Jason H. Thompson News

The argument for using the pop music method of 'slant rhyming' (frowned on by musical theatre lyricists as 'false rhyming' or using 'sound-a-likes') is that by not limiting lyricists to using perfect rhymes it greatly expands the number of ideas that can be expressed.  If that's so, the number of slant rhymes used in Venice, the new hip-hop/rock musical riff on Shakespeare's Othello, could potentially contain enough ideas to fill up a First Folio.

The Public Theater presents the new Public Lab musical Venice, with book by Eric Rosen, music by Matt Sax, lyrics by Matt Sax and Eric Rosen, and additional music by Curtis Moore. Directed by Eric Rosen, Venice will run in The Public's Anspacher Theater through Sunday, June 23, with an official press opening tonight, June 13.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced a one week extension today for the new Public Lab musical VENICE, with book by Eric Rosen, music by Matt Sax, lyrics by Matt Sax and Eric Rosen, additional music by Curtis Moore, and choreography by Chase Brock. Directed by Eric Rosen, VENICE began performances on Tuesday, May 28 and was originally scheduled to close on Sunday, June 23. It will now run an additional week through Sunday, June 30.

The Public Theater's new Public Lab musical Venice, with book by Eric Rosen, music by Matt Sax, lyrics by Matt Sax and Eric Rosen, and additional music by Curtis Moore begins performances today. Directed by Eric Rosen, Venice will run in The Public's Anspacher Theater beginning on Tuesday, May 28 through Sunday, June 23, with an official press opening on Thursday, June 13.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) will begin previews for the new Public Lab musical VENICE, with book by Eric Rosen, music by Matt Sax, lyrics by Matt Sax and Eric Rosen, additional music by Curtis Moore, and choreography by Chase Brock. Directed by Eric Rosen, VENICE will run through Sunday, June 23 in The Public's Anspacher Theater, with an official press opening on Thursday, June 13.

The Public Theater announced complete casting today for the new Public Lab musical VENICE, with book by Eric Rosen, music by Matt Sax, lyrics by Matt Sax and Eric Rosen, additional music by Curtis Moore, and choreography by Chase Brock. Directed by Eric Rosen, VENICE will run Tuesday, May 28 through Sunday, June 23 in The Public's Anspacher Theater, with an official press opening on Thursday, June 13.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced casting today for the new Public Lab musical VENICE, with book by Eric Rosen, music by Matt Sax, lyrics by Matt Sax and Eric Rosen, and additional music by Curtis Moore. Directed by Eric Rosen, VENICE will run in The Public's Anspacher Theater beginning on Tuesday, May 28 through Sunday, June 23, with an official press opening on Thursday, June 13.

In a timely production that coincides with the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination, TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, presents the regional premiere of THE MOUNTAINTOP by Katori Hall. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle (LADCC) has announced its nominations and special awards for excellence in Los Angeles and Orange County theatre in 2012. The 44th annual LADCC Awards ceremony will take place on Monday, March 18 at historic, heralded Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring Street in downtown L.A.

The Public Theater presents VENICE, a new musical with book by Eric Rosen, music by Matt Sax, lyrics by Matt Sax and Eric Rosen, and additional music by Curtis Moore, for its 2013 spring season at the newly revitalized Public Theater at Astor Place. Directed by Eric Rosen, VENICE will run in The Public's Anspacher Theater beginning on Tuesday, May 28 through Sunday, June 23, with an official press opening on Thursday, June 13. VENICE is a next generation Broadway musical that uses the vocabulary of hip-hop while sampling Othello and Brecht to spin an epic tale of struggle and redemption. Watch a promo for the show below!

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced today that VENICE, a new musical with book by Eric Rosen, music by Matt Sax, lyrics by Matt Sax and Eric Rosen, and additional music by Curtis Moore, has been added to the 2013 spring season at the newly revitalized Public Theater at Astor Place. Directed by Eric Rosen, VENICE will run in The Public's Anspacher Theater beginning on Tuesday, May 28 through Sunday, June 23, with an official press opening on Thursday, June 13. Public Lab Member tickets for VENICE, priced at $12, are on sale now at (212) 539-8650.

Based on the actual atrocities committed circa 2004 onward at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, Bad Apples is another bold undertaking by Circle X, one that is scathingly real and at the same time exhilarating theatre. Two soldiers Specialist Charles Graner - named Chuck Shepard (James Black) in the play and his fiance Lynndie England - here named Pvt. Lyndsay Skinner (Kate Morgan Chadwick) were convicted in courts martial, imprisoned and dishonorably discharged for torture, abuse, and sexual crimes including rape of Iraqi prisoners.

Sesame Street meets South Park when Richard Israel teams up with musical director Chris Raymond, choreographer Angela Todaro and puppet master Libby Letlow to direct AVENUE Q for a limited run, tonight, Nov. 9 through Dec. 16, at the intimate MET Theatre in Hollywood.

Celebration Theatre in association with DEMAND PRoductions and Peter Schneider have announced the first show of its celebratory 30th Anniversary Season, the smash-hit, critically-acclaimed world premiere musical, JUSTIN LOVE, book by Patricia Cotter and David Elzer, story by David Elzer and Bret Calder, music by Lori Scarlett and David Manning, lyrics by Lori Scarlett, directed by Michael Matthews, choreography by Janet Roston and musical direction by Gregory Nabours is adding performances through Sunday, December 16 at Celebration Theatre, 7051B Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood.

Stars of David is a world premiere musical based on Abigail Pogrebin's book, Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish. Nancy is a journalist who doesn't feel a connection with her Jewish heritage and decides to embark on a book project to interview well-known figures about their cultural identity. The interviews result in words, videos and musical portrayals of Gloria Steinem, Leonard Nimoy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Joan Rivers, Aaron Sorkin, Tony Kushner, Fran Drescher and more.

The Road Theatre Company and Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, have announced the first production of their 22nd season, the west coast premiere of THE DETECTIVE'S WIFE, written by Keith Huff (The Bird and Mr. Banks, Pursued by Happiness, A Steady Rain), directed by Mark St. Amant (The Bird and Mr. banks, Pursued by Happiness) and starring Taylor Gilbert as Alice Conroy.

The Road Theatre Company and Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, have announced the first production of their 22nd season, the west coast premiere of THE DETECTIVE'S WIFE, written by Keith Huff (The Bird and Mr. Banks, Pursued by Happiness, A Steady Rain), directed by Mark St. Amant (The Bird and Mr. banks, Pursued by Happiness) and starring Taylor Gilbert as Alice Conroy. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the show below.

Circle X Theatre Co. presents the world premiere musical, Bad Apples, book by Jim Leonard, music and lyrics by Rob Cairns and Beth Thornley, directed by John Langs, choreography by Cassandra Daurden, and musical direction by Rob Cairns and Beth Thornley. Bad Apples is currently running through Saturday, December 1 at Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave. in Los Angeles. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the show below.

Sesame Street meets South Park when Richard Israel teams up with musical director Chris Raymond, choreographer Angela Todaro and puppet master Libby Letlow to direct AVENUE Q for a limited run, Nov. 9 through Dec. 16, at the intimate MET Theatre in Hollywood.

Winding up an ambitious, critically-acclaimed 2012 season of Broadway musicals, DOMA Theatre Company presents the only Tony Award-winning musical ever to proclaim, "It sucks to be us." Sesame Street meets South Park when Richard Israel teams up with musical director Chris Raymond, choreographer Angela Todaro and puppet master Libby Letlow to direct Avenue Q for a limited run, Nov. 9 through Dec. 16, at the intimate MET Theatre in Hollywood.