Arena Stage News

A local theatre educator, Kevin Kuchar of the Act Two @ Levine Program, has been nominated for the inaugural Excellence in Theatre Education Award, presented by Carnegie Mellon University and the Tony Awards. We talk to some of his current and former students about why they nominated their teacher.

Adventure Theatre MTC takes us on a reimagined journey through Oz in a world premiere play by Jacqueline Lawton. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz runs from tonight, April 3- May 25, 2015, based on the classic American children's book by L. Frank Baum starring Helen Hayes nominated Paige Hernandez as Dorothy.

?Dallas Theater Center announced today complete details for the rolling world premiere of Colossal, a new play by Andrew Hinderaker. DTC artistic director Kevin Moriarty directs the Kennedy Center Jean Kennedy Smith Playwriting Award-winning play, which is choreographed by founder and artistic director of Dark Circles Contemporary Dance Joshua L. Peugh. Colossal begins with previews tonight, April 2 with a Pay-What-You-Can performance and runs through Sunday, May 3.

Virginia's Signature Theatre presents Simply Sondheim, the world premiere special event celebrating Stephen Sondheim and Signature Theatre's special partnership over the last 25 years.

BroadwayWorld.com, the most visited theatre site on the net, presents its exclusive TV series - BROADWAY QUICK CHANGE. This newly minted series follows Broadway phenom Robert Hartwell on inspirational shopping outings, then into the dressing rooms of Broadway's hottest stars, where wielding his interior design chops, and extraordinary taste, transforms their home away from home, from the Drab to the Fab, the Blah to the Ahhhh! In this latest episode, watch Robert as he stops by the WICKED Green Room!

In the words of Aaron Posner, actors Grace Gonglewski and Eric Hissom are “lifetime members of the Aaron Posner players!” Theirs is a professional relationship and personal friendship that dates back two decades. When Arena Stage's production of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike begins performances, they'll once again find themselves in familiar positions with Gonglewski and Hissom onstage and Posner in the director's chair.

Christopher Coucill, whose acting credits include Broadway and TV, brings Glen Berger's one-man mystery adventure Underneath the Lintel to Hedgerow Theatre from April 9 to 26.

EXIT Theatre will host the World Premiere of RISE, the newest work by writer/performer Scott Barry, known locally for Solo Gig Squared, the critically lauded solo show about his time as a draft-pick for the San Francisco 49ers.

?Dallas Theater Center announced today complete details for the rolling world premiere of Colossal, a new play by Andrew Hinderaker. DTC artistic director Kevin Moriarty directs the Kennedy Center Jean Kennedy Smith Playwriting Award-winning play, which is choreographed by founder and artistic director of Dark Circles Contemporary Dance Joshua L. Peugh. Colossal begins with previews on Thursday, April 2 with a Pay-What-You-Can performance and runs through Sunday, May 3.

Four-time Helen Hayes Award winner and acclaimed D.C. actor Edward Gero stars as one of America's most brilliant and polarizing figures-Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia-in the world-premiere political drama The Originalist, byCharles MacArthur Award winner and Arena Stage resident playwright John Strand. When a bright, liberal law school graduate embarks on a nerve-wracking clerkship with Justice Scalia, she discovers him to be both an infuriating sparring partner and unexpected mentor. How will their relationship affect one of the most incendiary cases ever to reach the nation's highest court? Artistic Director Molly Smith directs this daring new play, which offers a rare portrayal of a sitting Supreme Court justice, and for the first time the intimate Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle will be configured into a three-quarter thrust configuration. The Originalist runs March 6-April 26, 2015. Check out a first look at the opening night party below!

Kate Baldwin and Conor Ryan, the stars of the Keen Company production of John & Jen, the musical with music by Andrew Lippa, lyrics by Tom Greenwald, and a book by Greenwald and Lippa, will head over to the recording studio on April 6th, to preserve the 2015 Off-Broadway Cast Recording for Broadway Records. A June 16th release is planned. Andrew Lippa and Michael Croiter will produce the album. Musical Director is Lily Lang. This recording will include the premiere of the new song, "Trouble with Men,' as well as new orchestrations and two songs from the score never before recorded. Check out @BwayRecords on Twitter for live updates from the recording session on April 6.

Director Alan Paul establishes himself as a Musical Director Extraordinaire

The Theatre @ Boston Court presents My Barking Dog, by Eric Coble, directed by Michael Michetti. Opening night is Saturday, April 25, 2015 on the Main Stage at Boston Court Performing Arts Center, 70 North Mentor Avenue.

Award winning Broadway director Steve Zuckerman and noted playwright, screen and television writer John Bunzel are tapped by The New American Theatre Artistic Director Jack Stehlin to offer Los Angeles a 'first look' at the new comedy 63 TRILLION, opening at the Odyssey Theatre on April 25, 2015.

'A Shayna Maidel' will play in the Clarence Brown Theatre's Lab Theatre tonight, March 26 to April 12, 2015. Because the show has been sold out for some time, two additional evening performances have been scheduled for March 29 and 31.

The Old Globe is delighted to welcome one of the true geniuses of the American theatre, Tony Award winner Mary Zimmerman, who makes her long-awaited San Diego directing debut with an enchanting theatrical spectacle with live music and sumptuous visuals, The White Snake, continuing the Globe's 80th Anniversary festivities as part of the Balboa Park Centennial Celebration. The Southern California Premiere of The White Snake, written and directed by Zimmerman, will run now through April 26 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is tonight, March 26 at 8:00 p.m.

?Today, The Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep's Center for the Creation and Development of New Work announces that it has selected 14 projects for its fourth Summer Residency Lab featuring works from more than 20 talented artists.

When Sarah Ruhl was a student at Brown University, she embarked on a journey that would culminate in her sprawling epic, Passion Play, which was first performed at Arena Stage in 2005. Her three act tome tells the story of a group of actors performing the story of the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Each act is set in a different time frame, yet what happens off-stage, which vaguely mirrors the actions on stage, is the heart of the story.

Virginia's Signature Theatre presents the world premiere production of SOON, a new musical by Nick Blaemire (Glory Days, A Little More Alive). The show began performances at the ARK Theatre on March 10, and BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!