Big River is up and running smoothly at the Ford’s Theatre and has received great reviews with the music being singled out as a particularly bright spot in an otherwise wonderful production. The extension through June 5 will be announced to the public on April 10.  Nick will conduct some members of the cast in the singing of his 4-part

a capella arrangement of the Star Spangled Banner at a Washington Nationals baseball game, MLB’s newest franchise, on April 25 at RFK stadium.

Sherlock Holmes was extraordinarily well received. The one day staged reading on March 20 in Long Beach, CA was a huge hit. As the composer, Nick would have loved to have been there, but that was the opening weekend of Big Riverin Wash DC, so it was just a bit too much of a ride to get there. Scott Guy, the bookwriter and lyricist, reports the audience was laughing right from the start, stopped the show twice with extended applause and gave a standing ovation at the end of the performance the likes of which he hasn’t seen in years. The show was a finalist in the NAMT festival of new musicals last year and in an unprecedented (as far as we know) move, the committee asked that it be re-submitted this year. This year’s winners will be announced in June.

Happily Ever After, After All had its final performance on March 20 (Yes, on that day Nick had two shows he’s composed playing in the Los Angeles area.).  It was so well received that Nick and Scott Guy have been approached about being commissioned to write another; the details remain to be worked out, but it’s expected to be presented in Oct of 2006.