NYS Music 2023

Tag: broadway musicals

  • Playhouse Stage Company Celebrates 35th Anniversary Season with Something Rotten

    Beginning June 29, Playhouse Stage Company will present their 36th Anniversary musical production Something Rotten at Albany’s Park Playhouse, a Renaissance-set comedy about a down-on-his-luck writer trying to best William Shakespeare by writing the world’s first musical. The production plays Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8pm from June 29 through July 22. Playhouse Stage Company will hold an opening night Gala pre-show on June 29, where they will make a special announcement.

    Playhouse Stage Company has been producing free summer musicals at Albany’s Park Playhouse in Washington Park since 1989, producing musicals year-round at Cohoes Music Hall since 2016, and took the reins as management of the historic Spindle City venue in 2020.  

    The Broadway premiere of Something Rotten took place in 2015, and it garnered a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Musical while enjoying a successful two-year run. The book is written by John O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick, with a score and lyrics by Karey & Wayne Kirkpatrick.

    The story follows the Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel, who struggle to find success in the theatrical world as they compete with the wild popularity of their pompous contemporary, “The Bard,” William Shakespeare. When Nick Bottom visits a Soothsayer to discover what the hottest thing in theatre will be in the future, he sets out to write a musical with disastrous results. The show sparks comparison to other bawdy, raucous Broadway comedies including Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Book of Mormon, and Mel Brooks’ The Producers. In an homage to its Renaissance setting, Time Out NY called the show “the funniest musical in at least 400 years.”

    The show reunites frequent creative staff collaborators Michael LoPorto (Director), AshleySimone Kirchner (Choreography & Musical Staging), and Brian Axford (Musical Director). Together, the trio have helmed more than a dozen shows for Playhouse Stage. 22 local and regional performers make up the cast, and Axford will lead a twelve-piece band. 12 out of the 22 cast members are graduates of the Playhouse Stage youth theatre program.

    The cast is led by Vincent DiPeri (Nick Bottom), who returns to the Playhouse for the first time in eight years after receiving critical acclaim for his performances in The Producers, Hairspray and others. Alongside DiPeri as Bottom’s nemesis William Shakespeare is Steve Raymond, who won strong reviews in the Playhouse’s productions of Spamalot, Spelling Bee and more. Since last appearing on the Playhouse stage, Raymond has developed a significant social media following for his comedy content, with more than three million followers across TikTok, Instagram and other platforms.  Rounding out the cast are Playhouse veterans Molly Rose McGrath (Bea Bottom), Marc Christopher (Nostradomus), Daniel Jameson (Nigel Bottom), Brandon Jones (Brother Jeremiah), and Anna Sprau (Portia), in her PSC debut. 

    Amphitheater lawn seating at Park Playhouse is available for free on a first-come, first-served basis. Premium Reserved Seats are now on sale online, by phone and in person. For more information about the show and Playhouse Stage Company, visit their website here, or call the box office at 518-434-0776.

    For media inquiries, to arrange press comps, or to receive production photos and video, please contact Owen Smith, Producing Artistic Director at owen@playhousestage.org or by phone at 518-434-2035, extension 100.

  • New York, New York Will Launch Tour in January 2025

    Producers Sonia Friedman and Tom Kirdahy announced that broadway musical New York, New York will launch a North American tour in January 2025. The tour will begin in a New York State city that will be announced at a later date.


    Earl M. Rauch wrote the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Motion Picture “New York, New York,” which inspired the creation of the new musical. The musical follows a group of New Yorkers who come together to chase their dreams of music, money, and love. The broadway musical promises to be as spectacular as the city itself. If they can make it there, they’ll make it anywhere.

    New York, New York, hailed by Vogue, Variety, Entertainment Weekly, and The Wall Street Journal, is a rhapsodic love letter to the city. A dazzling, energetic performance, the broadway musical emphasizes the image of New York as the dream-chasing capitol of the world.

    New York, New York has garnered 9 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical. Additionally, 6 Drama Desk Award nominations, 4 Drama League Award nominations including Best Musical, and 3 Chita Rivera Award nominations. Composer John Kander received the 2023 Tony for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre and Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chita Rivera Awards. Furthermore, New York, New York won Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play or Musical.

    The broadway musical will feature music and lyrics by Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Award winners and Acadamcy Award nominees John Kander and Fred Ebb. Additionally, New York, New York features scenic design by Tony and 2023 Outer Critics Circle Award winner and Tony Award nominee Beowulf Boritt. Tony and Emmy winners and nominees oversee costume, lighting, sound, projection, and other production aspects.

    Cities and tour dates along with casting and other information, will be announced later.

    Follow New York, New York at @nynybway on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tik Tok. Visit their website here for more information.

