All stories by Peter D. Kramer on BroadwayStars

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Running Lines: White Plains' "Seussical" by Peter D. Kramer

Things are about to get all rhymey at White Plains High School, as “Seussical the Musical” comes to the stage. The story—set to music and lyrics by Stephen Flaherty and Lyn…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 01:52PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Running Lines: Byram Hills' "Fiddler on the Roof" by Peter D. Kramer

Byram Hills has a theatrical tradition, so it seems fitting that the Armonk school should be staging “Fiddler on the Roof” this year. Director John Lopez is a known commodity to …

SOURCE: The Journal News at 08:30AM[SHARE]

Running Lines: Irvington's "Fiddler on the Roof" by Peter D. Kramer

Irvington High School’s Jake Glantz says he’s honored to be playing Russian dairyman Tevye, a role played by Topol and Zero Mostel. “To follow in their footsteps is a bit h…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 07:47AM[SHARE]

Running Lines: Kennedy's "Bye Bye Birdie" by Peter D. Kramer

The kids in Sweet Apple, Ohio, are burning up the phone lines with the news that Hugo Peabody pinned Kim MacAfee. In Kennedy Catholic High School’s production of “Bye Bye Birdie,…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 06:31AM[SHARE]

Running Lines: Yorktown's "Meet Me in St. Louis" by Peter D. Kramer

The calendar says that spring is not too far off, but with snow still on the ground, it’ll be a white Christmas for the Smiths in Yorktown High School’s production of “Meet…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 06:28AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, March 4, 2014

At Briarcliff: A British musical, an American first by Peter D. Kramer

Thirty years ago — when British composer Howard Goodall’s “The Hired Man” first reached London’s West End — Margaret Thatcher was prime minister, “L…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 04:02PM[SHARE]
Friday, February 28, 2014

Running Lines: Rye's "Beauty and the Beast" by Peter D. Kramer

Last year, Ben DeMarco played the lovably joyful Snoopy in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” a character who could be found in his Sopwith Camel, looking down on the fiel…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 03:55PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Running Lines: Rye Neck's "Shrek" by Peter D. Kramer

A couple of ogres, a donkey, a dragon and a forest full of fairy-tale creatures will take to the stage at Rye Neck High School in “Shrek the Musical” (7 p.m., Feb. 27 and 28; 1 p…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 10:24AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Musicals set to take flight by Peter D. Kramer

From now till May, 62 high-school musicals will open and close across the Lower Hudson Valley. At the very end of that calendar is the regional premiere of “Mary Poppins” at Arch…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 11:32AM[SHARE]

Running Lines: Masters School's 'Into the Woods' (video) by Peter D. Kramer

As a professional actress, Janie Wallace played The Baker’s Wife in Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods.” Fast forward several years and Wallace—a veteran of nat…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 11:12AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Running Lines: Rye Country Day's 'Guys and Dolls' (video) by Peter D. Kramer

Theatrical traditions leave big shoes. For more than a generation, Cary Fuller was the gentle hand at the tiller at Rye Country Day School, creating a theatrical community where, each winter…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 10:20AM[SHARE]

The Big Chart: The musicals season, show by show by Peter D. Kramer

Below is a link to our annual chart, week by week, at the musicals that will be lighting up high-school stages across the Lower Hudson Valley from now till May. Chart your theatergoing caref…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 08:42AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Musical & Quotable: Nyack's Michel Ntiri by Peter D. Kramer

Nyack H.S. senior Michel Ntiri, above, who played Alice’s daughter and the Gospel Singer in “Big River” last year. She’ll play the title role in “Aida,” r…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 11:53AM[SHARE]

Musical & Quotable: Harrison's Halle Mastroberardino by Peter D. Kramer

Harrison H.S. senior HALLE MASTROBERARDINO, 17, (center, above) led Harrison’s Metro Award-winning Outstanding Overall Musical “Crazy for You” last year, playing Polly Bake…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 11:34AM[SHARE]

Mark your Metro Awards calendars: June 2 by Peter D. Kramer

THE METRO AWARDS, the annual celebration of musicals in Rockland, Westchester and Bergen counties, will be held Monday, June 2 at Paramount Hudson Valley in Peekskill. Danielle Rudess, produ…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 11:09AM[SHARE]

Extreme Overture: Can't wait for your showtunes? Try this playlist. by Peter D. Kramer

From “Legally Blonde” to “Hairspray” to “Mary Poppins,” theatergoers and fans of high-school musicals will have plenty of showtunes to sing from now throu…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 11:01AM[SHARE]

Musicals by the numbers: Who's doing what? by Peter D. Kramer

By the numbers Here’s a by-the-numbers look at the season of high-school musicals across the Lower Hudson Valley from now till May. 1 Crazy for You: Bronxville 25th Annual Putnam Count…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 10:59AM[SHARE]
Friday, February 7, 2014

