Podcasts about new york musical theater festival

Writer / Director Josh Margolin is here to discuss turning June Squibb into a nonagenarian action star in Thelma, parental caretaking dynamics, and high speed mobility scooter chases. More about Thelma: The feature directorial debut of Josh Margolin, THELMA is a poignant action-comedy that gives veteran Oscar® nominee June Squibb (NEBRASKA and star of Scarlett Johansson's upcoming directorial debut ELEANOR THE GREAT) her first leading role and features the final performance of trailblazing actor Richard Roundtree (SHAFT). Squibb, who did many of her own stunts in the film, plays Thelma Post, a feisty 93-year-old grandmother who gets conned by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson (The White Lotus' Fred Hechinger) and sets out on a treacherous quest across Los Angeles, accompanied by an aging friend (Roundtree) and his motorized scooter, to reclaim what was taken from her. Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, and Malcolm McDowell also star. Inspired by a real-life experience of Margolin's own grandmother, THELMA puts a clever spin on movies like MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, shining the spotlight on an elderly grandmother as an unlikely action hero. With infectious humor, Margolin employs the familiar tropes of the action genre in hilarious, age-appropriate ways to tackle aging with agency. In the first leading film role of her 70-year career, Squibb portrays the strong-willed Thelma with grit and determination, demonstrating that she is more than capable of taking care of business – despite what her daughter Gail (Posey), son-in-law Alan (Gregg), or grandson Danny might believe More about Josh Margolin: Josh Margolin is a writer, director, editor and actor from Los Angeles. He co-wrote, edited and starred in the absurdist horror-comedy DEEP MURDER, which premiered at the LA Film Festival in 2018 and ran theatrically before streaming on Paramount+. Previously, Josh co-created the digital series MY BOYFRIEND IS A ROBOT for Freeform, and has developed projects with TBS, Sony Pictures Television, Olive Bridge and Paul Feig's Powderkeg. He performed over 100 shows with One Night Stand: An Improvised Musical, which was produced by Marc Platt and had sold-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as well as appearances in the The New York Musical Theater Festival and a limited run in Los Angeles. THELMA is Josh's feature directorial debut. Thelma is in theaters now. Find us at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.werewatchingwhat.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/werewatchingwhat⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ THEDHK can be found at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/thedhk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/thedhk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/thedhkmovies⁠

About the Guest Randy Redd made his Broadway debut in PARADE at Lincoln Center directed by Harold Prince. Broadway and Off-Broadway credits include MAY WE ALL, Max Vernon's THE VIEW UPSTAIRS, ALLEGRO at Classic Stage Company directed by John Doyle, Alain Boublil's MANHATTAN PARISIENNE directed by Graciela Daniele, and PUMP BOYS & DINETTES at City Center Encores. Other credits include MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, RING OF FIRE directed by Richard Maltby, Jr., Randy Newman's FAUST, THE BURNT PART BOYS, Terrence McNally's SOME MEN, the American premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber's BY JEEVES directed by Alan Ayckbourn, David Greig's MIDSUMMER, LUCKY STIFF, ONE MAN BAND with James Lecesne, and SMOKE ON THE MOUNTAIN. Film and TV credits include https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1HQ5OP9E8c (“Beautiful Creatures”) and “The Last 5 Years” directed by Richard LaGravenese, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJjmpO8k9m0 (“After The Storm”) directed by Hilla Medalia, "Kinsey" directed by Bill Condon, “From Broadway With Love” (PBS), “All-American New Years” (FOX), "The Wright Verdicts", Good Morning America, the Today Show, the Tony Awards, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with Wynonna Judd, and Show Biz After Hours with Frank DiLella, a monthly variety show at Birdland. He has worked as an actor, writer, musician, and director at Manhattan Theater Club, Lincoln Center Theater, Classic Stage Company, Tectonic Theater, Atlantic Theater Company, Naked Angels, Second Stage, New York Musical Theater Festival, The Kennedy Center, Goodspeed, Geffen Playhouse, Primary Stages, York Theater, Emelin Theater, City Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse In The Park, New Stage Theatre, Pittsburgh CLO, Charlotte Repertory Theater, the Flat Rock Playhouse, the Coconut Grove Playhouse, Stamford Center For The Arts, the Arden Theater, New World Stages, the Cape Playhouse, the Actor's Playhouse, and more. Recordings: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/showfolk/id305047066 (SHOWFOLK) with Tony Award-winner Rachel Bay Jones, Robin Skye's https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/robin-skye/id383949971 (HOUSE OF LOVE), LUCKY STIFF, NEO, Jason Robert Brown's WEARING SOMEONE ELSE'S CLOTHES and the Original Cast Recordings of PARADE, RING OF FIRE, THE BURNT PART BOYS and THE VIEW UPSTAIRS. In concert: Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Town Hall, Symphony Space, Cooper Union, St. John the Divine, Feinstein's, Ars Nova, Birdland and Joe's Pub. Links North Carolina Theatre http://www.randy-redd.com/ (Randy Redd's Website) Connect with Us Facebook @beltlinetbroadway Twitter @beltlinetobway Instagram @beltlinetobroadway

