Arena Stage News

Life-long performer and Tony nominee Maurice Hines (Uptown…It's Hot!; Sophisticated Ladies) narrates his glamorous career through tap as he inspires love and appreciation of this amazing art form. With song and dance, Hines pays tribute to his brother, Gregory Hines, his family, and the singers who have inspired him, from Frank Sinatra to Lena Horne. A charming storyteller, Hines will turn the expanse of the Alliance Stage into a place of intimate story-telling and dance moves that will make you realize you are in the presence of a song-and-dance legend. A once-in-a-lifetime stage experience you will remember for years. MAURICE HINES IS TAPPIN' THRU LIFE is a co-production with Arena Stage and Cleveland Play House. For tickets, visit www.alliancetheatre.org/tappin or call 404.733.5000.

People's Light & Theatre presents the regional premiere of Dear Elizabeth running today, April 2-27 on the Steinbright Stage. Lisa Rothe directs. People's Light & Theatre is located at 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, PA 19355.

Following the successful, award-winning 2013 co-production of Detroit '67 written by Dominique Morisseau, Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) and The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH) officially announce their second co-production. The famed Harlem arts institutions will produce the 50th Anniversary revival of 'Dutchman' by LeRoi Jones (Amiri Baraka) from April 30 to May 23, 2014. Carl Cofield will direct the revival.

After every preview performance of the new critically acclaimed American play The Velocity of Autumn, from tonight, April 1, through Sunday, April 20, audience members will be invited to stay for a complimentary post-show 'Inside Velocity' talkback, featuring different members of the cast and creative team, at the Booth Theatre (222 West 45 Street).

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University, under the leadership of Diane Paulus, Artistic Director and William Russo, Managing Director, presents the last production of its 2013/14 Season, THE TEMPEST, adapted and directed by Aaron Posner and Teller from the play by William Shakespeare, with magic by Teller, music by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan, and movement by Matt Kent of Pilobolus.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2013 Edgerton Foundation New Play Awards. The awards, totaling $1,108,000, allow 39 productions extra time in the development and rehearsal of new plays with the entire creative team, helping to extend the life of the play after its first run.

The Falcon Theatre, Abbie Phillips and Jan Kallish in association with the Lookingglass Theatre Company are thrilled to announce a very special event to benefit Lookingglass Theatre Company. Tonight, March 29 at 4 pm, a performance of the West Coast Premiere of THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON, written by Nicola Behrman, David Kersnar, Abbie Phillips, Heidi Stillman and Andrew White and directed by Dan Bonnell, followed by a post-show Q & A with members of the creative team, and a private dinner following. This is the first association between the Falcon Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre Company of Chicago, 2011 recipient of the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre.

City Theatre continues its 2013-2014 season with Grounded, a high-intensity drama by George Brant. Directed by Jenn Thompson, Grounded runs from today, March 29 to May 4, 2014 in City Theatre's Hamburg Studio, with an Opening Night performance on Friday, April 4 at 8pm.

THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY and Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, announced today that the world premiere of SOVEREIGN BODY, written by Emilie Beck and directed by Scott Alan Smith (That Good Night, Lady) will now preview tonight, March 29 at 8pm; Sunday, March 30 at 2pm and Thursday, April 3 at 8pm and will open on Friday, April 4 at 8pm and run through Saturday, May 24 at the Historic Lankershim Arts Center, 5108 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood, CA.

Perseverance Theatre opens Pulitzer Prize winning Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tenessee Williams. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is showing in the Sydney Laurence Theatre at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts April 11 - 27, 2014. Tickets are now available through Centertix online at centertix.net or by calling 263-ARTS. There is a Pay-As-You-Can Previews on Thursday, April 10th at 7:30p.m.

Producers Larry Kaye & HOP Theatricals and Van Dean & The Broadway Consortium announced today a general rush ticket policy for Eric Coble's new critically acclaimed American play The Velocity of Autumn, starring Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons and two-time Tony Award winner Stephen Spinella and directed by Molly Smith. A limited number of $29 rush tickets (inclusive of $2 facility fee) will be available for each performance when the Booth Theatre box office (222 West 45 Street) opens for that day's performance(s). Patrons are limited to two tickets per person.

