Bill Irwin News

Philadelphia Theatre Company is pleased to announce Martin Zimmerman as the recipient of the third Terrence McNally New Play Award for the development of his play Let Me Count The Ways. The Terrence McNally New Play Award is a cash prize given annually to recognize a new play that celebrates the transformative power of art. The Award will also include a year of development support at PTC, including readings as well as administrative support and networking to help manage the future of the play beyond its time at PTC.

The Pasadena Playhouse has updated the performance schedule for two unusual one-person shows - Amy G in Entershamement and Joe Orrach in In My Corner - to reopen the newly re-designed Carrie Hamilton Theatre. Entershamement has a limited run of five performances, while In My Corner runs for one night only. With these shows, that perform May 22 to May 31, The Playhouse is relighting the refurbished Carrie Hamilton Theatre, which has been changed from a proscenium theatre to a black box, and can be configured to accommodate many different kinds of productions.

The Tony Awards Administration Committee has announced that it will present the 2014 Regional Theatre Award to New York's Signature Theatre. Each year, the Tony Awards Administration Committee presents a Tony Award to a regional theatre on the recommendation of the American Theatre Critics Association. The 2014 Tony Awards, which are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall, on the CBS television network on Sunday, June 8, 2014.

Velocity's SCUBA 2014 features performances by four nationally emerging talents in contemporary dance: Minneapolis's 'excessively smart, super imaginative' SuperGroup, Philadelphia bright light Nichole Canuso Dance Company in a solo work influenced by her mentor renowned British movement/theater artist Wendy Houstoun, and San Francisco's NAKA Dance Theater performance inspired by their research trip to Northern Japan in response to Japan's earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown. PLUS a SCUBA-commissioned world premiere, Paraphrase, by Seattle's own Elia Mrak + Erica Badgeley,

A.C.T. kicks off its 2014-15 season with the West Coast premiere of the Signature Theatre production of Old Hats (September 10-October 5, 2014), starring Tony Award winners Bill Irwin and David Shiner. Using music, technology, and movement - plus a few other tricks up their sleeves - Old Hats combines the inimitable magic, slapstick and hilarity of Irwin and Shiner into a wild and remarkable outing of theater for generations old and new. Directed by Tina Landau, Old Hats was the recipient of the 2013 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Alternative Theatrical Experience and the 2013 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revue. Old Hats marks the first collaboration for Irwin and Shiner since the smash Broadway hit Fool Moon, which set A.C.T. box office records during its sold-out 1998 run and their return engagement in 2001. Press night for Old Hats will be on Wednesday, September 17, 2014.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, announced today that its acclaimed production of David Ives' THE HEIR APPARENT, adapted from the play by Jean-Francois Regnard, will extend through Sunday, May 11 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). Directed by John Rando, THE HEIR APPARENT features Suzanne Bertish (Madame Argante), Carson Elrod (Crispin), Claire Karpen (Lisette), Amelia Pedlow (Isabelle), David Pittu (Scruple), Dave Quay (Eraste) and Paxton Whitehead (Geronte).

Showbiz411 writes that Annette Bening is allegedly in talks for the role of 'Goneril' opposite John Lithgow in KING LEAR at Shakespeare in the Park in New York City this summer.

Mike Judge ('Office Space,' 'Beavis & Butt-head,' 'King of the Hill') brings his irreverent brand of humor to HBO in the new comedy series SILICON VALLEY. The series features late stage and screen actor Christopher Evan Welch ('The Master', 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'), who passed away on December 2, 2013 of lung cancer at the age of 48. Five and a half of the eight episodes were filmed before Welch's death and the plot will continue as planned for Season 1.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, will present its popular First Look Festival, a series of one-night only staged readings, this year focusing on the remarkable work of playwright Caryl Churchill, whose plays have provoked, captivated and astounded audiences since she burst onto the scene in the late 1960s.

Off-Broadway's Soho Repertory Theatre was forced to evacuate and cancel its Spring 2014 gala last night, March 31, after a support beam of the second floor balcony at the Angel Orensanz Center cracked around 7:15 p.m. According to New York Magazine, the floor began to sag on the left side of the balcony at the Lower East Side synagogue.