David Sabella is known for originating the co-starring role "Mary Sunshine" in the 1996 Broadway revival of Chicago The Musical, which is Broadway's longest running American Musical. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, David brings his show David Sabella Sings Kander & Ebb: 25Chicago25 to Feinstein's/54 Below on November 17 at 7pm. In this short form interview, David Sabella is Baring It Slightly. David's Feinstein's/54 Below show will in-person & also live streamed via BroadwayWorld. In-Person Tickets Live Stream Tickets Connect with David: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram Connect with Feinstein's 54 Below: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram Like What You Hear? Join my Patreon Family to get backstage perks including advanced notice of interviews, the ability to submit a question to my guests, behind-the-scene videos, and so much more! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Visit: https://callmeadam.com for more my print/video interviews Special Thanks: My Patreon Family for their continued support: Angelo, Reva and Alan, Marianne, Danielle, Tara, Alex, and The Golden Gays NYC. Join the fun at https://patreon.com/callmeadamnyc. Theme Song by Bobby Cronin (https://bit.ly/2MaADvQ) Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell (https://bit.ly/2YNI9CY) Edited by Adam Rothenberg Outro Music Underscore by CueTique (Website: https://bit.ly/31luGmT, Facebook: @CueTique) More on David: David Sabella has enjoyed a long & varied career in performance. In 1996 he originated the starring role of “Mary Sunshine” in the 1996 revival of CHICAGO, with Bebe Neuwirth, Ann Reinking & Joel Grey. He returned to the Broadway company, to appear with Melanie Griffith as "Roxie Hart" & continued to return, as needed for the Broadway & National Touring Companies, until 2006. He is also appeared in workshops of Kander & Ebb's last collaboration, The Visit, with both Angela Landsbury & Chita Rivera. Off-Broadway, David performed leading roles in The Phillie Trilogy (Winner – Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play, Fresh Fruit Festival 2017); Jules – (the life of Julian Eltinge) Laurie Beechman Theater, October, 2012 & La Tea Theater 2014; Kiss and Make Up at the Lucile Lortel Theater, (New York International Fringe Festival); The Green Room (HBO Prods), as well as Hexed in The City, Foxy, Watch Your Step, So Long 174th Street (Musicals Tonight!), and O'Henry's Lovers (New York Musical Theater Festival). His regional theater credits include: A Little Night Music, Seesaw, Godspell, Merrily We Roll Along, The Gingerbread Lady & The Lisbon Traviata. As a voice-over artist David worked on several network television cartoon series, including Peter Pan and the Pirates for FOX &Teacher's Pet for Disney. In classical music, David won several prestigious voice competitions including The Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition, The Metropolitan Opera Eastern Regional Auditions & The New York Oratorio Society Competition at Carnegie Hall. He starred in the title role of Giulio Cesare with Virginia Opera (available on Koch International Label), L' incoronazione di Poppea (Utah opera) & Die Fledermaus (Lincoln Center). He has appeared numerous times at both Carnegie Hall & Lincoln Center as a principal soloist in such works as the Bach B-Minor Mass, Handel's Messiah & Peter Schickele's comical Three Bargain-Counter Tenors. He toured internationally with the now legendary La Gran Scena Opera Company. David appeared twice on the Rosie O'Donnell Show & has been featured in national magazines such as Opera News, In Theater, Entertainment Weekly, A&U (Cover), OUT, and Next. After the phenomenal success of CHICAGO, David's personal caricature was unveiled (June 1998) and hangs in the world-famous theater restaurant, Sardi's. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Byrne is a voice teacher, vocal coach, composer, performer and music director. He is the creator of The Singing Athlete, a training program that applies functional neuroscience and athletic training to the voice studio. Andrew was twice named one of the “Favorite Vocal Coaches” in NYC Backstage Reader's Choice Awards, and is also a frequent contributor to their experts column.  In the past few seasons, his students have been seen in many Broadway shows. Andrew was the singing coach for The Real Thing, starring Ewan MacGregor, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Cynthia Nixon, and The Bridge Project, directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes.  His Broadway and off-Broadway conducting/keyboard credits include Les Misérables, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change and A Class Act.  He has music-directed projects for such companies as Sundance Theatre Lab, The York Theater, Primary Stages and the New York Musical Theater Festival. Andrew has served on guest faculty at the University of Michigan's musical theater department.  