A prestigious panel of judges will evaluate the final round of solo submissions, including Joseph Ohrt, choir director for Central Bucks High School West in Doylestown; Peter Reynolds, head of musical theater, Temple University; If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here. Error! While in school, I have originated three roles in new works through Penn State's New Musicals Initiative. “We might be apart physically, but we’re finding ways to come together as only Penn Staters can,” Simpkins said. ACTING: Students will receive weekly private Acting coaching sessions, focusing on: Monologues: personalized monologue coaching & advisement in preparation for college auditions. Moreover, for the past… Each performer chose their pieces for their themes of community, spring time and fonder memories to lighten people’s spirits while in quarantine. ⭐️ John Simpkins / Penn State ⁣ Work with these amazing faculty members in an intimate, masterclass setting on Zoom. Board of Trustees Sponsorships Events About Awards Penn State is the proud home of one of the preeminent training programs in musical theatre. Throughout the evening, alumni and student performers shared their perspective on what the Penn State community means to them particularly during the coronavirus pandemic. Simpkins expressed the hope that each night of performances would help bring people together during a time of social distancing to strengthen the Penn State community. John Simpkins directed the three-time Drama Desk nominated Off-Broadway production of, Bloodsong of Love:  The Rock and Roll Spaghetti Western, New York credits also include the Off-Broadway productions of, International productions include the World Premiere of, John was Artistic Director at Sharon Playhouse from 2011-2016– where he directed, Big River, Falsettos, Les Miserables, They’re Playing Our Song, Damn Yankees, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Altar Boyz, Rent, A Funny Thing…Forum, A strong supporter of the development of new work, he has commissioned and directed, antasy Football, the Musical; All the Kids Are Doing It; When the World Ends, In addition to his directing life, John is Head of Musical Theatre at Penn State University. John Simpkins directed the three-time Drama Desk nominated Off-Broadway production of Bloodsong of Love:  The Rock and Roll Spaghetti Western (by Tony nominee Joe Iconis) at Ars Nova. Director John Simpkins previously directed Bloodsong of Love and The Black Suits, both by Iconis. “You Have No Right" from The Last Day, by Mike Reid and Sarah Schlesinger. He is also a professional director who recently directed the world premiere of Tony-nominated Joe Iconis’ Love in Hate Nation, which was commissioned by Penn State Musical Theatre as part of its New Musicals Initiative. John Simpkins, head of musical theater at Penn State University, was not happy at having to cancel the performances theater students would have put … Product Management jobs in Petersburg, PA. 14,851 open jobs. Exclusive to MTCA students. The Penn State College of Arts and Architecture kicked off the first night of their "Virtual Performing Arts Celebration" on April 9 with a collection of musical performances from students and alumni. Led by Head of Musical Theatre John Simpkins, it is also home to a New Musicals Initiative where each year writers are commissioned. Abundant sunshine. Local news from StateCollege.com and Centre County Partners. John Simpkins / Penn State; Eric Santagata / CCM; MaryAnn Hu / USC; Quin Gordon / North Carolina School of the Arts; McCaela Donovan / Boston University; Kiira Schmidt Carper / Syracuse; Ramone Owens / Boston Conservatory; Skill Building Classes 2021. The evening was kicked off with a warm welcome by Penn State alumnus Joonas Suotamo, most well known for his role as Chewbaca in the latest Star Wars trilogy. A strong supporter of the development of new work, he has commissioned and directed Love in Hate Nation (Joe Iconis), The Last Day (Mike Reid/ Sarah Schlesinger), and The Lucky Boy (Kirsten Childs) through an initiative he created at Penn State Musical Theatre. Regional productions include Raging Skillet (World Premiere – Theaterworks Hartford – starring Dana Smith-Croll, Marilyn Sokol, George Salazar); Legendale (American Premiere – Human Race Theatre Company – starring Max Crumm);  Hairspray (North Carolina Theatre – starring Dale Hensley, Dirk Lumbard); The Black Suits (Barrington Stage – starring Ben Platt, Annie Golden); Damn Yankees (Engeman Theatre – starring Andre De Shields, Felicia Finley, Austin Miller); A Wonderful Life (Engeman Theatre – starring Will Reynolds); Annie (Sacramento Music Circus- starring Mark Zimmerman, Jim Walton, Adinah Alexander); Cabaret (Sacramento Music Circus- starring Teri Ralston, Jacquelyn Piro, Max von Essen); Evita (Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma- starring Kate Chapman, Eric Michael Gillet, Dan Cooney). Ramone Owens / Boston Conservatory. Join Facebook to connect with John Simpkins and others you may know. Skill Building Classes Dance Classes: April 11th & 25th, May 2nd & 16th, June 6th & 20th, and July 11th & 25th . John Simpkins (Penn State) Recent guest lecturers