Atlantic Theater Company News

The Lark Play Development Center named five New York City-based playwrights as Playwrights' Workshop Fellows for the 2014-15 season. The group spans a wide range of backgrounds and professional experiences and will meet regularly throughout the year to develop new plays.

BroadwayWorld.com presents Twitter Watch, which brings you only the best and most interesting reports straight from the mouths of Broadway stars, shows and more on the hot social networking service - Twitter!

Why do some actors make it and others don't? Ken Womble sets out to find the answer to this question, one that has fascinated and tormented him for years, in his new book, INSIDE ACT: How Ten Actors Made it and How You Can Too (Hansen Publishing Group, 373 pages, $24.99). To celebrate the release, BroadwayWorld will be featuring chapter previews from the new book. Today, hear from Richard Portnow!

New York Madness (NYM) is about to start its Fifth Season. With a focus on emerging artists, NYM hosts a hot night of short plays based on a theme proposed by the more established Featured Guest. The Theme is announced one week prior to the event. NYM has been hosted by the Cherry Lane Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre, ESPA/Primary Stages, INTAR Theatre, IATI Theater and they will be at The COW (Former home of The Living Theatre) for their Season Launch on September 21st at 8pm. The Season Launch will include Featured Guest Chisa Hutchinson (Blue Man Group, New York NeoFuturists, Partial Comfort, Atlantic Theater Company, Rattlestick Theater, New Dramatists) along with playwrights Cecilia Copeland*, Judith Leora*, Shaun Bennet Fountleroy, Jeffrey James Keyes, and more TBA. (*denotes Founding Member)

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Sarah Benson and Executive Director Cynthia Flowers, Soho Rep. has continually produced work by bold artists who harness the intimate power of a 73-seat black box theater to create transformative experiences. Soho Rep.'s 2014-15 season, announced today, comprises three new works that each speak to the civic power of theater through their own distinctive form.

Atlantic Theater Company's world premiere production of Tony Award nominee Stephen Adly Guirgis' play BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY, directed by Tony Award nominee Austin Pendleton, began previews July 10, opened to critical acclaim on July 31 and plays through today, August 23 off-Broadway at Atlantic's main stage Linda Gross Theater (336 West 20th Street).

Atlantic Theater Company presents the first production of its 2014-2015 season - the world premiere new musical FOUND, directed by Lee Overtree, featuring a book by Tony Award nominee Hunter Bell ([title of show]) and Lee Overtree and original music and lyrics by Eli Bolin. Below, BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsal!

The 'Alley Theatre @ UH' season begins with Betty Buckley, Hallie Foote, Annalee Jefferies and Veanne Cox in award-winning Texas playwright Horton Foote's The Old Friends, a Southwestern premiere.

Kansas City Repertory Theatre will open its 50th anniversary celebration with the Kansas City premiere of David Cromer's Our Town, an enduring American story which examines the everyday lives of an average town's citizens in the early twentieth century. Our Town, one of the greatest American plays written by Thornton Wilder, the three-time Pulitzer prize-winning playwright and novelist will be directed by David Cromer, MacArthur Foundation 'genius' grant recipient and director of KC Rep's 2009 production of The Glass Menagerie which received national and local critical acclaim. This co-production with UMKC Theatre will feature redesigned seating at Spencer Theatre in the James C. Olson performing Arts Center on the UMKC campus. The show will run September 5 through 28th. High resolution photos can be found here .

Ellis Productions, in association with The Present Company as part of the 18th Annual New York International Fringe Festival present MAGICAL NEGRO SPEAKS - written and performed by Jamil Ellis with original music written and performed live by Andrew Fox - at Fringe Venue #15 - The White Box at 440 Studios (440 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor).

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: THE MUSIC MAN sells his wares in concert tonight, HELLO, DOLLY! begins in St. Louis and Patti Murin performs at 54 Below!

Casting has been completed for the world premiere of Jordan Harrison's 'Marjorie Prime,' opening September 21, 2014, at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum. Directed by Obie Award-winner Les Waters, the profound and engaging new play begins previews September 10 at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum. Performances continue through October 19, 2014.

Atlantic Theater Company (Neil Pepe, Artistic Director; Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director) just announced complete casting for the first production of its 2014-2015 season - the world premiere new musical FOUND, directed by Lee Overtree, featuring a book by Tony Award®nominee Hunter Bell ([title of show]) and Lee Overtree and original music and lyrics by Eli Bolin.

The Old Globe today announced the full cast and creative team for the World Premiere of Bright Star, a new American musical featuring music by Edie Brickell and Steve Martin, lyrics by Brickell, and book by Martin, based on an original story by Martin and Brickell. Directed by Walter Bobbie, Bright Star will run September 13 - November 2, 2014 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run September 13 - September 27. Opening night is Sunday, September 28 at 7:00 p.m. Single tickets go on sale on Friday, August 8 at noon.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company launches its 2014/15 Subscription Season with the Chicago premiere production of The Night Alive by celebrated playwright Conor McPherson. Henry Wishcamper directs a cast featuring ensemble members Francis Guinan and Tim Hopper with Helen Sadler, Dan Waller and M. Emmet Walsh. The world premiere of The Night Alive was produced at London's Donmar Warehouse in 2013. The Night Alive begins previews September 18, 2014 (opening night is September 28; press performances are September 27 at 3pm and September 30 at 7:30pm) and runs through November 16, 2014 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St).

This week's New York Times In Performance video features Stephen McKinley Henderson and Rosal Colon in Stephen Adly Guirgis play BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY.

The National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts), the non-profit organization that contributes to the cultural vitality of the nation by supporting the artistic development of talented young artists, today announces that the next edition of their three-time Emmy-nominated HBO Family Documentary Special will be Alan Alda: YoungArts MasterClass.

F*It Club, the New York Innovative Award-winning film and theatre company, joins acclaimed partner companies EST/Youngblood, Naked Angels, Studio 42, and Waterwell at The Green Building in Brooklyn with GAP Presents! The Green Plays, five new short plays by Hanna Cheek/Lauren Cregor Devine/Rodney Gardiner/Kevin Townley (Waterwell/ Goodbar), Meaghan Deans (Studio 42/ Ashore, Internet Famous), Jason Kim (Naked Angels/ HBO's Girls), Victor Lesniewski (F*It Club/ Cloven Tongues), and Chris Sullivan (EST/Youngblood/ Metro Cards).

Samuel French previously announced a talented roster of judges for the Samuel French Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival (OOB Festival), the nation's premiere short play competition, running from today, August 5th-10th at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre.

Ovation Award Nominated Playwright & HBO Audience Award Winning Screenwriter Marja-Lewis Ryan brings to life a dysfunctional family drama that explores the effects of gun violence in one American family. Six years ago, a ten-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed his little brother. Now, we meet his whole family. Ryan's timely new drama One in the Chamber opened July 12 at The Lounge Theater in Hollywood. Starring: Kelli Anderson, Robert Bella, Alec Frasier, Emily Peck, and Heidi Sulzman.