Jon Kaplan News

Jacoba Knaapen, Toronto Alliance or the Performing Arts (TAPA) Executive Director and Dora Mavor Moore Awards Producer, announced the VIP presenters today for the 38th Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards, to be held on Monday, June 26 at the Elgin Theatre of the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre.

The story of queer Jazz Age poet, Hart Crane, whirls us through a mythic landscape of New York: the docks at night, the vaudeville theatres, burlesque houses and boxing matches. A century later, three young artists chronicle Crane's final voyage across the sea while navigating their own uncharted waters. The Night Hart Crane Kissed Me combines poetry, biography, live music, magic, physical theatre and stage combat in an exploration of the Poet's role in a society that continues to undermine and undervalue its artists.

lemonTree creations presents the touring production of MSM [men seeking men], a dance theatre piece inspired by transcripts of online conversations between men seeking other men. This all-queer cast explores hook-up culture, fetishism, racism, homophobia and straight-up sex.

At a press conference held May 30 in the lobby of the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) announced 235 nominations for the 38th Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards, which recognize excellence in the performing arts in Toronto.

Best Musical Tony Award contender COME FROM AWAY won big at the Toronto Theatre Critics Awards including Best New Musical, Best Production of a Musical, and Best Direction of a Musical. Mirvish Productions produced the show at the Royal Alexandra Theatre last December before it moved down to New York.

Roundup: Check Out The Top Stories From Toronto You Might Have Missed 5/5 - COC's TOSCA and More!

In the time-honoured tradition of acknowledging the loss of an important member of the theatre community, Mirvish Productions will dim the marquee lights of all its four theatres - the Royal Alexandra, the Princess of Wales, the Ed Mirvish and the Panasonic - on Tuesday, May 2nd, 8 PM, in honour of Jon Kaplan, who passed away on April 28th.

Due to overwhelming audience response, Cloud 9 Theatricals, in association with Lang Entertainment Group and Ray of Light Theatre, announced today the extension of the San Francisco premiere of SILENCE! The Musical - the "subversively funny and deliciously tasty" award-winning musical parody of "The Silence of the Lambs." Originally scheduled to close on Saturday, February 25, tickets are now on-sale through Saturday, March 18. 

Here is the ultimate - unauthorized - parody of The Silence of the Lambs! In the Academy Award-winning film The Silence of the Lambs, rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling matches wits with the brilliant but insane cannibal, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, to catch the serial killer known only as Buffalo Bill. Clarice must face her own demons and race the clock to unlock Lecter's clues before another innocent girl is killed and skinned by Bill. It's a hair-raising thriller that's kept countless millions on the edges of their seats and permeated the pop lexicon with delightfully creepy quotes like "I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti" and of course "It places the lotion in the basket."

SILENCE! THE MUSICAL is a 2005 musical created by Jon and Al Kaplan and Hunter Bell as a parody of the 1991 Academy Award-winning film The Silence of the Lambs. The project began in 2003 as an internet musical made up of nine songs that retold the entire story. The audio tracks became so popular that a stage production was conceived and mounted. The show has received awards and accolades including Outstanding Musical (New York International Fringe Festival), Best New Musical (Off Broadway Alliance), and Top Ten Plays and Musicals (Time Magazine). This production from Doctuh Mistuh Productions is a remount of their 2014 B. Iden Payne award winning Best Musical production. It also won B. Iden Payne Awards for Best Actress and Best Director

After its successful run in 2014, Doctuh Mistuh Productions will be bringing SILENCE! THE MUSICAL back to Austin, Texas for a three week run, August 18 through September 4. DMP will be remounting the revival at Austin Playhouse in Highland Mall. Amy Downing will be reprising her award-winning performance as Clarice Starling. She will be joined by original cast members Huck Huckaby (Hannibal), David Ponton (Buffalo Bill), Libby Dees Detling (Catherine & Senator Martin), and Matt Connely (Papa Schtarling). New cast members include Andrew Cannata (Dr. Chilton), Scott Shipman (Jack Crawford), Jessica O'Brien (Ardelia Mapp), Kathryn Lane (Dream Clarice) and Brian DeFilippo (Dream Hannibal). The production will be stage and music directed by DMP Artistic Director Michael McKelvey.

SILENCE! The Musical (lyrics & music by Jon Kaplan & Al Kaplan and book by Hunter Bell) is being produced by Standing Room Only Productions at Obsidian Theater (www.obsidiantheater.org). With direction by Chris Patton, music direction by Eduardo Guzman, choreography by Eric Dano and assistant direction and stage management by Lauren Hainley, the production begins today, June 9, and continues through June 25, 2016.

Over the past 9 seasons, The Ringwald Theatre has gained a reputation for producing irreverant, shocking, bloody, funny, searing works.  As they prepare to embark on Season 10, the theme will be Essential Ringwald, producing new shows that extend and magnify the type of shows Detroit has come to expect from the tiny theatre in the heart of Ferndale.

I got the opportunity to speak with actors Chris Gibson and Rachel Landon, Stage Manager Lauren Hainley, and Choreographer Eric Dano about SRO's upcoming production of SILENCE! THE MUSICAL. The musical is a parody of the 1991 Academy Award winning film, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. The show is directed by Chris Patton and stars Chris Gibson, Rachel Landon,Bryan Kaplun, Chaney Moore, Tom Stell, Kiefer Slaton, Maryann Williams, Taelon J. Stonecipher, and Heather Buzonas. SILENCE! THE MUSICAL will make its Houston premiere and run from June 9 - June 25, 2016 at Obsidian Theater.

SILENCE! The Musical (lyrics & music by Jon Kaplan & Al Kaplan and book by Hunter Bell) will be produced by Standing Room Only Productions at Obsidian Theater (www.obsidiantheater.org). With direction by Chris Patton, music direction by Eduardo Guzman, choreography by Eric Dano and assistant direction and stage management by Lauren Hainley, the production will run June 9 through June 25, 2016. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in costume below!

SILENCE! The Musical (lyrics & music by Jon Kaplan & Al Kaplan and book by Hunter Bell) will be produced by Standing Room Only Productions at Obsidian Theater (www.obsidiantheater.org). With direction by Chris Patton, music direction by Eduardo Guzman, choreography by Eric Dano and assistant direction and stage management by Lauren Hainley, the production will run June 9 through June 25, 2016.

After Le diner de cons (The Dinner Game) and L'Emmerdeur (A Pain in the Ass), Francis Veber's acclaimed character Francois Pignon returns to the TfT stage - and this time, he's coming out of the closet!

Spread the word because this cannibalistic comedy, a purposely vulgar unauthorized parody of 'The Silence of the Lambs,' is unlike anything our area has ever seen.

Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis welcomes the Regional Premiere of Silence! The Musical opening tonight, August 13, 2015 on the Frank and Katrina Basile Stage. This production runs through September 13, 2015, with Bryan Fonseca serving as director.

Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis announces the Regional Premiere of Silence! The Musical opening August 13, 2015 on the Frank and Katrina Basile Stage. This production runs through September 13, 2015, with Bryan Fonseca serving as director.