Bobby Peterson News

You're a guest at the riotous wedding of Rebecca Steinberg and Brian Howard in Smithtown Center For The Performing Arts' fantastic musical production 'It Shoulda Been You.' Family squabble, friendly foolery, and shocking surprises are all present in this delightful show that revolves around a young couple on their wedding day. This Long Island premiere has a book and lyrics by Brian Hargrove with music by Barbara Anselmi. Michael Cooper, Will Randall, Carla Rose Fisher, Ernie Lijo, and Jill Abramovitz also contributed to the lyrics.

Memphis The Musical plays two more shows, tomorrow and Saturday, February 3 and 4, at the The Noel S. Ruiz Theatre at CM Performing Arts Center of Oakdale, Long Island. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The Long Island theatre community can seriously do no wrong when it comes to presenting multi Tony award winner Memphis, The Musical. Per usual when I see a production at The Noel S. Ruiz Theatre at CM Performing Arts Center, I am truly inspired by the talent of the cast and creative team. This wonderful incarnation, directed excellently by Artistic Director Patrick Grossman, runs at the Oakdale venue through February 4th kicking off their 30th anniversary. The cast, the passion, the creative team... everything is top-notch.

The holidays came early this year to the Noel S. Ruiz Theatre in Oakdale as they present the blissful Irving Berlin tuner 'White Christmas' through December 18. This cheerful old fashioned Broadway musical is based on the classic Paramount motion picture starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye as song and dance men searching for stardom while looking for love on the way. Misunderstandings, mayhem, and mountains of mistletoe all ensure an endearing love story and the happiest holiday for all.

Being there are many productions of the iconic musical West Side Story running at any one time, it is imperative that the cast be absolutely brilliant. Indeed, the company at The Noel S. Ruiz Theatre at CM Performing Arts Center does not disappoint under the outstanding direction of Martin Aviles, who has been in several productions of West Side Story himself. This dazzling production, playing through August 28th at the Oakdale venue, will leave you extremely impressed with the incredible talent Long Island has to offer.

The Spring season is officially underway with the start of Memphis at the John W. Engeman Theatre of Northport, Long Island. The multi Tony award winner, directed excellently by Igor Goldin, runs at the gorgeous venue through May 8th and I cannot say enough about this brilliant production. The cast, the passion, the creative team… everything is just top-notch.

Long Island certainly has some brilliant holiday productions this season. Currently running through December 29th, Oakdale's Noel S. Ruiz Theatre at CM Performing Arts Center (CMPAC) has mounted a delightful showing of the musical version of A Christmas Carol; the one Madison Square Garden has produced. With music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and book by Ms. Ahrens with Mike Ockrent, the wonderful cast surely didn't disappoint.

Kicking off their 37th season, The Noel S. Ruiz Theatre at CM Performing Arts Center has mounted a terrific production of the Tony nominated musical Bonnie & Clyde. With a book by Ivan Menchell, this is a 'biographical' story of the two most notorious gangsters. Many themes are touched upon in this story - despite their violent, criminal shenanigans - including true love, the solidarity of family, and unwavering loyalty. Running through September 27th at the Oakdale, Long Island, venue, the show is truly top notch.

'Hay Fever'-Noel Coward's quintessentially theatrical comedy of British bad manners-will be the fourth and final production of the Hampton Theatre Company's 30th anniversary season, opening tonight, May 21 at the Quogue Community Hall and running through June 7.

Hay Fever, Noel Coward's quintessentially theatrical comedy of British bad manners-will be the fourth and final production of the Hampton Theatre Company's 30th anniversary season, opening on May 21 at the Quogue Community Hall and running through June 7. Check out photos from the production below!

"Hay Fever"-Noel Coward's quintessentially theatrical comedy of British bad manners-will be the fourth and final production of the Hampton Theatre Company's 30th anniversary season, opening on May 21 at the Quogue Community Hall and running through June 7.

To see an all-out fun production like Xanadu is certainly a pleasure. The musical, currently running at Hauppauge's SoLuna Studio, is entertaining and the talented cast delivers in all its campy glory. The story, a spoof of the atrocious 1980's movie, follows Kira who sets out to inspire a struggling artist in order to achieve his utmost creative desire... a roller disco!

The Long Island premier of Bonnie & Clyde went off without a hitch this past weekend at SoLuna Studio. With a book by Ivan Menchell, the 'biographical' musical of two of the most nutorious gangsters shows true love, the solidarity of family, and unwavering loyalty. Running through January 26th at the Hauppauge venue, the cast is truly on top of their game in this production.

October is the perfect time for a production of the classic Steven Sondheim/Hugh Wheeler musical Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. It's wonderfully creepy, chilling, and unsettling... just the thing to get you in the mood for Halloween. Directed by Karen Braun - who also does the choreography, costumes, and sets- SoLuna Studio's production, running through October 27th, shows you can do a lot with a little - more about that in a bit.

Since late August, I have been leading the production team of Merrick Theater and Center for the Arts main stage production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF- and it's been full of drama (on the stage that is - yuck yuck). The theater's management (Joe, Tony, Joanne and Ben) are all cool cats, each with their own personalities but all with the same expectation: that my team and I create a wonderful production of Hal Prince's classic . And boy, do I have the team to make it happen!

Bay Street Theatre is announcing that August's Summer Music Theater Camps; August 5-9; and August 12-16 have only a few spaces left. The camps are for students aged 8 through 12, and run Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 12:30 pm daily at Studio 3 in Bridgehampton. Each week long camp includes many aspects of theatre including improv, vocal instruction, dance and more. This summer's first and last week of camp will be led by Karen Peele Hochstedler. Classes held during August 5-9 will be led by Christine Martinez and Bobby Peterson.

Bay Street Theatre is pleased to announce its week long Summer Music Theater Camps July 22-26; August 5-9; and August 12-16. The camps are for students aged 8 through 12, and run Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 12:30 pm daily at Studio 3 in Bridgehampton. Each week long camp includes many aspects of theatre including improv, vocal instruction, dance and more. This summer's first and last week of camp will be led by Karen Peele Hochstedler. Classes held during August 5-9 will be led by Christine Martinez and Bobby Peterson.

Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Tony award winning musical Into The Woods has long been done since it premiered on Broadway in 1987. It certainly puts a lot of pressure on the cast to breathe new life into the theatre staple. Now playing at Creative Ministries Performing Arts Center (CM PAC), directed by Tim Pappalardo, the cast was up for the challenge and wonderfully delivered.

Viva Patshiva is an original musical comedy about a down and out man who is swept up by an ancient culture living in the shadows of Brooklyn. After embarking on a series of misadventures with a colorful crew of musical wanderers, he is confronted with a choice that could reconnect him with his soul or send him to hell forever.

Viva Patshiva is an original musical comedy about a down and out man who is swept up by an ancient culture living in the shadows of Brooklyn. After embarking on a series of misadventures with a colorful crew of musical wanderers, he is confronted with a choice that could reconnect him with his soul or send him to hell forever.