Michael Wartella News

The Butterfly - adapted from Patricia Polacco's book of the same name by Charles Greenberg (Music) and Barbara Zinn Krieger (Book & Lyrics) and directed by David Schechter - will be presented by Making Books Sing, the New York-based company dedicated to turning culturally and historically significant books for young readers into musical works for the stage, with performances in the Bronx at the Lovinger Theatre at Lehman College from January 28 to February 1; in Brooklyn at the Goldstein Theatre at Kingsborough Community College from February 4 to 8; in Manhattan at Symphony Space from February 9 to 12; and in Queens at Laguardia Performing Arts Center at Laguardia Community College from February 14 to 15.

The world premiere of the new family musical The Butterfly - adapted from Patricia Polacco's book of the same name by Charles Greenberg (Music) and Barbara Zinn Krieger (Book & Lyrics) and directed by David Schechter - will be presented by Making Books Sing, the New York-based company dedicated to turning culturally and historically significant books for young readers into musical works for the stage, with performances throughout New York.

TheatreworksUSA, described as 'the nation's leading not-for-profit theatre company for family audiences,' will celebrate its 19th annual free summer theatre offering with a special performance Seussical featuring a special pre-show reading of the classic Dr. Seuss book 'Green Eggs and Ham' by Tony Award-winner Cynthia Nixon

TheatreworksUSA, as part of its 19th Annual Free Summer Theatre Program, presents a new version of the Broadway musical Seussical, written by Lynn Ahrens (lyrics and book) and Stephen Flaherty (music and book).

Neil Bartlett's reimagined 'Oliver Twist' abducts Charles Dickens' classic tale, sends it through the meat-grinder, and spits it back onto its feet in a fantastic and grimy work of art.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre ends its 2006/07 Season with a dark and delightful new adaptation of Charles Dickens' 'Oliver Twist' staged by one of Britain's most innovative theatre artists, beginning previews in the Roda Theatre on May 11, opens May 16, and closes June 24.

TheatreworksUSA, the non-profit professional theatre led by Artistic Director Barbara Pasternack and Managing Director Ken Arthur, announced today that Tony and Emmy Award winner Cynthia Nixon ('Sex and the City') will serve as Honorary Chair for the 19th Annual Free Summer Theatre Program.

The most difficult aspect of dramatizing a well-known and well-loved work of literature is finding the correct balance between maintaining the integrity of the original work and adding elements to justify the adaptation. The recent Broadway revival of A Chorus Line was criticized for being a carbon copy of the original production, while the short-lived, musicalized version of The Wedding Singer film was criticized for changing key plot points. How, then, can an adaptation to the stage do justice to the original work as well as bring the material to life in a new and innovative way? Neil Bartlett seems to know the secret. In his adaptation of 'Oliver Twist,' the classic novel by Charles Dickens, Bartlett captures the dark, dank world of the young orphan in a way that Lionel Bart's musical Oliver! fails to do. There are no upbeat songs about 'Oom-Pah-Pah!' or considering yourself part of the family; Bartlett's Oliver Twist is no musical comedy.