Ars Nova News

Complete casting is set for SUMMERWORKS 2013 - the annual season of new plays presented by the four-time Obie Award-winning theater company Clubbed Thumb -- it has been announced by Maria Striar, Clubbed Thumb's Producing Artistic Director. SUMMERWORKS 2013 will be presented May 24 to June 29 at The Wild Project (195 E. 3rd St.) in Manhattan.

Profiles Theatre Artistic Directors Darrell W. Cox and Joe Jahraus announce the 25th Anniversary Season featuring a full slate of new and challenging works premiering at the Profiles Theatre Complex on North Broadway. The upcoming season features six productions including the Midwest premieres of Wrecks by Neil LaBute, the award-winning play Cock by Mike Bartlett, Hunter Gatherers by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb, In God's Hat by Rhett Rossi and Gidion's Knot by Johnna Adams. Additionally, Profiles acclaimed production of Hellcab by Will Kern, one of Chicago theatre's longest running hits, returns for the holiday season. These six productions alternate between Profiles' two venues, The Main Stage at 4139 N. Broadway and The Alley Stage at 4147 N. Broadway.

The Drama League (Executive Director, Gabriel Shanks) has announced the 2013 Drama League Awards Nominees for Distinguished Play, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and Distinguished Performance Award. The nominations were announced at a ceremony hosted by Patina Miller and Michael Urie this morning at Sardi's Restaurant which were streamed live online at www.BroadwayWorld.com.

This week at Joe's Pub at the Public, April 22 through April 28, 2013, the lineup will feature: Mike Daisey, Leslie Kritzer: Beautiful Disaster, Megan Hilty, Ashley Davis, Bridget Everett and the Tender Moments, No Band: John Simon's Songs and Stories on the Road to Now, Slavic Soul Party!, Public Forum: Sonnets for the City, K's Choice with a Fragile Tomorrow, Song of a Convalescent Ayn Rand, Never Sleep Alone, Paul Oakley Stovall and Brad Simmons, and J Rome's Night of April Fools in Love.

Joe's Pub at the Public has announced its cabaret, Broadway and comedy acts today, April 21-July 28, 2013, including: Lindsay Mendez and Michael Holland, Leslie Kritzer, Megan Hilty, Bridget Everett, Song of a Convalescent Ayn Rand, Paul Oakley Stovall and Brad Simmons, NYU Tisch Presents, Blake Pfeil, Storm Large, Nicole Henry, Erin Markey, Joey Arias, Taylor Mac, William Blake, Moments with Ravi, Natalie Joy Johnson, Champagne Jerry, Wau Wau Sisters, The Georges, Pam Ann: Cockpit, Missi Pyle, John Kelly, Tori Scott, Murray Hill and Vagabond Opera.

Mark Sam Rosenthal is tickled to present I Light Up My Life: The Mark Sam Celebrity Autobiography, an over-the-top multi-media presentation of his 789-page yet to be published homage to his favorite celebrity: himself. The production will be held at Stage Left Studio, 214 W. 30th St., 6th floor, tonight, April 20th at 7:30pm and Friday April 26th at 7:30pm. Todd Parmley directs a cast of one: Mark Sam Rosenthal, a celebrity.

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for the West Coast Premiere of Bekah Brunstetter's quirky and tender comedy Be a Good Little Widow. Directed by Hal Brooks, Be a Good Little Widow will run May 11 - June 9, 2013 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run May 11 - May 15. Opening night is Thursday, May 16 at 8:00 p.m. Meet the cast in the photos below!

Pioneer Theatre Company presents the epic musical Les Miserables. Due to popular demand, the production's run has been extended by two weeks. Performances take place May 3 through June 1, 2013.

In an inspired tour de force, award-winning performer Maria McConville will be performing her new solo show 'Baby Matters' while 8 MONTHS PREGNANT. The limited engagement at Shetler Studios & Theatres this May will be directed by Morgan Gould and presented by Good Company.

