Classic Stage Company News

Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, as anyone who has ever committed suicide will tell you, is a comedy.  Maybe not as reflective a comedy as set designer Santo Loquasto's mirrored floor would suggest, but Russian director Vlachesalv Dolgachev's new production at Classic Stage Company neatly balances the humorous with the somber and, despite a few stumbles along the way, turns out to be a rather enjoyable and swift-moving three hours and fifteen minutes.

Unless the painters have been around the past few days, a bit of graffiti on the Classic Stage Company's men's room wall reads, 'Good Theatre + Great Coffee + Clean Bathroom = CSC.'  While the lobby's Everyman Espresso Café and (I would assume) some eager young intern are keeping the latter two parts of that equation accurate, director Walter Bobbie's premiere production of David Ives' New Jerusalem is indeed providing some good theatre.

Obie winner and Tony Award nominee Reg Rogers will star in The Injured Party, a new comedy by Tony Award-winning playwright Richard Greenberg. Commissioned by SCR and directed by Trip Cullman, The Injured Party will receive its World Premiere at South Coast Repertory during the 11th annual Pacific Playwrights Festival. The show will run from April 20 through May 11, 2008 on the Julianne Argyros Stage. Low-priced previews are available from April 20 through April 24. Opening night is April 25. Press night is Saturday, April 26 at 7:45 p.m. Tickets to The Injured Party may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office

he American Theatre Wing and XM Satellite Radio proudly present an interview with playwright David Ives, on their weekly theatrical interview show, 'Downstage Center,' on XM's On Broadway (XM Channel 28).

Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer; Daniel Sullivan, Acting Artistic Director 2007-2008 Season) is pleased to announce the lineup for this spring's Ernst C. Stiefel '7@7' Reading Series, formerly known as '6@6.'

Hourglass Group (Trouble in Paradise, Beebo Brinker) and 45 Bleecker present BabyLove, written and performed by Christen Clifford, directed by Julie Kramer.

New Repertory Theatre announces the extension of My Name is Rachel Corrie. My Name is Rachel Corrie and Pieces, two solo plays, each about a young woman whose coming of age took place within the context of the Israeli/Palestinian situation run in rotating repertory until March 30, 2008. My Name is Rachel Corrie will extend until April 5, 2008. Both shows play at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown.

The American Theatre Wing and XM Satellite Radio present an interview with actor Michael Cumpsty, on their weekly theatrical interview show, 'Downstage Center,' on XM's On Broadway (XM Channel 28).

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, will present the return of its popular First Look Festival - a program of one-night only staged readings of rarely seen classics, performed by notable actors.

The award-winning actor currently costars in 'Hunting and Gathering', the second of three plays he's in this season.

The Public Theater announced that Barry Edelstein will be the Director of The Public Theater Shakespeare Lab. The Public is now accepting applications for the 2008 Shakespeare Lab, a twelve-week acting intensive scheduled to take place June 2 through August 25, 2008. The application deadline is Friday, March 21.

South Coast Repertory's third NewSCRipts reading of the 2007-08 season will be Zayd Dohrn's Reborning. Reborning is the 104th play to receive a staged reading as part of SCR's venerable play reading program. The NewSCRipts reading of Reborning will take place on February 25 at 7:30 p.m. on the Julianne Argyros Stage. Tickets are $12 each and may be purchased online at www.scr.org or by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office.

The American Theatre Wing and XM Satellite Radio proudly present an interview with Tony Award winning actor, Richard Easton, on their weekly theatrical interview show, 'Downstage Center,' on XM's On Broadway (XM Channel 28). Easton will appear as the special guest on Friday, February 1 at 6 p.m. The show will repeat on Saturday February 2 at noon, Sunday, February 3 at 7 p.m., and Wednesday, February 6 at midnight. The program becomes available as streaming audio and podcast from www.americantheatrewing.org beginning Monday afternoon, February 4.

Wide critical acclaim and brisk ticket sales have prompted Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, by special arrangement with Bob Boyett, to extend the run of David Ives' New Jerusalem, directed by Tony Award-winner Walter Bobbie, by an additional week through Sunday, February 10 at CSC (136 East 13th Street).

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, will continue its 40th anniversary season with two-time Academy Award winner Dianne Wiest and Tony Award winner Alan Cumming starring in Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, beginning performances Wednesday, February 20 at Classic Stage Company (136 East 13th Street).

Affinity Company Theater in association with The Poetry Society of America will present two dramatic performances of the masterful poem, W. H. Auden's, For the Time Being: A Christmas Oratorio in honor of the poet's centenary on December 9 at 7:30PM.

Classic Stage Company will present Tony Award-winning actor Richard Easton and Jeremy Strong in the world premiere of New Jerusalem, a new play by David Ives, directed by Tony Award-winner Walter Bobbie, for a limited engagement from Friday, December 28 through Sunday, February 3 at Classic Stage Company; Opening January 13 with Fyvush Finkel, David Garrison, Jenn Harris, Michael Izquierdo and Natalia Payne.

Atlantic Theater Company is proud to announce the second production of its 2007-2008 season, the world premiere production of Peter Parnell's play Trumpery, directed by David Esbjornson. Beginning November 14, opening December 5 with Bianca Amato, Michael Countryman, Michael Cristofer, Timothy Deenihan, Manoel Felciano, Neal Huff, Peter Maloney, Jack Tartaglia and Paris Rose Yates.

Classic Stage Company will present 'Monday Night Macbeth,' an exciting theatrical experience in which acclaimed actors - Ruben Santiago-Hudson, David Strathairn, Frances McDormand and members of Anne Bogart's SITI Company - will work through and explore a different act of Shakespeare's Macbeth with an acclaimed director in front of an audience on four Monday evenings

Atlantic Theater Company is proud to announce the second production of its 2007-2008 season, the world premiere production of Peter Parnell's play Trumpery, directed by David Esbjornson.