Cincinnati Playhouse News

With oddly still no official word on who would be taking over as the new leads in the Tony-winning THE BOOK OF MORMON for departing stars (and former Tony nominees) Josh Gad (June 6) and Andrew Rannells (June 10), BWW reached out to a source in the production who confirmed that standby Jared Gertner would be taking over for Gad as Elder Cunningham and standby Nic Rouleau will be taking over for Rannells as Elder Price.

President George HW Bush and Mrs. Barbara Bush honored the Ogunquit Playhouse by attending yesterday's (June 3rd) Matinee performance of Always, Patsy Cline, now playing through June 16. Sally Struthers (as Louise) and Carter Calvert (as Patsy Cline) welcomed them backstage during intermission, where President and Mrs. Bush exalted both leading lady's performances. The former President and First Lady "loved" the show, and the cast, musicians and audience members loved seeing them as well. Check out the photo below!

Atlantic Theater Company presents world premiere of Fernanda Coppel's new play CHIMICHANGAS AND ZOLOFT, featuring Teddy Cañez, Zabryna Guevara, Alfredo Narciso, Xochitl Romero, and Carmen Zilles, directed by Jaime Castañeda.

Jay Russell and Adam Fitzgerald have announced two upcoming staged readings of ON THE TREETOP (by Jay Russell) on Monday, June 18th at 3:30 PM and 6:30 PM at the Alvin Ailey Studios. The facility is located at 405 West 55th Street (at 9th Avenue). The reading is an invited presentation.

The Colony Theatre presents the first production of its "Season of Premieres" with the Los Angeles Premiere of THE SAVANNAH DISPUTATION, written by Evan Smith and directed by award-winning Cameron Watson and will star three-time Los Angeles Drama Critics Award-winning actress Anne Gee Byrd.

The 80th Anniversary Season at the Ogunquit Playhouse kicked off with Always, Patsy Cline on May 23, and we have the production photos below, starring Carter Calvert as Patsy Cline and Sally Struthers as Louise Seger. Check them out!

Writers' Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, concludes its 20th Anniversary Season with The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead by Robert Hewett, directed by Joseph Hanreddy, and featuring Deborah Staples.The production runs tonight, May 22 - July 29, 2012 at Writers' Theatre, 664 Vernon Avenue in Glencoe. The Press Openings are Wednesday, May 30 and Thursday, May 31, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.

The Boston Theater Critics Association previously announced its nominations for the 30h Anniversary Elliot Norton Awards. The awards, which recognize excellence in Greater Boston theater, are to be presented tonight, May 21, at 7 p.m. at the Paramount Mainstage, 559 Washington Street, Boston.

Stage and screen stars Brooke Shields and Richard Chamberlain will take on the iconic roles of Chris MacNeil and Father Merrin in playwright John Pielmeier's world premiere of The Exorcist at the Geffen Playhouse. Helmed by acclaimed director John Doyle, who won a Tony Award for his striking reimagining of Sweeney Todd, this stage adaptation of William Peter Blatty's famous 1971 novel transforms the unsettling battles of good versus evil, faith versus fact and ego versus ethos into a uniquely theatrical experience as sophisticated as it is suspenseful.

Meet the Sycamores - the delightfully eccentric family at the center of the action in the madcap comedy classic, You Can't Take It With You. They revel in day-to-day occurrences such as collecting snakes, making fireworks in the basement, and practicing ballet steps in the parlor. When their daughter Alice, decides to invite her conservative boyfriend's family to dinner, they promise to be on their best behavior. However...! Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and adapted into an Academy Award winning film, this beloved comedy has been a perennial favorite to theatre-goers for more than 70 years.

The NATIONAL NEW PLAY NETWORK (NNPN), the country's alliance of non-profit theaters that champions the development, production, and continued life of new plays, announces its 30th Rolling World Premiere: Caridad Svich's Guapa will receive three productions through the Network's Continued Life of New Plays Fund in the 2012/13 season, the Network's 15th.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company concludes its fantastic and popular eighteenth season with William Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" opening tonight, May 11. This production features CSC Producing Artistic Director Brian Isaac Phillips as Shylock, CSC Ensemble Member Kelly Mengelkoch as Portia and introducing to Cincinnati audiences, Jared Joplin as Antonio, the Merchant of Venice. "The Merchant of Venice" opens tonight and runs through June 3 2012. The production design is generously sponsored by Taft, Stettinius and Hollister.

Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd previously announced the cast and creative team for the Alley Theatre's new production of Theresa Rebeck's WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST, part of the Alley Theatre's New Play Initiative. WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST runs on the Alley Theatre's Neuhaus Stage tonight, May 11 through June 12, 2012.

Two-time Golden Globe® winner, Academy Award® & Tony Award® nominee Kathleen Turner returns to Toronto in the National Tour of Matthew Lombardo's play HIGH, tonight, May 8 through May 13, 2012, at The Royal Alexandra Theatre. Directed by Rob Ruggiero, HIGH also features Evan Jonigkeit as "Cody Randall" and Timothy Altmeyer as "Father Michael Delpapp".

The 80th Anniversary Season at the Ogunquit Playhouse kicks off with Always, Patsy Cline, on stage from May 23 through June 16. This show is told through the letters of star-struck fan Louise Seger, portrayed by Emmy Award winning actress, Sally Struthers. This popular musical, which has enjoyed great success both off-Broadway and across the nation, is based on the true story of Cline's friendship with Seger, who befriended the star in a Texas honky-tonk in l961 and continued a correspondence with Cline until her death. Featuring the unforgettable hits of the Country Music mega-star, this funny and touching tribute celebrates the career and life of the singer who died tragically in a plane crash in 1963. "Crazy," "I Fall to Pieces," "Sweet Dreams" and "Walking After Midnight" are just a few of the 27 featured songs.

Piece by Piece productions, Rising Phoenix Repertory, and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater have announced that the world premiere of 3C, written by David Adjmi and directed by Jackson Gay, will begin performances Wednesday, June 6 at 7pm at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, 224 Waverly Place. The opening night is set for Thursday, June 21 at 7pm.

Meet the Sycamores - the delightfully eccentric family at the center of the action in the madcap comedy classic, You Can't Take It With You. They revel in day-to-day occurrences such as collecting snakes, making fireworks in the basement, and practicing ballet steps in the parlor. When their daughter Alice, decides to invite her conservative boyfriend's family to dinner, they promise to be on their best behavior. However...! Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and adapted into an Academy Award winning film, this beloved comedy has been a perennial favorite to theatre-goers for more than 70 years.