Velocity's SCUBA 2014 features performances by four nationally emerging talents in contemporary dance: Minneapolis's "excessively smart, super imaginative" SuperGroup, Philadelphia bright light Nichole Canuso Dance Company in a solo work influenced by her mentor renowned British movement/theater artist Wendy Houstoun, and San Francisco's NAKA Dance Theater performance inspired by their research trip to Northern Japan in response to Japan's earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown. PLUS a SCUBA-commissioned world premiere, Paraphrase, by Seattle's own Elia Mrak + Erica Badgeley,

Four-time Tony® Award winning playwright Terrence McNally just celebrated two milestones on The Great White Way-his 20th Broadway production and the 50th Anniversary of his Broadway debut-with the opening night of his newest play, Mothers and Sons, at the Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street) last night, March 24, 2014. Over the course of five decades, Mr. McNally has chronicled the human experience with a wide range of works including Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, The Full Monty, Ragtime, Master Class, Love! Valour! Compassion!, Kiss of the Spider Woman,The Rink, The Ritz, and Bad Habits. BroadwayWorld was there for McNally's big opening night and below you can check out photos from the star-studded red carpet. Guests included Bernadette Peters, Victor Garber, Chita Rivera, Doris Riberts and more!

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, will present its 2014 Annual Gala, MUSICAL MASTERWORKS, Monday evening, May 12 at the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel (145 West 44th Street). Tony Award-winner and CSC Associate Director John Doyle will helm an evening of memorable numbers from iconic American musicals-a rich and vital heritage that CSC has begun to explore with last season's critically-acclaimed production of Passion and the upcoming production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Allegro.

The USC School of Dramatic Arts, considered one of the world's premier theatre schools, honors cultural icon Jane Fonda with the prestigious 'Robert Redford Award for Engaged Artists' at a gala fundraiser on Wednesday, November 5, 2014, 6:30 p.m., at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. The multi-Academy Award-winning actress/producer is being recognized for her public commitment to social responsibility, to increasing awareness of global issues and for inspiring and empowering young people, as well as for the exemplary quality, skill and innovation of her vast body of work on screen and stage. The award, created in 2009 is named for its first recipient, Robert Redford. Proceeds from the event provide scholarship support for the next generation of artists at the School.

Hosted by Gretchen Mol and Tim Blake Nelson, Spring Fete, Soho Rep.'s Spring 2014 Gala, will honor Jon Dembrow, Soho Rep. Board Chair since 1999, at the Angel Orensanz Foundation on March 31. The event will feature presentations by two-time Academy award-winner Sally Field, Academy award-winner Marisa Tomei, Emmy award-winner Bobby Cannavale, comedian Richard Lewis, and Tony nominated actress Marin Ireland along with performances by three-time Grammy award-winner Steve Earle, Tony award-winner Bill Irwin, composer Todd Almond (Tempest), playwright and OBIE award-winning actress Eisa Davis (Passing Strange) and actress Amber Gray (Natasha Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812).

On Monday, March 24, 2014, The Negro Ensemble Company, Inc. (Charles Weldon, Artistic Director; Karen Brown, Executive Director) and Signature Theatre (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) will unite in a day-long celebration of the life and works of Tony Award-nominated playwright Leslie Lee. Lee passed away in New York City on January 20, 2014.

Pioneer Theatre Company presents the second installment in its new play reading series, called Play-By-Play: A Public Education by Jeff Talbott tonight and tomorrow, March 14 and 15, 2014. Guest artist Shana Gold directs the production.

Last night, Roundabout Theatre Company honored Sam Mendes with the Jason Roberts Award for Excellence in Theatre. The criterion for this award is to have made an 'indelible impact on the theatre world.' The award was named after the founder of Roundabout and is given each year in remembrance of his own impact on the theatre world. BroadwayWorld wa sthere for the special night and you can check out photos from the star-studded red carpet arrivals below!

All the Way, the new play by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan, starring BREAKING BAD's Bryan Cranston, opened on March 6, 2014, on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre. The play is directed by Bill Rauch, Artistic Director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, where All the Way began its theatrical life. BroadwayWorld was on the scene to capture the starry red carpet arrivals - check out photos below!