Marshall Brown News

As summer comes to a close, many regional theaters are preparing to get their new seasons started - for many, this season still carries with it a lot of risk - some of the shows in their season are still shows they had intended to do at some point during the pandemic, and segments of the audience are still hesitant to return to their seats.

With Fringe in full swing, Arise Productions threw in a treat with a performance of AVENUE Q. The show, which debuted in 2003, has consistently been praised for its honest approach to the themes it presents, and this production gave time to those themes but also kept the laughs going for an entertaining night out.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, theatrical press rep extraordinaire Sam Rudy recently announced his retirement from the Broadway scene.

Theatrical press rep extraordinaire Sam Rudy recently announced his retirement from the Broadway scene.  Rudy began his Broadway career as a press assistant for the 1979 play Strider. Since then, his Sam Rudy Media Relations has represented thirteen Broadway shows and many more off-Broadway productions, including Avenue Q and Hamilton.  Some of Rudy's Broadway friends got together to toast his retirement and BroadwayWorld is taking you inside the very special event below!

Pontiac Theatre IV will open its 2018/2019 season on October 26th with THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, live on stage! Directed by Steven Cunningham (Clarkston), choreographed by Sharon Heltsley (Waterford), and music directed by Richard Alder (Westland), The Rocky Horror Show plays Fridays and Todays from October 26th to November 10th at 8pm at Pontiac High School.

Pontiac Theatre IV will open its 2018/2019 season on October 26th with THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, live on stage! Directed by Steven Cunningham (Clarkston), choreographed by Sharon Heltsley (Waterford), and music directed by Richard Alder (Westland), The Rocky Horror Show plays Todays and Saturdays from October 26th to November 10th at 8pm at Pontiac High School.

Pontiac Theatre IV will open its 2018/2019 season on October 26th with THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, live on stage! Directed by Steven Cunningham (Clarkston), choreographed by Sharon Heltsley (Waterford), and music directed by Richard Alder (Westland), The Rocky Horror Show plays Fridays and Saturdays from October 26th to November 10th at 8pm at Pontiac High School.

GLORIA: A Life officially opened last night, October 18, 2018 at the Daryl RothTheatre on Union Square. BroadwayWorld was there and you can check out photos from the red carpet below!

Veteran Broadway press agents Jim Byk and Shane Marshall Brown have created The Press Room, a new theatrical and entertainment publicity office now open in New York City. Founders Byk and Brown are joined by publicist Kelly Guiod, who serves as Vice President for the company.

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced today it has renewed for a second season its hit romantic drama series “Love Is___” from award-winning producers Mara Brock Akil (“Being Mary Jane,” “The Game,” “Girlfriends”) and Salim Akil (“Black Lightning”). The Akils created and executive produced the series through their company Akil Productions, in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television. Brock Akil serves as the series' showrunner, as well as director for the pilot and upcoming season finale episode (Tuesday, August 21 at 10 p.m. ET/PT).

OWN announced today its new original one-hour romantic drama from award-winning producers Mara Brock Akil ('Being Mary Jane,' 'The Game,' 'Girlfriends') and Salim Akil ('Black Lightning') will premiere today, June 19 at 10 p.m. ET/PT (after Tyler Perry's 'The Haves and the Have Nots at 9 p.m. ET/PT). Brock Akil serves as showrunner on the series, which she and Akil created and executive produce through their company Akil Productions, in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television.

OWN announced today its new original one-hour romantic drama from award-winning producers Mara Brock Akil ('Being Mary Jane,' 'The Game,' 'Girlfriends') and Salim Akil ('Black Lightning') will premiere on Tuesday, June 19 at 10 p.m. ET/PT (after Tyler Perry's 'The Haves and the Have Nots at 9 p.m. ET/PT). Brock Akil serves as showrunner on the series, which she and Akil created and executive produce through their company Akil Productions, in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television.

OWN announced today its new original one-hour romantic drama from award-winning producers Mara Brock Akil (“Being Mary Jane,” “The Game,” “Girlfriends”) and Salim Akil (“Black Lightning”) will premiere on Tuesday, June 19 at 10 p.m. ET/PT (after Tyler Perry's “The Haves and the Have Nots at 9 p.m. ET/PT). Brock Akil serves as showrunner on the series, which she and Akil created and executive produce through their company Akil Productions, in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television.

Nico Raineau was a recent Top Ten Filmmaker Finalist on the fourth season of the HBO series Project Greenlight, not surprisingly his films have screened at over fifty festivals.

This fall the Chicago Humanities Festival invites its fans to slow down during the 27th annual fall festival, Speed. CHF's flagship fall festival will feature nearly 100 programs between October 29 and November 12.

Could there have been a happier bunch last night than the cast and creative team of HAMILTON? The show took home a whopping eleven Tony Awards, giving the company plenty to celebrate after the festivities concluded at the Beacon Theatre. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the show's after party and you can check out some photos from the special night below!

This weekend, August 1st & 2nd, The Vagrancy invites you to staged readings of five brand spanking new plays written by The Vagrancy's diverse and talented Writer's Group. Come be inspired, drink wine, and jump into the process by participating in the invaluable audience talk-balks.

On August 1st & 2nd, The Vagrancy invites you to staged readings of five brand spanking new plays written by The Vagrancy's diverse and talented Writer's Group. Come be inspired, drink wine, and jump into the process by participating in the invaluable audience talk-balks.

Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA welcomed actress and reality television sensation NeNe Leakes (THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA) to the cast starting November 25, as she stepped into the role of Cinderella's wicked stepmother 'Madame'. CINDERELLA will conclude its triumphant 2-year run on January 3. The show will have played 41 preview and 770 regular performances when it closes. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the star's debut after-party!

Directed by Caitlin Hart, WHAT OF THE NIGHT? is meant to be a poignant saga chronicling the life of Nadine's children, Birdie (Lisa Jai), Charlie (Marc Pelina), Rainbow (Alex Marshall-Brown) and Ray (Thaddeus Shafer), the son she gave away. As they traverse the moral and financial bankruptcy that is poverty, we witness the choices they make to survive and how their paths cross during the 60-year journey where estranged family and friends entwine and collide in poetic stories of love, impoverishment, and dreams.