have included: Brent Wagner (University of Michigan) Thomas Pedersen (Catholic University, Ret.) Donate to the Collegian by clicking the button below. Simpkins is Head of Musical Theatre at Penn State School of Theatre, where Love in Hate Nation was commissioned and developed. Students must have pre-selected & … April 11th. John Simpkins, the head of Musical Theatre at Penn State, hosted the event to an audience of over 1,000 virtually watching. John Simpkins / Penn State . Emerging as a star during the early years of Joe Paterno’s Nittany Lions … Actor at Penn State Centre Stage. Penn State University. Your contribution will help the Collegian provide award winning journalism to the Penn State community and beyond. Virtual Performing Arts Celebration brings alumni, students and special guests together, Braden Dyreson & James Langan | The Daily Collegian, Our campaign pitch, running for UPUA president and vice president | We Are...Trying Our Best Podcast, Penn State Men's Soccer vs. Wisconsin, Fans. The Nittany Lions defeated the Badgers 1-0. International productions include the World Premiere of Legendale (music by Andrea Daly, words by Jeff Bienstock) at Fredericia Teater in Denmark. John Simpkins, the head of Musical Theatre at Penn State, hosted the event to an audience of over 1,000 virtually watching. Your age determines the ticket price. Pay Your Age tickets are now available for ages 10–35. Penn State presents will continue every night at 7 p.m. until April 12 with new performers at pennstatepresents.psu.edu. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.. Clear skies. At a Glance--going through the highlights of the news so you don't have to. “We are one community, inspiring one another and making a difference where it truly counts,” President Barron said, who also was in attendance of the livestream. “The Penn State community has always been so strong, even just meeting someone who went to school with a simple ‘We Are’...you have a bond with that person,” Caroline Bowman, class of 2010, said on the livestream. (Maddock/ Iconis/ Jacobs - York Theatre), You Don’t Know Jack (York Theatre), Bad Kid School (Barrington Stage), 29 (Alter/ Newman), Lyrical Langston Hughes (New Triad- Lincoln Center), Blood Drive (Rachel Sheinkin), Beasts and Saints (Mindi Dickstein) and Like You Like It (Buck/ Acquisto). David is a proud Penn Stater, graduating with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a Minor in History in 2019, under the Direction of John Simpkins. Scroll through a stream of recordings of my work from recent projects and concerts | Dan Teixeira | Actor Read about Snapshot: John Simpkins and more from the State College, PA region Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Sweet Smell of Success, Floyd Collins, A Man of No Importance, The Fix, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Violet, Urinetown, Merrily We Roll Along, Parade, Fiorello. The performances included contemporary music, musical theatre pieces and even opera. John Simpkins directed the three-time Drama Desk nominated Off-Broadway production of Bloodsong of WEEKLY PRIVATE COACHINGS. The show opens at Penn State's Playhouse Theatre on Feb. 19. Prior to joining Penn State, he was a member of the faculty at NYU - where he directed Sweet Smell of Success, Floyd Collins, A Man of No Importance, The Fix, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Violet, Urinetown, Merrily We Roll Along, Parade, Fiorello! Get weekend previews and weekend recaps from The Daily Collegian Sports staff sent to your inbox. In this week’s episode of We Are...Trying Our Best, James and Braden announce their plan to run for UPUA president and vice president. John Simpkins is head of Musical Theatre and the Nagle Family Endowed Chair at Penn State. After arriving at Hershey Medical Center in August 2019, Gniady formed a similar partnership with John Simpkins, head of the Bachelor of Fine Arts Musical Theatre program at Penn State. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Temps nearly steady in the upper 30s. McCaela Donovan / Boston University . John Simpkins is on Facebook. Let us know what's going on! Prior to joining Penn State, he was a member of the faculty at NYU - where he directed. Sign up today! Check out the online version of Town & Gown--A magazine about the people, places and events in and around State College and Penn State. Eric Santagata / CCM . New York credits also include the Off-Broadway productions of The Bus (59E59 Theatre); ReWrite (Urban Stages); The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks (Theatreworks, USA- Lucille Lortel Theatre); Things to Ruin (which he co-conceived and directed productions of at Second Stage, Le Poisson Rouge, Zipper Factory, Joe’s Pub, Ars Nova, NYMF) and The Black Suits (SPF at the Public Theatre – starring Annie Golden, Jason Tam, and Krysta Rodriguez). We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. The first was Rat in Joe Iconis' LOVE IN HATE NATION, which I got to revisit in its World Premiere at Two River Theater (directed by John Simpkins and choreographed by Mayte Natalio). “I Don't Wanna Feel This” from The Last Day, by Mike Reid and Sarah Schlesinger. Penn