John Eric Parker News

Singer/songwriter, actor and author Ashanti will make her stage debut as Dorothy in the New York City Center Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz, June 12 - July 5 at New York City Center (W. 55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues). The Wiz, the 1974 rock and soul musical based on the beloved L. Frank Baum story about Dorothy and her adventures in Oz, will be directed by Thomas Kail and choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler, with music direction by Alex Lacamoire, (the team responsible for the Tony-winning In the Heights).

'There's No Place Like Home' for homeless shelter dogs, according to Nigel, the former street-dog-turned-stage-star, who is making his New York professional debut in The Wiz at City Center in June. The need for a home is what inspired Nigel, along with co-star Ashanti (who plays Dorothy) to host 'There's No Place Like Home'Adoption Day on Saturday, May 30 at 11:00 am at City Center (55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues).

Ashanti, joined by Thomas Kail and Alex Lacamoire, gave a special behind-the-scenes, sneak peek performance this morning, Tuesday May 19th, for the media and BWW TV was there!

Singer/songwriter, actor and author Ashanti will make her stage debut as Dorothy in the New York City Center Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz, June 12 - July 5 at New York City Center (W. 55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues). The Wiz, the 1974 rock and soul musical based on the beloved L. Frank Baum story about Dorothy and her adventures in Oz, will be directed by Thomas Kail and choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler, with music direction by Alex Lacamoire, (the team responsible for the Tony-winning In the Heights)

'There's No Place Like Home' for homeless shelter dogs, according to Nigel, the former street-dog-turned-stage-star, who is making his New York professional debut in The Wiz at City Center in June. The need for a home is what inspired Nigel, along with co-star Ashanti (who plays Dorothy) to host 'There's No Place Like Home'Adoption Day on Saturday, May 30 at 11:00 am at City Center (55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues).

Nigel, a brindle-hair Cairn Terrier, will be making his professional stage debut as Toto in the Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz, starring Ashanti as Dorothy, June 12 - July 5 at New York City Center, 131 W. 55th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues).

Orlando Jones will play The Wiz, and Tony Award-winning actress LaChanze will play Glinda, the good witch, in the Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz, starring Ashanti, June 12 July 5 at New York City Center. Glinda's sister-witches will include Tichina Arnold as Evillene and Dawnn Lewis as Addaperle. Easing down the road with Ashanti's Dorothy will be Joshua Henry as the Tinman, James Monroe Iglehart as the Lion and Christian White as the Scarecrow.

This weekend, May 1-4, Upright Cabaret, the wildly popular Los Angeles theatrical showcase features an eclectic mix of artists from stage, screen and recording, returns to Joe's Pub in Manhattan to present a trio of shows entitled 'Upright Cabaret takes Manhattan' featuring some of the best talent working in New York City.

This weekend, May 1-4, Upright Cabaret, the wildly popular Los Angeles theatrical showcase features an eclectic mix of artists from stage, screen and recording, returns to Joe's Pub in Manhattan to present a trio of shows entitled 'Upright Cabaret takes Manhattan' featuring some of the best talent working in New York City.

LAByrinth Theater Company (John Ortiz, Artistic Director; Philip Seymour Hoffman, Co-Artistic Director; John Gould Rubin, Co- Artistic & Executive Director) opens its alternative festival of free staged readings, Live Nude Plays (November 16-19, 2008).

LAByrinth Theater Company (John Ortiz, Artistic Director; Philip Seymour Hoffman, Co-Artistic Director; John Gould Rubin, Co- Artistic & Executive Director) opens its alternative festival of free staged readings, Live Nude Plays (November 16 ? 19, 2008).

The legendary authors of Fiddler on the Roof - Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick and Joseph Stein - will launch the release of the York Theatre's original cast recording of their inaugural 1958 Broadway outing, The Body Beautiful, in a special concert event at the Lincoln Triangle Barnes & Noble on Wednesday, September 17 at 5:30pm.

The legendary authors of Fiddler on the Roof - Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick and Joseph Stein - will launch the release of the York Theatre's original cast recording of their inaugural 1958 Broadway outing, The Body Beautiful, in a special concert event at the Lincoln Triangle Barnes & Noble on Wednesday, September 17 at 5:30pm.

La Jolla Playhouse announced today the initial lineup of cast and creatives for the upcoming musical 'Memphis - The Birth of Rock 'n' Roll' slated for August 19th through September 28th in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

Memphis - The Birth of Rock 'n' Roll began previews on August 19th at La Jolla Playhouse and will run through September 28th in the Mandell Weiss Theatre. Memphis is the first production directed by Christopher Ashley at La Jolla Playhouse since becoming Artistic Director. Rehearsals begin July 8th.

heAtrainplays are a celebration of New York, created by six teams while traveling the entire route of the A train, from 207th Street & Broadway to Far Rockaway and back. On Tuesday evening, June 24th, four librettists will hop on the A train at 207th Street and begin writing the books for four 15-minute musicals, all set on the A train. Before each of the teams begins their journey, they pick a number between 3 and 5 to set the number of characters, then they choose headshots from a blind draw to determine who is in each piece. When the librettists reach the Far Rockaway stop, they randomly select, through another blind draw, their collaborative lyricists, composers, directors and choreographers, who have been awaiting their arrival at a nearby McDonald's with two playwrights joining them and just beginning their journey. Two directors will meet the creators of the now finished plays at 207th Street and they all proceed to Columbus Circle where they meet the pre-selected pool of actors, decipher their scribbles, copy the scripts and begin rehearsals. They have until show time THE NEXT DAY, Wednesday night, June 25th at 8:00PM to develop these works into six exciting new musical experiences to be shared with the audience at New World Stages on the set of the hit musical Altar Boyz.

La Jolla Playhouse announced today the initial lineup of cast and creatives for the upcoming musical 'Memphis - The Birth of Rock 'n' Roll' slated for August 19th through September 28th in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

The cast of the York Theatre's recent revival of The Body Beautiful - including Tony winner Cady Huffman (The Producers) and Tony nominees Brad Oscar (The Producers) and Megan Lawrence (The Pajama Game) - will go into the recording studio on April 7 to preserve Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's inaugural Broadway score set to a book by Joseph Stein and Will Glickman.

Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Producing Artistic Director; Rosetta LeNoire, Founder), will celebrate its 39th year with a Gala evening on Monday, March 31st featuring a special 'Blast from the Past' concert performance of Mama, I Want to Sing, a star-studded concert of the gospel, pop, and rhythm and blues hit musical that began at Amas in the early nineteen eighties.

Waterwell, the acclaimed anarchic New York theater troupe, has announced additional casting for their special performance of The/King/Operetta on Monday, April 7 at Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette Street).