Lynnette Barkley News

Westchester Broadway Theatre to present BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS, conceived and developed by Lynnette Barkley and Christopher McGovern, with book/musical arrangements/original songs by Christopher McGovern. Directed and choreographed by Jeremy Benton, with musical direction by Jose Simbulan, the show runs August 13 - September 20, 2015, starring Darien Crago as Ginger Rogers.

Ah, liaisons! Old love is rekindled, young love is awakened, and foolish romantic escapades intertwine in Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's ravishing A Little Night Music, opening Friday, July 10 (8pm) at Palm Beach Dramaworks. This concert presentation, which runs through July 19 at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre, is directed by Lynnette Barkley, with musical direction by Kevin David Thomas. Leading the cast are William Michals, who previously captivated audiences in PBD's concert productions of Man of La Mancha and The Most Happy Fella; and Sondheim veteran Joy Franz, who created the role of the Stepmother in the original production of Into the Woods.

Two of the most gleefully malevolent characters ever created bring their decadent ways to Palm Beach Dramaworks in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, opening tonight, January 30 at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre. Written by Christopher Hampton from the novel by Choderlos de Laclos, thiscompelling, wickedly clever tale of seduction, gamesmanship, debauchery, and degradation runs through March 1, with specially priced previews on January 28 and 29.

?Two of the most gleefully malevolent characters ever created bring their decadent ways to Palm Beach Dramaworks in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, opening on January 30 at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre. Written by Christopher Hampton from the novel by Choderlos de Laclos, thiscompelling, wickedly clever tale of seduction, gamesmanship, debauchery, and degradation runs through March 1, with specially priced previews on January 28 and 29.

The Winter Park Playhouse presents the Central Florida Premiere of Backwards In High Heels August 1-23, 2014. Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm, Saturday and select Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm and select Wednesday, Thursday and Friday matinees at 2:00 pm. A special 'Third Thursday' performance is August 14 at 7:30 pm. The preview performance is Thursday July 31at 7:30 pm.

Kathy Evans, Founding Executive Director, announced the nine musicals and twenty-six writers selected for the 2014 Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, its fourth year of providing working retreats for musical theatre writers. For nine consecutive weeks beginning June 29th, each writing team will have an individual weeklong residency in Rhinebeck, New York to write their musical. They are provided with a private home, transportation, food, and a stipend. All costs are fully funded by donors including The ASCAP Foundation, The Dramatists Guild Fund, and The Noel Coward Foundation. Writers participating this year include Broadway's Mindi Dickstein (Little Women), this year's Kleban Prize winner Nathan Tysen (Burnt Part Boys), and Peter Mills, past winner of the Kleban, Fred Ebb Award, and Richard Rodgers prize. The musicals' subjects cover 19th century nautical mysteries, 20th century fairy tales, a 1970's gay bar, and modern-day meth addicts. Every score is original and styles include 16th century Renaissance, big band, folk, rock, and electronic music.

Palm Beach Dramaworks celebrates its fifteenth anniversary with a lineup of illustrious plays, beginning on October 10 with Thornton Wilder's Pultizer Prize-winning Our Town, and continuing with Israel Horovitz's My Old Lady, the Christopher Hampton adaptation of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos's Les Liaisons Dangereuses, and Sam Shepard's Pulitzer Prize-winning Buried Child, and Lanie Robertson's Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. All performances are at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre (201 Clematis Street).

Winner of the Tony and Olivier Awards, Brian Friel's finely-etched memory play Dancing at Lughnasa will conclude Palm Beach Dramamworks' 2012-2013 season, with performances beginning on Friday, May 24 (8PM) at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre (201 Clematis Street). The touching story of five adult sisters will play a strictly limited engagement through June 16, with specially priced preview performances slated for tonight, May 22 & 23.

Winner of the Tony and Olivier Awards, Brian Friel's finely-etched memory play Dancing at Lughnasa will conclude Palm Beach Dramamworks' 2012-2013 season, with performances beginning on Friday, May 24 (8PM) at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre (201 Clematis Street). The touching story of five adult sisters will play a strictly limited engagement through June 16, with specially priced preview performances slated for May 22 & 23.

The curtain will rise on Eugene Ionesco's absurdist classic Exit the Kingwhen Palm Beach Dramamworks resumes its 2012-13 season on Friday, March 29 (8PM) at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre (201 Clematis Street).

McGovern creatively opens and closes the musical with an image that evokes all the glitter and glamor of old Hollywood: the presentation of the Academy Awards in 1941, the year that Ginger Rogers beat out such adversaries as Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Joan Fontaine and Martha Scott for the best actress Oscar for her performance of "knocked-up shopgirl" Kitty Foyle.

Jeremy Benton has come a long way since he was dancing around in the backyard of his family's home in Springfield, Tennessee. In fact, way back when-before he even had his first dance class with Cherri Coleman at the Springfield School of Classical Dance-for all he knew he might have even created or invented what he later learned was referred to as "tap."

Ginger Rogers danced her way into the hearts of millions-and into the arms of Fred Astaire-in some of filmdom's best-loved musicals. Beginning July 27, Cumberland County Playhouse gives you the chance to see Ginger's awe-inspiring story brought to life in Backwards in High Heels, a new musical set to some of the 20th century's best-known music.

San Jose Repertory Theatre has received 12 nominations from the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics' Circle (BATCC) for productions in its 2010-2011 season.

San Jose Repertory Theatre has received 12 nominations from the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics' Circle (BATCC) for productions in its 2010-2011 season.

Acclaimed actress Anna Aimee White takes on the role of Ginger Rogers in Backwards In High Heels:The Ginger Musical, the captivating story of the star's journey from her hometown to Hollywood and from one love affair to another.

Acclaimed actress Anna Aimee White takes on the role of Ginger Rogers in Backwards In High Heels:The Ginger Musical, the captivating story of the star's journey from her hometown to Hollywood and from one love affair to another.

San Jose Repertory Theatre is thrilled to add The Flying Karamazov Brothers to the 30th Anniversary Season! The Flying Karamazov Brothers are best known for bringing together the worlds of performance art, improvisation, word play, harmony and emotion for a stupendously entertaining evening! The Brothers bring their latest creation, 4PLAY, a ground-breaking blend of nouveau cirque, comedy, theatre, music and, of course, juggling to San Jose. This exuberant and hilarious off-Broadway rave is full of fast-paced virtuosity and fun as the four brothers, master practitioners of cheap theatrics, juggle ‘til they drop. This limited engagement will run from November 10 to November 14, 2010.

San Jose Repertory Theatre is thrilled to add The Flying Karamazov Brothers to the 30th Anniversary Season! The Flying Karamazov Brothers are best known for bringing together the worlds of performance art, improvisation, word play, harmony and emotion for a stupendously entertaining evening! The Brothers bring their latest creation, 4PLAY, a ground-breaking blend of nouveau cirque, comedy, theatre, music and, of course, juggling to San Jose. This exuberant and hilarious off-Broadway rave is full of fast-paced virtuosity and fun as the four brothers, master practitioners of cheap theatrics, juggle ‘til they drop. This limited engagement will run from November 10 to November 14, 2010.