Ars Nova News

Abingdon Theatre Company-which has produced 81 new American plays since 1993-launches its 21st Season with FIX ME, JESUS, a world-premiere play by Helen Sneed, with previews set to begin November 1, prior to an official press opening November 10 in Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex's Dorothy Streslin Theatre (312 West 36th Street). Performances run through November 24. Sam Pinkleton (THE LYONS, Associate Director; MR. BURNS, Choreographer) to direct.

For the first DG Conservatory event of the fall, the Dramatists Guild is thrilled to team up with the writers who created Behind the Music-al, Kyle Ewalt and Michael Ian Walker, on Tuesday, October 8, 2013, at 6:00 p.m. The event will take place at the Dramatists Guild's New York office, in the Frederick Loewe Room, 1501 Broadway (between 43rd and 44th Streets), Suite 710. This free seminar is opening a limited number of seats to the public and reservations are required.

OBERON, the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.)'s second stage and club theater venue, continues its mission to bring exciting and original programming to Boston area audiences. A destination for theater and nightlife on the fringe of Harvard Square, OBERON is the home of the A.R.T.'s hit productions The Lily's Revenge, Futurity, The Donkey Show, Cabaret, Prometheus Bound, and Ryan Landry's Rocky Horror Show, OBERON is also a thriving incubator for local and visiting artists.

Amber Martin, Tori Scott, Never Sleep Alone, Nikki M. James, Erin Markey, Bridget Everett, Andrea Marcovicci, Lady Rizo, Julie Klausner, Our Lady J, Tammy Faye Starlite, Jackie Hoffman, Sandra Bernhard and Pam Ann are set for the 'Women of Comedy and Cabaret' series at Joe's Pub at the Public, running October to December 2013. Details below!

Partial Comfort Productions (Drama Desk nominee A Bright New Boise) kicks off it's 11th season with the World Premiere of AND MILES TO GO by Chad Beckim. Directed by Hal Brooks (Pulitzer Prize finalist Thom Pain), previews begin tonight, October 2 at The Wild Project. Opening night is slated for Thursday, October 10.

Partial Comfort Productions (Drama Desk nominee A Bright New Boise) kicks off it's 11th season with the World Premiere of AND MILES TO GO by Chad Beckim. Directed by Hal Brooks (Pulitzer Prize finalist Thom Pain), previews begin October 3 at The Wild Project. Opening night is slated for Thursday, October 10. Originally, scheduled to close October 26, performances have been extended through November 2nd by popular demand.

The Incubator Arts Project presents Blue Wizard / Black Wizard, written by Eliza Bent and Dave Malloy, with Music by Dave Malloy and Eliza Bent. Directed by Dan Safer, the play will run Dec 5 - 22, Tuesdays, Thursdays - Sundays at 8pm.

The Obie and Drama Desk Award-winning Ma-Yi Theater Company -- one of the nation's leading theaters dedicated to developing and producing new and innovative plays by Asian American writers -- will celebrate its 25th anniversary season in 2013-14, beginning with the New York premiere of Bike America by Mike Lew, with its official opening night tonight, October 1 Off-Broadway at The Theater at St. Clement's (423 W. 46 St.) in Manhattan.

Single tickets to the American premiere of TAKING CARE OF BABY, the new play by Dennis Kelly, directed by Erica Schmidtpresented as part of The Studio at Stage II - Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Series at New York City Center - Stage II(131 West 55th Street) are available today, Monday, September 30. The play will begin previews on Tuesday, November 5 and open Tuesday, November 19.

Artistic Director Darko Tresnjak and Managing Director Michael Stotts have announced that playwright Janine Nabers will be the 2013-14 Aetna New Voices Fellow at Hartford Stage.

NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 will stand with the Russian LGBT community and to support one of the great advocates for human rights, Human Rights Watch, in their work to end discrimination and abuse against the LGBT community in Russia. The producers of The Great Comet will make a donation of $10,000 plus all food and beverage sales from the show's first performance in the Theater District. In addition, they will contribute all proceeds from a special first night after-party beginning 11pm this Friday, September 27, which is open to the public with or without a ticket to The Great Comet. Attendance at the party is free of charge and will feature live entertainment and an opportunity for guests to show their support for the Russian LGBT community.

Mr. Blocker replaces William Russo who is now the Managing Director of Cambridge's American Repertory Theater. Fred Walker currently serves as NYTW's Interim Managing Director.

While making their London debut last week, BBC Radio host Jo Good called Well-Strung "amazing, absolutely amazing" after their on-air performance and interview for her show. In the States, they've also been called the "hottest thing with a bow since Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games" by the New York Daily News. Well-Strung: the Singing String Quartet returns for their first performances in NY of a new show directed by Donna Drake at XL Cabaret on October 4 and 25, for two performances only. The group has been on a roll: in addition to their London debut last week, they are just off of a three-month run at the prestigious Art House in Provincetown, two recent hit New York productions Off-Broadway in the past year, and their first album just released in spring. The new show will feature new arrangements of songs by Pink, Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift and Third Eye Blind among others as well as new material written by Jeffery Roberson (aka Varla Jean Merman). For tickets please visit the www.well-strung.com.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company is pleased to announce the East Coast premiere of Appropriate, an audacious comic drama written by native Washingtonian Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and directed by Liesl Tommy (Eclipsed). Jacobs-Jenkins' brazen reimagining of the classic Southern family drama will continue Woolly's season-long excavation of the secrets that lie beneath America's sunny exterior.

Broadway favorite Natalie Joy Johnson and drag darling Eve Starr will present the premiere of HIGH SPIRITS & LOW STANDARDS. Under the Musical Direction of Brian Nash, it will be performed for two performances only beginning October 10 at The Laurie Beechman Theatre.

Three Day Hangover gets all romantic with R+J: Star-Cross'd Death Match, their next Shakespeare drinking theatrical extravaganza performed in a bar with audience participation and booze. Lori Wolter Hudson directs a cast of ten, including Nick Mills* (The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin, The Steadfast) as Romeo and Suzy Jane Hunt* (Broadway's Dead Accounts, rogerandtom) as Juliet, with Matt Bradley*, Garrett Deagon, Grace Gealey*, David Hudson*, Paul Kite*, Jenna Panther*, Brendan Spieth*, and Titus Tompkins*. Six performances will be staged at Harley's Smokeshack (Midtown), 356 West 44th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10036 on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm from today, September 25-October 4, 2013.

THE GREAT COMET will now land in Times Square on Friday, September 27th, just a few days later than the intended first performance date of Tuesday, September 24th. NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, which concluded a hit summer engagement downtown on September 2nd, will take up residence in the Theater District, on West 45th Street between Times Square and 8thAvenue, for a 14-week limited run. The delay is due to minor complications in the physical transfer of the show's pop-up supper club venue to midtown. Those issues are now resolved and the production is on-track to begin performances this Friday, September 27th at 8pm. Ticketholders for the cancelled performances on September 24-26 can contact their point of purchase to reschedule for a different performance or receive a refund.

UglyRhino Productions will present TinyRhino: September Edition tonight, September 24th at 8 p.m. Come join us for six brand new plays by up and coming playwrights and directors.

The Obie and Drama Desk Award-winning Ma-Yi Theater Company -- one of the nation's leading theaters dedicated to developing and producing new and innovative plays by Asian American writers -- will celebrate its 25th anniversary season in 2013-14, beginning with the New York premiere of Bike America by Mike Lew, with previews tonight, September 24 prior to an official opening night on October 1 Off-Broadway at The Theater at St. Clement's (423 W. 46 St.) in Manhattan.

BAX | Brooklyn Arts Exchange has announced the OPEN STUDIO SERIES. Details below!