Ryan Vasquez In "Hamilton" National Tour!

Ryan Vasquez (RENT Director) will be joining the National Tour of the knockout hit musical HAMILTON as James Reynolds! He will also be an understudy for Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, and George Washington. The tour opens in San Francisco on March 10th, 2017.

We are excited for Ryan to have earned this great opportunity to join a show during the height of its popularity!

For more information about the cast: Click here!
For touring dates: Click here!

MLive's Review Of FutureStars 2017 Finals!

Check out mlive's coverage of the FutureStars 2017 Finals, complete with photos, video, and interviews! Click here!

Clark Baxtresser Returns To FutureStars!

Clark Baxtresser (PHS & PTG 2006) has enjoyed continued success as a composer and keyboardist with the hit-online-musical-theater-parody company, StarKid Productions. You can see Clark in person as one of the celebrity judges for our 15th FutureStars Finals, this Saturday, 1/28. Clark won FutureStars in 2004 as a student.

StarKid Productions started in 2009 at the University of Michigan by a group of students who loved creating and performing. They quickly found internet fame with their first show, A VERY POTTER MUSICAL, which was named one of "The 10 Best Viral Videos of 2009" by Entertainment Weekly. To date, their youtube channel has had over 180 million views!

They have continued to write and produce full shows since POTTER, all accessible online. Clark and writing partner Pierce Siebers composed the music for ANI: A PARODY, based on Star Wars, in 2014. StarKid's most recent show FIREBRINGER was performed last summer in Chicago and is available for your listening and viewing pleasure on their website.

Check out StarKid's work and keep up-to-date with their new projects: Click here!
You can also check out videos from Clark & Pierce's band TalkFine: Click here!

Etai Benson In "An American In Paris"!

Etai Benson (aka Etai BenSchlomo, WILLY WONKA and MISS SAIGON Director) has been cast as Adam Hochberg in the First National Tour of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, an award-winning dance-filled musical based on the breakout Gershwin 1950 film of the same name.

The tour kicks off in Boston on October 25th, with dates scheduled through August 2017. Check it out in a city near you!

Ashley Park & Rohan Kymal's Mashup!

Ashley Park (PHS & PTG 2009), who can currently be seen in Broadway's THE KING AND I, and Rohan Kymal (PHS & PTG 2007), an actor/musician recently seen on Netflix's "Master Of None", joined up for a Broadway/Bollywood mashup recently.

The video above was recently reviewed by Playbill.com, and contains a beautiful mashup of Rodger's & Hammerstein's "If I Loved You" and AR Rahman's "Tu Bin Bataye".

Playbill also recently interviewed Ashley and her KING & I costar Ken Watanabe about their past struggles with cancer. Click here to check it out.

"The Spongebob Musical" Opens With PTG Staff!

Nick Blaemire (FS 2006 Director) and L'ogan J'ones (GUYS AND DOLLS choreographer) are featured in the new production of THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL, which will make its world premiere at Chicago's Oriental Theatre on June 7th. It's then expected to hit a NYC Broadway stage next season.

THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL features an all-star set of original songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Dirty Projectors, Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, John Legend, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants and T.I., and a song by David Bowie with additional lyrics by Jonathan Coulton.

Check out the Entertainment Weekly exclusive: Click here!

New Musical "Waitress" Features PTG Staff!

Ryan Vasquez (RENT Director) just finished a stint in WICKED on Broadway and is moving on to the new Broadway musical WAITRESS (based on the movie of the same name) with original music by pop artist Sara Bareilles. Joining Ryan and also serving as Dance Captain is Max Kumangai (FS 07 Director).

WAITRESS has done well in previews and will move to Broadway on April 24th!

Gavi Savit Releases First Book!

Gavi Savit (PHS & PTG Alum 2006) has had his first young adult novel Anna and the Swallow Man published and it's now available for purchase!

Here is the synopsis:

A world at war. A dangerous journey. A bond that can survive anything. 

Krakòw, 1939. Anna Łania is just seven years old when the Germans take her father. She's alone. 

And then Anna meets the Swallow Man. He is a mystery, strange and tall, a skilled deceiver with more than a little magic up his sleeve. When he summons a bright, beautiful swallow down to his hand to stop her from crying, Anna is entranced. She follows him into the wilderness. 