He was also on the faculty of the School of Fine Arts at Boston University, holding positions in both the music and theater departments. He holds a Master of Music degree in vocal pedagogy and performance from Arizona State University, as well as an undergraduate degree in vocal performance from Western Michigan University. As a composer/lyricist, Andrew's songs are performed internationally. His arrangements have been heard on NBC's America's Got Talent, and his song "A Contemporary Musical Theater Song" is featured in the film Waiting in the Wings.  His work has been featured on Seth Rudetsky's Obsessed! video series, as well as such prominent blogs as Americablog and Towleroad.   Performances of his parody of Goldrich and Heisler's "Taylor the Latte Boy" have received more over a million views on YouTube. ANDREW BYRNE https://www.andrewmbyrne.com https://thesingingathlete.com VOICE CHOICE Listen to Andrew's favourite 'Voice Choice' on the VocalScope Podcast Guests Playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4pjclKQVRnnUnMW0vgu0H0?si=8380f4264b42464e VOCALSCOPE PODCAST & BOOK CLUB Join the VocalScope Book Club: https://vocalscope.ac-page.com/book-club-sign-up VocalScope Linktree: https://linktr.ee/vocalscope

Jonah (jonahplatt.com)(IG:@jonahplatt) continues to carve out his place on stages from Hollywood to Broadway, as well as on the silver screen. He’s most well known for his recent star turn as “Fiyero” in the Broadway blockbuster WICKED, in addition to his breakout performance as “Woof” in HAIR at the Hollywood Bowl, “Homer” in the Ovation-winningFLOYD COLLINS at La Mirada, and “Jason” in the award-winning Los Angeles revival of BARE. On television, Jonah most recently appeared in NBC’s critically acclaimed JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR LIVE starring John Legend and the season 9 finale of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM. Other favorites include PARENTHOOD, SING IT ON, and Jonah’s scene-stealing Frat Boy in the series finale of NBC’s beloved series THE OFFICE. This spring, Jonah will originate the role of “Marty” in the World Premiere musical A WALK ON THE MOON, at San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater. Jonah will also voice a new recurring character, the relentlessly positive “Milton Moss” on an upcoming season of Netflix’s hit animated series, TROLLS: THE BEAT GOES ON. Jonah has made people laugh on Fox’s long-running animated hit FAMILY GUY, Mitch Hurwitz’s RUNNING WILDE, NBC’s PARKS AND RECREATION, and Cartoon Network’s ANNOYING ORANGE. He most recently wrote for the short-lived NBC sitcom MR. ROBINSON, starring Craig Robinson. Jonah is currently a co-writer/music supervisor/executive producer of ZOMBO, an undead musical TV adventure. As a lyricist/composer, Jonah is currently writing a musical adaptation of Lois Lowry’s international best-seller THE GIVER with collaborators Andrew Resnick and Martin Zimmerman. The show had its first successful reading this past year and the team is hard at work on the next draft! As a singer and instrumentalist, Jonah has appeared on stages across the US, from 54/Below in NYC to Philly’s Trocadero to The Troubadour in Hollywood. He has performed his own genre-busting solo show for many audiences, most recently at the Gordon Center in Baltimore and a sold-out show on his home turf at LA’s Rockwell Table & Stage. As a vocal arranger, Jonah has created dozens of lush arrangements in his unique signature vocal style, many of them for nationally acclaimed collegiate a cappella group UPENN OFF THE BEAT, for whom he produced several albums, winning multiple Contemporary A Capella Recording Awards for each. He has arranged vocals for numerous other projects, including THE ALBUM PROJECT: JAGGED LITTLE PILL,  a show he co-conceived, musically directed, and orchestrated at  Rockwell Table & Stage. Building on this work, Jonah most recently assisted music supervisor Tom Kitt on the new musical JAGGED LITTLE PILL, currently having its world premiere at Boston’s A.R.T. this spring. As a producer and director, Jonah has used his creative artistry to enhance a variety of projects with many different collaborators. Most recently, he directed the critically lauded DOG SEES GOD: CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE BLOCKHEAD at The Blank Theater in LA, which was twice extended and award a Hollywood Fringe Festival Encore Selection. He also directed and produced ONE NIGHT STAND: AN IMPROVISED MUSICAL, which performed completely improvised musicals around the world, including sold-out runs at Hollywood’s Hudson Theater, the New York Musical Theater Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – the largest performing arts festival in the world. Jonah is also the former President of Starlight Studios, where he oversaw the development of many different projects, including the animated short COLD FEET, short films BAT MITZVAH CONFIDENTIAL and STEALING SUBURBIA, a commercial for social media giant Snapchat, and the music video for Sage and the Saints’ TAKE ME TO THE SOUTH, directed by Kristen Stewart. He is currently co-producing an unscripted political docuseries with 44Blue Productions, and a bio-musical of Hollywood legend James Dean with Prospect House Entertainment.

