In The Heights
The Comedy of Errors
Spring Awakening
A Funny Thing Happened...
...On the Way to the Forum
Disney's The Little Mermaid
The Cocoanuts
Spamalot
A Christmas Carol
The Fantasticks
Spring Awakening
Next To Normal
right next to me
Always...Patsy Cline
The 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)[revised]
The Marvelous Wonderettes
Side By Side By Sondheim
Dogfight
Currently Running
- Director
In The Heights
- Geva Theatre Center
- Music & Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Book by Quiara Alegría Hudes
- Conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Performs: September 5 – October 8
Upcoming Work
- Director
The Marvelous Wonderettes:
Caps and Gowns
- Geva Theatre Center
- By Roger Bean
- Rehearsals: December 2 - 9
- Performs: December 7 – 24
- Director
Seussical
- Cape Fear Regional Theatre
- Book by Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty
- Music by Stephen Flaherty
- Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
- Co-conceived by Eric Idle
- Rehearsals: Jan 9 - Jan 31, 2018
- Performs: Feb 1 - Feb 25, 2018
Recent Work
- Director
ZM
- Village Theatre, Issaquah, WA
- Music and Lyrics by Mark Hollmann
- Book and Lyrics by Greg Kotis
- Festival of New Musicals
- August 11-13, 2017
- Director
Mamma Mia!
- Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre
- Music and Lyrics by Björn Ulvaeus
- Music and Lyrics by Benny Andersson
- Book by Catherine Johnson
- Photo: Ryan J. Zirngibl
- Performs July 19 - 30
- Director/Choreographer
Spring Awakening
- Southern Oregon University
- Books and Lyrics by Steven Sater
- Music by Duncan Sheik
- March 9-11, 8p | March 11 & 12, 2p
- Director
Disney's The Little Mermaid
- Cape Fear Regional Theatre
- Music by Alan Menken
- Lyrics by Howard Sherman and John Musker
- Book by Doug Wright
- 1/19 - 2/12
- Director
A Christmas Carol
- Denver Center Theatre Company
- By Charles Dickens
- Adapted by Richard Hellesen
- Music by David de Berry
- Nov 25 - Dec 24, 2016
- Most Christmas Carols…go easy on these darker aspects: the suffering of the poor, Scrooge’s own childhood sorrows (at the age of eleven, Dickens himself worked in a boot-blacking factory), and the existential terror of supernatural intervention. But this production, the first that Melissa Rain Anderson has directed at the Denver Center, skates over none of this while still managing to maintain the joyous affirmation of the ending.
– Juliet Wittman, Westword, Denver, CO - A Christmas Carol always takes the audience on a ride through emotions, reflection and entertainment – but never more than in this year’s production. Sometimes, change brings new life and energy that’s even better than what we loved before.
– Thea Tagower, In Good Taste Denver
- Director
The Marvelous Wonderettes
- Geva Theatre Center
- Written by Roger Bean
- Dec 8 – Dec 24, 2016
- Fielding Stage
- Director
A Funny Thing Happened...
- Geva Theatre Center
- Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
- Book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart
- October 4 - November 6, 2016
- Wilson Stage
- Geva's ‘Forum’ a bawdy, madcap success
Everything turns into mayhem in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, the madcap farce that delivers on every one of its promises — especially the one promising “Comedy Tonight.”
Director Melissa Rain Anderson takes full advantage of the frenetic pace and the highly talented cast, which includes Broadway actor (and Rochester native) Steve Rosen as the slave Pseudolus and a team of acrobatic wunderkinds known as 2 Ring Circus.
Gleefully saucy, it’s hard to argue Forum’s success. It makes us laugh, which makes for a miraculously happy ending for the audience.
– Marcia Morphy, Theater Critic, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle - A funny "Forum"
Under the capable and imaginative direction of Geva favorite, Melissa Rain Anderson, this Forum is vivid, fast-paced and zany. The show's slapstick, vaudevillian roots are on ample display. Anderson has even added a new, entertaining bonus to the Broadway chestnut — four circus gymnasts who she weaves cleverly into the nonstop stage action.
– Jack Garner, Columnist, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle - Comedius Maximus
Cheery, tuneful, and packed with gags, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum offers nothing less than a night filled with rollicking fun and non-stop laughs.
Melissa Rain Anderson directs Forum on Geva’s Wilson Stage with cirque-esque staging complete with hula-hoops, juggling and tumbling by the multi-talented Proteans ... and Adam Koch’s colorful and clever set is worth the price of a ticket by itself. It’s a show crammed with smiles and good vibes. Worry tomorrow. Go see a comedy tonight.
– Michael Galvin, Kids Out And About - Something for everyone
Director Melissa Rain Anderson is known and loved by Geva audiences for her sold-out directing success of last year's "Spamalot," and 2013's "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." Anderson excels with works that rely on comedic timing, and this production is another such achievement.
– Leah Stacy, City Newspaper Rochester - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at Geva Theatre Center
The cast...delivers the still-hysterical story with a tight pace and clean look under the direction of Melissa Rain Anderson the most jaw-dropping part of this production is its inclusion of actual circus performers who fill the stage with tricks and antics that bring classic gag comedy to the next level (sometimes literally in the case of aerial work).
. . .if you’re looking for “comedy tonight,” or tomorrow, or next weekend, Geva’s latest production is one to catch.
– Marisa Caruso, NY Theatre Guide
- Director
The Cocoanuts
- Utah Shakespeare Festival
- Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin
- Book by George S. Kaufman
- Adapted by Mark Bedard
- July 1 to October 15, 2016
- Randall L. Jones Theatre
- The Cocoanuts’ » Perfectly paced direction and energetic performances keep this Marx Brothers-inspired show barreling along.
As Melissa Rain Anderson points out in her director's notes, "The Cocoanuts" is a unique hybrid: "The Marx Brothers vaudeville meets farce meets romantic musical theatre meets madcap musical comedy." Anderson adeptly blends these disparate styles by keeping the comedy anchored midway between anarchy and programmed, focusing it on the storyline, such as it is, and maintaining a brisk pace so the audience never gets ahead of the actors....Well-done farce requires discipline and perfect timing, and this production translates them into a very entertaining package.
– Barbara M. Bannon, The Salt Lake Tribune - Director Melissa Rain Anderson keeps the multiple plates — I mean plots — spinning to a fare-thee-well, balancing “The Cocoanuts’ ” numerous nutty elements with throwaway ease. But you may be too busy laughing to notice the considerable artistry on display — which is exactly as it should be.
– Carol Cling, Las Vegas Review-Journal - Shakespeare Festival's 'The Cocoanuts’ is the perfect chaotic summer musical... Director Melissa Rain Anderson said the production is a puzzle, and it was certainly entertaining to watch the actors seamlessly and carefully piece everything together. Anderson said that there are rules to comedy such as timing and freedom. This musical has all of those rules perfectly memorized.
– Emily Havens, The Spectrum
Selected Work
Recent work
![The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)[revised]](http://melissarainanderson.com/wp-content/uploads/complete-works_240x240.jpg)
