BroadwayWorld.com France Stories

Pasek & Paul's EDGES and Jason Robert Brown's THE LAST FIVE YEARS Make Paris Debuts, June 2013

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 00:30:00 PST

In June 2013, two contemporary American musicals by Tony Award winning composer Jason Robert Brown and nominees Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, have their premieres in France: The Last 5 Years and Edges.

The widely-acclaimed musical Edges, written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, is a song cycle which features a series of young adults on their path to self-discovery and life in general. Pasek and Paul were only 20 years old when they wrote the musical in 2005. The duo has since composed songs for the musical-drama television series Smash created by Steven Spielberg. In 2013 their most recent musical, inspired by the film A Christmas Story, received three Tony Award nominations.

In fall of 2013, Pasek and Paul will be in Paris for a master class hosted by American Musical Theatre LIVE! Founded in 2012, American Musical Theatre LIVE! is dedicated to producing professional contemporary musical theatre in Paris and providing a forum for exchange between French and international performers.

The Off-Broadway musical The Last Five Years, by award winning composer Jason Robert Brown, tells the love story of Jamie and Cathy. The show is unique in that Jamie starts the story chronologically when the couple first meets, while Cathy addresses it at the end of the couple's relationship and works backwards through time. A recent New York Times article discusses the success of the show and its huge popularity with audiences around the world.

The productions are being presented by American Musical Theatre Live! in coordination with Paris Broadway Saigon, L'Auguste Théâtre and Music Theatre International.

The shows will be presented in English at the Auguste Théâtre and are directed by Stéphane Ly-Cuong with musical direction John Florencio and vocal direction for Edges by Miranda Crispin.

Edges: June-13, 14, 15 at 21h, June 26 and July 3 at 19h
The Last 5 Years: June 27-28 at 19h, July 6 and July 9-11 at 21h

L'Auguste Théâtre is located at 6, impasse Lamier, 75011 Paris. Reservations: 01.48.78.06.68 or www.augustetheatre.com. For more information, visit www.amtlive.org, Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmericanMusicalTheatreLiveParis and Twitter: www.twitter.com/amtliveparis.

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En juin 2013, deux comédies musicales contemporaines américaines, par Jason Robert Brown (gagnant d'un Tony Award) et Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (nominés pour un Tony Award), feront leurs premières en France : The Last Five Years et Edges.

Le très acclamé musical Edges, créé par Benj Pasek et Justin Paul, est un song cycle (une série de chansons autour d'un thème commun) qui suit quelques jeunes adultes sur le chemin de la découverte de soi, et de la vie en général. Pasek & Paul n'étaient âgés que d'une vingtaine d'années lorsqu'ils ont écrit Edges en 2005. Le duo a depuis composé des chansons pour la série télévisée américaine Smash, produite par Steven Spielberg. En 2013, leur projet le plus récent, inspiré par le film A Christmas Story, a reçu trois nominations aux Tony Awards.

A l'automne 2013, Pasek & Paul seront de passage à Paris et animeront une master class organisée par American Musical Theatre Live! Fondé en 2012, American Musical Theatre Live! s'est consacré à produire du théâtre musical contemporain professionnel à Paris, et donne aux artistes américains et français un moyen d'échanger.

Le musical Off-Broadway The Last Five Years, créé par Jason Robert Brown, raconte l'histoire d'amour de Jamie et Cathy. Ce spectacle est unique car Jamie commence l'histoire chronologiquement, lorsque le couple se rencontre pour la première fois, alors que Cathy démarre par la fin de la relation et avance dans le sens inverse. Un article recent du New York Times parle du succès de ce spectacle et de son immense popularité à travers le monde.

Les deux productions sont présentées par American Musical Theatre Live! en collaboration avec Paris Broadway Saigon, L'Auguste Théâtre et Music Theatre International.

Les deux spectacles seront joués en anglais à l'Auguste Théâtre et sont mis en scène par Stéphane Ly-Cuong avec John Florencio à la direction musicale, et pour Edges, Miranda Crispin à la direction vocale.