Jonah (jonahplatt.com)(IG:@jonahplatt) continues to carve out his place on stages from Hollywood to Broadway, as well as on the silver screen. He’s most well known for his recent star turn as “Fiyero” in the Broadway blockbuster WICKED, in addition to his breakout performance as “Woof” in HAIR at the Hollywood Bowl, “Homer” in the Ovation-winningFLOYD COLLINS at La Mirada, and “Jason” in the award-winning Los Angeles revival of BARE. On television, Jonah most recently appeared in NBC’s critically acclaimed JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR LIVE starring John Legend and the season 9 finale of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM. Other favorites include PARENTHOOD, SING IT ON, and Jonah’s scene-stealing Frat Boy in the series finale of NBC’s beloved series THE OFFICE. This spring, Jonah will originate the role of “Marty” in the World Premiere musical A WALK ON THE MOON, at San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater. Jonah will also voice a new recurring character, the relentlessly positive “Milton Moss” on an upcoming season of Netflix’s hit animated series, TROLLS: THE BEAT GOES ON. Jonah has made people laugh on Fox’s long-running animated hit FAMILY GUY, Mitch Hurwitz’s RUNNING WILDE, NBC’s PARKS AND RECREATION, and Cartoon Network’s ANNOYING ORANGE. He most recently wrote for the short-lived NBC sitcom MR. ROBINSON, starring Craig Robinson. Jonah is currently a co-writer/music supervisor/executive producer of ZOMBO, an undead musical TV adventure. As a lyricist/composer, Jonah is currently writing a musical adaptation of Lois Lowry’s international best-seller THE GIVER with collaborators Andrew Resnick and Martin Zimmerman. The show had its first successful reading this past year and the team is hard at work on the next draft! As a singer and instrumentalist, Jonah has appeared on stages across the US, from 54/Below in NYC to Philly’s Trocadero to The Troubadour in Hollywood. He has performed his own genre-busting solo show for many audiences, most recently at the Gordon Center in Baltimore and a sold-out show on his home turf at LA’s Rockwell Table & Stage. As a vocal arranger, Jonah has created dozens of lush arrangements in his unique signature vocal style, many of them for nationally acclaimed collegiate a cappella group UPENN OFF THE BEAT, for whom he produced several albums, winning multiple Contemporary A Capella Recording Awards for each. He has arranged vocals for numerous other projects, including THE ALBUM PROJECT: JAGGED LITTLE PILL,  a show he co-conceived, musically directed, and orchestrated at  Rockwell Table & Stage. Building on this work, Jonah most recently assisted music supervisor Tom Kitt on the new musical JAGGED LITTLE PILL, currently having its world premiere at Boston’s A.R.T. this spring. As a producer and director, Jonah has used his creative artistry to enhance a variety of projects with many different collaborators. Most recently, he directed the critically lauded DOG SEES GOD: CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE BLOCKHEAD at The Blank Theater in LA, which was twice extended and award a Hollywood Fringe Festival Encore Selection. He also directed and produced ONE NIGHT STAND: AN IMPROVISED MUSICAL, which performed completely improvised musicals around the world, including sold-out runs at Hollywood’s Hudson Theater, the New York Musical Theater Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – the largest performing arts festival in the world. Jonah is also the former President of Starlight Studios, where he oversaw the development of many different projects, including the animated short COLD FEET, short films BAT MITZVAH CONFIDENTIAL and STEALING SUBURBIA, a commercial for social media giant Snapchat, and the music video for Sage and the Saints’ TAKE ME TO THE SOUTH, directed by Kristen Stewart. He is currently co-producing an unscripted political docuseries with 44Blue Productions, and a bio-musical of Hollywood legend James Dean with Prospect House Entertainment.  

