Georgi James News

The La Jolla Playhouse is presenting a world premiere musical based on the 2006 Academy Award winning film "Little Miss Sunshine". And while the show had its shining moments and a cast that matched the subtlety and charm of the original sleeper hit, on the whole it needs a bit of a jump start if it's going to make it down the road to Broadway.

The 2006 movie dramedy Little Miss Sunshine was and still remains such a low-key charmer that to attempt to simulate it on stage with music is at once challenging, courageous and perplexing. Why? Why retell a story that is so perfect on film unless you can achieve a brand new and interesting take on it? I guess Spider-Man and other films being translated to the stage is the rage these days, especially when there's a dearth of original musicals. All this aside, the production values, the cast and the very artistic endeavor of the stage musical Little Miss Sunshine, now at the Mandell Weiss Theatre of La Jolla Playhouse through March 27, should be lauded and appreciated.

The Tony Award-winning creative team of composer/lyricist William Finn and writer/director James Lapine, who previously collaborated on the Tony Award-winning musicals Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, will bring their latest project to, Little Miss Sunshine to The Playhouse. The production runs through March 27, 2011 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

The La Jolla Playhouse is presenting a world premiere musical based on the 2006 Academy Award winning film "Little Miss Sunshine". And while the show had its shining moments and a cast that matched the subtlety and charm of the original sleeper hit, on the whole it needs a bit of a jump start if it's going to make it down the road to Broadway.

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week, or you're just in the mood for a recap of everything theatre, BroadwayWorld's ‘This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end of the week fix.

The Tony Award-winning creative team of composer/lyricist William Finn and writer/director James Lapine, who previously collaborated on the Tony Award-winning musicals Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, will bring their latest project to, Little Miss Sunshine to The Playhouse. The production runs through March 27, 2011 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

The first video has turned up from the world premiere of Little Miss Sunshine at the La Jolla Playhouse. The musical features Tony Award-winning creative team of composer/lyricist William Finn and playwright/director James Lapine.

La Jolla Playhouse has just released costume sketches by Jennifer Caprio for the upcoming world-premiere musical Little Miss Sunshine. The musical features Tony Award-winning creative team of composer/lyricist William Finn and playwright/director James Lapine. Below are two of the costumes for 'Olive Hoover.'

La Jolla Playhouse announced today the cast and creative team of its upcoming world-premiere musical Little Miss Sunshine, by the Tony Award-winning creative team of composer/lyricist William Finn and playwright/director James Lapine. Mr. Lapine has enjoyed a long association with the Playhouse, having previously directed Merrily We Roll Along (1985) and Luck, Pluck and Virtue (1993). The production runs February 15 - March 27, 2011 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

Joe Lodato and Matthew Morris, The Church of St. Paul the Apostle, GeekNerdWonk Charitable Foundation, and Sing for Hope presented 'You Are Not Alone' a star-studded concert to benefit the Trevor Project last night, November 22. Lea DeLaria hosted the evening with feature performances from Ricky Ian Gordon, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Marc Kudisch, Aaron Lazar, Erin Quill, Seth Rudetsky, John Tartaglia, Jeanine Tesori, and Tony Yazbeck, as well as Emily Albrink, Jeff Blumenkrantz, Attila Joey Csiki of Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Constantine Germanacos, Joe Lodato, Matthew Morris, Todd Palmer, Kate Pazakis, Kathleen Tagg, and Nurit Tilles. Michael Rader directed the concert with stage management from David M. Beris.

On their break between shows, the stars of Billy Elliot and the kids of Broadway cut a rug at Dave & Buster's for games, fun and ice cream sundaes this week on August 25. Performers from Addams Family, The Lion King, Mary Poppins, South Pacific, West Side Story and the Gazillion Bubble Show joined the Billy crew for the fun. BroadwayWorld was there and brings you photo coverage below.

THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE, PART 1: THE STORY OF A CHILDHOOD, the first part of the world premiere three part theatrical event by the Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award-winning playwright Horton Foote, opened last night at Signature Theatre Company at the Peter Norton Space, 555 West 42nd Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues and BroadwayWorld.com's cameras were there!

THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE, PART 1: THE STORY OF A CHILDHOOD, the first part of the world premiere, three part theatrical event by the Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award-winning playwright Horton Foote, opens tonight, Thursday, November 19 at Signature Theatre Company at the Peter Norton Space, 555 West 42nd Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues.

The PBS concert version of A TALE OF TWO CITIES will get a DVD and cast recording to be released in the upcoming months. The concert was filmed this past summer at England's Theater Royal Brighton that will be Broadcast on PBS stations, beginning November 26. The concert production features an international cast including James Barbour, Brandi Burkhardt, Natalie Toro, and Kevin Earley from the Broadway production.

A concert version of Broadway musical A Tale of Two Cities was filmed this past summer at England's Theater Royal Brighton that will be Broadcast on PBS stations, beginning November 26. The concert production features an international cast including James Barbour, Brandi Burkhardt, Natalie Toro, and Kevin Earley from the Broadway production.

Horton Foote's THE ORPHAN HOME CYCLE, currently playing at the Signature Theatre, is featured in the current issue of Christian Science Monitor. The article is titled 'Horton Foote: The playwright's 'Odyssey' for modern times' and is written by Gregory M. Lamb.

THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE, the world premiere of a three part theatrical event by the Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award-winning playwright Horton Foote, begins performances on Thursday, November 5 at Signature Theatre Company at the Peter Norton Space, 555 West 42nd Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues.

Sundance White Oak Lab has announced principal casting for the production of LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. The cast will include Broadway veterans Craig Bierko, Dick Latessa and Sherie Rene Scott. The musical is being adapted by theater vets William Finn and James Lapine. Sundance will also premiere the musical adaptation of 'Like Water for Chocolate' by Laura Esquivel.

Horton Foote, the Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award-winning author of THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE is featured in a Critic at Large essay by John Lahr in The New Yorker, in the issue for the week of October 26, 2009. The piece examines the life and career of Foote, who died on March 4, 2009. The New Yorker is currently available on newsstands.

THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE, the world premiere of a three part theatrical event by the late Academy Award and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Horton Foote, has been extended by popular demand for an additional three weeks through Sunday, March 28.