John Morris News

The latest entry into Kennedy Center’s Broadway Center Stage series is one that you don’t see produced professionally very often which is a good thing. The 1960 Charles Strouse/Lee Adams/Michael Stewart musical Bye, Bye, Birdie was at one point the most produced musical by high schools and community theatres but strangely it has had very few large-scale revivals. Roundabout Theatre Company’s production in 2009 marked the last time the show was seen on Broadway in a major production.

Nowadays orchestra size has become more and more of an issue for me. Even when seeing productions of classic Broadway musicals, there is a tendency to reduce the size of the orchestra for more in the way of production elements. It’s even worse when a production “reimagines” the charts completely and wipes away the work of Robert Russell Bennett, Don Walker, and even Jonathan Tunick. The latter should be deemed sacrilege.

CHELSEA TABLE + STAGE will present the return of Klea Blackhurst in “The Box Set,” a fantastic season-long retrospective of the celebrated theater and concert artist’s acclaimed shows. Learn how to purchase tickets.

CHELSEA TABLE + STAGE will present the return of Klea Blackhurst in “The Box Set,” a fantastic season-long retrospective of the celebrated theater and concert artist’s acclaimed shows. Learn how to purchase tickets.

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra reveals Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason as the 2024 MAC Music Innovator in a groundbreaking announcement.

CHELSEA TABLE + STAGE will present Klea Blackhurst in “Everything the Traffic Will Allow,” her loving tribute to the songs made famous by the quintessential stage personality Ethel Merman. Learn how to purchase tickets!

State Theatre New Jersey and New Jersey Symphony present RESPECT: A Tribute to Aretha Franklin with New Jersey Symphony on Sunday, February 18 at 3pm.

Bergen County Players rang in the holiday season this month with Broadway heavy-hitters Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens's musical adaptation of the timeless Charles Dickens tale 'A Christmas Carol'. See photos from the production.

Cincinnati May Festival has named Matthew Swanson as new Director of Choruses for the 2024-25 season.

Following an extensive national search, the Cincinnati May Festival has announced Matthew Swanson as its next Director of Choruses. Swanson will begin his term on June 1, 2024 and lead the storied May Festival Chorus, one of America's most active symphonic choruses.

Apple Original Films' holiday musical comedy, “Spirited,” starring Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds and Octavia Spencer is coming back to theaters for a limited theatrical run this weekend. The sing-along version of “Spirited” invites fans to get into the holiday spirit by belting out tunes composed by Academy Award winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

Bergen County Players will ring in the holiday season with Broadway heavy-hitters Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens's musical adaptation of the timeless Charles Dickens tale 'A Christmas Carol.'

With four nominations, Johnson is already a four-time Carolina Country Music Award winner and will also be performing live at the show. The Carolina Country Music Awards is an annual event open to performers who grew up in or now reside in North Carolina or South Carolina.

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Pops have announced the 2023-24 Live from Music Hall Digital Concert Series. Learn more about the full upcoming performance lineup here!

The Cincinnati Pops announced the release of its newest recording, JOY!, led by Cincinnati Pops Conductor John Morris Russell. JOY! will feature recordings of live performances from the Orchestra's popular Holiday Pops programs, including a diverse and eclectic collection of favorite holiday classics in new arrangements.

Peninsula Players Theatre, America's oldest professional resident summer theater, presents performances of 'Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery' beginning on September 6 for a six-week run at Door County's premiere professional theater. 

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and Cincinnati Music Hall have been selected by The Boundless Arts Foundation for the filming and live recording of a new, large-scale multimedia and multidisciplinary presentation of composer Justin Morell's jazz trumpet concerto, All Without Words on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.

Immerse yourself in the enchanting melodies of Hoagy Carmichael as Klea Blackhurst and Billy Stritch take the stage at Birdland. Don't miss this unforgettable night of 'Dreaming of a Song: The Music of Hoagy Carmichael' with two incredible performers.

What did our critic think of RAGTIME IN CONCERT at Cincinnati Pops At Cincinnati Music Hall?

The Cincinnati Pops has announced the cast for its new symphonic concert adaptation of Broadway’s Tony Award-winning musical Ragtime.