Edges : 13, 14, 15 juin à 21h, 26 juin et 3 juillet à 19h
The Last Five Years : 27 et 28 juin à 19h, 6, 9, 10 et 11 juillet à 21h

L'Auguste Théâtre
6, impasse Lamier, 75011 Paris Réservations: 01.48.78.06.68 www.augustetheatre.com

Pasek & Paul's EDGES and Jason Robert Brown's THE LAST FIVE YEARS to Make Paris Debuts, June 2013

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 10:28:56 PST

In June 2013, two contemporary American musicals by Tony Award winning composer Jason Robert Brown and nominees Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, have their premieres in France: The Last 5 Years and Edges.

The productions are being presented by American Musical Theatre Live! in coordination with Paris Broadway Saigon, L'Auguste Théâtre and Music Theatre International.

The shows will be presented in English at the Auguste Théâtre and are directed by Stéphane Ly-Cuong with musical direction John Florencio and vocal direction for Edges by Miranda Crispin.

Edges: June-13, 14, 15 at 21h, June 26 and July 3 at 19h
The Last 5 Years: June 27-28 at 19h, July 6 and July 9-11 at 21h

Les deux productions sont présentées par American Musical Theatre Live! en collaboration avec Paris Broadway Saigon, L'Auguste Théâtre et Music Theatre International.

Edges : 13, 14, 15 juin à 21h, 26 juin et 3 juillet à 19h
The Last Five Years : 27 et 28 juin à 19h, 6, 9, 10 et 11 juillet à 21h

L'Auguste Théâtre
6, impasse Lamier, 75011 Paris Réservations: 01.48.78.06.68 www.augustetheatre.com

The Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival Expands To France

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:26:46 PST

The Philip K. Dick European Science Fiction Film Festival is taking its mission internationally as it honors one of the literary world's most acclaimed geniuses. A three-day event will mark the first of many worldwide gatherings in the beautiful and historic Lille, France from October 25-27, 2013 at the famous L'Hybride Cinema venue. This unprecedented move will welcome an international awareness to this remarkable festival and extend its celebration of Philip K. Dick to his countless fans who continue his legacy within the genre of science fiction.

The festival is now accepting submissions in science fiction and horror features and shorts. Writers and panelists will be invited to participate in this extraordinary event which will surely be one of many overseas. As further details become available the festival anticipates a successful event in its first global outing. The first New York City festival saw record crowds of over 1,000 participants for the exclusive screening of John Alan Simon's Radio Free Albemuth which was based on Dick's 1985 novel posthumously published three years after his death. The weekend-long festival also held numerous film screenings and panels with Simon, esteemed professors Ronald Mallet and Enrique Ricardo Miranda, distinguished writers Angela Posada-Swafford, Walter Mosley and Dennis Paoli and science fiction experts Richard Dolan and Peter Robbins. The team behind the annual festivities will also pioneer its second annual event in December 2013 for a record five-day gathering and a spring 2014 cyberpunk festival in Tokyo.

The Philip K. Dick European Festival of Science Fiction, Science, The Fantastic, Horror and The Supernatural will delight its attendees with its entertaining and visually captivating themes which have made the event a favorable and continued success. The event will take place at L'Hybride Cinema at 18 Rue Gosselet 59000 in Lille, France. Contact the venue at http://www.lhybride.org. For film submissions, deadlines and contacts please visit www.philipkdickfilmfestival-europe.com and http://www.withoutabox.com/login/12654 and always be sure to stay informed of all ongoing announcements on the festival's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ThePhilipKDickFilmFestival and Twitter page at https://twitter.com/PhilipKDickFest.

About The Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival:

The Second Philip K. Dick International Film Festival of Science, Science Fiction, Fantastic Film and the Supernatural and the first of its kind to grace the screens of New York City is organized by filmmakers who understand the difficulties and challenges of telling a unique story in a corporate environment. The year 2013 marks the second year of the festival which will expand it's genres of films, panels and venues throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan. Guest speakers and writers that best represent the goals of the festival will attend the opening ceremonies. We look for original voices and visions in works submitted. Lastly, this is a festival by filmmakers for filmmakers.