Over the course of their travels together, Anna and the Swallow Man will dodge bombs, tame soldiers, and even, despite their better judgment, make a friend. But in a world gone mad, everything can prove dangerous. Even the Swallow Man.

The website Shelf Awareness featured his novel on their "Kid's Indie Next List Pick"! Read their review: Click here!

MLive Covers FutureStars 2016 Finals!

FutureStars wowed audiences again this year. Check out MLive's review of the Finals: Click here!

PTG Staff Updates!

BROADWAY:

Rachel Eskenazi-Gold (GUYS AND DOLLS Music Director) is making her Broadway Debut as Madame Firmin (and Christine Understudy) in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.

Allison McDowell (HAIRSPRAY and 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE Director) is making her Broadway debut as Mona in CHICAGO, which also features Kelcy Griffin (THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE and WIZARD OF OZ Choreographer)

TOURING:

Kyle Timson (FS 2014 Coach, GUYS AND DOLLS Director, FS 2015 Director, THE LITTLE MERMAID Vocal Coach) has been cast in the International Tour of SHREK the MUSICAL as the main character, Shrek!

REGIONAL:

Ellie Fishman (FS 2014 Coach, FS 2015 Asst. Director) is featured in A CHRISTMAS STORY at Paper Mill Playhouse, along with Marjorie Failoni (HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL Choreographer) and Mara Newbery Greer (TOMMY Choreographer). This show also features Dana Steiner (SHREK's "Young Fiona").

Ethan Steiner In "Newsies"!

Ethan Steiner, talented Ann Arbor 11-year-old who played in PTG's SHREK and PIPPIN, joined the 1st National Tour of Disney's NEWSIES in October, playing young Les! Congratulations!

If you're living nearby, you can see him, along with PTG's former staffer Alex Prakken, at the Detroit Opera House when the tour comes through December 15th-27th.

To read about his experience, read this recent MLive article: click here!

Zack Pearlman Stars In "The Intern"!

Zack Pearlman (PHS & PTG Alum 2006) is starring in Warner Bros' newest film, The Intern, with Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway! It opens nationwide in theaters this Friday, 9/25!

Congratulations Zack for earning your way into such an all-star cast!

TG Staff Is Broadway Bound!

Alex Prakken (FutureStars 2013 Vocal Coach, Co-Director LITTLE MERMAID) was recently cast in the national tour of NEWSIES. Alex just graduated from UM's MT program in May, 2015.

Robert Ariza (RAGTIME, SHREK, PIPPIN & RENT Music Director and FutureStars 2013 & 2014 Coach) has just been cast in the upcoming Broadway revival of of SPRING AWAKENING set to open this fall. 

Alex Finke (PHANTOM Director & SEUSSICAL AD) makes her Broadway debut playing the role of Cosette in LES MISERABLES starting September 1st! Read her bio on BroadwayWorld.com: Click here!

Desi Oakley (FutureStars 2009, 2010, & 2011 Director) is back in the Broadway cast of WICKED, in the ensemble and as Elphaba's understudy. Ryan Vasquez (RENT Director) joins her in the WICKED ensemble and Fiyero's understudy!

Not to be outdone, PTG alum Gavi Savit (PHS 2006), just made his Broadway debut in the new musical, AMAZING GRACE, which premiered July 16 at the Nederlander Theatre. Click here to read more about the show!

Congratulations, everyone! If you're in New York City, make sure to go see these talented artists perform!

PTG Alumni Greetings!

At the FutureStars 2015 Finals this year, Theatre Guild's FutureStars, Rising Stars, and audience got special messages from PTG alumni who are now working in the arts! Click on the videos below to hear their messages.

We were so happy to see their faces and hear what they are up to! We'd like to give a special "thank you" to Sadie, who collected and edited these for us.

Sadie Yarrington, PTG & PHS '07

Ashley Park, PTG & PHS '09

Rohan Kymal, PTG & PHS '07

Hannah Jacobson, PTG & PHS '07

Gavi Savit, PTG & PHS '06

Jack Falahee, PTG & HHS '07

Thank you for your encouragement! Best of luck to these and all of our alum. Come back and visit!

