Arena Stage News

TWO THINGS YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT AT DINNER, by Lisa Loomer, will play The Space Theatre January 20 - February 19 (opening night Thursday, January 26).

WaterTower Theatre today announced the cast for August: Osage County, running March 30 - April 22, 2012 at the Addison Theatre Centre.

SARTA announced Sacramento Music Circus Announces Auditions from January 18th-21st with Headshots/Resumes due on Friday, January 6th.

Rehearsals are underway for the world premiere of Danai Gurira's The Convert at McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, NJ, January 13 through February 12, 2012 (press opening: January 20). Directed by Emily Mann, The Convert is produced in association with Center Theatre Group (Los Angeles) and The Goodman Theatre (Chicago). The cast features Pascale Armand, Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Zainab Jah, Kevin Mambo, LeRoy McClain, Warner Joseph Miller, and Harold Surratt.

It's that time of the year to take a look back at which shows and performances I enjoyed in 2011 on DC area stages, and since I saw over 200 of them this year in professional, community, university, children's, and programs that train young actors, let me give it a whirl and I'll pick my 'Top 5' in each category.

HERE proudly presents Chimera, a HERE Artist Residency Program (HARP) production, as part of the 2012 Under The Radar Festival. Created by Suli Holum (co-creator, performer) and Deborah Stein (co-creator, writer), Chimera is a multimedia theatrical work integrating sophisticated video into a dramatic story. This production plays January 5 - 28 in the Dorothy B. Williams Theatre at HERE (145 Sixth Avenue) as a featured presentation within HERE's 2011-12 Season. Official Opening Night is set for Sunday, January 8 at 7:00pm.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company continues its 2011-2012 Season with the return of Ethan McSweeny (The Merchant of Venice, The Persians, Ion, Major Barbara) directing Shakespeare's romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing.

Pioneer Theatre Company will present the next production in its New Plays Initiative, the world premiere of Find and Sign by Wendy MacLeod.

Due to popular demand, four new dates have been added to the discussion series with Grammy® Award-winning singer/songwriter and Broadway producer Alicia Keys following the STICK FLY performances on Saturday, January 7 at 8PM, Monday February 6 at 7PM, Thursday, February 16 at 7PM and Sunday, February 26 at 7:30PM at the Cort Theatre (138 W. 48th Street).

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces that the documentation and dissemination activities of the American Voices New Play Institute (AVNPI) will be relocated to Emerson College's Office of the Arts beginning July 1, 2012 in order to provide the research and academic setting these programs now need for their continued growth.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company continues celebrating its 25th Anniversary Season with the second installment of the Bard's Broadway series with the Tony Award winning musical Two Gentlemen of Verona (a rock opera) performing January 27-29, 2012 at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW). Galt MacDermot, John Guare and Mel Shapiro come together to create the music, lyrics and book that add a spicy, funky twist to Shakespeare's work of the same name.

Actress Holland Taylor adds playwright to her successful resume.

La Jolla Playhouse has announced the cast and creative team for its production of American Night: The Ballad of Juan Jose, written by Richard Montoya (Zorro in Hell) for Culture Clash, developed by Culture Clash and Jo Bonney (The Seven, Adoration of the Old Woman), directed by Jo Bonney. A co-production with Center Theatre Group and originally commissioned and produced by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, American Night: The Ballad of Juan Jose will run January 27 - February 26, 2012 in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre.

The full Broadway cast has been announced for The Stratford Shakespeare Festival's hit production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, directed by the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's Artistic Director Des McAnuff which will open March 22, 2012 (previews begin March 1) at the Neil Simon Theatre (250 West 52nd Street).

American Theater Company (ATC) announces the World Premiere of Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar, directed by Kimberly Senior.

The Old Globe today announced the cast and creative team for the World Premiere of Jonathan Caren's hard-hitting drama, The Recommendation. Directed by Jonathan Munby, The Recommendation will run Jan. 21 - Feb. 26, 2012 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run Jan. 21 - Jan. 25. Opening night is Thursday, Jan. 26 at 8:00 p.m. 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.

What a way for Signature Theatre to end 2011...you just can't stop the beat!