Charles Dickens News

The fourth play in MALIBU PLAYHOUSE's 2013-2014 season will be the World Premiere of Flim-Flam: Houdini and the Hereafter by Gene Franklin Smith,, opening Friday, June 20, 2014. The play will be directed by Thomas James O'Leary and stars Rick D. Wasserman, Melissa Kite, Gigi Bermingham, Peter Van Norden, Sabra Malkinson and Cameron Mitchell Jr.

New Repertory Theatre announces PATTERN OF LIFE by Walt McGough, June 14 through June 29, 2014 at the Boston University Theatre, Lane-Comley Studio 210. PATTERN OF LIFE is co- presented with Boston Center for American Performance (BCAP) and is directed by Bridget Kathleen O'Leary.

The "Alley Theatre @ UH" season begins with Elizabeth Ashley and Hallie Foote in the southwestern premiere of Horton Foote's wonderfully entertaining The Old Friends, directed byMichael Wilson. Alley Resident Actors Jay Sullivan, James Black, and Jeffrey Bean, and returning artist Jeremy Webb lead the cast of Dracula, the Original Vampire Play, a production that will include the iconic designs by Edward Gorey, directed by Artistic Director Gregory Boyd. Boyd also directsShakespeare's romantic comedy As You Like It featuring Alley Resident Actors Elizabeth Bunch, Chris Hutchison and Todd Waite. Resident Actor James Black and Josie de Guzman lead the cast in Arthur Miller's All My Sons, directed by renowned playwright Theresa Rebeck. The Southwestern debut of Britain's innovative and exciting theatre company Kneehigh follows, with an inventive and imaginative production of Tristan & Yseult, based on the Arthurian romance. Resident Actor Jeffrey Bean returns to a favorite role in the riotous tour de force The Foreigner.

When Artistic & Executive Director Alan Stanford was planning the 2014 PICT season, Managing Director Stephanie Riso suggested the addition of the Beckett classic Waiting for Godot. She knew Alan had a special relationship with this particular work of Beckett, having portrayed Pozzo for the Gate Theatre Dublin's touring production for more than twenty years.

The fourth play in MALIBU PLAYHOUSE's 2013-2014 season will be the World Premiere of Flim-Flam: Houdini and the Hereafter by Gene Franklin Smith,, opening Friday, June 20, 2014. The play will be directed by Thomas James O'Leary and stars Rick D. Wasserman, Melissa Kite, Gigi Bermingham, Peter Van Norden, Sabra Malkinson and Cameron Mitchell Jr.

Grove Theater Center (GTC) presents a staged reading of Rachel Ray, playwright Henry Ong's stage adaptation of Anthony Trollope's 19th century novel, tonight, May 22 at 7:30pm, as part of its New Play Initiative. GTC Artistic Director, Kevin Cochran, will direct the reading at the theater, located at 1111-b West Olive Avenue, Burbank, CA91506. There will be a post discussion with the playwright following the reading. Admission is free, but reservations are encouraged and can be made at (818) 528-6622.

Unbound Productions, Executive Director Jonathan Josephson, Artistic Director Paul Millet, and Producing Artistic Director Jeff G. Rack have announced details about their World Premiere staged reading of MYSTERY LIT, adapted by Josephson from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories (May 22, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. and May 24, 2014 at 2:00 p.m.) and the World Premiere production of Algernon Blackwood's THE DOLL, adapted by Rack and directed by Millet (July 11-26, 2014; Fridays-Sundays, 7:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., and 9:00 p.m.).

Meadow Brook Theatre's 2014-2015 season promises to please with hilarious comedy, toe-tapping musical theatre and powerful drama. 'This is going to be an exciting season you won't want to miss.' said Cheryl Marshall, Managing Director. 'We've got a literary classic, a heartwarming comedy and a 'Nunsensical' musical, back by popular demand and starring Cindy Williams and Eddie Mekka!' The 2014-2015 season features three Michigan Premieres and two Michigan Professional Premieres.

