Jay Reiss News

The Department of Theater/Dance at UCSB continues our return to live performances with our Spring musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, and conceived by Rebecca Feldman. Winner of a Tony and a Drama Desk Award, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has charmed audiences across the country with its effortless wit and humor. 'The Bee' comes to the Ballet Studio Theater on UCSB's campus May 11 – 28, 2022.

A county spelling bee may not sound like a likely setting for a musical, but THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE defies convention and delivers laughs and a heartwarming story that is sure to please. In the latest production on its Shuler Stage, Titusville Playhouse’s production of this hit musical is filled with quirky characters, fun staging and great music – while also illustrating some of the stresses impacting the children of today – pressure to succeed, parental involvement and the pros (and cons) of standing out from the crowd.

Find out what the most popular plays and musicals were in high school according to Educational Theatre Association’s annual high school play survey.

The Department of Theater and Dance at UC Santa Barbara has announced another exciting year of performances, this time back in-person. This season includes everything from unique takes on old classics to new and original works in both theater and dance.

A year ago, it was “The Impossible Dream,” now, the nationally regarded Fulton Theatre is proud to announce a marquee season in the theatre's 169th year. The Fulton invites audiences to “Return to LIVE,” beginning this summer with a concert series that will ease back into full audiences.

Settings for musicals range from the rather ordinary to the extraordinary. Audiences can be transported to the pre-war Austrian countryside or the magical world of Oz, or in the case of THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, Celebration Theatre Company’s latest production at Dr. Phillips Center, a county spelling bee. And though this may not sound like the most exciting of places to set a musical, this show is filled with quirky (but lovable) characters, a compelling story and great music – making for a fun couple hours of theatrical magic that is both touching and funny, and which also illustrates some of the challenges facing young people today – parental approval, pressure to excel, first crushes and the intense need to fit in.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee centers on a fictional spelling bee set in a geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School. Six quirky adolescents compete in the Bee, run by three equally quirky grown-ups.

Pasadena Playhouse has announced the launch today of In Development: Iceboy!  on PlayhouseLive. Join Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman, Adam DeVine and Laura Bell Bundy as they perform 4 new songs and give a rare early look at  Iceboy!, a new musical by Mark Hollmann, Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss.

Celebrating 15 years of providing kids with a place to be heard and belong, Broadway Bound Kids held its 5th Annual Broadway Bee last night (December 10) in a free live stream raising $43K in support of arts education.

Pasadena Playhouse has announced Holiday programming on PlayhouseLive with an exclusive streaming of Bob Baker Marionette Theater's Holiday on Strings! brought directly into homes for the first time.

Broadway and TV's Michael Park (Dear Evan Hansen and Stranger Things/Dash and Lily) and SiriusXM host Seth Rudetsky have joined The Fifth Annual Broadway Bee, Thursday, December 10, 2020 at 7 PM.

Broadway Bound Kids has reinvented its annual fundraising event as a free online event, The Fifth Annual Broadway Bee. The event will be held on Thursday, December 10, 2020 at 7:00 PM virtually.  Broadway Bound Kids is partnering with the Broadway community and the creators of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in support of arts education.

Pasadena Playhouse has announced the continuation of Family Entertainment on PlayhouseLive with the Bob Baker Marionette Theater's production of Bob Baker's Hallowe'en SpOoKtAcUlAr.

Pasadena Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman announces the premiere of Family Entertainment on PlayhouseLive with the Bob Baker Marionette Theater's production of The Circus. 

Stars in the House continues tonight (8pm) with a 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE Original Broadway Cast Reunion with Derrick Baskin, Deborah S. Craig, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Fogler, Lisa Howard, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Jose Llana, Jay Reiss and Sarah Saltzberg.

Pasadena Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman announces the premiere of Family Entertainment on PlayhouseLive with the Bob Baker Marionette Theater's production of The Circus.   

Pasadena Playhouse announces Fall Programming for PlayhouseLive, a first-of-its-kind nonprofit streaming platform to showcase theatrical productions to a national and international audience, launching online September 30. With the continuation of the Playhouse's efforts as the State Theater of California, PlayhouseLive productions will offer a broad range of voices and perspectives while ensuring that access to the programming will remain accessible to the widest possible audience.

Pasadena Playhouse announces Fall Programming for PlayhouseLive, a first-of-its-kind nonprofit streaming platform to showcase theatrical productions to a national and international audience, launching online September 30. With the continuation of the Playhouse's efforts as the State Theater of California, PlayhouseLive productions will offer a broad range of voices and perspectives while ensuring that access to the programming will remain accessible to the widest possible audience.

As BroadwayWorld sadly reported yesterday, stage star Phyllis Newman passed away yesterday, September 15, at the age of 86. Newman got her start in show business at 4 years old imitating Carmen Miranda in theatres and clubs. Her portrayal of Martha Vail in the Jule Styne/Comden and Green musical Subways Are For Sleeping - costumed only in a bath towel - earned her a Tony Award. Her other Broadway credits include Bells Are Ringing, The Apple Tree, On the Town, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, Awake and Sing, Wish You Were Here, First Impressions, and her one-woman musical The Madwoman of Central Park West, which she co-authored with Arthur Laurents. She garnered a Tony Award nomination for her highly-acclaimed performance in Neil Simon's Broadway Bound.

Monday night at NYC's Le Poisson Rouge, the fourth annual Broadway Bee competition scored impressive success. Broadway stars, cast mates, and supporters raised $41,898 for Broadway Bound Kids' arts education programs. Paige Davis, representing team Chicago, took home the grand prize trophy.