Photos by John Nollendorfs.Does the musical that toasted “To Life!” have any life left?Oh, yes. Almost 50 years to the day that Fiddler On The Roof began rehearsals at the Lyceum Theatre in New York, Edina (Minnesota) High School proved ...

Some of the Thespian Festival workshops on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus are held in modest classrooms.Not this one.The mammoth all-purpose room in the Westbrook Music Building will be needed today, for no less than Marc Shaiman and ...

At the Thespian Festival in Lincoln, Nebraska, communal lunches may be common, but the conversations among participants is choice.I was sitting near a middle-aged man who’s one of the dozens of high school drama directors here. Said he, “I’ve ...

Here’s an easy prediction to make.Theater teachers and high school drama club members who weren’t in Lincoln, Nebraska last week didn’t have nearly as good a time as those who trekked to the Midwest metropolis.The Thespian Festival marked ...

Looking for a space to do your next musical and can’t find any?Don’t overlook the possibility of renting the local church.I know, I know. Pews instead of theater seats means no arm rests --aside from one on each aisle and one in the ...

Whodunnit?One thing’s for certain: in the musical MURDER BALLAD, the butler didn’t.He couldn’t have, for none of the characters in this 2012 musical works in that capacity. Michael is a poet. Tom is an actor/bartender -- with the accent ...

Two middle-aged character men, one middle-aged character woman, one set, one piano, everyday contemporary clothes (well, okay, one mink coat), and you’re in business.In fact, you don’t even need the set to do What About Luv? The entire ...

Here’s the way to advertise it: “From the composer-lyricist of Wicked, Pippin and Godspell.”That’s ad copy that’ll sell tickets – and you wouldn’t be lying. Oh, your audience may think you’re fibbing once it begins to hear ...

In his program bio, Will Shunk stated that he is “a fifth grade student” who was “born with CP” -- cerebral palsy – “which affects his ability to control his body.”Shunk then added, “He hasn’t let it get him down. He’s had a ...

Jason Brantman and Fiona Santos certainly had a dilemma. Now did they have a solution? The two were looking to co-direct a musical for their Broadway Training Center of Westchester (New York). They were both intrigued by the musical version of ...