Michael Knowles

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe will bring in the New Year with its production of “Flyin' West” by Pearl Cleage. WBTT had previously presented this show as a staged play reading in the summer of 2018 as part of the national Project1VOICE program, during which Black theatres around the country present the same play on the same day.

In Book of Love, young, uptight English writer Henry’s (Sam Claflin) novel is a resolute failure. He is delighted to find out his book is a surprise hit in Mexico, but when he is invited there to promote it, he soon discovers why—his Spanish translator Maria (Verónica Echegui) has rewritten his dull book as an erotic novel.

Plays Through March 17th

National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has approved more than $25 million in grants as part of the NEA's first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2018. Included in this announcement is an Art Works grant of $10,000 to Firehouse Theatre for the world premiere of Richmond composer Walter Braxton's opera TO DAMASCUS. This is the first direct NEA grant that Firehouse has received in its 24 year history.

TO DAMASCUS builds on a range of sources including the bible story of Paul's conversion, August Strindberg's THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS, the rivalry between Lorenzo de' Medici's patronage of secular art versus Girolamo Savanarola's bonfire of the vanities and his call for an orthodox religious revival, Thomas Mann's only play FIORENZO, the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins, James Marcus Schuyler and Ezra Pound, William Carlos Williams, and the Catholic Mass. Check out photos below!

Firehouse Theatre presents the world premiere of Richmond composer Walter Braxton's opera TO DAMASCUS. The opera production begins a limited run of seven performances at Firehouse today, January 18, 2018.

Firehouse Theatre presents the world premiere of Richmond composer Walter Braxton's opera TO DAMASCUS. The opera production begins a limited run of seven performances at Firehouse on Thursday, January 18, 2018.

ASCAP Award-winning writer/director Chip Deffaa is releasing a second cast album of his show 'Mad About the Boy' today. The new album - which follows on the heels of the cast album of his recently released 13th Street Theater production - mixes performances by stars of Deffaa's original festival production, plus some very special surprise guests.

The cast album for Chip Deffaa's hit gay musical, 'Mad About the Boy,' which broke box-office records at New York's historic 13th Street Repertory Theater, is out now. 

The original cast album for Chip Deffaa's trailblazing gay musical, 'Mad About the Boy,' which broke box-office records at New York's venerable 13th Street Theater, will be released April 28th.  The CD can be pre-ordered now from such sites as Amazon.com and CDBaby.com; digital downloads are available from iTunes, starting today. 

Firehouse Theatre presents ALBEE FEST as a tribute to one of America's greatest playwrights, Edward Albee. ALBEE FEST takes us from the sunny side of drama with THE SANDBOX and FINDING THE SUN, to disgruntled family struggles in MARRIAGE PLAY and COUNTING THE WAYS, to the indignant rantings of THE MAN WHO HAD THREE ARMS, and coming back to the beginning with THE PLAY ABOUT THE BABY. These six little known works by the master dramatist will be performed in script-in-hand readings with a company of some of Richmond's most talented theatre artists within a festival environment designed by Tennessee Dixon and Bill Miller and directed by Jon Kretzu, Deejay Gray, and Zack Owen. Two companion events will round out the festival -- a special Edward Albee cabaret with Starlet Knight and Anthony Dowd, and Strange Bedfellows: Albee Edition. Additional festival events include Albee's performance installation KNOCK, KNOCK, WHO'S THERE, and cocktail parties after each performance.

Actors Co-op (Ovation Award-Winner 2014 Best Intimate Theatre Musical for 110 in the Shade) presents the fourth and final show in its 2015-2016 season (and 24th year of producing theatrical excellence in Los Angeles!) with DANCING AT LUGHNASA, by Brian Friel, choreography by Julie Hall and directed by Heather Chesley.  DANCING AT LUGHNASA previewed on Wednesday, May 4 and Thursday, May 5 at 8pm and opened on Friday, May 6 at 8pm and will run through Sunday, June 12 at the Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre, 1760 N. Gower St. (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

The 13th Street Repertory Theater will present a teach-in on the history of gay musical theater, and gay songs in pop music, following the performances next Sunday (April 26th) at 2 pm and 7 pm of its current hit musical 'Mad About the Boy.' The presentation will be moderated by ASCAP Award-winning writer/director Chip Deffaa (creator of 'Mad About the Boy'), and will feature members of the cast, joined by a special surprise guest.

The 13th Street Repertory Theater will honor the woman widely considered to be the world's greatest blues singer by making Sunday, April 19th, 'Bessie Smith Day.' The theater will be offering free admission to its new hit show, 'Mad About the Boy' (which includes a tribute to Smith) to anyone who can sing a chorus of a song recorded by Smith. ASCAP award-winning playwright/director Chip Deffaa, who's created and produced 'Mad About the Boy,' will also award prizes to those who do the best job of singing Smith's songs. Deffaa--who profiled Smith in the book 'Harlem Speaks: A Living History of the Harlem Renaissance' (Sourcebooks, Inc.) and has lectured on her (most recently at the University of Idaho)--will be the judge, assisted by members of his theater company.

ASCAP award-winning playwright/director Chip Deffaa will host talkback sessions--in which audience members can ask any questions they wish of the cast or creative team--after the following performances of his new musical comedy 'Mad About the Boy' at the 13th Street Repertory Theater (50 W. 13th Street, NYC).

Casting has been announced for ASCAP Award-winning writer/director Chip Deffaaa€s next musical production, a€oeMad About the Boy,a€ which is set to open April 12th at the 13th Street Repertory Theater, 50 W. 13th Street.

In honor of Global Ukulele Day (March 11, 2011), Gregory de la Haba and The Beatles Complete On Ukulele will host an event unlike any other.

In honor of Global Ukulele Day (March 11, 2011), Gregory de la Haba and The Beatles Complete On Ukulele, in an act of performance philanthropy, will be announcing the ten recipients of specially designed KALA brand ukuleles to the 10 most powerful and interesting people on earth during Armory Week in New York, NY.

According to published reports, actors Brie Larson and Lucy Liu will join Michael C. Hall as cast mates in the upcoming indie comedy 'East Fifth Bliss.'

Showtime's 'Dexter' star Michael C. Hall will star in the new indie film 'East Fifth Bliss.' The picture will be directed by Michael Knowles.