Arena Stage News

The Shakespeare Theatre Company's annual Free For All is a much-loved Washington tradition, offering free Shakespeare performances to the general public for the past 22 years. This year the beloved tradition launches the Company's 2013-2014 Season by reviving Much Ado About Nothing, initially presented during the 2011-2012 Season with original direction by Ethan McSweeny. Much Ado About Nothing will run at STC's Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW) from today, August 20-September 1, 2013. Resident Assistant Director Jenny Lord will direct this delightful summer comedy for residents and visitors to D.C.

Dallas Theater Center launches its 2013-14 season with A Raisin in the Sun. Tre Garrett of Fort Worth's Jubilee Theatre will make his directorial debut at DTC with this Tony Award-winning play. A Raisin in the Sun begins with a Pay-What-You-Can performance on Friday, September 13 and runs through Sunday, October 27 at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre in the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

Kitchen Theatre Company opens its 23rd Season with Tom Stoppard's award-winning translation of Heroes, a comedy by French playwright Gerald Sibleyras. Winner of the prestigious Olivier Award for Best New Comedy, Heroes begins previews on September 4th. Opening night is September 7th, and the play runs through September 22nd.

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for The Last Goodbye, a new musical fusing Shakespeare'sRomeo and Juliet with the incendiary songs of the legendary singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley. Conceived and adapted by Michael Kimmel, the rock musical is directed by two-time Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers (Peter and the Starcatcher, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson). Choreography is by Emmy Award nominee Sonya Tayeh ('So You Think You Can Dance'), and orchestrations, music direction and arrangements are by Kris Kukul. The Last Goodbye will run on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, Sept. 20 - Nov. 3, 2013. Preview performances run Sept. 20 - Oct. 5. Opening night is Sunday, Oct. 6 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are currently available by subscription only. Single tickets go on sale Sunday, Aug. 18 at 12 noon. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Julianne Boyd, Artistic Director, and Tristan Wilson, Managing Director, presents Scott and Hem in the Garden of Allah, a world premiere play written and directed by BSC Associate Artist Mark St. Germain about the friendship and rivalry between F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway.

Producers Daryl Roth and Eva Price announced today that Emmy Award-winning actor Tom Skerritt will make his Broadway debut in A Time to Kill, Tony Award-winning playwright Rupert Holmes' stage adaptation of John Grisham's best-selling novel. Skerritt will portray Lucien Wilbanks, the mentor to protagonist Jake Brigance (played by Sebastian Arcelus), in this thrilling, iconic courtroom drama. Skerritt joins the previously announced Sebastian Arcelus, Chike Johnson, Patrick Page, Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins, Fred Dalton Thompson, John Douglas Thompson, and Ashley Williams plus Dashiell Eaves, J.R. Horne, John Procaccino, Tijuana Ricks, and Lee Sellars. Casting is now complete.

The Colony Theatre is thrilled to present the West Coast Premiere of BREATH AND IMAGINATION: The Story of Roland Hayes, a true story by Daniel Beaty, directed by Saundra McClain, with Musical Direction by Rahn Coleman. BREATH AND IMAGINATION will preview on Wednesday, September 11; Thursday, September 12; and Friday, September 13 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, September 14 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, October 13.

Screen Actors Guild Foundation and BroadwayWorld have partnered for an inaugural filmed Conversations Q&A series to recognize and celebrate the vibrant theatre community in New York City and the union actors who aspire to have a career on the stage and screen. Tomorrow, August 14 (7pm), join Career Conversations with Sebastian Arcelus moderated by Broadway World's Richard Ridge of 'Backstage with Richard Ridge' at the Baruch Performing Arts Center (Engelman Recital Hall Theater)

The Velocity of Autumn, a new two-character play from Cleveland-based playwright Eric Coble, opens at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater under the direction of Artistic Director Molly Smith and by special arrangement with HOP Theatricals, LLC. Check out a first look at cast members Estelle Parsons and Stephen Spinella in rehearsal below!

Zam Not Spam Productions, as part of the 17th annual New York International Fringe Festival, presents the NYC premiere production of Laura Zam's MARRIED SEX, directed by Shirley Serotsky. MARRIED SEX will play a special engagement at the Fringe Venue #9 Jimmy's No. 43 (43 East 7th Street, NYC). Performances begin today, Saturday, August 10 (3:45 pm) and continue through Thursday, August 22 (7:00 pm).

RareMedia Productions has announced the world premiere of Judgment Day, a new comedy by Maria S. Schlatter, starring Donald Corren (Souvenir, Old Jews Telling Jokes) whom The New York Times calls 'a chameleonic wonder' as part of this summer's New York International Fringe Festival. Performances begin tonight, August 9th (playing through August 25th) at The Players Theatre (115 MacDougal Street). Michael Schwartz directs.

The Velocity of Autumn, a new two-character play from Cleveland-based playwright Eric Coble, opens at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater under the direction of Artistic Director Molly Smith and by special arrangement with HOP Theatricals, LLC.

Ars Nova presents the world premiere of the burlesque farce Eager to Lose in a limited Off-Broadway engagement, Wednesday, October 9 through Saturday, November 2 at Ars Nova (511 West 54th Street). Official Opening Night takes place Tuesday, October 22 at 7:00 PM.

Everyman Theatre has announced the directors attached to each of its six productions for the upcoming 2013/14 season. Renowned and award-winning director Walter Dallas will be making his Everyman debut with BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK next spring. Susanna Gellert, hot off of her work with the MY AMERICA project at Centerstage, will both be making their Everyman Theatre debuts this season. Founding Artistic Director Vincent Lancisi will direct the first and last shows of the season - THE GLASS MENAGERIE and TRIBES, respectively. And returning to Everyman will be two audience favorites - celebrated directors Donald Hicken and Derek Goldman.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) has selected Academy Award nominee Elizabeth McGovern as the 2013 recipient of The William Shakespeare Award for Classical Theatre (Will Award). KPMG, LLP will be awarded the Sidney Harman Award for Philanthropy in the Arts. McGovern & KPMG, LLP will be honored at the Harman Center for the Arts Annual Gala, hosted by STC at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW), on Sunday, October 6, 2013.

Bay Street Theatre presents the final production of the 2013 Mainstage Season with A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, beginning August 6 and running through September 1. The show stars Peter Scolari with Conrad John Schuck and Jackie Hoffman. The book is by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart with lyrics and music by Stephen Sondheim; music direction by Ethyl Will; and directed and choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge.

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Julianne Boyd, Artistic Director, and Tristan Wilson, Managing Director, presents Scott and Hem in the Garden of Allah, a world premiere play written and directed by BSC Associate Artist Mark St. Germain about the friendship and rivalry between F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway.

Bay Street Theatre presents the final production of the 2013 Mainstage Season with A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, beginning tonight, August 6 and running through September 1. The show stars Peter Scolari with Conrad John Schuck and Jackie Hoffman. The book is by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart with lyrics and music by Stephen Sondheim; music direction by Ethyl Will; and directed and choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge.

Tickets go on sale Friday, August 9 for Goodman Theatre Resident Director Chuck Smith's Chicago premiere production of Cheryl L. West's Pullman Porter Blues-a 2013 Helen Hayes/Charles MacArthur Award nominee for Outstanding New Play/Musical. This blues-infused "glorious ride" (DCist) follows three generations of African American Pullman porters in the 1930s-an era that no longer enslaves them, but still exploits them-in an updated production especially for the city of Pullman's origin.