Sam Cieri

Next week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond. A recipient of the 2022 Tony Awards Honor for Excellence in the Theatre, 54 Below celebrates Broadway musicals and writers of the past and present, promoting an ongoing engagement with their work. 

54 BELOW will welcome Six’s original Katherine Howard, Samantha Pauly, as she makes her solo debut on November 27 at 9:30pm, with an encore performance on April 11 at 9:30pm.

CHELSEA TABLE + STAGE will present the solo concert debut of Samantha Pauly, currently starring on Broadway in SIX the Musical, for two special performances on Tuesday, November 1 at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM.

Today, Nicotine Dolls share the music video for their brand new single entitled 'Till We Both Say.' The NYC based band was formed in 2017 after lead vocalist Sam Cieri and lead guitarist John Hays decided to form a band after meeting on tour. Bassist John Merritt and drummer Abel Tabares joined quickly after.

On August 7th OutaLine Productions will be releasing their debut series created by Sam Cieri 'It Lives In My Closet': a socially conscious fantastical buddy comedy about a grump and the monster that lives in his closet.

New Ohio Theatre's annual New York Indie Theatre Film Festival (NYITFF) a?" a unique presentation of film works by New York theatre makers a?" returns in 2020 with a stellar lineup, including a special screening of a feature directed by downtown legend Charles Busch, with a talkback with the artist, and a reading of a new screenplay written and directed by playwright, filmmaker, and author Brooke Berman (Hunting and Gathering). The festival events, including screenings, panel discussions, and social gatherings, will be held at New Ohio Theatre (154 Christopher Street) in NYC's West Village from February 6 to 9, 2020. Tickets (reading, $5; any single screening, $10; Friday pass, $15; Saturday pass, $20; all-event pass, $30) can be purchased online at https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/1004347 or by calling 866-811-4111.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre (Betsy King Militello, Executive Director) is thrilled to announce final casting for the 30th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS along with The Songwriters Showcase and Midday Cabarets. The FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS takes place on Thursday, October 25 and Friday, October 26, 2018 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). Festival events kick off on Monday, October 22 with Thank You, 30! a gala event to celebrate the 30th Annual Festival.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre has announced initial casting for the 30th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, which takes place on Thursday, October 25 and Friday, October 26, 2018 at New World Stages

Jenna Rubaii (GROUNDHOG DAY, AMERICAN IDIOT) returns to Club Bonafide after last month's sold-out show, backed by pianist/arranger, Jacob Fjeldheim and their "chamber-pop" quartet.

BC BEAT, an evening that sells out and is yet intimate, dynamic, and playful, continues to stimulate new collaboration between choreographers, performers, directors, composers, and producers like no other event in New York City. Just ask Patrick McCollum. He was introduced to Steven Hoggett as a possible performer for his BC BEAT piece in 2011. Following their BC BEAT process, McCollum worked nonstop with Hoggett as an Associate Broadway Choreographer and this year, made his Broadway choreographic debut with THE BAND'S VISIT. McCollum is one of the many Broadway artists who have performed and choreographed at BC BEAT and have made the most of the opportunity at hand.

Riverside Theatre's production of Million Dollar Quartet, adds two additional performances! Million Dollar Quartet runs January 2-21, 2018 on the Stark Stage and is sponsored by John and Marilyn McConnell with additional support from Riverside Theatre's Patron Producers' Group

Riverside Theatre, led by Producing Artistic Director/CEO Allen D. Cornell and Managing Director/COO Jon R. Moses, continues its 44th season celebrating an electrifying night of early rock 'n roll with Million Dollar Quartet. Presenting sponsors for Million Dollar Quartet are John and Marilyn McConnell with additional support from Riverside Theatre's Patron Producers' Group. Million Dollar Quartet plays the Stark Stage at Riverside Theatre from January 2-21, 2018.

Based on the 2006 indie hit film, Once tells the captivating love story about Irish musician Guy and Czech immigrant Girl and how they are drawn to each other based on their shared love for music. From the moment Guy and Girl meet, the audience is enraptured by their chemistry and wait at the edge of their seats, gasping for air, watching how the next scene will either result in a stepping stone or a set back for their relationship.

Last Saturday I attended the Broadway tour of Once The Musical. I knew that they had won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2012, but I had never really looked into the show.  I had expected it to be not my favorite of the Broadway series at The Hanover Theatre, but I had been totally wrong. The music was mesmerizing, and the set was cleverly done. Before the show, they let the audience up on stage to buy their drinks from the bar in the pub set that they had created. Not only did that set double as a pub, but also a music store, a house, a Hoover repair shop and much more. Without large changes of sets, they created these different environments with tables, chairs, and a change of lighting. Sam Cieri and Mackenzie Lesser-Roy were strong leads as Guy and Girl followed by an equally strong cast of characters. The simple staging of the show made the small moments usually missed by the audience, more exposed and made the show more emotional. Kudos to Steven Hoggett, the movement director, for flawlessly using movement to move the show along in an eye catching way. Overall, it was a beautifully written and performed musical, that I would see again if I had the chance and would recommend to friends! 

In every sense of the word, ONCE arrived at The Capitol Strand Performing Arts Center on February 1, 2017, for one night only. The musical is the winner of eight 2012 Tony Awards® and is a theatrical experience like no other.

ONCE, the award-winning stage musical based on the award-winning film of the same name, is an obvious addition to Broadway.  Featuring songs written by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, who also starred in the film, this production seems like it can't miss.  Unfortunately, despite excellent music and vocal and musical performances from an obviously talented cast, this production's book, by Irish playwright Enda Walsh,  seems to assume that the only people who would be interested in this show are those who have seen the movie.  Therefore, there is next-to-no character development, and random scenes inserted that make no sense to anyone not intimately familiar with the source material.  Since this is a show about music and musicians, one would think that story goes out the window then in favor of reworking this as almost a musical revue, rather than a traditional narrative.  That would have worked, since the story is a sweetly simple one and doesn't require much, but the choice was made instead to shoehorn in extra scenes of dialogue, most of which take far longer and meader far more than necessary to advance the plot, and wind up creating something that is just dull and lazy.

This is the sort of production you can slip into easily; find yourself there in the story. It's an ordinary story about an extraordinary thing-yet another reason to love it. The Girl reignites the music in the Guy; she takes him in hand (and hoover) to fall slowly back into song, back into hope, and back into love.

Once, winner of eight 2012 Tony® Awards including Best Musical and winner of the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, will play the National Theatre for a limited engagement from November 25 -27, 2016. The cast will feature Sam Cieri as "Guy" and Mackenzie Lesser-Roy as "Girl," along with Lily Caputo, Jenn Chandler, Barry DeBois, Nyssa Duchow, Liam Fennecken, Lynn Flickinger, Isaac Haas, John Hays,Julia Hoffmann, Angel Lin, Bristol Pomeroy, Adam Huel Potter, Lauren Thomas, Dan Tracy, Grant Alan Watkins, and Luke Wygodny. Additional casting to be announced soon.

Once is definitely not your typical Broadway musical. It does not implement nor does it require the razzle dazzle that is usually typical of musical theatre. Instead there is a subtle intimacy and ease to the storytelling. From the moment you enter the theatre, you are transported to another place, a Dublin bar to be exact. The show uses creative staging as the audience is able to traverse the stage to buy a drink at the bar and are then surrounded by the actors/musicians as they jam out to some Irish folk music.