Ryan Cunningham News

A modern take on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, I Love You Because first opened in 2006. What started as a grad project at NYU became a hit off-Broadway, and it is now about to open on the Krevsky Center stage at Theatre Harrisburg. With music by Joshua Salzman and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham, this musical explores relationships from breakups to rebounds, from friends to lovers and the many foibles that we often experience in the modern dating world. Broadway World had the opportunity to sit down with Caitlin Graci, director of I Love You Because at Theatre Harrisburg, and to take a sneak peek at their upcoming production.

This November, Native Earth will welcome back familiar faces and introduces emerging creators from across Turtle Island and beyond for its 30th annual Weesageechak Begins to Dance. Showcasing new works and works-in-development in theatre, dance, music and multi-disciplinary performance work, Weesageechak 30 will run from November 15th to 25th, 2017 at Aki Studio.

Artistic Director Tim Carroll announces the Shaw Festival's 2018 ensemble. This season's 56 actors will take to the stage in 14 productions, plus numerous Secret Theatre experiences.

This November, Native Earth will welcome back familiar faces and introduces emerging creators from across Turtle Island and beyond for its 30th annual Weesageechak Begins to Dance. Showcasing new works and works-in-development in theatre, dance, music and multi-disciplinary performance work, Weesageechak 30 will run from November 15th to 25th, 2017 at Aki Studio.

 The American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University (AMTP) announces the 2017/2018 season of workshop readings written by award-winning music theatre creators, directed by leading regional theater and Broadway directors and performed by students in the AMTP program.

The American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University (AMTP) announces the 2017/2018 season of workshop readings written by award-winning music theatre creators, directed by leading regional theater and Broadway directors and performed by students in the AMTP program.

Pushing the limits of the Shaw Festival's mission, an edgy slave story from a different era is being presented in The Royal George Theatre. By the looks of it, Shaw's usual audiences are in for an eye opener. Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (aka BJJ) has taken us on his own personal journey of frustrated playwright who takes the advice of his psychologist and writes a play as an homage to an obscure playwright Dion Boucicault. Boucicault's 1859 played entitled 'The Octoroon' has been transformed by BJJ into 'An Octoroon.' In doing so, BJJ creates a prologue of his own invention describing his personal journey in producing the original work, where no white actors would take on a the roles of evil white plantation and slave owners. 'The Octoroon' tells the story of a plantation that is on the brink of being sold, the original owner's sexual relations with a slave that produces an octoroon ( one who possesses 1/8 Negro blood), the threat of new found love, misogyny and the overall treatment of slaves.

The Shaw's production of An Octoroon is perhaps the funniest, and certainly the most subversive, theatre experience this season. Riffing off of Dion Boucicault's melodrama The Octoroon, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Obie Award-winning play is his sardonic, radical response to present and past attitudes of race. Directed by Peter Hinton, An Octoroon makes its Canadian premiere at the Royal George Theatre, beginning previews July 16.

The Shaw's production of An Octoroon is perhaps the funniest, and certainly the most subversive, theatre experience this season. Riffing off of Dion Boucicault's melodrama The Octoroon, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Obie Award-winning play is his sardonic, radical response to present and past attitudes of race. Directed by Peter Hinton, An Octoroon makes its Canadian premiere at the Royal George Theatre, beginning previews July 16.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announces 16 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.

Native Earth Performing Arts appoints Keith Barker, acclaimed Metis theatre artist as the new artistic director, announced the Native Earth board of directors today.

Equal parts political comedy and biographical drama, Alan Bennett's The Madness of George III explores the dangerous consequences when a king who loses control of his body, words and mind in the midst of his rule. The Madness of George III debuts at The Shaw's Royal George Theatre on April 11.

Matthew Jocelyn, Artistic & General Director, today announced Canadian Stage's 17.18 season celebrating the 30th anniversary of the company: a dynamic 16-show line-up featuring nine original Canadian creations (including four world premieres) that connect a sweeping range of artistic expressions. Canadian Stage continues its surge forward as Toronto's premiere destination for multidisciplinary performance with a new season that highlights cross-pollination between artists, companies and art forms:

After three seasons, Ryan Cunningham is leaving Native Earth Performing Arts to pursue personal artistic projects, starting with his debut at Shaw Festival this summer.

It was a sweet night for AKA NYC at the 12th Annual Davey Awards as the entertainment marketing agency captured three Gold Awards for its work on behalf of the upcoming Broadway musical CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY.

The Shaw Festival proudly announces casting for Artistic Director Tim Carroll's first season. The Shaw's 2017 ensemble is a mix of new faces and Festival favourites - each actor ready to entertain and excite audiences in this season's 11 productions.

Feinstein's/54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club presents the I Love You Because 10th Anniversary Reunion Concert, a concert performance by the original cast of the Drama Desk-nominated Off Broadway musical from the Larson Award-winning team of Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham on Sunday, December 4 at 7:00pm and 9:30pm.

AFTER HOURS THEATRE COMPANY, (who most recently produced Jonathan Larson's tick, ...tick...BOOM!), presents a modern day musical love story, I LOVE YOU BECAUSE, music by Joshua Salzman, book and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham, musical direction by Elmo Zapp, choreography by Aja Gomez and directed by Rebecca Kenigsberg. I LOVE YOU BECAUSE opened July 22 and will perform through Sunday, August 7 at the Hudson Backstage, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

This past week I saw two different musicals that have taken their inspiration from classic Jane Austen novels and, while completely different in size and scale, both have considerable merits. The first is in San Diego where Paul Gordon's to-die-for new musical SENSE AND SENSIBILITY is gracing the stage at The Old Globe.