Coming Up This Week in Theatre - 11/4/2008

'Imagine This' to Premiere at New London Theatre this Fall - 11/4/2008

IMAGINE THIS, the new musical, will have its premiere at the New London Theatre in the West End on Wednesday 19 November, following previews from 4 November.

Set in Poland during 1942, a group of actors in the Warsaw Ghetto stage plays to inspire hope and optimism within their community.  However, with rumours of the Final Solution in the air, their play merges with the reality they are trying to escape and a dramatic love story unfolds.

IMAGINE THIS has music by Shuki Levy and book & lyrics by Glenn Berenbeim and David Goldsmith. IMAGINE THIS will be directed by Timothy Sheader, the new artistic director of the Open Air Theatre in Regent’s Park. The scenic design is by Eugene Lee (triple Tony Award-winner for “Wicked”, “Sweeney Todd” and “Candide”) and the costume design is by Ann Hould-Ward (Tony Award-winner for “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”). The choreography is by Liam Steel, best known for his work with Complicité, DV8 and Frantic Assembly. With lighting design by Tim Mitchell, orchestrations are by Chris Walker and musical supervision by Phil Bateman.

Performance times for IMAGINE THIS at the New London Theatre are Mondays to Saturdays at 7.30pm, with Thursday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm.  Tickets, priced from £17.50 - £60.00, with preview tickets from £7.50 - £50.00, are available from the New London Theatre Box Office on 0844 412 4654.

IMAGINE THIS will be produced in London by Beth Trachtenberg, Anita Mann, Leigh Mason, Jean Mason and ICW Productions in association with Theatre Royal Plymouth.

Visit the IMAGINE THIS website at www.ImagineThisTheMusical.com.

Joan Rivers Brings Her Stand Up Back to New York at the Cutting Room For Charity - 11/4/2008

JOAN RIVERS brings her stand up act back to New York on Election Day November 4 at The Cutting Room. She will perform there through December 17.

After a 4 month hiatus (following a successful run of her autobiographical play on London's West End), legendary comedian Joan Rivers returns to New York with her live stand-up act.  Join Rivers as she presents an evening of her newest and most outrageous stand-up comedy and riffs on Hollywood, pop culture, celebrities, and award show fashions.  Rivers plays at The Cutting Room in Chelsea on the following schedule:
- Tuesday, November 4 at 8pm
- Wednesday, November 5 at 8pm
- Friday, November 7 at 10:30pm
- Wednesday, November 19 at 8pm
- Wednesday, December 10 at 8pm
- Wednesday, December 17 at 8pm

Tickets are $30 with a portion of the proceeds going to Joan Rivers' favorite charities: God's Love We Deliver and Guide Dogs for the Blind. The Cutting Room is located at 19 West 24th (accessible from the N,R,F,V & 6 trains at 23rd Street). For reservations call 212-352-3101 or visit www.SpinCycleNYC.com.

Described as a post-menopausal Lenny Bruce, Joan Rivers delivers a raunchy, politically incorrect evening of stand-up comedy. One of the hardest working women in show business, she is a best-selling author, Tony-nominated actress, playwright, screenwriter, motion picture director, Emmy Award-winning television talk-show host, jewelry designer, business woman and mother to "what's-her-name" Melissa. She is on the board of God's Love We Deliver, National Chairwoman of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and gives lectures around the world on suicide prevention and survival. With her trademark mix of outspoken wit, savvy and compassion, she continues to be one of America's most admired first ladies of comedy.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Joan Rivers "made the rounds" in New York during the '50s, appearing in a few off-off Broadway plays (including one where she played a lesbian opposite an equally unknown Barbra Streisand), surviving sleazy agents, tawdry clubs, and hostile audiences. A 1965 booking on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" led to her hosting one of the first syndicated talk shows on daytime TV, "That Show with Joan Rivers" in 1968. In the '70s Joan wrote the TV-movie The Girl Most Likely To (starring Stockard Channing) and then wrote and directed her first feature film Rabbit Test, casting Billy Crystal in the lead. In 1983 Joan became the permanent guest host on "The Tonight Show." Later, she headlined in Las Vegas, sold out Carnegie Hall, produced a Grammy nominated comedy album, and wrote two best-selling books. In 1989 the Tribune Corporation launched Joan in her own syndicated daytime talk show. She won an Emmy and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1994 she wrote and starred on Broadway in Sally Marr and Her Escorts, for which she received a Best Actress Tony nomination. Since then, Joan has written three more best-selling books, maintains her own jewelry line on QVC, provided fashion commentaries for E! and The TV Guide Channel, and filmed a special for Bravo

Photo Credit Peter James Zielinksi

Broadway in Chicago Offers Discount Election Day Tix to DIRTY DANCING, JERSEY BOYS & WICKED - 11/4/2008

Broadway In Chicago encourages all Chicagoans to vote and then celebrate the election of the 44th President by offering theater patrons $44 tickets on Election Day, November 4, 2008, to the international stage hits DIRTY DANCING, Jersey Boys and WICKED.  Election returns will be announced during intermission and at the close of the show.

By using the promo code VOTE, patrons may purchase any seat in the three theaters on Tuesday, November 4 for only $44. Seats regularly priced below $44 will remain at their regular price. Offer details can be found at www.BroadwayInChicago.com/specialoffers. Tickets are available at Broadway In Chicago Box Offices (18 W. Monroe St., 24 W. Randolph St. and 151 W. Randolph St.), through the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Line at (312) 902-1400, at all Ticketmaster ticket centers (including all Hot Tix, select Carson Pirie Scott, Coconuts and fye stores) or online at Ticketmaster.com. Groups of 20 or more should call (312) 977-1710.

Performances for all shows on Tuesday, November 4 begin at 7:30 p.m.

DIRTY DANCING is playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph St.) through January 17, 2009. A coming of age love story, this show tells the story of a talented and headstrong dancer, Johnny Castle, and Frances "Baby" Houseman, a doctor's daughter with dreams of joining the Peace Corps. The production is an extraordinary experience that explodes with heart-pounding music, spectacular emotion and sensationally sexy dancing.

The Chicago Company of Jersey Boys, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, recently celebrated their first anniversary playing at the Bank of America Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.). This group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time, writing their own songs, inventing their own sounds and selling 175 million records worldwide – all before they were thirty.

Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz. How these two unlikely friends end up as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch makes for the most spellbinding new musical in years. The Chicago Company of WICKED will take its final bow on January 25, 2009 at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.) after more than three record-breaking years in Chicago.

For more information, visit http://www.broadwayinchicago.com.

Metropolitan Opera Opens Rehearsal of LA DAMNATION de FAUST to the Public 11/4 - 11/4/2008

One of  the Metropolitan Opera’s popular open rehearsals will take place on November 4 with the final dress rehearsal of Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust, Robert Lepage’s unusual production of a work that was last performed at the Met in 1907. With Met stars Marcello Giordani as Faust, Susan Graham as Marguerite, and John Relyea as Méphistophélès and conducted by James Levine, the production utilizes new theatrical technology to present Berlioz’s hallucinatory vision of the Faust tale.

The second in a series of open rehearsals this season that are supported by Agnes Varis, a managing director of the Met’s Board of Directors, and her husband, Karl Leichtman, the dress rehearsal begins at 11:00 am; the doors to the house open at 10:30 am. Three thousand free tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Met box office, beginning at noon on Sunday, November 2.

The Open House will include a panel discussion led by Mr. Lepage, who is known for combining new theatrical innovations such as motion control and interactive scenery together with more traditional theatrical techniques. Lepage, who is making his debut at the Met, regards this production as a creative launching pad for the new Ring Cycle which he is directing at the Met, beginning in 2010.

 The premiere of the new production of Faust opens on Friday, November 7 and runs into December. It will be broadcast as one of the Met’s award-winning live high-definition transmissions into movie theaters on Saturday, November 22.

The Faust Open House is among a number of free public events offered by the Met this season.  In September, the company presented a free concert of the Verdi Requiem in tribute to Luciano Pavarotti, as well as transmitting its opening-night gala performance onto multiple screens in Times Square and at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus.  In October, several thousand high school and college students were invited to the final dress rehearsal of Doctor Atomic, the season’s first Open House, which also featured an onstage question-and-answer session with composer John Adams.

The next Open House will be on Friday, February 27 for Mary Zimmerman’s new production of Bellini’s La Sonnambula, starring Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Flórez. 

DL21C To Take Over New World Stages for Election Day Party - 11/4/2008

DL21C will host New York City’s biggest Election Day party celebrating our local and national elections at the New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues) on Tuesday, November 4th (doors open when the first polls close - at 6pm).  The election bash will take over the 60,000 square foot complex with huge projection televisions, DJ, dance floor, elected officials, a special performance and more! Members get in free and entrance for non-members is only $5 at the door.

Democratic Leadership for the 21st Century is an independent organization of young, progressive New Yorkers. Since 1993, DL21C has been dedicated to increasing the political awareness and participation of a new generation of New Yorkers. DL21C is the premier political group for young people in New York and serves as a model for grassroots organizing nationwide.

For more information and to RSVP, please visit www.dl21c.org.

-Watch the returns from 3 15-ft projection TVs with dozens of plasma screen throughout the space
-Three top-shelf bars (including the Time Out New York Lounge, a "bar within the bar")
-Drink specials and light food/snacks from leading NY restaurants
-Dozens of local, state, and national elected officials TBD plus local and national media coverage
-Entertainers from film, theater, TV, and sports TBD
-a theater within the venue, where you can watch the returns in a "quiet room" with full sound

All of New World Stages is Wi-Fi accessible and a VIP area will be designated for those who wish to Blog live from New World Stages.

Photo Flash: THE SECOND AMERICAN REVOLUTION, LIVE! - 11/4/2008

Blue Man Group's HOW TO BE A MEGASTAR LIVE to be Released on Blu-ray 11/4 - 11/4/2008

On November 4, Blue Man Group will be experienced for the first time in high definition with the Rhino Blu-ray release of HOW TO BE A MEGASTAR LIVE!   This Blu-ray delivers full 1080/24p high definition picture, high resolution 5.1 surround sound, and stereo audio. In addition, the disc contains the following bonus features: the video for “I Feel Love,” the comedic parody “Mono Makes a Plea – Save the TVs” campaign, and the critically acclaimed Blue Man Group documentary Inside the Tube. Also included are the Blue Man hits “Sing Along,” “Above,” “Time to Start,” “Light Suits,” “One Of These Days,” and “Rock And Go.”  

The Rhino release of Blue Man Group HOW TO BE A MEGASTAR LIVE! On Blu-ray will be in stores across the country and at www.rhino.com for a suggested list price of $19.99. 

 Blue Man Group’s Megastar World Tour is a live rock show that takes the audience through a satirical “workshop” on how to create “the perfect rock concert experience.” In the process, they celebrate, skewer and otherwise deconstruct rock stardom in all of its narcissistic glory. The Blue Men download a new “how-to manual” that takes the audience through a uniquely clever and interactive show that guarantees to deliver hypnotic entertainment for all ages. 

While the ongoing success of their theatrical shows continue to wow millions of fans across the globe, Blue Man Group’s Megastar North American tour and the most recent Megastar World Tour are also making their mark selling close to 2 million tickets to concerts goers’ world wide.  The blu-ray disc HOW TO BE A MEGASTAR LIVE! was filmed in front of more than 40,000 fans during sold-out, two-day performances at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. Six cameras were on hand to capture the music, the lights, the comedy and the exuberance that is Blue Man Group!

Released in standard format this past spring, HOW TO BE A MEGASTAR LIVE! debuted at #2 on Billboard’s DVD Chart.  Literally in a class by itself, HOW TO BE A MEGASTAR LIVE! is unlike any DVD Rock Concert ever released. Zach Freeman of bloggernews.com adds, "Increasingly hilarious, varying between insightfully dead-on and crazily off-center, finally some Blue Man Group captured on DVD for anyone who hasn’t been able to make it to the live show, or for those who have seen the live show and want more!"
 
HOW TO BE A MEGASTAR LIVE!: Blu-ray Disc Track Listing:

   1. Above
   2. Drumbone
   3. Rock Manual Infomercial
   4. Time To Start
   5. Up To The Roof
   6. Altering Appearances
   7. Persona
   8. Floppie The Banjo Clown
   9. Your Attention
  10. Piano Smasher
  11. Shirts and Hats
  12. Sing Along
  13. Rock Box Infomercial
  14. One Of These Days
  15. Shadows Part 2
  16. The Complex
  17. Light Suits
  18. I Feel Love
  19. Rock and Go
  20. Baba O’Riley
  21. Introducing The Band
  22. What Is Rock

Bonus materials: Inside the Tube Documentary, “I Feel Love” Video and “Mono Makes a Plea – Save the TVs” Campaign.

NUNCRACKERS Comes to the Willows Theatre Starting 11/4 - 11/4/2008

Nuncrackers; The Nunsense Christmas Musical will be performed in time for the holidays at The Willows Theatre.

Those clowns of the cloister are back with their beloved brand of habit-ual high-jinks, this time with their own take on Tchaikovsky.  Nuncrackers; the Nunsense Christmas Musical is the fourth nunsensical confection from the pen of award-winning playwright-composer Dan Goggin.  Nuncrackers plays November 24 through December 21, 2008 at the Willows Cabaret, 636 Ward Street in Martinez.  Once again, playwright Goggin flies in from New York to direct the show for The Willows.

Nuncrackers takes up where the musical Nunsense left off. It tells the story of a holiday TV special being taped in the basement of a convent for a local cable access channel. Uproarious antics follow as the cast and members of the convent learn the true meaning of Christmas. Dan Goggin’s music includes a variety of vocal stylings including country, pop, and gospel.  Songs include “Christmas Time is Nunsense Time,” “Santa’s Little Teapot,” “Twelve Days Prior to Christmas,” “Santa Ain’t Comin’ to Our House,” and more.

The 2008 production of Nuncrackers features Amy Washburn as Rev. Mother and Deborah Del Mastro as Sister Robert Ann.  Washburn recently played Rhetta Cupp in Pump Boys and Dinettes at the Willows Cabaret.  Ms.Del Mastro played Edna, the Senator’s widow, in Lying in State at the Willows mainstage. Both repeat the roles they played in last year’s production at the Cabaret. Ms.Del Mastro originated the role of Sister Robert Ann when Nuncrackers opened in 1998, and she is on the original cast recording.

Ticket and Schedule Information

Tickets for Nuncrackers: The Nunsense Christmas Musical are $20-$30 with discounts for students (6-18), seniors (65+), groups (10+), and Preview performances.  To purchase tickets call (925) 798-1300 or visit the Willows Theatre web site at www.willowstheatre.org.  Performances are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., with matinees Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 p.m., and Sundays at 3:00 p.m.

The Campbell Theatre is located at 636 Ward Street in downtown Martinez, one block east of Main Street at the corner of Estudillo Street.

The Willows Theatre Company Daytime Box Office is located at 636 Ward Street in Martinez, in the lobby of the Campbell Theatre. Beginning the week of Sept.22nd, the Daytime Box Office will observe new hours: Tuesday-Saturday 12-6 pm.  The theatre box office and will-call window, located in the theatre lobby, opens one hour prior to each performance.  For more information call (925) 798-1300 or visit our web site at www.willowstheatre.org.

Recipient of the 2002 Cyril Award of the San Francisco Business Arts Council for Nonprofit Arts Excellence, the Willows Theatre Company is led by Producing Artistic Director Richard Elliott. The Willows Theatre Company 2008 Season Sponsors are The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, The Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, Best Western John Muir Inn of Martinez, Rocco’s Pizzeria of Walnut Creek, Industrial Lumber of Martinez, Alphagraphics of Walnut Creek, the Concord Hilton, and US Bank (student/teacher discount ticket sponsor).

Photo Flash: DELROY LINDO's JOE TURNER at Berkeley Rep - 11/4/2008

Ferguson, McHale, Silverman and More Part of 2008 Comedy Festival Lineup - 11/5/2008

  COMEDY CENTRAL and The New York Comedy Festival announced today that they have signed a multi-year partnership.  This new deal provides the Festival for the first-time, a national television partner to showcase its prestigious comedy line-up. The Festival, celebrating its Fifth Anniversary, will feature some of today’s biggest names in comedy for its 2008 roster including Frank Caliendo, Louis C.K., Craig Ferguson, Carlos Mencia, Joel McHale, B.J. Novak, Tracy Morgan, Brian Regan, Sarah Silverman, and Katt Williams.   

In addition, the multi-year national partnership will include producing an on-air special shot at the Festival which will premiere in early 2009, as well as digital media support and other content opportunities.

The 2008 line-up builds on the overwhelming success of previous years to reach an even higher plateau of laughs. Presented in a record number of prestigious New York City venues -- including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Harlem’s World Famous Apollo Theater, Town Hall, Hammerstein Ballroom, Carolines on Broadway, the Paley Center for Media, and the 92nd Street Y -- this year’s Festival boasts stand-out stand-up performances and panel discussions with writers from the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and the Emmy Award-winning writers from “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” and Lizz Winstead, co-creator of “The Daily Show,” who will moderate a panel featuring the most insightful and hilarious political minds working today.

“We're thrilled to celebrate the fifth year of the New York Comedy Festival with such a talented and hilarious group of performers who are on the leading edge of the comedy business,” said Caroline Hirsch, co-founder of the Festival and owner of Carolines on Broadway. “We are also very excited to launch a multi-year partnership with COMEDY CENTRAL, and look forward to working with them to extend the Festival’s audience even further and to provide even more content and programming through COMEDY CENTRAL’s various media platforms.”

"COMEDY CENTRAL applauds the New York Comedy Festival for its ongoing efforts in showcasing and celebrating stand-up comedy," said Mitch Fried, senior vice president, promotion marketing, COMEDY CENTRAL.  "We are thrilled to partner with the Festival and Caroline’s, the preeminent comedy club and look forward to providing a national platform for this illustrious event.”  

The 2008 New York Comedy Festival is produced by Carolines on Broadway and United Entertainment Group.  The Festival is presented by myspace.com, New York Post, Time Out New York, WNYW/Fox 5 and WWOR/My9.  

The New York Comedy Festival has presented top tier acts in the past such as Rosie O’Donnell, Denis Leary, Dane Cook, Artie Lange, Howie Mandel, Damon Wayans, Roseanne Barr, DL Hughley, Mario Cantone, Steven Wright, Mo’Nique and Bill Maher.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.nycomedyfestival.com.  

Tickets for the Festival will be on sale starting Thursday, August 7 at 11 a.m.

Tickets for performances may also be purchased through:

    * Town Hall, Hammerstein Ballroom and Apollo Theater: Ticketmaster at 212-307-7171or www.ticketmaster.com
    * Carnegie Hall: via Carnegie Charge at 212-247-7800 or www.carnegiehall.org
    * Lincoln Center (Avery Fisher Hall): via Centercharge at 212-721-6500 or www.lincolncenter.org
    * Paley Center for Media: www.paleycenter.org (On Sale 9/23/2008)
    * 92nd Street Y: www.92y.org

 
THE 2008 NEW YORK COMEDY FESTIVAL

(Schedule below represents events confirmed to date and is subject to additions)
 

11/5/2008    Frank Caliendo Live     Carnegie Hall  

11/6/2008    Louis C.K. They’re With Me    Town Hall

11/5/2008    “We Have a Winner” moderated by Lizz Winstead  92nd Street Y

11/6/2008   Katt Williams Live In Concert    Carnegie Hall

11/7/2008   Carlos Mencia: At Close Range    Avery Fisher Hall

11/7/2008   An Evening with Craig Ferguson   Town Hall
 
11/7/2008   Writers Speak! A Potentially Regrettable Evening with the Writers of The Daily Show    Paley Center

11/8/2008   Tracy Morgan: Coming Back Home   Apollo Theater

11/8/2008   Sarah Silverman and Friends    Hammerstein Ballroom

11/8/2008   Joel McHale Live at Town Hall    Town Hall

11/8/2008   Late Night with Conan O’Brien Writers’  Panel Discussion     Paley Center

11/9/2008   Brian Regan Live in Concert    Avery Fisher Hall

11/9/2008   B.J. Novak and Friends     Town Hall
 

COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, currently is seen in more than 95 million homes nationwide.  COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of Viacom Inc.'s (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) MTV Networks.  COMEDY CENTRAL's Internet address is www.comedycentral.com.  For up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs visit Press Central, COMEDY CENTRAL’s press Web site at www.comedycentral.com/press.

Ehrenreich's 'Jew Growns In Brooklyn' Comes To North Shore - 11/5/2008

Jake Ehrenreich's autobiographical 'comedy musical', A Jew Grows in Brooklyn comes to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie for a limited one-week engagement this November.  A Jew Grows in Brooklyn played for fifteen months to sold-out houses and broke box-office records, first at the historic Lamb's Theatre in the heart of Broadway's Time Square, and then for 15 weeks at the Cuillo Centre for the Arts in West Palm Beach Florida.   Universal in its appeal, ABC-TV exclaimed A Jew Grows In Brooklyn "speaks to anyone hoping to live out the American Dream," and the New York Times raved "you don't have to be Jewish or Brooklynish!"  This Rock N' Roll true story will premiere in Chicago at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd, for a limited one-week engagement November 5 - 9, 2008.

A Jew Grows in Brooklyn follows Jake Ehrenreich's life from Brooklyn to the Catskills to Rock n'Roll to Broadway. Praised by the New York Times as "Dazzling, funny, and beautiful… a lot like Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays", A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is the true story of a young man, who as a son of Holocaust survivors growing up in 1960's Brooklyn, wanted nothing more than to be an American.  Making extensive use of music, humor and genuine pathos, Ehrenreich returns to his roots to guide us through a classic first generation immigrant story. While his Yiddish-speaking parents may have failed to understand the game of baseball or make sense of rock music, they did more than Ehrenreich initially realized while growing up to teach him the lessons of life - and to help him appreciate how music, culture and creativity are truly the wellsprings of renewal.  A cycle of life tale, WOR radio called it "A delightful journey with all the joy, tenderness and heartbreak of being a Jew."

Produced by Dana Matthow, Philip Roger Roy and Second Generation Productions, and presented by Presley Theatre Productions Corp, A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is a "true story" comedy musical featuring Ehrenreich backed by a quartet of musician/singers.

Prior to developing A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, Jake Ehrenreich, a gifted singer and musician, performed on Broadway in Dancin', Barnum and They're Playing Our Song, and toured world-wide as Ringo in Beatlemania.  He also performed Off-Broadway in the English/Yiddish productions of Songs of Paradise and The Golden Land, the rock musical A Hot Minute, and created the title role in Jonah for Joseph Papp at the Public Theater.  In addition to his theater work, Ehrenreich has appeared in concert and recorded with such diverse performers as Richie Havens, Tito Puente, Whitney Houston, Gregg Allman, Jay Leno, Cab Calloway, John Davidson and The Smothers Brothers.  Born in Brooklyn and named Jacob Isaac Ehrenreich after his grandfathers lost in the Holocaust, Jake is the son of Jojne (Jonah) and Bala, who arrived in the United States with his two sisters in 1949.  The show is dedicated to all of his relatives, especially his father, who only recently passed away.

Performances of A Jew Grows in Brooklyn at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd, are as follows:

Wednesday, November 5 at 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, November 7 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, November 8 at 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Sunday, November 9 at 1 p.m. & 5 p.m.

Tickets for A Jew Grows in Brooklyn are on sale now at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd.  Ticket prices range from $45 - $57.50 and can be purchased by calling 847-673-6300 or visiting www.northshorecenter.org.  Groups of 20 or more should call 312-423-6612 to make a reservation.

For more information on A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, visit www.AJewGrowsInBrooklyn.com

Jake Ehrenreich's 'A Jew Grows In Brooklyn' - 11/5/2008

One-Week Limited Engagement November 5 - 9, 2008

Jake Ehrenreich's autobiographical 'comedy musical', A Jew Grows in Brooklyn comes to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie for a limited one-week engagement this November. A Jew Grows in Brooklyn played for fifteen months to sold-out houses and broke box-office records, first at the historic Lamb's Theatre in the heart of Broadway's Time Square, and then for 15 weeks at the Cuillo Centre for the Arts in West Palm Beach Florida. Universal in its appeal, ABC-TV exclaimed A Jew Grows In Brooklyn "speaks to anyone hoping to live out the American Dream," and the New York Times raved "you don't have to be Jewish or Brooklynish!" This Rock N' Roll true story will premiere in Chicago at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd, for a limited one-week engagement November 5 - 9, 2008.

A Jew Grows in Brooklyn follows Jake Ehrenreich's life from Brooklyn to the Catskills to Rock n'Roll to Broadway. Praised by the New York Times as "Dazzling, funny, and beautiful… a lot like Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays", A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is the true story of a young man, who as a son of Holocaust survivors growing up in 1960's Brooklyn, wanted nothing more than to be an American. Making extensive use of music, humor and genuine pathos, Ehrenreich returns to his roots to guide us through a classic first generation immigrant story. While his Yiddish-speaking parents may have failed to understand the game of baseball or make sense of rock music, they did more than Ehrenreich initially realized while growing up to teach him the lessons of life - and to help him appreciate how music, culture and creativity are truly the wellsprings of renewal. A cycle of life tale, WOR radio called it "A delightful journey with all the joy, tenderness and heartbreak of being a Jew."

Produced by Dana Matthow, Philip Roger Roy and Second Generation Productions, and presented by Presley Theatre Productions Corp, A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is a "true story" comedy musical featuring Ehrenreich backed by a quartet of musician/singers.

Prior to developing A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, Jake Ehrenreich, a gifted singer and musician, performed on Broadway in Dancin', Barnum and They're Playing Our Song, and toured world-wide as Ringo in Beatlemania. He also performed Off-Broadway in the English/Yiddish productions of Songs of Paradise and The Golden Land, the rock musical A Hot Minute, and created the title role in Jonah for Joseph Papp at the Public Theater. In addition to his theater work, Ehrenreich has appeared in concert and recorded with such diverse performers as Richie Havens, Tito Puente, Whitney Houston, Gregg Allman, Jay Leno, Cab Calloway, John Davidson and The Smothers Brothers. Born in Brooklyn and named Jacob Isaac Ehrenreich after his grandfathers lost in the Holocaust, Jake is the son of Jojne (Jonah) and Bala, who arrived in the United States with his two sisters in 1949. The show is dedicated to all of his relatives, especially his father, who only recently passed away.

Performances of A Jew Grows in Brooklyn at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd, are as follows:

Wednesday, November 5 at 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, November 7 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, November 8 at 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Sunday, November 9 at 1 p.m. & 5 p.m.

Tickets for A Jew Grows in Brooklyn are on sale now at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd. Ticket prices range from $45 - $57.50 and can be purchased by calling 847-673-6300 or visiting www.northshorecenter.org. Groups of 20 or more should call 312-423-6612 to make a reservation.

For more information on A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, visit www.AJewGrowsInBrooklyn.com

'A Jew Grow in Brooklyn' Comes to North Shore Center this November - 11/5/2008

Jake Ehrenreich's autobiographical 'comedy musical', A Jew Grows in Brooklyn comes to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie for a limited one-week engagement this November.  A Jew Grows in Brooklyn played for fifteen months to sold-out houses and broke box-office records, first at the historic Lamb's Theatre in the heart of Broadway’s Time Square, and then for 15 weeks at the Cuillo Centre for the Arts in West Palm Beach Florida.   Universal in its appeal, ABC-TV exclaimed A Jew Grows in Brooklyn “speaks to anyone hoping to live out the American Dream,” and the New York Times raved “you don’t have to be Jewish or Brooklynish!”  This Rock N’ Roll true story will premiere in Chicago at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd, for a limited one-week engagement November 5 – 9, 2008.

A Jew Grows in Brooklyn follows Jake Ehrenreich's life from Brooklyn to the Catskills to Rock n’ Roll to Broadway. Praised by the New York Times as “Dazzling, funny, and beautiful… a lot like Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays”, A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is the true story of a young man, who as a son of Holocaust survivors growing up in 1960’s Brooklyn, wanted nothing more than to be an American.  Making extensive use of music, humor, genuine pathos, multimedia video and photographs, Ehrenreich returns to his roots to guide us through a classic first generation immigrant story. While his Yiddish-speaking parents may have failed to understand the game of baseball or make sense of rock music, they did more than Ehrenreich initially realized while growing up to teach him the lessons of life – and to help him appreciate how music, culture and creativity are truly the wellsprings of renewal.  A cycle of life tale, WOR radio called it “A delightful journey with all the joy, tenderness and heartbreak of being a Jew.”

Produced by Dana Matthow, Philip Roger Roy and Second Generation Productions, and presented by Presley Theatre Productions Corp, A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is a “true story” comedy musical featuring Ehrenreich backed by a quartet of musician/singers.

Prior to developing A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, Jake Ehrenreich, a gifted singer and musician, performed on Broadway in Dancin', Barnum and They're Playing Our Song, and toured world-wide as Ringo in Beatlemania.  He also performed Off-Broadway in the English/Yiddish productions of Songs of Paradise and The Golden Land, the rock musical A Hot Minute, and created the title role in Jonah for Joseph Papp at the Public Theater.  In addition to his theater work, Ehrenreich has appeared in concert and recorded with such diverse performers as Richie Havens, Tito Puente, Whitney Houston, Gregg Allman, Jay Leno, Cab Calloway, John Davidson and The Smothers Brothers.  Born in Brooklyn and named Jacob Isaac Ehrenreich after his grandfathers lost in the Holocaust, Jake is the son of Jojne (Jonah) and Bala, who arrived in the United States with his two sisters in 1949.  The show is dedicated to all of his relatives, especially his father, who only recently passed away.

Featured during the one week production of A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is a photographic collection entitled “The Synagogue Project.”  This unique exhibit displays images of synagogues from all over the world including the Middle East, South America, Europe and the United States. The photographs show synagogues that are old and new, are thriving with attendance and those that have been condemned or demolished over time. Robin Roy, the photographer, considers her collection to be a tribute to the spirit of the Jewish people to persevere and worship wherever they may live.

Performances of A Jew Grows in Brooklyn at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd, are as follows:

Wednesday, November 5 at 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, November 7 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, November 8 at 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.

Sunday, November 9 at 1 p.m. & 5 p.m.

Tickets for A Jew Grows in Brooklyn are on sale now at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd.  Ticket prices range from $45 - $57.50 and can be purchased by calling 847-673-6300 or visiting www.northshorecenter.org.  Groups of 20 or more should call 312-423-6612 to make a reservation.

For more information on A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, visit www.AJewGrowsInBrooklyn.com

For more information on “The Synagogue Project” and available prints, visit http://www.robinroyphotographer.com/

'A Jew Grows in Brooklyn' Comes to North Shore Center this November - 11/5/2008

Jake Ehrenreich's autobiographical 'comedy musical', A Jew Grows in Brooklyn comes to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie for a limited one-week engagement this November.  A Jew Grows in Brooklyn played for fifteen months to sold-out houses and broke box-office records, first at the historic Lamb's Theatre in the heart of Broadway’s Time Square, and then for 15 weeks at the Cuillo Centre for the Arts in West Palm Beach Florida.   Universal in its appeal, ABC-TV exclaimed A Jew Grows in Brooklyn “speaks to anyone hoping to live out the American Dream,” and the New York Times raved “you don’t have to be Jewish or Brooklynish!”  This Rock N’ Roll true story will premiere in Chicago at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd, for a limited one-week engagement November 5 – 9, 2008.

A Jew Grows in Brooklyn follows Jake Ehrenreich's life from Brooklyn to the Catskills to Rock n’ Roll to Broadway. Praised by the New York Times as “Dazzling, funny, and beautiful… a lot like Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays”, A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is the true story of a young man, who as a son of Holocaust survivors growing up in 1960’s Brooklyn, wanted nothing more than to be an American.  Making extensive use of music, humor, genuine pathos, multimedia video and photographs, Ehrenreich returns to his roots to guide us through a classic first generation immigrant story. While his Yiddish-speaking parents may have failed to understand the game of baseball or make sense of rock music, they did more than Ehrenreich initially realized while growing up to teach him the lessons of life – and to help him appreciate how music, culture and creativity are truly the wellsprings of renewal.  A cycle of life tale, WOR radio called it “A delightful journey with all the joy, tenderness and heartbreak of being a Jew.”

Produced by Dana Matthow, Philip Roger Roy and Second Generation Productions, and presented by Presley Theatre Productions Corp, A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is a “true story” comedy musical featuring Ehrenreich backed by a quartet of musician/singers.

Prior to developing A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, Jake Ehrenreich, a gifted singer and musician, performed on Broadway in Dancin', Barnum and They're Playing Our Song, and toured world-wide as Ringo in Beatlemania.  He also performed Off-Broadway in the English/Yiddish productions of Songs of Paradise and The Golden Land, the rock musical A Hot Minute, and created the title role in Jonah for Joseph Papp at the Public Theater.  In addition to his theater work, Ehrenreich has appeared in concert and recorded with such diverse performers as Richie Havens, Tito Puente, Whitney Houston, Gregg Allman, Jay Leno, Cab Calloway, John Davidson and The Smothers Brothers.  Born in Brooklyn and named Jacob Isaac Ehrenreich after his grandfathers lost in the Holocaust, Jake is the son of Jojne (Jonah) and Bala, who arrived in the United States with his two sisters in 1949.  The show is dedicated to all of his relatives, especially his father, who only recently passed away.

Featured during the one week production of A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is a photographic collection entitled “The Synagogue Project.”  This unique exhibit displays images of synagogues from all over the world including the Middle East, South America, Europe and the United States. The photographs show synagogues that are old and new, are thriving with attendance and those that have been condemned or demolished over time. Robin Roy, the photographer, considers her collection to be a tribute to the spirit of the Jewish people to persevere and worship wherever they may live.

Performances of A Jew Grows in Brooklyn at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd, are as follows:

Wednesday, November 5 at 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, November 7 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, November 8 at 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.

Sunday, November 9 at 1 p.m. & 5 p.m.

Tickets for A Jew Grows in Brooklyn are on sale now at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd.  Ticket prices range from $45 - $57.50 and can be purchased by calling 847-673-6300 or visiting www.northshorecenter.org.  Groups of 20 or more should call 312-423-6612 to make a reservation.

For more information on A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, visit www.AJewGrowsInBrooklyn.com

For more information on “The Synagogue Project” and available prints, visit http://www.robinroyphotographer.com/

Florence Henderson to Perform at Feinstein's 11/5-8 - 11/5/2008

Known to millions as Carol Brady, Florence Henderson, a multi-talented actress, talk show host, performer, recording artist, author and Broadway veteran, brings her critically acclaimed one-woman production of ALL THE LIVES OF ME…A Musical Journey to New York City at Feinstein's at the Regency  A crowd pleasing evening with “America’s Favorite TV Mom,” featuring songs from her starring roles in such Broadway hits as OKLAHOMA, SOUTH PACIFIC, SOUND OF MUSIC and ANNIE GET YOUR GUN.  Audiences will be treated to personal anecdotes of a life on the boards of Broadway and the Brady set.

Feinstein's at the Regency is located at 540 Park Avenue at 61st Street. Henderson will perform November 5th – 8th, Wednesday & Thursday 8:45PM and Friday and Saturday at 8:00 and 10:00PM. Tickets are $60 with a $75 premium and late shows are $40 with a $60 premium and can be purchased by calling 212-339-4095 or on-line at ticketweb.com

Rita Moreno Performs at the Rrazz Room Starting 11/5 - 11/5/2008

Rita Moreno, singer, actor, and winner of an Oscar, Tony, Emmy, Grammy and Golden Globe, will appear at The Rrazz Room, Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason, SF from November 5-22 at 8 PM, and at 5 PM on Nov. 9, 16, and 23. Tickets are $50-$55 and can be purchased at www.therrazzroom.com, directly through www.ticketweb.com, or 866 468 3399.

The show at The Rrazz Room is a tribute to the great composers of Broadway and American Standards. Songs and stories about such composers as Harold Arlen, the Gershwins and others will be featured.

Rita Moreno began her show business career at the age of 11 when she dubbed Spanish language versions of American films. She appeared on Broadway at the age of 13 and is still acting and singing in films and on television. Moreno's career took off after she appeared in the film version of West Side Story where her role of Anita earned her an Academy Award. Broadway shows include Last of the Red Hot Lovers "Gantry and The Ritzfor which she won a Tony. In recent years she has appeared in numerous film and television roles and continues an active singing career.

Bichir and Cochran to Star in Geffen's 'By the Waters of Babylon', Opening 11/5 - 11/5/2008

The Los Angeles premiere of Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Schenkkan’s By the Waters of Babylon brings two award-winning, long-time theater actors to the Geffen stage for the first time: Demián Bichir and Shannon Cochran. Bichir, who is currently starring as Mary Louise-Parker’s love interest on Showtime’s Weeds, will play the role of Arturo, a Cuban immigrant who is hired to (coincidentally) weed the garden of unconventional Austin widow Catherine. Cochran, who will star as Catherine, is straight from Chicago where she starred in sold out performances of The Lion in Winter at the Writers Theatre.

While both actors will be making their Geffen Playhouse debut with this production, Bichir – who comes from one of the most well- known theatrical families in Mexico, will be making his US stage debut. On screen Bichir is already becoming familiar to American audiences; in addition to his role on Weeds, Bichir recently portrayed Fidel Castro in Steven Soderbergh’s Che Guevara biopics
The Argentine and Guerilla. In his home country, Bichir’s film Sexo, Pudor y Lágrimas held the box office record for number one movie in Mexico for three years straight, and he has been awarded numerous honors ranging from the prestigious Ariel Award for Best Actor to a medal presented by the cultural commission in Mexico City for distinction in the arts. Playing opposite Bichir, Cochran brings her own vast stage experience to the production. The actress, who has won accolades for her on some of America’s most prominent stages including Steppenwolf, The Goodman and South Coast Repertory, starred off-Broadway in Bug, for which she was the recipient of the 2004 Theatre World Award, an Obie Award and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award.

“With this play, I’m doing something very different – a two-character contemporary love story. This kind of piece can be very challenging but in Demián and Shannon we have found two extraordinary talents who will bring out all of the complexity and passion with which these characters struggle,” said playwright Robert Schenkkan. “It’s a great pleasure to bring this play to Los Angeles. Audiences here are so enthusiastic, sophisticated, and knowledgeable. With Babylon, I think they’re in for a very special experience.”

By the Waters of Babylon, directed by Old Vic and A.C.T. alum Richard Seyd, opens on the main stage of the Geffen Playhouse on Wednesday, November 5, 2008. Previews: Tuesday, October 28 to Tuesday, November 4, 2008 Opening Night: Wednesday, November 5, 2008. Closing Night:
Sunday, December 7, 2008

DEMIÁN BICHIR (Arturo) Bichir is one of the most well known and well respected actors in his home of Mexico and all of Latin America. In his native Mexico he has performed in plays such as in O'Neill's Ah! Wilderness, directed by José Quintero (Best Newcomer, Mexican Association of Theater Press), Shakespeare's Richard III directed by Clifford Williams, Strindberg's The Ghost Sonata (Best Actor, Mexican Association of Theater Press), Neil Simon's Broadway Bound and the Odd Couple, Halliwell's Little Malcolm and his Struggle Against the Eunuchs (Best Actor, Mexican Association of Theater Press) and Extras, Sabina Berman’s adaptation of Marie Jones’ Stones in His Pockets . His films have been seen by more than twelve million people in Mexico alone without mentioning the vast audience in Spain and South America, and include Rojo Amanecer (winner of the Grand Jury Prize in the San Sebastian Film Festival), Hasta Morir (winner Ariel Award for Best Actor,), Sin Noticias de Dios with Penélope Cruz, Sex, Shame and Tears (Ariel Best Actor nominee), American Visa (Best Foreign Film nominee at the Goyas in Spain), and EnemigosIntimos (soon to be released worldwide). Bichir received a special award at the 35th Chicago International Film Festival for three of his films. He’s been invited to be part of the jury in three different film festivals; LALIFF, Málaga and Ibiza. He has received two tributes, one at the San Diego film festival, and recently received another with his brothers at the Monterrey film festival in México in 2008. In addition, Bichir received a medal for recognition in the arts from the cultural commission in Mexico City in 2007. Demián Bichir can currently be seen on the hit Showtime series Weeds , portraying Mary Louise Parker’s new love interest. In addition, he also completed the pivotal role of Fidel Castro in the upcoming Che movies, Guerilla and The Argentine for director Steven Soderbergh which recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Bichir currently resides in Los Angeles and Mexico.