MLive Covers FutureStars 2015!

Our FutureStars 2015 Finals entertained a packed house of 1700 patrons last night!

To see mlive's photo gallery and review of the show: Click here!

To see some of the night's top performances on mlive: Click here!

Also, a kind Theatre Guild parent, Amnon Steiner, posted a bunch of acts on youtube: Click here!

Congrats to everyone who took part!

Michael Hartung in NBC's "Peter Pan"!

Tune into NBC on Thursday, December 4th, at 8pm to watch a live performance of the musical PETER PAN, featuring our former staff member Michael Hartung (Shrek The Musical Choreographer & Pippin Director) as one of the Lost Boys!

To read more about the show on BroadwayWorld.com: Click here!

Ashley Park Starring in "The King And I" Revival!

Ashley Park (PTG '09, UM Musical Theatre '13) was recently cast as Tuptim in Rodgers & Hammerstein's beloved musical THE KING AND I in its Broadway revival at the Lincoln Center Theater! Tuptim is a very prominent role, including several solos and duets. We are very proud of her!

Previews will begin on March 12th and the show opens on April 16, 2015.

To read more about the show: Click here!

Robert Hartwell Shines in "Motown The Musical"!

Robert Hartwell (Urinetown Director) has been cast in the touring company of the hit show MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL based on the life and times of Motown Records founder and Detroit native Berry Gordy. Robert lights up the stage playing several characters, including a Temptation, a Jackson, a Contour, and Berry's brother Robert Gordy.

When the tour had its Detroit premiere at the Fisher Theater, he got to hob-nobble with some of Motown's brightest stars, including Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Mary Wilson, and Berry Gordy himself. The run is in Detroit October 22nd through November 16th.

Check out an interview the San Francisco Bay Times did with Robert about MOTOWN: Click here!

Will Burton in "An American In Paris"!

Will Burton (Seussical The Musical Choreographer) was just cast in the new musical AN AMERICAN IN PARIS based on the Academy Award winning movie of the same name. This is the first time this incredible piece will be produced for the stage. It is set to arrive on Broadway in 2015 after a premiere later this year in Paris.

To read more about AN AMERICAN IN PARIS in Playbill magazine: Click here!

PTG Alums On The Rise!

Gavi Savit (PTG '06, UM Musical Theatre '10) will be featured in the new musical AMAZING GRACE, which will have its pre-Broadway preview in Chicago this fall and then move to Broadway early in 2015. Gavi also just signed a major book contract with Knopf (Books for Young Readers): Anna and the Swallow Man is set to be the lead Young Adult/Crossover book for their Spring 2016 releases. YA/Crossover is the hottest area in publishing now, with successes of books such as Hunger Games and The Fault in Our Stars.

Read more about AMAZING GRACE at its official website (click here!) and Anna and the Swallow Man in Publisher's Weekly (click here!).

Zack Pearlman's (PTG '06) next project will be "The Intern," a movie starring Anne Hathaway, Robert DeNiro, Rene Russo, Andrew Rannells, Anders Holm, Nat Wolff, Linda Lavin, and Christina Scherer. In the workplace comedy, Pearlman will play a new intern that DeNiro's character takes under his wing. Pearlman will return to the TV comedy "Mulaney" after shooting "The Intern," and he's just finished reshoots on a Lorne Michaels/John Goldwyn movie called "Staten Island Summer."

Read more in The Hollywood Reporter (click here!) and Mlive (click here!).

Jimmy Mero (PTG '08) has been working as a staff writer on the AMC show "Hell on Wheels" since December. "Hell on Wheels" is a drama centering around the Union Pacific Railroad's greed and corruption, the experience of immigrants in the old west, and the plight of the newly free African Americans.

Read more about the show on AMC's website (click here!).

Ashley Park (PTG '09, UM Musical Theatre '13) made her Broadway debut in January in the ensemble of the musical MAMMA MIA, based on the music of ABBA. In October, she will be joining the cast of the National Touring Company of Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA, playing Gabrielle.

Read more about CINDERELLA on broadwayworld.com (click here!).

Congratulations, everyone, on all of the exciting new projects!