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Nell Benjamin

Duncan Sheik (1969–2026): The Sound of Spring Awakening

October 26, 2026

Black-and-white portrait of composer Duncan Sheik in dark-rimmed glasses ``` Title ``` Duncan Sheik ``` Caption ``` Duncan Sheik (1969–2026) ``` Description ``` Duncan Sheik, Tony Award-winning composer of Spring Awakening, who died September 17, 2026, at 56. ``` The image looks like a screenshot. If you know where it came from, add a photo credit to the caption, for example "Duncan Sheik (1969–2026)

Duncan Sheik, the singer-songwriter who went from the pop charts to Broadway and gave Spring Awakening its rock score, died on September 17, 2026, in New York. He was 56. His family had said earlier that he was hospitalized in critical condition. He died with two shows about to open Off-Broadway: his new musical Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen and a revival of Spring Awakening, which brought him his first Tony Awards. [more]

Real Women Have Curves

May 9, 2025

Not only is the show authentically written with Spanish sprinkled throughout, (much of it perfectly obvious as to its meaning,) but Sergio Trujillo’s superb production which he has both directed and choreographed, has been cast with an almost entirely Hispanic cast who are utterly engaging. Best is Justina Machado, a Broadway veteran of "In the Heights" and "A Free Man of Color," as the indomitable Carmen who can only imagine one path – though she herself left everything behind in Mexico to come to the United States. Following a close second are Broadway debuting Tatianna Córboda as the feisty Ana who has learned how to run rings around her elders and also debuting Florencia Cuenca as her weary sister Estela who has the weight of everyone’s aspirations on her shoulders. [more]

Mean Girls

April 24, 2018

Fey has made two successful changes to theatricalize her original screenplay. The story is now cast as a flashback narrated by best friends Goth Janis (Barrett Wilbert Weed) and Damian (Grey Henson), described as “almost too gay to function,” to the new freshman class as a cautionary tale as to “how far you would go to be popular and hot.” She has also updated the story to include smartphones, selfies, and reference to current events (the Russians and President Trump’s twitter account.) [more]