Author Archives: The Cooper Company

Distant Thunder, Cowritten, Directed, and Choreographed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett, releases first single STRONG ENOUGH!

New York: The groundbreaking musical Distant Thunder, written by Lynne Taylor-Corbett & Shaun Taylor-Corbett, with music and lyrics by Chris Wiseman, Shaun Taylor-Corbett, proudly announced that it will release its first of three singles on February 12, 2024. The single “Strong Enough” will be released on Spotify and Apple Music. 

In the first song, “Strong Enough”, three kids are running away from the Blackfeet reservation—thinking they can find a better life, only to realize later on that the source of their strength and identity lie within their community and close to their language. Listen to their story and look for the next release within weeks, more info on www.DistantThunderTheMusical.com.  

“While preparing to release the first single, “Strong Enough,” from our musical, Distant Thunder, I can’t help but feel an electrifying mix of excitement and anticipation sharing our music. This song embodies the spirit of so many young people trying to find themselves and chasing dreams of a brighter future. Stay tuned for more big news and the subsequent releases in the coming weeks. Let the power of music and storytelling resonate as we share the profound narrative of Distant Thunder with the world.”  

– Shaun Taylor-Corbett

“Strong Enough” features Spencer Battiest (Native American Music Awards/MTV and VMA Awards winner), Shayna Jackson (Shane at Guthrie Theatre), Chelsea Zeno (In the Heights), Román Zaragoza (“Ghosts”),and Shaun Taylor-Corbett (Currently: Between Two Knees; Jersey Boys, In the Heights).  Musicians featured on the track include Matt Beck, Doug Henrichs, Richard Hammond, Rich Mercurio, Michael Moricz, andMichael Morris. The production team includes M.P. Kuo (engineer), Micheal Morris (track producer), John Kilgore (track engineer) with arrangements by Michael Moricz.

Set on the Blackfeet Reservation, Distant Thunder tells the present-day story of attorney Darrell Walters, a young half-Blackfeet-half-white outsider raised in Chicago, who unwittingly sets off a firestorm of crisis as he returns to his tribe seeking reconciliation with his father. Through a deepening connection to his community, he embraces the true value of fighting to keep the tribe’s language alive. 

Distant Thunder was developed by Native Voices at the Autry, The Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Amas Musical Theatre.  The show is supported by the Association on American Indian Affairs and the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma, the end of the Trail of Tears, where it received its first production. During its recent run at the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Distant Thunder was awarded the Broadway World Award for Best Musical, Best Ensemble Performance, Best Direction of a Musical, Best Supporting Performer in a Musical, Best Scenic Design, Best Lighting Design, Best Sound Design and Best Costume Design. 

For more information about the upcoming singles and the latest information about Distant Thunder, please visit www.DistantThunderTheMusical.com  and follow the shows progress on Instagram: @distantthunderthemusical and Tiktok: @shauntaylorcorbett. #InvisibleNoMore

Click Here to Listen on Spotify

Click Here to Listen on Apple Music

WAITRESS the Musical, Choreographed by Lorin Latarro, Extends Theatrical Run and is Now Available to Pre-Order on iTunes!

“Bleecker Street said it’s extending the theatrical run of Waitress: The Musical through the holiday season after its “exceptional performance and sellouts nationwide.” The distributor had initially planned for a one-week run, releasing the film of the hugely popular musical on 1,214 screens across the U.S. and Canada last weekend. It grossed $3.5 million from Thursday to Sunday and nabbed the no. 8 spot at the North America box office with $3.2 million for the weekend — alone among the top ten in seeing ticket sales rise from Saturday to Sunday.

The film toplined by Sara Bareilles will play on 800+ screens.

“We’re thrilled with the success of Waitress: The Musical at this weekend’s box office,” said Bleecker Street’s president of distribution Kyle Davies. “The word-of-mouth around this film has been tremendous and we’re looking forward to carrying this momentum into the extension of the film’s run.”

The long-running show first debuted on Broadway in 2016, returning for a limited engagement in the fall of 2021.” – Deadline

Encores! Once Upon a Mattress, Choreographed by Lorin Latarro, Announces Cast!

“More casting has been revealed for the upcoming New York City Center Encores! run of Once Upon a Mattress, set to take the Manhattan venue January 24-February 4, 2024, as a part of the series’ 30th anniversary season.

Joining the previously announced Sutton Foster  as Princess Winnifred and Michael Urie as Prince Dauntless will be Nikki Renée Daniels as Lady Larken, J. Harrison Ghee as Jester, Cheyenne Jackson as Sir Harry, Francis Jue as Wizard, and David Patrick Kelly as King Sextimus the Silent.

Encores! Artistic Director Lear deBessonet (Into the Woods) is directing the production, with choreography by Lorin Latarro…” – Playbill

‘Waitress’ Musical, Choreographed by Lorin Latarro, Showed Broadway the Power of Female Fans

“Compared to the splashier spectacles that play Broadway and beyond, “Waitress” is relatively simple. It isn’t set in a notable time or place. It doesn’t zoom in on a famous figure. It forgoes ornate costumes, elaborate sets and ensemble-wide dance numbers. And though the stage show is, like many productions these days, based on a movie, it’s not one with the massive fan base of “Harry Potter” or the pedigree of “The Color Purple”: It adapts a 2007 indie film about a server who dreams of opening a pie shop but finds herself unexpectedly pregnant.

In commercial theater terms, it’s not exactly a recipe for success.

And yet “Waitress” recouped its initial investment — a milestone reached by only 20% of all Broadway productions — in less than 10 months. It went on to play over 1,500 performances, earn four Tony Award nominations and launch multiple national tours. And a filmed performance of the stage show, starring its composer-lyricist Sara Bareilles, is coming to the big screen as a five-day theatrical event beginning Dec. 7.

