Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced additional casting for the sixth and final production of its 2007/2008 Season, the World Premiere of the new musical Saved.
In addition to previously-announced Tony Award nominee Celia Keenan-Bolger (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Les Misérables), the cast of Saved will include Tony Award nominee John Dossett (Gypsy, Mamma Mia!), Drama Desk Award nominee Julia Murney (The Wild Party, Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway and national tour), Mary Faber (Floyd and Clea Under the Western Sky at Playwrights Horizons, Avenue Q), Josh Breckenridge (The Ritz), Juliana Ashley Hansen (national tour of Thoroughly Modern Millie), Curtis Holbrook (Xanadu), Van Hughes (Hairpsray), Jason Michael Snow (Fredric in Pirates of Penzance at Goodspeed), Aaron Tveit (Next to Normal), Emily Walton (national tour of A Christmas Carol) and Daniel Zaitchik (Kimberly Akimbo, 365/365) One final addition to the cast will be announced in the coming weeks.
Directed by Gary Griffin (The Color Purple) and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys), the production will begin previews on Friday, May 9 with an official opening on Tuesday, June 3. The limited engagement will continue through Sunday, June 22 at Playwrights Horizons’ Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).
The performance schedule for SAVED will be Tuesdays through Fridays at 8PM, Saturdays at 2:30 & 8PM and Sundays at 2:30 & 7:30 PM. Tickets to SAVED are currently available to Playwrights Horizons subscribers only. Single tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, April 11.For more information please visist www.playwrightshorizons.org
Celia: The Life and Music of Celia Cruz, the Off-Broadway musical celebrating “The Queen of Salsa” Celia Cruz, will end its New York run at New World Stages on Sunday, May 25th, 2008, to shift the focus to its anticipated world tour, it was announced by the show’s producers Henry Cardenas and David Maldonado. Celia began previews on August 28, 2007 and officially opened on September 26, 2007. When it closes, Celia will have played a total of 25 previews and 269 regular performances.
Celia, which had been scheduled to end December 31, 2007, was extended due to ticket demand, is preparing to embark on a world tour that includes visits to Spain, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Mexico and several U.S. cities including Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles and Boston, among others. Dates and venues will be announced in the near future.
Michael Kaden Craig will take over the role of Matthew in Altar Boyz, succeeding Chad Doreck. The acclaimed musical comedy at New World Stages, recently celebrate its third anniversary. Altar Boyz opened to acclaim on March 1, 2005 and received unanimous raves, going on to garner seven Drama Desk nominations and winning the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, Off-Broadway.
The Public Theater announced today that, after the successful 40th Anniversary staged-concert of Hair last summer, it will stage a full production of the legendary musical July 22-August 17.
Diane Paulus will once again direct a cast of 27 led by Tony Award nominee Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening) and Will Swenson (110 in the Shade) who will revive their roles as Claude and Berger, respectively. While the full company is being invited back, complete casting won't be confirmed for a few weeks.
For additional information visit The Public Theater website at www.publictheater.org
After a near capacity five week run at New World Stages, Vital Children's Theatre is pleased to announce the extension of Pinkalicious The Musical through May 25. The production, with book and lyrics by Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann, music, lyrics and orchestrations by John Gregor is based on the popular children's book "Pinkalicious" by Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann. The musical adaptation is directed by Teresa K. Pond with musical direction by Jad Bernardo. Featured in the company are Greg Barresi, Erin Wegner, Molly Gilman, Mathew Pelliccia and Meg Phillips.
Performance continues Saturday, February 9 at 11AM & 2PM and Sunday, February 10 at 12PM & 3PM. Beginning February 17 the production runs Saturdays at 2PM and Sundays at 12PM & 3PM. There are additional performances on Wednesday, February 20 at 2PM, Thursday, February 21 at 2PM, Friday, February 20 at 2PM and Friday, March 21 at 2PM. There are no performances on Saturday, February 16, Saturday, April 12 and Saturday May 10.
All tickets are $28. The show is appropriate for children ages 4 to 12. For tickets and information visit www.vitaltheatre.org or call Telecharge.com at (212) 239-6200. New World Stages is located at 340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenue.
The 53rd Annual Drama Desk Awards will take place on Sunday, May 18, 2008, at 9PM at the F.H. LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City, it was announced by Executive Producer Robert R. Blume and William Wolf, President of the Drama Desk.
The nominations will be announced at a news conference on Monday, April 28, at 9AM at the New York Friars Club (57 East 55th Street). Plans for televising, web casting and radio broadcasting the awards ceremony will be announced shortly.
The Drama Desk is unique in that Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway shows compete equally in the same categories. In its ongoing effort to honor excellence in the New York theater, the Drama Desk deems a seventeen-performance minimum necessary to qualify for award eligibility, barring any extraordinary circumstances, as may be determined by the Drama Desk Board or by the Nominating Committee. The nominee's cocktail reception, where they receive their nomination certificates, will be held Thursday, May 1 from 4-7PM at Arte Café (106 West 73rd Street).
Christy Faber is joining the cast of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change on Monday, January 14, replacing Amy White. Christy will join cast members Anne Bobby, Jonathan Rayson and Frank Vlastnik in the love-happy hit musical, which is now playing in its 12th smash year at the Westside Theatre (407 West 43rd Street).
The playing schedule for I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change is Monday and Tuesday at 7PM, Wednesday at 2:30PM, Friday at 8PM, Saturday at 4PM & 8PM, and Sunday at 3PM & 7PM. Box office: (212) 239-6200. Group sales: (212) 391-2434. www.loveperfectchange.com.
Sandy Duncan, Fred Willard, Shonn Wiley and Mara Davi will join previously announced cast members Rosie O'Donnell and Beth Leavel in No, No, Nanette, the final 2008 Encores! presentation of the New York City Center season.
Performances are Thursday May 8 at 8PM; Friday May 9 at 8PM; Saturday May 10 at 2PM & 8PM; Sunday May 11 at 6:30PM; and Monday May 12 at 7PM (Gala Performance).
Tickets for the 2008 Encores! season are available at the New York City Center Box Office (West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues), through CityTix at 212-581-1212, or online at www.nycitycenter.org. Tickets for the Orchestra, Grand Tier and Mid-Mezzanine are $95; tickets for the Rear Mezzanine and Front Gallery are $50; tickets for the Rear Gallery are $25.
Also, a rehearsal studio will be named after Orbach's widow Elaine Cancilla-Orbach. A renaming ceremony for the theatre and studio will feature the participation of Sam Waterston, Karen Ziemba and others.
Orbach was a beloved Broadway leading man who originated roles in Carnival, Promises, Promises, 42nd Street, and Chicago. He also appeared on Broadway in Threepenny Opera, The Natural Look, the 1966 revival of Annie Get Your Gun, and the 1965 revival of Guys and Dolls, among others. His many other film and TV credits included "Murder, She Wrote," Crimes and Misdemeanors, Last Exit to Brooklyn and Brewster's Millions. Orbach passed away at the age of 69 on December 28th, 2004.
Visit www.snapple.com/theater for more on the Snapple Theater Center.