Shannon Cochran (Catherine): Shannon Cochran most recently appeared in sold-out performances of The Lion in Winter at Writers Theatre, in the Chicagoland area. Prior to that, Shannon starred in the World Premiere of SystemWonderland at South Coast Repertory. She appeared at the Long Wharf Theatre in Private Lies , after starring Off-Broadway in Bug at the Barrow Street Theatre. She was a recipient of the 2004 Theatre World Award, an Obie Award and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. Prior to her New York debut, she had appeared in Tracy Lett’sLetts’ Man From Nebraska , directed by Anna B. Shapiro at Steppenwolf, which was voted one of TIME MAGAZINE’S TOP 10 plays of 2003. Other theatre performances include: The Unmentionables and Stepping Out at Steppenwolf, Twelfth Night , Pal Joey and A Flea in Her Ear at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre, Space and 93 Acres of Barley at The Mark Taper Forum and Private Lies and The Father at Writers Theatre. She has directed Theresa Raquin for greasyjoan and Private Passage for Odyssey Theatre. Shannon lists among her film and television credits: The Ring ,Law and Order: SVU. Grey’s Anatomy, The Office, The Unit , Star Trek: Nemesis, Frasier , Gilmore Girls and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Shannon currently resides in Los Angeles.

ROBERT SCHENKKAN (Playwright) Robert is the author of The Kentucky Cycle, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, as well as an LA Critics Best Play Award, PEN WEST Award, Tony Nomination and Outer Critics Circle Nomination. He has written eight other full-length plays: Lewis and Clark, Reach The Euphrates ,The Marriage of Miss Hollywood and King Neptune,The Devil And Daniel Webster,Handler, Heaven on Earth (Julie Harris/Beverly Hills Theatre Guild Award), Tachinoki, Final Passages, and The Dream Thief and a collection of One Act plays, Conversations with the Spanish Ladyand other Plays. He is currently at work on two musicals: A Night At the Alhambra Café, and The Twelve. Robert is the co-author of the film, The Quiet American.

For television he wrote: The Andromeda Strain nominated for 6 Emmys including “Best Miniseries”; four episodes of the much anticipated Hanks/Spielberg/HBO miniseries, The Pacific; Crazy Horse (TNT); and Spartacus (USA). He is currently adapting Anabasis as a feature film for SONY. Other films in development include Fall of Saigon (Fox), Desmond Doss (Pandemonium Films) and Ugly Americans (2929). He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, PEN America, the Ensemble Studio Theatre, the Friar Society, and is an alumnus of New Dramatists. Robert is married to the writer, Maria Dahvana Headley, and lives in Seattle with his two children. www.robertschenkkan.com

RICHARD SEYD (Director) Most recently, Seyd directed A Reckoning with Jonathan Pryce in London at the SoHo Theatre. Previously, he directed a Feast of Fools (with Geoff Hoyle) at the Marines Memorial Theatre and previously at LaJolla Playhouse. He has also received Drama-Logue, BackStage West and Bay Area Critics Circle Awards for his direction of Cloud Nine, About Face ,Noises Off, Oleanna,A View From the Bridge,Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, andA Streetcar Named Desire. From 1992 - 1997 he served asAssociate Artistic Director of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. For ACT, he directedThe Learned Ladies,Dario Fo'sThe Pope And The Witch,Pygmalion, Mrs. Warren's Profession, Oleanna, Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead, Othello,The Matchmaker, and A Streetcar Named Desire.

In the 1980's Seyd was Associate Producing Director of the Eureka Theatre, and directed many productions for the company including Cloud Nine,The Wash,Threepenny Opera, and Dario Fo's About Face. In addition, he is the director of an award-winning 35 mm short film entitled Brass Tacks. Seyd received his Theatre Training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and acted with the affiliated Old Vic Company. He became a founding member of Stage Two - a company based on the works of Jersey Grotowski that was begun by James Roose-Evans. In 1968, he co-founded Red Ladder Theatre, Britain's first professional, political theatre collective, now 35 years old. He acted, directed and produced for the company for seven years. Upon moving to San Francisco in 1975, Richard taught at the Cultural Training Center. From here, directing became his main focus as detailed above. In the early 1990's, Richard returned to teaching for professional actors in the Bay Area and Los Angeles.

Tickets ($40 to $74) are on sale now at the Geffen Playhouse box office, online at GeffenPlayhouse.com, via credit card phone order at (310) 208-5454, at all Ticketmaster outlets, or by calling Ticketmaster at (213) 365-3500. Student rush tickets are available one hour prior to curtain for $15.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday through Thursday
7:30 p.m.
Fridays
8:00 p.m.
Saturdays
4:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Sundays
2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

ABOUT THE GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE
The Geffen Playhouse has been a hub of the Los Angeles theater scene since opening its doors in 1995. Noted for its intimacy and celebrated for its world-renowned mix of classic and contemporary plays, provocative new works and musicals, the Geffen Playhouse continues to present a body of work that has garnered national recognition. Named in honor of entertainment mogul and philanthropist David Geffen, who made the initial donation to the theater, the company is helmed by Producing Director and President of the Board Gilbert (Gil) Cates, Artistic Director Randall Arney, Managing Director Susan Barton and Chairman of the Board Frank Mancuso. Proudly associated with UCLA, the Geffen Playhouse welcomes an audience of more than 130,000 each year, and maintains an extensive education and outreach program, designed to engage young people and the community at large in the arts. For more information, please visit GeffenPlayhouse.com.

MOST DAMAGING WOUND to Play at MTS Starting 11/5 - 11/5/2008

THE PRODUCTION COMPANY is pleased to announce the world premiere production of Blair Singer’s MOST DAMAGING WOUND, directed by Mark Armstrong. THE MOST DAMAGING WOUND will play a four-week limited engagement at The Manhattan Theatre Source (177 MacDougal Street, NYC). Performances begin Wednesday, November 5 and continue Sunday, November 29. Opening Night is Friday, November 7 (8 p.m.).

Press are invited to Friday November 7th opening and any performance following.

THE MOST DAMAGING WOUND takes place on a cold November night, when new parent Kenny Gathers his college buddies to complete an unfinished rite of passage. The guests include Alan (Michael Szeles), a pharmaceutical lobbyist, Dicky (Chris Thorn), a carpet salesman with a big personality and a bigger appetite for the sauce, GG (Michael Solomon), a new restaurateur and Bo (Bard Goodrich), a former musician. When Christine (Megan McQuillan) shows up unexpectedly, the guys discover that the men they’ve become is far from their aspirations back at Syracuse. Reliving the Glory Days is not easy, in this Generation-X gang comedy, with booze, buddies, and breakthroughs.

The production features set design by April Bartlett, costume design by Deanna Frieman, and lighting design by Dan Henry. Barton Bishop is the sound designer Erik Grathwohl is the technical director and Jeff Meyers is the stage manager.


THE MOST DAMAGING WOUND plays the following regular schedule through Sunday, November 29:

Wednesdays at 8 p.m.
Thursdays at 8 p.m.
Fridays at 8 p.m.
Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

There is NO SHOW Thanksgiving Day. Happy Thanksgiving!

Tickets are $20 and are now available online at www.theatermania.com or by calling 212-352-3101. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the Box Office, half-hour prior to performance.


BIOGRAPHIES


MARK ARMSTRONG (Director) is the Artistic Director of The Production Company, which exchanges challenging new plays between the US and Australia. He directed the company's premiere productions of Stephen Belber's Melbourne, Elizabeth Meriwether's The Sound in the Throat, Beau Willimon's The Patient and I Am Ned Kelly, Alan Berks' Goats (NY Premiere), Ben Ellis' Falling Petals (US Premiere) and Beneath Us, Brendan Cowell's 967 Tuna, Ross Mueller's Pinter's Explanation and Elise McCredie and Trudy Hellier's The Furies. Other New York credits include Stephen Adly Guirgis' Untitle D, Elizabeth Meriwether's Poor Bob and Jason Grote's In His Bold Gaze, My Ruin is Writ Large (24 Hour Plays), anton dudley's circumvention (Keen Company), Delaney Britt Brewer's Hype Man and Edith Freni's Don't Fear the Shark (Youngblood/EST), Suzanne Bradbeer's Cocus and Doot (Vital Theatre) and Fear and Loathing on the Nile (EST), Nicholas Gray's Dug Out (Lincoln Center Theater @ HERE) and Frank Basloe's Linked (Hypothetical). Academic theater (as guest professional): Columbia, NYU, New School for Drama, USF (Holloway Guest Artist). From 1995-99, he was resident director with Dark Horse Theatre Company in his native Minnesota, where he directed Fat Men in Skirts, The Food Chain, Private Eyes, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress and Orphans. Member, Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers and Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab. MFA, Arizona State University (Dobkin Directing Fellow), where he studied with Marshall W. Mason. Mark is proud to be the Literary Director for Playscripts, Inc.

BLAIR SINGER (Playwright) Recently, the Black Dahlia (L.A.) production of his monologue play, Placement, received four LA Weekly Award nominations, winning one for Best Solo Performance. In November of 2008, The Production Company (NY) is producing his play, The Most Damaging Wound, at Manhattan Theatre Source. His other plays include Notice Me, Linnie and Roog, and The American Fiancée. His latest play, Matthew Modine Saves The Alpacas, is about an actor named Matthew Modine who goes to Ecuador to save a herd of Alpacas on the verge of extinction.

Blair’s television work includes writing on the third season of the hit Showtime series “Weeds.” Other television credits include “Monk” and “The Book of Daniel”. He was a writer for the third season of the web series “lonelygirl15” and is currently writing a feature film for MTV.

Blair has also been a drama teacher in the Bronx since 2001. He started the Drama Program at the Bronx Academy of Letters and replicated that success at Mott Haven High School in Harlem. Most recently, he was the Founding Artistic Director of the Bronx Acting Ensemble, a conservatory-style training program for Bronx high school students.

Blair is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Drama and has been a member of the MCC Playwrights’ Coalition since 2006.

The Production Company’s work promotes and deepens cultural exchange between the United States and Australia and encourages artists to explore the relationship between our two countries.

Outer Critics Circle Hosts Special Evening Featuring Weller, Howe, Stein and More 11/5 - 11/5/2008

Outer Critics Circle will host a special evening celebrating the new theatre season with an emphasis on playwrights when they host “Return of the Playwright” on Wednesday, November 5th (5-7:30PM) at Sardi’s Restaurant in the Eugenia Room (234 West 44th Street). For the second year, the event is co-chaired by OCC Executive Committee member Rosalind Friedman and sponsored in part by The Samuel French Company, Inc.  Joining Ms. Friedman as co-chair will be OCC member and Samuel French, Inc. Vice President, Abbie Van Nostrand.

The evening will include dinner and a panel discussion featuring the following playwrights: Tina Howe (Coastal Disturbances, Chasing Manet), Leslie Lee (The First Breeze of Summer, Colored People’s Time), Adam Rapp (Red Light Winter, Kindness), Joseph Stein (Fiddler on the Roof, Enter Laughing) and Michael Weller (Beast, Fifty Words). Mario Fratti (Nine, The Cage, Suicide) and Ms. Friedman will moderate.

The evening will comprise of a light buffet dinner, open seating and cash bar.  Tickets are $35 per person for OCC Members; $45 per person for non-members.  For more information and to reserve you tickets, phone (203) 268-6055 or email RozandArt@worldnet.att.net

Outer Critics Circle is the organization of writers and commentators covering New York theater for out-of-town newspapers, national publications and other media beyond Broadway. Celebrating its 58th season of bestowing awards of excellence in the field of theater, the Outer Critics Circle, is an association with members affiliated with more than ninety newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations, and theatre publications in America and abroad.

92YTribeca Theater's AN EVENING WITH [title of show] 11/5 - 11/5/2008

92YTribeca Theater has added the following events to the November 2008 schedule.

Sun, Nov 2, 7 pm, $12 Preshow Happy Hour at 6 pm
"Dance-a-Raoke!" | ALL FEMALE HIP-HOP DANCE BATTLE
Tweetie hosts this dance-off with the Montazh Performing Arts Company, Chi-Chi and more in this monthly dance series.

Mon, Nov 3, 7:30 pm, $15
Naked Angels First Mondays: BEND
Hear Eric Bernat's new play, Bend, about a young man whose life is thrown into chaos.

Wed, Nov 5, 5:30 pm, $25
AN EVENING WITH [TITLE OF SHOW]
Join This American Life's Ira Glass and the extraordinary company of Broadway's huge hit [title of show] for a lively conversation and performance in celebration of the little musical that could. With creators Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen, their co-stars Heidi Blickenstaff and Susan Blackwell, Director Michael Berresse and Musical Director Larry Pressgrove.

Sun, Dec 7, 7 pm, $12 Preshow Happy Hour at 6 pm
"Dance-a-Raoke!" | ARTICHOKE DANCE COMPANY
Experience the daring and passion-filled action of this company whose style combines gymnastics and the percussiveness of jazz.

For tickets, visit www.92Y.org/92yTribeca or call 212-601-1000.

92YTribeca Theater is located at 200 Hudson Street, New York City.

For more information, visit www.92YTRIBECA.org.

FOREVER TANGO to Run at Post Street Theatre November 5-16 - 11/5/2008

Luis Bravo's sizzling internationally acclaimed dance spectacular FOREVER TANGO will blaze into San Francisco with a newly revised show full of sexy surprises for 16 performances only November 5 - 16, 2008 at the Post Street Theatre, 450 Post Street. Tickets for FOREVER TANGO ($50 - $75, premium seats also available) can be purchased at the Post Street Theatre Box Office, by calling 415 771-6900, at all Ticketmaster outlets, or at Ticketmaster.com. For more information visit www.PostStreetTheatre.com.

Created and directed by Luis Bravo, FOREVER TANGO features fourteen world-class tango dancers, a vocalist and an eleven-piece, on-stage orchestra in an evening that celebrates the passionate music and dance of Argentina. The FOREVER TANGO orchestra boasts four of only 200 bandoneon players known worldwide. The dances, performed to original and traditional music, are the result of collaboration between each couple and director/creator Bravo.

Both beloved and infamous as one of the most sensuous of all dance forms, tango was born in Argentina at a time when holding hands was considered a scandalous development in social dancing. Tango was initially only danced in gambling houses and places of prostitution. Working women developed skill in the dance in order to attract customers; lonely men practiced the art in order to woo and impress the women. The dance developed as a prologue to sex itself, infused with the passion and personality of the dancers. Today, the tango's influence can be found in a variety of dance idioms, including modern dance, jazz, ballet, and hip-hop. According to creator/director Bravo, "The tango is a feeling that you dance; a story that you tell in three minutes-it is passionate, tender, violent." He adds, "The tango represents so much more than just a dance: it is a music, a culture, a way of life."

Luis Bravo, a world-class musician, was born in Añatuya, Santiago de Estero and moved to Buenos Aires when he was 8. He began guitar studies at age 4 and later turned to the cello. Mr. Bravo attended both the Municipal Conservatory of Music Manuel de Falla and the University of Buenos Aires. Shortly after his graduation, he became a member of the Argentine National Symphony, a position he held until he moved to United States to study with the celebrated teacher Ronald Leonard. His engagements have also included the Colón Theatre Opera House and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute Orchestra. In addition to his soloist career, Mr. Bravo has firmly established himself as an artistic producer of a recognized reputation. He was awarded the Spoleto Festival's coveted Simpatia Prize for Forever Tango, which closed the Italian festival in 1996. In 1998, he received a special distinction with Ruben Blades from ACE as the two most successful Latin artists on Broadway. The Boston Pops Orchestra dedicated a special program with his work for the series "Evenings at Pops" for PBS with Leslie Caron as a host. He is deeply involved in promoting talent through his company that specializes in Argentine tango and folkloric music.

FOREVER TANGO took San Francisco by storm in 1994 where it played an unprecedented 92 weeks. The production opened on Broadway in June of 1997 for what was expected to be an eight-week engagement, went on to run for 14 months and garnered multiple Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations. The show returned to San Francisco in 1999 and was hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as "Forever magical...this sensual musical has perfected the passionate power of the famed dance." Since then, the show has toured internationally, and returned to Broadway, where it was lauded by critics and enjoyed an extended run. Between international and national tours, FOREVER TANGO returned to San Francisco in 2004, where the San Francisco Chronicle declared "‘Forever Tango' is one big seduction, a perfect theater date for couples on the verge of coupling The show has lost none of its allure... the music and dancing are top notch, the costumes are stunning." Its last visit to San Francisco was in 2006 and the production has since added several exciting new dance numbers, which will be unveiled in this engagement.

The New York Times called FOREVER TANGO, "A must-see!" and USA Today said, "'Forever Tango' shows that the style is more than steamy - it's smart, even funny ... a sensuous, seductive, pleasure." The New York Daily News raved that the show was, "an evening of sheer pleasure. Sensual, elegant, dazzling." And the Associated Press declared it to be, "the most theatrical show on Broadway." FOREVER TANGO will play for 16 performances only November 5 - 16, 2008 at the Post Street Theatre, 450 Post Street. Tickets for FOREVER TANGO are currently on sale ($50 - $75, premium seats also available) and can be purchased at the Post Street Theatre Box Office, by calling 415 771-6900, at all Ticketmaster outlets, or at Ticketmaster.com. For more information visit www.PostStreetTheatre.com.

WICKED Fan in Chicago Can Dine With Cast Members 10/29 and 11/5 - 11/5/2008

WICKED enthusiasts looking to make their night on the town very Ozmopolitan are invited to dine with cast members on Wednesday, October 29 and November 5, 2008. For $30, in addition to the price of a ticket, fans and cast members will dine prior to the show at 5:30 p.m. at Hotel Monaco (225 N. Wabash Ave.), followed by a 7:30 performance of WICKED at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.).

In addition to dinner and the opportunity to mingle with a monkey, gab like Glinda or munch next to a munchkin, fans will also receive a special WICKED gift. Available menu options can be found online at http://www.broadwayinchicago.com/monaco_wicked_menu.php.

The pre-show dinner option is available for $30 in addition to the price of a ticket for WICKED shows on Wednesday, October 29 and November 5, 2008. Packages are available at all points of sale by using the code “DINNER” when ordering tickets through Broadway In Chicago Box Offices (24 W. Randolph St., 151 W. Randolph St. and 18 W. Monroe St.), the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Line at (312) 902-1400, or online at www.broadwayinchicago.com. Groups of 20 or more can make reservations by calling (312) 977-1710

The Chicago Company of WICKED is now playing at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre. Breaking multiple box office records since opening in June 2005 and playing to packed audiences from across the world night after night, the production is the top grossing show in Chicago theatre history. After more than three years of being on stage, the Chicago Company will take its final bow on Sunday, January 25, 2009.

Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. Wicked tells the story of how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.

WICKED is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. Directed by Joe Mantello, with musical staging by Wayne Cilento, WICKED is currently presented in Chicago, on Broadway at the Gershwin Theatre, on a national tour, in Los Angeles at the Pantages Theatre and in London at the Apollo Victoria Theatre.

For more information, visit www.wickedthemusical.com/chicago

Rita Moreno returns to the RRAZZ Room with LITTLE TRIBUTES - 11/5/2008

Rita Moreno returns to the RRAZZ ROOM to present “Little Tributes” at The Rrazz Room in San Francisco. The show is tribute to the composers of the American Songbook.

On October 28, 2008, Rita Moreno, singer, actor, and winner of an Oscar, Tony, Emmy, Grammy and Golden Globe, will appear at The Rrazz Room in the Hotel Nikko. 

The show at The Rrazz Room is a tribute to the great composers of Broadway and American Standards. Songs, stories and the history of Harold Arlen, the Gershwins, Kander and Ebb and others will be featured as well a bit of Peggy Lee.

Rita Moreno began her show business career at the age of 11 when she dubbed Spanish language versions of American films. She appeared on Broadway at the age of 13 and is still acting and singing in films and on television. Moreno’s career took off after she appeared in the film version of “West Side Story” where her role of Anita earned her an Academy Award. Broadway shows include “Last of the Red Hot Lovers,” “Gantry,” and “The Ritz,” for which she won a Tony. Ms. Moreno's latest endeavor has been in cabaret where she has met with critical acclaim. In 2002 she appeared as the guest artist with the San Francisco Symphony in a production of "Candide."

Ms. Moreno has served on The National Endowment for the Arts and as a Commissioner on The President's White House Fellowships, is a member of The President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, and is a recipient of The Presidential Medal of Freedom. The medal is the highest honor bestowed upon a civilian and ranks only second to The Congressional Medal of Honor as the nation's highest award. It is conferred on individuals for a lifetime of meritorious service. Ms. Moreno is married to Dr. Leonard Gordon, a retired physician. Her daughter Fernanda is an artist. This engagement will mark Ms Moreno's first appearance at The Rrazz Room.

The Hotel Nico is located at 222 Mason in San Francisco. "Little Tributes" will run from November 5 to November 22 at 8 PM, and at 5 PM on Nov. 9, 16, and 23.

Tickets are $50-$55 and can be purchased at www.therrazzroom.com, directly through www.ticketweb.com, or 866 468 3399.

A JEW GROWS IN BROOKLYN Comes to Chicago's North Shore Performing Arts Center - 11/5/2008

Jake Ehrenreich's autobiographical 'comedy musical', A Jew Grows in Brooklyn comes to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts (9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie) for a limited one-week engagement this November. 

A Jew Grows in Brooklyn played for fifteen months to sold-out houses and broke box-office records, first at the historic Lamb's Theatre in the heart of Broadway’s Time Square, and then for 15 weeks at the Cuillo Centre for the Arts in West Palm Beach Florida.   Universal in its appeal, ABC-TV exclaimed A Jew Grows in Brooklyn “speaks to anyone hoping to live out the American Dream,” and the New York Times raved “you don’t have to be Jewish or Brooklynish!”  This Rock N’ Roll true story will premiere in Chicago at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie for a limited one-week engagement November 5 – 9, 2008.

A Jew Grows in Brooklyn follows Jake Ehrenreich's life from Brooklyn to the Catskills to Rock n’Roll to Broadway. Praised by the New York Times as “Dazzling, funny, and beautiful… a lot like Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays”, A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is the true story of a young man, who as a son of Holocaust survivors growing up in 1960’s Brooklyn, wanted nothing more than to be an American.  Making extensive use of music, humor, genuine pathos, multimedia video and photographs, Ehrenreich returns to his roots to guide us through a classic first generation immigrant story. While his Yiddish-speaking parents may have failed to understand the game of baseball or make sense of rock music, they did more than Ehrenreich initially realized while growing up to teach him the lessons of life – and to help him appreciate how music, culture and creativity are truly the wellsprings of renewal.  A cycle of life tale, WOR radio called it “A delightful journey with all the joy, tenderness and heartbreak of being a Jew.”

Produced by Dana Matthow, Philip Roger Roy and Second Generation Productions, and presented by Presley Theatre Productions Corp, A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is a “true story” comedy musical featuring Ehrenreich backed by a quartet of musician/singers.

Prior to developing A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, Jake Ehrenreich, a gifted singer and musician, performed on Broadway in Dancin', Barnum and They're Playing Our Song, and toured world-wide as Ringo in Beatlemania.  He also performed Off-Broadway in the English/Yiddish productions of Songs of Paradise and The Golden Land, the rock musical A Hot Minute, and created the title role in Jonah for Joseph Papp at the Public Theater.  In addition to his theater work, Ehrenreich has appeared in concert and recorded with such diverse performers as Richie Havens, Tito Puente, Whitney Houston, Gregg Allman, Jay Leno, Cab Calloway, John Davidson and The Smothers Brothers.  Born in Brooklyn and named Jacob Isaac Ehrenreich after his grandfathers lost in the Holocaust, Jake is the son of Jojne (Jonah) and Bala, who arrived in the United States with his two sisters in 1949.  The show is dedicated to all of his relatives, especially his father, who only recently passed away.

Featured during the one week production of A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is a photographic collection entitled “The Synagogue Project.”  This unique exhibit displays images of synagogues from all over the world including the Middle East, South America, Europe and the United States. The photographs show synagogues that are old and new, are thriving with attendance and those that have been condemned or demolished over time. Robin Roy, the photographer, considers her collection to be a tribute to the spirit of the Jewish people to persevere and worship wherever they may live.

Performances of A Jew Grows in Brooklyn at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts (9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie) are as follows:

Wednesday, November 5 at 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, November 7 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, November 8 at 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.

Sunday, November 9 at 1 p.m. & 5 p.m.

Tickets for A Jew Grows in Brooklyn are on sale now at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, (9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie).  Ticket prices range from $45 to $57.50 and can be purchased by calling (847) 673-6300 or visiting www.northshorecenter.org.  Groups of 20 or more can make reservations by calling (312) 423-6612.

For more information on A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, visit www.AJewGrowsInBrooklyn.com

Irish Rep ertory Theater Presents CONFESSIONS OF AN IRISH PUBLICAN Starting 11/5 - 11/5/2008

The Irish Repertory Theater (132 West 22nd Street) will present CONFESSIONS OF AN IRISH PUBLICAN, with Des Keogh in the W. Scott McLucas Studio Theatre beginning November 5, 2008 until November 30, 2008.

For the third time, Des Keogh is appearing in a show based on the writings of John B. Keane at The Irish Repertory Theatre.  The first was "The Matchmaker", in which Des starred with Tony Award-winning actress Anna Manahan.  Then came the acclaimed one-man show, "The Love Hungry Farmer" in 2003, which has since been touring the world and won for Des a Best Actor Award at The Edinburgh Festival.  Now comes "Confessions of An Irish Publican", another collaboration between Des and The Irish Rep's Artistic Director Charlotte Moore.

This latest adaptation from the "Celebrated Letters of John B. Keane" has all the hallmarks of Ireland's late great playwright and humorist. Martin MacMeer is the Publican, the proprietor of the tavern known as Journey's End in the village of Knockanee, in the county of Kerry. Martin is a confirmed bachelor but his status is threatened by two females; one an 18 year old schoolgirl and the other an older woman of the world.  He tells of their impact on his life in his "Confessions".

At the same time, Martin introduces to us a number of his colorful customers who are in the habit of unburdening themselves to him.  Not a customer but a colorful personality nonetheless is the local parish priest ,who treats us to some thought-provoking sermons throughout the evening and the Reverend Mother of the local convent is not short of sharing some words of wisdom.

All in all, this is an evening of Irish wit and wisdom from the pen of one of Ireland's great humorous writers.

Charlotte Moore's most recent directing assignments were Gaslight, Meet Me in St. Louis, Mrs. Warren's Profession and Mr. Dooley's America. Other directing credits include: Finian's Rainbow at Joanne Woodward's Westport Country Playhouse, She Stoops to Conquer, Samuel Beckett's Endgame, the adaptation and direction of Finian's Rainbow, Dion Boucicault's The Colleen Bawn, J. Harley Manners' Peg O' My Heart, J.M. Synge's Playboy of the Western World and Dion Boucicault's
The Streets of New York, which she adapted and scored. New York stage appearances include Major Barbara, A Perfect Ganesh, Meet Me in St. Louis, The Perfect Party, Morning's at Seven, Private Lives, Love for Love, Holiday, Chemin de Fer, The Great God Brown, A Lovely Sunday for
Creve Coeur, and many performances with the New York Shakespeare Festival, with directors who include Harold Prince, Tony Walton, John Tillinger, Vivian Matalon, Paul Weidner, Brian Murray, Michael Montel, Edward Berkeley, Arvin Brown, Louis Burke,Steven Porter, and Ellis Rabb. She has received two Tony Award nominations, the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Drama Desk Award, and the Irish America Top 100 Irish Award. Ms. Moore has directed forty-seven Irish Repertory Theatre productions and all 19 Gala Benefits.

Des Keogh has been with all the major Irish theatre companies, including the Abbey , the Gate and Druid. He has also played at England's National Theatre and the Royal Court in London. As a member of American Equity, Des has been in many plays in the U.S.A.. These include The Plough and the Stars (Fluther with The Irish Rep. and Uncle Peter with the O'Casey Theatre Company), Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa and Bernard Farell's Forty-Four Sycamore (Asolo, FL) and Frank McGuiness's Someone Who'll Watch Over Me (Portland, OR). He has also been in the American plays The Gravity of Honey by Bruce Rodgers and Old Wicked Songs by Jon Maran. English plays in the US. Include The Best of Friends (Olney, MD) and The Spider's Web (summer tour). Des has appeared in concert at Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall. He has also toured to Australia and the West Indies.  On your next visit to Dublin, have a look at the sidewalk in front of the Gaiety Theatre where Des's handprints are embedded beside those of no less a personage than Luciano Pavarotti!

CONFESSIONS OF AN IRISH PUBLICAN will be performed in the W. Scott McLucas Theatre and runs concurrently with THE MASTER BUILDER performing on The Irish Repertory Theatre's Main Stage.

Performances of CONFESSIONS OF AN IRISH PUBLICAN are Wednesday – Saturday at 8 PM. Matinees are Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 3 PM.

Tickets are $40 and can be purchased by calling The Irish Repertory Theatre Box Office at (212) 727-2737. For more information call (212) 727-2737 visit www.irishrep.org.

Amy Morton To Direct McPherson's 'Dublin Carol' At Steppenwolf - 11/6/2008

Steppenwolf Theatre Company continues its 2008-2009 season, an exploration of the imagination, with a special engagement of Dublin Carol, by Conor McPherson, directed by ensemble member Amy Morton.  The production, featuring Stephen Louis Grush, William Petersen and Nicole Wiesner, runs November 6 - December 21, 2008 in Steppenwolf's Upstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St.  Single tickets for Dublin Carol go on sale Thursday, September 25 at

11 a.m.  The press performance is Sunday, November 16 at 3:00 p.m.

John, a man whose life was nearly destroyed by drinking, now holds down a steady job at a Dublin undertaker's office.  When his estranged daughter appears on Christmas Eve with disturbing news, it sets off a series of painful confessions that ultimately offer John a chance to escape the burden of his past.

Dublin Carol is the first of two plays by Conor McPherson premiering in Chicago at Steppenwolf this season. McPherson's The Seafarer makes its Chicago debut December 4, 2008 - February 8, 2009 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre, following its critically-acclaimed Broadway run.

Ensemble member Amy Morton received a 2008 Tony nomination for her role in Steppenwolf's August: Osage County on Broadway, after transferring from a sold-out Chicago run in 2007.  She most recently directed Dublin Carol at Trinity Repertory Theatre in Rhode Island, as well as Conor McPherson's The Weir at Steppenwolf.  Additional Steppenwolf directing credits include The Pillowman, Love-Lies-Bleeding, which traveled to the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater, and Glengarry Glen Ross, which traveled to Dublin and Toronto.  Born in Dublin, playwright Conor McPherson won London's prestigious Olivier Award for The Weir and received a Tony nomination for Shining City.    

Dublin Carol is directed by ensemble member Amy Morton.  The design team includes:  Kevin Depinet (sets), Ana Kuzmanic (costumes), Bob Christen (lights) and Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen (sound).  Michelle Medvin is the Stage Manager.

Steppenwolf is located near all forms of public transportation and is wheelchair accessible.  Street and lot parking are available.  Assistive listening devices are available for every performance.

Committed to the principle of ensemble performance through the collaboration of a company of actors, directors and playwrights, Steppenwolf Theatre Company's mission is to advance the vitality and diversity of American theater by nurturing artists, encouraging repeatable creative relationships and contributing new works to the national canon.  The company, formed in 1976 by a collective of actors, is dedicated to perpetuating an ethic of mutual respect and the development of artists through on-going group work.  Steppenwolf has grown into an internationally renowned company of forty-one artists whose talents include acting, directing, playwriting, filmmaking and textual adaptation.  For additional information, visit www.steppenwolf.org.

Stephen Schwartz & Friends to Run November 6-9 at Broadway by the Bay with Callaway, Coulter and Gravitte - 11/6/2008

Grammy and Academy award winning Stephen Schwartz will star LIVE onstage in Defying Gravity: Stephen Schwartz and Friends. Songwriter Schwartz will be joined by esteemed Broadway stars Liz Callaway, Scott Coulter and Debbie Gravitte who will lend their voices for this not to be missed presentation.

WHEN:
Opens November 6
Closes November 9

TIMES:
Thursday and Friday at 8 pm
Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm
Sunday at 1:30 & 5 pm

WHERE:
Broadway by the Bay at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center, 600 N Delaware, San Mateo

TICKETS
$17-$45 AND INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 650-579-5565 or visit www.broadwaybythebay.org. Discounts available for youths, seniors, subscriber and group of 10 or more.

Stephen Schwartz was born in New York City on March 6, 1948. He studied piano and composition at the Juilliard School of Music while in high school and graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 1968 with a B.F.A. in Drama. Upon coming back to live in New York City, he went to work as a producer for RCA Records, but shortly thereafter began to work in the Broadway theatre.

His first major credit was the title song for the play BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE; the song was eventually used in the movie version as well.

In 1971, he wrote the music and new lyrics for GODSPELL, for which he won several awards including two Grammys. This was followed by the English texts, in collaboration with Leonard Bernstein, for Bernstein's MASS, which opened the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The following year, he wrote the music and lyrics for PIPPIN and two years later, THE MAGIC SHOW. At one point, GODSPELL, PIPPIN, and THE MAGIC SHOW were all running on Broadway simultaneously.

He next wrote the music and lyrics for THE BAKER'S WIFE, followed by a musical version of Studs Terkel's WORKING, to which he contributed four songs, and which he also adapted and directed, winning the Drama Desk Award as best director. He also co-directed the television production, which was presented as part of the PBS "American Playhouse" series.

Next came songs for a one-act musical for children, CAPTAIN LOUIE, and a children's book, THE PERFECT PEACH. He then wrote music for three of the songs in the Off-Broadway revue, PERSONALS, lyrics to Charles Strouse's music for RAGS, and music and lyrics for CHILDREN OF EDEN.

He then began working in film, collaborating with composer Alan Menken on the scores for the Disney animated features POCAHONTAS, for which he received two Academy Awards and another Grammy, and THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. He also provided songs for DreamWorks' first animated feature, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, for which he won another Academy Award for the song "When You Believe". He most recently collaborated with Alan Menken on the songs for Disney's ENCHANTED.

Mr. Schwartz provided music and lyrics for the original television musical, GEPPETTO, seen on The Wonderful World of Disney and recently adapted for the stage as GEPPETTO & SON. He has released two CDs on which he sings new songs, entitled RELUCTANT PILGRIM and UNCHARTED TERRITORY.

Mr. Schwartz's most recent musical, WICKED, opened in the fall of 2003 and is currently running on Broadway and in several other productions around the United States and the world. In 2008, WICKED reached its 1900th performance on Broadway, making Mr. Schwartz the only songwriter in Broadway history ever to have three shows run more than 1900 performances.

Under the auspices of the ASCAP Foundation, he runs musical theatre workshops in New York and Los Angeles, and serves on the ASCAP board; he is also a member of the Council of the Dramatists' Guild.

Steppenwolf to Present McPherson's 'Dublin Carol', Directed by Amy Morton - 11/6/2008

Steppenwolf Theatre Company continues its 2008-2009 season, an exploration of the imagination, with a special engagement of Dublin Carol, by Conor McPherson, directed by ensemble member Amy Morton.  The production, featuring Stephen Louis Grush, William Petersen and Nicole Wiesner, runs November 6 – December 21, 2008 in Steppenwolf’s Upstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St.   The press performance is Sunday, November 16 at 3:00 p.m.

John, a man whose life was nearly destroyed by drinking, now holds down a steady job at a Dublin undertaker’s office.  When his estranged daughter appears on Christmas Eve with disturbing news, it sets off a series of painful confessions that ultimately offer John a chance to escape the burden of his past.

Dublin Carol is the first of two plays by Conor McPherson premiering in Chicago at Steppenwolf this season. McPherson’s The Seafarer makes its Chicago debut December 4, 2008 – February 8, 2009 in Steppenwolf’s Downstairs Theatre, following its critically-acclaimed Broadway run.

Ensemble member Amy Morton received a 2008 Tony nomination for her role in Steppenwolf’s August: Osage County on Broadway, after transferring from a sold-out Chicago run in 2007.  She most recently directed Dublin Carol at Trinity Repertory Theatre in Rhode Island, as well as Conor McPherson’s The Weir at Steppenwolf.  Additional Steppenwolf directing credits include The Pillowman, Love-Lies-Bleeding, which traveled to the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater, and Glengarry Glen Ross, which traveled to Dublin and Toronto.

Born in Dublin, playwright Conor McPherson’s plays include include The Seafarer (premiered on Broadway in 2007), Poor Beast in the Rain, Port Authority, Dublin Carol (premiered on Broadway in 2002), The Weir (premiered on Broadway in 1999), St Nicholas and This Lime Tree Bower. Mr. McPherson won London’s prestigious Olivier Award for The Weir and received a Tony nomination for Shining City.   

Dublin Carol is directed by ensemble member Amy Morton.  The design team includes:  Kevin Depinet (sets), Ana Kuzmanic (costumes), Robert Christen (lights) and Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen (sound).  Michelle Medvin is the Stage Manager.

Steppenwolf is located near all forms of public transportation and is wheelchair accessible.  Street and lot parking are available.  Assistive listening devices are available for every performance.

Committed to the principle of ensemble performance through the collaboration of a company of actors, directors and playwrights, Steppenwolf Theatre Company's mission is to advance the vitality and diversity of American theater by nurturing artists, encouraging repeatable creative relationships and contributing new works to the national canon.  The company, formed in 1976 by a collective of actors, is dedicated to perpetuating an ethic of mutual respect and the development of artists through on-going group work.  Steppenwolf has grown into an internationally renowned company of forty-one artists whose talents include acting, directing, playwriting, filmmaking and textual adaptation.  For additional information, visit www.steppenwolf.org.

Lysistrata's Children - 11/6/2008

Theater for the New City presents "Lysistrata's Children," a comedy about love and war, performed by teens for adults

Philip Suraci "Lysistrata's Children," November 6 to 23, 2008 Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue Presented by Theater for the New City Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 pm, Sundays at 3:00 pm

To share an outstanding show of last season with a larger audience, Theater for the New City will present a return engagement of "Lysistrata's Children," a Brechtian comedy written and directed by Philip Suraci, from November 6 to 23, 2008.

Cape Rep to Present 'Member of the Wedding' Starting 11/6 - 11/6/2008

Cape Rep will present The Member of the Wedding as the final production of it’s critically acclaimed 2008 Season. The Member of the Wedding will open November 6, 2008 at Cape Rep’s Indoor Theatre. Performances will continue through December 7, 2008. Steve Reynolds will direct. Robert Troie will design the set, Christopher Ostrom will serve as lighting designer and costumes will be designed by Robin McLaughlin. Travis Drageset is the stage manager. Lisa Canto and Ruby Wolf head a cast that includes Lesley Billingslea, Elizabeth Clark, Camra Goodwin, Jack Kwaak, Kathleen Healy, Nolan O’Connor and Tobey Wilson. Additional casting is to be announced. Performances are scheduled to run Thursday-Saturday evenings at 8pm with Sunday matinees at 2pm November 6-December 7th. There will be no matinee performance on November 9th.

The Member of the Wedding is the latest in Cape Rep’s American Classics Series. Set in 1945 in a small southern town, 12 year old Frankie Adams, motherless since birth, is nurtured by the family’s wise and loving black cook, Berenice. Her brother Jarvis’s imminent marriage causes Frankie to act upon her yearning to belong and connect to a wider world. This is the play that launched the career of a young actress named Julie Harris, to whom this production is dedicated.

Reserved seating tickets are $20 and are available now. For more information or to purchase tickets call 508.896.1888 or visit our website at www.caperep.org

'Moonlight & Love Songs' to Play at WorkShop Theater Company 11/6 - 11/6/2008

 Moonlight & Love Songs, a romantic drama by Scott C. Sickles directed by David Gautschy will continue the 15th Anniversary season at the WorkShop Theater Company on November 6th. Featured in The cast are Jeff Woodman (Lincoln Center's Cymbeline), Michael Tresser (Measure forMeasure at the Public), Anne Fizzard, David M. Mead, Jeff Paul and Nicole Taylor.

