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!