Brits Off-Broadway News

The critically acclaimed and Best New Musical of 2014, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, is proud to announce that West End musical theatre legends Bonnie Langford (Spamalot, Chicago, Cats, Dr Who, Just William, Bugsy Malone) and Gary Wilmot (The Pajama Game, Chicago, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Me and My Girl) will be waltzing their way into the show at The Savoy Theatre from 16 September 2014.

Following its Edinburgh Fringe sell out success, Kingmaker comes to St James' Theatre this September for a strictly limited run.

TwoSheds Theatre presents MUSWELL HILL by Torben Betts. Director Roger Mortimer-Smith. Designer Nancy Surman. Muswell Hill runs today 12 August - 31 August.

Commissioned by the Finborough Theatre from Cerberus Theatre, the UK premiere and the English world premiere of controversial German playwright Rolf Hochhuth's Sommer 14 - A Dance of Death in a brand new translation opens at the Finborough Theatre for a four week limited season today, 5 August 2014 (Press Night: Thursday, 7 August at 7.30pm).

January 2010 - an earthquake in Haiti leaves a hundred thousand people dead and almost two million homeless. Meanwhile in a leafy north London suburb, six individuals sit down to avocado and prawns - 'so reassuringly 1970s' - followed by a monkfish stew. They admire their host's beautifully appointed kitchen, fret about their 'ambitious' mortgages, make holiday plans, compare mobile phone tariffs, connect with Facebook friends, and worry that they might after all just be ordinary - will history remember any of them, and if so, what for? A social event in which much is said but little communicated rapidly disintegrates as the wine flows and some hard truths are told.

Throughline Artists will present SUMMER SHORTS 2014, their eighth annual festival of new American short plays from established and emerging writers, at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street). Performances will begin Friday July 18th, and continue through Saturday August 30th only.

Commissioned by the Finborough Theatre from Cerberus Theatre, the UK premiere and the English world premiere of controversial German playwright Rolf Hochhuth's Sommer 14 - A Dance of Death in a brand new translation opens at the Finborough Theatre for a four week limited season on Tuesday, 5 August 2014 (Press Night: Thursday, 7 August at 7.30pm).

Ros Povey, Zoe Simpson and Seabright Productions present Simon Callow in the Lyric Theatre Belfast production of The Man Jesus by Matthew Hurt. Directed by Joseph Alford, the upcoming UK tour runs 10th September - 4th November 2014 with a stop at the Wset End's Lyric, Shaftesbury Avenue on 6th October 2014.

January 2010 - an earthquake in Haiti leaves a hundred thousand people dead and almost two million homeless. Meanwhile in a leafy north London suburb, six individuals sit down to avocado and prawns - 'so reassuringly 1970s' - followed by a monkfish stew. They admire their host's beautifully appointed kitchen, fret about their 'ambitious' mortgages, make holiday plans, compare mobile phone tariffs, connect with Facebook friends, and worry that they might after all just be ordinary - will history remember any of them, and if so, what for? A social event in which much is said but little communicated rapidly disintegrates as the wine flows and some hard truths are told.

Throughline Artists will present SUMMER SHORTS 2014, their eighth annual festival of new American short plays from established and emerging writers, at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street). Performances will begin Friday July 18th, and continue through Saturday August 30th only.

Sheffield Theatres has released its annual report for 2013 with highlights including the award of Regional Theatre of the Year, record-breaking audience numbers and a turnover in excess of £11 million.

The Sheffield office of law firm Hill Dickinson has embarked on the third year of a partnership with Sheffield Theatres to fund its 'New Initiatives' writing programme.

Critically acclaimed theatre company Third Man Theatre are working at the Old Red Lion for the first time, with the London transfer of their brand new full-length show, Mugs Arrows, which was developed and premiered at the Bike Shed Theatre, Exeter as part of their Residency programme in 2013 receiving rave reviews. The show will run at the Old Red Lion Theatre, Islington from today, 3rd - 21s June 2014. Press night is set for Thursday 5th June, 7.30pm.

Last month, Britain's most prolific playwright Sir Alan Ayckbourn celebrated his 75th birthday. With 78 major plays to his credit, the busy play maker seems more popular than ever - even on this side of the Atlantic. In fact, over the next few months, fans can see a wealth of Ayckbourn productions - all located in and around the New York area. Let's take a look at what the master playwright has in store for metro area theater-goers this summer!

The US premiere of CHALK FARM, written by Kieran Hurley & AJ Taudevin, will be directed by Neil Bettles as part of Brits Off Broadway at 59E59 Theaters, beginning tonight, May 21 and running through June 8. Opening night is slated for Wednesday, May 28, 2014.

59E59 Theaters welcomes The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford to Brits Off Broadway with the US premiere of SIMON GREEN: SO, THIS THEN IS LIFE, created by Simon Green and David Shrubsole, performed by Mr. Green, with musical arrangement and accompaniment by Mr. Shrubsole. SIMON GREEN: SO, THIS THEN IS LIFE begins performances tonight, May 20 for a limited engagement through Sunday, June 1.

St. James Theatre Productions presents the Orange Tree Theatre's highly acclaimed Invincible by Torben Betts, directed by Ellie Jones. The production will run from Thursday 10 July to Saturday 09 August 2014, with press night on Tuesday 15 July at 7pm.

According to Jessica Walker, she spent much of her career playing trouser roles in opera and musical theatre. From her curiosity, the kernel for THE GIRL I LEFT BEHIND ME was planted. With Director and Co-Writer Neil Bartlett, Jessica Walker crafted a variety show that explores and celebrates this once loved but now almost entirely forgotten aspect of performance history.

59E59 Theaters will welcome the US premiere of PAT KIRKWOOD IS ANGRY, written by Jessica Walker, with Joseph Atkins at the piano, and directed by Lee Blakeley, with musical arrangements by James Holmes. PAT KIRKWOOD IS ANGRY begins performances on Tuesday, June 10 for a limited engagement through Sunday, June 29. Press opening is Sunday, June 15 at 7:30 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7:30 PM; Friday at 8:30 PM; Saturday at 2:30 PM & 8:30 PM; and Sunday at 3:30 PM & 7:30 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets are $25 ($17.50 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or go to www.59e59.org.