When Harry Wallace, a lonely 45 year old architect meets and falls for Jim Bennett, a sexy young college student, he sees his dreams come true until a shocking revelation about Jim causes their seemingly perfect motion picture romance to implode. As the ensuing public outrage leaves Harry a pariah within his community and his family, Jim attempts to repair the damage caused by his betrayal.

Moonlight & Love Songs begins at the WorkShop Theater Company on Thursday, November 6 in the Main Stage Theater (312 W 36th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues, 4th Floor). The performance schedule is as follows: Thursday-Saturday November 6-8, Monday, November 10, Wednesday-Saturday November 12-15, and Wednesday-Saturday November 19-22 at 8PM with Saturday matinees on November 8, 15 and 22 at 3PM. Tickets are $18; 15 for seniors and students. For information and reservations call (212) 695-4173 Ext.5#. TDF Vouchers Accepted. For tickets go to www.theatermania.com

B Street Theatre to Present THE SEAFARER Starting 11/6 - 11/6/2008

The B Street Theatre, Sacramento's professional new works theatre, is pleased to present THE SEAFARER by Conor McPherson. Nominated for a Tony award in 2008 for best play, THE SEAFARER is the second production of the B Street Theatre's 2008-2009 "B3 Series."

THE SEAFARER is set on Christmas Eve in Dublin, when James "Sharky" Harkin gathers with friends to drink and play cards. As the evening rolls along, Sharky finds himself playing against a mysterious stranger in a Faustian game of poker with his own soul hanging in the balance.

The cast of THE SEAFARER includes B Street Theatre Acting Company members Kurt Johnson (as Mr. Lockhart), John Lamb (as Nicky Giblin), and David Silberman (as Richard Harkin). Kevin Karrick, who last appeared at the B Street Theatre in A SKULL IN CONNEMARA, portrays James "Sharky" Harkin. THE SEAFARER also features the return to the B Street stage of local radio personality Phil Cowan as Ivan Curry. Previously of Y92.5's long-running, top-rated "The Paul and Phil Show," Phil appeared in the B Street Theatre productions THE GOOD GUY, A COUPLE OF BLAGUARDS and THE MELVILLE BROTHERS. THE SEAFARER is directed by Associate Producer Jerry Montoya, who recently directed B Street productions SYLVIA, A SKULL IN CONNEMARA, THE COCKTAIL HOUR and WHAT THE BUTLER SAW.

Conor McPherson's plays include SHINING CITY and THE WEIR, which won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play for 1999. THE SEAFARER was first performed in September 2006 at the Cottesloe Auditorium of London's National Theatre. McPherson was nominated at the Tony Awards for the category of Best Direction of a Play for his 2008 production THE SEAFARER, which was also nominated for Best Play.

Performances for THE SEAFARER begin with previews on Thursday and Friday, Novemver 6 and 7, 2008 at 7:00pm, followed by an opening night Saturday, November 8 at 8:00pm, and runs through December 11. The press performance is Sunday, November 9 at 1:00pm. THE SEAFARER runs Tuesdays through Fridays at 7:00pm, Saturdays at 8:00pm. Weekday matinee performances are scheduled Thursdays at 2:00pm (November 13 and December 4) and Wednesday at 1:00pm (November 26). Ticket prices are $25.00 for Tuesday through Thursday performances, $30.00 for Friday through Saturday performances. Preview tickets are $12.00. Senior and student discounts are available for all shows.

The B Street Theatre launched the "B3 Series" in 2007 as a four-show alternative series to the B Street Theatre's mostly comedy mainstage. The "B3 Series" offers more dramas and edgier works and has quickly become a popular program, growing its subscription base from 550 subscribers in its inaugural year to over 1,750 currently.

The B Street Theatre is located at the corner of 27th & B Street in Midtown Sacramento behind Stanford Park Baseball Field at 27th & C Streets.

FOR FLOW Previews Begin at Theater for the New City 11/6 - 11/6/2008

25 to Life Productions, LLC will present "FOR FLOW,"  AN ALMOST-BECKETT HIP-HOP MUSICAL PLAY, a hip-hop Vladimir-and-Estragon play, at Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue (at East Tenth Street), Manhattan, from November 6 to 23. Previews Nov. 6 & 7, 2008. Opens Nov. 8. Closes Nov. 23. The characters are rap musicians. The prototype is "Waiting For Godot." This new play by Kesav M. Wable borrows Beckett's existential landscape and transplants two "Beckettian" clownsrappers to be exact--to a lonely street corner in the Bronx where they wait for a record producer. They're later joined by a woman DJ and a Delta Blues guitarist who also meet at this crossroads in search of their own destinies. The characters share a soulful journey colored by live DJ sets, rap battles and blues guitar as they explore the philosophical genesis of rapping as an art form and hip-hop as a cultural movement. Jonathan Solari directs.

Each character in "For Flow" is a musician and during the course of the play, when egos clash and stories are told, freestyle battles, live DJ sets, and blues riffs color the soulful journey that these characters share. The play adopts a structure and themes that are parallel to "Waiting for Godot," but not its characters. "Their relationships are not actually Beckettian," says author Kesav M. Wable. "They're not as eccentric, but they are quire literary."

Dee and Kane (nee Vladimir and Estragon) are two MC's from the borough of the Bronx searching for a way to climb out of their hardscrabble lives. In front of a Bronx bedoga, they await the arrival of "Flow," a record producer Dee claims to have met in a club. Although each young man greets this opportunity with his own unique disposition, both are aware of how important this meeting is to their lives. They grapple with strategies, appearances and each other's egos in preparation for their big meeting. Moreover, they confront existential dilemmas in the art of rapping and social dilemmas of hip-hop as a cultural movement.

In the course of the play two supporting characters (nee Pozzo and Lucky) pass by the street corner where Dee and Kane stand waiting. Roxanne is a DJ who is searching for a pawn shop; Broonzy is an elderly male blues guitarist in search of a lost family. The pair cajole the MC's, hoping to achieve their own objectives. The relationship that develops between Roxanne and the MCs serves to examine the potency of a woman in hip-hop, both socially and musically. The relationship between Broonzy and the boys attempts to place rap in the larger context of African-American music with its tradition of finding freedom and protest through song despite oppressive socio-economic conditions.

Playwright Kesav M. Wable, who spent the first ten years of his life in South India, was trained in Indian classical music. His mother initially dismissed his passion for Hip-Hop, overlooking its similarity to Indian rhythms. Now he's an actor with a law degree who indulges his literary mimetic gift by writing plays. In addition to Samuel Beckett, "For Flow" draws inspiration from the works of Suzan-Lori Parks, August Wilson, Zora-Neale Hurston, and Ralph Ellison. "I wanted to investigate the genesis of Hip-Hop and the circumstances that led to this art form," Wable writes.

Wable was a 2006-07 Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) inaugural South Asian Playwriting Fellow Lark Studio Theatre, where "For Flow" was staged as a directed reading in October, 2007. He is also author of "Ashoka's Wheel" (2005), a political play about an Indian Hindu family. It had a directed reading in Chicago at Rasaka Theatre. In July 2006, the play was featured as a finalist in the Chicago Dramatists' "Many Voices Project." He is currently working on a new play entitled "Chakras."

As an actor, he has appeared as Darius in Yong Soo Pak's film "Antigone 5000." He has performed in numerous stage productions including Stephen in Israel Horovitz's "Line" at the 13th Street Repertory Theater, Hossein in "Khaddish in East Jerusalem" at Theater for the New City and Murellus in "Julius Caesar" at the National Black Theater. In 2004, he collaborated with Eye Blink Entertainment to stage an adaptation of Indian folk tales, "Beneath the Banyan Tree," that he co-wrote with Qurrat Kadwani. He's a graduate of Brooklyn Law School.

Director Jonathan Solari recently directed the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's "Green Sneakers" as part of the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival. He also directed Israel Horovitz' "The Indian Wants the Bronx" in the OBIE-Award winning Peculiar Works Project East Village Fragments. Other works have been seen at Dixon Place, The Ohio Theatre and Orlando Shakespeare Festival. As an assistant director, he has worked with Bart Sher, Dan Sullivan, Daniel Kramer, Robert Lyons and Jo Bonney. He is currently directing a production of Howard Barker's "Judith" at The Kraine. He is Artistic Director of The Centrifuge (www.thecentrifuge.org).

The play's music designer, Stephen L. Smith, arranged for The Cast to be coached by Nysis, a rising underground rap artist, for their "Free Styles" and performance skills. In the production, their Free Styles are meant to reveal the evolution of their talent from newbies to polished rappers. Hip-Hop is an improvisational art, and the actors have been encouraged to write their own rhymes. "It's built-in character development," asserts Wable. While Hip-Hop theater might seem a long stretch for the classically-trained, this cast has displayed astonishing chops--so much so that Wable and Solari abandoned the need to write lyrics for them and opted to nurture their creative contributions instead.

CAST AND DESIGNERS

Brian D. Coats (Broonzy) has appeared at the Public/NYSF in "Two Gentlemen of Verona" and "Merry Wives of Windsor" and in regional theater in North Carolina. He shared Philadelphia's Barrymore Theatre Award for Best Ensemble Acting and has appeared as Co-Star and Guest Star on "Law and Order", "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit", "JAG", Comedy Central's "Viva Variety" and final season of "The Sopranos." He is a graduate of NC School of the Arts/School of Drama.

Cherrye Davis (Roxanne) hails from East Gun Hill Road in the Bronx (where the play is set). She holds a B.F.A. in Drama from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. She appeared in The Classical Theater of Harlem's productions of "Hamlet" (with Arthur French) and "Osun, Goddess of Love." A member of The Movement Theater Company, she has created two original works, "Sold!" and "Dreams in Scar Space."

Devere Rogers (Dee), originally from the Midwest, appeared Off-Broadway in "STEP: The Musical." He has toured in "Five Guys Named Moe." His regional theater productions include "Black Terror," "The Wiz," "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Little Shop of Horrors." He is a B.F.A. candidate in Theater at NYU.

Vladimi Versailles (Kane), Haitian-born but raised in Philadelphia, is a recent graduate of Marymount Manhattan College with a concentration in Theatre Performance and a minor in Musical Theatre Minor. His recent shows include "The Johnny" for 2008 NY Fringe Festival, "The Comedy of Errors" at NJ Shakespeare Theatre and "365 Days/Plays" with Classical Theatre of Harlem at The Public Theatre. He has a several commercials running on TV, radio & new media.

Set design is by Jordan Wagenseller. Lighting design is by Jennifer Snyder. Costume design is by Yung-I Chang. Sound and music design are by Stephen L. Smith.

TICKET INFORMATION

Theater for the New City
Thurs. - Sat. at 8 PM, Sun. at 3 PM.
$18 general admission. Box office: 646-621-7891. Online ticketing: www.25tolifeproductions.com/events.html
Runs 1 hr. 20 min.

Free Dance Lessons from Falcon Theatre and Arthur Murray - 11/6/2008

The Falcon Theatre and Arthur Murray Dance Studios of Sherman Oaks team up to help theatre patrons dance like the stars. An hour prior to the Thursday performances of Richard Alfieri's Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, the second production in the Falcon Theatre's 2008-2009 'Bringin' the FUNNY' All-Comedy subscription season, Arthur Murray Sherman Oaks will be providing free dance lessons in the Falcon Theatre lobby. Theatre-goers will try their feet at some of the dances featured in the show, such as the Waltz, the Foxtrot and, of course, the Cha-Cha.

Lessons will begin at 7pm and end just in time for the dancers to sit back and enjoy the international hit play Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, starring Constance Towers, star of Broadway and the popular soap opera General Hospital, and Jason Graae, award-winning musical theatre and TV actor.

Free dance lessons will be offered Thursdays Nov. 6, 13 and 20 at 7:00 pm at the Falcon Theatre Lobby, 4252 Riverside Drive, Burbank, CA 91501. Free parking.

Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks runs from October 22 through November 23. For tickets to the performances of Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, call the FALCON THEATRE BOX OFFICE at (818) 955-8101.

Arthur Murray Dance Studios at Sherman Oaks is located at 4633 Van Nuys Blvd. They have provided The Best instruction to solo students and couples in ballroom dancing, latin dancing and swing for over 61 years. For more information, visit www.arthurmurraythebest.com.

The Falcon Theatre is a 130-seat performing arts space located in the Burbank, California media district. Built by Director/Writer/Producer Garry Marshall and his daughter Kathleen Marshall, the Falcon offers a 5-play subscription series from August through April, in addition to family shows in the summer. The Falcon Theatre is located at 4252 Riverside Drive in Burbank, California. For more information, visit www.FalconTheatre.com.

Broadway By the Bay Complete's 43rd Season With Schwartz in DEFYING GRAVITY - 11/6/2008

Broadway By the Bay, the largest theatre organization on the Peninsula, completes its 43rd season with DEFYING GRAVITY: Stephen Schwartz AND FRIENDS featuring Stephen Schwartz live, composer and lyricist of Broadway hits including Wicked, Godspell, and Pippin.  Broadway by the Bay promises a delightful musical experience with the award-winning songwriter as he accompanies on piano his talented friends and musical stars Liz Callaway, Scott Coulter, and Tony Award-winner Debbie Gravitte.  The production will feature songs from Wicked, Godspell, Pippin as well as from the movies Enchanted and Pocahontas.  DEFYING GRAVITY plays November 6 (press night November 6) through November 9 – for a limited 6 performance engagement - at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center, 600 N. Delaware, San Mateo. For tickets ($17-$45) the public may call (650) 579-5565, or visit www.broadwaybythebay.org. 

Stephen Schwartz (music and lyrics) began his musical career studying piano and composition at the Juilliard School of Music while in high school. Upon graduation from Carnegie Mellon, he became a producer for RCA Records, but soon began to work in the Broadway theatre.  His musicals include the hit Wicked as well as earlier groundbreaking works Godspell, Pippin, The Magic Show, The Baker’s Wife, and Working.  Stephen Schwartz has won three Academy Awards and three Grammys.   For the silver screen, Schwartz collaborated with composer Alan Menken on the scores for the 2007 Disney animated feature Enchanted, which received three Academy Award nominations, and the features Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, for which he received Academy Awards. He also provided songs for DreamWorks’ first animated feature, The Prince of Egypt, bringing him another Academy Award for the song “When You Believe.”  In 2008, Schwartz was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 

Debbie Gravitte has had a varied career taking her from the Broadway Stage to the Symphony Hall and many points between. She won the Tony Award for ‘Best Featured Actress in a Musical’ for Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, along with a Drama Desk Award Nomination as well as the New York Showstopper Award.  Debbie has taken  her nightclub act worldwide and had the honor to perform with notable talents such as Jay Leno and George Burns. Debbie has sung with numerous symphony orchestras, both domestic and overseas including The Boston Pops, National Symphony (with Marvin Hamlish), Stockholm Philharmonic and RoyAl Scottish National Orchestra.  On television, Debbie co-starred on the CBS series Trial and Error and NBC’s Pursuit of Happiness as well as starred in several PBS specials.  She recently returned to Carnegie Hall with Skitch Henderson and the NY Pops.

 

For his work in cabaret, Scott Coulter was awarded both the 2001 Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) Award as well as the 2001 Bistro Award for Outstanding Male Vocalist. TimeOut NY picked Coulter's "Unexpected Songs" as one of the ‘Best of 1999”. Coulter's self-titled debut CD won the 2003 MAC Award for Outstanding Recording and was chosen as the best recording of the year by Scott and Barbara Siegel of TheatreMania and Jeff Rosen of Cabaret Scenes Magazine.  Since 1997, Scott has performed around the country with the award-winning songwriting duo Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich in their many revues.  Composer Stephen Schwartz has said: "One of the best things that can happen to a songwriter is to have his or her material interpreted by Scott Coulter”.

 Liz Callaway made her Broadway debut in Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. Other Broadway appearances include Baby (Tony Nomination), The Three Musketeers, Miss Saigon, Cats, and The Look of Love. She recently appeared in Bill Finn’s Elegies at Reprise in Los Angeles. The award winning show Sibling Revelry (created with sister Ann Hampton Callaway) was presented to great acclaim at the Donmar Warehouse in London. Liz has performed extensively in concert, most recently on tour with The Boston Pops, and in The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Kennedy Center and in Toronto.  Liz has provided the singing voice for many animated films including the title character in the Oscar nominated Anastasia and many other beloved children’s films.  She received an Emmy Award for hosting Ready To Go, a daily, live children’s program on CBS in Boston.

DEFYING GRAVITY: Stephen Schwartz AND FRIENDS will be the fourth and final production of the company’s 43rd season. Broadway By the Bay, the largest theatre company on the Peninsula, has won numerous awards, including 41 Theatre Critics Circle Awards, and has garnered acclaim throughout the San Francisco Bay Area as a destination for professional-quality musical theatre.  Under the leadership of Artistic Director Brooke Knight and Executive Director Jim Gardia, Broadway By the Bay produces three full-scale musicals and one intimate composer/lyricist series each season, presented to over 40,000 audience members at the 1,600 seat San Mateo Performing Arts Center. Lauded for its efforts in education, the Youth Theatre Conservatory, for young people 4-17, gives younger students solid foundations in acting, singing, and dancing for the musical theatre. For those 18 and over, the Musical Theatre Conservatory offers professional classes to adults of all ages. Students aspiring to achieve a professional level of performance skills are taught by instructors who have excelled in their specialties. Musical Theatre Conservatory’s intensive summer program is offered in conjunction with Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont

TEST: TIME STEP: A Brand New Work Blending Tap, Rhythm, and Physical Comedy Returns to Joyce SoHo - 11/6/2008

Parallel Exit, New York's highly acclaimed physical theatre company, returns to Joyce SoHo from November 6-9 with TIME STEP, a brand new work blending tap, rhythm, and physical comedy. Fresh, funny, and filled with visual magic, TIME STEP tells the story of three hoofers entirely through rhythm and choreography. The narrative jumps back and forth in time, juxtaposing the characters' performances from their youth with their attempts to transcend the limits of age. TIME STEP, created by Parallel Exit, is directed by Mark Lonergan and choreographed and performed by Ryan Kasprzak, Brent McBeth, and Derek Roland. Set and projection design by Anna Kiraly, lighting design by Eric Kwak, and sound design by Duane McKee. Parallel Exit, recipient of a 2008 Drama Desk nomination for Unique Theatrical Experience and a "Spirit of the Fringe" award from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, creates physical theatre inspired by the films of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. The company's goal is to create moments of simple magic that can only be experienced live. Parallel Exit's work has explored a wide range of physical forms, from dance to vaudeville, live-action silent film to tap. The Company's work has been presented to great critical acclaim in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Asia. TIME STEP was created with support from The Bossak/Heilbron Foundation, The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Dance Theatre Workshop's Outer/Space Program, and The Nancy Quinn Fund, a project of A.R.T./New York. The creation of Joyce SoHo was made possible by the magnanimous support of the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust. Joyce SoHo is supported by private funds from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, First Republic Bank, The Harkness Foundation for Dance, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation, The Shubert Foundation and The Starr Foundation; and by public funds from the New York City Council; the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency; and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art. Special support for Joyce SoHo provided by the Lila Acheson Wallace Theater Fund established in The New York Community Trust by the founders of the Reader's Digest Association, The Greenwall Foundation, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Foundation for Contemporary Arts. TIME STEP will be performed November 6-9, 2008 at Joyce SoHo, with performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 3pm. Joyce SoHo is located at 155 Mercer, NYC (between Houston & Prince). Tickets are $15 ($10 for students and seniors; $75 for benefit performance on November 8) and are available by phone at 212-352-3101 or www.joyce.org. For more information, visit www.parallelexit.net.

SHOGUN MACBETH Presents 'Manga Night' 11/6 - 11/6/2008

Pan Asian Repertory Theatre and the company of SHOGUN MACBETH invites manga, anime, comic and graphic novel enthusiasts to MANGA NIGHT at the Julia Miles Theater (424 W. 55th St. between 9th & 10th Ave) on Thursday, November 6th at 6:30PM. Dress as your favorite character for a pre-show reception and your tickets are $35. The evening will include complimentary snacks and Singha Beer from Thailand and Monsoon Valley Wines. A talk back with Larry Hama, creator of G.I. Joe and Pornsak Pichetshote, editor of DC Comics will take place following the performance. For more information, please visit www.PanAsianRep.org.

Pan Asian Repertory Theatre launches their 32nd season with SHOGUN MACBETH, an adaptation by John R. Briggs from the play by William Shakespeare.  Directed by Ernest Abuba (Pacific Overtures, Yellow Fever) with Japanese movement by Sachiyo Ito (2008 Japan Foreign Minister’s Commendation) and fight choreography by Michael G. Chin (Rashomon), SHOGUN MACBETH begins performances at the Julia Miles Theatre (424 W. 55th Street between 9th & 10th Aves) on November 4th with opening night set for November 12th at 7:00 p.m. 

A cultural transmutation, SHOGUN MACBETH channels Shakespeare’s tragic tale of power and greed to the feudal military dictatorship of 12th century Japan (Kamakura Period), a time of warring clans.  The three witches are “Yojo’s,” obaki creatures with spiritual and supernatural powers.  While incorporating the classical Japanese art forms of Noh and Kyogen, SHOGUN MACBETH retains Shakespeare’s language and historical medieval period.

The cast stars Kaipo Schwab from Hawaii, who is making his Pan Asian debut as MacBeth and Rosanne Ma (CHINA DOLL), along with other veteran artists: Keoni Scott (ALOHA LAS VEGAS), Marcus Ho (RASHOMON), Tom Matsusaka (THE JOY LUCK CLUB), Ron Nakahara (CAMBODIA AGONISTES), Ken Park (RASHOMON), Shigeko Suga (KWATZ! The Tibetan Project) as well as the next generation of artists: Calvin Ahn, Claro Austria, Claro de los Reyes, Ariel Estrada, Emi F Jones, Nadia Gan, Yoko Hyun and Sacha Iskra.

The set design is by Charlie Corcoran (YOHEN) with costumes by Carol Pelletier (THE JOY LUCK CLUB) and lighting design by Victor En Yu Tan (CAMBODIA AGONISTES) and stage managed by Elis C. Arroyo.

“Pan Asian Rep is honored to continue our Masterpiece Cycle with a new production of SHOGUN MACBETH,” said Tisa Chang, Artistic Director.  “The classic tragedy opens up the world of Japanese culture and history while maintaining the integrity of Shakespeare’s tale.  John Briggs’ inspiration came from the parallels of Shakespeare’s tragic characters with the philosophy that guided the samurai way of life.”

SHOGUN MACBETH has performances Tuesday – Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with matinee’s on Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $50.   For tickets, please visit www.telecharge.com or call (212) 239-6200.

Larry Hama  is a Japanese American writer, artist, actor and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s. He is best known as a writer and editor for Marvel Comics, where he wrote the licensed comic book series G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero, based on the Hasbro action figures. He has also written for the series Wolverine, Nth Man: the Ultimate Ninja, and Elektra, and he created the character Bucky O’Hare, which was developed into a comic book, a toy line and a television cartoon. During the 1970s, he was seen in minor roles on the TV shows M*A*S*H and Saturday Night Live, and he appeared on Broadway in two roles in the original 1976 production of Stephen Sondheim’s Pacific Overtures.

JOHN R BRIGGS (Adapter) specializes in adaptations of classics: JULIO CESAR, THE COWBOY COMEDY OF ERRORS, and for Pan Asian Rep SHOGUN MACBETH and DOLL’S HOUSE. He has extensive experience as writer and director with original musicals: ROMANCIN’ THE ONE I LOVE, ILLYRIA, DRACULA, A ROCK OPERA and co-wrote CRAZY LOVE. He has directed at major theaters in the nation including: Asolo Theatre, Barter Theater, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Florida Stage Company, and Tennessee Shakespeare Theater.  He is the artistic director of OFFSQUARE THEATRE in Jackson, Wyoming.

Ernest Abuba (Director) is a veteran actor, director, and playwright.  On Broadway in LOOSE ENDS by Michael Weller, the original cast of PACIFIC OVERTURES as well as the 1985 revival starring as the Reciter; SHIMADA, ZOYA’S APARTMENT and won an Obie for his role in YELLOW FEVER at Pan Asian Rep where he is a Senior Artist with over 20 shows as actor, director and playwright.  Films and TV include: 12 MONKEYS, KING OF NEW YORK, KUNG FU, ADDERLY and is the voice of the Dalai Lama on the audio book THE ART OF HAPPINESS. Directing favorites include: LEIR REX at LaMama, SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER at Sarah Lawrence College, LEMON SKY at Chen & Dancers, and is delighted to be at the helm of the new production of SHOGUN MACBETH having created the title role in the its world premiere. Abuba has been on the Sarah Lawrence theatre faculty for 13 years.

Tisa Chang (Artistic Producing Director) celebrates 45 years in the American Theatre as dancer, actress, director, producer, and founded Pan Asian Repertory Theatre to empower Asian American artists.  Directing highlights include last season’s THE JOY LUCK CLUB,  2003’s RASHOMON which was invited to the Havana Theatre Festival, CAMBODIA AGONISTES which was invited to arts festivals in Cairo and Johannesburg and had a popular return to New York in 2005.  Chang is also active in public service having served on panels for DCA, NEA, NYSCA, FULBRIGHT, and has been recognized with honors for Lifetime Achievement Award from OCA – LI; 2004 Alfred Drake Award from Brooklyn College; 1991 Medal of Distinction from Barnard College and 1988 Special Theatre World Award. She is on the Executive Board of SSDC, the union of stage directors & choreographers.

Founded in 1977, PAN ASIAN REP is the pioneer producer of Asian American theatre east of the Rockies, with a full New York season off-Broadway, training programs, international and national touring. For more than 30 years, Pan Asian Rep has celebrated the artistic expressiveness of Asian American theatre artists with the highest standards of professional theatre.  The company encourages new plays with contemporary themes, that draw upon the unique heritage of Asian history, music and movement.  Benchmark productions have focused on the historical acmes and nadirs of migration, assimilation, internment, bias killings, joys and celebrations of Asian American society.

It is timely that a 5 year Masterpiece cycle of iconic classics from the repertoire, as well as new works, was launched in 2007 to challenge Pan Asian Rep’s veteran Senior Artists Core, and the next generation of Emerging Artists, in conjunction with a long-range plan to ensure artistic continuity and institutional growth. The Masterpiece Cycle began with the critically acclaimed 2007 new production of THE JOY LUCK CLUB by Susan Kim and based on the novel by Amy Tan, and future seasons will include the New York premiere of IMELDA, a new musical in the fall of 2009 and INDIAN INK by Tom Stoppard in 2010.

Robert Lepage Makes MET Debut With 'La Demnation de Faust' Starting 11/7 - 11/7/2008

Noted director Robert Lepage makes his Met debut with a technologically innovative new production of Hector Berlioz’s masterpiece, La Damnation de Faust, opening on November 7. Music Director James Levine will conduct the first staging of the work at the Met since 1906, with Marcello Giordani in the title role, Susan Graham as Marguerite, and John Relyea as Méphistophélès.  La Damnation de Faust will be transmitted worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD series on Saturday, November 22 at 1 p.m. (EST).

Lepage has reconceived the production he originally created for Japan's Saito Kinen Festival and the Opéra National de Paris. The new staging features enhanced media and technology that was not previously available — some of which was developed by Lepage and his Quebec-based company, Ex Machina. The entire production team is making its Met debut: set designer Carl Fillion, costume designer Karin Erskine, lighting designer Sonoyo Nishikawa, the choreographers Johanne Madore and Alain Gautier, and video designers Holger Foerterer and Boris Firquet.

In this innovative production, performers' movements, as well as their voices, will set video projections in motion. "Because I was interested in finding a meeting point between the theatricality of opera and the cinematic world,” Lepage said, “I have to create this kind of portal where those two ways of telling stories would meet. The whole idea is not to create images that are overwhelming and overpowering, eclipsing the music. On the contrary, all the visuals should be triggered by the music.” Lepage used similar technology for KÀ, his multi-media work for Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas. Met audiences will see more of his unusual approach when the director unveils his new production of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen, beginning in the 2010-2011 season. “La Damnation de Faust is an opportunity for us to set the basis of the visual language and the technologies and interactive technologies that are going to be used in the Ring,” he says.

“The vision of a person like Lepage is so strong,” says James Levine, “and the technological means he has are extraordinary. The Met’s musical forces are ideal for this piece, as was demonstrated by our performance of it [in concert] at Carnegie Hall several years ago. I think together we can put something unbelievably exciting on the stage.”

La Damnation de Faust runs for eight performances through December 4. Derrick Inouye will conduct the final performance.

 About the performers

Earlier this season, the renowned Italian tenor Marcello Giordani reprised the role of Pinkerton in Anthony Minghella’s production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, which he also performed at its premiere on opening night in 2006. In the span of less than six months last season at the Met, Giordani appeared in five operas. He sang Edgardo in Mary Zimmerman’s new production of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, which opened the season; Roméo in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette (replacing an ailing colleague on short notice); added the title role in Verdi's Ernani to his Met repertoire; and appeared in two Puccini works, as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly and Des Grieux in Manon Lescaut which was transmitted worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD series. Giordani has participated in two Met premieres: as Gualtiero in Bellini's Il Pirata (2002), and as the eponymous hero of Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini (2003). He made his Met debut in 1995 as Rodolfo in Puccini's La Bohème.

American mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, who made her Met role debut as Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni earlier this season, returns to the part she performed nine years ago in Lepage's production of La Damnation de Faust in Japan. Last season she sang the title role in the Met’s new production of Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride, and for the first time at the Met was Sesto in Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito. She has also taken part in two world premieres at the Met, as JorDan Baker in John Harbison's The Great Gatsby (1999) and as Sondra Finchley in An American Tragedy (2005), by Tobias Picker. She hosted last season’s HD transmission of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, this season’s Opening Night Gala, and will host the upcoming HD presentation of John Adams’s Doctor Atomic on November 8. A 1988 Met National Council finalist, Graham made her Met debut as the Second Lady in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte in 1991 and quickly moved to major roles, including three by Mozart: Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, Dorabella in Così fan tutte, and Idamante in Idomeneo. Among the parts in her wide-ranging Met career are two trouser roles by Richard Strauss, Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier, and the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos, as well as Charlotte in Massenet's Werther.

Bass-baritone John Relyea appeared in two new productions at the Met last season, as Raimondo in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor and as Banquo in Verdi’s Macbeth. He sang Garibaldo in the Met premiere of Handel's Rodelinda in 2004, as well as Don Basilio in Bartlett Sher’s ebullient new production of Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia (2006-07), which was shown in The Met: Live in HD series. Relyea made his Met debut in 2000 as Alidoro in Rossini's La Cenerentola and has also been heard in the title role in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, as Masetto in Don Giovanni, Colline in La Bohème, the Night Watchman in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and Giorgio in I Puritani (another Live in HD transmission).

In the years since making his 1971 Metropolitan Opera debut conducting Puccini’s Tosca, Music Director James Levine has forged a relationship with the company that is both unparalleled in its history and unique in today’s musical world. He has conducted 83 operas and close to 2,500 performances at the Met, a record no one else has even approached. Maestro Levine has previously conducted La Damnation de Faust in concert with the Met Orchestra and Chorus at Carnegie Hall in 1996 and in Tokyo as part of the Met tour in 1997. A few days before this season opened, he conducted a special free performance of the Verdi Requiem in memory of Luciano Pavarotti. At the season’s gala opening night, which was shown on The Met: Live in HD, Maestro Levine conducted Act II of Verdi’s La Traviata, with Renée Fleming, Ramón Vargas, and Thomas Hampson in leading roles. This season Levine is also conducting the revival of Mark Morris’s production of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, which premiered last season, the Met’s 125th Anniversary Gala on March 15, and the final revival of the popular production by Otto Schenk of Wagner’s Ring cycle. He also returns to Carnegie Hall for the Met Orchestra’s widely admired annual series of three concerts. Last season, he led two new productions, Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, which premiered on opening night, and Verdi’s Macbeth, as well as performances of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut and Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. All four operas were part of The Met: Live in HD series.

 
About the production team

Robert Lepage is an internationally renowned director, writer, and performer who is active in opera, theater, and film. In 1994, he founded Ex Machina, a multidisciplinary company that brings together creative artists—including contortionists and computer graphic designers—from every discipline and is known for using cutting-edge technology in every kind of storytelling. His best-known work includes the films Le Confessional (which he wrote and in which he starred) and The Far Side of the Moon, the plays Elsinore (a solo-performer Hamlet) and The Dragon's Trilogy, as well as KÀ, which he created for Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas in 2005. Lepage's work in opera includes the 2005 world premiere of Lorin Maazel's opera 1984 at London's Royal Opera Covent Garden and, last year, Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress, a co-production of opera companies in Brussels, Lyon, San Francisco, Madrid, and London, which opened at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels.

Set designer Carl Fillion, a native of Quebec, began working with Lepage when he was in his 20s, after Lepage asked him to create the sets for his epic stage work The Seven Streams of the River Ota. Fillion has now collaborated with Lepage on more than a dozen productions, including La Damnation de Faust in Japan and Paris, 1984 at London's Royal Opera Covent Garden, and The Rake's Progress in Brussels. Fillion works in opera and theater throughout Canada and Europe, including Barcelona's Teatre Liceu and the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.

Costume designer Karin Erskine, who works in theater, opera, and film, created the costumes for Lepage’s La Damnation de Faust in Japan and Paris. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her costumes in Ingmar Bergman’s The Magic Flute and won a gold medal at the Prague Quadrennial in 2003 for her Elektra designs. Her costumes have been featured in, among others, a Swedish production of Don Carlos at Brooklyn’s Academy of Music and Strindberg’s A Dream Play in Stockholm with Robert Lepage.

Lighting designer Sonoyo Nishikawa has worked frequently with Robert Lepage on such productions as La Casa Azul and The Seven Streams of the River Ota. His work for opera, theater, dance, and concerts has been seen in Europe, Japan, and North America. His opera credits include designs for Lehár’s The Merry Widow for Opéra de Montréal, as well as Handel’s Giulio Cesare and Britten’s The Turn of the Screw for London’s Royal Opera Covent Garden.

Choreographer Alain Gauthier appeared in some 1,600 performances with Le Cirque du Soleil, for whom he was part of the acrobatic research movement team. He gradually moved to choreography, and not just for humans: he is best known for his work in the touring equestrian show Cavalia. Among his other credits are Ex Machina’s techno-cabaret Zulu Time, Lepage’s La Damnation de Faust in Paris, and Celebrity Circus on NBC.

Choreographer Johanne Madore has worked as a choreographer, director, and teacher in circus, opera, and film. She choreographed Lepage’s productions of La Damnation de Faust in Japan (in which she also appeared as a dancer) and in Paris and is remounting her piece Le Baisier for classical and modern dancers, some of them of reduced mobility. Madore is artistic adviser for the National Circus School of Montreal.

Video designer Boris Firquet has worked in live stage video—known as Vjing—since 1996 and creates most of his own custom software for festivals around the world. His initial work in opera was with Lepage in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress last year; he will collaborate with the director on Wagner’s Ring cycle at the Met, beginning in the 2010-2011 season.

Video designer Holger Forterer says that he uses mathematics and algorithms as his artistic language. He began developing interactive installations and scenery in 1998 and received accolades for his interactive projections for Lepage’s Cirque du Soleil show KÀ.

 


Live Broadcasts to be seen and heard around the world

      La Damnation de Faust is being seen and heard by millions of people around the world this season in movie theaters, on the radio, and via the internet, through distribution platforms the Met has established with various media partners. The November 22 matinee is the fourth performance of the season to be transmitted as part of The Met: Live in HD series. Barbara Willis Sweete is the director for the HD transmission which will be seen in over 800 movie theaters around the world.

In addition, the Saturday matinee performance on November 29 kicks off the 78th season of radio broadcasts from the Met, heard live over the Toll Brothers-Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network.

The Metropolitan Opera Radio on SIRIUS channel 78 is broadcasting the premiere on November 7, as well as performances on November 14, 18, 25, 29, and December 4.

The December 4 performance will also be available via RealNetworks internet streaming at the Met’s web site, www.metopera.org.

 
About the Met

Under the leadership of General Manager Peter Gelb and Music Director James Levine, the Met has a series of bold initiatives underway that are designed to broaden its audience and revitalize the company’s repertory.  The Met has made a commitment to presenting modern masterpieces alongside the classic repertory, with highly theatrical productions featuring the greatest opera stars in the world.

The Metropolitan Opera’s 2008-09 season pays tribute to the company’s extraordinary history on the occasion of its 125th anniversary, while also emphasizing the Met’s renewed commitment to advancing the art form. The season features six new productions, 18 revivals, the final performances of Otto Schenk’s production of Wagner’s Ring cycle conducted by Levine, and two gala celebrations; the galas include the season-opening performance featuring Renée Fleming as well as a 125th anniversary celebration on March 15.  New productions include the company premiere of John Adams’s Doctor Atomic as well as the Met’s first staged production of Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust since 1906, Massenet’s Thaïs, Puccini’s La Rondine, Verdi’s Il Trovatore, and Bellini’s La Sonnambula.  Future seasons include new presentations of John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles (2009-10) and Thomas Adès’s The Tempest (2011-12).

Building on its 77-year-old radio broadcast history – currently heard over the Toll Brothers-Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network – the Met now uses advanced media distribution platforms and state-of-the-art technology to attract new audiences and reach millions of opera fans around the world.

The Met: Live in HD series reached more than 935,000 people in the 2007-08 season, more than the number of people who saw performances in the opera house.  These performances began airing on PBS in March 2008, and eight of these HD performances are now available on DVD, on the EMI and Universal labels.  In the 2008-09 season, the HD series expands to feature 11 live transmissions, starting with the Met’s Opening Night Gala and spanning the entire season. The HD productions are seen this season in over 850 theaters in 28 countries around the world. Five new productions are featured, including the Met premiere of John Adams’s Doctor Atomic. The Opening Night transmission was seen in the Americas only; the remaining ten high-definition productions are shown live worldwide on Saturdays through May 9 with encores scheduled at various times.

Live in HD in Schools, the Met’s new program offering free opera transmissions to New York City schools in partnership with the New York City Department of Education and the Metropolitan Opera Guild, reached more than 7,000 public school students and teachers during the 2007-08 season. This season, Live in HD in Schools expands to reach schools in 18 cities and communities nationwide.

Continuing its innovative use of electronic media to reach a global audience, the Metropolitan Opera introduces Met Player, a new subscription service that will make its extensive video and audio catalog of full-length performances available to the public for the first time online, and in exceptional, state-of-the-art quality. Beginning on October 22, 2008, 120 historic audio recordings and 50 full-length opera videos will be available during the first month of the new service, including over a dozen of the company’s acclaimed The Met: Live in HD transmissions, known for their extraordinary sound and picture quality.  New content, including HD productions and archival broadcasts, will be added monthly.

Metropolitan Opera Radio on SIRIUS channel 78 is a subscription-based audio entertainment service broadcasting both an unprecedented number of live performances each week throughout the Met’s entire season, as well as rare historical performances, newly restored and remastered, spanning the Met’s 77-year broadcast history.

In addition to providing audio recordings through the new Met on Rhapsody on-demand service, the Met also presents free live audio streaming of performances on its website once every week during the opera season with support from RealNetworks®.

The company’s groundbreaking commissioning program in partnership with New York’s Lincoln Center Theater (LCT), provides renowned composers and playwrights with the resources to create and develop new works at the Met and at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater.  The Met’s partnership with LCT is part of the company’s larger initiative to commission new operas from contemporary composers, present modern masterpieces alongside the classic repertory, and provide a venue for artists to nurture their work.

The Met has launched several audience development initiatives such as the company’s Open House Dress Rehearsals, which are free and open to the public; two are planned for the 2008-09 season with operas and dates to be announced.  Just prior to beginning the current season, the Met presented a free performance of the Verdi Requiem on September 18, in tribute to the late Luciano Pavarotti.  Other company initiatives include the Arnold and Marie Schwartz Gallery Met which exhibits contemporary visual art; the immensely successful Agnes Varis and Karl Leichtman Rush Ticket program which provides deeply discounted orchestra seats two hours before curtain time; and an annual Holiday Series presentation for families.  This season’s special Holiday Presentation is Julie Taymor’s production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, an abridged, English-language version of the opera which is given four special matinee performances and one holiday evening performance as a way for families to celebrate the holiday season.

