Ben Brantley News

Obie- Award winning and Tony nominated director Austin Pendleton directs Tennessee Williams' Cat on A Hot Tin Roof in a new Indie theatre production with the Mississippi Mud. This is the play that Ben Brantley described as Williams' 'most impassioned and articulate statement on human isolation, the wrenching problems of communication between people and the ways in which death defines life.' It is brought to life in a new intimate bold raw space production that unfolds in 'real time' and places center stage the lush language of this modern classic fable.

Previews begin tonight, Friday, October 18 at 7:30 PM for the Playwrights Horizons World Premiere production of THE PATRON SAINT OF SEA MONSTERS, a new play by Blackburn Prize winner Marlane Meyer (The Chemistry of Change and Moe's Lucky Seven for PH; Etta Jenks).

Let's see what the critics had to say...

Italy's Dario D'Ambrosi is a radical innovator of the theater and founder of the movement called Teatro Patologico (Pathological Theater). Having staged revolutionary interpretations of 'Richard III' in 1996 and 'Romeo and Juliet' in 2009, he is now taking on 'Hamlet' with a new full-length work, 'Hamlet Hallucinations.' La Mama E.T.C., D'Ambrosi's theatrical home in the USA, will present the work's world premiere tonight, October 17 to November 3.

Obie- Award winning and Tony nominated director Austin Pendleton directs Tennessee Williams' Cat on A Hot Tin Roof in a new Indie theatre production with the Mississippi Mud. This is the play that Ben Brantley described as Williams' 'most impassioned and articulate statement on human isolation, the wrenching problems of communication between people and the ways in which death defines life.' It is brought to life in a new intimate bold raw space production that unfolds in 'real time' and places center stage the lush language of this modern classic fable.

Due to overwhelming demand, and amidst extraordinary critical acclaim, St. Ann's Warehouse and the Donmar Warehouse have extended the American Premiere of the Donmar's all-female Julius Caesar, directed by Phyllida Lloyd. New York audiences will now have seven additional opportunities to see the production Ben Brantley of The New York Times calls "gripping and illuminating," adding, "This Julius Caesar generates a higher testosterone level than any I have seen."

Let's see what the critics had to say...

BIG FISH opens tonight, October 6 on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre. The production stars two-time Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz as Edward Bloom, Tony Award nominee Kate Baldwin as Sandra Bloom, and Tony Award nominee Bobby Steggert as Will Bloom.

Theatre Y announces the world-premiere of The Binding, by Evan Hill, on October 3 at Saint Luke's Lutheran Church of Logan Square (2649 N. Francisco Ave.).

The Glass Menagerie opens tonight, September 26th, on Broadway. The production stars multiple Tony and Emmy Award-winner Cherry Jones as Amanda Wingfield, film and stage star Zachary Quinto as Tom, two-time Tony-nominee Celia Keenan-Bolger as Laura, and Brian J. Smith as Jim, the Gentleman Caller. Let's see what the critics had to say...

Following a successful engagement at Joe's Pub in New York City, Joey Arias and Kristian Hoffman bring their acclaimed show Lightning Strikes to Feinstein's at the Nikko for one performance only - Thursday, October 24 at 8 p.m. Located within Hotel Nikko (222 Mason Street, San Francisco), Feinstein's at the Nikko presents a wide range of entertainers from stage and screen all within an intimate 140-seat cabaret setting.

Center Theatre Group recently announced that Justin Bartha would be joining the cast of Neil Simon's 'The Sunshine Boys' at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre replacing the previously announced David Krumholtz who needed to leave the production for personal reasons.

Ferndale's Ringwald Theatre continues its season devoted to The Power of Words with the southeast Michigan premier ofreasons to be pretty by Detroit's own Neil LaBute. All performances of reasons to be pretty will be held at The Ringwald Theatre 22742 Woodward Ave, Ferndale MI 48220. Performances begin on Friday, October 11 and play Fridays-Mondays thru Monday, Novermber 4.

Jerry Ruiz (Love Goes to Press, Basilica) directs a cast that includes Cliff Bemis, Teddy Bergman, Bernardo Cubria, Carole Healey, Christine Toy Johnson, Kathryn Kates (replacing the previously announced Jennifer Harmon), Natalie Kuhn, Brian MacDonald, Jennifer McVey and Rachel Moulton. Philip Goes Forth will have scenic design by Steven C. Kemp, costume design by Carisa Kelly, lighting design by Christian DeAngelis, and sound design by Toby Algya. Performances began on August 24th and continue through October 20th. Opening Night is set for tonight, September 22nd at Mint's home (311 West 43rd Street). BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast onstage below!

In an interview with the UK's The Daily Mail yesterday, showman Hugh Jackman revealed that he is hoping to bring his hit musical revue BACK ON BROADWAY, to the London stage.

The hit comedy Buyer & Cellar will play its 100th performance tonight at the Barrow Street Theatre, where it is currently playing an open-ended run and continues to break box office records.

The new Broadway production of Shakespeare's timeless love story ROMEO AND JULIET starring international film star Orlando Bloom, making his Broadway debut opposite two-time Tony Award nominee Condola Rashad, officially opens tonight, Thursday, September 19, 2013 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. Let's see what the critics had to say...

Obie- Award winning and Tony nominated director Austin Pendleton directs Tennessee Williams' Cat on A Hot Tin Roof in a new Indie theatre production with the Mississippi Mud. This is the play that Ben Brantley described as Williams' 'most impassioned and articulate statement on human isolation, the wrenching problems of communication between people and the ways in which death defines life.' It is brought to life in a new intimate bold raw space production that unfolds in 'real time' and places center stage the lush language of this modern classic fable.

Complete casting has been announced for the Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) World Premiere production of THE PATRON SAINT OF SEA MONSTERS, a new play by Blackburn Prize winner Marlane Meyer (The Chemistry of Change and Moe's Lucky Seven for PH; Etta Jenks).

Italy's Dario D'Ambrosi is a radical innovator of the theater and founder of the movement called Teatro Patologico (Pathological Theater). Having staged revolutionary interpretations of 'Richard III' in 1996 and 'Romeo and Juliet' in 2009, he is now taking on 'Hamlet' with a new full-length work, 'Hamlet Hallucinations.' La MaMa E.T.C., D'Ambrosi's theatrical home in the USA, will present the work's world premiere October 17 to November 3.