Carey Perloff News

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2008-09 season Koret Visiting Artist Series with a conversation with Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and OBIE Award-winning playwright José Rivera (The Motorcycle Diaries, Marisol, and A.C.T.'s Brainpeople), whose Boleros for the Disenchanted will take the A.C.T. stage in May.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Artistic Director Carey Perloff announced the lineup of the company's 43rd subscription season today. Running from September 2009 to June 2010, the season welcomes some of the best American and international artists to San Francisco and celebrates the 100th anniversary of A.C.T.'s historic theater.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) presents the world premiere of a visionary work of epic proportions, War Music, adapted and directed by Lillian Groag (A.C.T.'s The Rivals) based on Christopher Logue's ravishing translation of the Iliad. In a wildly theatrical, totally modern interpretation of one of the mightiest conflicts of all time, Groag reignites the wrath of Greek warrior Achilles against his archrival, Agamemnon. With movement by award-winning opera, theater, and ballet choreographer Daniel Pelzig and featuring original music composed by John Glover alongside an eclectic selection of rock and pop music, War Music cements A.C.T.'s position as the Bay Area home of unique fusion works in the vein of such groundbreaking pieces as The Overcoat and The Black Rider.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) presents the world premiere of a visionary work of epic proportions, War Music, adapted and directed by Lillian Groag (A.C.T.'s The Rivals) based on Christopher Logue's ravishing translation of the Iliad. In a wildly theatrical, totally modern interpretation of one of the mightiest conflicts of all time, Groag reignites the wrath of Greek warrior Achilles against his archrival, Agamemnon.

The A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts Program and Young Conservatory present the world premiere production of Volleygirls, Rob Ackerman's funny and moving look at the spirit and passion of team sports, directed by W. D. Keith. Featuring actors from the graduating class of the A.C.T. M.F.A. Program and young actors from the Young Conservatory, Volleygirls spikes a spirited, heartfelt look at a down-and-out high school volleyball team. Following a string of losses and facing their biggest rival, the girls of Saint Agnes hatch a wild plan to turn their flailing team around-while their self-defeating coach must confront his 'loseritis.'

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2008-09 season Koret Visiting Artist Series with 'Glory, Poetry, Immortality: A Special Preview of War Music,' a conversation event with Mark Danner, internationally acclaimed war correspondent and journalist, Lillian Groag, the creative force behind A.C.T.'s War Music, and University of California, Davis classicist and leading Homer scholar Seth Schein.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2008-09 season Koret Visiting Artist Series with 'Glory, Poetry, Immortality: A Special Preview of War Music,' a conversation event with Mark Danner, internationally acclaimed war correspondent and journalist, Lillian Groag, the creative force behind A.C.T.'s War Music, and University of California, Davis classicist and leading Homer scholar Seth Schein.

The American Conservatory Theater Master of Fine Arts Program, ranked fifth in the nation, announces the launch of the M.F.A. 8, a smaller-size class and a new institutional structure, with the incoming class of 2011. The new structure, aimed to re-envision A.C.T.'s institutional culture and the experience of the M.F.A. candidates, includes eight students per class (compared to the admitted class of 12 last year), a full-time faculty, full scholarships for all eight students in their third year, and increased opportunities for students to appear on the A.C.T. mainstage.

The American Conservatory Theater Master of Fine Arts Program, ranked fifth in the nation, announces the launch of the M.F.A. 8, a smaller-size class and a new institutional structure, with the incoming class of 2011.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) presents the world premiere of a visionary work of epic proportions, War Music, adapted and directed by Lillian Groag (A.C.T.'s The Rivals) based on Christopher Logue's ravishing translation of the Iliad. In a wildly theatrical, totally modern interpretation of one of the mightiest conflicts of all time, Groag reignites the wrath of Greek warrior Achilles against his archrival, Agamemnon. With movement by award-winning opera, theater, and ballet choreographer Daniel Pelzig and featuring original music composed by John Glover alongside an eclectic selection of rock and pop music, War Music cements A.C.T.'s position as the Bay Area home of unique fusion works in the vein of such groundbreaking pieces as The Overcoat and The Black Rider.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) presents the world premiere of a visionary work of epic proportions, War Music, adapted and directed by Lillian Groag (A.C.T.'s The Rivals) based on Christopher Logue's ravishing translation of the Iliad. In a wildly theatrical, totally modern interpretation of one of the mightiest conflicts of all time, Groag reignites the wrath of Greek warrior Achilles against his archrival, Agamemnon.

