Industry Theatre Newsroom Page 102

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announces 11 awards granted from their Frank Young Fund for New Musicals(formerly known as the National Fund for New Musicals), and six awards granted from their Innovation & Exploration Fund.

The new musical revue, THE PIN UP GIRLS, written by James Hindman (Popcorn Falls) and Jeffrey Lodin (Disney's Doug Live!) will be presented to a private industry audience ahead of its world premiere production at the Casa Manana Theatre in Fort Worth Texas.

Last week for actors to apply for the Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) Audition Weekend, a combined audition presented with sponsorship from BackStage, Dan Lane Williams Photography, The PIT, Todd Estrin Photography and Reproductions.com on May 19 and 20 at The Peoples Improv Theater, 123 E 24 Street, NYC.

The Dennis & Victoria Ross Foundation (DVRF) will present an industry reading of Amy Gijsbers van Wijk's DIRTY DIRTY as part of the 2019 DVRF Playwrights Program.  The reading stars Tina Benko (Nantucket Sleigh Ride), Andrew Durand (Ink, Head Over Heels), Kyle Beltran (Blue Ridge), Mirirai Sithole (School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play), and Fig Chilcott (La MaMa's The Last Days of Judas Iscariot). The reading is directed by Sarah Krohn (WP's Veil'd).

The Directors Company (Michael Parva, Artistic Director, Leah Michalos, Producing Director)  is pleased to announce the next two reading in its reading series, LINGER by Craig Garcia, directed by John Wooten, and IT'S NOT ABOUT THE CAT a new play by Jacey Powers, directed by Michelle Bossy.

Downtown Music Publishing has signed a publishing administration and catalog marketing agreement for the George Gershwin catalog with the Godowsky family and Heyward Memorial Fund, respective successors to the historic American songwriter and Porgy and Bess authors DuBose and Dorothy Heyward. In addition to many of Gershwin's preeminent works, the agreement includes management of more than 300 previously unpublished songs by Gershwin that have been largely unavailable since their discovery in the 1980s.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the not-for-profit foundation of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), has appointed Rebecca Hewett as its Executive Director beginning May 13, 2019.

The new musical Hansel & Gretl & Heidi & Gunter, which will have its West Coast premiere at Village Theatre outside of Seattle in 2020, will receive an industry reading co-directed by Tony Award-winner Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza) and Jerry Dixon (If/Then) on May 3, 2019 at 3PM.

Long-time theatre business and licensing executive Brian Sherman today announced the launch of IPEX Theatrical Artists (ITA), a new theatrical literary agency and management company. Mr. Sherman leads ITA as its Founder and Chief Executive Officer.

The musicians who perform in Broadway productions have launched "Musicians of Broadway," a new website telling the stories of the union music professionals who bring theater to life in New York City. The website is available to the public at www.musiciansofbroadway.com.

Rhinebeck Writers Retreat is producing a reading of the new musical THE TATTOOED LADY, book by Obie-winner Erin Courtney, music and lyrics by Lucille Lortel-winner Max Vernon, and direction by Ellie Heyman. THE TATTOOED LADY was selected for Rhinebeck Writers Retreat's Triple R program, giving the writers 2 readings and a residency to do extensive development of their musical in a compressed time frame.

On Saturday, April 13th, Broadway star Christy Altomare, taught a one-day Master Class at Broadway Workshop in New York City. Students in the master class had the opportunity to work with Christy Altomare on song interpretation and audition technique, and received individual feedback and coaching.

Theatrical licensing company, Broadway Licensing has been purchased by the company's President Sean Cercone, backed by international strategic partner The Antelope Group, from former owner Elliott Azrak of VENTURESOME.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) presents the April Panel, HELP! Resources to Make Producing a Little Easier on Tuesday, April 23, 2019 at 7:30pm (networking at 7pm) at Polaris North, 245 W. 29th Street, 4th floor, NYC, 10001. This panel is free for TRU members; $12.50 for non-members in advance ($15 at door). 

Lively McCabe Entertainment Co-President Michael Barra proudly announces the expansion of their Columbus Circle office with the hiring of two key executives, Darnetha Lincoln M'Baye and Molly Israel Paul. Ms. M'Baye has joined the company as VP, Head of Music and will be responsible for managing the company's content partnerships with the major music publishers, as well as overseeing the packaging of all music intellectual property elements into the company's stage, film, and television development slates. Also joining Lively McCabe this month is Molly Israel Paul, who will serve as Creative Executive, focusing on the development of new plays adapted from existing IP for the company's exclusive HollyWay collection at Dramatists Play Service. Lively McCabe is also pleased to announce that Jen Bender and Allison Bressi will begin working with the company this month as Creative Development Consultants and will each oversee the development of select stage musicals on behalf of the company.

The fifth annual Broadway Stage Management Symposium (BSMS) will feature over thirty Broadway Stage Managers and Professionals in an incredible array of panels addressing important aspects of the art and craft of stage management. As the leaders of a theatrical company, stage managers are responsible for the mounting, maintenance and running of a show. They deal with a wide variety of issues and need to be well-versed in both production processes and people skills. The BSMS provides a unique forum to engage with top professionals on numerous topics important to stage managers at all levels.

Broadway Bound Kids will host the fourth annual Broadway Bee on Monday, May 6, 2019 at 7 PM at Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker Street). An adults-only spelling bee, the Broadway Bee features actors from hit Broadway shows competing in a hilarious live event while raising funds to provide performing arts opportunities for NYC youth.

 SAG-AFTRA today dedicated its signature conference room in its New York office to the late New York Local President and national Vice President Mike Hodge.

A new podcast from industry insiders has recently launched exploring issues in the workplace within the Broadway community.

Jeremy Jordan, Teal Wicks and Bobby Conte Thornton will star in reading of new musical In The Light, a Faustian tale.

A down on his luck hustler and a trust fund baby form an unlikely bond when she hires him to help her move past her sexual trauma. But their search for intimacy must survive darker inclinations in a world where love is a commodity.

Stuart Galbraith, the Director and Founder of Kilimanjaro Live Group, and theatre producer Joshua Andrews have announced the creation of Kilimanjaro Theatricals, a new entity which will produce (and co-produce) theatrical ventures in New York, across the U.K. and beyond. 

SAG-AFTRA today announces its support for California Senate Bill 564, which bans the creation and dissemination of nonconsensual, digitally created sex scenes and nude performances.

New York For the second consecutive year, Actors' Equity Association, the national union representing more than 51,000 theatre actors and stage managers across the country, released its Regional Theatre Report. This report analyzed the job opportunities available to members in each of Equity's 28 Liaison Areas around the country.

Broadway Advocacy Coalition? announces its first quarterly Community Gathering, to be held on April 1st, 2019 at 7:00pm in the lobby of Signature Theater.