The Flaming Dames in Hell's Belles: Fridays starting Oct 3rd - 11/7/2008

The Flaming Dames in Hell’s Belles

New Millennium Theatre Company (NMTC) presents The Flaming Dames, Chicago’s premiere concept burlesque troupe, in their latest revue: ‘Hell’s Belles’.

Who:     New Millennium Theatre Company

What:    The Flaming Dames in ‘Hell’s Belles’

When:   Fridays October 3rd through November 7th 10:30 pm

Where: The Spot
4437 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL 60614
    (Between Montrose & Wilson)

Tickets: $15 General Admission
     312-458-9083 or Website (www.nmtchicago.org)

Starting October 3, celebrate your Halloween Season with The Flaming Dames, Chicago’s premiere concept burlesque troupe, as they return from the depths of hell in their most erotic and dark revue to date, ‘Hell’s Belles’. The most desirable things in life are often forbidden and these devilish darlings will force audiences to crawl through the nine circles of hell for more. Dancing to the songs of the season, their wickedly sexy moves will seduce you to the dark side. And with the surly Succubus and Incubus MCs as your guides, (almost) all will be revealed to those who dare enter their lair. There’s no need to be afraid, because when The Flaming Dames host the party, ‘Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be’.

The Flaming Dames in Hell’s Belles runs Friday nights at 10:30 pm, October 3rd through November 7th at The Spot, 4437 N. Broadway in Chicago. Advance tickets are $15 and can be purchased at www.nmtchicago.org or reserved by calling 312-458-9083. Limited tickets are available at the door.

Stephen Schwartz & Friends to Run November 6-9 at Broadway by the Bay with Callaway, Coulter and Gravitte - 11/7/2008

Grammy and Academy award winning Stephen Schwartz will star LIVE onstage in Defying Gravity: Stephen Schwartz and Friends. Songwriter Schwartz will be joined by esteemed Broadway stars Liz Callaway, Scott Coulter and Debbie Gravitte who will lend their voices for this not to be missed presentation.

WHEN:
Opens November 6
Closes November 9

TIMES:
Thursday and Friday at 8 pm
Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm
Sunday at 1:30 & 5 pm

WHERE:
Broadway by the Bay at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center, 600 N Delaware, San Mateo

TICKETS
$17-$45 AND INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 650-579-5565 or visit www.broadwaybythebay.org. Discounts available for youths, seniors, subscriber and group of 10 or more.

Stephen Schwartz was born in New York City on March 6, 1948. He studied piano and composition at the Juilliard School of Music while in high school and graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 1968 with a B.F.A. in Drama. Upon coming back to live in New York City, he went to work as a producer for RCA Records, but shortly thereafter began to work in the Broadway theatre.

His first major credit was the title song for the play BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE; the song was eventually used in the movie version as well.

In 1971, he wrote the music and new lyrics for GODSPELL, for which he won several awards including two Grammys. This was followed by the English texts, in collaboration with Leonard Bernstein, for Bernstein's MASS, which opened the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The following year, he wrote the music and lyrics for PIPPIN and two years later, THE MAGIC SHOW. At one point, GODSPELL, PIPPIN, and THE MAGIC SHOW were all running on Broadway simultaneously.

He next wrote the music and lyrics for THE BAKER'S WIFE, followed by a musical version of Studs Terkel's WORKING, to which he contributed four songs, and which he also adapted and directed, winning the Drama Desk Award as best director. He also co-directed the television production, which was presented as part of the PBS "American Playhouse" series.

Next came songs for a one-act musical for children, CAPTAIN LOUIE, and a children's book, THE PERFECT PEACH. He then wrote music for three of the songs in the Off-Broadway revue, PERSONALS, lyrics to Charles Strouse's music for RAGS, and music and lyrics for CHILDREN OF EDEN.

He then began working in film, collaborating with composer Alan Menken on the scores for the Disney animated features POCAHONTAS, for which he received two Academy Awards and another Grammy, and THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. He also provided songs for DreamWorks' first animated feature, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, for which he won another Academy Award for the song "When You Believe". He most recently collaborated with Alan Menken on the songs for Disney's ENCHANTED.

Mr. Schwartz provided music and lyrics for the original television musical, GEPPETTO, seen on The Wonderful World of Disney and recently adapted for the stage as GEPPETTO & SON. He has released two CDs on which he sings new songs, entitled RELUCTANT PILGRIM and UNCHARTED TERRITORY.

Mr. Schwartz's most recent musical, WICKED, opened in the fall of 2003 and is currently running on Broadway and in several other productions around the United States and the world. In 2008, WICKED reached its 1900th performance on Broadway, making Mr. Schwartz the only songwriter in Broadway history ever to have three shows run more than 1900 performances.

Under the auspices of the ASCAP Foundation, he runs musical theatre workshops in New York and Los Angeles, and serves on the ASCAP board; he is also a member of the Council of the Dramatists' Guild.

Moving Arts to Present World Premiere of 'Song of Extinction' Starting 11/7 - 11/7/2008

A boy's struggle with grief turns into a magical, musical journey for him, his family, and the teacher who tries to save him.  Moving Arts presents the World Premiere production of Song of Extinction, written by multiple award-winning playwright E.M. Lewis, directed by Heidi Helen Davis and with original music by Geoffrey Pope.  Featured in the cast are Aileen Cho, Will Faught, Darrell Kunitomi, Trey Nichols, Michael Shutt, Tristan Wright and Lori Yeghiayan.  Song of Extinction runs November 7 through December 14 at the 87-seat [Inside] the Ford, the first production in an adventurous season of new plays that is part of the Ford Theatres partnership program with L.A. County-based producers and performing arts organizations.

Winner of the 2008 Ashland New Plays Festival, Song of Extinction is the story of Max Forrestal, a musically gifted high school student who is going to fail biology if he doesn't complete a 20-page paper on extinction by Tuesday.  But Max's mother is dying of cancer, and school is the last thing on his mind.  His biologist father, obsessed with saving a rare, threatened Bolivian insect, is incapable of dealing with his wife's impending death, or his son's distress.  Max's teacher wants to offer him guidance; but helping his student pushes Khim Phan into a magical journey of his own - from the Cambodian fields of his youth into the undiscovered country beyond.

"Song of Extinction is one of the most beautifully written plays I have read in a long time," says director Heidi Helen Davis.  "E.M. Lewis has the courage to explore difficult subjects like grief and the ancient needs of the human soul.  This play captivates."

A meditation on the science of life and loss, the relationships between fathers and sons, Cambodian fields, Bolivian rainforests and redemption, the play integrates music and elements of magical realism to weave its spell.  Ms. Lewis, who does extensive research for her plays, immersed herself in books about endangered species and the environment, and interviewed survivors of the Cambodian killing fields now living in Long Beach.  Emerging composer Geoffrey Pope was commissioned to write the title piece of music - the "song of extinction."

"Early on in the process of writing, I knew that music would be an important part of my play," explained playwright E. M. Lewis.  "Fifteen-year-old Max clings to his music when everything else in his life is becoming unfathomably dark."

In addition to winning the Ashland New Plays Festival, Song of Extinction was a finalist at both the 2008 Sundance Theater Lab and HotCity Theater's Greenhouse Festival.  It received readings in NYU's hotINK International Festival of New Plays and Atlantic Theater's Next Page reading series.

E.M. Lewis has seen her plays produced across the country.  She is the recipient of the American Theatre Critics Association's 2008 Francesca Primus Prize for an emerging woman theater artist.  In 2007, LA Stage magazine selected Lewis as one of twelve Los Angeles "theater artists to watch" when two of her full-length plays received their world premieres locally: Heads, a hostage drama set against the war in Iraq that Edward Albee called "provocative and wonderfully threatening," received its world premiere at the Blank Theater and was named one of the top ten productions of 2007 by the Los Angeles Times; Infinite Black Suitcase, a large ensemble play about grief and survival in rural Oregon, was given its world premiere by TheSpyAnts at the Lillian Theater. 

Composer Geoffrey Pope has been recognized through numerous commissions and awards in the orchestral, chamber music and jazz realms.  He founded the Starving Composers' Ensemble, devoted to encouraging the composition and performance of new works for chamber orchestra and was the inaugural composer in residence of the Chamber Opera of USC.  In 2007, his music was performed in Prague, Budapest and Leipzig by the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra.  Pope recently completed Srebrenica Fields, a commission for the Bay Brass in recognition of the thirteenth anniversary of the massacre, and ongoing projects include a second opera, Sarajevo Vespers in collaboration with visionary tenor and concept artist Timur Bekbosunov.  

Heidi Helen Davis is a resident director at The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, where each season she directs a classic play by a great writer including Williams, O'Neill, Chekhov, Hellman, Coward, Miller, Brecht and Euripides.  Her recently closed production of O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night was Critic's Choice in the Los Angeles Times and Critic's Pick in Back Stage West. 

Founded fifteen years ago, Moving Arts produces only original work or Los Angeles premieres.  The Resident Artist Program at Moving Arts, where E.M. Lewis is a long-time member, consists of actors, playwrights, directors and producers working together in unity.

Song of Extinction is produced by Kimberly Glann; co-producers are Steve Lozier and Cece Tio; set design is by Stephanie Kerley Schwartz; lighting design is by Ian Garrett; sound design is by Jason Duplissea; and costume design is by Laura Buckles.

The 2008-09 season at [Inside] the Ford is supported by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and the Ford Theatre Foundation, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Song of Extinction runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm and 7pm, November 7 through December 14.  Two low-priced previews take place on November 5 and 6. Single tickets are priced at $20 with a special price of $12 for full-time students with ID; previews are $5; and every Sunday at 7 pm is Pay-What-You-Can.  Audiences are invited to stay after the 3 pm matinee, or to arrive early prior to the evening performance at 7 pm, for a Talk Back Series on Sundays at 5 pm.  Each week, a different aspect of the play will be discussed.

[Inside] the Ford is located in the Ford Theatres complex at 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, CA 90068, just off the 101 Hollywood Freeway across from the Hollywood Bowl and south of Universal Studios.  On-site, non-stacked parking is free.  For reservations and information, call the Ford Theatres Box Office at 323.461.3673 (323.GO1.FORD) or go to www.FordTheatres.org.

Moving Arts to Present World Premiere of 'Song of Extinction' Starting 11/7 - 11/7/2008

A boy's struggle with grief turns into a magical, musical journey for him, his family, and the teacher who tries to save him.  Moving Arts presents the World Premiere production of Song of Extinction, written by multiple award-winning playwright E.M. Lewis, directed by Heidi Helen Davis and with original music by Geoffrey Pope.  Featured in the cast are Aileen Cho, Will Faught, Darrell Kunitomi, Trey Nichols, Michael Shutt, Tristan Wright and Lori Yeghiayan.  Song of Extinction runs November 7 through December 14 at the 87-seat [Inside] the Ford, the first production in an adventurous season of new plays that is part of the Ford Theatres partnership program with L.A. County-based producers and performing arts organizations.

Winner of the 2008 Ashland New Plays Festival, Song of Extinction is the story of Max Forrestal, a musically gifted high school student who is going to fail biology if he doesn't complete a 20-page paper on extinction by Tuesday.  But Max's mother is dying of cancer, and school is the last thing on his mind.  His biologist father, obsessed with saving a rare, threatened Bolivian insect, is incapable of dealing with his wife's impending death, or his son's distress.  Max's teacher wants to offer him guidance; but helping his student pushes Khim Phan into a magical journey of his own - from the Cambodian fields of his youth into the undiscovered country beyond.

"Song of Extinction is one of the most beautifully written plays I have read in a long time," says director Heidi Helen Davis.  "E.M. Lewis has the courage to explore difficult subjects like grief and the ancient needs of the human soul.  This play captivates."

A meditation on the science of life and loss, the relationships between fathers and sons, Cambodian fields, Bolivian rainforests and redemption, the play integrates music and elements of magical realism to weave its spell.  Ms. Lewis, who does extensive research for her plays, immersed herself in books about endangered species and the environment, and interviewed survivors of the Cambodian killing fields now living in Long Beach.  Emerging composer Geoffrey Pope was commissioned to write the title piece of music - the "song of extinction."

"Early on in the process of writing, I knew that music would be an important part of my play," explained playwright E. M. Lewis.  "Fifteen-year-old Max clings to his music when everything else in his life is becoming unfathomably dark."

In addition to winning the Ashland New Plays Festival, Song of Extinction was a finalist at both the 2008 Sundance Theater Lab and HotCity Theater's Greenhouse Festival.  It received readings in NYU's hotINK International Festival of New Plays and Atlantic Theater's Next Page reading series.

E.M. Lewis has seen her plays produced across the country.  She is the recipient of the American Theatre Critics Association's 2008 Francesca Primus Prize for an emerging woman theater artist.  In 2007, LA Stage magazine selectEd Lewis as one of twelve Los Angeles "theater artists to watch" when two of her full-length plays received their world premieres locally: Heads, a hostage drama set against the war in Iraq that Edward Albee called "provocative and wonderfully threatening," received its world premiere at the Blank Theater and was named one of the top ten productions of 2007 by the Los Angeles Times; Infinite Black Suitcase, a large ensemble play about grief and survival in rural Oregon, was given its world premiere by TheSpyAnts at the Lillian Theater. 

Composer Geoffrey Pope has been recognized through numerous commissions and awards in the orchestral, chamber music and jazz realms.  He founded the Starving Composers' Ensemble, devoted to encouraging the composition and performance of new works for chamber orchestra and was the inaugural composer in residence of the Chamber Opera of USC.  In 2007, his music was performed in Prague, Budapest and Leipzig by the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra.  Pope recently completed Srebrenica Fields, a commission for the Bay Brass in recognition of the thirteenth anniversary of the massacre, and ongoing projects include a second opera, Sarajevo Vespers in collaboration with visionary tenor and concept artist Timur Bekbosunov.  

Heidi Helen Davis is a resident director at The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, where each season she directs a classic play by a great writer including Williams, O'Neill, Chekhov, Hellman, Coward, Miller, Brecht and Euripides.  Her recently closed production of O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night was Critic's Choice in the Los Angeles Times and Critic's Pick in Back Stage West. 

Founded fifteen years ago, Moving Arts produces only original work or Los Angeles premieres.  The Resident Artist Program at Moving Arts, where E.M. Lewis is a long-time member, consists of actors, playwrights, directors and producers working together in unity.

Song of Extinction is produced by Kimberly Glann; co-producers are Steve Lozier and Cece Tio; set design is by Stephanie Kerley Schwartz; lighting design is by Ian Garrett; sound design is by Jason Duplissea; and costume design is by Laura Buckles.

The 2008-09 season at [Inside] the Ford is supported by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and the Ford Theatre Foundation, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Song of Extinction runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm and 7pm, November 7 through December 14.  Two low-priced previews take place on November 5 and 6. Single tickets are priced at $20 with a special price of $12 for full-time students with ID; previews are $5; and every Sunday at 7 pm is Pay-What-You-Can.  Audiences are invited to stay after the 3 pm matinee, or to arrive early prior to the evening performance at 7 pm, for a Talk Back Series on Sundays at 5 pm.  Each week, a different aspect of the play will be discussed.

[Inside] the Ford is located in the Ford Theatres complex at 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, CA 90068, just off the 101 Hollywood Freeway across from the Hollywood Bowl and south of Universal Studios.  On-site, non-stacked parking is free.  For reservations and information, call the Ford Theatres Box Office at 323.461.3673 (323.GO1.FORD) or go to www.FordTheatres.org.

Greasy Joan Presents CHEKHOV'S LIFE IN THE COUNTRY in Chicago 11/7 - 11/7/2008

Greasy Joan & Co. launches its 13th year with the world-premiere comedy CHEKHOV'S LIFE IN THE COUNTRY, from short works by Anton Chekhov, with translations by Paul Schmidt, Ryan McKittrick and Julia Smeliansky, and directed by Interim Artistic Director Libby Ford. CHEKHOV'S LIFE IN THE COUNTRY will play Chicago's Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., November 7 through December 21, 2008.

Greasy Joan & Co. explores Chekhov in a hilarious and poignant romp that illustrates the life, love and lunacy of living in the country. Longed-for love, the claustrophobia of modern life, and the madness that keeps us apart from one another. CHEKHOV'S LIFE IN THE COUNTRY features the classic short story Lady with a Lapdog woven around three comedies: The Proposal, The Reluctant Tragic Hero and Dangers of Tobacco.

In The Proposal, a suitor's attempt to marry his neighbor's daughter violently derails as the trio obsessively quarrels over age-old land disputes and trivial minutia.  Elsewhere, a married man (The Reluctant Tragic Hero) explodes with frustration over the complications of leading a leisurely country life while keeping a job in the city.  The Dangers of Tobacco follows a family man's attempt to lecture on the evils of smoking as it careens off the rails, cataloging his fury over his lot in life.  Winding through these pieces is an adaptation of Chekhov's short story Lady with a Lapdog, tracing aging lothario Gurov's shattering love affair with a married woman that awakens him to the depth and feeling of true love just as it exposes him to the pain of a love limited by circumstance.
 
The cast of CHEKHOV'S LIFE IN THE COUNTRY includes:  Ilana Faust (Anna), Jason Huysman (Gurov), Neal Starbird (Lomov & Murashkin), Matthew Serbach (Cubukov & Nyukhin), Josh Sumner (Tolkachov) and Greasy Joan Affiliated Artist Kristina Klemetti (Natalia). 
 
CHEKHOV'S LIFE IN THE COUNTRY is from works by Anton Chekhov, translated by Paul Schmidt, Ryan McKittrick and Julia Smeliansky, and directed by Greasy Joan Interim Artistic Director Libby Ford. The production team includes:  Michelle Warner (sets), Lindsey Pate (costumes), Ryan Davies (lights), Tim Hill (sound/music), LaRonika Thomas (Dramaturg) and Sarah Idzik (stage manager).

CHEKHOV'S LIFE IN THE COUTNRY is sponsored by the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs.
 
ABOUT GREASY JOAN & CO.

Greasy Joan & Co. re-imagines classic plays for the contemporary stage.  Their premiere adaptations and translations present fresh, innovative stagings of the classics. With a strong commitment to symbolic design, Greasy Joan productions create visually compelling theater.  They engage Chicago audiences in the greatness of the past through the imaginative interpretations of the present.  Founded in 1995 by a group of graduates from Harvard University's American Repertory Theater training program, Greasy Joan & Co. has received 13 Joseph Jefferson "Jeff" awards and nominations to date.
 
For more information on Greasy Joan & Co., call (312) 458-0718 or visit www.greasyjoan.org.

TICKET INFORMATION

CHEKHOV'S LIFE IN THE COUNTRY will run from November 9 through December 21, 2008, at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from $12.50 to $25 ($12.50 for students) and are available by calling  773-404-7336, at www.greenhousetheater.org or at the Greenhouse Theater Center Box Office. Groups of 8 or more can receive a discount by calling (312) 458-0718.

A special benefit performance of CHEKHOV'S LIFE IN THE COUNTRY will be held on Saturday, December 6th at 8:30 p.m.  Benefit tickets cost $40 and include a post-play reception with the artists in the lobby.  Food and drinks included.  Reservations can be made by calling 773-404-7336.

Special $15 Industry Night Performance Monday, December 1st at 8:30 p.m.  Reservations can be made by calling 773-404-7336.
 
Post-play discussions are held every Sunday.
 
There is no performance on Thursday November 27th (Thanksgiving). 

York Theatre Company's MY VAUDEVILLE MAN! Opens 11/7 - 11/7/2008

The YORK THEATRE COMPANY (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) and Melanie Herman, who produced The Musical Of Musicals (The Musical!) announces the Off-Broadway Premiere of My Vaudeville Man!, a new musical based on the life of legendary eccentric tap star Jack Donahue. My Vaudeville Man! had its world premiere at last year's NY Musical Theatre Festival under the title Mud Donahue and Son. Performances will be at The Theatre at Saint Peter's (54th Street just east of Lexington Avenue) beginning November 7th.  Karen Murphy and Shonn Wiley star.

My Vaudeville Man! has a book by Jeff Hochhauser, music by Bob Johnston, and lyrics by Johnston and Hochhauser, based on Jack Donahue's Letters of a Hoofer to his Ma.  Lynne Taylor-Corbett will direct and choreograph with Shonn Wiley serving as co-choreographer. My Vaudeville Man! will have scenic design by James Morgan, costume design by David Toser, and lighting design by Mary Jo Dondlinger. Douglas Oberhamer will serve as Musical Director. 

My Vaudeville Man! is the story of a boy born to dance and the mother who fought to keep him home! Karen Murphy (most recently featured in the new musical 9 to 5 in LA) and Shonn Wiley (recently seen in No No Nanette at Encores!) star in a musical based on the life of legendary eccentric tap dancer Jack Donahue (played by Ray Bolger on film) and his mother—who fights to keep her son off the wicked vaudeville stage. This "Pitch Perfect Musical" (NYTheatre.com) was first seen in York's Developmental Reading Series. As Mud Donahue & Son, it was the break-out hit of last season's NY Musical Theater Festival, tap-dancing its way into the hearts of audiences and critics alike.  York and producer Melanie Herman—the team behind The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) — reunite to bring you what Talkin' Broadway proclaimed "a tour de force."

Karen Murphy makes a dynamic impact in every avenue of entertainment she performs: on Broadway (All Shook Up, the Tony-Award winning 42nd Street and Titanic, A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden, King David at the opening of the New Amsterdam Theatre), Off-Broadway (Zombie Prom - in which she won both Dramalogue and Encore Awards, Jerry Herman's Showtune, Forbidden Broadway, L'Amour, the Merrier! and Hysterial Blindness), or her favorite - cabaret (The Rainbow Room with Steve Ross), Dramalogue award-winning Torch Goddess, and her Bistro-Award winning show for her NY debut.

Shonn Wiley's recent credits include No, No, Nanette (Tom, Encores!); Hot N' Cole (Westport Playhouse); Candide (New York City Opera).  Broadway: Dracula (Jack Seward); 42nd Street (Revival); Never Gonna Dance (Workshop).  Off-Broadway: Saved (Playwrights Horizon); Stairway To Paradise (Encores!); Thrill Me (York); The View From Here (cast album); All Singing, All Dancing I  ("The Inappropriate Medley" with wife, Meredith Patterson).  Regional credits include Ragtime; Secret Garden; Little Night Music; Big River; I Love A Piano; Forever Plaid; Camille Claudel; Brigadoon; Crazy For You; Footloose.  TV & film appearances include "The Guiding Light" and the upcoming feature films Tiny Dancer, Red Hook, and Confessions Of A Shopoholic.

Bob Johnston and Jeff Hochhauser's credits include Anne & Gilbert, written with Nancy White, based on the novels by LM Montgomery, which just completed its third summer on Prince Edward Island as well as in Ontario at the Thousand Islands Playhouse; Theda Bara & The Frontier Rabbi, which was produced at the York. It has also had productions Off-Broadway, in Chicago, Hollywood, FL and at the Cohoes Music Hall in Cohoes NY.

Lynne Taylor-Corbett is known for her work in theatre, dance and film.  She was nominated for two Tony® Awards and a Drama Desk for direction and choreography of Broadway's Swing! and for two American Theatre Wing Star Awards for its National Tour.  She also choreographed Broadway's Chess and Titanic. Off Broadway, she directed Theda Bara and the Frontier Rabbi, Marie Jones's Women on the Verge… at Irish Arts, Darlene Love:  Portrait of a Singer at the Bottom Line, 20th Century Pop at the Rainbow and Stars, and was the original director of the Korean import, Cookin' at The Minetta Lane.  She also directed Your Simone at The Culture Project and Boxes and Asking For It at the New York International Fringe Festival.  Regional shows include Tintypes (Hartford Stage and The Old Globe), Opal (George Street Playhouse and The Lyric Theatre), Flight of the Lawnchair Man (Goodspeed Opera House), Hats in Chicago, and Girl's Room starring Donna McKechnie and Carol Lawrence soon to open Los Angeles.  She has been commissioned to create dance pieces for New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Hubbard Street Dance Company, Pacific Northwest Ballet and numerous companies throughout the world.  She is the resident guest choreographer of The Carolina Ballet.  Broadcasts of her work have been seen on "Live From Lincoln Center", "Live from the San Francisco Opera House" and on UNCTV. Her films include Footloose, My Blue Heaven, Vanilla Sky and Bewitched.  Most recently she and her work, "Chiaroscuro" were featured in Water Flowing Together, a documentary on Jock Soto of the New York City Ballet shown on PBS.   In the summer of 2005, she directed a multi-million dollar project for Disney in China, currently playing in the largest indoor theatre in Asia. Upcoming projects include Wanda's World Off Broadway and Tarzan for Theatre of the Stars. Ms. Taylor-Corbett has staged benefits for The Hunger Project, worked with Rosie's Broadway Kids, been honored for her work for the A-T Project and is a mentor to a young playwright living in Tanzania through Nile Roger's "We Are Family" Foundation. She is a proud member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers and even prouder to be the mom of actor Shaun Taylor-Corbett.

Melanie Herman began her producing career in the 1970's as founder and artistic director of The Bank – a groundbreaking off-Broadway and innovative multimedia company in Brooklyn Heights. Among her many early credits, she served as associate producer Off-Broadway of Candaules Commissioner, which launched her commercial producing career. During her early years as an emerging producer, Ms. Herman was cited by renowned journalist Vincent Canby on the front page of the Arts and Leisure section of The New York Times, exclaiming "…Brooklyn banners waived high for the youngest producer emerging in the Broadway and off-Broadway scene!" It was at the York Theater where Ms. Herman first discovered a new, original musical comedy The Musical Of Musicals (The Musical!). After a sold-out run at The York, she re-opened it at the prestigious New World Stages, garnering unanimous critical acclaim and ran for a total of almost 2 years. Since then, it has had numerous productions across the country, with 25 additional productions slated for the near future. Most recently, Melanie successfully co-produced the West End premiere of The Musical Of Musicals (The Musical!) to unanimous raves, as well as the recent acclaimed London revival of Side By Side By Sondheim.

The York Theatre Company (winner of a special Drama Desk Award for developing and producing new musical theatre) is the only theater in New York City—and one of very few in the world—dedicated to developing and fully producing new musicals, as well as preserving gems from the past.  For more than three decades, York's intimate, imaginative style of producing both original and rarely seen classic musicals has resulted in critical acclaim and recognition from artists and audiences alike.  Under the guidance of Artistic Director James Morgan since 1997, the York has focused exclusively on new musicals in its Mainstage Series--most of them world, American, or New York premieres—by some of the field's most esteemed creators, and has also helped launch the careers of many talented new writers. Over 30 cast recordings from York Theatre Company productions are now available on CD, and commercial transfers of such York productions as The Musical of Musicals –The Musical!, Souvenir, Captain Louie, Jolson & Company, and acclaimed revivals of Sweeney Todd and Pacific Overtures have all showcased the importance of the York and its programs. York's Musicals in Mufti Series, which offers rarely seen works from the past, has presented more shows than any other musical theatre concert series in the world, and is the first series to present works from on Broadway and Off-, as well as from London's West End. The York's Developmental Reading Series, which presents over 40 free readings of new musicals every year, was the incubator for the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit Avenue Q, among many other significant shows.

The York Theatre Company is located at Saint Peter's in Citigroup Center on Lexington Avenue just east of 54th Street. Tickets are available now, by calling 212-935-5820. For more information, check out www.yorktheatre.org. For Group Sales, contact MATCH-TIX at 212/354-2220.

INTO THE WOODS Kicks Off Blue Hill Troupe's Season 11/7 - 11/7/2008

Blue Hill Troupe, Ltd., the only musical theater group in New York City to donate its net proceeds to charity, kicks off its 85th season with Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Into the Woods, November 7 through 15, 2008 at Dicapo Opera Theater, 184 East 76th Street.  The Blue Hill Troupe produces a musical every fall and a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta every spring, and has donated over $3 million to local charities.

On November 12 at 6:15 p.m., the Blue Hill Troupe will sponsor a special pre-show event moderated by WNYC host Richard Hake.  Currently slated to appear are original Broadway cast members Chip Zien and Jeff Blumenkrantz.  Admission is free with the price of a ticket to any of the 8 performances.
 
The 2008-2009 Season will benefit Inwood House, a leader and innovator in youth development, teen pregnancy prevention, and family support, serving nearly 5,000 young people in New York City and New Jersey.

The Tony Award-winning Into the Woods originally directed on Broadway by James Lapine, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine, fractures the tales of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and the ever-present Wolf and Witch to bring new depth to characters we thought we knew.  Drawn into a twisty puzzle of a plot, they must band together and discover their personal strengths to battle the darkness that lurks in the woods. Andy Sandberg directs the Blue Hill Troupe's production, with musical direction by Matthew Rupcich.

Into the Woods plays November 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15 at 7:30 p.m. with family-friendly matinees at 2:00 p.m. on November 9 and 15.  For tickets, showtimes, and events for children, visit www.bht.org or call 866-811-4111.

The all-volunteer Blue Hill Troupe has presented four other works by Stephen Sondheim: A Little Night Music (1993), Company (2000), Sweeney Todd (2001), and Follies (2005), which was honored by BroadwayWorld.com as "Semi-professional theatre at its finest."
 
The Blue Hill Troupe has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and appeared with The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall.  For fourteen years, they have presented a Gilbert & Sullivan concert as part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Concerts and Lectures series, where they will return on February 15, 2009.  In 2005, the Blue Hill Troupe was honored with three awards at the 12th Annual International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in Buxton, UK, for their innovative production of the G&S rarity, The Grand Duke.
 
For more information about the Blue Hill Troupe, Ltd., contact Joanne Lessner at (212) 222-7436 or visit www.bht.org.

Emelin Theatre Presents SIMONE 11/7 - 11/7/2008

The Emelin Theatre has added two November concerts to its season with Simone—the accomplished jazz singer and daughter of Nina Simone— on November 7, and legendary girl group vocalist and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ronnie Spector on November 15. In addition to the line-up of concerts this fall, including country music chart-topper BRyan White (October 24) and Tony Award-winner and jazz singer Ann Hampton Callaway (October 25), the Emelin's 2008-2009 season will feature film, music, family programs and more.

Simone brings her big voice and classic jazz sound to the Emelin on the heels of her debut album, a big band tribute to her mother producer by Bob Belden, Simone on Simone. The record has received critical acclaim from NPR, People, Jet, Chicago Tribune and The Advocate, among others. While Simone is very much her mother's daughter her concert on November 7 invites audiences to hear the versatility in her talent.

The legendary girl groups of 1960s are best remembered through the voice of Ronnie Spector, whose iconic hits with the Ronettes like "Be My Baby," "Baby I Love You" and others helped lay the groundwork for the pop music we know today. Her show at the Emelin on November 15 will touch on those and the many hits since her "Wall of Sound" days that have made Spector one of the most recognizable singers of the pop era.

The Emelin's season of music performances features its well-known Bluegrass, Folk and In Concert series along with its launch of five new series: Indie Rock, Latin, Country, Popular Song and Emelin Unplugged. Los Lobos, perhaps the most successful Mexican-American music group ever, help launch the new Latin series with their blend of American rock and Mexican popular music. Highlights for the other series include American Idol's Bo Bice, Grammy nominated Sones de Mexico, Edwin McCain ("I'll Be"), Loudon Wainwright III, "LA Law" stars Jill Eikenberry & Michael Tucker, Lesley Gore ("Its My Party"), Grammy Award-winner Laurie Lewis, Country star and CMA Award-winner BRyan White, Grammy Award-winner Janis Ian and many more. With the diversity of concerts coming up, from country music crooner BRyan White to Broadway legend Ann Hampton Callaway to Leonel "Papo" Ortega's Cubanoson (December 13), the Emelin is the place in Westchester to find great concerts.

About The Emelin Theatre

The Emelin has embarked on a new era to reposition the theatre with an increasing diverse range of programming. The Emelin Theatre is non-profit institution dedicated to enriching the lives of
Westchester residents with a full range of performing arts programs. Since 1972, established artists with international reputations, young rising stars, community performers and children have all graced our stage and become a part of the Emelin family. Our work is made possible by audience support, public and private grants, special benefits and contributions, and Friends of the Emelin.

For more information, please visit: www.emelin.org.

Box Office:
The Emelin Theatre 153 Library Lane, Mamaroneck, NY
(914) 698-0098


COMPLETE SCHEDULE OF PERFORMANCES

In Concert

Ann Hampton Callaway | $45
Oct 25 @ 7 & 9:30 pm
Singer/songwriter and Broadway legend Ann Hampton Callaway premieres songs from her soon to be released album at the Emelin. See it here first! A devoTed Keeper-of-the-flame to the American Songbook, she brings fresh and original interpretations to timeless classics.

Jill Eikenberry & Michael Tucker | $45
Dec 6 & 12 @ 8 pm
Join one of television's all time favorite on screen and off screen couples, "L.A. Law" stars Jill Eikenberry & Michael Tucker, in this clever new show that tells about the courage, heart and humor that it takes to make a marriage work.

Valentine Cabaret | $40
Feb 14 @ 8 pm
An evening of Broadway stars singing about the joys and tribulations of love, insuring an enthralling and entertaining Valentine's date night.

Lesley Gore | $40
Mar 7 @ 8 pm
The most commercially successful solo artist of the "Girl Group" era, with a string of hits, including "It's My Party" and "You Don't Own Me," Lesley Gore dazzled the world with her brilliant pop instincts and independent spirit. Her now-burnished voice deepens everything it touches with the hard-won wisdom of time. "Lesley Gore is back. And this time it really is her party. The former teen idol's voice is better than ever, and especially poignant..." (Philadelphia Inquirer).

Susan Werner | $40
Apr 18 @ 8 pm
Susan Werner composes skillful songs that effortlessly slide between folk, jazz, and pop, all delivered with sassy wit and classic Midwestern charm. Throughout her expansive career, boundless versatility has emerged as a hallmark of Werner's talent, and has proven to be a quintessential ingredient of her engrossing musical persona. "...a triply blessed artist who sings adroitly, plays the piano smartly and, best of all, writes songs of genuine distinction and high craft" (Chicago Tribune).

Bluegrass

Tony Trischka's Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular w/ Steve Lutke & Appalachian Uprising | $37
Oct 17 @ 8 pm
Avant-garde banjo artist Tony Trischka showcases his first bluegrass solo project in twenty years, Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular, with Steve Lutke & Appalachian Uprising, the premier bluegrass/newgrass/acoustic string band, opening.

Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands | $37
Dec 5 @ 8 pm
Grammy Award-winner and twice named International Bluegrass Music Association Female Artist of the Year Award-winner Laurie Lewis, along with her band, the Right Hands, bring their renowned concerts filled with musical virtuosity and front-porch friendliness to the Emelin. "Laurie is one of the pre-eminent bluegrass and Americana artists of our time. She spreads her talent over several genres – bluegrass, folk, country – and with the recognition she has within all those fields, I would certainly say she's one of the top five female artists of the last 30 years. And she continues to make great music" (IBMA's Dan Hays).

Dry Branch Fire Squad | $37
Feb 13 @ 8 pm
Founded more than 30 years ago by singer, mandolin-picker, and raconteur Ron Thomason, the present Dry Branch line-up is one of the strongest ever, and continues to reflect the finest in bluegrass music. "There is no band in bluegrass or country music today that captures the soul of American music better than the Fire Squad" (Keith Lawrence, Knight-Ridder Newspapers).

Seldom Scene | $37
Mar 13 @ 8 pm
Seldom Scene showcases songs from their first album in seven years, Scenechronized, which has given them their third Grammy nomination for best bluegrass album. Known for their unique style, such as the addition of a Dobro to their line up and merging rock classics with a bluegrass twist, Seldom Scene has become one of the most influential bluegrass bands of the past 30 years.

John Reischman & the Jaybirds | $37
Apr 17 @ 8 pm
Years of European and North American tours, four critically acclaimed albums, a Juno nomination and two Canadian Folk Music Award nominations...little wonder, the buzz around John Reischman and The Jaybirds continues to grow.
Folk

Dar Williams | $36
Oct 4 @ 8 pm
One of the most acclaimed singer/songwriters of her generation, Dar Williams has been engaging audiences with her musical artistry since the early 1990s. She has released seven albums to date, and has toured with artists such as Joan Baez, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Ani DiFranco, Shawn Colvin and more.

Loudon Wainwright III | $40
Feb 20 @ 8 pm
Critically acclaimed folk artist Loudon Wainwright III has charmed audiences for generations, having released more than twenty albums, and composing the soundtracks for numerous films, most recently Judd Apatow's Knocked Up. He continues to exemplify the embodiment of contemporary folk.

Janis Ian | $40
May 1 @ 8 pm
Two-time Grammy Award-winner Janis Ian is a formidable talent and a force of nature. Boasting an active recording career spanning more than four decades, it's good to know Ian remains where she started, in the bosom of folk music at its quintessential best. "Ian is as accomplished a singer/songwriter as she ever was, but she handles the highs and lows with the tremendous care of a survivor" (Rolling Stone).

Country

BRyan White | $35
Oct 24 @ 8 pm
BRyan White first burst on to the country music scene in the 1990s, with a string of six number one singles and received such accolades as the CMA's Horizon Award and the Academy of Country Music's Top New Male Vocalist Award and CMT Rising Star and Male Video Artist of the Year, to name a few. He has sung duets with Wynona, Shania Twain, Joe Diffie and more. As his journey continues, he brings the lessons of a stellar past to create a rich future filled with promise.

Lari White & Chuck Cannon | $40
Jan 31 @ 8 pm
Husband and wife team, as well as music legends in their own right, Lari White and Chuck Cannon come together for this special performance. As one of Nashville's most successful hit songwriters, Chuck Cannon has topped the charts with "I Love the Way You Love Me" by John Michael Montgomery (ACM Song of the Year), "How Do You Like Me Now," "We Were In Love," "Dreamwalkin'" and "American Soldier" by Toby Keith, amongst others. Lari White, hit songwriter, producer, Gold and Grammy recording artist and actress (Broadway: Ring of Fire), continues to cross musical and professional genres.

A Tribute to the Bluebird Café | $35
May 2 @ 8 pm
Join the Emelin as it produces the second annual tribute to this legendary birthplace of Nashville's greatest hits and songwriters. This night guarantees to be full of memorable moments and surprises, as country's greatest contemporary songwriters sing the hits that made them a household name and share the stories behind the songs.

Indie Rock

Syd / Milton / Creaky Boards | $22
Oct 11 @ 8 pm
Two emerging and unique indie rock artists line up the bill to kick off this ground-breaking series. Syd, a singer/songwriter rocking the Brooklyn scene, showcases songs from his new album The Way We Found It, produced by They Might Be Giants' Danny Weinkauf. Milton, known for his hummable melodies and soulful, energetic live shows, has appeared on bills with such artists as Yo La Tengo, Norah Jones, Al Kooper, Shelby Lenne, Jamie Cullum and more. Creaky Boards, a dynamic and innovative sextet, opens.

John West w/ Aficionado | $22
Jan 30 @ 8 pm
Soulful jazz based singer John West has been exploding on the internet scene as a top artist on Myspace and YouTube. With simple honesty and complex emotions, he creates soul without crooning and pop without gloss. The ten piece band Aficionado, "...one of the Capital Region's most original acts" (Metroland, Best of 2007) opens.

Caravan of Thieves w/ guests | $22
Apr 25 @ 8 pm
Bandleaders Fuzz and Carrie have made a name for themselves through many musical endeavors including the popular Deep Banana Blackout. Their latest project, Caravan of Thieves, has received acclaim for its unique mixture of gypsy flavored, bluegrass influenced instrumentation and Beatlesque vocal arrangements.

Popular Song

Duncan Sheik | $50
Oct 18 @ 8 pm
In addition to winning the Tony Award for writing the score for Broadway's smash musical hit Spring Awakening, Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Duncan Sheik has had tremendous success in music and film. He comes to the Emelin performing his acclaimed songs from the past decade, transcending artistic genres.

Vienna Teng | $28
Jan 16 @ 8 pm
Vienna Teng's music is one of the most enchanting new sounds around. Having recent albums that have landed on three Billboard album charts and have reached #2 on Amazon's Bestseller List, it is clear why she has been described as "a child of Chopin and Sarah McLachlan" (San Jose Mercury News).

Bo Bice | $50
Mar 6 @ 8 pm
American Idol finalist Bo Bice comes to the Emelin with his latest and most honest album See the Light, which promises a night of genuine and accessible influences of pop and southern rock.