Joe's Pub at the Public has announced its cabaret, Broadway and comedy acts April 21-July 28, 2013, including: Lindsay Mendez and Michael Holland, Leslie Kritzer, Megan Hilty, Bridget Everett, Song of a Convalescent Ayn Rand, Paul Oakley Stovall and Brad Simmons, NYU Tisch Presents, Blake Pfeil, Storm Large, Nicole Henry, Erin Markey, Joey Arias, Taylor Mac, William Blake, Moments with Ravi, Natalie Joy Johnson, Champagne Jerry, Wau Wau Sisters, The Georges, Pam Ann: Cockpit, Missi Pyle, John Kelly, Tori Scott, Murray Hill and Vagabond Opera.

The New Theater at 45th Street & New York Music/Theatre Project presents the New York City premiere of the children's musical BILLY, GOAT, GRUFF: The Musical, at The New Theater at 45th Street. Directed by Chris Fink & Amanda Sayles, BILLY, GOAT, GRUFF: The Musical, features a talented cast of eight, with credits from the National Tour of Jekyll & Hyde Legally Blonde to NYMF's 'Next Broadway Sensation' to Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down the Wind. Originally scheduled to open on April 6, the new opening date of today, April 19, was set to accommodate a conflict in dates at the theatre.

Nightlife and TV legend Robin Byrd will join the cast of tonight's 7:00 PM show of The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre. The acclaimed comedy/variety show will continue its Spring 2013 season tonight, April 18 at The Duplex in New York's West Village.

The spectacularly naughty musical parody MOCK YOUR WORLD is coming to New York's sizzling new bi-level comedy club and restaurant, The Stand. Beginning a seven-week run of hilarity and fun on Thursday, April 25th, the show satirizes the absurdity of our daily lives through witty songs and a naughty sense of humor.

Last fall, Dave Malloy's electropop opera NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 premiered at New York City's Ars Nova in a seven-week sold out run. This spring, the Comet will land again, in a big way, at Kazino - a brand new venue created specifically for the show. Audiences will be transported to a Russian supper club, complete with an authentic Russian menu and bar, by way of a temporary structure that will rise at the corner of West 13th Street and Washington Street - wedged between The High Line and The Standard Hotel in the heart of New York's meatpacking district. BroadwayWorld brings you a just-released promo for the show below!

Mark Sam Rosenthal is tickled to present I Light Up My Life: The Mark Sam Celebrity Autobiography, an over-the-top multi-media presentation of his 789-page yet to be published homage to his favorite celebrity: himself. The production will be held at Stage Left Studio, 214 W. 30th St., 6th floor, Saturday April 20th at 7:30pm and Friday April 26th at 7:30pm. Todd Parmley directs a cast of one: Mark Sam Rosenthal, a celebrity.

New York Live Arts is set to present several Re: Awakenings performances as part of the inaugural Live Ideas festival. New York Live Arts' newest program initiative, Live Ideas is an annual humanities festival that will explore a different theme each year over several days. The inaugural festival, The Worlds of Oliver Sacks, will take place from today, April 17 through 21, 2013 and is comprised of more than 20 events, including performances, films and discussions that showcase works of art and spark conversations that engage the prevalent themes in the acclaimed neurologist's works.

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater's Artistic Director David Van Asselt and Managing Director Brian Long have announced that because of rave notices and sell-out houses, the world premiere of Buyer & Cellar, written by Jonathan Tolins, directed by Stephen Brackett, and starring Michael Urie, will extend for one week, through Sunday, May 12, at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, 224 Waverly Place, west of Seventh Avenue South.

Tickets are on sale today for Manhattan Theatre Club's American premiere of Tarell Alvin McCraney's CHOIR BOY, the new play featuring gospel music directed by Trip Cullman at MTC's The Studio at Stage II - Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Series at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street). In order to ensure that tickets to CHOIR BOY are affordable to the widest possible, most diverse audiences, MTC is pricing all tickets at $30. Tickets are on sale via CityTix (212-581-1212), www.nycitycenter.org and at the New York City Center Box Office.

Berkshire Theatre Group and Artistic Director/CEO, Kate Maguire, are excited to announce three additions to its 85th summer season: the 8th Annual Children's Theatre Production, Peter Pan, at The Colonial Theatre, Just So Stories, by Rudyard Kipling, at The Neil Ellenoff Stage and a special writers workshop with Hunter Bell, of the Tony nominated show, [title of show].