readings for its 10th annual festival. The festival also announced three additional full productions. This year's Festival will begin July 8th and continue through July 28th.

OBAMARAMA Songs for Justice! fundraiser cabaret, tonight, September 22nd, will present original material from emerging writers, with proceeds going to the Obama 2012 campaign.

OBAMARAMA Songs for Justice! fundraiser cabaret, on September 22nd, will present original material from emerging writers, with proceeds going to the Obama 2012 campaign.

A Labor Day weekend celebration of extraordinary new songs, Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist William Finn (Falsettos, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) narrated this fresh, fun introduction to new voices in musical theatre and shared with the audience what makes a good lyric, why some work and others don't in 'Songs by Ridiculously Talented Composers and Lyricists You Probably Don't Know But Should…' at Barrington Stage Co.

The only thing RIDICULOUS about this annual event is that Tony Award winner Bill Finn only does it once a year. I remember observing a session of his Music Theater class at NYU when Professor Finn had an extraordinary group of singers perform his students final exams. The unconventional Mr. Finn had instructed his class to write songs based upon unorthodox, outlandish, zany and sometimes kinky subject matter. The result was hilarious, witty, intelligent and downright entertaining. Mr. Finn is the Artistic Head of Barrington Stage Company's Musical Theatre Lab, and his NYU classroom modus operandi has become an annual 'show' at this Berkshire institution. Tony Award-winning composer/lyricist William Finn (Falsettos, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) narrates this fresh, fun introduction to new voices in musical theatre. Direction is by Drama League Directors Project Musical Directing Fellow Shakina Nayfack (Assistant Director BSC's The Game and Mormons, Mothers and Monsters).

Barrington Stage Company's Musical Theatre Lab (under the direction of Artistic Head of the MTL William Finn, Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Tristan Wilson) presents the sixth edition of Songs by Ridiculously Talented Composers and Lyricists You Probably Don't Know But Should... will play Friday, September 2 and Saturday, September 3 at 8pm at Barrington Stage, 30 Union Street.

Barrington Stage Company, the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, under the leadership of Julianne Boyd Artistic Director and Tristan Wilson Managing Director, will present The Big V-Day Cabaret for three performances: Friday, February 11 at 8pm, Saturday, February 12 at 8pm and Sunday, February 13 at 3pm at Stage 2 (36 Linden Street, Pittsfield).

Barrington Stage Company, the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, under the leadership of Julianne Boyd Artistic Director and Tristan Wilson Managing Director, will present The Big V-Day Cabaret for three performances: Friday, February 11 at 8pm, Saturday, February 12 at 8pm and Sunday, February 13 at 3pm at Stage 2 (36 Linden Street, Pittsfield).