What happens when an elderly patient with dementia goes missing in a northern Idaho blizzard, leaving his wife and others behind to face the unknown? The story is Rest, a heartbreakingly funny and tender play commissioned by South Coast Repertory from Samuel D. Hunter. SCR Founding Artistic Director Martin Benson directs the world premiere of Rest, today, March 28-April 27, on the Segerstrom Stage.

The Falcon Theatre, Abbie Phillips and Jan Kallish in association with theLookingglass Theatre Company are thrilled to present the West Coast Premiere of THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON, written by Nicola Behrman, David Kersnar, Abbie Phillips, Heidi Stillman and Andy White and directed by Dan Bonnell. This is the first association between the Falcon Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre Company of Chicago, 2011 recipient of the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON began previews on Wednesday, March 19; will open tonight, March 28 and continue throughSaturday, April 19 at the Falcon Theatre, 4252 Riverside Dr. in Burbank.

In Washington, it is not unusual to see Marine One fly the first family to the presidential retreat - Naval Support Facility Thurmont, more commonly known as Camp David. A trip to the wooded retreat located 62 miles north of the nation's capital in Thurmont, Maryland, is usually intended to be a relaxing weekend for the nation's chief executive. However, 36 years ago it became the crux of American foreign policy in the Middle East and home to a summit that was anything but tranquil. After five wars in less than three decades, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin were brought together by President Jimmy Carter to broker peace between the two nations. The resulting Camp David Accords would be a highpoint of American foreign policy in the twentieth century. The story behind the Accords is the focus of Arena's Stage's world premiere production of Camp David.

Raven Theatre's 32nd Season, under the theme 'Family Business,' will include four plays exploring the nature of family ties, according to Producing Artistic Director Michael Menendian and Co-Artistic Director JoAnn Montemurro.

Due to critical and popular acclaim, SpeakEasy Stage Company is adding one additional week of performances to its New England premiere production of THE WHALE by Samuel D. Hunter.

Smokey Joe's Cafe-The Songs of Leiber and Stoller transports audiences to the golden age of rock, rhythm and blues this spring at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Director Randy Johnson returns to Arena Stage following the success of A Night with Janis Joplin (which enjoyed two runs at Arena Stage followed by a subsequent run on Broadway) to helm this Grammy Award-winning tribute to legendary songwriting duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, which originally opened on Broadway in 1995 and became the longest running musical revue, topping 2,000 performances. Bursting with hit tunes including 'Hound Dog,' 'Jailhouse Rock,' 'Stand by Me,' 'Love Potion #9' and 'On Broadway,' Smokey Joe's Cafe showcases choreography by Parker Esse (Arena Stage's The Music Man, Oklahoma!) and music direction by Victor Simonson (Center Stage's A Civil War Christmas, Arena Stage's 3 Mo' Divas) and runs April 25-June 8, 2014 in the Fichandler Stage. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsal below!

Wrapping the Georgetown University Theater & Performance Studies Program's 2013-14 mainstage 'Remember Me: A Season of Spirits and Ghosts,' two works run in repertory at the Davis Performing Arts Center's Gonda Theatre tonight, March 27-April 12: Doubt, A Parable and Insurrection: Holding History.

About Face Theatre and Silk Road Rising are pleased to present the Chicago premiere of Brahman/i: A One-Hijra Stand Up Comedy Show, by Aditi Brennan Kapil, directed by AFT Artistic Director Andrew Volkoff. This bold, comic exploration of cultural and gender identity plays today, March 27 - April 27, 2014 at Silk Road Rising, Pierce Hall at the Historic Chicago Temple Building, 77 W. Washington St. in Chicago.

Estelle Parsons appeared on the TODAY show yesterday to chat with Kathie Lee and Hoda about her return to Broadway beginning next Tuesday, April 1, in THE VELOCITY OF AUTUMN. Check out the interview below!