Emelin Unplugged

Paula Cole | $40
Sep 27 @ 8 pm
Awarded the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1997, Paula Cole tours the country showcasing her acclaimed fourth album, Courage. Famous for such hits as "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone," "I Don't Want to Wait," and more, she is taking the country by storm, once again, with her mesmerizing piano and melodic vocal sound. "A welcome return!" (Kerri Mason, Billboard Magazine).

Edwin McCain | $40
Jan 9 @ 8 pm
Edwin McCain has been charming international audiences since his 1993 debut, when he garnered the attention of millions with the top ten smash "I'll Be," and the Diane Warren-penned top 40 hit "I Could Not Ask For More." The Edwin McCain band comes to the Emelin after debuting its latest album in Summer 2008.

Todd Carey / Alexa Wilkinson / Special Guest | $25
May 8 @ 8 pm
Fast-rising independent singer/songwriters Todd Carey and Alexa Wilkinsonjoin forces for this tour, complimenting each other's songs about emotional experiences and past relationships in a pop/folk/rock style. Additional special guest will be announced shortly. www.toddcareymusic.com, www.alexawilkinson.com

Latin

Cubanoson | $35
Dec 13 @ 8 pm
A traditional Cuban Dance Orchestra founded by Leonel "Papo" Ortega, Cubanoson continues to unite the talent and dedication of excellent contemporary musicians to offer and express traditional Cuban music.

Ibrahim Gonzalez Orchestra | $35
Feb 7 @ 8 pm
This ten piece, critically acclaimed contemporary salsa quintet, led by renowned percussionist, pianist and producer Ibrahim Gonzalez, is sure to make you dance in your seat!
Sones de México | $35
March 14 @ 8 pm
Chicago's premier folk music ensemble, Sones de México is known for experimenting cross-culturally with symphonic, Irish, folk, C&W, jazz, and rock music, while never abandoning its roots in Mexican 'son.' This ensemble comes to the East coast following a 2008 Grammy nomination for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album of the Year.

Los Lobos | $55*
April 16 @ 8 pm
Three-time Grammy winners Los Lobos have been instrumental in brining fusing the American music with the sounds of Mexico. Years and years of success and critical acclaim precede this group's much-anticipated Emelin debut.
*This event is not part of the Latin subscription

Special Events

Simone | $35
Nov 7 @ 8 pm
She is her own woman, a singer, songwriter and performer whose ability to transcend genres echoes the tradition of her mother, musical icon and pioneer Nina Simone.  Blessed with a rich vocal range, an innate skill for lyrical interpretation and a soul-deep understanding of music as a means of healing, empowerment and celebration, Simone is very much her mother's daughter, she is most assuredly a multi-talented artist in her own right. www.simonesworld.com

Ronnie Spector | $40
Nov 15 @ 8 pm
Only a few artists in history have been capable of defining an entire era in pop music. Ronnie Spector is one such artist - the absolute embodiment of the heart, soul, and passion of female rock and roll in the 1960s. To this day, no one has ever surpassed Ronnie's powerful trademark vocals, gutsy attitude, or her innocent but knowing sexuality. "...the original bad girl of rock n' roll..."—Chicago Tribune. "...the crowning glory of the Wall of Sound..."—Rolling Stone. www.ronniespector.com

Beatlemania Now | $40
Jan 24 @ 8 pm
Formed from members of the original Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, Beatlemania Now has toured worldwide, performing to countless audiences since 1984. Meticulously faithful to the original music, the four member cast recreates, note for note, over 35 classic songs in an extravaganza that retraces the entire career of the greatest cultural phenomenon of all time.

Film Club

Take 10 (Session 1): Sep 17, 24, Oct 1, 7, 15 & 22
Take 10 (Session 2): Sep 16, 23, 29, Oct 6, 14 & 21
Take 11 (Session 1): Feb 4, 11, 18, 25, Mar 4 & 11
Take 11 (Session 2): Feb 3, 10, 17, 24, Mar 3 & 10
Take 12 (Session 1): Apr 15, 22, 29, May 6, 13 & 19
Take 12 (Session 2): Apr 14, 21, 28, May 5, 12 & 18
The Emelin's hugely popular Film Club returns with three more 6 week sessions of the best new and exciting films. Host Marshall Fine interviews guest speakers and leads Q&A sessions with the audience.
Tickets available by subscription only.

Super Saturdays: Family Fun

If You Give a Pig a Pancake & Other Story Books | $18 Adults, $13 Children
Oct 4 @ 11 am & 1:30 pm
Theatreworks USA presents eight fantastic mini-musicals based on popular kids' books. These charming tales range from If You Give a Pig a Pancake, about how a bossy pig's demands frazzle a little girl in this hilarious lesson about cause-and-effect, to How I Became a Pirate, about a thrilling adventure to learn there is no place like home, and so much more! Ages 5+.

Hot Peas N' Butter | $18 Adults, $13 Children
Oct 11 @ 11 am & 1:30 pm
A unique and musically outstanding band, Hot Peas N' Butter has been featured on Nickelodeon, Noggin and Sirius Satellite Radio's "Kids Stuff." Ages 2+.

A Christmas Carol | $18 Adults, $13 Children
Dec 6 @ 11 am & 1:30 pm
Catch the holiday spirit with this classic story of a man whose cold heart is warmed after a Christmas Eve encounter with the supernatural. Theatreworks USA brings a timeless classic the entire family will enjoy. A Christmas Carol uses song, humor and suspense to bring one of our most legendary holiday tales to life. Ages 5+.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar | $18 Adults, $13 Children
Dec 20 @ 11 am & 1:30 pm
The Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia brings its acclaimed black light puppet show based on three classic Eric Carle tales, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Little Cloud and The Mixed-Up Chameleon, to the Emelin. Ages 2+.

Paper Bag Players | $18 Adults, $13 Children
50th Anniversary Show
Sat & Sun, Dec 27 & 28 @ 11 am & 1:30 pm
The Paper Bag Players, a beloved favorite, return to present their 50th Anniversary production. Described by Parent Guide as "Side-splittingly funny and jam-packed with energy and pizzazz," the players are sure to dazzle and entertain. Ages 4+.

James and the Giant Peach | $18 Adults, $13 Children
Jan 17 @ 11 am & 1:30 pm
Join James and his friends on this amazing journey in Two Beans Productions' magical production based on Roald Dahl's beloved book. Ages 5+.

Film Club Jr. | $13 Adults, $10 Children
Jan 17-19
$13 adults | $10 children
The Emelin Theatre proudly pairs with the New York International Children's Film Festival to present a festival which showcases the best family films of the year, from around the globe. Check emelin.org for descriptions and showtimes.
Film Club Jr. is not included in the subscription package.

Rebecca Frezza & Big Truck | $18 Adults, $13 Children
Jan 31 @ 11 am & 1:30 pm
Put on your dancing shoes! Winner of over ten major kid's music awards and seen on PBS Kids and Noggin's "Jack's Big Music Show," Rebecca Frezza and her band Big Truck, combine pop/rock, country and jazz styles, a sprinkling of world music elements, and kid friendly lyrics for a big dose of family fun! Ages 2+.

Nate the Great | $18 Adults, $13 Children
Feb 14 @ 11 am & 1:30 pm
A new musical about teamwork and friendship (imaginary and otherwise) based on the first volume in Marjorie Weinman Sharmat's classic book series, about Nate, a pint-size detective, on the case. Ages 5+.

AudraRox | $18 Adults, $13 Children
Mar 7 @ 11 am & 1:30 pm
AudraRox is one of the hottest bands in kid's music today. Bursting with infectious energy, this critically acclaimed group has performed on Radio Disney, Noggin's 'Jack's Big Music Show', and much more. Ages 5+.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible No Good Very Bad Day | $18 Adults, $13 Children
Mar 14 @ 11 am & 1:30 pm
Laugh and sing along as Alexander wakes up with gum in his hair, trips on a skateboard, and accidentally drops his sweater in the sink -- all before breakfast! This charming musical from Two Beans Productions is based on the classic book by Judith Viorst, presented by Theatreworks USA. Ages 5+.

Junie B. Jones | $18 Adults, $13 Children
Apr 18 @ 11 am & 1:30 pm
First grade can be kinda scary, but with the chance to make new friends and stage a half-time show for her kickball playing classmates, it might not be so bad after all. A Theatreworks USA production. Ages 5+.

Carole and Paula of TV's Magic Garden | $18 Adults, $13 Children
Apr 25 @ 11 am & 1:30 pm
Carole and Paula's The Magic Garden, one of the most successful, locally produced children's television shows in the country, was broadcast on WPIX New York from the early 1970's to the mid 1980's. Carole and Paula capture the charm from this incredible series in a concert, taking kids of all ages back to this magical land. Ages 2+.

Tom Chapin | $18 Adults, $13 Children
May 9 @ 11 am & 1:30 pm
Hailed by Billboard magazine as "the best family artist around," Tom Chapin has entertained, amused and enlightened children and grown ups alike for more than thirty years, eighteen albums and six Grammy Award nominations. He graces the Emelin stage for the first time. Ages 2+.

Missoula Children's Theatre
The Princess and the Pea
Acting Camp: Feb 16 – 20 | $98
Performance: Feb 21 @ 11 am & 1:30 pm | $13
Call 914.698.3045 x111 to register

School Outreach

Aesop's Fables
Oct 14 @ 9:30 & 11:15 am
With the help of Aesop himself (and his faithful dog, Moral), puppeteer and storyteller extraordinaire Jim West and his partners share the famous fables, including The Lion and the Mouse, The Tortoise and the Hare, and The Fox and the Grapes. This large-scale puppet production
also features the music of Scarlatti, Beethoven, and Chopin. Grades K-4.

Season's Greetings Magic Show
Dec 8 @ 9:30 & 11:15 am
This festive production features a magic elf, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, upbeat music, toy soldiers, and magically appearing white doves - all set in a winter wonderland. Reflects many seasonal holidays - Hanukah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. Grades K-4.

Hot Peas N' Butter
Feb 10 @ 9:30 & 11:15 am
A unique and musically outstanding band, Hot Peas N' Butter has been featured on Nickelodeon, Noggin and Sirius Satellite Radio's "Kids Stuff." Prepare to be taken on a musical journey! Grades K-3.

Freedom Train
Apr 21 @ 9:30 & 11:15 am
Freedom Train tells the thrilling story of Harriet Tubman, the Moses of her people, in a fascinating series of highly theatrical scenes that use dance, dialogue, and music of the period. This is a story of self-sacrifice, dedication and survival, laced with warmth and a sense of humor that celebrates the human spirit. Grades 3-9.

If You Give a Pig a Pancake & Other Story Books
May 5 @ 9:30 & 11:15 am
Theatreworks USA presents eight fantastic mini-musicals based on popular kids' books. These charming tales range from If You Give a Pig a Pancake, about how a bossy pig's demands frazzle a little girl in this hilarious lesson about cause-and-effect, to How I Became a Pirate, about a thrilling adventure to learn there is no place like home, and so much more! Grades K-4.

Seussical
May 12 @ 9:30 & 11:15 am
"Oh, the thinks you can think" when Dr. Seuss's best-loved stories collide and cavort in an unforgettable musical caper! Adapted from the Broadway version, this adaptation especially for young audiences features thirteen actors and enhanced production values. Seussical is Theatreworks USA's biggest show ever! Grades K-4.

National Museum of Women in the Arts to Honor Lynda Carter 11/7 - 11/7/2008

The National Museum of Women in the Arts will present a Lifetime Achievement Award to Lynda Carter Friday, November 7 at NMWA's Annual Fall Benefit. At the event, Lynda will perform a variety of pop and Broadway hits from her current Cabaret show.

Before winning our hearts as Wonder Woman in the television series, Lynda was an accomplished singer performing in Las Vegas and clubs around the country. After the series ended, Lynda had the distinction of starring in five of her own network television specials, several of which were Emmy-nominated. She has performed onstage with many of the world's most popular singers, including Tom Jones, Kenny Rogers, Ray Charles and Ben Vereen.

Lynda Carter made her professional singing debut at 14 in Tempe, Arizona. She studied classical dance for seven years at the School Ballet of Phoenix. She also studied piano, and had her dramatic training with Laura Zucker, Stella Adler, Charles Conrad, Milton Katselas, Lieux Dressler, and Greta and Sandra Seacat. In 1973, she won the Miss World-U.S.A. title and shortly thereafter outdistanced hundreds of other actresses for the part of "Wonder Woman."

The iconic Wonder Woman character has been featured in contemporary art works such as Dara Birnbaum's 1978-79 video, Technology, Transformation: Wonder Woman. Birnbaum's work was part of the landmark exhibition WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution, which was on view at NMWA in fall 2008.

The 2008 NMWA Annual Fall Benefit celebrates the 10th anniversary of its Shenson Chamber Music Series. A portion of proceeds from the benefit goes to fund the series, which offers concerts featuring emerging and established composers and musicians from around the world.

Tickets are still available for the benefit and are $350. To make a reservation, contact Abbey Smith at 202-266-2815 or email asmith@nmwa.org

The previous recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award were Roberta Peters in 2000 and Judy Collins in 2001.

The Shenson Chamber Music Series kicks off on March 11, 2009, with pianist Jessica Krash and the National Gallery of Art String Quartet, continues on April 1, 2009, with violist Kim Kashkashian and closes on May 20, 2009, with pianist Valentina Lisitsa. For reservations call 202-783-7373 or email reservations@nmwa.org.

6th Street Playhouse and Cinnabar Theater's ALWAYS, PATSY CLINE Opens 11/7 - 11/7/2008

6th Street Playhouse, in a co-production with Cinnabar Theater, presents ALWAYS, PATSY CLINE, by Ted Swindley, which pays tribute to Pasty Cline (who epitomized the country music sound in the late 1950s and '60s) in a true story told with humor, emotion, music and a little audience interaction. The show runs from November 7 through December 7, 2008, 8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays at the 6th Street Playhouse/GK Hardt Theatre, 52 West 6th Street, Santa Rosa, CA, located in historic Railroad Square. The show moves to Cinnabar Theater in Petaluma from December 31, 2008, to January 17, 2009.

The musical centers on Cline's friendship with Louise Seger, a devoted Houston fan who met the country singing star in 1961 and continued a correspondence with Cline until her death in 1963. Featuring a live band performing more than 30 country standards including Cline's endearing hits "I Fall to Pieces," "Crazy," "Back in Baby's Arms" and "She's Got You."

The cast features Mary Gannon-Graham of Sebastopol as Patsy Cline and Liz Jahren of Sebastopol as Louise Seger.

ALWAYS, PATSY CLINE is co-directed by Elizabeth Craven and Elly Lichenstein, with musical direction by Jim Peterson, sets by David O. Wright, lighting by John Connole and costumes by Pamela Johnson.

Ticket prices range from $14 to $30. General $30; Senior (62+) $24; Youth (13-21) $24; Children (5-12) $14 - Fridays & Saturdays & Sunday matinees. General $22; Senior (62+) $18; Youth (13-21) $18; Children (5-12) $14 - Thursdays & Saturday matinees. To order, call 707-523-4185 , purchase at the door or visit online at www.6thstreetplayhouse.com.

This co-production of Always, Patsy Cline continues with performances from Dec. 31, 2008 to Jan. 17, 2009 at the Cinnabar Theater, 3333 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma. Performances are 9 p.m. Dec. 31; 8 p.m. Jan. 2, 3, 9, 10. 16 and 17; and 2 p.m. Jan. 11. Tickets are $28 to $30. New Year's Eve tickets are $55 to $60 and the CinnaDinner on Jan. 10 is $40 additional.

For more information about Cinnabar Theater performances of Always, Patsy Cline call 707-763-8920 or visit the Cinnabar Theater website at www.cinnabartheater.org.

Custom Made Theatre's TWO BY WOODY! Opens 11/7 - 11/7/2008

The Custom Made Theatre Company presents TWO BY WOODY!, two recent one-act plays by Woody Allen, directed by Brian Katz. The Custom Made Theatre Company is located at 965 Mission Street (between 5th and 6th), San Francisco. Performances begin Friday, November 7 at 8PM. The show closes Saturday, December 13 at 8PM. Tickets range from $10 to $25.

Both set in the New York, Woody's scripts are poignant plays about infidelity, reality, and trying to find identity in a world that is becoming more and more absurd.

For more information go to CustomMade.org.

Barrow Group's SHORT STUFF 5: PLAYS BY WOMEN Opens - 11/7/2008

The Barrow Group presents SHORT STUFF 5: PLAYS BY WOMEN, which runs from Friday, November 07, 2008 through Monday, November 24, 2008.

SHORT STUFF 5: PLAYS BY WOMEN features plays by Joan Ackermann, Tricia Alexandro, Kate Hoffower, Arlene Hutton, Barbara Lindsay and Dee Ann Newkirk. Performers include Tricia Alexandro, Chris Campbell, Cristala Carter, Jeffrey Danneman, Christina Denzinger, Becky Flaum, Eli Gelb, Renata Hinrichs, Jennifer Kaminsky, Colleen Murphy, Anne Richardson, Alyson Schacherer, Stephen Singer, Hope Singsen, Myra Thibault and Alison Wright. The plays are directed by Donna Jean Fogel, Shannon Patterson, Stephen Singer and Alix Steel.

Performances are November 7 through 24, Fridays through Mondays at 8pm, Sundays at 5pm and 8pm. Tickets are $18. November 8th Opening Night Gala tickets are $25.

Length: 1 hr 30 mins
Intermission: None

SHORT STUFF 5: PLAYS BY WOMEN will be performed at TBG Studio Theatre, 312 West 36th Street, 3rd Floor, New York.

To purchase tickets, click here or call 212-868-4444.

TIGER Theatricals to Produce New Free Play Readings Featuring Diaz, Stanek and More - 11/7/2008

TIGER Theatricals www.tigertheatricals.com and The Bravitas Group are producing a FREE weekend of New Play Readings at Luna Stage. The series is being produced by Dan Whitten, Tony Winning producer of Jay Johnson: The Two & Only and Jacues Brel.
 
6 STORY BUILDING  Written and Directed by Kevin Del Aguila (Altar Boys)
A whirlwind peek through the keyholes of half-a-dozen rooms in a New York City apartment building, examining the hilarious and heartbreaking side effects of urban living.
 
REACHING FOR THE MOON  Written by Larry Zingale, Directed by Michael Leeds (Swinging on a Star)
A depression day tragedy that tells the story of what happens when loyalty, kindness and ethics meet fear, greed, the bottle and the devil.
 
KAMIKAZE COUNTRY  Written by Donnally Miller, Directed by Kent Nicholson (Theatreworks, Palo Alto)
A Tragedy with Jokes set in the contemporary USA. A light-hearted look at ruthlessness, greed, murder and total systemic breakdown. Any resemblance to the current economic crisis is purely prescient (A debut Reading)
 
THREE ON THE AISLE  Written and Directed by Mary Lynn Dobson (The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood)
An hysterical look at the stagedoor behavior of the passionate denizens of a very serious community theatre troup.
 
Dates are November 7-9.  The cast includes Broadway performers Natascia Diaz, Jim Stanek, Teri Furr, James Nugent, Madeleine Blue.

Photo Credit Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

The Faux-Real Theatre Company Presents: Rum and Vodka - 11/7/2008

A young, fed-up Irishman throws his computer out the window at work, gets pegged in the eye with a can of tuna in a supermarket by his angry wife, and then embarks on a three day drinking binge featuring sexual misadventures with a wealthy art student. Conor McPherson's Rum and Vodka, as presented by The Faux Real Theater Company, runs November 7-16, Friday-Sunday, with an additional performance on Monday, November 10. Curtain is 8pm for all shows. Tickets are $10. The Arthur Seelen Theater is located at 250 W 40th St - downstairs at the Drama Book Shop. This one-person play is led by the inspired direction of Taibi Magar, a member of The Lincoln Center's Director's Lab who recently directed the world premiere of Torrents by Robert Atteneweiler. Ben Brantley, who has called McPherson "quite possibly the finest playwright of his generation," described the words in McPherson's Port Authority, as "sharp, shiny hooks... they attract and snag the attention, snaring it at least until the language stops, and usually well after that. Give those words to actors who know how to cast a line, and you'll find an audience helplessly captive." Scott Lucy, a graduate of Harvard's Institute for Advanced Theater Training, who has appeared in such films as Quiz Show and Shaft, and in The Sopranos and Sex and The City, plays the Irishman. Rum and Vodka is a funny yet poignant tale about a young man who screws up, making countless mistakes, but who hangs on to recover some sense of himself. A quintessential everyman gone rabid drinker and eventually gone amok. For more information please contact: RumandVodkaNYC@gmail.com

Faux Real Theater Company Presents RUM AND VODKA Starting 11/7 - 11/7/2008

In Rum and Vodka a young, fed-up Irishman throws his computer out the window at work, gets pegged in the eye with a can of tuna in a supermarket by his angry wife, and then embarks on a three day drinking binge featuring sexual misadventures with a wealthy art student.

Conor McPherson's Rum and Vodka, as presented by The Faux Real Theater Company, runs November 7-16, Friday-Sunday, with an additional performance on Monday, November 10. Curtain is 8pm for all shows. Tickets are $10.  The Arthur Seelen Theater is located at 250 W 40th St - downstairs at the Drama Book Shop.

This one-person play is led by the inspired direction of Taibi Magar, a member of The Lincoln Center's Director's Lab who recently directed the world premiere of Torrents by Robert Atteneweiler.  Ben Brantley, who has called McPherson "quite possibly the finest playwright of his generation," described the words in McPherson's Port Authority, as "sharp, shiny hooks... they attract and snag the attention, snaring it at least until the language stops, and usually well after that. Give those words to actors who know how to cast a line, and you'll find an audience helplessly captive."  Scott Lucy, a graduate of Harvard's Institute for Advanced Theater Training, who has appeared in such films as Quiz Show and Shaft, and in The Sopranos and Sex and The City, plays the Irishman.

Rum and Vodka is a funny yet poignant tale about a young man who screws up, making countless mistakes, but who hangs on to recover some sense of himself.  A quintessential everyman gone rabid drinker and eventually gone amok.  For more information please contact: RumandVodkaNYC@gmail.com

'CHEKHOV'S LIFE IN THE COUNTRY' : Greasy Joan & Co. - 11/7/2008

GREASY JOAN & CO. PRESENTS
THE WORLD PREMIERE OF
CHEKHOV’S LIFE IN THE COUNTRY
FROM WORKS BY Anton Chekhov
DIRECTED BY LIBBY FORD
AT THE GREENHOUSE THEATER CENTER
NOVEMBER 7 – DECEMBER 21, 2008

Greasy Joan & Co. launches its 13th year of producing innovative productions of classic plays with the world premiere comedy CHEKHOV’S LIFE IN THE COUNTRY, from short works by Anton Chekhov, with translations by Paul Schmidt, Ryan McKittrick and Julia Smeliansky, and directed by Interim Artistic Director Libby Ford.  CHEKHOV’S LIFE IN THE COUNTRY will play Chicago’s Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., November 7 through December 21, 2008.  The press opening is Sunday, November 9 at 3:30 p.m.
 
Greasy Joan & Co. explores Chekhov in a hilarious and poignant romp that illustrates the life, love and lunacy of living in the country.  Longed-for love, the claustrophobia of modern life, and the madness that keeps us apart from one another.  CHEKHOV’S LIFE IN THE COUNTRY features the classic short story Lady with a Lapdog woven around three comedies: The Proposal, The Reluctant Tragic Hero and Dangers of Tobacco.

In The Proposal, a suitor's attempt to marry his neighbor's daughter violently derails as the trio obsessively quarrels over age-old land disputes and trivial minutia.  Elsewhere, a married man (The Reluctant Tragic Hero) explodes with frustration over the complications of leading a leisurely country life while keeping a job in the city.  The Dangers of Tobacco follows a family man's attempt to lecture on the evils of smoking as it careens off the rails, cataloging his fury over his lot in life.  Winding through these pieces is an adaptation of Chekhov's short story Lady with a Lapdog, tracing aging lothario Gurov's shattering love affair with a married woman that awakens him to the depth and feeling of true love just as it exposes him to the pain of a love limited by circumstance.
 
The cast of CHEKHOV’S LIFE IN THE COUNTRY includes:  Ilana Faust (Anna), Jason Huysman (Gurov), Neal Starbird (Lomov & Murashkin), Matthew Serbach (Cubukov & Nyukhin), Josh Sumner (Tolkachov) and Greasy Joan Affiliated Artist Kristina Klemetti (Natalia).  
 
CHEKHOV’S LIFE IN THE COUNTRY is from works by Anton Chekhov, translated by Paul Schmidt, Ryan McKittrick and Julia Smeliansky, and directed by Greasy Joan Interim Artistic Director Libby Ford.  The production team includes:  Michelle Warner (sets), Lindsey Pate (costumes), Ryan Davies (lights), Tim Hill (sound/music), LaRonika Thomas (Dramaturg) and Sarah Idzik (stage manager).
            
Title:                        Chekhov’s Life in the Country
Written by:              Anton Chekhov
Tranlations by:       Paul Schmidt, Ryan McKittrick and Julia Smeliansky
Directed by:            Interim Artistic Director Libby Ford
Preview dates:        November 7 & 8, 2008 at 8:30 p.m.
Regular run:            November 9 – December 21, 2008
Press opening:       Sunday, November 9 at 3:30 p.m.
Location:                 Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.
Schedule:                Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30 p.m.
                                 Sundays at 3:30 p.m.**
Tickets:                    $12.50 - $25 ($12.50 for students, $15 for previews)
                                 Available by calling 773-404-7336, at www.greenhousetheater.org or at the Greenhouse Theater Center Box Office.  
                                 Groups of 8 or more can receive a discount by calling (312) 458-0718.
 
**A special benefit performance of CHEKHOV'S LIFE IN THE COUNTRY will be held on Saturday, December 6th at 8:30 p.m.  Benefit tickets cost $40 and include a post-play reception with the artists in the lobby.  Food and drinks included.  Reservations can be made by calling 773-404-7336.

Special $15 Industry Night Performance Monday, December 1st at 8:30 p.m.  Reservations can be made by calling 773-404-7336.
 
Post-play discussions are held every Sunday.
 
There is no performance on Thursday November 27th (Thanksgiving).  
 
CHEKHOV’S LIFE IN THE COUTNRY is sponsored by the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs.
 
Greasy Joan & Co. re-imagines classic plays for the contemporary stage.  Their premiere adaptations and translations present fresh, innovative stagings of the classics. With a strong commitment to symbolic design, Greasy Joan productions create visually compelling theater.  They engage Chicago audiences in the greatness of the past through the imaginative interpretations of the present.  Founded in 1995 by a group of graduates from Harvard University’s American Repertory Theater training program, Greasy Joan & Co. has received 13 Joseph Jefferson “Jeff” awards and nominations to date.
 
For more information on Greasy Joan & Co., call (312) 458-0718 or visit www.greasyjoan.org.

PHOTO CREDIT: (left to right) Kristina Klemetti (Natalia), Matthew Sherbach (Chubukov) and Neal Starbird (Lomov) in Greasy Joan & Co.'s production Chekhov's Life in the Country. Photo by Tom McGrath.

'Sensedance' To Perform Engagement at Ailey Citigroup - 11/8/2008

Henning Rübsam: SENSEDANCE performs a special engagement for its 2008 season with the premiere of "Cloudforest" at The Ailey Citigroup Theater (The Joan Weill Center for Dance), 405 West 55th Street at 9th Avenue.  The program of new dances will be performed Saturday, November 8th - Tuesday, November 11th at 8:00 pm (Sunday 11/9 at 7 pm).

Choreographer Henning Rübsam presents his company of stellar dancers in new ballets on point and with multi-media work. “Cloudforest” is a magical journey - a tribe coming together through movement. Physical trust allows for breathtaking configurations and results in a renascence of communal and spiritual energy. Set to a collage of scores, the music illustrates shifts of converging cloud patterns.  Costumes are by avant-gardist Lars Andersson and lighting design by Stephen Petrilli.

Other new works are set to music by frequent collaborator composer and pianist Beata Moon, whose third CD was released by NAXOS to glowing reviews.  "Amaranthine Road" is a pas de deux capturing the beauty of an imaginary flower that never fades.  It is created for long-time NYCB dancer and Dance Theatre of Harlem principal Andrea Long and Hassan Blandford. For “Inter-Mez-Zo” they are joined by Amanda Cobb (ABT, Ohio Ballet) and DTH principal Ramon Thielen. Christine Reisner, a former Alwin Nikolais dancer, who has appeared as a soloist with SENSEDANCE since 2002, will perform the New York premieres of two short movement studies "Innocence" and “Final Bell” - honoring the late composer Ronald Mazurek. Slide projection is designed by Ruth Grauert (Martha Hill Lifetime Achievement Award winner and 40-year Nikolais tech veteran). The seductive "Caves" for Ms. Long and former ABT dancer Dartanion Reed to music by Guggenheim composition fellow Ricardo Llorca as well as divertissements from “Merciless Beauty” set to Bach and Leslie Wildman complete the multifaceted program.

Henning Rübsam directs SENSEDANCE, a New York City-based dance company, presenting annual NYC seasons since 1992. He continues to reach out to artists of other disciplines and has an impressive roster of frequent collaborators. SENSEDANCE was founded in the hope that through the SENSES for a moment we can still all meet.  He also directs and choreographs for opera and theater, including Outer Critics Circle Award winner Lanie Robertson's Off-Broadway production "Cannibal's Waltz". Rübsam’s June production of “Spirit of Sepharad” is presented at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. He will choreograph the new musical "HURRICANE" by composer Michael Holland and will direct Edward Hudaverdi’s “The 93rd day of Spring.”

Rübsam was the subject of television documentaries in both the U.S. and his native Germany and DANCEVISTA produced three TV specials about him and his work. The documentary "Behind the Curtain" features him alongside NYCB and Graham principals as well as Prima Ballerina Assoluta Eva Evdokimova, for whom he created a critically acclaimed solo.  He has been awarded government, foundation and corporate grants as well as the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen- und Halbach Prize, a Lincoln Center Fellowship, and the DRA Award.

He joined the faculty of his alma mater, The Juilliard School, in fall 2006 and is Resident Choreographer of the Hartford City Ballet. He is a sought-after guest choreographer for ballet and contemporary ensembles across the globe and a master teacher for dance technique and dance composition. In February 2008 he was a guest artist for Ballet Nacional del Peru and the Universidad de Lima.  Henning Rübsam tours a solo program with works to live and original music and is the first dance artist to be invited to speak at the annual international GEL conference.

Tickets are now on sale for $35; online at www.smarttix.com or by phone at (212) 868-4444.  Student/Dancer Rush (with ID/class card) for $15 at the door.  There is also a special Opening Saturday 11/08 benefit ticket at $150 which includes a festive catered reception after the performance.  Rübsam’s mentors of both the ballet and modern dance, Eve Evdokimova and Beverly Blossom are the artists co-chairs for the event. For information please visit www.sensedance.org

Magic Theatre to Present EVIE'S WALTZ Starting 11/8 - 11/8/2008

Loretta Greco has chosen Evie’s Waltz to make her directorial debut as Artistic Director of the Magic Theatre. Evie’s Waltz, written by Carter W. Lewis, marks the second play of Magic Theatre’s 2008/09.

Gloria and Clay are living every parent’s nightmare: their son has been suspended for carrying a gun to school.  As they wrestle with their predicament, an unexpected visit from their son’s girlfriend turns their backyard barbecue into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. “Evie’s Waltz is an unflinching play about the difficulties of parenting – and being – a teenager.” Artistic Director Loretta Greco says. “There is no handbook for this.  Every American family will relate to this piece which poses more questions than answers.  It is sure to promote many vibrant discussions.” Evie’s Waltz performs November 8 – December 7, 2008 at Magic’s Southside Theatre (Bldg D, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA – parking lot entrance at Marina Blvd. and Buchanan St.). Tickets are $20-$45 (with student rates at $15) and are available at (415) 441-8822 or www.magictheatre.org.

Evie’s Waltz is sure to incite lively dialogue between generations. Young and old are invited to attend one of two special matinees scheduled for November 19 and December 3 (both at 2:30pm).  A stimulating conversation, facilitated by a member of Magic Theatre’s artistic staff, will follow each of these performances.

Evie’s Waltz stars Bay Area favorites Darren Bridgett (Drifting Elegant, Blue Surge) and Julia Brothers ('Bot, The Hopper Collection, The Long Christmas Ride Home). Marielle Heller will be making her Magic Theatre debut in the title role. Playwright Carter W. Lewis, founder of the Upstart Theatre Company in Berkeley, makes his long awaited return to the Bay Area.

The production team for Evie’s Waltz features set designer Erik Flatmo (Octopus, The Crowd You’re In With), light designer York Kennedy (A Reckoning), costume designer Fumiko Bielefeld (Territories, Dr. Faustus) and Magic’s resident sound designer Sara Huddleston (The K of D, Octopus).

 
BIOGRAPHIES

Carter W. Lewis (Playwright) is currently serving as Playwright-in-Residence at Washington University where he teaches Playwriting and Dramaturgy. Prior to that, he was Literary Manager & Playwright-in-Residence for The Geva Theatre Center in New York. Carter was also co-founder and Resident Playwright for Upstart Stage in Berkeley, California. He is the winner of several national playwriting awards including: The Julie Harris Playwriting Award, The State Theatre Best New American Play, The Cincinnati Playhouse Rosenthal New Play Prize (1996 & 2001), New Dramatist Arnold Weissberger Playwriting Award, Playwright’s Center Jerome Residency, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation Award, (2003) and he is a two time nominee for the American Theatre Critics Award. A sample of theaters that have produced his work include; The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Source Theatre, Florida Stage, B Street Theatre, The Sacramento Theatre Company, The Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, Florida Repertory Theatre, The Geva Theatre Center, New Jersey Repertory Company, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, The Falcon Theatre, The Berkshire Theatre Festival, San Diego Repertory Theatre and The Royal Court Theatre in London. His published works include, Art Control, A Geometric Digression of the Species, Soft Click Of A Switch, An Asian Jockey In Our Midst and The One-Eyed Man Is King. Other plays by Carter W. Lewis include; Golf With Alan Shepard, Picasso Does My Maps, Longevity Abbreviated For Those Who Don’t Have Time, Women Who Steal, Men on the Take, American Storm by Integrity Out of Molly Brown, Kid Peculiar, Ordinary Nation, and Civil Disobedience. For his play, While We Were Bowling Carter was the recipient of a 2004 NEA/TCG ResidenCy Grant for Playwriting, and The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation Award for best new play of 2004.

Loretta Greco (Director/ Magic Artistic Director) comes to Magic with an acclaimed directing career in New York and throughout the country.  Her New York directing credits include the premieres of: Tracey Scott Wilson’s The Story, Ruben Santiago Hudson’s Obie Award-Winning Lackawanna Blues and Nilo Cruz’s Two Sisters and a Piano at the Joseph Papp Public Theater; Kate Walat’s Victoria Martin Math Team Queen, Rinne Groff’s Inky, Toni Press Coffman’s Touch, Karen Hartman’s Gum at Women’s Project; Emily Mann’s Meshugah at Naked Angels; Laura Cahill’s Mercy at the Vineyard; and Nilo Cruz’s Park In Our House at New York Theater Workshop.  She also directed the national tour of Emily Mann’s Having Our Say and the play’s international premiere at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa.  Ms. Greco’s Bay Area credits include productions of Speed-the-Plow, Blackbird, and Lackawanna Blues at ACT and Courtney Baron’s Morbidity & Mortality her at Magic.  Regional credits include:  Romeo and Juliet and Stop Kiss for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and productions at Long Wharf, South Coast Repertory Theatre, McCarter Theater, Intiman, Williamstown Theater Festival, La Jolla Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Repertory Theatre of St Louis, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Playmakers Repertory Company, and the Cleveland Play House.  She has worked extensively in new play development at Sundance, O’Neill, New York Stage and Film, Cape Cod Theater Project, South Coast Repertory, and the Public.  Her celebrated producing experience spans over thirty productions.  As the Producing Artistic Director of the Women’s Project in NYC and as Associate Director of McCarter Theater in Princeton, New Jersey Ms. Greco supported the work of notable artists including:  Diane Paulus, Lynn Nottage, Leigh Silverman, Annie Dorsen, Athol Fugard, Anna Deveare Smith, Joyce Carol Oates, Stephen Wadsworth, Deb Margolin, Luis Alfaro, Jon Robin Baitz and BD Wong.  Ms. Greco received her MFA from Catholic University.  She is the recipient of two Drama League Fellowships and a Princess Grace Award.

 Darren Bridgett’s (Clay) credits include: Magic Theatre (Drifting Elegant, Blue Surge), Aurora Theatre (Satellites), Marin Theatre Company (Love Song, The Good German, The Last Schwartz), Marin Shakespeare Festival (Much Ado About Nothing, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, She Stoops to Conquer,  Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged),  TheatreWorks (Twelfth Night, Learned Ladies of Park Avenue, Book of Days, Nickel and Dimed, Ah Wilderness!), Laguna Playhouse (Far East), Orlando Shakespeare Festival (Arms and the Man), Center REP (Midsummer Night’s Dream, How the Other Half Loves, Summer and Smoke, Vikings). Mr. Bridgett’s work has also been seen at ACT, California Shakespeare, San Jose Stage, TheatreFIRST, and Central Works.  His film credits include: Warner Brother’s Black August (in a co-starring role with Gary Dourdan), Read You Like a Book, Stephanie’s Image, Coastal, Ruby’s Tuesday, Death and Taxes, Fifth Form, and is currently shooting on The Prankster.  He is the recipient of various Bay Area Theatre Critic awards, 10 Drama-Logue awards and Dean Goodman Choice acknowledgements for outstanding principal and ensemble performance.

 Julia Brothers (Gloria) recently returned from the East Coast, where she appeared in Elaine May's Roger Is Dead with Marlo Thomas at the George Street Playhouse, and a one woman show based on Virginia Woolf's A Room Of One's Own at Liberty Free Theatre.  Julia has appeared at The Magic in Moving Right Along, 'Bot, The Hopper Collection, The Long Christmas Ride Home and Triptych. Other Bay credits include appearances at Marin Theatre Company in Love Song, The Subject Tonight Is Love and Fortune; Brava in Guatanamo, and Nickel and Dimed; TheatreWorks in Theophilus North, Ambition Facing West, and Be Aggressive; Pacific Repertory Theatre in Medea; San Jose Stage Wit and Beauty Queen of Leenane; and While We Were Bowling, Women Who Steal, Communicating Doors and Criminal Hearts at The B Street Theatre.  Julia is a company member of SF Playground and B Street.

Marielle Heller (Evie) will be making her Magic Theater debut with Evie's Waltz. Her New York credits include the American premiere of Jon Fosse's Sa Ka La directed by Sarah Cameron Sunde and appearances at the Peninsula Soho Rep, Local Story Access Theater, The Chocolate Factory, 365 New Georges and The Public. Mariella has been involved in new play development at New Georges, EST, Cherry Lane and Naked Angels. Her regional credits include the premiere of Continental Divide by David Edgar (Berkeley Rep), (The Barbican) (La Jolla) King Lear (San Diego Rep) and The Real Thing ACT (stand-by).  Marielle’s TV/Film include Spin City and Michael Eisner's web-series The All-For-Nots

Founded in 1967, Magic Theatre is one of the most preeminent theatres in the nation solely dedicated to development and production of new plays. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Loretta Greco and Managing Director David Jobin, Magic Theatre operates with a budget of $1.9 million in San Francisco’s historic Fort Mason Center.  Magic Theatre’s plays and playwrights have won numerous awards, including Pulitzer Prizes, Kennedy Center Award, NAACP Image Award, Obie Awards, Pen-West Awards, Bay Area Critics’ Circle Awards, and Los Angeles Drama-Logue Awards. The list of playwrights whose works have premiered at the Magic reads like a “Who’s Who of American Theatre”: David Mamet, Sam Shepard, Paula Vogel, Nilo Cruz, Charles Mee, Anne Bogart, and Rebecca Gilman amongst many others.  Magic Theatre is instrumental in the development of works throughout the Bay Area, with its Commonwealth Club Reading Series, Magic/Z Space New Works Initiative, Martha Heasley Cox Raw Play Series and its education program Young California Writers Project amongst others. For more information, visit the Magic Theatre website at www.magictheatre.org.