The A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts Program and Young Conservatory present the world premiere production of Volleygirls, Rob Ackerman's funny and moving look at the spirit and passion of team sports, directed by W. D. Keith. Featuring actors from the graduating class of the A.C.T. M.F.A. Program and young actors from the Young Conservatory, Volleygirls spikes a spirited, heartfelt look at a down-and-out high school volleyball team. Following a string of losses and facing their biggest rival, the girls of Saint Agnes hatch a wild plan to turn their flailing team around-while their self-defeating coach must confront his 'loseritis.'

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) and gala co-chairs Carla Crane and Chandra Geiger Gordon are proud to announce A.C.T.'s 2008-09 season gala, Illuminate the Night, featuring an exclusive performance by Judy Kaye, Tony Award-winning star of A.C.T.'s Sweeney Todd and Souvenir. The entertainment for this wonderful evening also includes performances by A.C.T.'s own Master of Fine Arts Program and Young Conservatory students, created and directed by John Carrafa, the Tony Award-nominated choreographer of Urinetown, the Musical on Broadway and at A.C.T.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) salutes the secret diva in all of us with Stephen Temperley's play with music, Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins directed by Vivian Matalon. This production marks the return of the remarkable Judy Kaye to A.C.T. in the daring role that earned her a 2006 Tony Award nomination. Kaye last appeared on the A.C.T. stage as Mrs. Lovett in last season's critically-acclaimed production of Sweeney Todd. A heartfelt, wickedly funny look at the limits of self-perception and the unpredictable nature of friendship, Souvenir imagines the story of real-life Florence Foster Jenkins, a New York socialite and tone-deaf diva who thought she was a great soprano.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2008-09 season Koret Visiting Artist Series with 'The Inner 'I': How Artists See Themselves,' a conversation with Lotfi Mansouri, celebrated opera director and the general director emeritus of the San Francisco Opera; Judy Kaye, the Tony Award-winning star of A.C.T.'s Souvenir; and the internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade. Moderated by A.C.T. Artistic Director Carey Perloff, the conversation will focus on the different ways artists view themselves and how these self-images affect their work. 'The Inner 'I' is presented in conjunction with A.C.T.'s production of Stephen Temperley's Souvenir, which tells the story of Florence Foster Jenkins, a New York socialite and tone-deaf diva who thought she was a great soprano. The conversation will be followed by a Q&A session with the audience. The hour-long event is free and open to the public and takes place on the A.C.T. stage on Monday, February 23, 2009, at 5:30 p.m. Doors will open at 5 p.m. For more information, please visit www.act-sf.org/koret.

The American Conservatory Theater Master of Fine Arts Program presents Maxim Gorky's Philistines in a fresh new version by Andrew Upton, the co-artistic director of Australia's Sydney Theatre Company and an acclaimed adaptor of Russian plays.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) salutes the secret diva in all of us with Stephen Temperley's play with music, Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins directed by Vivian Matalon. This production marks the return of the remarkable Judy Kaye to A.C.T. in the daring role that earned her a 2006 Tony Award nomination. Kaye last appeared on the A.C.T. stage as Mrs. Lovett in last season's critically-acclaimed production of Sweeney Todd. A heartfelt, wickedly funny look at the limits of self-perception and the unpredictable nature of friendship, Souvenir imagines the story of real-life Florence Foster Jenkins, a New York socialite and tone-deaf diva who thought she was a great soprano.

The Stratford Shakespeare Festival 2009 season ? a playbill reflecting the Festival's commitment to producing the works of William Shakespeare and his contemporaries, along with other classical theatre repertoire and the work of living playwrights is now offering tickets to the public.

The American Conservatory Theater Master of Fine Arts Program presents Maxim Gorky's Philistines in a fresh new version by Andrew Upton, the co-artistic director of Australia's Sydney Theatre Company and an acclaimed adaptor of Russian plays.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2008-09 season with John Guare's Rich & Famous, directed by John Rando (Urinetown, The Musical and Wedding Singer on Broadway) in its first major revival since its 1976 New York debut. From the ingenious mind of John Guare, who brought Six Degrees of Separation and The House of Blue Leaves to the American stage, this delicious dark comedy springs to life with twisted humor, rapid-fire dialogue, and outrageous plot twists. The revival script includes significant rewrites to the original text, as well as hilarious songs freshly scribed by Guare himself. In Rich and Famous, playwright Bing Ringling yearns to savor the sweet taste of celebrity, and he's hoping play number 844 will be his lucky break. But on opening night, he slips into a nightmarish phantasmagoria that shows him just how wrong things can go.