…Lorin Latarro’s choreography features a subtle but beautiful interlude celebrating childbirth, as well as whimsical dream sequences that accompany Jenna’s piemaking — an act by which she honors her mother, who taught her how to bake….

“…Waitress” — the first Broadway musical led by an all-female creative team — offers the industry’s core fan base an unusual opportunity to see themselves reflected onstage: normal women who work hard, make mistakes and deal with whatever they’ve been served in life, all in the here and now, not some faraway decade or fantasy realm.” – Los Angeles Times

Museum of Broadway Nominated for Best New Museum by USAToday!

“A recent addition to the streets of New York City, the Museum of Broadway is dedicated to highlighting the history of one of the city’s most prestigious performing arts. Beginning with the city’s first recorded performance in 1732, the venue carries on well into the modern day, with the “Making of a Broadway Show” exhibit offering ample insight into the inner workings of each modern performance.

Nominees are selected by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day.” Click here to vote!

The Prince of Egypt, Directed and Choreographed by Scott Schwartz and Sean Cheesman, Will Be Available on Streaming Platforms in December!

“The West End sensation, The Prince of Egypt: The Musical, will be released on digital platforms from December 4. Following a release on BroadwayHD on November 15, the production will be available on YouTube, Xfinity, Prime Video, Apple TV, and more.

Filmed live at the West End’s Dominion Theatre, London, the show features a cast and orchestra of 60 performers, making it one of the biggest musicals ever staged. The Prince of Egypt: The Musical is a must-see for all fans of musical theatre. 

Journey through the wonders of Ancient Egypt as two young men, raised together as brothers in a kingdom of privilege, find themselves suddenly divided by a secret past. One must rule as Pharaoh, the other must rise up and free his true people; both face a destiny that will change history forever. Filmed live in London, this spectacular stage show comes to digital platforms for the first time, giving fans the opportunity to experience the show from their living rooms.

The Prince of Egypt: The Musical has music and lyrics by multi-Grammy® and Academy Award®-winner Stephen Schwartz(Wicked, Godspell), a book by Philip LaZebnik (Mulan, Pocahontas) and features 10 new songs written byStephen Schwartz together with 5 of his beloved songs from the DreamWorks Animation film (When You Believe, Deliver Us, All I Ever Wanted, Through Heaven’s Eyes and The Plagues). The Prince of Egypt was directed for the stage by Scott Schwartz with choreography by Sean Cheesman.” – BroadwayWorld

The Museum of Broadway Will Celebrate Its One Year Anniversary on November 15th; Will Offer $1 Tickets!

“The Museum of Broadway announced that celebration of its upcoming one year anniversary, $1 tickets for admission on the museum’s birthday, Wednesday, November 15th, are available for purchase now on a first-come, first-serve basis at themuseumofbroadway.com/tickets. The Museum of Broadway is also now accepting single and group ticket sales through June 30, 2024 due to popular demand (prices begin at $25.)

The museum opened its doors on November 15, 2022, to reveal 26,000 sq. ft. across three floors where over 500 productions from the 1700s-present are celebrated.  To add to its visual allure and grandeur from the outside looking in, The Museum of Broadway will unveil two windows designed exclusively for The Museum of Broadway by the Fashion Institute of Technology on Wednesday, November 15.  The windows will bring to life the museum’s milestone birthday celebration and toast to the magic and music of Broadway this holiday season.

The Museum of Broadway was created with the intention to take guests through the timeline of Broadway from its birth to present day, highlighting theater’s most socially progressive moments and pioneers, and some of the most beloved plays and musicals of all time one immersive experience and one-of-a-kind installation at a time.  From the upcoming opening of the SIX: THE ROYAL GALLERY special exhibit (on-view November 6 through February 6) to exclusive new costume reveals and merchandise drops, The Museum of Broadway has something for all fans of all ages.  In addition to the $1 ticket admission, the Museum of Broadway’s one year anniversary will feature special event programming, surprise musical guests, a ceremony for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the philanthropic heart of Broadway, and so much more from morning until night.

The $1 ticket is available exclusively to the public for admission on November 15th, 2023, from 9:30 AM – 2:30 PM (last entry 90 minutes prior to close).  Entrance to the SIX: THE ROYAL GALLERY special exhibit is included in any ticket purchased to the Museum of Broadway.” – BroadwayWorld

The Heart of Rock and Roll, Choreographed by Lorin Latarro, Will Open on Broadway Spring 2024!

“The Heart of Rock and Roll, a new musical inspired by the music of Huey Lewis and The News, will open on Broadway at the James Earl Jones Theatre in spring 2024. Previews for the production will begin March 29, 2024, with opening night set for April 22. The musical previously enjoyed an industry workshop in July, following a 2018 production at San Diego’s Old Globe. The production will again be directed by Gordon Greenberg, who has been attached for the entirety of the musical’s public development… with choreography by Lorin Latarro.” – Playbill

Frank DiLella Wins Three 2023 New York Emmy Awards!

ON STAGE host Frank DiLella picked up 3 New York Emmy Awards on Saturday night.  

1) An award for his feature on Gaelynn Lee – the composer of the recent Broadway revival of “Macbeth” in the category DIVERSITY/EQUITY/INCLUSION – SHORT FORM CONTENT. 

2) An award for hosting Spectrum News NY1’s Gay Pride Special – “NY1 Celebrates Pride: The New Generation” in the category DIVERSITY/EQUITY/INCLUSION – LONG FORM CONTENT

3) An award for BEST MAGAZINE PROGRAM (SERIES) for ON STAGE.