'A Midsummer Night's Dream' New World Reperatory! - 11/8/2008

New World Repertory Theater Begins Sixth Season With

William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

WHAT:            “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare. This rollicking roll through the forest includes wild fairies and mixed-up lovers, all with the modern twist that made last season’s “Hamlet Remix’d” so popular. Directed by Jean Gottlieb, the show runs about two hours with one intermission. 

WHEN:           “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” opens Saturday,

                         October 11, 2008, 7:30 p.m.(reception preceding)

                         Preview on Friday, October 10, 2008, 7:30 p.m.

                         Closes on Saturday, November 8, 2008

            Runs Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m.

                         Added 10 a.m. school matinee on Friday, October 17

WHERE:           New World Repertory Theater, 923 Curtiss St. in Downers Grove, IL

Handicapped accessible with chair lift, with street and lot parking

availability. The Metra line from downtown Chicago is the Burlington

Northern Santa Fe Suburban Chicago to Aurora - Main St. Downers Grove

stop.

TICKETS:   630-663-1489, www.newworldrep.org   

$20 for adults

            $15 for seniors and students, and for each ticket in groups of

            ten or more

            $12 matinees on Sundays

$10 for preview, and for school matinee on October 17,

10 a.m. (10/17 free for chaperones)

CAST:             Emily Carlson (Helena), Patrick Doolan (Demetrius), Rob Grabowski (Peter Quince), Will Hare (Bottom), Jeff Harris (Egeus/Snug), Stephanie Limesand (Hermia), Maggie Clennon Reberg (Hippolyta/Titania), Rocco Renda (Starveling/Mustardseed), Jeff Taylor (Snout), Patrick Tierney (Flute/Cobweb), Matt Tucker (Theseus/Oberon), Tom Wells (Puck), Conor Woods (Lysander); and featuring the young performers Blythe Gilio (Peaseblossom), Sam Gottlieb (Nightshade) and Natasha Prosek (Moth).

CREW:           Jean Gottlieb (Director), Alison Henderson (Producer), Jennifer Aparicio (Stage Manager), CAl Turner (Lighting Design), Rocco Renda (Costume Design), and Jenny Inglis (Assistant Director).

Stephen Schwartz & Friends to Run November 6-9 at Broadway by the Bay with Callaway, Coulter and Gravitte - 11/8/2008

Grammy and Academy award winning Stephen Schwartz will star LIVE onstage in Defying Gravity: Stephen Schwartz and Friends. Songwriter Schwartz will be joined by esteemed Broadway stars Liz Callaway, Scott Coulter and Debbie Gravitte who will lend their voices for this not to be missed presentation.

WHEN:
Opens November 6
Closes November 9

TIMES:
Thursday and Friday at 8 pm
Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm
Sunday at 1:30 & 5 pm

WHERE:
Broadway by the Bay at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center, 600 N Delaware, San Mateo

TICKETS
$17-$45 AND INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 650-579-5565 or visit www.broadwaybythebay.org. Discounts available for youths, seniors, subscriber and group of 10 or more.

Stephen Schwartz was born in New York City on March 6, 1948. He studied piano and composition at the Juilliard School of Music while in high school and graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 1968 with a B.F.A. in Drama. Upon coming back to live in New York City, he went to work as a producer for RCA Records, but shortly thereafter began to work in the Broadway theatre.

His first major credit was the title song for the play BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE; the song was eventually used in the movie version as well.

In 1971, he wrote the music and new lyrics for GODSPELL, for which he won several awards including two Grammys. This was followed by the English texts, in collaboration with Leonard Bernstein, for Bernstein's MASS, which opened the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The following year, he wrote the music and lyrics for PIPPIN and two years later, THE MAGIC SHOW. At one point, GODSPELL, PIPPIN, and THE MAGIC SHOW were all running on Broadway simultaneously.

He next wrote the music and lyrics for THE BAKER'S WIFE, followed by a musical version of Studs Terkel's WORKING, to which he contributed four songs, and which he also adapted and directed, winning the Drama Desk Award as best director. He also co-directed the television production, which was presented as part of the PBS "American Playhouse" series.

Next came songs for a one-act musical for children, CAPTAIN LOUIE, and a children's book, THE PERFECT PEACH. He then wrote music for three of the songs in the Off-Broadway revue, PERSONALS, lyrics to Charles Strouse's music for RAGS, and music and lyrics for CHILDREN OF EDEN.

He then began working in film, collaborating with composer Alan Menken on the scores for the Disney animated features POCAHONTAS, for which he received two Academy Awards and another Grammy, and THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. He also provided songs for DreamWorks' first animated feature, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, for which he won another Academy Award for the song "When You Believe". He most recently collaborated with Alan Menken on the songs for Disney's ENCHANTED.

Mr. Schwartz provided music and lyrics for the original television musical, GEPPETTO, seen on The Wonderful World of Disney and recently adapted for the stage as GEPPETTO & SON. He has released two CDs on which he sings new songs, entitled RELUCTANT PILGRIM and UNCHARTED TERRITORY.

Mr. Schwartz's most recent musical, WICKED, opened in the fall of 2003 and is currently running on Broadway and in several other productions around the United States and the world. In 2008, WICKED reached its 1900th performance on Broadway, making Mr. Schwartz the only songwriter in Broadway history ever to have three shows run more than 1900 performances.

Under the auspices of the ASCAP Foundation, he runs musical theatre workshops in New York and Los Angeles, and serves on the ASCAP board; he is also a member of the Council of the Dramatists' Guild.

Mint Theater Extends 'The Glass Cage' Extends Through 11/8 - 11/8/2008

The Drama Desk and Obie Award-wining Mint Theater Company kicks off their 2008-2009 season with the American Premiere of J. B. Priestley’s The Glass Cage, and is proud to announce that performances will continue through November 8th.

Lou Jacob directs a cast that includes Gerry Bamman (Nixon’s Nixon), Chet Carlin, Chad Hoeppner, Aaron Krohn (The Farnsworth Invention), Robin Moseley, Saxon Palmer, Jeanine Serralles (The Misanthrope, NYTW), Sandra Struthers-Clerc, Fiana Toibin (Long Day’s Journey..., Broadway), and Jack Wetherall (The Elephant Man, “Queer as Folk”).

“J.B. Priestley keeps being rediscovered,” writes the London Times, because “he’s never really gone away.”  In the mid-1990s, New York audiences thrilled to Priestley’s prescient modernity in An Inspector Calls on Broadway and Dangerous Corner (adapted by David Mamet for the Atlantic Theater).

Now Mint Theater Company presents the American premiere of his 1957 masterwork, The Glass Cage. Priestley’s drama of “fears, prejudices, hypocrisies and lies” was first brought to light in 2001 when his son Thomas recommended it for a reading as part of a Priestley Festival. A full production followed in 2007 at the Royal Theatre, Northampton—the first in fifty years. “J.B. Priestley’s The Glass Cage at the Mint is wondrous,” writes Peter Filichia in Theatremania, “one of those terrific plays where you know immediately who the good and the bad guys are from the very beginning, only to be not so sure as the play steamrolls along.”

The Glass Cage is a taut drama about the danger old family wounds left unattended. “The wealthy and sheltered McBane’s of Toronto, in J. B. Priestley’s brilliant drama from 1957, are a smug, spoiled, straitlaced bunch, and they’re certain that their three young relatives, coming to visit for the first time, will be savages, like their Indian mother, and drunkards, like their dissolute father. And they’re right: the visitors are as hot and wild as fire, and they come with a plan to do great harm. In this fully relevant revival, the performances by Saxon Palmer and Jeanine Serralles, as two of the three young people, pop like bright flowers.” (The New Yorker)

"Splendidly staged by Lou Jacob with a near-perfect cast,” writes Time Out New York.  The ensemble seems to love spending time inside a masterful drama. For us in the audience, the feeling’s mutual”

All performances will take place on the Third Floor of 311 West 43rd Street. For more information, you can also visit www.minttheater.org

Kennedy Center to Present Rebecca Luker in Barbara Cook in Barbara Cook's Spotlight - 11/8/2008

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presents three-time Tony® nominee Rebecca Luker in “Songs for the Theater: The Next Generation” on November 8, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. in the Terrace Theater.   The evening is part of Barbara Cook’s Spotlight, which features theater cabaret performances throughout the 2008-2009 season by Broadway artists chosen by Barbara Cook.

Rebecca Luker has been a Broadway favorite since she stepped in as Christine in The Phantom of the Opera in 1988.  She is currently starring in Mary Poppins for which she earned a 2007 Tony Award® nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.  Other Broadway credits include Show Boat (Tony® nomination), The Music Man (Tony® nomination), Nine, the most recent revival of The Sound of Music, and The Secret Garden.  Ms. Luker recently performed to sold-out audiences at her critically acclaimed American Songbook Series of solo concerts at Jazz at Lincoln Center.  Her recordings include Leaving Home (PSClassics.com), Anything Goes: Rebecca Luker Sings Cole Porter, Aria, Aria 2 and Aria 3 (Koch records), The Boys From Syracuse, Wonderful Town, Annie Get Your Gun, Broadway Showstoppers, Jerome Kern Treasury, and Brigadoon.  Ms. Luker was most recently seen at the Kennedy Center as Clara in the Sondheim Celebration production of Passion in 2002.

Each season, Barbara Cook’s Spotlight will bring perennial Broadway favorites to the Kennedy Center’s intimate Terrace Theater for a host of theater cabaret performances.  Remaining performances during the 2008-2009 season include Victoria Clark on December 6, Liz Callaway on January 9, and a joint performance with Jason Danieley and Marin Mazzie on February 14.  

TICKET INFORMATION

The performance of Barbara Cook’s Spotlight: Rebecca Luker is November 8, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. in the Terrace Theater.  All tickets cost $45 and are available for purchase at the Kennedy Center box office or by calling Instant Charge at (202) 467-4600.  Patrons living outside the Washington metropolitan area may dial toll-free at (800) 444-1324 or visit our website at kennedy-center.org.

Photo Credit Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

The Complete Performer- Emmy Winner, Ted Greenberg - 11/8/2008

THE COMPLETE PERFORMER is back after a complete triumph in The NY International Fringe Festival

Emmy Award-winning comedy writer Ted Greenberg brings his off-kilter brand of mindless inanity for a limited run Saturday nights at the Soho Playhouse, opening November 8th.

Hear about the standup comedian who got into the New York International Fringe Festival, convulsed audiences, was picked for the Fringe Encore Series and won the 2008 Producers Award? Funny, huh? And now Emmy Award-winning Ted Greenberg defies a depressed economy to return as The Complete Performer for a limited eight week off-Broadway run, Saturday nights at 10:30 at the Huron Club downstairs at the Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street.

Starting November 8th, New York Saturday nights are going to get a new live infusion of laughs from Greenberg, the Emmy Award-winning writer who came up with some of David Letterman’s most stunningly mindless stunts. Even the NY Times admits the show has “a definite off-center, Letterman-skit quality [and] goes by fast and enjoyably.” See for yourself: stand-up comic Ted Greenberg IS The Complete Performer, dazzling you with a rapid-fire array of magic, mindreading, improv, full frontal nudity and the always-popular audience awards. Plus a half-time show complete with a crowd-rousing mascot.

A familiar fixture of the New York comedy circuit, this is Greenberg's long-awaited solo venture, an interactive whirlwind packed into a 40-minute show from the only stand-up comedy act chosen for the 2008 FringeNYC.

Oh, in case you missed the first 45 years: Ted Greenberg graduated from Harvard, wrote for David Letterman, won an Emmy, drove a cab, traded stocks on Wall Street, received a Masters in Public Health and researched suicide prevention. The Complete Performer is his only logical next step. Here’s what the critics had to say about his recent run in FringeNYC:

“Greenberg’s mostly one-man show is drawing crowds.... There is a definite off center Letterman skit quality to The Complete Performer.... Goes by both fast and enjoyably.” – THE NEW YORK TIMES

“This multifaceted funnyman will deliver laughs, mind-reading and other audience-impressing delights.” – NEW YORK POST

“Rollicking roller coaster ride… rapid-fire hilarity… a powerhouse… kept a full house roaring… leaves you wanting much, much more.” – NYTHEATRE.COM

“Greenberg is truly the Complete Performer…. He was hilarious…. If you ever get a chance, go see Ted Greenberg. You’ll have a completely marvelous time.” – TIME WARNER CHANNEL 67

The Complete Performer plays Saturday nights at 10:30, eight weeks only, from November 8th thru December 27th, at the Huron Club downstairs at the Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street, between 6th Avenue and Varick. Tickets are $15 and may be purchased by calling 212/691-1555 or by visiting www.SohoPlayhouse.com. Hey, there’s a bar down there, making this the quintessential New York Saturday night out. Come for the laughs, stay for the drinks.

Ted Greenberg Brings 'The Complete Performer' to Soho Playhouse Starting 11/8 - 11/8/2008

Emmy Award-winning comedy writer Ted Greenberg brings his "off-kilter brand of mindless inanity" back for a limited run Saturday nights at the Soho Playhouse, opening November 8th.

The standup comedian got into the New York International Fringe Festival and was subsequently picked for the Fringe Encore Series and won the 2008 Producers Award. Now Emmy Award-winning Ted Greenberg defies a depressed economy to return as The Complete Performer for a limited eight week off-Broadway run, Saturday nights at 10:30 at the Huron Club downstairs at the  Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street.

Starting November 8th, New York Saturday nights are going to get a new live infusion of laughs from Greenberg, the Emmy Award-winning writer who came up with some of David Letterman’s most stunningly mindless stunts. Even the NY Times admits the show has “a definite off-center, Letterman-skit quality [and] goes by fast and enjoyably.” See for yourself: stand-up comic Ted Greenberg IS The Complete Performer, dazzling you with a rapid-fire array of magic, mindreading, improv, full frontal nudity and the always-popular audience awards. Plus a half-time show complete with a crowd-rousing mascot.

A familiar fixture of the New York comedy circuit, this is Greenberg's long-awaited solo venture, an interactive whirlwind packed into a 40-minute show from the only stand-up comedy act chosen for the 2008 FringeNYC.

The Complete Performer plays Saturday nights at 10:30, eight weeks only, from November 8th thru December 27th, at the Huron Club downstairs at the Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street, between 6th Avenue and Varick. Tickets are $15 and may be purchased by calling 212/691-1555 or by visiting www.SohoPlayhouse.com. Hey, there’s a bar down there, making this the quintessential New York Saturday night out. Come for the laughs, stay for the drinks.

Goodman Theatre Launches World Premiere of RUINED 11/8 - 11/8/2008

Chicago's Goodman Theatre opens its “Strong Women, Strong Voices” Owen Theatre Series with the world premiere of Lynn Nottage’s RUINED, directed by Kate Whoriskey and co-produced with Manhattan Theatre Club. Commissioned by the Goodman and first seen in the 2007 New Stages Series, Ruined was developed through Nottage and Whoriskey’s pilgrimage to Uganda—where countless interviews and interactions resulted in a portrait of the lives of the women and girls caught in the devastating armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Leading the Goodman’s cast in the role of Mama Nadi is Saidah Arrika Ekulona (Well on Broadway; Righteous Kill), who previously collaborated with Nottage and Whoriskey on the world premiere of Fabulation at Playwrights Horizons. Note: Ekulona replaces the previously announced Adriane Lenox, who has withdrawn from the production due to unexpected personal reasons. Ruined begins performances on November 8 (opening night is November 17) and runs through December 7. Tickets are $10 to $39. A complete performance schedule including dates, times and ticket prices appears at the end of this release. Ruined begins performances at Manhattan Theatre Club on January 21, 2009. The Sara Lee Foundation is the Owen Season Corporate Sponsor.

“Lynn Nottage is a tremendously talented writer who, with her gorgeous, heart-wrenching new play Ruined, once again introduces us to places and persons with which we are unfamiliar—building bridges between cultures,” said Artistic Director Robert Falls. “Saidah Ekulona is a complex, brilliant actor, and the perfect steward to this devastating war-torn world. We’re delighted to welcome back Kate Whoriskey, and to partner with Manhattan Theatre Club in this premiere.” 

Set in the present-day DRC, RUINED is the captivating story of Mama Nadi (Ekulona), the owner of a canteen who serves up everything from a cold beer and a warm meal—to the company of a woman. Through the eyes of this savvy businesswoman who both protects and profits from the women whose bodies have become battlegrounds, Nottage captures the constantly shifting allegiances and tragic absurdity that marks the civil war in the DRC. Ruined, rendered with Nottage’s trademark humanity, clarity and surprising humor, gives a glimpse of a country that has suffered immeasurable losses since the beginning of this war that has raged for more than a decade. 

“I sought to sustain the complexity of the modern DRC, a country that’s been ravaged by a brutal war, and where the unspeakable has become commonplace,” said Nottage. “The challenge in writing the play was to find optimism where there is seemingly none, to mine the ugliness for seeds of beauty. The DRC is a place where hope and disillusionment do a fragile dance. It is in this tension of opposites that my play exists.”

About Saidah Arrika Ekulona and the Ensemble Cast

Saidah Arrika Ekulona appeared on Broadway in Well at the Longacre Theatre. Her off-Broadway credits include Well, Unconditional, The Square and Suzan-Lori Parks’ 365 Days, 365 Plays at Public Theater; Romeo and Juliet at New York Shakespeare Festival; Anon at Atlantic Theater Company; The Thugs at Soho Repertory Theatre; Speak Truth to Power at Culture Project; Fabulation at Playwrights Horizons; and A Streetcar Named Desire at New York Theatre Workshop. Her film credits include Righteous Kill, The Taking of Pelham 123, Two Lovers, The Second Line, Uncertainty, The Royal Tenenbaums, Happy Accidents, Alfie and Saving Face. Her television credits include The Sopranos (HBO), Queens Supreme (CBS); Sex & The City (HBO); Hope & Faith (ABC); and Law & Order (NBC). She received her MFA from the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater.

The cast of RUINED is completed by Quincy Tyler Bernstine (Salima), Cherise Boothe (Josephine), Ali Amin Carter (Soldier #2), Chris Chalk (Jerome Kisembe), William Jackson Harper (Simon), Chiké Johnson (Fortune), Russell G. Jones (Christian), Simon Kashama (Soldier #1), Kevin Mambo (Commander Osembenga), Tom Mardirosian (Mr. Harari) and Condola Phyleia Rashad (Sophie).

About the Playwright

Lynn Nottage, whose work was most recently seen at the Goodman during the 2005/2006 season with Crumbs from the Table of Joy, directed by Chuck Smith, is the author of Intimate Apparel, which was produced in New York at Roundabout Theatre Company after its world-premiere production at Center Stage and South Coast Repertory and received numerous awards, including the 2004 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play, the Outer Critics Circle Best Play award, the John Gassner Award, the American Theatre Critics/Steinberg 2004 New Play Award and the 2004 Francesca Primus Award. Her next play, Fabulation, or the Education of Undine, was first produced by Playwrights Horizons and received a highly acclaimed production at the Tricycle Theatre in London. Both plays are published in an anthology by Theatre Communications Group (TCG). Another anthology of her plays, Crumbs From the Table of Joy and Other Plays was published by TCG, and includes Crumbs From the Table of Joy; Las Meninas; Mud, River, Stone; Por’Knockers and Poof! Her plays have been produced and developed at theaters throughout the country, including Alliance Theatre, Second Stage Theatre, Vineyard Theatre, Freedom Theatre, Crossroads Theatre Company, Intiman Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Yale Repertory Theatre and Sundance Institute Theatre Lab, among many others. Nottage wrote the feature film Side Streets (Merchant Ivory Productions), directed by Tony Gerber. The film was an official selection at the Venice and Sundance Film Festivals. Currently, she is writing an adaptation of Edwige Danticat’s novel The Dew Breaker for HBO Films. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the prestigious 2004 PEN/Laura Pels Award for literary excellence and the 2005 Guggenheim grant for playwriting, as well as fellowships from Manhattan Theatre Club, New Dramatists and the New York Foundation for the Arts, where she is a member of the Artists Advisory Board. Nottage is an alumna of New Dramatists, a recipient of the MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant” Award and a graduate of Brown University and the Yale School of Drama, where she is currently a visiting lecturer. She is currently under commission to write plays for Royal National Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Wilma Theatre, Center Stage, South Coast Repertory and Roundabout Theatre Company. 

About the Director

Kate Whoriskey’s Goodman Theatre credits include Vigils, Heartbreak House, The Rose Tattoo and Drowning Crow. Her Off-Broadway credits include The Piano Teacher by Julia Cho at Vineyard Theatre, The Last Tree in Antarctica by Julie Cho at Ensemble Studio Theatre, the world premiere of Fabulation by Lynn Nottage at Playwrights Horizons and Massacre by José Rivera at LAByrinth Theater Company, of which she is a member. She also directed The Tempest at Shakespeare Theatre Company; the world premiere of Intimate Apparel, The Piano Teacher, Life is a Dream, Caucasian Chalk Circle, Antigone and The Clean House at South Coast Repertory; The Master Builder at American Repertory Theatre; and Blue/Orange, Lady from the Sea and The Chairs at Intiman Theatre. She has worked with writers Nilo Cruz, Sarah Ruhl, Michael Oondaatje, ReGina Taylor and Said Sayrafiezadeh. Whoriskey has also directed at Theatre for a New Audience, Center Stage in Baltimore, Perseverance Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Sundance Theatre Lab, The Fisher Center, The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center and Geva Theatre. A graduate of New York University and the ART Institute at Harvard, she is currently a visiting lecturer at Princeton University and an associate artist at South Coast Repertory. 

The design team and additional artists for RUINED include Derek McLane (Set), Paul Tazewell (Costumes), Peter Kaczorowski (Lighting), Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen (Sound), Dominic Kanza (Original Music), and Randy Duncan (Movement Director). 

Tickets to RUINED are $10 to $39 and may be purchased online at GoodmanTheatre.org, at the Goodman Theatre Box Office, 170 North Dearborn Street, or by phone at 312.443.3800. Mezztix are half-price mezzanine tickets available at 12 noon at the box office, and at 10am online at GoodmanTheatre.org on the day of performance, subject to availability; Mezztix are not available by telephone. When purchasing on GoodmanTheatre.org, enter the promo code MEZZTIX. 10Tix are $10 mezzanine tickets for students available at 12 noon at the box office, and at 10am online at GoodmanTheatre.org on the day of performance, subject to availability; 10Tix are not available by telephone. Valid student I.D. must be presented when picking up the tickets at will call. Limit four tickets per student with I.D. Tickets are subject to availability and handling fees apply. Discounted group tickets for 10 persons or more are available at 312.443.3820.

FOR FLOW Opens at Theater for the New City 11/8 - 11/8/2008

25 to Life Productions, LLC will present "FOR FLOW,"  AN ALMOST-BECKETT HIP-HOP MUSICAL PLAY, a hip-hop Vladimir-and-Estragon play, at Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue (at East Tenth Street), Manhattan, from November 6 to 23. Previews Nov. 6 & 7, 2008. Opens Nov. 8. Closes Nov. 23. The characters are rap musicians. The prototype is "Waiting For Godot." This new play by Kesav M. Wable borrows Beckett's existential landscape and transplants two "Beckettian" clownsrappers to be exact--to a lonely street corner in the Bronx where they wait for a record producer. They're later joined by a woman DJ and a Delta Blues guitarist who also meet at this crossroads in search of their own destinies. The characters share a soulful journey colored by live DJ sets, rap battles and blues guitar as they explore the philosophical genesis of rapping as an art form and hip-hop as a cultural movement. Jonathan Solari directs.

Each character in "For Flow" is a musician and during the course of the play, when egos clash and stories are told, freestyle battles, live DJ sets, and blues riffs color the soulful journey that these characters share. The play adopts a structure and themes that are parallel to "Waiting for Godot," but not its characters. "Their relationships are not actually Beckettian," says author Kesav M. Wable. "They're not as eccentric, but they are quire literary."

Dee and Kane (nee Vladimir and Estragon) are two MC's from the borough of the Bronx searching for a way to climb out of their hardscrabble lives. In front of a Bronx bedoga, they await the arrival of "Flow," a record producer Dee claims to have met in a club. Although each young man greets this opportunity with his own unique disposition, both are aware of how important this meeting is to their lives. They grapple with strategies, appearances and each other's egos in preparation for their big meeting. Moreover, they confront existential dilemmas in the art of rapping and social dilemmas of hip-hop as a cultural movement.

In the course of the play two supporting characters (nee Pozzo and Lucky) pass by the street corner where Dee and Kane stand waiting. Roxanne is a DJ who is searching for a pawn shop; Broonzy is an elderly male blues guitarist in search of a lost family. The pair cajole the MC's, hoping to achieve their own objectives. The relationship that develops between Roxanne and the MCs serves to examine the potency of a woman in hip-hop, both socially and musically. The relationship between Broonzy and the boys attempts to place rap in the larger context of African-American music with its tradition of finding freedom and protest through song despite oppressive socio-economic conditions.

Playwright Kesav M. Wable, who spent the first ten years of his life in South India, was trained in Indian classical music. His mother initially dismissed his passion for Hip-Hop, overlooking its similarity to Indian rhythms. Now he's an actor with a law degree who indulges his literary mimetic gift by writing plays. In addition to Samuel Beckett, "For Flow" draws inspiration from the works of Suzan-Lori Parks, August Wilson, Zora-Neale Hurston, and Ralph Ellison. "I wanted to investigate the genesis of Hip-Hop and the circumstances that led to this art form," Wable writes.

Wable was a 2006-07 Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) inaugural South Asian Playwriting Fellow Lark Studio Theatre, where "For Flow" was staged as a directed reading in October, 2007. He is also author of "Ashoka's Wheel" (2005), a political play about an Indian Hindu family. It had a directed reading in Chicago at Rasaka Theatre. In July 2006, the play was featured as a finalist in the Chicago Dramatists' "Many Voices Project." He is currently working on a new play entitled "Chakras."

As an actor, he has appeared as Darius in Yong Soo Pak's film "Antigone 5000." He has performed in numerous stage productions including Stephen in Israel Horovitz's "Line" at the 13th Street Repertory Theater, Hossein in "Khaddish in East Jerusalem" at Theater for the New City and Murellus in "Julius Caesar" at the National Black Theater. In 2004, he collaborated with Eye Blink Entertainment to stage an adaptation of Indian folk tales, "Beneath the Banyan Tree," that he co-wrote with Qurrat Kadwani. He's a graduate of Brooklyn Law School.

Director Jonathan Solari recently directed the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's "Green Sneakers" as part of the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival. He also directed Israel Horovitz' "The Indian Wants the Bronx" in the OBIE-Award winning Peculiar Works Project East Village Fragments. Other works have been seen at Dixon Place, The Ohio Theatre and Orlando Shakespeare Festival. As an assistant director, he has worked with Bart Sher, Dan Sullivan, Daniel Kramer, Robert Lyons and Jo Bonney. He is currently directing a production of Howard Barker's "Judith" at The Kraine. He is Artistic Director of The Centrifuge (www.thecentrifuge.org).

The play's music designer, Stephen L. Smith, arranged for The Cast to be coached by Nysis, a rising underground rap artist, for their "Free Styles" and performance skills. In the production, their Free Styles are meant to reveal the evolution of their talent from newbies to polished rappers. Hip-Hop is an improvisational art, and the actors have been encouraged to write their own rhymes. "It's built-in character development," asserts Wable. While Hip-Hop theater might seem a long stretch for the classically-trained, this cast has displayed astonishing chops--so much so that Wable and Solari abandoned the need to write lyrics for them and opted to nurture their creative contributions instead.

CAST AND DESIGNERS

Brian D. Coats (Broonzy) has appeared at the Public/NYSF in "Two Gentlemen of Verona" and "Merry Wives of Windsor" and in regional theater in North Carolina. He shared Philadelphia's Barrymore Theatre Award for Best Ensemble Acting and has appeared as Co-Star and Guest Star on "Law and Order", "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit", "JAG", Comedy Central's "Viva Variety" and final season of "The Sopranos." He is a graduate of NC School of the Arts/School of Drama.

Cherrye Davis (Roxanne) hails from East Gun Hill Road in the Bronx (where the play is set). She holds a B.F.A. in Drama from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. She appeared in The Classical Theater of Harlem's productions of "Hamlet" (with Arthur French) and "Osun, Goddess of Love." A member of The Movement Theater Company, she has created two original works, "Sold!" and "Dreams in Scar Space."

Devere Rogers (Dee), originally from the Midwest, appeared Off-Broadway in "STEP: The Musical." He has toured in "Five Guys Named Moe." His regional theater productions include "Black Terror," "The Wiz," "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Little Shop of Horrors." He is a B.F.A. candidate in Theater at NYU.

Vladimi Versailles (Kane), Haitian-born but raised in Philadelphia, is a recent graduate of Marymount Manhattan College with a concentration in Theatre Performance and a minor in Musical Theatre Minor. His recent shows include "The Johnny" for 2008 NY Fringe Festival, "The Comedy of Errors" at NJ Shakespeare Theatre and "365 Days/Plays" with Classical Theatre of Harlem at The Public Theatre. He has a several commercials running on TV, radio & new media.

Set design is by Jordan Wagenseller. Lighting design is by Jennifer Snyder. Costume design is by Yung-I Chang. Sound and music design are by Stephen L. Smith.

TICKET INFORMATION

Theater for the New City
Thurs. - Sat. at 8 PM, Sun. at 3 PM.
$18 general admission. Box office: 646-621-7891. Online ticketing: www.25tolifeproductions.com/events.html
Runs 1 hr. 20 min.

Open Book and Nunkie Theatre Company Present OH, WHISTLE Through 11/8 at 78th Street Theatre Lab - 11/8/2008

THE OPEN BOOK and NUNKIE THEATRE COMPANY are pleased to announce the upcoming production of "OH, WHISTLE…," two ghost stories by M R JAMES and performed by R M LLOYD PARRY at the 78th Street Theatre Lab. "OH, WHISTLE…" plays Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM, October 22nd through November 8th.  In addition, performances of Lloyd Parry's 2007 M R James show, "A PLEASING TERROR," plays 10:00 PM on Friday, October 24th, 31st and November 7th.  All single show tickets are $20. Friday double show tickets and group discounts are also available. To reserve tickets (cash, personal checks, or TDF vouchers only), call (212)362-0329, or visit https://the-open-book1.ticketleap.com for credit card purchases. The 78TH STREET THEATRE LAB is located at 236 West 78th Street, just east of Broadway.

This Hallowe'en, Robert Lloyd PARRY brings a seasonal shiver to New York City with his retelling of two of the greatest tales by M R James, the master of the English ghost story. Oh, Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad—a tale of nocturnal horror on the Suffolk coast—is considered by many to be the author's masterpiece. It is beautifully complemented here by The Ash Tree, a story of witchcraft and vengeance down the generations. A PLEASING TERROR (Friday nights at 10 PM only) offers two additional James stories: Canon Alberic's Scrap-book and The Mezzotint.

Every Christmas, Montague Rhodes (M R ) James (1862–1936) would write and perform new tales, to entertain friends in his rooms in King's College, Cambridge. A century later, these still have a special power to terrify and amuse. This unique interpretation gives New York theatregoers the opportunity to experience these eerie masterpieces in the manner in which they were originally enjoyed—as ghostly confections, told to a rapt audience.

"M R JAMES dedicated his stories to 'those who have at various times listened to them,' " explains Lloyd Parry, "and I try to evoke the tone and atmosphere of James' original performances. Reticence and suggestion are very important weapons in James' storytelling armory, so the staging, the lighting and the delivery are all very straightforward—and, one hopes, all the more chilling for that."

Robert Lloyd PARRY is an actor and art historian. He first read M R James' ghost stories as a teenager, and his passion for them was rekindled when he began working at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, where James was Director in the early 1900s. Since performing two of his favorite works in James' old office in the Fitzwilliam in 2006, he has pursued this enthusiasm around the UK, USA and Ireland, often performing in venues closely associated with the author. "OH, WHISTLE…" is the sequel to his critically acclaimed one-man show "A PLEASING TERROR," which toured the UK, USA and Ireland in 2006 / 2007. In 2008, Lloyd Parry's "OH, WHISTLE…" won The Dr! acula Society Hamilton Deane Award for best dramatic presentation in the Gothic genre. (The last winner was Guillermo del Toro for Pan's Labyrinth.).  For more information visit www.nunkie.co.uk.  You can also watch Robert Lloyd PARRY performing three excerpts of "A PLEASING TERROR" on youtube.com, keyword: nunkietheatreUSA.

Cout Theatre Presents 'Radio MacBeth' - 11/8/2008

COURT THEATRE PRESENTS
THE CHICAGO PREMIERE OF SITI COMPANY’S
RADIO MACBETH

Court Theatre continues its 2008/09 season with SITI Company’s Radio Macbeth adapted from the play by Shakespeare and co-directed by SITI Company Artistic Director Anne Bogart and Darron L. West. The production will run November 6, 2008 – December 7, 2008 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Avenue.  The press opening will be Saturday, November 8, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.

Late at night in the guts of an abandoned theater, a company of actors gathers to rehearse Shakespeare’s Macbeth. They soon realize that they are not alone. As they are drawn deeper into the Bard’s most magnetic play, the ghosts that have haunted the story since its inception hover and encroach. History, ambition, fortune, fate, free will, hubris, pride, indecision, and madness permeate SITI Company’s production of Shakespeare’s haunting classic.

Court Theatre Artistic Director Charles Newell says, “We are thrilled to welcome SITI Company back to Hyde Park.  Their innovative and accessible version of Macbeth is going to appeal to those familiar with the play and those seeing it for the first time.  Staging Macbeth as a radio play will make sound an interval part of the story.  Combine the unique use of sound with Court’s intimate venue and you have a powerful evening of theatre.”

SITI Company is an ensemble based theater company whose mission is to create bold, new productions which tour both nationally and internationally, and to train theater professionals and students in an approach to acting and collaboration that forges unique and highly disciplined theater artists.

Founded in 1992 by Anne Bogart and Tadashi Suzuki, SITI Company began as an agreement to redefine and revitalize contemporary theater in the United States through an emphasis on international cultural exchange and collaboration. Originally envisioned as a summer institute in Saratoga Springs, New York, SITI expanded to encompass a year-round company based in New York City with a summer season in Saratoga. The company is known internationally as a top-level artistic collective that generates groundbreaking theater while training artists from around the world.  

The cast of Radio Macbeth features Akiko Aizawa, Will Bond, Gian-Murray Gianino, Ellen Lauren, Barney O’Hanlon, Makela Spielman, and Stephen Webber.

The designers are James Schuette (scenic and costume design), M.L. Dogg (sound design), and Brian H. Scott (lighting design). Elizabeth Moreau is the Company stage manager and J. Ed Araiza is the Dramaturg.

Anne Bogart (Co-Director) is the Artistic Director of the SITI Company, which she founded with Japanese director Tadashi Suzuki in 1992. She is a Professor at Columbia University where she runs the Graduate Directing Program. Works with SITI include Who Do You Think You Are, Radio Macbeth; Hotel Cassiopeia; Death and the Ploughman; La Dispute; Score; bobrauschenbergamerica; Room; War of the Worlds; Cabin Pressure; The Radio Play; Alice's Adventures; Culture of Desire; Bob; Going, Going, Gone; Small Lives/Big Dreams; The Medium; Noel Coward's Hay Fever and Private Lives; August Strindberg's Miss Julie; and Charles Mee's Orestes. Other recent productions include: I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Glimmerglass Opera, Nicholas and Alexandra, Los Angeles Opera, Marina A Captive Spirit (American Opera Projects), Lilith and Seven Deadly Sins (New York City Opera). She is the author of three books: A Director Prepares, The Viewpoints Book and And Then, You Act.

Darron L. West (Sound Design and Co-Director) has been a SITI Company member since 1993 and first collaborated with Anne Bogart in 1990 while resident sound designer at Actors Theatre of Louisville.  His work for theater and dance has been heard in over 400 productions nationally and internationally.  His accolades include a 1998 Obie award for SITI's Bob, The Princess Grace Award, an Entertainment Design Magazine EDDY, the 2004 and 2005 Henry Hewes Design award, a 2006 Lortell and AUDELCO Award.  As director: Kid Simple (2004 Humana Festival at Actors Theater of Louisville), Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse and Eurydice (Children's Theater Co. Minneapolis), Big Love (Rude Mechanicals Austin, Texas), SITI Company’s War of the Worlds – The Radio Play and Radio Macbeth.

Previews are November 6 & November 7, 2008.  The opening press performance is on Saturday, November 8, 2008, at 8:00 p.m. Curtain times are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. with Saturday matinees at 3 p.m.; Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Ticket prices are $32 to $40 for preview performances; $38 to $56 for regular run performances. Tickets are available at the Box Office, 5535 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago; 773.753.4472 or online at www.CourtTheatre.org. Student and senior discounts available. Groups of 10 or more may purchase tickets by calling Milan Pejnovich at 773.834.3243.

Radio Macbeth is sponsored by the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation

Court Theatre, the professional theatre in residence at the University of Chicago, is located at 5535 S. Ellis Ave. in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood.  To purchase single tickets for Radio Macbeth or to receive more information, call the Court Theatre Box Office at (773) 753-4472, or visit Court’s website at www.CourtTheatre.org.

Court Theatre's 54th Season, under the leadership of Artistic Director Charles Newell and Executive Director Dawn J. Helsing, is generously supported by Richard and Barbara Franke, The Chicago Community Trust, Hyde Park Bank, Virginia and Gary Gerst, The Joyce Foundation, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Polk Brothers Foundation, Shubert Foundation, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, and the University of Chicago.  Court Theatre is also funded in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, CityArts Program IV of the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.


Radio Macbeth / FACT SHEET

Synopsis: Late at night in the guts of an abandoned theater, a company of actors gathers to rehearse Shakespeare’s Macbeth. They soon realize that they are not alone. As they are drawn deeper into the Bard’s most magnetic play, the ghosts that have haunted the story since its inception hover and encroach. History, ambition, fortune, fate, free will, hubris, pride, indecision, and madness permeate SITI Company’s production of Shakespeare’s haunting classic.


Title:                  Radio Macbeth
Created by:         SITI Company
Adapted from:     Shakespeare’s Macbeth
Co-Directed by:   Anne Bogart and Darron L. West
Featuring:           SITI Company Ensemble Members 
   
Dates:       

Previews:             November 6 & November 7, 2008   
Press opening: Saturday, November 8, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.       
Regular run:     November 9- December 7, 2008    
Schedule:         Wednesdays & Thursdays:     7:30 p.m.
Fridays:            8:00 p.m.
Saturdays:            3:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m. 
Sundays:         2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Location:         Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave.
Tickets:        $32-$56
Box Office:    Located at 5535 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago; (773) 753-4472 or online www.CourtTheatre.org


NOTES OF INTEREST:
•    The Chicago Premiere of Radio Macbeth marks SITI Company’s second touring production performed at Court Theatre; its production of Hotel Cassiopeia also made its Midwest Premiere at Court in November of 2006.

•    Since its workshop performance at The Public Theater in New York, Radio Macbeth has played The Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio; the International Festival of Arts & Ideas in New Haven, Connecticut; Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York; The Dublin Theatre Festival; and Suny Purchase Performing Arts Center in Purchase, New York.

Martha Clarke Directs GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS at Minetta Lane Starting 11/8 - 11/8/2008

Visionary director Martha Clarke brings Hieronymus Bosch’s provocative painting to life in Garden of Earthly Delights, exploring heaven, hell, and the beauty and sins amid, beginning performances Saturday, November 8 at Off-Broadway’s Minetta Lane Theatre, 18 Minetta Lane.  The limited 12-week engagement is scheduled to open Wednesday, November 19.

Almost 25 years after Garden of Earthly Delights premiered; Martha Clarke is reinventing her creation, continuing to blur the lines between theater, dance, art, and music to create a world of her own.  An inspired synthesis of visual and performing magic, this breathtaking flight of imaginative genius is sexy, evocative, and unlike anything you’ve ever seen on stage.  Using state-of-the-art aerial devices created by the “Flying by Foy” workshop, Martha Clarke takes you on a journey from creation through Eden, earthly existence, damnation and redemption.  Garden of Earthly Delights is back in New York for the first time since the revolutionary production premiered at St. Clement’s in November, 1984 and then to huge acclaim in a groundbreaking run at the Minetta Lane Theatre in 1987.

The original production was honored with a Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience, an Obie Award for Richard Peaslee's original score, and a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for choreography.

