"It's gonna run!"

Back in the summer, the artistic director handed me a script and a cd of a new musical written by Joe DiPietro and David Bryan. After listening to the music, I burned several copies, and quietly distributed it discreetly to the staff. Not only is the staff big fans of this new piece but George Street has just announced the debut of the world premiere of The Toxic Avenger, a new musical to be directed by Urinetown's Tony Award Winner John Rando. We've been working on the logistics for several months already and we're so excited about this announcement.

There's so much content on the website thats been specially developed for this production, it's too extensive to list here. But join our Facebook or MySpace Page or stay tuned to this blog for updates throughout the summer leading up to the big premiere on September 30th! Also, stay tuned for a blog from self professed"major fan of anything Toxic Avenger" - Chris Bailey, GSP's very own Production Manager and Lighting Designer.

Read the announcement in the Star Ledger. Be sure to visit the Toxic Avenger official website for music samples too!

Tickets are on sale to the public March 28th! In the meantime, check out this exclusive video from the summer reading with Kerry Butler, Daniel Reichard, David Josefsberg and more!




posted by Scott Goldman, Executive Assistant

GSP TV!

Several weeks ago cast members of The Scene took time out of their break in rehearsal to speak with local television news program Edison On Stage about their roles and the production. If you haven't yet caught the show, there are 8 performances left. See it now through Sunday the 23rd. Special thanks to host Joe Vierno for the coverage.

Theatre Rocked!

On Thurday March 13 George Street teamed with New Jerey Young Professionals and the NJ Theatre Alliance for Theatre Rocks. Over 50 people attended a performance of The Scene and enjoyed samples of Zyr Vodka, our production product sponsor (who's stylish blue bottle appears in the show!) David Saint, our artistic director stuck around to meet the many new patrons to the theatre. Here's a look at the event. If you missed out, don't worry, another NJYP night is in the works for next season.

Special thanks to NJYP and the Theatre Alliance for their work in promoting this unique event to the atypical theatre crowd! NJYPer Steve (center; pictured below) was the lucky winner of a bottle of ZYR.

Rutgers Grads make appearances in Roger

Two days ago the staff gathered in our cabaret for our final meet and greet of the season as we began rehearsals of Roger is Dead a new play by Elaine May. The cast includes Tom Bloom, Mark Blum, Julia Brothers, Carman Lacivita, Patricia O'Connell and Marlo Thomas. The world got a little smaller as they introduced themselves and spoke to the staff.

Carman Lacivita is a recent graduate of the MFA program at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. He recently appeared opposite Kevin Kline in Cyrano de Bergerac on Broadway. Julia Brothers, who is well known in the San Francisco Bay Area actually appeared in a children's production her senior year at George Street Playhouse when it was run by founder Eric Krebs. Mr. Krebs at the time, was just starting the theatre, and taught classes at Rutgers University. It just proves you are never too far away from your roots and it's always nice when "hometown actors" appear on our stage.

posted by Scott Goldman, Executive Assistant

GSP Gets a Concert!

Every once and awhile there's an opportunity too good to pass up. This is one of those whiles.

IDINA MENZEL (Elphaba in Wicked) will launch her tour to promote her album I Stand at George Street Playhouse. Tickets are on sale today. Here's a clip of her music video as well.

Be sure to catch her at George Street April 1st at 8pm.

From GSP to Hollywood

It's not exactly something that happens frequently around here at the theatre...so when a student of our GSP Academy gets a lucky break, we like to brag about it. Eshaya Draper, 9, is currently making his big screen debut starring as Trey Porter in Walt Disney Pictures' College Road Trip, opposite Raven Symone and Martin Lawrence!

A recent NY Times article mentions that the director, Roger Kumble found Eshaya to be "the most well-mannered kid I’ve met in my life, and he takes direction incredibly well.”

Eshaya received a scholarship to attend classes at GSP off and on for years, and recently generously donated part of his earnings on the film so that others can receive scholarships as well.

The article also mentions that "Eshaya and his mother credit George Street with forging a path to Hollywood: before he got an agent and started doing commercial work for Wal-Mart and Sony, among others, around 2005, he was selected for individual training at the theater."

For more information on the GSP Academy including summer and spring classes vist our website

posted by Scott Goldman, Executive Assistant
Left: Eshaya as Trey Porter with Albert the Pig (c) Walt Disney Pictures