  • Opera Saratoga Announces 2023 Summer Festival Lineup

    Gearing up for Summer festival season, Opera Saratoga has released their slated lineup of performances that will take place in the heart of Saratoga Springs in 2023.

    “We are excited to be partnering with Universal Preservation Hall this season for our MainStage performances and look forward to introducing our audiences to this amazing space right in downtown Saratoga Springs” says Managing Director, Amanda Robie. However, the season will also showcase performances in various beloved Saratoga venues including Spa Little Theatre, The Mansion of Saratoga and at Caffè Lena (which will play host to their America Sings concert series). 

    This year’s summer festivals will be comprised of various talents who emerged through Saratogas Young Artist Program

    Opera Saratoga Lineup and Performances 

    Overall, this year’s summer festival season is keeping in theme, as the lineup consists of sixteen festival singers, two conductors, a pianist and two directors. With this intention, two noteworthy guest acts, Andy Papas and Eric McConnell will also feature (both of whom are alums of Opera Saratoga’s prestigious training program).

     “I am particularly excited about this season” says Head of Music Staff, Laurie Rogers, “as it is cast completely from either current or former members of our prestigious Young Artist program. Additionally, this year’s talented singers, drawn from an application pool of over 900, will be take part in our Broadway and Stars of Tomorrow concerts.”

    Opera Saratoga provides something for all, featuring three productions brought to life. Namely, the Tony-award winning A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, historic composer Donizetti’s bel canto masterpiece Don Pasquale, and a world-premiere of a new children’s opera based upon Oscar Wilde’s short story The Selfish Giant. Additionally, Clarice Assad and libretto by Lila Palmer will handle scoring and additional festival concerts. Moreover, each performance will feature production elements that leverage the unique site-specific features of Universal Preservation Hall. All in all, Opera Saratoga’s summer festival lineup is suitable for the entire family.

    For more information on Opera Saratoga and this summer’s lineup and the America Sings concert series at Caffè Lena, visit Opera Saratoga’s official website.

    2023 Festival Performances:

    A Gentleman’s Guide — June 30, July 2 (matinee), 6, & 8, 2023, Universal Preservation Hall

    Don Pasquale — July 1, 7, & 9 (matinee), 2023, Universal Preservation Hall

    The Selfish Giant — July 1 (matinee) & 8 (matinee), 2023, Universal Preservation Hall

  • Beetlejuice Breaks Box Office Record During Final Week on Broadway

    On January 8, Beetlejuice, the smash hit musical, took its final bow after 679 performances on Broadway. The widely loved musical set a new box office record at the Marquis Theatre for the second week in a row. After eight weeks of performing, Beetlejuice earned a gross of $2,462,667.

    beetlejuice

    Through Tiktok, YouTube and other social media platforms, Beetlejuice has attracted a new and engaged crowd to Broadway. For a total of 679 Broadway performances, the production had 313 regular performances and 366 performances at the Winter Garden Theatre.

    Beeetljuice first premiered on Broadway on Thursday, April 25, 2019. It was presented by Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, Mark Kaufman and Langley Park Productions, Kevin McCormick. The musical won Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award due to David Korins’ scenic design. Beetlejuice was nominated for eight Tony Awards including “Best New Musical.”

    Beetlejuice is based on the 1988 Academy Award®-winning Geffen Company motion picture presented by Warner Bros. and directed by Tim Burton. The musical tells the story of Lydia Deetz, an unconventional teenager whose life changes after encountering a recently deceased couple and the white faced green haired demon, Beetlejuice. When Beetlejuice is called by Lydia to frighten anyone with a pulse, this double-crossing specter unleashes a (Nether)world of pandemonium, and the biggest sandworm Broadway has ever seen.

    The production was directed by the Tony Award winner, Alex Timbers. Beetlejuice’s lyrics were written by Tony Award nominee Eddie Perfect and a book was authored by Tony award nominees Scott Brown and Athony King.

    Beetlejuice starred two-time Tony Award nominee Alex Brightman, Elizabeth Teeter, Tony Award nominee Kerry Butler, David Josefsberg, Obie Award Winner Adam Dannheisser, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, Michelle Aravena, Kelvin Moon Loh, Zonya Love, Danny Rutigliano, and Dana Steingold.  It also features Kate Bailey, Will Blum, Julian DeGuzman, Natalie Charle Ellis, Brooke Engen, Eric Anthony Johnson, Jesse Jones, Katie Lombardo, Andrew Kober, Elliott Mattox, Mateo Melendez, Maxx Reed, Graham Stevens and Michael Bryan Wang.

    Launched on December 7, 2022 Beetlejuice will be taking the show on the road with a 26- City Tour. Performances begin on Tuesday January 10, at the Cleveland’s Playhouse Square. Tickets for the Beetlejuice national tour are available now.