City Center News

Gotham Arts Exchange presents the eighth annual presentation of FOCUS 2014: DANCE GOTHAM from January 10-12, 2014 at New York University's Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, 566 LaGuardia Place (at Washington Square South), NYC. Tickets are $18 ($15 for NYU faculty, staff and alumni) and are available by phone at 212-352-3101 or 866-811-4111 or online at nyuskirball.org.

Lynne Meadow (Artistic Director, Manhattan Theatre Club), Barry Grove (Executive Producer, MTC), Mandy Greenfield (Artistic Producer, MTC), Jason Eagan (Artistic Director, Ars Nova), and Jeremy Blocker (Managing Director, Ars Nova) have announced the 2013-2014 participants for The Writer's Room a new program to commission, develop and support playwrights in the process of creating new work for the stage.

'Tis the season of giving and Hilton Worldwide hotels & resorts in the D.C. area are doing just that with great rates for the holidays starting as low as $89 per night. Hilton Worldwide hotels are helping guests celebrate the holiday season in a city where incredible holiday shopping, activities, attractions and unique farm-to-fork culinary experiences await visitors.

Experience the transformation of Des Moines Marriott Downtown as the hotel prepares for renovated assembly and meeting spaces and the on-site restaurant and fitness center to be completed by 2014.

Manhattan Theatre Club's American premiere of TAKING CARE OF BABY by Tony Award winner Dennis Kelly opens tonight, Tuesday, November 19. Directed by Erica Schmidt (Humor Abuse), the cast features Francois Battiste (Magic/ Bird), Reed Birney (Blasted, Our Leading Lady), Kristen Bush (Kin, The Common Pursuit), Tony nominee Amelia Campbell (A Streetcar Named Desire, Our Country's Good), Margaret Colin (The Columnist, "Gossip Girl"), Michael Crane (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson off-Broadway), Ethan Phillips (Golden Age) and Zach Shaffer ("Smash").

FOCUS DANCE is a part of FOCUS 2014, the National Platform to promote American dance both abroad and nationally. The week-long platform presents performances of U.S. based dance companies during the annual Arts Presenters Conference in New York City, and one of the largest gatherings of artists, dancers and dance professionals in the U.S. In January 2014, two venues partner with Gotham Arts Exchange to present the artistic visions of the curators gathered to shape the 2014 edition of FOCUS.

Manhattan Theatre Club presents the American premiere of Taking Care of Baby by Dennis Kelly and directed by Erica Schmidt. Joining previously announced cast members Reed Birney (Blasted, Our Leading Lady), Kristen Bush (Kin, The Common Pursuit), Tony nominee Amelia Campbell (A Streetcar Named Desire, Our Country's Good) and Margaret Colin (The Columnist, 'Gossip Girl'), are Francois Battiste (Magic/ Bird), Michael Crane (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson off-Broadway), Ethan Phillips (Golden Age) and Zach Shaffer ('Smash').

Bernadette Peters, Norm Lewis, Jeremy Jordan and Cyrille Aimee just concluded their run in Stephen Sondheim and Wynton Marsalis's new musical event featuring Sondheim's music arranged and performed by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra withWynton Marsalis. This Encores! Special Event, directed by frequent Sondheim collaborator John Doyle, with choreography by Parker Esse and musical supervision by David Loud, was conceived by Peter Gethers, Jack Vierteland John Doyle. BroadwayWorld was there for last night's closing night cast party and you can check out photo coverage below!

This December come 'Here the People Sing' as the White Plains Performing Arts Center invites you to the most beloved musical of all time, LES MISERABLES. Alain Boublill & Claude-Michel Schonberg's legendary musical with lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer will be onstage from December 13-31.

International superstar recording artist Josh Groban attended the final performance of the spectacular specialty Stephen Sondheim revue A BED AND A CHAIR last night and posed for a photo with noted Sondheim interpreter, stage and screen star Bernadette Peters backstage following the performance.

Legendary Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress, singer, and recording artist Leslie Uggams takes part in the First Grade Theatre Study program at P.S. 212 (Midtown West School at 328 W 48th Street) today, Monday, November 18 at 1 p.m. The Study, part of the school's social studies curriculum, was started by Kindergarten/First Grade Teacher BRyan Andes as a way to introduce students to the bustling theater community in which they live.

Bernadette Peters, Norm Lewis, Jeremy Jordan and Cyrille Aimee star in Stephen Sondheim and Wynton Marsalis's new musical event featuring Sondheim's music arranged and performed by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. This Encores! Special Event, directed by frequent Sondheim collaborator John Doyle, with choreography by Parker Esse and musical supervision by David Loud, was conceived by Peter Gethers, Jack Vierteland John Doyle, and will run for seven performances, now through November 17 at City Center. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the opening night curtain call below!

AOP (American Opera Projects), and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture will co-present an evening of scenes from Nkeiru Okoye's folk opera Harriet Tubman: When I Crossed That Line to Freedom that tells of how a young girl born in slavery, becomes Harriet Tubman, the legendary Underground Railroad conductor. The musical excerpts will be followed by an artist Q&A moderated by WQXR's Terrance McKnight. The concert will be presented on Monday, December 9, 2013 at 6:30 PM at the Langston Hughes Auditorium: 515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037-1801.

Un debutto davvero entusiasmante al Sistina per Rugantino, il grande classico della commedia romana che torna in scena con la straordinaria verve di Enrico Brignano, dopo l'indimenticabile successo dell'edizione 2010 con oltre 130.000 spettatori. Lo spettacolo torna nel suo teatro storico diretto da Massimo Romeo Piparo.

Due to increasing demand, The Public Theater announced a third extension for the critically acclaimed world premiere musical FUN HOME, directed by Sam Gold and featuring music by Jeanine Tesori, with book and lyrics by Lisa Kron. Based on Alison Bechdel's graphic novel, FUN HOME will now run through Sunday, December 29. It was originally scheduled to close on November 3. A new block of tickets is on sale now for this critically acclaimed musical and can be purchased by calling (212) 967-7555, www.publictheater.org, or in person at the Taub Box Office at The Public Theater at Astor Place at 425 Lafayette Street.

Broadway legend Bernadette Peters is currently starrng opposite Norm Lewis, Jeremy Jordan and Cyrille Aimee star in Stephen Sondheim and Wynton Marsalis's new musical event A BED AND A CHAIR at City Center, and soon after the run is complete she will hit the road on an international tour. The full tour itinerary is as follows:

Juilliard Dance, under the direction of Lawrence Rhodes, presents New Dances PLUS: Edition 2013 from December 11-15, 2013featuring Juilliard alumna Pina Bausch's Wind von West (Wind from the West) performed by 4th-Year Dancers, plus three world premiere commissions created for each of the classes of Juilliard's Dance Division. This year's innovative choreographers are Juilliard alumnus Takehiro Ueyama (1st-Year Dancers); Brian Brooks (2nd-Year Dancers); and Juilliard alumnus Darrell Grand Moultrie (3rd-Year Dancers).