54 Sings Memphis

Last night we returned to Feinsteins/54 Below for 54 Sings Memphis and what an absolute treat it was. Several original Broadway cast members returned with some new talent and what transpired was nothing short of a celebration. This Tony Award®-winning Best Musical remains poignant today, as we follow the cultural friction of Memphis’ underground dance clubs in the 1950’s as radio jockey Huey Calhoun falls for singer Felicia Farrell in a time when their interracial relationship was hardly celebrated. Tony nominee Chad Kimball returned to the role he created and Huey still fits like a glove. Felicia Boswell, who starred in the First National Tour, was Felicia Farrell and original Broadway cast member Cass Morgan brought Mama back to life.

54 Sings Curtains

Last night we kicked off our first of many nights at Feinsteins/54 Below with 54 Sings Curtains. Not only was it a wonderful evening full of familiar faces, but the perfect reminder of what a gem this show is. The evening was introduced by bookwriter Rupert Holmes, who gave us an abridged story of how CURTAINS was created. The cast assembled was led by the quirky and hilarious Richard Kind, who so graciously stepped into the leading role of Lieutenant Frank Cioffi, and brought his own comedic flair to the role originated by David Hyde Pierce. Other notable cast members included the always superb Karen Ziemba as the songwriter turned star Georgia Hendricks, Noah Racey as leading man Bobby Pepper, Megan Sikora as Bambi, Erin Davie, who replaced in the original production, as ingenue Niki Harris, and a host of other Broadway veterans.

Big Fish Texas All State Show

BIG FISH at #ThesFest16

Based on the celebrated novel by Daniel Wallace and the acclaimed film directed by Tim Burton, BIG FISH centers on Edward Bloom, a traveling salesman who lives life to its fullest… and then some! Edward’s incredible, larger-than-life stories thrill everyone around him – most of all, his devoted wife Sandra. But their son Will, about to have a child of his own, is determined to find the truth behind his father’s epic tales.

Overflowing with heart, humor and spectacular stagecraft, BIG FISH is an extraordinary new Broadway musical that reminds us why we love going to the theatre – for an experience that’s richer, funnier and BIGGER than life itself.

Check out photos from the Texas All State production at the 2016 International Thespian Festival in Lincoln, NE. Photos by R. Bruhn.

Unforgettable Moments from the International Thespian Festival 2014

One of our biggest and best opportunities to meet our customers happens at the end of June each year in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Educational Theatre Association’s (EdTA) International Thespian Festival is held in this lovely and welcoming city each summer on the campus of the University of Nebraska. This year, nearly 4000 Thespians and their directors descended on the festival by trains, planes and automobiles (OK, mostly on 17 hour bus rides) and attended hundreds of high school shows and workshops with world-class presenters and teaching artists.

Team TRW attends the festival to have facetime with the people who make theatre happen with high school kids from around the globe. From as far away as Canada, London, Dubai, Qatar, and Saipan and Mound City, TX and…everywhere

The JJ Project: One Boy’s Hope and Courage Inspires a Community

We’re asking our family of customers to join us in this brilliant project…and it won’t cost you a penny. (Just a little love!)
The TRW Partnership Team is Theatrical Rights Worldwide’s community outreach organization. Created in 2009, the Partnership Team’s mission calls for planting seeds in schools and theatre companies to grow the next generation of actors, artists, writers and audience members.

Earlier this year we learned of a very special production at MTVArts, in Mount Vernon, Ohio of one of our most popular Theatre for Young Audiences titles, HOW I BECAME A PIRATE. When we met their 11 year-old director, we immediately knew we had to be a part of this magical event.

Watch the official JJ Project video and get to know this young man and help us in making JJ’s directorial debut a very memorable opening!

TRW Partnership Team 2012: Young Leaders Elementary School

The Theatrical Rights Worldwide Partnership Team was created in 2008 to provide human resources to schools in our community, New York City, that need a helping hand creating theatre programs, or enhancing existing departments. Our experiences in the NYC schools have brought us far more insight than we ever imagined. Seeing the faces of kids lighting up a stage for the first time as they discover the joy of artistic collaboration is exhilarating!

In October 2009 the Partnership Team began our work with over sixty first and second graders from the Family School, in the Bronx at P.S. 90, coordinated through Music Specialist Justin Dayhoff and Principal Pamela Lee. November saw the class take the stage for the first time to the delight of the hundreds of family and friends who filled the school’s lovely old auditorium.

Full Text of Steve Spiegel’s Keynote Address to the NZMT

You’re about to create a new civilization and for your starting point, you want a center of this new town. A town square. To start, you will build an environment where artists can converge. Poets, painters, dancers, storytellers and musicians. And, all will be fine until the government realizes that these artists influence people. So, the artists get rounded up but quickly society realizes that without art, there is no community. And without community, there is no environment for self-expression, interactivity, socialization, mentorship, personal creativity and growth, friendship, knowledge, risk taking, and yes, without community, there is no environment for debate or leadership. So, this new civilization learns the value of community, especially that of its artists.

TRW Partnership Team & The Family School: Phase 2!

The Theatrical Rights Worldwide Partnership Team was created in 2008 to provide human resources to schools in New York City that need a helping hand with their Arts programs. In October 2009 the Partnership Team began working with over sixty kindergarten, first and second graders from the Family School, coordinated through Music Specialist Justin Dayhoff and Principal Pamela Lee. The first session was a huge success, ending with an after school performance of several short plays.

After the success of the first session…the Morning Project took shape and by mid-January, over thirty Family School kids were ready to meet Mondays through Thursdays from 7:20-8:20am each morning to discover the fun and beauty of exploring acting through storytelling.

TRW’s Partnership Team: Helping Kids Make Strong Connections at School

The Theatrical Rights Worldwide Partnership Team was created in 2008 to provide human resources to schools in New York City that need a helping hand with their Arts programs. The Family School opened in September, 2009 with a unique mission that is a perfect fit for our outreach program. In October 2009 the Partnership Team began our work with over sixty first and second graders from the Family School, coordinated through Music Specialist Justin Dayhoff and Principal Pamela Lee. November brought a follow-up assessment meeting between the Theatrical Rights team and Dayhoff and Lee that resulted in an agreement to continue the drama/music program in a new session that began in January, 2010. The program features an extended schedule, including an early morning before-school component.

TRW Partnership Team: The Family School Project

The TRW Partnership Team just spent three amazing weeks with The Family School, Bronx, NY, working with their Kindergarten through 2nd graders on their first drama project! Team leaders Fred Stuart and Andrew Rainbow from the TRW Partnership Team worked with over 60 students, aided by Justin Dayhoff, the Family School’s music specialist and Family School staff.

Each class focused on the basic skills of drama and…on having fun! Breaking the group into four casts, the second week saw the development of a short play for each group. By week three, each group was in the final stages of remembering their lines and learning the awesome song composed by TRW’s Andrew Rainbow.

Finally on Thursday, October 22, 2009, The first Family School Drama Program show premiered!