Benton Whitley News

Black Theatre United has engaged Christina Alexander of Alexander Consulting Group to create a digital Unconscious Bias and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility & Belonging (EDIAB) training program for use by the entire theatrical industry.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre announced the full cast and creative team for the world premiere musical, Goddess. The musical stage production is conceived and directed by Saheem Ali, music and lyrics by Michael Thurber, and written by Jocelyn Bioh. Previews begin Saturday, August 13, and the show runs through Sunday, September 25.

Don't Call Me John!, a new musical comedy with an original book by Chris Recker, music by Ben Moss, and lyrics by Tony Oblen, will present industry preview readings on Thursday, June 23 and Friday, June 24 at Open Jar Studios in New York City.  

Great Performances – Reopening: The Broadway Revival pulls the curtain back on some of Broadway’s most popular shows, revealing how the New York theater industry undertook the monumental process of turning the lights back on after its longest hiatus in history due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Founding Members of Black Theatre United (BTU) announce the release of their historic New Deal For Broadway, establishing industry-wide standards and reforms around Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility & Belonging (EDIAB) with a focus on Black individuals in theatre.

As Black Theatre United (BTU) marks its first year since the organization’s creation, the Founding Members have just announced they held a three-month Commercial Theatre Summit from March to June 2021 to establish industry- wide standards around Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility & Belonging (EDIAB) with a focus on Black individuals in theatre as we move into the future.

Producers Brian Moreland and Arvind Ethan David have announced #WhileWeBreathe: A Night of Creative Protest in benefit of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc and The Bail Project, Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity (BOLD), BYP100 Education Fund, Forced Trajectory Project (FTP), The Justice Committee, and SONG.

Learn more about all the streaming offerings, podcasts, classes, and more streaming from Chicago arts orgs this month.:

After beating Stage 2 Hodgkin's lymphoma when he was a sophomore at Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, Broadway and Television actor Rob Morean is back as Executive Producer and Host of 'Band Together: Lights Up on Broadway.'

In response to the stay-at-home and social distancing orders implemented by the COVID-19 pandemic, BAMtheatre has reimagined its musical theatre-focused programming through a host of virtual master classes, workshops, choirs and other activities to keep students connected. This new sector of programming is called a??BAM @ a Distance.

As BroadwayWorld reported last night, Casting Society of America honored excellence in casting across feature films, television and theatre at the 35th Annual Artios Awards held on Thursday, January 30 at ceremonies in New York, Los Angeles, and London. The New York ceremony was hosted by Michelle Buteau at Stage 48, Ron Funches hosted in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton, and Jason Isaacs hosted in London at the Four Seasons Hotel at Ten Trinity Square.

Casting Society of America honored excellence in casting across feature films, television and theatre at the 35th Annual Artios Awards held on Thursday, January 30 at ceremonies in New York, Los Angeles, and London. The New York ceremony was hosted by Michelle Buteau at Stage 48, Ron Funches hosted in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton, and Jason Isaacs hosted in London at the Four Seasons Hotel at Ten Trinity Square.

Casting Society of America (CSA) today announced the television and theatre nominees for the 35th Artios Awards, which honor the contribution of Casting Directors to film, television and theatre. The winners will be revealed on Thursday, January 30, 2020 in ceremonies in Los Angeles, New York City and London. Comedian, actor and writer Ron Funches will serve as host for the Los Angeles event.

Due to an overwhelming demand and two weeks of sold-out previews, Berkeley Rep has announced that the world premiere of Paradise Square: A New Musical will extend for an additional week. Originally scheduled to close on February 17, the popular show will now run through Sunday, February 24.

Love Actually Live, a multimedia-concert celebration of the soundtrack to one of the most beloved holiday movies of all time from the team behind Los Angeles' award-winning For The Record series, is featured this holiday season at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts from Tuesday, December 4, through Monday, December 31, 2018. Co-Produced by the Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts, Shane Scheel and Siobhan O'Neill and inspired by the Universal Pictures/Working Title motion picture written by Richard Curtis, this world-premiere production, presented by special arrangement with Universal Theatrical Group, transforms The Wallis' Bram Goldsmith Theater into a giant, immersive, cinema for the modern day. The production, a one-of-a-kind presentation is performed live by an all-star cast and 15-piece orchestra, includes songs from the hit film, including 'Christmas Is All Around,' 'The Trouble with Love Is,' and 'Both Sides Now.'

STU FOR SILVERTON, a new musical about a small town that accepted change and celebrated community in the face of great fear, is seeking trans and non-binary performers to play the title role in upcoming productions and workshops. With a book by Peter Duchan (Dogfight, Breaking Upwards), music and lyrics by Breedlove (Craig Jessup), and direction by Andrew Russell (former Artistic Director of Seattle's Intiman Theatre), STU FOR SILVERTON will undergo a two-week workshop in Newport News, Virgina this August in preparation for future regional and New York productions. The casting search will be led by Benton Whitley CSA of Stewart/Whitley. STU FOR SILVERTON is produced by Diana DiMenna (Three Tall Women; The Iceman Cometh; Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812).

Yesterday, TodayTix, Inc., celebrated the launch of The X Magazine, a brand-new monthly publication offering insider access to the cultural landscape - from the hottest restaurants to the latest fashions to exclusive interviews with the biggest and brightest stars of Broadway and beyond. BroadwayWorld has photos from the event below!

The Casting Society of America announced nominees for the 2018 Artios Awards for all Television, Theatre, Short Films and Short Form Series categories. Congratulations to all the nominees!!

The Broadway Experience musical theatre intensive will celebrate its 10th Anniversary season in summer 2017 in New York City.

Tony Award-nominated actress Emily Skinner heads up an all-star cast for a newly conceptualized production of INTO THE WOODS at Theatre Under The Stars, which opened December 6. The student cast from the Humphreys School of Musical Theatre posed for some very special photos with their adult character counterparts. Check out the pics below!