Duane Poole News

The ?American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University will present a 'by-invitation-only' workshop presentation of the new musical 'Scrooge In Love!' for Northwestern theatre faculty, students, staff and Chicago theatre industry members, on Sunday, Nov. 23.

The 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals, presented by the National Alliance For Musical Theatre (NAMT), kicked off with THE 46TH MINUTE, a concert hosted by Lindsay Mendez and featuring performances by Heidi Blickenstaff, Doreen Montalvo, Mamie Parris, Bryce Ryness, and more. Musical presentations started October 23 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street) and included Beautiful Poison, Cubamor, Great Wall, How To Break, Mary Marie, The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes, String and Stu For Silverton. The Festival concluded on October 24, 2014. Scroll down for photos!

The National Alliance For Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today its selections for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals. Beautiful Poison, Cubamor, Great Wall, How To Break, Mary Marie, The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes, String and Stu For Silverton make up the eight new musicals that will be presented at the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals today, October 23, 2014 and Friday, October 24, 2014 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

Off-Broadway's award-winning Irish Repertory Theatre has announced the cast for this season's annual holiday offering. Tony Award winner Alice Ripley will lead the cast of the New York premiere of A CHRISTMAS MEMORY, a musical based on the classic Truman Capote short story.

The New York Times reports that Tony-winning NEXT TO NORMAL star Alice Ripley will lead A CHRISTMAS MEMORY in its off-Broadway premiere at Irish Rep, running November 25, 2014 to January 4, 2015. Charlotte Moore directs.

The National Alliance For Musical Theatre (NAMT) is proud to announce final casting for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals. Michael Cassara Casting serves as the resident casting office for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals, taking place on Thursday, October 23, 2014 and Friday, October 24, 2014 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street). Online Festival registration ends Friday, October 17.

Over the course of their 2014 season, Theatre at the Center, a major equity player on the Chicago theater scene, has introduced audiences to never-before-seen productions on Chicagoland stages.

The National Alliance For Musical Theatre (NAMT) just announced initial casting for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals. Michael Cassara Casting serves as the resident casting office for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals, taking place on Thursday, October 23, 2014 and Friday, October 24, 2014 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

The National Alliance For Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today the all-star lineup of directors and musical directors participating in the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals on Thursday, October 23, 2014 and Friday, October 24, 2014 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

Off-Broadway's award-winning Irish Repertory Theatre announces the first three productions of its upcoming 27th theatre season. Due to theatre renovation that will commence this fall at its home base, located at 132 West 22nd Street, The Irish Rep's productions will be presented at the DR2 Theatre (103 East 15th Street in Union Square).

The National Alliance For Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today its selections for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals. Beautiful Poison, Cubamor, Great Wall, How To Break, Mary Marie, The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes, String and Stu For Silverton make up the eight new musicals that will be presented at the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals on Thursday, October 23, 2014 and Friday, October 24, 2014 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announces nine awards granted from their National Fund for New Musicals, a major funding program to support NAMT member not-for-profit theatres in their collaborations with writers to create, develop and produce new musicals. Now in its sixth year, the Fund will provide grants totaling $35,500 to nine organizations across the country.

One of my very favorite Christmas stories of all time is A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote about his boyhood growing up with his eccentric cousin Sook Faulk. Geraldine Page played Sook in a 1966 telefilm, and it was later remade for television in the 80s with Patty Duke. It is the Page version that stays with me, having left a lasting impression of the woman, the era and its fierce impact on humanity. Now Duane Poole has fashioned a retelling of the story with music by Larry Grossman and lyrics by Carol Hall in a new musical version of A Christmas Memory making its Southern California premiere at Laguna Playhouse through December 29.

Donald Alsedek directs a fine cast in a powerful adaptation of Capote's classic Christmas short story

This vividly written, moving and very funny tale will be presented by Open Stage of Harrisburg November 29 to December 29, 2013 and is the second play in Season 28 at the professional theatre located at 223 Walnut St, on the Street level of the Walnut Street Garage in Downtown Harrisburg. This production will be a Northeast Premier of A CHRISTMAS MEMORY, which was created by dramatist Duane Poole, composer Larry Grossman and lyricist Carol Hall (The Beast Little Whorehouse in Texas). Open Stage Executive Artistic Director Donald L. Alsedek directs the production.

The Laguna Playhouse Executive and Artistic Directors, Karen Wood and Ann E. Wareham will present a heartwarming new musical based on Truman Capote's classic short story, A CHRISTMAS MEMORY, book by Duane Poole, music by Larry Grossman, lyrics by Carol Hall, musical direction by Darryl Archibald and directed by Ovation Award-winner Nick DeGruccio.

An all-star cast will take the stage at The 5th Avenue Theatre this fall in the celebrated organization's 15th new musical, Secondhand Lions. Based on the beloved film starring Michael Caine and Robert Duvall, Secondhand Lions springs to musical life in Seattle with a superbly talented cast of Broadway stars and Seattle musical theater actors. Lead by Tony Award nominees Gregg Edelman and Mark Jacoby, this adventure story also features Jason Danieley, Jenny Powers, Kevin Earley, Jared Michael Brown, Kendra Kassebaum, Sophia Anne Caruso, and Justin Huertas. Johnny Rabe, star of Broadway's A Christmas Story, takes center stage as Walter.

Building on their reputation for presenting quality theatrical productions that are simultaneously entertaining and enlightening, Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, IN announced today their exciting 2014 season, an unprecedented season full of never before seen Chicagoland premieres. The area premiere of RING OF FIRE: THE MUSIC OF JOHNNY CASH, a unique musical about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, and home and family runs February 20 to March 30. Another Chicago area premiere, MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET, a warm and humorous play about a working class family living in Buffalo, New York runs May 1 to June 1. Fans of the television hit The Beverly Hillbillies should mark their calendars for the World Premiere of THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, THE MUSICAL. Featuring many well-known and beloved characters from the series, the production runs from July 10 to August 10. In the first North American production since its Broadway debut at the Lincoln Center, the madcap musical WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWNbased on the Spanish film of the same name runs September 11 to October 19. For the holidays, the Chicago area premiere musical A CHRISTMAS MEMORY, based on Truman Capote's famous short story, runs November 13 to December 14.

An all-star cast will take the stage at The 5th Avenue Theatre this fall in the celebrated organization's 15th new musical, Secondhand Lions. Based on the beloved film starring Michael Caine and Robert Duvall, Secondhand Lions springs to musical life in Seattle with a superbly talented cast of Broadway stars and Seattle musical theater actors. Lead by Tony Award nominees Gregg Edelman and Mark Jacoby, this adventure story also features Jason Danieley, Jenny Powers, Kevin Earley,Jared Michael Brown, Kendra Kassebaum, Sophia Anne Caruso, and Justin Huertas. Johnny Rabe, star of Broadway's A Christmas Story, takes center stage as Walter.

It's hard to believe, but Stages Musical Theatre Festival will be almost twenty years old this year. This perennial musical theatre event returns to Los Angeles the weekend of August 23-25, hosted by the New Musicals Initiative at the Academy for New Musical Theatre at the Lonny Chapman Theatre (10900 Burbank Blvd in North Hollywood) and the Academy, 5628 Vineland in North Hollywood, featuring eight new musicals, in concert.