Ben Strothmann News

1969 musical Dear World with book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, new version by David Thompson (based on an adaptation by Maurice Valency of the play The Madwoman of Chaillot by Jean Giraudoux), music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, starring 6-time Emmy® Award and Tony® Award-winner Tyne Daly (Gypsy) as Countess Aurelia. The final presentation of the three shows in the Winter 2017 Musicals in Mufti Series features Alison Fraser (March of the Falsettos) as Constance, Ann Harada (Avenue Q) as Gabrielle,and Lenny Wolpe (Wicked) as The Sewerman, with Dewey Caddell (Finian's Rainbow) as The Sergeant, J. Bernard Calloway (Memphis) as President 2, Ben Cherry (Fiddler on the Roof) as The Waiter, Stephen Mo Hanan (Jolson & Co.) as President 3, Erika Henningsen (Les Miserables) as Nina, Hunter Ryan Herdlicka (A Little Night Music) as Julian, Peter Land (My Fair Lady) as President 1, Gordon Stanley (Ragtime) as The Prospector, and Kristopher Thompson-Bolden (The Nutty Professor) as The Mute. Stage Manager is Kimothy Cruse, with Assistant Stage Manager Shanna Allison. Directed by Michael Montel(director of twenty preview Musicals in Mufti presentations including Dear World, Take Me Along, and A Time for Singing), with music direction by Christopher McGovern (Cagney). PerCasting for the series is by Geoff Josselson.

When Nazis began publicly burning copies of his latest musical theatre piece, composer Kurt Weill took it as a hint that he might be better off sailing to America and writing for Broadway.

The York Theatre Company presents the 1972 musical Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill:  A Musical Voyage, music by Kurt Weill, text and format by Gene Lerner, lyrics by Maxwell Anderson, Marc Blitzstein, Bertolt Brecht, Jacques Deval, Michael Feingold, Ira Gershwin, Paul Green, Langston Hughes, Alan Jay Lerner, Ogden Nash, George Tabori, and Arnold Weinstein, the second of three shows in the Winter 2017 Musicals in Mufti Series at the York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). 

On Thursday, Abingdon Theatre Company celebrated the opening night of THE MOTHER OF INVENTION, a new play written by James Lecesne about how one family deals with the effects of Alzheimer's. Directed by Tony Speciale, the company includes Concetta Tomei, James Davis, Dan Domingues, Angela Reed, Isabella Russo and Dale Soules, with performances set to run through February 26. Scroll down for photos from the festivities!

When Jerry Herman was pegged by producer Gerard Oestreicher to write the score for a Broadway musical set in the fledgling State of Israel, he was a 28-year-old composer/lyricist mostly known for writing clever lyrics and snazzy tunes for Greenwich Village topical reviews like NIGHTCAP and PARADE. But now, instead of writing for hip, downtown performers like Charles Nelson Reilly and Dody Goodman, he'd be penning a romantic score for opera stars Mimi Benzell and Robert Weede, with special comic relief material for Yiddish Theatre legend Molly Picon.

Shalom!  Shalom!  The York Theatre Company presents the first of three shows in the Winter 2017 Musicals in Mufti Series:  the 1961 musical Milk and Honey, with book by Don Appell, and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman.  Performances beganJanuary 28, 2017 for 11-performances only through February 5, 2017 at the York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).  Openign Night is January 29, 2017.

Abingdon Theatre Company presents a world-premiere play from author James Lecesne (Trevor) and director Tony Speciale - the playwright and director of The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey - starting today, January 28, in the June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street). Off-Broadway performances run through February 26, with official press opening set for February 9. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast below!

Abingdon Theatre Company presents a world-premiere play from author James Lecesne (Trevor) and director Tony Speciale - the playwright and director of The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey - starting Saturday, January 28 in the June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street). Off-Broadway performances run through February 26, with official press opening set for February 9. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast below!