Benjamin Strouse has combined his expertise in entertainment law and interest in writing to create an award-winning audio-first (podcast) media company and growth business.  Guest Biography Benjamin Strouse is a Peabody award winning writer, composer and producer. He is the executive producer of the audio adventure “The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel,” named by The Guardian as one of the top 50 podcasts of 2016. In his previous career as an attorney, he represented Pop Superstars like Madonna and Meatloaf, masterminded deals for Motion Picture Companies such as Sony and Fox, and negotiated multiple Broadway and Touring productions of Musicals such as Annie and Bye Bye Birdie. He was the founding producer of the cutting-edge NYC Pop-Theater Festival “Peekaboo”. In 2009, Ben changed gears to focus on his passion for writing and music, and his first book musical “Whatever Man” premiered at the prestigious New York Musical Theater Festival, receiving acclaim from the New York Times. Ben is author of the children’s book, “Hey Boy” (Simon & Schuster.) A devoted New Yorker and enthusiastic Torontonian, Ben, his wife Ronni, their dog Phil, and their twin boys Sam and Arthur, make their Facebook-happy home in Maplewood, NJ. Show notes: http://www.inspiredmoney.fm/053 In this episode, you will learn: Why it’s important for creatives to pay attention to the economics of what they’re creating. The power of dreaming and dreaming big. The power of collaboration. Find more from our guest: bestrobotever.com gen-z.fm benjaminstrouse.com facebook LinkedIn Mentioned in this episode: The Peabody Awards commonsensemedia.org PRX Panoply Media Thanks for Listening! To share your thoughts: Leave a note in the comment section below. Share this show on Twitter or Facebook. To help out the show: Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read each one. Email me your address, and I'll mail you an autographed copy of Kimo West and Ken Emerson's CD, Slackers in Paradise. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Special thanks to Jim Kimo West for the music.

Ray Leeper is one of the most sought after teachers and choreographers in North America. Ray shares how the true realities of breaking into the business, his hardships transitioning into the professional world, how he had to deal with comparison (especially through the SYTYCD process) and how he creates his NUVO faculty and experience! Ray's credits include working with numerous recording artists that encompass such names as: Elton John, Cher, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Geri Haliwell, Mai Karaki, Kelly Levesque, Queen Latifah, and Jihae. Ray also has a vast collection of commercial credits; to name a few: Pepsi, Sierra Mist, Hyundai, Saks, Levis, Northwest Airlines, Timberland, Planet Hollywood, Vision Street Ware and Pioneer Electronics. His work can be seen recurrently on television shows such as: All My Children, One Life to Live, Big Bang Theory, X-Factor UK, America?s Got Talent and season 8 of So You Think You Can Dance. Ray has recently choreographed the Off-Broadway show Mental - the Musical and also other notable Off-Broadway shows, Inappropriate and Night Life. His movie credits include the VH1 movie They Shoot Divas, Don't They, starring Jennifer Beals and the short film This Island. He has also been awarded the esteemed "Best Choreography Award" for his work on "Common Grounds" in the New York Musical Theater Festival and the prestigious "Gold Leo Award" for Excellence in Choreography" at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. All of these experiences have given Ray a very broad breadth of knowledge in not only dance and choreography, but also in the intricacies and nuances of being a successful, working professional in "the Business", thus allowing him to draw upon and share this comprehension through his provoking, stimulating, and inspirational teaching style and classes.