Conceived, directed, and choreographed by Martha Clarke, Garden of Earthly Delights features Sophie Bortolussi, Benjamin G. Bowman, Daniel Clifton, Marjorie Folkman, General McArthur Hambrick, Whitney V. Hunter, Gabby Malone, Jennifer Nugent, Matt Rivera, Jenny Sandler, Isadora Wolfe; with musicians Wayne Hankin (winds), Egil Rostad (cello) and Arthur Solari (music director, percussion).  Original Score by Richard Peaslee who received an Obie Award for Garden of Earthly Delights; Set and Lighting Design by Christopher Akerlind; Costume Design by Jane Greenwood; State-of-the-art flying devices created by the “Flying by Foy” workshop. 

Martha Clarke (Director/Choreographer).  MacArthur Award winner Martha Clarke’s career spans dance, theater, and opera.  She was a founding member of Pilobolus Dance Theatre and has choreographed for the Nederlans Dans Theater, American Ballet Theatre, Rambert Dance Company, and The Martha Graham Company, among others.  As a director, Clarke’s many original productions include Garden of Earthly Delights, Vienna: Lusthaus, Miracolo d’amore, Endangered Species, An Uncertain Hour, The Hunger Artist, and Vers la flame.  She directed the premiere of Christopher Hampton’s Alice’s Adventures Underground at the Royal National Theatre in London. Clarke has directed The Magic Flute for the Glimmerglass Opera and the Canadian Opera Company; Cosi fan tutte for Glimmerglass; Tan Dun’s Marco Polo for the Munich Biennale, the Hong-Kong Festival and the New York City Opera; and Gluck’s Orfeo and Euridice for the English National Opera and the New York City Opera.  She directed A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the American Repertory Theatre and created Belle Epoque, a work based on the life of Toulouse Lautrec, for Lincoln Center Theater.  Clarke has received grants from the Guggenheim Foundation as well as the National Endowment for the Arts.  She has received the Drama Desk Award, two Obie Awards, and the L.A. Critics Award.  Her Kaos, presented at New York Theatre Workshop, was awarded the first Tony Randall Foundation Award in 2006.

Richard Peaslee (Composer) has composed numerous scores for the theater and dance, including The Marat/Sade, A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Oedipus and US for Peter Brook and the Royal Shakespeare Company; Animal Farm for Sir Peter Hall and London’s Royal National Theatre; Garden of Earthly Delights (Obie Award), Vienna Lusthaus, and Miracolo d’Amore for Martha Clarke.  He has worked with The New York City Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet, Pilobolus, and choreographers David Parsons, Elisa Monte, Grethe Holby, and Twyla Tharp.  His music for big band has been performed by the Russo London Jazz Orchestra, the Stan Kenton Neophonic Orchestra, and by soloist Gerry Mulligan.  His score for the Joseph Campbell television series, “The Power of Myth,” was nominated for an Emmy Award.  He has also composed numerous concert works, several musicals, and most recently, Moby-Dick, a music theatre work presented in London.

Christopher Akerlind (Set & Lighting Design).  Broadway: Top Girls, 110 In The Shade (Tony nom.), Shining City, Well, Awake and Sing! (Tony nom.), Rabbit Hole, A Touch of the Poet, In My Life, The Light In The Piazza (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics awards), Reckless, The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife, Seven Guitars (Tony nom.), Philadelphia Here I Come!, The Piano Lesson.  Recent: Kafeneion (Athens Festival); Superior Donuts (Steppenwolf); Orpheus X (Edinburgh & Hong Kong Festivals); Kaos (NYTW).  Obie Award for Sustained Excellence.

Jane Greenwood (Costume Designer).  Broadway:  Prelude to a Kiss, Our Leading Lady, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, On Golden Pond, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Retreat From Moscow, The Violet Hour, The Caretaker, Salome, Tartuffe, Fortune’s Fool, Mornings at Seven, Major Barbara, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Last Night of Ballyhoo, A Delicate Balance, Master Class, Passion, She Loves Me!, The Heiress, The Sisters Rosensweig, Plenty, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Medea, Burton’s Hamlet, and The Ballad of the Sad Café.  Off-Broadway credits include Belle Epoque, A Man of No Importance, Burn This, House/Garden, Vita and Virginia, and The Lisbon Traviata.  Operas include Dialogue of the Carmelites and The Great Gatsby for the Metropolitan, Nabucco and Rigoletto for the Chicago Lyric, as well as Flight and Jane Eyre for Opera Theatre of St. Louis.  Films include Arthur, Glengarry Glen Ross, Oleanna, and the cult classic Can’t Stop the Music.  Awards include 14 Tony nominations, the Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award, the Maharam Award for Tartuffe, the Lortel Awards for Sylvia and Old Money, and the Helen Hayes Life Achievement Award.

Garden of Earthly Delights is produced by Rhoda Herrick, the Artistic/Producing Director of South Ark Stage which is currently producing a chamber musical, The Black Monk, starring Austin Pendleton at the Samuel Beckett Theater on Theatre Row.

Garden of Earthly Delights will play the following schedule at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane): Tuesday at 7pm, Wednesday – Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 3pm and 8pm, and Sunday at 3pm and 7pm.  Tickets are $40.00 - $69.50 and may be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster.com or phoning 212 307-4100.  Premium seats are available for $110.00; Same day rush tickets are available at the box office for $25.00 during previews and $30.00 after opening.  For more information, visit www.GardenOfEarthlyDelightsNYC.com.

BWW Special Offer: Save 40% on Shrek The Musical! - 11/8/2008

Starting with performances on November 8, 2008, New York's 106.7 LiteFM invites all theatergoers to save over 40% on tickets to SHREK THE MUSICAL at the Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway (Between West 52nd and 53rd Streets), New York, for a limited time.

This special offer is valid for performances from 11/8/08 - 1/18/09, excluding all performances from 11/28/08 - 11/30/08, 12/14/08, 12/26/08 - 1/4/09. Some performances may have limited seating available for this offer. Each order is limited to a maximum of 8 tickets for this promotion.

Special Offer Ticket Prices (regular prices range from $66.50 to $121.50):

Select Orchestra & Front Mezzanine: $78.50
Rear Mezzanine rows A-C: $68.50
Rear Mezzanine rows D-J: $58.50
Rear Mezzanine rows K-P: $43.50

All prices include a $1.50 facilities fee. Offer valid on select seats for performances through 1/18/09 and is subject to availability and prior sale. Limit 8 tickets per order. Normal service charges apply to phone and online orders. Offer may be revoked at any time. All sales final. No refunds or exchanges. Not valid in combination with any other offer. Additional blackout dates may apply.

To take advantage of this special offer, click here or call 212-947-8844 and use code SHCCX77.

Plus, click here for a free download of "I Know It's Today" featuring Sutton Foster as Princess Fiona.

Based on a classic book and the Oscar-winning film, SHREK THE MUSICAL tells the story of a swamp-dwelling ogre who goes on a life-changing adventure. It's part love story, part twisted fairy tale and all hilarious fun.

SHREK THE MUSICAL begins performances at the Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway at 53rd St) on Saturday, November 8, 2008, with the official opening night on Sunday, December 14, 2008.

WICKED to Hold Open Casting Call 11/8 for Future Replacements - 11/8/2008

Telsey + Company is holding an open call for singers for WICKED in Manhattan on Saturday, November 8.  The open call is for future replacements for the North American companies of WICKED:  Broadway, California, First National Tour, and Second National Tour. 

They're seeking strong singers of all ethnicities for the principal roles of Elphaba, Glinda, Fiyero, Boq, and Nessarose.  The open call is Saturday, November 8 from 10:00am until 3:00pm at Telsey + Company, 315 West 43rd Street, 10th Floor, between 8th Avenue and 9th Avenue.  Prepare 16 bars of a contemporary musical theater song showing range.  For Glinda, prepare 16 bars of a musical theater song showing legit soprano.  Bring sheet music.  Bring a photo or snapshot and resume stapled together.  Equity and non-Equity singers are welcome to attend.

Winner of 20 major awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards, WICKED is the untold story of the witches of Oz.  Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz.  One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood.  The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular.  WICKED tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.

Declared "A Cultural Phenomenon" by Variety, WICKED currently has productions in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Stuttgart, Melbourne and on a North American tour.  Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a book by Winnie Holzman.  The production is directed by Joe Mantello with musical staging by Wayne Cilento.  WICKED is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

TIGER Theatricals to Produce New Free Play Readings Featuring Diaz, Stanek and More - 11/8/2008

TIGER Theatricals www.tigertheatricals.com and The Bravitas Group are producing a FREE weekend of New Play Readings at Luna Stage. The series is being produced by Dan Whitten, Tony Winning producer of Jay Johnson: The Two & Only and Jacues Brel.
 
6 STORY BUILDING  Written and Directed by Kevin Del Aguila (Altar Boys)
A whirlwind peek through the keyholes of half-a-dozen rooms in a New York City apartment building, examining the hilarious and heartbreaking side effects of urban living.
 
REACHING FOR THE MOON  Written by Larry Zingale, Directed by Michael Leeds (Swinging on a Star)
A depression day tragedy that tells the story of what happens when loyalty, kindness and ethics meet fear, greed, the bottle and the devil.
 
KAMIKAZE COUNTRY  Written by Donnally Miller, Directed by Kent Nicholson (Theatreworks, Palo Alto)
A Tragedy with Jokes set in the contemporary USA. A light-hearted look at ruthlessness, greed, murder and total systemic breakdown. Any resemblance to the current economic crisis is purely prescient (A debut Reading)
 
THREE ON THE AISLE  Written and Directed by Mary Lynn Dobson (The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood)
An hysterical look at the stagedoor behavior of the passionate denizens of a very serious community theatre troup.
 
Dates are November 7-9.  The cast includes Broadway performers Natascia Diaz, Jim Stanek, Teri Furr, James Nugent, Madeleine Blue.

Photo Credit Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

SENSEDANCE to be Performed at Ailey Citigroup Theater Starting 11/8 - 11/8/2008

 Henning Rübsam: SENSEDANCE performs a special engagement for its 2008 season with the premiere of "Cloudforest" at The Ailey Citigroup Theater (The Joan Weill Center for Dance), 405 West 55th Street at 9th Avenue.  The program of new dances will be performed Saturday, November 8th - Tuesday, November 11th at 8:00 pm (Sunday 11/9 at 7 pm).

Choreographer Henning Rübsam presents his company of stellar dancers in new ballets on point and with multi-media work. “Cloudforest” is a magical journey - a tribe coming together through movement. Physical trust allows for breathtaking configurations that results in a rebirth of communal and spiritual energy. Set to a collage of scores, the music illustrates shifts of converging cloud patterns.  Costumes are by avant-gardist Lars Andersson and lighting design by Stephen Petrilli.

Other new works are set to music by frequent collaborator composer and pianist Beata Moon, whose third CD was released by NAXOS to glowing reviews.  "Amaranthine Road" is a pas de deux capturing the beauty of an imaginary flower that never fades.  It is danced by Rachel Hamrick (formerly of Dutch National Ballet) and Dartanion Reed (formerly with ABT). The dashing “Inter-Mez-Zo” showcases Maria Phegan (Houston Ballet, Bavarian State Opera Ballet Munich), Erin Ginn (Columbia City Ballet) Jamar Goodman (formerly with ABT) and DTH principal Ramon Thielen. Christine Reisner, a former Alwin Nikolais dancer, who has appeared as a soloist with SENSEDANCE since 2002, will perform the New York premieres of two short movement studies "Innocence" and “Final Bell” - honoring the late composer Ronald Mazurek. Slide projection is designed by Ruth Grauert (Martha Hill Lifetime Achievement Award winner and 40-year Nikolais tech veteran). The seductive "Caves" for Ms. Phegan and Mr. Reed to music by Guggenheim composition fellow Ricardo Llorca as well as divertissements from “Merciless Beauty” set to Bach and Leslie Wildman complete the multifaceted program.

Henning Rübsam directs SENSEDANCE, a New York City-based dance company, presenting annual NYC seasons since 1992. He continues to reach out to artists of other disciplines and has an impressive roster of frequent collaborators. SENSEDANCE was founded in the hope that through the SENSES for a moment we can still all meet.  He also directs and choreographs for opera and theater, including Outer Critics Circle Award winner Lanie Robertson's Off-Broadway production "Cannibal's Waltz". Rübsam’s production of “Spirit of Sepharad” is presented at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. He will choreograph the new musical "HURRICANE" by composer Michael Holland and direct Edward Hudaverdi’s “The 93rd day of Spring.”

Rübsam was the subject of television documentaries in both the U.S. and his native Germany and DANCEVISTA produced three TV specials about him and his work. The documentary "Behind the Curtain" features him alongside NYCB and Graham principals as well as Prima Ballerina Assoluta Eva Evdokimova, for whom he created a critically acclaimed solo.  He has been awarded government, foundation and corporate grants as well as the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen- und Halbach Prize, a Lincoln Center Fellowship, and the DRA Award.

He joined the faculty of his alma mater, The Juilliard School, in fall 2006 and is Resident Choreographer of the Hartford City Ballet. He is a sought-after guest choreographer for ballet and contemporary ensembles across the globe and a master teacher for dance technique and dance composition. In February 2008 he was a guest artist for Ballet Nacional del Peru and the Universidad de Lima.  Henning Rübsam tours a solo program with works to live and original music and is the first dance artist to be invited to speak at the annual international GEL conference.

Tickets are now on sale for $35; online at www.smarttix.com or by phone at (212) 868-4444.  Student/Dancer Rush (with ID/class card) are $15 at the door.  There is also a special Opening Saturday 11/08 benefit ticket at $150 which includes a festive catered reception after the performance.  Rübsam’s mentors of both the ballet and modern dance, Eve Evdokimova and Beverly Blossom are the artists co-chairs for the event. For information please contact: sensedance@sensedance.org.  www.sensedance.org

Greco Directs EVIE'S WALTZ at the Magic Theatre 11/8-12/7 - 11/8/2008

Loretta Greco has chosen Evie's Waltz to make her directorial debut as Artistic Director of the Magic Theatre. Evie's Waltz, written by Carter W. Lewis, marks the second play of Magic Theatre's 2008/09.

Gloria and Clay are living every parent's nightmare: their son has been suspended for carrying a gun to school.  As they wrestle with their predicament, an unexpected visit from their son's girlfriend turns their backyard barbecue into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. "Evie's Waltz is an unflinching play about the difficulties of parenting – and being – a teenager." Artistic Director Loretta Greco says. "There is no handbook for this.  Every American family will relate to this piece which poses more questions than answers.  It is sure to promote many vibrant discussions." Evie's Waltz performs November 8 – December 7, 2008 at Magic's Southside Theatre (Bldg D, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA – parking lot entrance at Marina Blvd. and Buchanan St.). Tickets are $20-$45 (with student rates at $15) and are available at (415) 441-8822 or www.magictheatre.org.

Evie's Waltz is sure to incite lively dialogue between generations. Young and old are invited to attend one of two special matinees scheduled for November 19 and December 3 (both at 1pm).  A stimulating conversation, facilitated by a member of Magic Theatre's artistic staff, will follow each of these performances.

Evie's Waltz stars Bay Area favorites Darren Bridgett (Drifting Elegant, Blue Surge) and Julia Brothers ('Bot, The Hopper Collection, The Long Christmas Ride Home). Marielle Heller will be making her Magic Theatre debut in the title role. Playwright Carter W. Lewis, founder of the Upstart Theatre Company in Berkeley, makes his long awaited return to the Bay Area.

The production team for Evie's Waltz features set designer Erik Flatmo (Octopus, The Crowd You're In With), light designer York Kennedy (A Reckoning), costume designer Fumiko Bielefeld (Territories, Dr. Faustus) and Magic's resident sound designer Sara Huddleston (The K of D, Octopus).

Carter W. Lewis (Playwright) is currently serving as Playwright-in-Residence at Washington University where he teaches Playwriting and Dramaturgy. Prior to that, he was Literary Manager & Playwright-in-Residence for The Geva Theatre Center in New York. Carter was also co-founder and Resident Playwright for Upstart Stage in Berkeley, California. He is the winner of several national playwriting awards including: The Julie Harris Playwriting Award, The State Theatre Best New American Play, The Cincinnati Playhouse Rosenthal New Play Prize (1996 & 2001), New Dramatist Arnold Weissberger Playwriting Award, Playwright's Center Jerome Residency, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation Award, (2003) and he is a two time nominee for the American Theatre Critics Award. A sample of theaters that have produced his work include; The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Source Theatre, Florida Stage, B Street Theatre, The Sacramento Theatre Company, The Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, Florida Repertory Theatre, The Geva Theatre Center, New Jersey Repertory Company, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, The Falcon Theatre, The Berkshire Theatre Festival, San Diego Repertory Theatre and The Royal Court Theatre in London. His published works include, Art Control, A Geometric Digression of the Species, Soft Click Of A Switch, An Asian Jockey In Our Midst and The One-Eyed Man Is King. Other plays by Carter W. Lewis include; Golf With Alan Shepard, Picasso Does My Maps, Longevity Abbreviated For Those Who Don't Have Time, Women Who Steal, Men on the Take, American Storm by Integrity Out of Molly Brown, Kid Peculiar, Ordinary Nation, and Civil Disobedience. For his play, While We Were Bowling Carter was the recipient of a 2004 NEA/TCG ResidenCy Grant for Playwriting, and The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation Award for best new play of 2004.

Loretta Greco (Director/ Magic Artistic Director) comes to Magic with an acclaimed directing career in New York and throughout the country.  Her New York directing credits include the premieres of: Tracey Scott Wilson's The Story, Ruben Santiago Hudson's Obie Award-Winning Lackawanna Blues and Nilo Cruz's Two Sisters and a Piano at the Joseph Papp Public Theater; Kate Walat's Victoria Martin Math Team Queen, Rinne Groff's Inky, Toni Press Coffman's Touch, Karen Hartman's Gum at Women's Project; Emily Mann's Meshugah at Naked Angels; Laura Cahill's Mercy at the Vineyard; and Nilo Cruz's Park In Our House at New York Theater Workshop.  She also directed the national tour of Emily Mann's Having Our Say and the play's international premiere at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa.  Ms. Greco's Bay Area credits include productions of Speed-the-Plow, Blackbird, and Lackawanna Blues at ACT and Courtney Baron's Morbidity & Mortality her at Magic.  Regional credits include:  Romeo and Juliet and Stop Kiss for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and productions at Long Wharf, South Coast Repertory Theatre, McCarter Theater, Intiman, Williamstown Theater Festival, La Jolla Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Repertory Theatre of St Louis, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Playmakers Repertory Company, and the Cleveland Play House.  She has worked extensively in new play development at Sundance, O'Neill, New York Stage and Film, Cape Cod Theater Project, South Coast Repertory, and the Public.  Her celebrated producing experience spans over thirty productions.  As the Producing Artistic Director of the Women's Project in NYC and as Associate Director of McCarter Theater in Princeton, New Jersey Ms. Greco supported the work of notable artists including:  Diane Paulus, Lynn Nottage, Leigh Silverman, Annie Dorsen, Athol Fugard, Anna Deveare Smith, Joyce Carol Oates, Stephen Wadsworth, Deb Margolin, Luis Alfaro, Jon Robin Baitz and BD Wong.  Ms. Greco received her MFA from Catholic University.  She is the recipient of two Drama League Fellowships and a Princess Grace Award.

Darren Bridgett's (Clay) credits include: Magic Theatre (Drifting Elegant, Blue Surge), Aurora Theatre (Satellites), Marin Theatre Company (Love Song, The Good German, The Last Schwartz), Marin Shakespeare Festival (Much Ado About Nothing, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, She Stoops to Conquer,  Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged),  TheatreWorks (Twelfth Night, Learned Ladies of Park Avenue, Book of Days, Nickel and Dimed, Ah Wilderness!), Laguna Playhouse (Far East), Orlando Shakespeare Festival (Arms and the Man), Center REP (Midsummer Night's Dream, How the Other Half Loves, Summer and Smoke, Vikings). Mr. Bridgett's work has also been seen at ACT, California Shakespeare, San Jose Stage, TheatreFIRST, and Central Works.  His film credits include: Warner Brother's Black August (in a co-starring role with Gary Dourdan), Read You Like a Book, Stephanie's Image, Coastal, Ruby's Tuesday, Death and Taxes, Fifth Form, and is currently shooting on The Prankster.  He is the recipient of various Bay Area Theatre Critic awards, 10 Drama-Logue awards and Dean Goodman Choice acknowledgements for outstanding principal and ensemble performance.

Julia Brothers (Gloria) recently returned from the East Coast, where she appeared in Elaine May's Roger Is Dead with Marlo Thomas at the George Street Playhouse, and a one woman show based on Virginia Woolf's A Room Of One's Own at Liberty Free Theatre.  Julia has appeared at The Magic in Moving Right Along, 'Bot, The Hopper Collection, The Long Christmas Ride Home and Triptych. Other Bay credits include appearances at Marin Theatre Company in Love Song, The Subject Tonight Is Love and Fortune; Brava in Guatanamo, and Nickel and Dimed; TheatreWorks in Theophilus North, Ambition Facing West, and Be Aggressive; Pacific Repertory Theatre in Medea; San Jose Stage Wit and Beauty Queen of Leenane; and While We Were Bowling, Women Who Steal, Communicating Doors and Criminal Hearts at The B Street Theatre.  Julia is a company member of SF Playground and B Street.

Marielle Heller (Evie) will be making her Magic Theater debut with Evie's Waltz. Her New York credits include the American premiere of Jon Fosse's Sa Ka La directed by Sarah Cameron Sunde and appearances at the Peninsula Soho Rep, Local Story Access Theater, The Chocolate Factory, 365 New Georges and The Public. Mariella has been involved in new play development at New Georges, EST, Cherry Lane and Naked Angels. Her regional credits include the premiere of Continental Divide by David Edgar (Berkeley Rep), (The Barbican) (La Jolla) King Lear (San Diego Rep) and The Real Thing ACT (stand-by).  Marielle's TV/Film include Spin City and Michael Eisner's web-series The All-For-Nots

Founded in 1967, Magic Theatre is one of the most preeminent theatres in the nation solely dedicated to development and production of new plays. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Loretta Greco and Managing Director David Jobin, Magic Theatre operates with a budget of $1.9 million in San Francisco's historic Fort Mason Center.  Magic Theatre's plays and playwrights have won numerous awards, including Pulitzer Prizes, Kennedy Center Award, NAACP Image Award, Obie Awards, Pen-West Awards, Bay Area Critics' Circle Awards, and Los Angeles Drama-Logue Awards. The list of playwrights whose works have premiered at the Magic reads like a "Who's Who of American Theatre": David Mamet, Sam Shepard, Paula Vogel, Nilo Cruz, Charles Mee, Anne Bogart, and Rebecca Gilman amongst many others.  Magic Theatre is instrumental in the development of works throughout the Bay Area, with its Commonwealth Club Reading Series, Magic/Z Space New Works Initiative, Martha Heasley Cox Raw Play Series and its education program Young California Writers Project amongst others. For more information, visit the Magic Theatre website at www.magictheatre.org.

'Jersey Boys' Extends In Toronto Until 11/9 - 11/9/2008

Due to popular demand, Dodger Theatricals and Dancap Productions Inc., are pleased to announce additional Toronto performances for the smash hit musical JERSEY BOYS, now playing at the Toronto Centre for the Arts (5040 Yonge Street) through November 9, 2008.

“The Four Seasons once sang ‘Who Loves You?’ and audiences have answered with a resounding ‘Toronto Does!’,” says Aubrey Dan, President of Dancap Productions. “Ticket sales have exceeded expectations and Dancap is pleased to deliver more JERSEY BOYS by extending the Toronto production through November 9, 2008.”

JERSEY BOYS is the story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. It’s a journey of how a group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide - all before they were thirty.

The cast of JERSEY BOYS is lead by Joseph Leo Bwarie (Frankie Valli), original Broadway cast member Steve Gouveia (Nick Massi), Canadian-native Jeremy Kushnier (Tommy DeVito) and Andrew Rannells (Bob Gaudio) with Jonathan Hadley and Joseph Siravo.

The ensemble of JERSEY BOYS includes: Matt Bailey, Sarah Darling, Christopher DeAngelis, John Gardiner, Buck Hujabre, Leo Huppert, Jamie Karen, Renée Marino, Brandon Matthieus, Denise Payne, Zachary Prince, Nathan Scherich, Brian Silverman, Courter Simmons, Taylor Sternberg, and Torontonian Kara Tremel.

JERSEY BOYS is the winner of the 2006 Best Musical Tony Award® and the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. The musical is directed by two-time Tony Award® winner and Toronto-native Des McAnuff, JERSEY BOYS is written by Academy Award-winner Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and choreography by Sergio Trujillo another native Torontonian.

JERSEY BOYS is presented in Toronto as part of Dancap’s inaugural launch. Tickets start at $55.00, with select premium seating available. To purchase, and/or to find out more, call Ticketmaster at 416-872-1111 or visit JerseyBoysToronto.com. For Dancap Members and/or groups of 20 or more, contact the CAP Centre at 416-644-3665 or 1-866-950-7469 during regular business hours (Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST) or visit dancaptickets.com anytime for details.

JERSEY BOYS is produced by Dodger Theatricals, Joseph J. Grano, Tamara and Kevin Kinsella, Pelican Group, with Latitude Link and Rick Steiner.

About Dancap Productions Inc. 

Launched in 2007 by Aubrey Dan, Dancap Productions Inc. (dancaptickets.com), is a commercial theatre company dedicated to producing the best of Broadway-style theatre created in collaboration with acclaimed artists and award-winning creative teams. On Broadway and internationally, the company’s producing and investment credits include: Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, The Farnsworth Invention, Wicked, The Wedding Singer, The Pirate Queen, Tom Stoppard’s Rock ‘n’ Roll, [Title of Show] and Tony Award® winners In The Heights and JERSEY BOYS. Dancap Productions is also a strategic member of the theatrical development and production company Elephant Eye Theatrical which has a current slate of projects that include: The Addams Family, Bruce Lee: Journey to the West and Saved.

Saint Sebastian Players: 'Moon Over Buffalo' Closes - 11/9/2008

SAINT SEBASTIAN PLAYERS OPEN SEASON WITH THEATRICAL FARCE

Ken Ludwig's Moon Over Buffalo Runs Oct. 17–Nov. 9


The Saint Sebastian Players (SSP) open their 2008–09 season with Moon Over Buffalo by Ken Ludwig, author of Lend Me A Tenor. The production runs October 17–November 9 at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey Pkwy. in Chicago.

In Moon Over Buffalo, George and Charlotte Hay, fading stars of the 1950s, are playing Private Lives and Cyrano de Bergerac in rep in Buffalo, New York with five actors. On the brink of a disastrous split-up caused by George's dalliance with a young ingénue, they receive word that they might just have one last shot at stardom: famed film director Frank Capra is coming to town to see their matinee, and if he likes what he sees, he might cast them in his movie remake of The Scarlet Pimpernel. Unfortunately for George and Charlotte, everything that could go wrong does go wrong, abetted by a visit from their daughter's clueless fiancé and hilarious uncertainty about which play they're actually performing, caused by Charlotte's deaf, old stage-manager mother who hates every bone in George's body.

Making his SSP directing debut for Moon Over Buffalo is Tony Soto, who directed The Rocky Horror Show, Hiding Behind Comets and The Actor's Nightmare at Columbia College Chicago. The cast features SSP company member Lee Adam as George, along with Michael Borgmann, Patricia Casey, Luke Daigle, Jenny Franz, Samantha McDonald, Britni Tozzi and Matt Trudeau. SSP member Jonathan "Rocky" Hagloch is technical director/set designer, Susan Nordine is costume designer, Matt Davis is fight choreographer, Darcy McGill is assistant director, Emily Cooke is stage manager and SSP member Jim Masini is producer.

SSP's 2008–09 season continues with the annual Monologue Matchup Competition fundraiser October 27 and mainstage productions of Steve Martin's Picasso at the Lapin Agile, directed by SSP member Steven Walanka, February 13–March 8, 2009 and Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing, directed by SSP member John Oster, April 24–May 17, 2009.

Moon Over Buffalo runs October 17–November 9, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey Pkwy., at Marshfield just west of Ashland, in Chicago. Free parking is available in two lots. Full-priced single tickets are $15, $10 for students with valid IDs and $7 for seniors and children younger than 12. Full-priced subscriptions are $30; subscriptions for seniors and children younger than 12 are $15. Group rates also are available.

All programming is subject to change. For information, call 773-404-7922 or visit saintsebastianplayers.org. Tickets are also on sale at ticketweb.com.



SAINT SEBASTIAN PLAYERS HOST 16TH MONOLOGUE MATCHUP COMPETITION

 
The Saint Sebastian Players (SSP) are inviting Chicago-area actors to compete in—and Chicago theatergoers to observe—the 16th Annual Monologue Matchup Competition. A fund-raiser for SSP, the event takes place Monday, October 27 at 7 p.m. at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey (at Marshfield) in Chicago.

Each actor participating in the Monologue Matchup will perform a two-minute monologue for a group of distinguished judges, including* representatives from Child's Play Touring Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Next Theatre, Promethean Theatre Ensemble, Raven Theatre, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company and SSP; freelance director Phillip Edward Van Lear; casting director David Murphy; and more. After viewing all the participants, the judges will select a group of finalists, who each will perform a second two-minute monologue. Judges will select several winners from the finalists, each receiving one of several prize packages.

For those who attend only to watch, the competition provides an unusual behind-the-scenes look at the audition process. Audience members also will select a "People's Choice" winner.

To participate in the Monologue Matchup, actors must call SSP at 773-404-7922 ext. 3 to make reservations for the limited number of spaces; registration is by phone only. The fee to participate, which includes the opportunity to observe the other competitors, is $15. The fee for audience members is $12; no reservations are necessary.

The Monologue Matchup Competition takes place Monday, October 27, at 7 p.m. at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey (enter on Marshfield), Chicago. For information, call 773-404-7922 or visit saintsebastianplayers.org.

American Theater Company Presents 'Celebrity Row' - 11/9/2008

AMERICAN THEATER COMPANY PRESENTS

THE CHICAGO PREMIERE OF CELEBRITY ROW

IN A NEW VERSION BY Itamar Moses

 DIRECTED BY David Cromer

American Theater Company (ATC) continues its ambitious Season 24 with the Chicago Premiere of Celebrity Row written by Itamar Moses and directed by David Cromer. The production will run October 16- November 9, 2008 at American Theater Company, 1909 W Byron St, Chicago.  

Fact: For a time in the late 1990s, Colorado Supermax, the most secure prison in America, housed in neighboring cells: Latin Kings Leader Luis Felipe, WTC Bomber Ramzi Yousef, Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, and Oklahoma City Bomber Timothy McVeigh.

Fiction: When a young lawyer defends the civil liberties of one of the country's most notorious criminals locked up on the infamous Celebrity Row, her idealism stands face to face with a criminal genius who, along with his neighbors, has a plan of his own. 

"It's kind of the perfect theatrical storm," says playwright Itamar Moses. "Chicago has maybe the most exciting theatre scene in America; David Cromer is a thrilling collaborator; and Celebrity Row is probably my most overtly political play, an attempt to speak directly to issues that are increasingly relevant, in the election, and in the culture generally, which is a somewhat rare thing to be able to do in the arts."

Playwright Itamar Moses is one of the most-produced contemporary playwrights in the country this season; his play Yellowjackets premiered at Berkeley Rep in August and The Four of Us recently opened in Los Angeles after a run at Manhattan Theatre Club in March. Back, Back, Back will also run this year at San Diego's Old Globe and at Manhattan Theater Club. Celebrity Row premiered at Portland Center Stage in 2006 and now makes its Chicago Premiere at ATC in an all-new version.

"Itamar Moses makes a statement in Celebrity Row that encompasses the play's essence: 'Believers are strong. Unbelievers are weak,'" says director David Cromer. "This plays shows us that people who passionately believe in their position wield incredible power. It demonstrates that there is a strength in conviction that can make the world beautiful, but can also make the world terrible."

Cromer comes to Celebrity Row after a string of lauded productions, including Our Town, which returns to Chicago this January, and the Off-Broadway, Lucille Lortel award-winning The Adding Machine (Outstanding Director, Outstanding Musical).

"Itamar Moses’ Celebrity Row embraces the core question of ATC’s mission head on, examining critical issues about America's justice system and rights reserved for every citizen.  The epic scope of this piece combined with its electric shifts in tone and story come from the imagination of an American artist who wants to make this country a better place, while entertaining and intriguing an audience,“ says Artistic Director PJ Paparelli.  “We are thrilled to be the matchmaker for theatre geniuses Itamar Moses and David Cromer. Cromer continues to break new ground while religiously returning us to the basics of great theatre: imaginative and clear storytelling told through the most truthful and passionate acting. Cromer continually inspires his performers to cross their comfort zone into greatness."

Celebrity Row's cast features Jeff Award-winning Larry Neumann, Jr., Emmy-nominated Kelli Simpkins, ATC Ensemble Member Joe Minoso, and Usman Ally and Chris McLinden.

The designers are Josh Schmidt and Andy Krumeich (composition/sound design), Keith Parham (Lighting Design), Alison Siple (Costume Design), and Andre LaSalle (Scenic Design and Properties). The Stage Manager is Helen Lattyak.

David Cromer (Director) Recent credits include Picnic at Writers Theatre, Our Town at The Hypocrites, Perfect Mendacity for Steppenwolf First Look Rep, and Adding Machine at the Minetta Lane Theatre in New York (2008 OBIE and Lortel Awards for Direction). Other Chicago credits include Come Back Little Sheba (Shattered Globe), Adding Machine (Next), The Cider House Rules (Famous Door, co-directed w/ Marc Grapey), The Dazzle and Golden Boy (Steppenwolf), The Price and Booth (Writers Theatre), Angels in America (The Journeymen), MOJO and The Hot L Baltimore (Mary-Arrchie), and Journey’s End (Seanachai). New York and regional credits include Orson’s Shadow (Barrow Street Theatre in NYC, Alley Theatre in Houston, Williamstown, Steppenwolf), The Clean House (Alley Theatre), and The Grapes of Wrath (Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC).  Later this season he will direct The Farnsworth Invention and The SantaLand Diaries at the Alley and The Glass Menagerie at Kansas City Rep. He has received Jeff awards for his direction of Angels in America, The Price, and The Cider House Rules.

Itamar Moses (Playwright) is the author of the full-length plays Outrage, Bach at Leipzig, Celebrity Row, The Four of Us, Yellowjackets, Back Back Back, and Completeness, and various short plays and one-acts. He is presently adapting Jonathan Lethem’s The Fortress of Solitude. His work has appeared Off-Broadway and elsewhere in New York, at regional theatres across the country and in Canada, and has been published by Faber & Faber, Heinemann Press, Playscripts Inc., Samuel French, Inc., and Vintage. Moses has received new play commissions from The McCarter Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, The Wilma Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, and South Coast Rep Repertory. Moses holds an MFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU and has taught playwriting at Yale and NYU. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, MCC Playwrights Coalition, Naked Angels Mag 7, and is a New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspect. He was born in Berkeley, California, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Stephen Schwartz & Friends to Run November 6-9 at Broadway by the Bay with Callaway, Coulter and Gravitte - 11/9/2008

Grammy and Academy award winning Stephen Schwartz will star LIVE onstage in Defying Gravity: Stephen Schwartz and Friends. Songwriter Schwartz will be joined by esteemed Broadway stars Liz Callaway, Scott Coulter and Debbie Gravitte who will lend their voices for this not to be missed presentation.

WHEN:
Opens November 6
Closes November 9

TIMES:
Thursday and Friday at 8 pm
Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm
Sunday at 1:30 & 5 pm

WHERE:
Broadway by the Bay at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center, 600 N Delaware, San Mateo

TICKETS
$17-$45 AND INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 650-579-5565 or visit www.broadwaybythebay.org. Discounts available for youths, seniors, subscriber and group of 10 or more.

Stephen Schwartz was born in New York City on March 6, 1948. He studied piano and composition at the Juilliard School of Music while in high school and graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 1968 with a B.F.A. in Drama. Upon coming back to live in New York City, he went to work as a producer for RCA Records, but shortly thereafter began to work in the Broadway theatre.

His first major credit was the title song for the play BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE; the song was eventually used in the movie version as well.

In 1971, he wrote the music and new lyrics for GODSPELL, for which he won several awards including two Grammys. This was followed by the English texts, in collaboration with Leonard Bernstein, for Bernstein's MASS, which opened the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The following year, he wrote the music and lyrics for PIPPIN and two years later, THE MAGIC SHOW. At one point, GODSPELL, PIPPIN, and THE MAGIC SHOW were all running on Broadway simultaneously.

He next wrote the music and lyrics for THE BAKER'S WIFE, followed by a musical version of Studs Terkel's WORKING, to which he contributed four songs, and which he also adapted and directed, winning the Drama Desk Award as best director. He also co-directed the television production, which was presented as part of the PBS "American Playhouse" series.

Next came songs for a one-act musical for children, CAPTAIN LOUIE, and a children's book, THE PERFECT PEACH. He then wrote music for three of the songs in the Off-Broadway revue, PERSONALS, lyrics to Charles Strouse's music for RAGS, and music and lyrics for CHILDREN OF EDEN.

He then began working in film, collaborating with composer Alan Menken on the scores for the Disney animated features POCAHONTAS, for which he received two Academy Awards and another Grammy, and THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. He also provided songs for DreamWorks' first animated feature, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, for which he won another Academy Award for the song "When You Believe". He most recently collaborated with Alan Menken on the songs for Disney's ENCHANTED.

Mr. Schwartz provided music and lyrics for the original television musical, GEPPETTO, seen on The Wonderful World of Disney and recently adapted for the stage as GEPPETTO & SON. He has released two CDs on which he sings new songs, entitled RELUCTANT PILGRIM and UNCHARTED TERRITORY.

Mr. Schwartz's most recent musical, WICKED, opened in the fall of 2003 and is currently running on Broadway and in several other productions around the United States and the world. In 2008, WICKED reached its 1900th performance on Broadway, making Mr. Schwartz the only songwriter in Broadway history ever to have three shows run more than 1900 performances.

Under the auspices of the ASCAP Foundation, he runs musical theatre workshops in New York and Los Angeles, and serves on the ASCAP board; he is also a member of the Council of the Dramatists' Guild.

The Players Foundation to Present A Pipe Night for Sir Roger Moore - 11/9/2008

The Players Foundation will present "A Pipe Night For Sir Roger Moore" on Sunday, November 9th at The Players, 16 Gramercy Park South, New York City.

"For some of us, Roger Moore, will always be the quintessential James Bond. His seven Bond adventures, starting with Live And Let Die in 1972 up to View To A Kill in 1985 gave us an impossibly handsome Bond, who was cunning, cool and unflappable. James Bond was just one of the many characters portrayed by Sir Roger in his long and distinguished career. Other highlights include his Simon Templar, AKA, The Saint, in addition to countless feature film roles."

Sir Roger Moore has been an International Ambassador for UNICEF since 1991 and in recognition of that work was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2003.  This is an interesting time to catch up with Sir Roger. His autobiography, My Word Is My Bond, has just been published by Harper Collins and charmingly recounts his life story, from his South London childhood (his father was a policeman) during the blitz to his student days at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, to touring the provinces, to film where he co-starred with the likes of ElizaBeth Taylor and Lana Turner (who taught him how to kiss), to television in Ivanhoe, Maverick, The Saint and The Persuaders to the James Bond blockbusters. His friend and neighbor, Audrey Hepburn introduced him to UNICEF and since then he has traveled the world as a passionate spokesman for the organization

One of The Players longest traditions, Pipe Nights are named for the smoking of churchwarden pipes in the evenings. Pipe Nights began in 1905 and continue as testimonials to entertainment professionals to celebrate their contribution to the arts. The November 9th Pipe Night for Sir Roger Moore is the perfect opportunity to get dressed up and spend some quality time with a modest, yet dashing cultural icon.

This black tie evening ($150 per person) begins with cocktails at 6pm, then dinner at 6:45 followed by a program honoring Sir Roger at 8:30. For reservations please call The Players at 212 475 6116.

'Blasted' Extends at Soho Rep Through 11/9 - 11/9/2008

Soho Rep - the nine-time OBIE Award-winning, Off-Broadway theatre company - will extend its critically acclaimed, sold-out production of Sarah Kane's landmark play BLASTED by two weeks - through November 9th, it has been announced by Soho Rep's Artistic Director Sarah Benson.