Abingdon Theatre Company kicks off 2017 with a limited engagement of THE DORK KNIGHT, a new play written and performed by Jason O'Connell (star of Bedlam's recent Off-Broadway hit Sense and Sensibility) about his complicated relationship with the Caped Crusader. Performances run through January 29, as part of Abingdon's new Second Stage Series featuring immediate and immersive new works. Artistic Director Tony Speciale is set to direct, with the official press opening scheduled for tonight, January 17. BroadwayWorld has a look at O'Connell onstage below!

While the title MARK FELT, SUPERSTAR may receive befuddled reactions from those not fully familiar with American political scandals, you can't blame bookwriter/composer/lyricist Joshua Rosenblum for not naming his smart, breezy, informative and extremely enjoyable show 'Deep Throat, the musical.'

Abingdon Theatre Company kicks off 2017 with a limited engagement of THE DORK KNIGHT, a new play written and performed by Jason O'Connell (star of Bedlam's recent Off-Broadway hit Sense and Sensibility) about his complicated relationship with the Caped Crusader. Performances run through January 29, as part of Abingdon's new Second Stage Series featuring immediate and immersive new works. Artistic Director Tony Speciale is set to direct, with the official press opening scheduled for January 17. BroadwayWorld has a first look at O'Connell onstage below!

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Evans Haile, Interim Executive Director; David McCoy, Chairman of the Board), dedicated to the development of new musicals and preserving musical gems from the past, presents the New2NYpresentation of the new musical Mark Felt, Superstar with book, music and lyrics byJoshua Rosenblum (Bush Is Bad, Fermat's Last Tango).

On Monday, September 26, 2016, The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation, the organization who for the past 12 years has been dedicated to celebrating Off-Off-Broadway, announced the 2016 recipients at its annual awards ceremony, The IT Awards. Hosted by a crowd favorite, Jason Kravits and directed by award winning director and sound designer, DeLisa White the ceremony took place from 7pm to 10pm at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College.

TOSOS (The Other Side of Silence) was nominated for four New York Innovative Theatre Awards at last night's nomination party at 42WESTny. Nominations include Outstanding Revival of a Play, and Outstanding Ensemble for Doric Wilson's Street Theater for its run at The Eagle NY. Kathleen Warnock's play The Further Adventures of… was nominated for Outstanding Short Script and Outstanding Ensemble. The Further Adventures of… opens this Friday, August 12, at the 20th Annual New York International Fringe Festival. The New York Innovative Theatre Awards will be awarded this fall in New York City.

On Monday, August 8, 2016, The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation, the organization who for the past 12 years has been dedicated to celebrating Off-Off-Broadway, announced the 2016 nominees at its annual event, The IT Party, celebrating 12 years and thousands of nominees at 42West. Scroll down for the full list of nominations!

Abingdon Theatre Company recently celebrated the opening night of STET, a new play which has extended its Off-Broadway performances through July 10. Written by Kim Davies and developed by Kim Davies, Jocelyn Kuritsky and Tony Speciale, STET is produced in association with The Muse Project.  Artistic Director Tony Speciale directs the world-premiere drama inspired by the Rolling Stone article 'A Rape on Campus.'

Abingdon Theatre Company, in association with The Muse Project, presents STET is a new play inspired by the Rolling Stone article 'A Rape on Campus,' written by Kim Davies and developed by Kim Davies, Jocelyn Kuritsky and Artistic Director Tony Speciale. Opening is set for June 23. Tickets are now on sale through July 3. Tony Speciale is set to direct the Off-Broadway production, marking his inaugural programming as Artistic Director.

Drama Desk nominee Fred M. Caruso, the producer behind the Off-Broadway hit NEWSICAL and co-writer/co-director of THE BIG GAY MUSICAL, died yesterday, June 13, due to suicide. Caruso left a note on the Facebook page for THE BIG GAY MUSICAL.

Rehearsals have begun for STET, a new play inspired by true events, by Kim Davies (author of Smoke) and directed by Artistic Director Tony Speciale (director of The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey). Check out photos below!