Frank DiLella's celebrity interviews, along with his in-depth reporting of the theatrical scene for NY1, have helped make him a trusted friend and confidant within the theater and entertainment communities, as well as one of the most popular personalities in entertainment journalism in New York City.  He joined NY1 in 2004 and now produces and reports for "On Stage," the news channel's weekly half-hour theater program. Working the entertainment beat, DiLella has interviewed many legendary artists including Edward Albee, Tom Hanks, Vanessa Redgrave, Bono, August Wilson, Elton John, Liza Minnelli, Patti LuPone, Bette Midler, Hugh Jackman, Tom Stoppard, Carol Channing, James Earl Jones, Chita Rivera, Jane Fonda, Elaine Stritch, Angela Lansbury, Lady Gaga, Tony Kushner, and Andrew Lloyd Webber.  In the fall of 2009, DiLella and the "On Stage" team were honored by the New York Musical Theater Festival for their weekly coverage of NYC theater. In addition to filing reports on the Broadway and off-Broadway scenes, DiLella has traveled internationally to cover theater in Japan, Hong Kong, England, Scotland, Germany, and Canada.  In May 2013, Time Warner Cable launched a spin-off of "On Stage" entitled "On Stage Across America." The monthly program, which is produced and co-hosted by DiLella, shines a spotlight on Broadway theater, national tours, regional theater, and high school plays.  In addition to his work at NY1, DiLella is a contributing correspondent for Playbill and MANHATTAN Magazine and has given lectures on theater and journalism at Hofstra University and The American Theatre Wing. He has also appeared as a theater correspondent for the BBC, Sirius XM, "The Early Show" on CBS, CTV, The American Theatre Wing, and Al Jazeera TV – as well as in the 2010 documentary, "Pitmen Painters – A Brush with Broadway." In 2013, he appeared on NBC's "Smash," portraying himself.  DiLella serves on the board of The Gershwin Awards and is a part of the selection committee for the annual Clive Barnes Awards and Foundation.  He received a B.A in communications/journalism with a minor in theater from Fordham University at Lincoln Center. DiLella has since returned to his alma mater as an adjunct professor teaching theater journalism.  

It’s a striking coincidence. You don’t have to be the writer of stage thrillers to see it. Maybe it’s the work of some devious theatrical conspiracy. How else to explain two shows opening in the North Bay the same weekend, each one a play about people writing a play about people writing a play. And just keep things interesting, one of these self-referential theatrical endeavors is a musical. "[Title of Show]," and yes, that’s the title of the show, was written in 2004 by Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell, who proposed to the New York Musical Theater Festival that they be allowed to write a musical about the process of writing that very same musical. Eventually, with the addition of two actresses named Susan and Heidi, "[Title of Show]," with brackets, did actually appear in the festival, followed by an off-Broadway run and after a period when it looked like the show’s life was finally over, it ended up on Broadway. And yes, all of that is in the show, too. And now, it’s in San Rafael, presented by Marin Onstage at Belrose Theater, this loopy, tuneful love story to the creative process is directed by Carl Jordan, and features Fernando Siu and Phillip Percy Williams as Jeff and Hunter, and Abbey Lee and Amanda Morando as Susan and Heidi. Justin Pine appears too, as Larry, the guy at the piano, because evidently every would-be playwright has his own accompanist hanging out in the corner of his apartment, just in case inspiration strikes. It really is a show about the creation of the show it’s about, which gets a little weird at times, as we watch the writers writing the show in front of us. At one point, Jeff asks Susan why she hasn’t said anything in a while, and she responds by saying, "Because this is the first line you’ve written for me to say in a while.” The songs are, for the most part, all about writing songs, but also - and this is why "[Title of Show]" is such a great show - the songs get to the heart of what it’s like to try and create something: the insecurities and doubts, the discoveries that come out of nowhere, the thrills and joys of hitting the mark when you finally do. Energetically and sympathetically performed by the entire cast, who bring their own unique personalities to the characters indelibly established by the original Jeff, Hunter, Susan and Heidi, this is a show for anyone whose ever dreamed of doing something really hard, and knows the heartache of failure and the sheer, ecstatic wonder of success. There’s one more weekend. And running through April 5th is Spreckels Theater Company’s production of "Deathtrap." Written by Ira Leven and directed with nastiness and glee by David Yen, ‘Deathtrap’ is a two-act, five-character play about a blocked playwright discover a two-act, five character play called "Deathtrap." There is little I can say about it without spoiling the many surprises, so let me just say that the cast of five drive the play with mounting energy, balancing the mounting tension with plenty of authentic comedy. Some of the murder weapons hanging on the wall are a little conspicuously rubbery and non-threatening, but everything else in this show is sharp, loaded, and entertainingly lethal. And there you have it: Two shows about people creating shows. You should consider showing up for one for both. You won’t regret it. I’m David Templeton, Second Row Center, for KRCB.