City Center News

Palm Beach County will live up to its well earned title as 'Florida's Cultural Capital' early next year when three major cultural festivals open one after the other, three days in a row.

Manhattan Theatre Club's world premiere of IMPORTANT HATS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, the new comedy by Emmy Award nominee Nick Jones, directed by Tony Award nominee Moritz von Stuelpnagel, opens tonight, November 23, 2015 at The Studio at Stage II - Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Series at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street).

In what has become an annual ritual, a total of 36 established and emerging composers, lyricists, and librettists will converge on the Goodspeed campus from mid-January through mid-February 2016 to participate in the Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals. The writing teams, representing 19 new musicals, will populate the campus, creating a truly exciting environment for discovery and inspiration. BroadwayWorld is excited to report that Goodspeed has announced its 2016 participants. Scroll down for details!

Mint Theater (Jonathan Bank, Producing Artistic Director; Jen Soloway, Managing Director) today announced that the next production, Women Without Men, will begin performances January 30th and continue through March 26th at New York City Center Stage II (131 West 55th Street). The play explores the clash of conflicting natures and petty competitions that erupt amongst the cloistered teaching staff of an all-girls boarding school.

Lynne Meadow (Artistic Director) and Barry Grove (Executive Producer) have announced two productions as part of Manhattan Theatre Club's upcoming 2016-2017 season: the New York premiere of Vietgone, the new play by Qui Nguyen (She Kills Monsters), directed by May Adrales (Luce); and the world premiere of Sell/Buy/Date, the new play written and performed by Tony Award winner Sarah Jones (Bridge and Tunnel), directed by Carolyn Cantor (Fly By Night).

The Broadway and television star reveals her selection if she got to choose a musical for the long-running concert series.

Each year Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater generously dedicates one night of its New York City Center (131 West 55th Street) season (Dec 2 - Jan 3) to benefit Dancers Responding to AIDS. Join us Thursday, December 17, when a portion of all ticket sales benefit Dancers Responding to AIDS.

?WeDo (pronounced wee-doo) is the newly named West Downtown Cultural District in Minneapolis that resulted from a collaborative, long-term planning process. This place, brand and destination defines a unique arts and culture district. Spanning 1.7 miles with Hennepin Avenue at its center, WeDo runs from the Walker Art Center to the Mississippi River, and between First Avenue and Nicollet Mall.

Arlene Shuler, New York City Center President & CEO, today announced that City Center will partner with The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space at WNYC to expand the reach of the Tony-honored Encores! series with a new live-streamed series of conversations and performances about the glorious, complicated legacy of the Broadway musical. City Center Encores! Unscripted at The Greene Space at WNYC will go beyond the "talkback"-and beyond nostalgia-for a smart, unsentimental look at how musicals have reflected and shaped American life.

Luminaries of the Great White Way Donna McKechnie and Jerry Mitchell will serve as the co-chairs for Broadway Dance Lab (BDL)'s major fall fundraiser at the historic Judson Church, downtown Manhattan tonight, Nov. 17 at 7pm.

Miro Magloire presents his New Chamber Ballet in an evening of works by Magloire, including the world premiere of a Magloire work to music by Beat Furrer, and the company's resident choreographer Constantine Baecher.    Music goes hand in hand with the dance in concerts by Magloire, who is also a composer/pianist, and the November program features ballets to music by Bach, Mozart, Richard Carrick, Friedrich Cerha, and a new score by Furrer.

A solitary tree, withered and skeletal, lit by a spotlight and ominous percussion. Suddenly, she appeared, crawling rapidly in a storm and fervently circling said tree over and over again. This arresting display is how Life in Progress commenced opening night at the lush New York City Center, kicking off Sylvie Guillem's final world tour after a celebrated 39-year dance career.

L.A. Dance Project (LADP) announced that its annual benefit, will be held on Saturday, December 12, 2015 at The Los Angeles Theatre Center, and will feature a one-night-only performance by Founding Director, Benjamin Millepied with former New York City Ballet (NYCB) Principal Dancer Janie Taylor.

Renowned dancers and choreographers will teach master classes at the Ailey Extension in conjunction with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's New York City Center season (December 2 – January 3).

IMPORTANT HATS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, the new comedy by Emmy Award nominee Nick Jones, directed by Tony Award nominee Moritz von Stuelpnagel, is now in previews and opens Monday, November 23, 2015 at The Studio at Stage II - Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Series at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street). BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

White Plains Performing Arts Center Conservatory Theatre presents Little Shop of Horrors, this weekend, November 13-15. A gleefully gruesome musical spoof of the 1960 Roger Corman Film, this monster musical is about a hapless florist shop worker, Seymour, who offers his tender love and care to a plant that feeds on human blood. This plant, Audrey II, named after Seymour's secret love, quickly becomes a fascinating attraction in neighborhood called Skid Row. The score, composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman, (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and Aladdin) follows the style of early 1960s rock and roll, doo-wop and early Motown.

This year's New York City Center Encores! production of LADY, BE GOOD!, featuring Tommy Tune and more, is out in stores and online today, November 13, 2015. To order the CD, visit www.sh-k-boom.com/ladybegood.

Following the highly successful 2014 “The Rant is Due Tour”; Lewis Black's all new 2015 The Rant is Due: Part Deux comes to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall tonight, November 13, 2015.