Catalyst Theatre News

The Washington Stage Guild completes its Season of Dreams with the area premiere of Simon Bent's ELLING, a whimsical comedy of the power of friendship when everyday life is an adventure. Bent's London hit is based on a quartet of novels by the Norwegian writer Ingvar Ambjornsen that was the source of an Oscar-nominated film in 2002. ELLING is the story of a pair of misfits who, after rooming together for years in an institution, are offered an independent life - if they can cope with it. Elling and Kjell Bjarne must learn to deal with the world and each other's fears and quirks, and Elling's discovery of literary ambition becomes a path to a 'normal' life. Along the way the two have a series of offbeat adventures as they struggle with bureaucracy, relationships, and their own demons.

Sideshow Theatre Company concludes its 2013-14 season with the world premiere of TYRANT by Artistic Associate Kathleen Akerley, co-directed by Kathleen Akerley and Ensemble Member Megan A. Smith, playing May 24 - June 29, 2014 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Tickets for TYRANT go on sale Monday, March 24 at www.theaterwit.org, in person at the Theater Wit Box Office or by calling 773-975-8150.

Olney Theatre Center proudly announces the return of legendary star of stage and screen Sir Ian McKellen, making his musical comedy debut in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying as the "Book Voice", narrating the action in the Tony-winning musical. Former Artistic Director Jim Petosa, who produced McKellen's first appearance at Olney, has signed on to voice the show's "TV Announcer". How to Succeed is known for having voiceover parts often recorded by recognizable voices including broadcast journalists Walter Cronkite (1995 Broadway revival) and Anderson Cooper (2011 Broadway revival).

Round House Theatre launches its 2013/2014 Bethesda season with the hauntingly humorous tragicomedy The Beauty Queen of Leenane by esteemed playwright Martin McDonagh, which runs tonight, August 21 thru September 15. Director Jeremy Skidmore returns to Round House with this Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning black comedy. Opening night is Monday, August 26, 2013.

The OBIE Award-winning NAATCO, National Asian American Theater Company, will kick off their 24th season with Clifford Odets's Awake & Sing! Stephen Fried directs an all-Asian American cast that includes Sanjit de Silva, Mel Duane Gionson, Andrew Ramcharan Guilarte, Mia Katigbak, Teresa Avia Lim, Jon Norman Schneider, David Shih, Alok Tewari, and Henry Yuk. This Off-Broadway limited engagement will begin August 16th at Walker Space (46 Walker Street) and continue through September 8th only. Opening Night is set for August 21st (8pm).

Round House Theatre launches its 2013/2014 Bethesda season with the hauntingly humorous tragicomedy The Beauty Queen of Leenane by esteemed playwright Martin McDonagh, which runs August 21 thru September 15. Director Jeremy Skidmore returns to Round House with this Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning black comedy. Opening night is Monday, August 26, 2013.

Sideshow Theatre Company is pleased to announce its full 2013/14 Season, beginning this fall with the Chicago premiere of Bill Cain's spellbinding drama 9 CIRCLES directed by Marti Lyons. This winter, Sideshow begins its residency at Victory Gardens Theater with the Chicago premiere of Roland Schimmelpfennig's THE GOLDEN DRAGON, translated by David Tushingham and directed by Artistic Director Jonathan L. Green and Marti Lyons. Sideshow's critically acclaimed 2012 production of Schimmelpfennig's Idomeneus earned the company a Jeff Award for Best Ensemble. Sideshow's 2013/14 Season concludes next spring with the world premiere drama TYRANT by Artistic Associate Kathleen Akerley. For tickets and additional information, visit www.sideshowtheatre.org.

Five Washington-based playwrights have formed a new playwrights' collective dedicated exclusively to developing and producing new work. The Welders' inaugural members-playwrights Bob Bartlett, Renee Calarco, Allyson Currin, Caleen Sinnette Jennings, and Gwydion Suilebhan and Executive and Creative Director Jojo Ruf-will write, develop, and produce new plays over the course of the next three years. After their three-year term is complete, the five playwrights will give The Welders' entire operations-everything from the logo to the checking account-to a new generation of five playwrights, who will carry The Welders forward for another three years, and so on into the foreseeable future.

Theatre Agile, Altera Vitae Productions and the Rialto Theatre present Marg Szkabula (Pissy's Wife). The cabaret-style play, written by Ron Chambers, directed by Lib Spry (assisted by Luciana Burcheri) and starring Carolyn Fe with musical sidekick, Le Jack runs in the Rialto Hall from tonight, May 15 to 26, 2013. With Ms Fe's love of music and theatre, this one woman show is a natural for the raspy-voiced blues diva (see bio below).

Theatre Agile, Altera Vitae Productions and the Rialto Theatre present Marg Szkabula (Pissy's Wife). The cabaret-style play, written by Ron Chambers, directed by Lib Spry (assisted by Luciana Burcheri) and starring Carolyn Fe with musical sidekick, Le Jack runs in the Rialto Hall from May 15 to 26, 2013. With Ms Fe's love of music and theatre, this one woman show is a natural for the raspy-voiced blues diva (see bio below).

American Theatre magazine, published by Theatre Communications Group (TCG), has released its annual May/June international issue, featuring an in-depth exploration of Canadian theatre. The special section, "Northern Lights: Canadian Theatre Now," introduces readers to the diverse names and places at the forefront of Canadian theatremaking.

New Repertory Theatre announces the encore staging of THREE VIEWINGS by Jeffrey Hatcher at Lane-Comley Studio 210, Boston University Theatre Complex, May 18 through June 3, 2012.

The Great Scavenger Hunt kicks off January 22 at the Wellington Waterfront.

The Great Scavenger Hunt kicks off January 22 at the Wellington Waterfront.

New Repertory Theatre, in residence at the Arsenal Center for the Arts, has announced Three Viewings by award-winning playwright Jeffrey Hatcher.

Set inside the racial tensions of 1940s Mississippi, THE RIVER WAS WHISKEY pulses with revenge and retribution. Some things demand to be remembered, whether we like it or not-especially if we love someone we shouldn't.

Set inside the racial tensions of 1940s Mississippi, THE RIVER WAS WHISKEY pulses with revenge and retribution. Some things demand to be remembered, whether we like it or not-especially if we love someone we shouldn't.

New Repertory Theatre, in residence at the Arsenal Center for the Arts, has announced Three Viewings by award-winning playwright Jeffrey Hatcher.

Barrow Street Theatre and The National Theatre of the World present Impromptu Splendor, an improvised play series by the Canadian Comedy Award-winning troupe. Heralded by Time Out Chicago as 'brave, brainy and incredibly agile,' Matt Baram, Ron Pederson and Naomi Snieckus unite to create captivating live theatre through the art of improvisation with Impromptu Splendor. Performances for Impromptu Splendor will be held at the Barrow Street Theatre, 27 Barrow Street, New York, NY 10014 for two performances only, Friday, October 21st and Saturday, October 22nd, 2011 at 10:30pm.

Set inside the racial tensions of 1940s Mississippi, THE RIVER WAS WHISKEY pulses with revenge and retribution. Some things demand to be remembered, whether we like it or not-especially if we love someone we shouldn't.