Jaradoa Theater News

Anika Larsen, star of the upcoming Off-Broadway musical SHAFRIKA, THE WHITE GIRL, will be this week's special guest on SIRIUS XM Live on Broadway Wednesday, June 3rd at noon at The Broadway Concierge & Ticket Center in The Times Square Information Center (Seventh Ave. between 46th & 47th St.)

The Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz, starring Ashanti, LaChanze and Orlando Jones, will open on Thursday, June 18 at New York City Center. (Previews begin June 12). Easing down the road with Ashanti's Dorothy will be Joshua Henry, James Monroe Iglehart, Christian White, Tichina Arnold and Dawnn Lewis.

Rehearsals are set to begin today (May 18th) for SHAFRIKA, THE WHITE GIRL, a new musical presented by Jaradoa Theater, beginning Friday, June 12 through June 28 at the Dimson Theatre at The Vineyard, 108 East 15th Street (between Union Square East & Irving Place). Written by Anika Larsen, SHAFRIKA, THE WHITE GIRL is co-conceived and directed by April Nickell.

Jaradoa Theater will present SHAFRIKA, THE WHITE GIRL, a new musical, beginning Friday, June 12 through June 28 at the Dimson Theatre at The Vineyard, 108 East 15th Street (between Union Square East & Irving Place). Written by Anika Larsen, SHAFRIKA, THE WHITE GIRL is co-conceived and directed by April Nickell.

Nigel, a brindle-hair Cairn Terrier, will be making his professional stage debut as Toto in the Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz, starring Ashanti as Dorothy, June 12 - July 5 at New York City Center, 131 W. 55th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues).

Orlando Jones will play The Wiz, and Tony Award-winning actress LaChanze will play Glinda, the good witch, in the Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz, starring Ashanti, June 12 July 5 at New York City Center. Glinda's sister-witches will include Tichina Arnold as Evillene and Dawnn Lewis as Addaperle. Easing down the road with Ashanti's Dorothy will be Joshua Henry as the Tinman, James Monroe Iglehart as the Lion and Christian White as the Scarecrow.

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, a new musical based on the beloved Laura Ingalls Wilder series of classic American books, will launch a national tour in October at The Ordway Theatre in St. Paul, Minnesota, following a five-week engagement beginning September 10 at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, N.J. Melissa Gilbert, who rose to fame as a child playing ?Laura' in the hugely successful NBC television series 'Little House on the Prairie' during the 1970's, now continues her legacy ?on the prairie' by taking on the role of Ma. LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE will also star Steve Blanchard as Pa and Kara Lindsay as Laura.

Friday, November 7th, features a special PRE-PARTY edition of THE AFTER PARTY. This one night only event will present THE AFTER PARTY from 7:30pm to Midnight, rather than its usual time of 10:30pm to 4am. THE AFTER PARTY's PRE-PARTY will feature Avenue Q's SHARON WHEATLEY and Tale of Two Cities' DEVIN RICHARDS. All will be on hand to greet fans and perform as only they can.

Vocal powerhouses, Ritter Hanz and Kevin Smith Kirkwood are proud to be back in NYC for two nights only to delight audiences with their new cabaret, 'Comme Tu Veux,' performing Monday and Tuesday, September 22nd and 23rd at the 42nd Street's acclaimed Laurie Beechman Theatre.

Vocal powerhouses, Ritter Hanz and Kevin Smith Kirkwood are proud to be back in NYC for two nights only to delight audiences with their new cabaret, 'Comme Tu Veux,' performing Monday and Tuesday, September 22nd and 23rd at the 42nd Street's acclaimed Laurie Beechman Theatre.

Jim Caruso's Cast Party will present EXTRAVAGAINZA: THE SONGS OF HENRY GAINZA, Monday August 11th at 7:00 p.m., as part of the long-running, Nightlife Award-winning concert series Broadway at Birdland.

Jim Caruso's Cast Party will present EXTRAVAGAINZA: THE SONGS OF HENRY GAINZA, Monday August 11th at 7:00 p.m., as part of the long-running, Nightlife Award-winning concert series Broadway at Birdland.

Jaradoa Theater, a company of professional theater artists - actors, directors, designers, writers - who serve through performance, is celebrating the success of its first year with the 2nd Annual JARADOA JAM fundraiser onMonday, June 9 at 5 and 8 pm at the Vineyard Theatre.

Jaradoa Theater will present 'The Small of Her Back,' a new play by Russell Leigh Sharman, starting on May 9th.

Jaradoa Theater's first theatrical outing is an ambitious new musical called 'Serenade', in which an optimistic young silhouette artist comes to the Big City and falls in love with the first woman he sees twice.

Serenade star Anika Larsen is set to perform a number from the show at the Union Square Holiday Market tomorrow, December 7 at 4PM.

'Serenade' by Jaradoa Theater is making two special matinees available at no cost to students participating in their outreach programs on December 5 and 12.

The Laurie Beechman Theatre is pleased to continue their Friday Night Soiree 'The After Party,' an informal midtown schmoozefest for the theatrically inclined every Friday at 10:30PM. Special guests Friday night November 30 are Natalie Hill (Grease) and Kevin Smith Kirkwood (Spelling Bee).

WGHT Radio (1500AM), North Jersey's oldies station, has just launched 'Curtain Call,' a new program covering the NY & NJ theater scene. Morning host Teisha Bader will be interviewing stars of Broadway, Off-Broadway and local theaters (including Paper Mill) every Wednesday at 9:30AM. Up this week on November 21 is Anika Larsen, currently appearing in the Broadway hit Xanadu, and soon to star Off-Broadway in Serenade.

Jaradoa Theater is throwing its first annual 'Jaradoa BOUNCE!,' a dance party to celebrate their debut season, this Thursday, November 1 at 8PM - 1AM at Libation. The evening will feature drink specials as well as fun prizes including Broadway tickets and backstage tours to Rent and Xanadu. Admission is $15.