About Philip K. Dick:

"Reality is whatever refuses to go away when I stop believing in it." - Philip K. Dick

Philip K. Dick (1928-1982) was one of the 20th century's most profound novelists and writers within the science fiction community. His exploration, analysis and beliefs led to the publishings of 44 novels and 121 short stories. Dick's enormous library of works led to several film developments including Blade Runner (1982), Total Recall (1990), Minority Report (2002), Paycheck (2003) and most recently Radio Free Albemuth (2010), The Adjustment Bureau (2011) and the successful remake of Total Recall (2012). The film industry is also awaiting the release of King of the Elves in 2014, which will surely be yet another prosperous depiction of Dick's literary contribution to science fiction. Dick's enormously effective views comprised of fictional universes, virtual realities and human mutation foresaw an exaggerated version of the current state of government and contemporary life. Though he is gone in the physical form his philosophies live on in the techniques applied to modern stories and films and generate large displays of appreciation and understanding.

Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST to Make French-Language Debut in Paris, October 2013

Tue, 14 May 2013 17:57:13 PST

Producer and President of Disney Theatrical Productions, Thomas Schumacher and Stage Entertainment France, today announced that they will continue their ongoing producing partnership with the premiere of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, which will make its debut in Paris, France on October 24th, 2013 at the Mogador Theatre, marking the first time the production will be performed in French.

With productions of The Lion King in Madrid and Hamburg, the national tour of Disney's Beauty and the Beast in Spain, The Little Mermaid in Holland and Moscow and Tarzan also playing in Hamburg, the Paris production of Beauty and the Beast marks the seventh production currently running for partners Disney Theatrical Productions and Stage Entertainment. This also marks the second production the partners produced together in France, with The Lion King's successful 2007-2010 run, having played to over 1.3 million visitors.

Disney Theatrical Productions, a division of The Walt Disney Studios, was formed in 1994 and operates under the direction of Thomas Schumacher. Worldwide, its eight Broadway titles have been seen by over 124 million theatergoers, grossed over $8.9 billion and have cumulatively run a staggering 195 years. With 15 productions currently produced or licensed, a Disney musical is being performed professionally somewhere on the planet virtually every hour of the day.

The company's inaugural production, Beauty and the Beast, opened in 1994. It played a remarkable 13 year run on Broadway and has been produced in 28 countries worldwide. In November 1997, Disney opened The Lion King, which received six 1998 Tony Awards including Best Musical and is now the highest grossing show in Broadway history. The show continues in its 16th smash year, having welcomed over 68 million visitors worldwide. The Lion King can also currently be seen on tour across North America, the U.K., and Japan, and in London's West End, Hamburg, Tokyo, Madrid and Sao Paulo.

Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida opened on Broadway next, winning four 2000 Tony Awards, and spawning productions around the world. Mary Poppins, a co-production with Cameron Mackintosh, opened in London in 2004 and established itself as one of the biggest stage musical successes to emerge in recent years. The Tony Award-winning Broadway production played more than six years at Disney's New Amsterdam Theatre and can now be seen on tour across North America and in Mexico City.

Tarzan, which opened on Broadway in 2006, is now an international hit with an award-winning production in its 6th year in Germany. In January 2008, The Little Mermaid opened on Broadway and was the #1-selling new musical of that year. Its success continues with three new productions around the world: Holland, Russia and Japan.

Two new critically acclaimed productions opened on Broadway in 2012, receiving seven Tony Awards between them: Newsies, in its second year at the Nederlander Theatre, and Peter and the Starcatcher, now playing at New World Stages.

Other successful stage musical ventures have included King David in concert, the national tour of On The Record, several touring versions of Disney's High School Musical, and Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame in Berlin.

In addition, DTP licenses stage performance rights to more than a dozen Disney musicals around the world through Music Theatre International.

Its new musical, Aladdin, will open in Toronto in fall 2013.

Voting Opens for the 2013 BroadwayWorld Awards! Vote Now for the Best of the 2012-13 Theatre Season...

Thu, 02 May 2013 15:39:40 PST

The Tony Awards nominators had their say earlier this week and now it's your turn! We're pleased to announce that voting has now opened for the 11th Annual BroadwayWorld.com Awards!

