Clarence Derwent News

Nina Arianda is this year's recipient of the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for VENUS IN FUR. The shellshocked star did her best to describe her elation in the winners room and below, we bring you highlights of our talk!

Emmy Award winning actor Thom Christopher (One Life to Live; Buck Rogers in the 25th Century) will star in A.R. Gurney's comedy Black Tie, kicking off the Adirondack Theatre Festival's (ATF) 18th summer season of professional theatre June 26.

A casting notice has revealed potential July starting dates for a new actor to take over for the Tony-nominated Christian Borle as 'Black Stache' in Peter and the Starcatcher when he departs (as expected) for the filming of season two of NBC's SMASH. We're told by a production source that no official date has been set for Borle's last performance, which remains to be determined.

Nina Arianda is this year's recipient of the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for VENUS IN FUR.

The Public Theater announced today that Tony Award winner Denis O'Hare has been cast as The Baker in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's beloved musical INTO THE WOODS, directed by Timothy Sheader with co-direction by Liam Steel. INTO THE WOODS will be O'Hare's Shakespeare in the Park debut. Previews begin on Monday, July 23 at the Delacorte Theater and continue for five weeks through Saturday, August 25, with an official press opening on Thursday, August 9.

The producers of the acclaimed new Off-Broadway hit Tribes have announced new additions to the clan: Nick Westrate, winner of a 2012 Special Drama Desk Award for his versatility in the 2011-2012 season (Unnatural Acts, Love's Labor's Lost, and Galileo) will temporarily assume the role of Daniel while Will Brill takes a leave of absence from May 30 - July 1, and Jeff Still, who originated leading roles in the Barrow Street Theatre productions of Our Town and Orson's Shadow (both directed by David Cromer),will assume the role of Christopher beginning July 1, replacing Jeff Perry, who departs to begin filming the second season of ABC's "Scandal." Tribes, which recently won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Play,is currently in performance at The Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street).

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has just announced that Jason Robert Brown's musical THE LAST FIVE YEARS has been added to the company's upcoming 2012-2013 season. The musical, which has not been seen in New York City since its brief off-Broadway run over ten years ago, will be directed by Mr. Brown.

Following an acclaimed season which included the world premiere of Paul Weitz's Lonely, I'm Not and a critically lauded second staging of Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize-winner, How I Learned To Drive, Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has just announced two of the four mainstage productions in the company's upcoming 34th season. For subscription or ticket information, please call the Second Stage Box Office at 212-246-4422 or visit the company's website, www.2ST.com. All productions are staged at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre, 305 West 43rd Street (just west of Eighth Avenue).

Lin-Manuel Miranda, actor and Tony Award-winning creator and composer-lyricist of Broadway's In the Heights, will join Arturo O'Farrill's GRAMMY Award-winning ensemble, The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, for its 10th Anniversary season celebration, 'Música Nueva 5: Big Band Poetry Jam & Beyond.'

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director and Casey Reitz, Executive Director) has been chosen as one of the 40 finalists in this year's Partners in Preservation program, which awards up to $250,000 to the cultural institutions that receive the most votes from its supporters. If selected, Second Stage Theatre will use the grant money to restore the facade of the company's future home, the 100-year old Helen Hayes Theatre on Broadway. The finalists were presented by celebrity guest Katharine McPhee of NBC's hit "Smash" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Thursday, April 26. Second Stage at the Helen Hayes Theatre is the only Broadway theatre selected as a finalist.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, actor and Tony Award-winning creator and composer-lyricist of Broadway's In the Heights, will join Arturo O'Farrill's GRAMMY Award-winning ensemble, The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, for its 10th Anniversary season celebration, 'Música Nueva 5: Big Band Poetry Jam & Beyond.'

Second Stage Theatre's Spring Gala celebration will honor Corporate Partner American Express, Artist Anna Deavere Smith, and Trustees Tavener Holmes Berry and Bambi Putnam for their extraordinary commitment to the arts and Second Stage on Monday, April 2, 2012 at Cipriani 42nd Street, 110 East 42nd Street.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced casting for its production of First You Dream: The Music of Kander & Ebb in the Eisenhower Theater June 8 to July 1, 2012. The musical revue will star Heidi Blickenstaff, James Clow, Alan H. Green, Leslie Kritzer, Patina Miller, and Matthew Scott. Originally produced at Signature Theatre in Virginia and co-conceived by David Loud and Eric Schaeffer, the production features music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and will be directed by Eric Schaeffer. Jon Kalbfleisch will conduct the 22-piece Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. Press opening night is Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.

Producers Broadway Across America (John Gore, Thomas B. McGrath, Beth Williams), Howard Kagan and Barry Brown have just announced that the new Broadway musical TUCK EVERLASTING will have its pre-Broadway world premiere at Boston's Citi Performing Arts Center Colonial Theatre (106 Boylston Street) in June of 2013. With a book by Tony Award nominee Claudia Shear (Dirty Blonde), music by Chris Miller (The Burnt Part Boys), lyrics by Nathan Tysen (The Burnt Part Boys) and directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon), TUCK EVERLASTING is based on the novel by Natalie Babbitt. Broadway production details, design team and casting for TUCK EVERLASTING will be announced at a later date.

TOPHER GRACE and OLIVIA THIRLBY will co-star in Second Stage Theatre's production of Paul Weitz's world premiere comedy, LONELY, I'M NOT, directed by Trip Cullman. Preview performances are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, April 10 at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43rd street). The production will officially open on Monday, May 7. For tickets or more information, please visit www.2ST.com. Additional casting will be announced shortly.

Roundabout Theatre Company in association with Don Gregory, has announced the full company for the new Broadway production of Mary Chase's Harvey starring Jim Parsons (Elwood P. Dowd), Jessica Hecht (Veta Louise Simmons), Charles Kimbrough (William R. Chumley, M.D.), Larry Bryggman (Judge Omar Gaffney), Carol Kane (Betty Chumley), Peter Benson (E.J. Lofgren), Tracee Chimo (Myrtle Mae Simmons), Holley Fain (Ruth Kelly, R.N.), Angela Paton (Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet), Rich Sommer (Duane Wilson), Morgan Spector (Lyman Sanderson, M.D.) and directed by Scott Ellis.

Second Stage Theatre's current season continues with a new production of Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, directed by Kate Whoriskey and starring Norbert Leo Butz and Elizabeth Reaser. The show opens tonight, and you can get a first look with production highlights below!

Casting is announced for "Morning's at Seven," a Script in Hand play reading of the Tony Award-winning comedy by Paul Osborn, at Westport Country Playhouse, on Monday, February 13, 7 p.m. Tickets to the one-night-only event are $15.