Port Chester Council seeks an angel, space by Peter D. Kramer

The Port Chester Council for the Arts, like all good-hearted theater groups, is looking for help. The council does amazing work, sending teachers into the schools to incorporate the arts and…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 10:31AM[SHARE]
Thursday, February 6, 2014

Jacques le Sourd, Journal News' last Broadway critic, dies by Peter D. Kramer

Jacques le Sourd, the longtime theater critic of The Journal News, has died. He collapsed on Feb. 5, outside the home of friends in Preston, Lancashire, England, where he had been living for…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 08:46PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, February 5, 2014

'Working' on characters at Holy Child by Peter D. Kramer

  School of the Holy Child, an all-girls Catholic school in Rye, stages musicals and plays without looking beyond its walls for talent. Girls play female and male roles. This year, they…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 12:36PM[SHARE]

Running Lines: Holy Child's "Working" by Peter D. Kramer

Stopped by a rehearsal of “Working” at School of the Holy Child in Rye. Here’s the Running Lines video I shot there. Enjoy!The post Running Lines: Holy Child’s “…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 12:18PM[SHARE]
Monday, February 3, 2014

Bronxville's 'Crazy for You' a toe-tapping farewell, of sorts (Video) by Peter D. Kramer

Musical will be last before theater’s 18-month, $8-million renovation The Gaiety Theater in Deadrock, Nev., is on its last legs. A foreclosing banker is on his way from New York. If on…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 01:56PM[SHARE]
Friday, January 17, 2014

Harrison a Grammy school nominee again by Peter D. Kramer

Harrison High School is on a Grammy roll. Last year, the school was named a Grammy Signature School Semifinalist. This year, they’ve done it again, placing among 123 schools from acros…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 04:37PM[SHARE]
Monday, January 6, 2014

Nyack plans a big night for Beethoven's Ninth by Peter D. Kramer

Nyack’s Greg Mitchell has written about subjects large and small, about mud-slinging campaigns involving Richard Nixon and Upton Sinclair, about coaching his son’s Little League …

SOURCE: The Journal News at 10:28AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Little Radical has a new (old) Yonkers home by Peter D. Kramer

For years, Michael Mirra and his Little Radical Theatrics productions have been a moveable feast, performing at Mamaroneck’s Sandbox, Pleasantville’s JCC, PlayGroup Theater in Wh…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 01:10PM[SHARE]
Friday, December 20, 2013

This just in: Stepinac to stage 'Mary Poppins' by Peter D. Kramer

Just received word that Westchester’s high-school-musical juggernaut Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains will be one of only six schools in the U.S. to present Disney Theat…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 04:36PM[SHARE]
Thursday, December 19, 2013

Bedford filmmaker gives Marvin Hamlisch 'American Masters' portrait by Peter D. Kramer

Bedford’s Dori Berinstein is a professional noticer. Noticing there wasn’t a documentary celebrating the star of “Hello, Dolly!”, she made 2012’s “Carol C…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 01:21PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Christmas listening: 'Merry and Bright' and others … by Peter D. Kramer

I am, I admit, a bit strange. I listen to holiday music year-round, from Handel’s “Messiah” to Vince Guaraldi. This summer—yes, summer—I got hooked on Dave McKe…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 12:56PM[SHARE]
Monday, December 16, 2013

Trumbull's 'Rent' is now due " as first planned " on March 27 by Peter D. Kramer

After weeks of uncertainty, a planned-canceled-postponed production of Jonathan Larson’s rock musical “Rent” will go on as originally planned March 27-30, 2014, in Trumbull…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 04:47PM[SHARE]
Friday, December 13, 2013

Season of uncertainty for 'Rent' in Connecticut by Peter D. Kramer

A plan to bring Jonathan Larson’s “Rent” and its anthem “Seasons of Love” to a high-school stage has led to a season of uncertainty in Trumbull, Conn. Last mont…

SOURCE: The Journal News at 10:08AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, December 11, 2013

One of the new Matildas has ties to Westchester by Peter D. Kramer

The Broadway production of “Matilda” today announced the four young actresses who’ll share the title role in alternating performances—and one of them has ties to the …

SOURCE: The Journal News at 02:55PM[SHARE]

All that Chat

2025-2026 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 12, 2025: Call Me Izzy - Studio 54
Sep 16, 2025: Art - Music Box Theatre
Oct 08, 2025: Beetlejuice - Palace Theatre
Nov 13, 2025: Oedipus - Studio 54
Nov 16, 2025: Chess - Imperial Theatre
Mar 23, 2026: Giant - Music Box Theatre
Apr 06, 2026: Becky Shaw - Hayes Theater
Apr 16, 2026: Proof - Booth Theatre
Apr 26, 2026: Drama Desk Cut-Off