Once again last year, hundreds of thousands of theatregoers and fans weighed in, breaking site traffic records and further solidifying the BroadwayWorld.com Awards place as the largest and most popular online Broadway polling event of its kind, open to all and with fully visible and audited results. Voting is open through May 31, 2013.

Click Here to Vote Now!

Photo Flash: First Look at Julian Ovenden, Sophie-Louise Dann and More in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:00:32 PST

After A Little Night Music in 2010 and Sweeney Todd in 2011, Châtelet presents another masterpiece from Stephen Sondheim, now running through April 25, 2013. The cast features Julian Ovenden (Georges / George), Sophie-Louise Dann (Dot / Marie), Nickolas Grace (Jules / Greenberg), Rebecca de Pont Davies (Old Lady / Elaine), with Jessica Walker, David Curry, Rebecca Bottone, Francesca Jackson, and Beverley Klein.

BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production photos below.

For tickets, visit: http://chatelet-theatre.com

The pointillist painting by Georges Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, painted between 1884 and 1886, is the starting point of this passionate reflection on the artist's work. Sondheim and his librettist have imagined the exhausting work of Seurat painting this huge table with this breath-taking technique, to the point of neglecting Dot ("Point"), his mistress, who is expecting a child.

Originaly staged on Broadway by James Lapine Originaly produced on Broadway by The Shubert Organization & Emanuel Azenberg , WithPlaywrights Horizon, Inc., New York City, creator of the original production of Sunday in the Park with George in 1983

Photo Credit: Marie-Noëlle Robert

The Cast

Julian Ovenden

The Cast

Sophie-Louise Dann and Julian Ovenden

The Cast

Julian Ovenden and Sophie-Louise Dann

The Cast

Sophie-Louise Dann and Julian Ovenden

The Cast

Julian Ovenden

Sophie-Louise Dann and Julian Ovenden

The Cast

Sophie-Louise Dann and Julian Ovenden

The Cast

Julian Ovenden & More Star in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE in Paris, Opening Tonight!

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:28:27 PST

After A Little Night Music in 2010 and Sweeney Todd in 2011, Châtelet presents another masterpiece from Stephen Sondheim, opening tonight, April 15, 2013, and running through April 25, 2013. The cast features Julian Ovenden (Georges / George), Sophie-Louise Dann (Dot / Marie), Nickolas Grace (Jules / Greenberg), Rebecca de Pont Davies (Old Lady / Elaine), with Jessica Walker, David Curry, Rebecca Bottone, Francesca Jackson, and Beverley Klein.

For tickets, visit: http://chatelet-theatre.com

Act 2 continues the theme of the arduous nature of the artist's lot by bringing forward the action to New York in 1984, where George, Seurat's great-grandson, is struggling against the odds.

Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1985, the work is powerful and poetic. The refinement of the great songs, like Putting It Together or Sunday, has contributed significantly to the reputation of this very moving work.

Julian Ovenden Set Stars in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE in Paris, Opening Tonight

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:30:00 PST

Julian Ovenden is set to star as George Seurat in the Théâtre du Châtelet production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, running tonight, April 15-25, 2013.

Ovenden has appeared in the Off-Broadway staging of Death Takes a Holiday. He also performed in West End's Marguerite, Grand Hotel, and Merrily We Roll Along. On Broadway, he performed in Butley in 2006.

The cast will also feature Sophie-Louise Dann (Lend Me a Tenor, Jolson) as Dot/Marie, Rebecca de Pont Davies as Old Lady/Elaine, David Curry as Solider/Redmond, Beverly Klein as Yvonne/Blair, Rebecca Bottone as Celeste 1/Betty, Francesca Jackson as Celeste 2/Billy, Nicholas Garrett as Boatman/Dennis, Damian Thantrey as Franz/Randolph, Jessica Walker as Nurse/Harriet, Jonathan Gunthorpe as Louis/Alex and Christine Buffle as Frieda/Noemie.

The creative team will include scenic designer William Dudley and costume designer Adrian Linford. David Charles Abell will musical direct with choreography by Lorena Randi.

The pointillist painting by Georges Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, painted between 1884 and 1886, is the starting point of this reflection passionate about the work of the artist. Sondheim and his librettist have imagined the exhausting work of Seurat painting this huge table with this amazing technique, to the point of neglecting Dot ("Point"), his mistress pregnant.

