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Building the Social Media Success of "Be More Chill"

Be More Chill, with music and lyrics by Joe Iconis and a book by Joe Tracz, has 67.6 thousand followers on Instagram, 9,209 followers on Twitter, and 7,813 likes and 8,049 followers on Facebook. Even more likes and followers have been racked up on unofficial pages and the pages of the cast and crew. In the past day, 370 Twitter posts have featured the title of the show.

The current production, which opened last night, sold out a week before opening, and has gained much of its widespread fame from social media and an excited, involved fandom.

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Theaterpalooza Owner Calls MTI Bullies and Claims They are Harassing Her...That's Going to Go Over Well

The saga between Music Theatre International(MTI) and a children's community theatre company in Virginia just keeps getting more bizarre. 

Last week, MTI released a statement which countered many of the claims that Theaterpalooza owner, Teresa Walker, had made to local press outlets. 

On Tuesday, Ms. Walker released another statement where she claims her company is being bullied and harassed by MTI and even going as far as invoking "fake news" in regards to what MTI has stated thus far. 

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MTI Sues Children's Theatre Group Over Unpaid Licensing Fees

Over the past couple of years, Theaterpalooza Community Theater Productions, Inc. has been producing shows such as Matilda, Seussical, Little Shop of Horrors, and Honk!

The only problem is, the Virginia theatre company apparently, hasn't been paying licensing fees to do so. And now, Music Theatre International (MTI) has come to collect. 

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Why Exactly was Patrick Dorow Fired from Patrick Dorow Productions?

Last month, it was announced that Patrick Dorow, the Founder and Artistic Director of Patrick Dorow Productions(PDP), had been unanimously fired from his position. While it's not uncommon that theatre leaders are fired, it's rare that the namesake of the organization is the one getting the boot. It's also even more rare that the company keeps their name on the marquee afterward. 

But that's exactly what's happening in Portsmouth, NH at PDP. And the mystery swirling around its founder's departure has some in the community asking if more information should be provided. 

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Opera Australia Planning on Whitewashed Production of "West Side Story"

No offense Australia, but your country and "whitewashing" seems to go together like a barbecue and snags (see what I did there). More often than not, I get an Google alert on my phone of some issue of whitewashing popping up in the land down under. Whether it's their infamous attempt to do In the Heights with a mostly white cast or the controversy over their tourism ads, Australia seems to have a hard time getting on the bus towards equal representation on stage and screen. 

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Did a Delaware High School Fail to Take Action Regarding Sexual Misconduct Within its Theatre Department?

A high school in Delaware is coming under fire over their response or lack thereof to claims of sexual misconduct involving a male staff member within its theatre department. Multiple students have come forward with claims of either being the target of inappropriate behavior or witnessing it firsthand. 

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"Say yes to things that scare you" : A Quick Chat with "Spongebob Squarepants" Star Lilli Cooper

Let me tell you something. I played the Spring Awakening Soundtrack to death when I was in college. Lilli Cooper’s voice and all-around talent is one I have known for a very long time. For her to accomplish everything she has at this point in her young life, is inspiring and amazing. Lilli is currently starring as Sandy Cheeks in The SpongeBob SquarePants Broadway Musical which was nominated for 12 Tony Awards including Best Musical. It was also recently announced that she will be starring as Julie Nichols in the upcoming Broadway-Bound Musical Tootsie which will feature a score by Tony Award-winning composer David Yazbek.

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Video Aims to Show What "West Side Story" Got Wrong About Puerto Ricans

For many, there is a lot to love about the West Side Story. But for others, especially Puerto Ricans, a lot of it is problematic. Much of the problems coming from how their and their culture are depicted in Oscar-winning film. 

With a Steven Spielberg-directed remake on the way, it's understandable to question if many of the stereotypes and inaccuracies of the original film will be corrected. And one Puerto Rican actress is taking it a step further with a parody video highlighting some of those issues. 

Suni Reyes posted a different take on the WSS song "America" with lyrics to show how Puerto Rico is being treated today, as well as some facts about the inaccuracies in the original film. 

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Students Receive $500,000 in College Scholarships at Chicago’s New “College Break Thru” Performing Arts Program

It was an evening of cheers and celebration as the first “College Break Thru” program concluded on Friday, June 29th with 500,000 in college scholarships begin passed out to students! Parents, supporters, and program faculty gathered at the University Center in downtown Chicago to close out the 5-day intensive program that welcomed 56 of the country’s top performing arts students for high caliber classes and exclusive auditions.

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“Why don’t we just wear that?” : A Chat with Lauren Molina

Lauren Molina is an actress, singer, and songwriter who can currently be seen Off-Broadway in Desperate Measures as Bella Rose at New World Stages. Her performance earned her an Outer Critics Circle Award Nomination for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical and a Lucille Lortel Award Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical. 

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Taylor Iman Jones Has Got the Beat in Broadway's "Head Over Heels"

Taylor Iman Jones is currently starring as Mopsa in Head Over Heels (featuring music from the Go-Go’s) on Broadway which is currently in previews right now at The Hudson Theatre. I have been a fan since her Broadway debut in Groundhog Day. What made her debut so amazing was that she had only living in New York for two months when she booked the gig.

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Man accused of groping teens outside Broadway performance of "Anastasia"

Authorities are searching for the man accused of groping three teenage girls outside a New York Broadway theater Friday night.

It happened at about 11:15 p.m. after a performance of ‘Anastasia’ at the Broadhurst Theater as crowds of people were exiting the building.  Police say a man stood outside the theater and made inappropriate sexual contact, groping three teenage girls, ages 15, 16 and 19.

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A Touchstone of the Port Hope Arts Community

Recently, a quick ten-minute pre-show discussion before a highly successful matinee performance of Fiddler on the Roof at Port Hope's Cameco Capitol Arts Centre inspired me to learn more about the indelible mark Antonio Sarmiento has left on the thriving arts community in this pretty town, about a forty-five-minute drive east of Oshawa.

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Trump Supporter Attempts and Fails to Disrupt Performance of 'A Bronx Tale'

This morning it was reported that at last night's performance of A Bronx Tale, a man sitting near the front row, stood up and displayed a pro-Donald Trump sign towards the audience. 

The incident occurred during the curtain call of the show, which just seems pointless because the audience is already cheering the show.

A couple of people on Twitter were able to catch the act. 

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Despite the Doubt and Hate, Tony Awards Ratings Went Up This Year

Leading up to the 72nd Tony Awards, many prognosticators out there were assuming that without a "Hamilton-ish" cross over hit or The Band's Visit's likely dominance, the TV ratings would drop through the basement. 

How wrong they were. 

Just a day after the big night, it was reported that the TV ratings actually went up from last year's awards. Sunday night’s telecast of the Tonys drew 6.3 million viewers on CBS, an improvement of 4% from the 6 million who watched last year.

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