First Stage Theatre

A first-look photo has been released for the upcoming production of RENT at the Tom Stoppard Theatre in London's West End, featuring Gaten Matarazzo. The Stranger Things actor is among the cast drawing attention as anticipation builds for the musical's run, with theatre fans sharing the promotional image widely.

Rowan Atkinson is set to star in the first West End comedy sketch show in four decades, according to the London Evening Standard. The project reunites him with long-time collaborators Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, whose work with Atkinson spans Not the Nine O'Clock News, Blackadder and Mr Bean. The announcement has excited comedy and theatre fans, marking a rare stage return for the actor best known worldwide for his silent comedic persona.

First Stage Theatre will present 'How to Train Your Dragon The Musical JR.' next weekend, according to an announcement from the Huntington-based theatre company. The production adapts the popular DreamWorks story of Hiccup and Toothless for young performers and family audiences. Details on tickets and showtimes are available through the theatre.

University of North Dakota Theatre will inaugurate its new Starcher Stage venue with a production of 'The Addams Family'. The musical marks the first show staged in the renamed performance space, giving students and local audiences a fresh campus venue for live theatre. No further details on dates or casting have been announced.

Paddington The Musical, the stage adaptation of the beloved Peruvian bear's stories, has announced a new cast as the production marks its first anniversary in London's West End. The show, described as a multiple award-winning, critically acclaimed hit, is celebrating the milestone with fresh performers taking on the roles. It remains a popular draw for families and Paddington fans alike.

The Phoenix Theatre Company has released a preview of 'On My Own' from its production of Les Misérables, sharing a video teaser of the number. The staging of the long-running Boublil and Schönberg musical is drawing attention from musical theatre fans, who are watching the clip for a first look at how the company handles one of the show's most famous solos.

The classic holiday film It's a Wonderful Life has arrived on Broadway for the first time, in a production presented by the Shubert Organization. The stage adaptation brings Frank Capra's beloved 1946 story of George Bailey and Bedford Falls to New York theatre audiences, adding a nostalgic seasonal title to the Broadway lineup.

Western Illinois University's theatre program will stage Shakespeare's Twelfth Night as the inaugural production at the newly built Clow Theatre, opening October 8. The performance marks the debut of the campus venue, giving students and local audiences their first look at the new performance space on the Macomb campus.

The Broadway cast has been set for 'Dolly: A True Original Musical', a stage show built around the life and music of Dolly Parton. The announcement, reported by New York Theatre Guide, gives theatre fans their first look at the performers who will bring the project to the stage, and anticipation is building around casting choices and premiere timing.

A stage adaptation of Stuart Dybek's story 'Chopin in Winter' has opened at Chicago's Chopin Theatre, pairing the tale with performances of Chopin's music. An early review describes the production as bringing Dybek's coming-of-age narrative vividly to life, with the piano score woven into the storytelling and the venue's name adding a fitting resonance to the material.

The Catalyst Theatre is staging a murder mystery production inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby', presented as the first part of a serialised story. The show blends 1920s Jazz Age glamour with an interactive whodunit format, drawing local attention to the venue's genre-spanning programming. Further instalments of the mystery are expected to follow in subsequent parts.

A landmark play in Black theatre history is returning to the Yale Repertory Theatre, the venue where it was first staged. The production is being framed as a homecoming and a chance for a new generation of audiences to see a work widely credited with shaping American theatre.

Circle Theatre in Fort Worth is staging a revival of 'Ain't Misbehavin'', the Tony Award-winning musical built on the music of Fats Waller. The production brings the celebrated jazz-era revue back to local audiences, offering the theater's take on a show first praised for its performances and its tribute to the Harlem stride piano tradition.

Jamaican actress Shanique Brown has made her début with the Jambiz theatre company, according to the Jamaica Observer. The report highlights her first appearance on the Jambiz stage, a company known for popular local comedy-drama productions. Arts audiences in Jamaica are following her step into one of the island's best-known theatre groups.

Middle Tennessee State University Theatre students are opening their fall season with 'Jack's Tale', a bluegrass musical running October 1-4 on the Murfreesboro campus. The production, staged by MTSU students, blends traditional bluegrass music with theatre and marks the department's first mainstage show of the academic year.

Theatre Northwest at Northwest Missouri State University has staged its First-Year Showcase, an event the student newspaper describes as 'monumental'. The showcase gives first-year students an early opportunity to perform and present their work on stage, highlighting the incoming class's talent to the campus community. Further details about the program and performances were not immediately available.

The classic Christmas film 'It's a Wonderful Life' is planning its first-ever Broadway adaptation, with actor Andrew Rannells attached to star. The news, reported by The New York Times, marks a new stage chapter for Frank Capra's beloved 1946 story, and theatre fans are already weighing in on how the holiday favorite will translate to the Broadway stage.

The Room Upstairs Theatre Company has released first-look production photos for its staging of Reefer Madness the Musical. The satirical show, based on the 1930s anti-marijuana propaganda film, remains a cult favourite among musical theatre fans. The photos give audiences an early glimpse of the set, costumes, and cast ahead of performances, and are drawing attention from theatre followers curious about the company's take on the material.

The Chattanooga Theatre Company has announced its slate of upcoming productions, according to an announcement carried by Chattanoogan.com. The news gives local theatre-goers a first look at what the company will stage in the coming months. Details on specific shows, dates and venues were not included in the announcement, but residents are expected to follow up for ticketing information.

Deaf West Theatre, the Los Angeles-based company known for producing sign-language-inflected stage works, celebrated its 35th anniversary with its first-ever gala in New York City. Photos from the event show the milestone celebration, which highlights the company's decades of work bringing deaf artists and stories to mainstream theatre audiences.

China Anne McClain has made her Broadway debut in the musical adaptation of 'The Great Gatsby' in New York, telling press she 'never wants to leave the stage'. The actor, known for television roles, joins the cast of the F. Scott Fitzgerald adaptation as theatre outlets report on her enthusiasm for the production and her first steps on Broadway.