During modern first act, the second part, located in New York in 1984, shows the difficult life of the great-grand-son of Seurat, artist.

Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1985, the work is powerful and poetic. Refinement of the great songs, like Putting It Together or Sunday , has greatly contributed to the reputation of a very moving book.

James Lapine originally produced on Broadway by The Shubert Organization and Emanuel Azenberg , in agreement with Playwrights Horizon, Inc., New York City, creator of the original production of Sunday in the Park with George in 1983

For more information, visit: http://chatelet-theatre.com/2012-2013/sunday-in-the-park-with-george-fr

Julian Ovenden & More to Star in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE in Paris

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:54:27 PST

After A Little Night Music in 2010 and Sweeney Todd in 2011, Châtelet presents another masterpiece fromStephen Sondheim. The cast will feature Julian Ovenden (Georges / George), Sophie-Louise Dann (Dot / Marie), Nickolas Grace (Jules / Greenberg), Rebecca de Pont Davies (Old Lady / Elaine), with Jessica Walker, David Curry, Rebecca Bottone, Francesca Jackson, and Beverley Klein.

For tickets, visit: http://chatelet-theatre.com

Act 2 continues the theme of the arduous nature of the artist's lot by bringing forward the action to New York in 1984, where George, Seurat's great-grandson, is struggling against the odds.

Originaly staged on Broadway by James Lapine Originaly produced on Broadway by The Shubert Organization & Emanuel Azenberg, WithPlaywrights Horizon, Inc., New York City, creator of the original production of Sunday in the Park with George in 1983

Barbra Streisand Announces European Tour Dates for June - London, Amsterdam, Paris & Germany

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 07:39:18 PST

Following her dazzling North American tour of 2012, Barbra Streisand LIVE! will visit Europe this summer for four exclusive engagements with additional dates and venues to be announced soon.

Appearing for the first time ever in Cologne and Amsterdam and returning to London and Paris for the first time in over six years, Barbra Streisand Live promises to be a magical evening of timeless hits, combining her elegant voice, with self-deprecating humor and charming banter.

Surrounded by a full orchestra and with special guests Chris Botti, her son Jason Gould, and sister Roslyn Kind, all of whom performed last year on Back to Brooklyn, Barbra's highly successful North American tour, Barbra Streisand Live will deliver a truly enchanting evening.

DATE	CITY	VENUE	PUBLIC ON SALE	TICKETS
June 1	London, UK	O2 Arena	March 22, 9a GMT	ticketmaster.co.uk
June 6	Amsterdam, NL	Ziggo Dome	March 23, 10a CET	ticketmaster.nl
June 10	Paris, FR	Bercy	March 27, 10a CET	Coming soon!
June 12	Cologne, DE	Lanxess Arena	March 25, 9a CET	eventim.de

A star for over four decades, Streisand received Tony nominations for her Broadway debut I Can Get It For You Wholesale and for her star-making turn as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (she would receive a Star of the Decade, Hall of Fame Tony in 1970). Streisand went on to recreate the role on film for a 1969 Oscar. She was also nominated for her performance in The Way We Were. She received another Oscar for co-writing "Evergreen" for A Star is Born and was similarly nominated for "I Finally Found Someone" from The Mirror Has Two Faces. Other film credits include Hello, Dolly!, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, What's Up, Doc?, Funny Lady, Nuts and Yentl. She has also produced several of her movies.

She is second in the all-time charts, ahead of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, exceeded only by Elvis. Streisand remains the only artist to receive an Oscar, Tony, Emmy, Grammy, Golden Globe, Cable Ace, and Peabody Awards, and the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award.

The winner of multiple Grammy Awards, Streisand has sold many millions of records, with 50 of them gold and 30 platinum. She is also the only artist to have Billboard #1 albums spanning four decades--the '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s. Her many albums include "Guilty," "Duets," "Higher Ground," "Memories," "Lazy Afternoon," "The Broadway Album" and "The Movie Album." In addition to her Tony, Oscars and Grammys, Streisand has won five Emmys, eight Golden Globes, two ASCAP Film and Television Awards, as well as the American Film Institute Award.