Ars Nova News

BAX | Brooklyn Arts Exchange is excited to announce our 2014 Summer and Fall Space Grant Recipients. The Space Grant Program is designed to give choreographers, playwrights, and multi-disciplinary artists the opportunity to create new work in a setting that is conducive to working deeply and exploring new territory.

THE KID WHO WOULD BE POPE by brothers Tom and Jack Megan received the 2013 Richard Rodgers Studio Production Award and Ars Nova produced the corresponding workshop presentations. Directed by West Hyler, the reading featured Jeffrey Lodin, Jillian Louis, Alyse Alan Louis, Angela Grovey, Justin Liebergen, Brian Charles Johnson, Dee Roscioli, Henry Hodges and Courter Simmons.

'NCIS: Los Angeles' star and Broadway veteran Barrett Foa (Mamma Mia!, Avenue Q, ...Spelling Bee) will begin performances as Alex More in the smash hit comedy Buyer & Cellar tonight, May 27, 2014 at the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street). For the past five seasons, Barrett Foa has co-starred opposite LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell as tech geek Eric Beale on CBS' top-rated hit series 'NCIS: Los Angeles' which is currently the #2 show on television.

Kathy Evans, Founding Executive Director, announced the nine musicals and twenty-six writers selected for the 2014 Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, its fourth year of providing working retreats for musical theatre writers. For nine consecutive weeks beginning June 29th, each writing team will have an individual weeklong residency in Rhinebeck, New York to write their musical. They are provided with a private home, transportation, food, and a stipend. All costs are fully funded by donors including The ASCAP Foundation, The Dramatists Guild Fund, and The Noel Coward Foundation. Writers participating this year include Broadway's Mindi Dickstein (Little Women), this year's Kleban Prize winner Nathan Tysen (Burnt Part Boys), and Peter Mills, past winner of the Kleban, Fred Ebb Award, and Richard Rodgers prize. The musicals' subjects cover 19th century nautical mysteries, 20th century fairy tales, a 1970's gay bar, and modern-day meth addicts. Every score is original and styles include 16th century Renaissance, big band, folk, rock, and electronic music.

Manhattan Theatre Club's American premiere of THE LION, the new musical written and performed by 2013 ASCAP Cole Porter Songwriting Award winner Benjamin Scheuer, and directed by Sean Daniels is now in rehearsal. The five-week limited engagement for THE LION will begin previews on Tuesday, June 10 and open Thursday, June 26 as the second production of MTC's 2013-2014 season of The Studio at Stage II - Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Series at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street).

We're featuring one of our favorite singer-songwriters this week, Daniel Zaitchik! Here he is performing 'New Year's Eve' at our concert at 54 Below.

As part of its Production Residencies program, FringeArts will host local theater ensemble The Berserker Residents for three weeks this June. From June 2 - 22, artists Justin Jain, David Johnson and Bradley K. Wrenn will revisit their 2013 Fringe Festival hit The Talkback, deconstructing and reworking three aspects of the piece in preparation for its upcoming presentation at the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the largest arts festival in the world. Free public showings will take place each Sunday of the residency (June 8, 8 p.m.; June 15, 7 p.m.; and June 22, 7 p.m.), offering audiences the opportunity to see the work as it develops and evolves. This program is funded by the Independence Foundation.

Building on Slant Theatre Project's success with last season's The Steadfast, the company presents The Cloud, a world premiere mistaken-identity comedy written by playwright/comedian Matt Moses. Wes Grantom (Eager to Lose, The Steadfast) directs a cast of four including Teddy Bergman* (B'way: Peter and the Starcatcher, Off-B'way: Sex Lives of Our Parents), Mikaela Feely-Lehmann* (B'way: Cyrano de Bergerac), Ryan King* (Now Or Later at Huntington Theatre, The Intelligent Design Of Jenny Chow at the Atlantic Theater Company), and Polly Lee* (Marie Antoinette at Yale Rep, Wasps at Studio 42). Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

In Episode 214, award-winning musical theatre writer Joel B. New sat down with David Hudson, an actor, writer, producer, and voice-over artist.

The fourth annual 'Night Of A Thousand Judys' - presented by The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - has announced a new round of stars, including Sierra Boggess (The Phantom of the Opera), Austin Scarlett ('Project Runway'), Karen Wyman (celebrated 60s pop singer), Alison Fraser (two-time Tony Award nominee), Jackie Hoffman (Hairspray) and Aaron Weinstein (acclaimed jazz violinist).

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

Building on Slant Theatre Project's success with last season's The Steadfast, the company has announced the full cast for The Cloud, a world premiere mistaken-identity comedy written by playwright/comedian Matt Moses. Wes Grantom (Eager to Lose, The Steadfast) directs a cast of four including Teddy Bergman* (B'way: Peter and the Starcatcher, Off-B'way: Sex Lives of Our Parents), Mikaela Feely-Lehmann* (B'way: Cyrano de Bergerac), Ryan King* (Now Or Later at Huntington Theatre, The Intelligent Design Of Jenny Chow at the Atlantic Theater Company), and Polly Lee* (Marie Antoinette at Yale Rep, Wasps at Studio 42). *Member, Actors' Equity Association. AEA Showcase.

Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director; Renee Blinkwolt, Managing Director) proudly announces the lineup for its 7th Annual ANT Fest. This year's festival of All New Talent runs from June 2 - 28, featuring fresh new work from some of New York's most exciting emerging artists. From epic rock opera to sexy shadow puppetry, 2014's ANT Fest heats up Ars Nova this summer with four weeks of comedy, music, theater and a fusion of all three you won't see anywhere else.

After a critically acclaimed and extended run in 2013, Award-winning Pipeline Theatre Company will present an encore engagement of CLOWN BAR by Adam Szymkowicz, with music & additional lyrics by Adam Overett. Originally announced to return to its original venue, the production will instead transfer to longtime clown haunt The Box beginning June 14. Opening is slated for June 21.

New Georges will present World Premiere productions by Kate Benson (2014 Clubbed Thumb Biennial Commission winner), Krista Knight (Salamander Leviathan at Joe's Pub; Clementine and the Cyber Ducks at Incubator Arts Project), and Caroline V. McGraw (2013 Page 73 Playwriting Fellow) as part of The New Georges Jam On Toast, a brand-new festival featuring work by The New Georges Jam, a 'performance gym' for early-career female playwrights and directors founded in 2010 by Lucy Alibar, Jess Chayes, and Portia Krieger.

Lesser America will present the World Premiere of Lucas Kavner's (Fish Eye with Colt Coeur/HERE Arts Center; Love Money at Ars Nova) Carnival Kids, June 5-28 at TBG Theatre (312 West 36th Street between 8th and 9th Avenue).

If we are what we eat, what are we? What is America's food culture, and where is it heading? And ultimately, how does food connect us?

The seventh installment of BC Beat on Monday, May 19th highlights award winning choreographers and performers from television, film and Broadway who have created and performed in some of the year's most anticipated productions.