The Citizens Theatre today announces its Autumn 2014 season including: A new production of Shakespeare's Hamlet directed by Dominic Hill and starring Brian Ferguson, Roberta Taylor and Peter Guinness; Headlong's 5-star production of 1984, transferring direct from a West End run for its Scottish premiere; National Theatre of Scotland's gutsy production of In Time O' Strife, Joe Corrie's examination of a Fife mining community; Kill Johnny Glendenning, a brutal new comedy by young Scottish writer DC Jackson; and a new production of A Christmas Carol directed by Dominic Hill.

Tonight, May 21st, New York's 'Best Story Hour' (The Village Voice Best of NY) attempts to solve history's greatest dilemma, as Naked Girls Reading presents CAKE VS DEATH. It's marzipan versus murder, frosting versus the final rest, and the Grim Reaper versus ganache. Angel food goes head-to-head with the Dark Angel in this, the epic literary battle for the ages!

South Coast Repertory's 2014-15 season moves from the Mediterranean island in Shakespeare's The Tempest to Cornwall in a new take on the classic Tristan & Yseult, from Mecca in Zealot by Theresa Rebeck to an updated look at the Land of Oz in OZ 2.5 by Catherine Trieschmann. SCR will present classic, contemporary and new works, including Mr. Wolf by Rajiv Joseph, Of Good Stock by Melissa Ross and Peter and the Starcatcher by Rick Elice. Season subscriptions are available now; single tickets will go on sale on Aug. 1.

Atlanta's nationally acclaimed Alliance Theatre and Jennings Hertz Artistic Director Susan V. Booth are pleased to announce a minor change to the 2014/15 Season lineup for the Alliance Stage. The 46th season includes seven exciting world premieres, including two new American musicals.

The Cleveland area has a full schedule of summer theatre entertainment. Here are some of the upcoming stagings:

Grab a book and head to the beach with New York's 'Best Story Hour' (The Village Voice Best of NY), as Naked Girls Reading presents SUMMER READING! Join your favorite naked readers as they share selections from the New York Public Library's Summer Reading lists - and find out what they're reading in the buff north of the border, as special Canadian guest Bianca Boom Boom brings her summer reading picks from the Toronto Public Library, too!

Amphibian Stage Productions today announced casting for its third main stage production of the 2014 season, The Nosemaker's Apprentice: Chronicles of a Medieval Plastic Surgeon. Jay Duffer, John Forkner, Alexandra Lawrence, Brandon Murphy and Scott Zenreich will star in this comedy, running Thursday, July 10 through Sunday, August 10 at Amphibian's Berlene T. & Jarrell R. Milburn Theatre at 120 S. Main Street. David A. Miller will direct the production.

The Classical Theatre Company (CTC) has announced the lineup for its 2014-2015 Mainstage Season. As the only professional theatre company in the State of Texas that solely produces classical drama on a year-round basis, CTC only produces plays that are 100 or more years old.

Eric Rosen, Artistic Director of Kansas City Repertory Theatre has announced his 2014-15 season, its milestone 50th anniversary.

It only happens once a year! The hit musical comedy adaptation, now celebrating its 40th anniversary! One of the Triangle's most beloved Christmas traditions will once again be featured at the Durham Performing Arts Center this December for five shows only. Ira David Wood III's hit musical comedy adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic will run December 18th through 21st, 2014 in Durham. Last year's shows at DPAC sold out, so plan on getting your tickets early!

True to its core mission of showcasing the talents of Asian-American theater artists, National Asian Artists Project (NAAP), which presented the Broadway musical 'Hello, Dolly!' last year, is now facing the challenge of staging Lionel Bart's beloved Broadway musical OLIVER!, featuring a 65-member all-Asian cast made up of 20 child actors, including Bonale Zon Fambrini, who will play the title role; 25 professional adult actors; and 20 members of the NAAP Broadway Community Chorus.

Grove Theater Center (GTC) presents a staged reading of Rachel Ray, playwright Henry Ong's stage adaptation of Anthony Trollope's 19th century novel, on Thursday, May 22 at 7:30pm, as part of its New Play Initiative. GTC Artistic Director, Kevin Cochran, will direct the reading at the theater, located at 1111-b West Olive Avenue, Burbank, CA91506. There will be a post discussion with the playwright following the reading. Admission is free, but reservations are encouraged and can be made at (818) 528-6622.