Shawn Lewis News

Street Theatre Company brings Nashville the hit musical Cats as the first of its two 2013 "In Concert" productions. Running on Broadway for an astounding eighteen years and winning a Tony for 'Best Musical', Cats tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they decide which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life.

On NBC's THE VOICE the blind auditions came to a close and coaches Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton each filled up their teams of 16 artists for season three. On Tuesday, October 2 (8-9 p.m. ET), a special "Best of the Blind Auditions" airs featuring never before seen footage of the coaches and each team.

Submissions for The New York Children's Theater Festival will be accepted October 1 through November 12, 2012, it was announced today by Festival co-founders Michael Shawn Lewis, Chelsey Shannon and Renee Barnett. In its second year, The New York Children's Theater Festival provides a birthplace in New York City for new live children's entertainment from around the globe, and serves as a platform for writers and producers who are passionate about developing innovative theatrical experiences for children.

Submissions for The New York Children's Theater Festival will be accepted October 1 through November 12, 2012, it was announced today by Festival co-founders Michael Shawn Lewis, Chelsey Shannon and Renee Barnett. In its second year, The New York Children's Theater Festival provides a birthplace in New York City for new live children's entertainment from around the globe, and serves as a platform for writers and producers who are passionate about developing innovative theatrical experiences for children.

Compellingly dramatic and musically inspiring, Caroline, Or Change-the musical now onstage at Street Theatre Company through the end of the month-might very well be the most startling and thoroughly extraordinary production from the company in its rather brief existence in Nashville.

Iconic children's television stars Carole Demas and Paula Janis, best known for their popular New York-based television series The Magic Garden (1972 to 1984), will perform two special family concerts in conjunction with their 40th anniversary, to benefit The New York Children's Theater Festival.

The Street Theatre Company production of Caroline, or Change runs tonight, September 7 through 30th, 2012.

The Street Theatre Company production of Caroline, or Change runs September 7 through 30th, 2012.

Just when you thought it was safe to go to the theater once again, we welcome you to the debut installment of Music City Confidential, all the news that's fit to print (or not-depending on your perspective) from Nashville's ever-growing, ever-fascinating (okay, so we obviously don't have enough to occupy ourselves) live theater industry (we're trying that out-does it work? Let us know, theaterati!) Here amid the florid prose and flowery praise, you'll find all the stories that don't quite fit elsewhere, some of 'em kind of gossipy, some of 'em stone-cold serious, some of 'em just lists of names you need to know. You'll also find photos from our new "Intermission@" series, details about the latest cast parties and various and sundry minutiae-the veritable flotsam and jetsam-from backstage, onstage, offstage and beyond…

The New York Children's Theater Festival has officially begun accepting submissions this week for its inaugural season.

The 2012 Actors Studio Drama School Repertory Season performances will take place at The Theater at Dance New Amsterdam, 53 Chambers St., just north of City Hall, Wednesdays through Fridays at 8 p.m. and Saturdays at 3 and 8 p.m. from March 28 through April 28. The full schedule and information about plays, actors, directors and playwrights can be found online at www.Pace.edu/ASDSRep

It's finally here! The first festival created for the development of children's theatre in New York is happening next month, and they've just announced their fab lineup of original, family-friendly shows!

The New York Children's Theater Festival has announced the accepted participants for its inaugural season, chosen by a judging panel of over 30 industry professionals including Kevin ("Elmo") Clash, Cheryl Henson (President, The Henson Foundation), John Tartaglia (Emmy, Tony, and Drama Desk Award nominated actor, producer, puppeteer), Thomas Schumacher (President, Disney Theatrical Productions), and Michael Jung, (Vice President, Theatrical Development, Walt Disney Imagineering).

Rosie O'Donnell has joined the advisory board of The New York Children's Theater Festival, it was announced today by Michael Shawn Lewis, co-founder of The Festival.

Cheryl Henson (President, The Jim Henson Foundation); Kevin Clash (Elmo's Emmy-winning creator and Muppet veteran); and Carole Demas (Broadway star, children's television icon from The Magic Garden) have joined the advisory board of The New York Children's Theater Festival, it was announced today by Michael Shawn Lewis, co-founder of The Festival.

The New York Children's Theater Festival has officially begun accepting submissions this week for its inaugural season.