BLASTED, which began previews on October 2nd and opened officially on October 9th to enthusiastic reviews and sold-out houses, was initially scheduled to close on October 26th. Ben Brantley of The New York Times exclaimed, "Now "Blasted" has finally arrived in New York in a first-rate production…at Soho Rep on Walker Street, filling a significant gap in the history of contemporary theater here." Michael Kuchwara of the Associated Press stated "It's unnerving in the extreme, which makes the evening's fleeting moments of human connection all that more potent." And Michael Sommers of The Star Ledger proclaimed "Soho Rep's show [BLASTED] is a must-ticket for those interested in contemporary drama."

A middle-aged journalist, Ian, and young woman, Cate, enter a hotel room.  As private and public violation collide, their world fragments around them.  Acknowledged as the most provocative and influential British playwright of her generation, in her landmark play BLASTED, Sarah Kane, with startling imagery and bleak humor, forges a potent theatrical vision of destruction, collapse, and ultimately, redemption and love.

"I am delighted that New York audiences will finally get to see this play," noted Ms. Benson.

Directed by Soho Rep Artistic Director Sarah Benson, Ms. Benson's debut as director for a Soho Rep production, the cast of BLASTED features OBIE Award-winner Marin Ireland as Cate, OBIE Award-winner Reed Birney as Ian and Louis Cancelmi as Soldier. Ms. Benson has directed such projects as QUIVER &TWITCH at New York Stage &Film and THE LOTTERY at Here Arts Center. Ms. Ireland was last seen Off-Broadway in last season's BEEBO BRINKER CHRONICLES. Mr. Birney was recently seen in The Public Theatre's STUFF HAPPENS, and has a recurring role on TV's smash hit "Gossip Girl." Mr. Cancelmi was seen at Soho Rep in the title role of PHILOKTETES, last season.

Design team for BLASTED is Louisa Thompson (set design); Tyler Micoleau (lighting design); Theresa Squire (costume design); and Matt Tierney (sound design). Ms. Thompson won an OBIE Award for her set design of Soho Rep's [sic]. Mr. Micoleau is the recipient of both an OBIE and a Lucille Lortel Award for his work on Tracy Letts' BUG. Ms. Squire was costume designer for both THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE and HIGH FIDELITY on Broadway. Mr. Tierney is an OBIE Award-winner for his work on Mac Wellman's JENNIE RICHEE.

The first play in the short life and career of the late Ms. Kane, BLASTED - which upon its London debut in 1995 sparked an extraordinary public controversy - was embraced by Ms. Kane's British contemporaries Harold Pinter, Caryl Churchill and Martin Crimp, and has subsequently been widely produced worldwide.  Ms. Kane's other plays include PHAEDRA'S LOVE, CLEANSED, CRAVE and 4.48 PSYCHOSIS.

Now in its 33rd year, Soho Rep's 2008-09 season is the second under the leadership of Artistic Director, Sarah Benson, and the first for new Executive Director, Tania Camargo. This is the second season the company will operate as an Off-Broadway company after decades of presenting work in the off-off-Broadway arena.  One of the company's most popular and innovative programming features from last year -- 99-cent tickets for all Sunday performances of main stage productions throughout the year -- returns this season, as well.

Under the leadership of new Artistic Director Sarah Benson and the company's recently appointed Executive Director, Tania Camargo, Soho Rep is dedicated to cultivating and producing visionary, uncompromising, and exuberant new plays. They perform to one of the youngest adult audiences in New York City, with over three-quarters of its audience aged 18-40.

Over the last nine seasons, Soho Rep productions have garnered nine OBIE Awards -- most recently NO DICE by Nature Theater of Oklahoma, and playwright Adam Bock and director Anne Kauffman for THE THUGS -- four Drama Desk nominations for their critically acclaimed production of FRANKENSTEIN, the Oppenheimer Award for EVERYTHING WILL BE DIFFERENT, and two Kesselring Awards for Melissa James Gibson and Mark Schultz. In recent years, Soho Rep has presented plays by established and emerging theatre artists such as Richard Maxwell, Mac Wellman, Young Jean Lee and The Flying Machine.

Scheduled October 2 now through November 9, performances of BLASTED run Tuesdays - Sundays at 7:30pm at Soho Rep (46 Walker Street - between Broadway &Church, 2 blocks south of Canal Street). There will be an Artist Talk-Back following the performance on Wednesday, October 15. Tickets through October 26 are 99 cents through $30; and tickets October 28 through November 9 are $45 general admission and $55 reserved premium seating. The new closing night of BLASTED on Sunday, November 9 will be a benefit performance and tickets will be $100. All tickets can be reserved by calling TheaterMania at 212-352-3101 or online at www.sohorep.org.

For additional information about BLASTED or Soho Rep, call 212-941-8632 or visit www.sohorep.org

Will Geer Theatricum Presents Development Series BOTANICUM SEEDLINGS - 11/9/2008

The end of summer marks the close of the classical repertory season at The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum.  However, the Botanicum continues its theatrical exploration by supporting new artistic voices through its ongoing development series for playwrights, "Botanicum Seedlings."  The program's fall playreadings are Brett Webster's Lost and Found in the Underground on Sunday, November 2 and Nude and Sunflower by Reba Waters Thomas on Sunday, November 9.  Readings begin at 1 pm and admission is free.

"We're particularly excited about these two plays, because they both speak to our time - politically and artistically - in very different ways," says playwright-in-residence Jennie Webb.  "The writers are coming from opposite directions, stylistically, and introducing Theatricum artists and audiences to their work is what Seedlings is all about."  Webb created and runs the program, which is structured to focus on the needs of writers with scripts at various stages of development. Writer/director Julie Retzlaff acts as Seedlings Literary Coordinator.

Opening the Botanicum Seedlings fall playreadings on November 2 is an expressionistic look at a sharply-divided America of the future, Lost and Found in the Underground by Brett Webster. Directed by Ronnie Clark (L.A.'s Ghost Road Company and Moving Arts, as well as  Arizona Shakespeare Company)  and featuring Theatricum company member  Gerald Rivers, the play is a riveting piece of poetic propaganda which tells the story of a people who refuse to be held down. Through the language of sex, love, violence and hope, Lost and Found in the Underground delivers a fervent message, particularly on the eve of our country's very pivotal election. Brett Webster is an award-winning writer, director, and producer whose plays, including Cold Coffee, Children of the Night and Turtle Soup, have been featured at theaters and festivals in Atlanta, GA and Austin, TX, and here in L.A. at Company of Angels, Theatre-Theater, Avery Shreiber Theatre, Powerhouse Theatre and the Unknown Theater, where he was a founding member.

On November 9, Nude and Sunflower by Reba Waters Thomas takes the stage. This provocative new work investigates the shadowy nature of art and ownership, principles and power, history and family. When a prominent New York judge's obsession with acquiring a work of art raises the elusive ghosts of 1939 Vienna, what past and future crimes hang in the balance, and who will ultimately pay the price? Playwright Reba Waters Thomas first played opposite Billie Burke in Mrs. McThing at the Pasadena Playhouse and went on to appear in dozens of television shows, plays and films as a juvenile performer. She acted with Stanford Repertory Theatre, taught theater at Pomona College, went to UCLA law school and practiced law in Los Angeles. This is her first full-length play. Julie Retzlaff, who has worked in NY (Ensemble Studio Theatre and Arclight Theatre Company) and CA (Pacific Repertory Theatre) directs a cast featuring Theatricum artistic director Ellen Geer, Barbara Tarbuck and Jennifer Taub.

Initiated in 2002, the Botanicum Seedlings series acts as an adjunct to the Theatricum Botanicum's Summer Repertory Season, commencing before the summer activities are underway with its winter playreadings, continuing with spring playreadings as the season opens, and culminating after the season winds down with a fall workshop production or playreadings. Throughout the calendar year, plays are also selected to receive GreenReads, providing an unrehearsed, fresh look at scripts in various stages of development.

The Botanicum Seedlings fall playreadings take place Sundays, November 2 and 9 at 1 pm.  Admission to the playreadings is free and open to the public; donations to support this series will be gratefully accepted.  The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum is located at 1419 North Topanga Canyon Blvd. in Topanga, midway between Malibu and the San Fernando Valley. For further information, the public should call (310) 455-2322 or visit www.theatricum.com. The theater is outdoors; in case of inclement weather, please call for alternate performance times.

Theater Ten Ten Presents SETH SINGS BISEN-HERSH 11/9 - 11/9/2008

For the fourth year in a row, Seth Bisen-Hersh will perform a solo show at Theater Ten Ten. This year in Seth Sings Bisen-Hersh, he will sing highlights from his six cabaret acts of original songs: And Then She Dumped Me, The Gayest Straight Man Alive, Meaningful Sex, Neurotic Tendencies, Why Am I Not Famous Yet? and Writer's Block, his musicals: Trivial Pursuits, Meaningless Sex, The Spickner Spin and A Kid Like Me, as well as premiering songs from his new musicals: More to Love and Stanley’s Adventures, while discussing his writing style, methods, and inspiration: past, present and future.

SETH SINGS BISEN-HERSH, by and starring Seth Bisen-Hersh, will be performed on Sunday, November 9, 2008 at 7pm at Theater Ten Ten, 1010 Park Avenue (between East 84th & East 85th Streets), New York. $10 suggested donation, cash only at the door. For reservations, call 212-288-3246 x300 (24-hours).

Flea Theater's DAWN Begins Previews - 11/9/2008

The Flea Theater will present the U.S. premiere of DAWN by Thomas Bradshaw, beginning previews November 9th.  The production will be directed by Flea Artistic Director, Jim Simpson and feature actors Gerry Bammon, (Obie Award winner and Drama Desk Award nominee for Nixon's Nixon), Laura Esterman (Drama Desk Award winner for Marvin's Room), Irene Walsh, Drew Hildebrand, Kate Benson, and Jenny Seastone Stern. The design team includes Claudia Brown (costumes), Jeanette Yew (lights) and Brandon Wolcott (sound). Opening night is slated for Saturday, November 15.

DAWN revolves around Hampton, an abusive alcoholic who has completely alienated his wife and children. Can he stop drinking and Make Up For the past, even amidst some very dark revelations of incest and pedophilia? DAWN is one father's story of redemption and reconciliation -- with a twist.
 
Flea Artistic Director, Jim Simpson says, "Thomas Bradshaw is interested in presenting taboo subjects onstage, and DAWN is not an exception. Vice battles the oh-so American need for redemption in this family drama set in Florham Park, New Jersey. We are pleased to be presenting the work of this remarkable playwright whose work is so pleasantly unpleasant."

According to the New York Times, playwright Thomas Bradshaws's work is "likely to leave you speechless."  A professor of playwriting at Brooklyn College, Bradshaw has been named one of the top 10 playwrights to watch by Time Out New York and Best Provocative Playwright in 2007 by The Village Voice.  He is the author of Southern Promises which premiered at P. S. 122 in September. Other work includes Purity, Strom Thurmond Is Not A Racist and Cleansed, all published by Samuel French, Inc. Dawn received a workshop at Dartmouth College in August and was presented in German at Theater Bielefeld in Germany in October.  He is currently working on an adaptation of The Book Of Job which has been commissioned by Soho Rep where he is a 2008-2009 Streslin Fellow.

Jim Simpson is the Founder and Artistic Director of The Flea Theater (2004 Drama Desk cited for Downtown Adventurous Theater). Two-time OBIE-award winner, 2002 National Board of Review Excellence in Filmmaking, and cited for artistic leadership in Downtown New York by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. Jim has directed over 70 works for the theater and has also directed for film and television. Venues include nine seasons at the Williamstown Theater Festival, Alley Theater, Hartford Stage, Yale Rep, Actor's Theater of Louisville, Eisenhower Theater at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Playwrights Horizons, EST, CSC, MCC, the London International Theater Festival and the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Most recently, Jim directed A. R. Gurney's Crazy Mary at Playwrights Horizons, Will Eno's Oh, The Humanity…, Peter Handke's Offending The Audience and the current revival of Cato at The Flea.

The Flea Theater, under Artistic Director Jim Simpson and Producing Director Carol Ostrow, is one of New York's leading off-off-Broadway companies. Winner of a Special Drama Desk Award for outstanding achievement, Obie Awards and an Otto for political theater, The Flea has presented over 80 plays and numerous dance and live music performances since its inception in 1996. Past productions include Anne Nelson's The Guys, A.R. Gurney's O Jerusalem, Screenplay, Mrs. Farnsworth and Post Mortem, Roger Rosenblatt's Ashley Montana Goes Ashore..., Adam Rapp's Bingo with the Indians and Will Eno's Oh, The Humanity and other exclamations.

DAWN runs November 9 - December 6, exact performance schedule varies. The Flea is located at 41 White Street between Church and Broadway, three blocks south of Canal, close to the 1, N, R, Q, W, 6, A, C and E subway lines. Tickets are $18 and are available by calling (212) 352-3101 or online at www.theflea.org

Northwestern University to Present 'Sweeney Todd' Oct. 31 to Nov.9 - 11/9/2008

The Theatre and Interpretation Center (TIC) at Northwestern University is celebrating the start of its 2008-09 season with the Tony Award-winning musical thriller "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler.

Performances will be held at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31; 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1; 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2; 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6; 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7; 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, in the Josephine Louis Theater, 20 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston campus.

From an adaptation by Christopher Bond, Sondheim and Wheeler's exhilarating ride of music, song and spectacle is based on the 19th century legend of Sweeney Todd. Returning home after 15 years in the Australian penal colonies on false charges, Todd joins forces with the owner of the worst meat pie shop in London to seek revenge on those who have wronged him. The results of this dark plot are mass murder, a booming meat pie business and grave misfortune.

Many theater fans have seen the original 1979 Broadway stage production of "Sweeney Todd," the 2005 Broadway revival, or Tim Burton's macabre 2007 film with Johnny Depp in the title role, however, director George Cederquist is taking a different approach to the TIC production.

"While ‘bloodiness' is a major part of the storytelling, each murder is done in a very abstract and theatrical way that builds the suspense," says Cederquist. "The theme that we are focusing on is ‘obsession,' specifically on what acts of violence does one commit when one is obsessed and how does one justify those acts. Our production explores the logic behind obsession. It is a version of ‘Sweeney Todd' that's never been done before."

The 25-member student cast includes undergraduate theatre majors from the School of Communication, as well as undergraduate voice students from the Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music. The musical is set in the Edwardian era and features long sequences of dreams, fantasies and fetishes. The music is classical and operatic, with haunting melodies and witty and emotional lyrics that will be performed by a live eight-piece orchestra.

Cederquist is a graduate student at Northwestern's School of Communication who is taking some classes at the Bienen School of Music. He has directed professionally in Chicago for six years.

The production is best-suited for teenagers and adults. It is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

Single tickets are $25 for the general public; $22 for seniors aged 65 and older, Northwestern faculty and staff and area educators and administrators; and $10 for children and full-time students. For tickets, call the Theatre and Interpretation Center Box Office at (847) 491-7282 or visit http://www.tic.northwestern.edu to order tickets online.

TIGER Theatricals to Produce New Free Play Readings Featuring Diaz, Stanek and More - 11/9/2008

TIGER Theatricals www.tigertheatricals.com and The Bravitas Group are producing a FREE weekend of New Play Readings at Luna Stage. The series is being produced by Dan Whitten, Tony Winning producer of Jay Johnson: The Two & Only and Jacues Brel.
 
6 STORY BUILDING  Written and Directed by Kevin Del Aguila (Altar Boys)
A whirlwind peek through the keyholes of half-a-dozen rooms in a New York City apartment building, examining the hilarious and heartbreaking side effects of urban living.
 
REACHING FOR THE MOON  Written by Larry Zingale, Directed by Michael Leeds (Swinging on a Star)
A depression day tragedy that tells the story of what happens when loyalty, kindness and ethics meet fear, greed, the bottle and the devil.
 
KAMIKAZE COUNTRY  Written by Donnally Miller, Directed by Kent Nicholson (Theatreworks, Palo Alto)
A Tragedy with Jokes set in the contemporary USA. A light-hearted look at ruthlessness, greed, murder and total systemic breakdown. Any resemblance to the current economic crisis is purely prescient (A debut Reading)
 
THREE ON THE AISLE  Written and Directed by Mary Lynn Dobson (The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood)
An hysterical look at the stagedoor behavior of the passionate denizens of a very serious community theatre troup.
 
Dates are November 7-9.  The cast includes Broadway performers Natascia Diaz, Jim Stanek, Teri Furr, James Nugent, Madeleine Blue.

Photo Credit Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

A JEW GROWS IN BROOKLYN -Final Show at Chicago's North Shore Performing Arts Center - 11/9/2008

Jake Ehrenreich's autobiographical 'comedy musical', A Jew Grows in Brooklyn comes to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts (9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie) for a limited one-week engagement this November. 

A Jew Grows in Brooklyn played for fifteen months to sold-out houses and broke box-office records, first at the historic Lamb's Theatre in the heart of Broadway’s Time Square, and then for 15 weeks at the Cuillo Centre for the Arts in West Palm Beach Florida.   Universal in its appeal, ABC-TV exclaimed A Jew Grows in Brooklyn “speaks to anyone hoping to live out the American Dream,” and the New York Times raved “you don’t have to be Jewish or Brooklynish!”  This Rock N’ Roll true story will premiere in Chicago at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie for a limited one-week engagement November 5 – 9, 2008.

A Jew Grows in Brooklyn follows Jake Ehrenreich's life from Brooklyn to the Catskills to Rock n’Roll to Broadway. Praised by the New York Times as “Dazzling, funny, and beautiful… a lot like Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays”, A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is the true story of a young man, who as a son of Holocaust survivors growing up in 1960’s Brooklyn, wanted nothing more than to be an American.  Making extensive use of music, humor, genuine pathos, multimedia video and photographs, Ehrenreich returns to his roots to guide us through a classic first generation immigrant story. While his Yiddish-speaking parents may have failed to understand the game of baseball or make sense of rock music, they did more than Ehrenreich initially realized while growing up to teach him the lessons of life – and to help him appreciate how music, culture and creativity are truly the wellsprings of renewal.  A cycle of life tale, WOR radio called it “A delightful journey with all the joy, tenderness and heartbreak of being a Jew.”

Produced by Dana Matthow, Philip Roger Roy and Second Generation Productions, and presented by Presley Theatre Productions Corp, A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is a “true story” comedy musical featuring Ehrenreich backed by a quartet of musician/singers.

Prior to developing A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, Jake Ehrenreich, a gifted singer and musician, performed on Broadway in Dancin', Barnum and They're Playing Our Song, and toured world-wide as Ringo in Beatlemania.  He also performed Off-Broadway in the English/Yiddish productions of Songs of Paradise and The Golden Land, the rock musical A Hot Minute, and created the title role in Jonah for Joseph Papp at the Public Theater.  In addition to his theater work, Ehrenreich has appeared in concert and recorded with such diverse performers as Richie Havens, Tito Puente, Whitney Houston, Gregg Allman, Jay Leno, Cab Calloway, John Davidson and The Smothers Brothers.  Born in Brooklyn and named Jacob Isaac Ehrenreich after his grandfathers lost in the Holocaust, Jake is the son of Jojne (Jonah) and Bala, who arrived in the United States with his two sisters in 1949.  The show is dedicated to all of his relatives, especially his father, who only recently passed away.

Featured during the one week production of A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is a photographic collection entitled “The Synagogue Project.”  This unique exhibit displays images of synagogues from all over the world including the Middle East, South America, Europe and the United States. The photographs show synagogues that are old and new, are thriving with attendance and those that have been condemned or demolished over time. Robin Roy, the photographer, considers her collection to be a tribute to the spirit of the Jewish people to persevere and worship wherever they may live.

Performances of A Jew Grows in Brooklyn at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts (9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie) are as follows:

Wednesday, November 5 at 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, November 7 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, November 8 at 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.

Sunday, November 9 at 1 p.m. & 5 p.m.

Tickets for A Jew Grows in Brooklyn are on sale now at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, (9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie).  Ticket prices range from $45 to $57.50 and can be purchased by calling (847) 673-6300 or visiting www.northshorecenter.org.  Groups of 20 or more can make reservations by calling (312) 423-6612.

For more information on A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, visit www.AJewGrowsInBrooklyn.com

Mindgame - 11/9/2008

Tony Award nominated actor Keith Carradine (The Will Rogers Follies, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Nashville, Dexter) returns to the New York stage in the premiere of Anthony Horowitz’s acclaimed thriller, MINDGAME.

Ken Russell, the celebrated director of the films Tommy, Women In Love and The Boy Friend, makes his New York stage directorial debut with MINDGAME.

When a writer of pulp crime novels gets an interview with a notorious serial killer he believes he has snared the coup of his career. But when he arrives at the asylum, he finds nothing can be trusted, not even his own eyes. Through a series of lies, manipulations and memories, dark secrets are revealed. Why is there a skeleton in the doctor’s office? Where did the raw meat in the fridge come from? What is the nurse so afraid of? And most importantly, how does one get out?

TRU LOVE BENEFIT to Honor Davenport and Romoff 11/9 - 11/9/2008

Theater Resources Unlimited, in association with sponsors Theatrical Rights Worldwide, Elysabeth Kleinhans, C2 - Caption Coalition, Sound Associates and the Players Theatre, announces the eighth annual TRU LOVE BENEFIT.  The event will honor producing maverick Ken Davenport and Arlene Romoff, advocate for open captioning for live theater, at a luncheon benefit on Sunday, November 9, 2008 at Caroline’s on Broadway. The event, themed “Believe ... in the possibilities of theater,” begins with a cocktail hour reception at noon followed by a luncheon at 1pm, with entertainment and an awards ceremony to start at 1:45 and a Silent Auction throughout the afternoon.

In keeping with the theme, as well as the advocacy of honoree Romoff, the event will be completely handicap accessible, and will offer open captioning as well as Assisted Listening Devices for attendees with hearing loss. “Theater can portray a world of unlimited possibilities. It needs to be accessible for everyone,” stated TRU president Bob Ost.

Ken Davenport is the recipient of the 2008 TRU Spirit of Theater Award, which is given to someone in the theater community who is generous, supportive and inspiring. TRU honors Mr. Davenport for his dedication to and belief in the possibilities of off-Broadway and theater in general; his use of new producing models and innovative technology have breathed new life into the business of theater, not only for his own productions but for many others who have followed his lead. Previous honorees include the late Fredric Vogel, Woodie King Jr., Philip Rose and Cheryl Wiesenfeld.

TRU recognizes Arlene Romoff, president of the Hearing Loss Association of New Jersey, and author of “Hear Again - Back to Life with a Cochlear Implant,” with a Humanitarian Award for her work to bring open captioned performances to live theater, making theater accessible for people with hearing loss.

Entertainment will include excerpts from Davenport shows, including the cast of Altar Boyz in a special number cut from the show, accompanied by show composer Gary Adler; Nancy Anderson (A Class Act, Wonderful Town, Kiss Me Kate tour and London, Fanny Hill) in a song from the Broadway musical 13; The Awesome 80’s Prom cheerleaders; and Trazana Beverly (Tony Award-winner for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf) in a monologue from My First Time. New musicals developed by members of TRU’s Producer Mentoring program will also be represented: Kristy Cates (Wicked) in a song from the New York bound Rooms by Paul Scott Goodman, accompanied by the composer; Michael Dionissiou in a song from TRU Voices 2007 finalist Opa!; and Jill Paice (Curtains, Woman in White, Gone with the Wind) and Matthew Scott (Jersey Boys, A Catered Affair) in a number from the Broadway-bound Ace the Musical.

The Honorary Benefit Committee includes composer Gary Adler (Altar Boyz), director Stafford Arima (Altar Boyz); Brenda Battat, Executive Director of the Hearing Loss Association of America; producer/general manager Peter Breger; writer Kevin Del Aguila (Altar Boyz); producer Angelo DelRossi; choreographer Christopher Gattelli (Altar Boyz, South Pacific, 13); producer Robyn Goodman (Altar Boyz, Avenue Q, In the Heights); Dr. Laurie Hanin, Executive Director of the League for the Hard of Hearing; Beverley Mac Keen of New World Stages; John McEwen, Executive Director of NJ Theatre Alliance; Karen Ratner, President of the Hearing Loss Association of America/NY State Association; Catherine Russell of the Snapple Theatre Centre; and producer Tom Smedes (Ace the Musical, Naked Boys Singing).

Theater Resources Unlimited is a service organization that provides guidance, information and support to producers and theater companies, including self-producing artists.  Programs include Producer Mentorship, a weekend Boot Camp for aspiring producers, a new play and musicals reading series, an annual audition event, Actor Resource Nights and scholarships to the Commercial Theater Institute.

 The 2008 TRU Love Benefit will take place on Sunday, November 9, 2008 at noon at Caroline’s on Broadway, 1626 Broadway, NYC.  Tickets for the luncheon, performance and awards ceremony are $150 for “Circle of Angels” Patron Level tickets and $100 for unreserved general admission tickets.  Tickets may be purchased online at www.truonline.org/store.html.

Programs of Theater Resources Unlimited are supported in part by public funds awarded through the New York State Council on the Arts and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, as well as generous support from the Friar’s National Foundation Association.

For more information about TRU, visit www.truonline.org or call 212-714-7628.

Photo of the cast of The Altar Boyz by Peter James Zielinski

Devin Richards to Celebrate CD Release at Metropolitan Room 11/10 - 11/10/2008

Lampkin Music Group has announced the CD release party for Broadway personality, Devin Richards “My Own Voice – Live at Metropolitan Room.” The evening will feature musical direction by Dan "The Man" Furman and take place on November 10th at 8:30 PM. Tickets are $25 which includes a copy of the CD.

Devin is currently appearing in his tenth Broadway, “Tale of Two Cities, " Devin will also be featured in a forthcoming issue of the well known magazine “Ebony” and is the voice of the character, Dwayne Forge, in the biggest selling video game in history “Grand Theft Auto IV”
 
CD features songs such as “Fever – in French/German"  “Ol’ Man River” “Sometimes I Feel like a Motherless Child” "My Own Voice"  “Change Sucks” and “I Wanna Make Music.” Musicians featured on CD are Ritt Henn, John Depinto and Doug Hinrichs, Songs arranged by Devin Richards, Dan ‘The Man” Furman and Ritt Henn. Remixed and mastered by Ralph Lampkin, Jr, and John Nuner for LMGMUSIC. 2008 (A Division of Lampkin Music Group). The CD was recorded live at Metropolitan Room, 2007.
 
For more information please visit:
www.DevinRichards.com
www.metropolitanroom.com

Anette Bening to 'All About Eve' to Benefit Actors Fund 11/10 - 11/10/2008

The Actors Fund will present an all-star reading of ALL ABOUT EVE, the classic backstage drama that is one of the most entertaining and witty films of all time.  Leading the all-star cast will be award-winning actress Annette Bening (The Women, Running with Scissors, American Beauty) as Margo Channing.  ALL ABOUT EVE will be presented Monday, November 10 at 7:30pm at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street).

Additional star casting will be announced soon.

The reading of ALL ABOUT EVE will be directed by Emmy and DGA Award-winning director John Erman (“Roots,” “Who Will Love My Children”).

The 1950 film, ALL ABOUT EVE, is written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, based on the short story “The Wisdom of Eve,” by Mary Orr, and stars Bette Davis as Margo Channing, the prominent yet aging Broadway star.  Anne Baxter plays Eve Harrington, a willingly helpful young fan who insinuates herself into Channing’s life, threatening Channing’s career and personal relationships.  The film also features George Sanders, Celeste Holm, Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merrill, Marilyn Monroe and Thelma Ritter.  ALL ABOUT EVE was nominated for 14 Academy Awards and won 6, including Best Picture.

Biographies:

ANNETTE BENING (Margo Channing) can currently be seen in the film of The Women starring alongside Meg Ryan, Eva Mendes and Jada Pinkett-Smith. She was last seen in the 2006 film Running with Scissors (Golden Globe Award nomination).  Annette was ‘Julia Lambert’ in Being Julia (Oscar nomination, National Board of Review Award, Golden Globe Award and a SAG nomination).  She also starred in Mrs. Harris with Ben Kingsley for HBO (Emmy, SAG, and Golden Globe nominations), the critically acclaimed film American Beauty (Academy Award nomination, Golden Globe nomination, Screen Actors Guild Award and the BAFTA Award).  She received her first Academy Award nomination and was named “Best Supporting Actress” by the National Board of Review for her role in The Grifters. She also received a Golden Globe nomination for her starring role in Rob Reiner’s The American President, opposite Michael Douglas.  Her other films include Love Affair and Bugsy (Golden Globe nomination), both opposite Warren Beatty.  Bening’s theater credits include The Cherry Orchard at Los Angeles’ Mark Taper Forum in 2006, and Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads, at the Tiffany Theater in Los Angeles. She also played the title role in Hedda Gabler in March 1999 at Los Angeles’ Geffen Playhouse.  In New York, Bening received both a Tony Award nomination and won the Clarence Derwent Award for most outstanding debut performance of the season for her role in Coastal Disturbances, originally at the Second Stage, then on Broadway. 

JOHN ERMAN (Director) came into prominence in the world of television with a film called “Green Eyes,” which starred Paul Winfield.  This earned him the Humanitas Prize and the opportunity to direct “Roots” (Emmy nomination, Director's Guild Award).  He also directed “Moviola,” “The Letter,” “Roots – The Next Generations (with Marlon Brando), “Who Will Love My Children” starring Ann-Margret (Emmy, Christopher Award).  Also with Ann-Margret, he directed “A Streetcar Named Desire” (Emmy nomination), “The Two Mrs. Grenvilles,” “Our Sons” (also with Julie Andrews and Hugh Grant) and “Queen” (also with Halle Berry and Danny Glover).  His other TV credits include “Scarlett “ an 8 hour mini-series for CBS, “An Early Frost” with Gena Rowlands and Sylvia Sidney  (DG Award, Emmy nomination), “The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank” with Mary Steenburgen (Peabody Award, Christopher Award), “David” with Bernadette Peters, “Stella” with Bette Midler, “The Last Best year” with Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters, “The Last To Go” with Tyne Daly, “The Boys Next Door” with Nathan Lane, Mare Winningham and Tony Goldwyn, “Only Love” with Marisa Tomei and Rob Morrow, “Doris Duke Story” with Lauren Bacall and Richard Chamberlain, “Victoria and Albert” with Nigel Hawthorne, Diana Rigg and Jonathan Pryce, and “The Blackwater Lightship” with Angela Lansbury and Dianne Wiest.  Recent theatre credits include Under the Blue Sky at Williamstown Theatre Festival with Vera Farmiga, Marsha Mason and Annabella Sciorra.

THE ACTORS FUND is a national human services organization that helps all professionals in performing arts and entertainment. The Fund, which helps actors and performers and everyone behind the scenes who works in theatre, film, TV, music, dance, radio and opera, is a safety net, providing social services and emergency assistance, health services, employment and training programs and housing support for those who are in need, crisis or transition. Learn more about The Actors Fund at www.actorsfund.org 

Tickets available through by phone at 212-221-7300 x133 or online at tickets@actorsfund.org

For more information, visit www.actorsfund.org 

Annette Bening to Read 'All About Eve' to Benefit Actors Fund 11/10 - 11/10/2008

The Actors Fund will present an all-star reading of ALL ABOUT EVE, the classic backstage drama that is one of the most entertaining and witty films of all time.  Leading the all-star cast will be award-winning actress Annette Bening (The Women, Running with Scissors, American Beauty) as Margo Channing.  ALL ABOUT EVE will be presented Monday, November 10 at 7:30pm at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street).

Additional star casting will be announced soon.

The reading of ALL ABOUT EVE will be directed by Emmy and DGA Award-winning director John Erman (“Roots,” “Who Will Love My Children”).

The 1950 film, ALL ABOUT EVE, is written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, based on the short story “The Wisdom of Eve,” by Mary Orr, and stars Bette Davis as Margo Channing, the prominent yet aging Broadway star.  Anne Baxter plays Eve Harrington, a willingly helpful young fan who insinuates herself into Channing’s life, threatening Channing’s career and personal relationships.  The film also features George Sanders, Celeste Holm, Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merrill, Marilyn Monroe and Thelma Ritter.  ALL ABOUT EVE was nominated for 14 Academy Awards and won 6, including Best Picture.

Biographies:

Annette Bening (Margo Channing) can currently be seen in the film of The Women starring alongside Meg Ryan, Eva Mendes and Jada Pinkett-Smith. She was last seen in the 2006 film Running with Scissors (Golden Globe Award nomination).  Annette was ‘Julia Lambert’ in Being Julia (Oscar nomination, National Board of Review Award, Golden Globe Award and a SAG nomination).  She also starred in Mrs. Harris with Ben Kingsley for HBO (Emmy, SAG, and Golden Globe nominations), the critically acclaimed film American Beauty (Academy Award nomination, Golden Globe nomination, Screen Actors Guild Award and the BAFTA Award).  She received her first Academy Award nomination and was named “Best Supporting Actress” by the National Board of Review for her role in The Grifters. She also received a Golden Globe nomination for her starring role in Rob Reiner’s The American President, opposite Michael Douglas.  Her other films include Love Affair and Bugsy (Golden Globe nomination), both opposite Warren Beatty.  Bening’s theater credits include The Cherry Orchard at Los Angeles’ Mark Taper Forum in 2006, and Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads, at the Tiffany Theater in Los Angeles. She also played the title role in Hedda Gabler in March 1999 at Los Angeles’ Geffen Playhouse.  In New York, Bening received both a Tony Award nomination and won the Clarence Derwent Award for most outstanding debut performance of the season for her role in Coastal Disturbances, originally at the Second Stage, then on Broadway. 

JOHN ERMAN (Director) came into prominence in the world of television with a film called “Green Eyes,” which starred Paul Winfield.  This earned him the Humanitas Prize and the opportunity to direct “Roots” (Emmy nomination, Director's Guild Award).  He also directed “Moviola,” “The Letter,” “Roots – The Next Generations (with Marlon Brando), “Who Will Love My Children” starring Ann-Margret (Emmy, Christopher Award).  Also with Ann-Margret, he directed “A Streetcar Named Desire” (Emmy nomination), “The Two Mrs. Grenvilles,” “Our Sons” (also with Julie Andrews and Hugh Grant) and “Queen” (also with Halle Berry and Danny Glover).  His other TV credits include “Scarlett “ an 8 hour mini-series for CBS, “An Early Frost” with Gena Rowlands and Sylvia Sidney  (DG Award, Emmy nomination), “The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank” with Mary Steenburgen (Peabody Award, Christopher Award), “David” with Bernadette Peters, “Stella” with Bette Midler, “The Last Best year” with Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters, “The Last To Go” with Tyne Daly, “The Boys Next Door” with Nathan Lane, Mare Winningham and Tony Goldwyn, “Only Love” with Marisa Tomei and Rob Morrow, “Doris Duke Story” with Lauren Bacall and Richard Chamberlain, “Victoria and Albert” with Nigel Hawthorne, Diana Rigg and Jonathan Pryce, and “The Blackwater Lightship” with Angela Lansbury and Dianne Wiest.  Recent theatre credits include Under the Blue Sky at Williamstown Theatre Festival with Vera Farmiga, Marsha Mason and Annabella Sciorra.

THE ACTORS FUND is a national human services organization that helps all professionals in performing arts and entertainment. The Fund, which helps actors and performers and everyone behind the scenes who works in theatre, film, TV, music, dance, radio and opera, is a safety net, providing social services and emergency assistance, health services, employment and training programs and housing support for those who are in need, crisis or transition. Learn more about The Actors Fund at www.actorsfund.org 

Tickets available through by phone at 212-221-7300 x133 or online at tickets@actorsfund.org

For more information, visit www.actorsfund.org 

Annette Bening to Star in 'All About Eve' Reading to Benefit Actors Fund 11/10 - 11/10/2008

The Actors Fund will present an all-star reading of ALL ABOUT EVE, the classic backstage drama that is one of the most entertaining and witty films of all time.  Leading the all-star cast will be award-winning actress Annette Bening (The Women, Running with Scissors, American Beauty) as Margo Channing.  ALL ABOUT EVE will be presented Monday, November 10 at 7:30pm at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street).

Additional star casting will be announced soon.

The reading of ALL ABOUT EVE will be directed by Emmy and DGA Award-winning director John Erman (“Roots,” “Who Will Love My Children”).

The 1950 film, ALL ABOUT EVE, is written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, based on the short story “The Wisdom of Eve,” by Mary Orr, and stars Bette Davis as Margo Channing, the prominent yet aging Broadway star.  Anne Baxter plays Eve Harrington, a willingly helpful young fan who insinuates herself into Channing’s life, threatening Channing’s career and personal relationships.  The film also features George Sanders, Celeste Holm, Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merrill, Marilyn Monroe and Thelma Ritter.  ALL ABOUT EVE was nominated for 14 Academy Awards and won 6, including Best Picture.

Biographies:

Annette Bening (Margo Channing) can currently be seen in the film of The Women starring alongside Meg Ryan, Eva Mendes and Jada Pinkett-Smith. She was last seen in the 2006 film Running with Scissors (Golden Globe Award nomination).  Annette was ‘Julia Lambert’ in Being Julia (Oscar nomination, National Board of Review Award, Golden Globe Award and a SAG nomination).  She also starred in Mrs. Harris with Ben Kingsley for HBO (Emmy, SAG, and Golden Globe nominations), the critically acclaimed film American Beauty (Academy Award nomination, Golden Globe nomination, Screen Actors Guild Award and the BAFTA Award).  She received her first Academy Award nomination and was named “Best Supporting Actress” by the National Board of Review for her role in The Grifters. She also received a Golden Globe nomination for her starring role in Rob Reiner’s The American President, opposite Michael Douglas.  Her other films include Love Affair and Bugsy (Golden Globe nomination), both opposite Warren Beatty.  Bening’s theater credits include The Cherry Orchard at Los Angeles’ Mark Taper Forum in 2006, and Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads, at the Tiffany Theater in Los Angeles. She also played the title role in Hedda Gabler in March 1999 at Los Angeles’ Geffen Playhouse.  In New York, Bening received both a Tony Award nomination and won the Clarence Derwent Award for most outstanding debut performance of the season for her role in Coastal Disturbances, originally at the Second Stage, then on Broadway. 

JOHN ERMAN (Director) came into prominence in the world of television with a film called “Green Eyes,” which starred Paul Winfield.  This earned him the Humanitas Prize and the opportunity to direct “Roots” (Emmy nomination, Director's Guild Award).  He also directed “Moviola,” “The Letter,” “Roots – The Next Generations (with Marlon Brando), “Who Will Love My Children” starring Ann-Margret (Emmy, Christopher Award).  Also with Ann-Margret, he directed “A Streetcar Named Desire” (Emmy nomination), “The Two Mrs. Grenvilles,” “Our Sons” (also with Julie Andrews and Hugh Grant) and “Queen” (also with Halle Berry and Danny Glover).  His other TV credits include “Scarlett “ an 8 hour mini-series for CBS, “An Early Frost” with Gena Rowlands and Sylvia Sidney  (DG Award, Emmy nomination), “The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank” with Mary Steenburgen (Peabody Award, Christopher Award), “David” with Bernadette Peters, “Stella” with Bette Midler, “The Last Best year” with Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters, “The Last To Go” with Tyne Daly, “The Boys Next Door” with Nathan Lane, Mare Winningham and Tony Goldwyn, “Only Love” with Marisa Tomei and Rob Morrow, “Doris Duke Story” with Lauren Bacall and Richard Chamberlain, “Victoria and Albert” with Nigel Hawthorne, Diana Rigg and Jonathan Pryce, and “The Blackwater Lightship” with Angela Lansbury and Dianne Wiest.  Recent theatre credits include Under the Blue Sky at Williamstown Theatre Festival with Vera Farmiga, Marsha Mason and Annabella Sciorra.

THE ACTORS FUND is a national human services organization that helps all professionals in performing arts and entertainment. The Fund, which helps actors and performers and everyone behind the scenes who works in theatre, film, TV, music, dance, radio and opera, is a safety net, providing social services and emergency assistance, health services, employment and training programs and housing support for those who are in need, crisis or transition. Learn more about The Actors Fund at www.actorsfund.org 

Tickets available through by phone at 212-221-7300 x133 or online at tickets@a