State’s School of Theatre will present “Hands on a Hardbody” for its next show of the 2019 season. The writers return the following year with a draft of a musical inspired … Song, Monologue, and Dance. He has also directed NYC and Regional workshops/ readings/ productions of For Better, For Worse (Reed Arnold); Adam Lives (Goodspeed Opera House); ReWrite (Goodspeed Opera House); Hellraisers (Barrington Stage); Fantasy Football, the Musical; All the Kids Are Doing It; When the World Ends (Blaemire- Ars Nova); Ripper (NAMT); Party Come Here (David Kirshenbaum/ Daniel Goldfarb); Go-Go Beach (NYMF – 37 Arts); Pool Boy (Tsakalakos/ Allard); Next Thing You Know (Berkshire Theatre Festival); Queen Esther (Merkin Hall); Half Married (Cunningham/ Antin); Plastic! John Simpkins Head of Musical Theatre. Check you⁣r inbox for details! DeArmitt performed a piece from “Carmen,” which was initially scheduled to show in March at Penn State, before it was canceled. Written by Mike Reid, Penn State football star turned Grammy Award-winning composer, and Sarah Schlesinger — this Penn State Musical […] The Last Day. John Simpkins, head of the Musical Theatre Program at Penn State, is emceeing the performances. Quin Gordon / North Carolina School of the Arts . He holds a Bachelor of Music from Miami University and a Master of Arts from NYU. Penn State fans yell at Wisconsin's goalkeeper, Carter Abbott during the Penn State men's soccer game against Wisconsin on Saturday, March 27, 2021, at Jeffrey Field in University Park, Pa. We can list the ordering and take out for your restaurant here. Offer is valid online by entering your age as the code at checkout. Low 24F. MaryAnn Hu / USC . Shively), Big River, Falsettos, Les Miserables, They’re Playing Our Song, Damn Yankees, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Altar Boyz, Rent, A Funny Thing…Forum and The Wedding Singer. Upcoming projects with Mr. Iconis include the world premiere of Love in Hate Nation at Two River Theater. Dance – “Musicality” Singing – “Using Song as a Conversation” April 25th. John was Artistic Director at Sharon Playhouse from 2011-2016– where he directed Quartet (starring Tony Winner Elizabeth Franz), Judge Jackie:  Disorder in the Court (Kooman/ Dimond – starring Klea Blackhurst), Nine Wives, True Love, Georgie (written by and starring Ed Dixon), Merrily We Roll Along (starring Jason Tam, A.J. ⁣ Registration now open! It will be the first to be produced on the Playhouse Theatre stage this semester. Simpkins expressed the hope that each night of performances would help bring people together during a time of social distancing to strengthen the Penn State community. UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- John Simpkins, master teacher of music theater at New York University Steinhardt, has been named the next Nagle Family Endowed Chair in Musical Theatre and Head of the Penn State School of Theatre’s Musical Theatre program. Kiira Schmidt Carper / Syracuse . He also directed Iconis’ The Black Suits at Center Theatre Group (Kirk Douglas Theatre – starring Annie Golden, Will Roland, Veronica Dunne). Baldwin Wallace Conservatory has been a powerhouse in the Broadway industry for nearly 20 years. THE LAST DAY Music by Mike Reid, Lyrics by Sarah Schlesinger Book by Mike Reid and Sarah Schlesinger Directed by John Simpkins June 12–15, 19–22 — 8:00 p.m. Penn State Downtown Theatre Parking validation available. John Simpkins and Cary Libkin responded that Dunmire's complains were "hearsay" until a student came forward, according to court documents. He is active in NAMT (National Alliance of Musical Theatre), where he is frequently a member of the Festival Reading and Selection Committee. You have permission to edit this article. and A New Brain. His production of Parade was preserved and is on reserve at Lincoln Center’s Theatre on Film and Tape Archive. UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- John Simpkins, master teacher of music theater at New York University Steinhardt, has been named the next Nagle Family Endowed Chair in Musical Theatre and Head of the Penn State School of Theatre’s Musical Theatre program. Upcoming International projects include the World Premiere of A Hero’s Tale (music by Arthur Bacon, Book and Lyrics by Mads Nielsen) at Fredericia Teater in Denmark. Gniady plans to work with the new freshman musical theatre class in Spring 2021 and also hopes to extend the screenings and education to students in Penn State’s Voice and Opera program. Success! The Penn State Centre Stage production of 'Hands on a Hardbody' is directed by John Simpkins, with musical direction by Jennifer Peacock, and choreography by J. Austin Eyer. View profile View profile badges Get a job like Jonathan’s. While at Penn State, he also wrestled and won the Eastern heavyweight wrestling title in 1967. Or, contact to meet us! My Heart Felt That Sha La La The proscenium stage of the Playhouse has been converted into a black box, and as you take your seat walking through the stage you already feel like you are inhabiting a different world. The show tells the story of ten Texas residents who are participating in a contest held by a local car dealership.