photo from playbill.com THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE  is a hilarious peek into the world of competitive spelling. Rachel Sheinkin’s economical and brilliant book lends much to sketch comedy and improv, while William Finn’s score ...

Say the term "metatheatre," and most people will think of Bertolt Brecht.  Brecht's shows, such as The Threepenny Opera, were groundbreaking for their use of metatheatre to provide social commentary.  By having the characters in the play be aware ...

When writing your best friend's eulogy, it's only natural that you'd look to the past.  That's exactly what successful author Thomas Weaver does in the recent Broadway musical, THE STORY OF MY LIFE.  But in his quest to find the perfect story to ...

Over the centuries, the "tale as old as time" has seen multiple incarnations and adaptations. From fable to musical, the evolution of Beauty and the Beast is an extraordinary journey, rich in history.  The motif of the beautiful maiden, forbidden ...

st1:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } --> <!--[endif]--> For example, the song Passover, featured in MAKE ME A SONG but written for ELEGIES, is the story of a boy (Finn) and his family traveling to New Jersey to celebrate Passover with his wacky family. ...

When planning a season, many theaters turn to large ensemble shows, but there are special benefits in choosing two-person shows.The Story of My Life, the newest addition to MTI's canon of two-person musicals, features two equally strong roles for ...

“England swings!” exclaim the women of the mod musical Shout!—named for the trendy mod magazine. The characters in this Phillip George, David Lowenstein, and Peter Charles Morris musical magazine struggle with what it means to be a woman in ...

Anita Gates' article in The New York Times gives great insight on this lesser known Jonathan Larson work currently playing as the Westport Country Playhouse. For more information on the Westport Country Playhouse production (as well as a resourceful ...

The Tony Award-winning musical AVENUE Q shines under the Southern Cross in its 2009 Australian tour. Princeton, Kate Monster, Trekkie and the gang start with a bang at Comedy Theatre Melbourne followed by a season in Sydney and engagements in ...

16th century Italian performer Flaminio Scala was destined for the theatre from an early age.  Eventually,  theatre became his life—so much so that he is barely able to perceive any distinction between the two. Bookwriter/lyricist Lynne Ahrens ...