Contemporary Stage News

The tragedy of "Medea" reinvented as a laugh-out-laugh farce? The English version of this comedic hit receives its Midwest Premiere tonight, September 27th at Luna Central.

Quintessence Theatre Group opens its third season with Shakespeare's tragedy OTHELLO, directed by Alexander Burns. OTHELLO will begin previews on Wednesday, October 10 at 7pm with a PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN performance, and open on Saturday, October 13 at 8pm at the Sedgwick Theater, 7137 Germantown Ave in Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, 19119. To purchase tickets, visit www.QuintessenceTheatre.org or call 1.877.238.5596.

The tragedy of "Medea" reinvented as a laugh-out-laugh farce? The English version of this comedic hit receives its Midwest Premiere September 27th at Luna Central.

Quintessence Theatre Group opens its third season with Shakespeare's tragedy OTHELLO, directed by Alexander Burns. OTHELLO will begin previews on Wednesday, October 10 at 7pm and open on Saturday, October 13 at 8pm at the Sedgwick Theater, 7137 Germantown Ave in Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, 19119. To purchase tickets, visit www.QuintessenceTheatre.org or call 1.877.238.5596.

Quintessence Theatre Group announces its third season as it continues to build a home for progressive classical theatre in Philadelphia.

Topdog / Underdog is the story of two brothers, abandoned by their parents as adolescents, Lincoln and Booth. Both feeling powerless, they find themselves competing for the topdog position. Lincoln, the older brother, is now divorced, and living with Booth in a seedy, dilapidated room in a boarding house. They have no running water, but they have plenty of liquor. The room is furnished without comforts and with minimal furniture, including milk crates and a sheet of cardboard that serves as the card table for Booth to practice his 3-card monte hustle.

Quintessence Theatre Group concludes its second season with Anton Chekhov's THE SEAGULL, in a translation by Mike Poulton, directed by Alexander Burns. THE SEAGULL starts previews tonight, May 9 at 7pm and opens on Saturday, May 12 at 8pm at the Sedgwick Theater, 7137 Germantown Ave in Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, 19119. To purchase tickets, visit www.QuintessenceTheatre.org or call 1.877.238.5596.

The Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) at Shepherd University has announced the 2012 five-play repertory for its 22nd season of producing and developing new American theater. The season will feature new plays from Johnna Adams, Bob Clyman, Neil LaBute, Evan M. Wiener, and Bess Wohl. The four-week festival, consisting of 94 performances and other programming, will be held July 6 - 29 in Shepherdstown, WV.

Quintessence Theatre Group concludes its second season with Anton Chekhov's THE SEAGULL, in a translation by Mike Poulton, directed by Alexander Burns. THE SEAGULL will start previews on Wednesday, May 9 at 7pm and open on Saturday, May 12 at 8pm at the Sedgwick Theater, 7137 Germantown Ave in Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, 19119.

Dream Acts, written collectively by Mia Chung, Jessica Litwak, Chiori Miyagawa, Saviana Stanescu and Andrea Thome, and directed by Kristin Horton, performed by Neimah Djourabchi, Anna Kull, Rey Lucas, Rory Lipede, Tiffany Villarin, with consulting dramaturgy by Suzy Fay, premiered at HERE, with performances through March 25 at 7pm. Check out the production photos below!

Dream Acts, written collectively by Mia Chung, Jessica Litwak, Chiori Miyagawa, Saviana Stanescu and Andrea Thome, and directed by Kristin Horton, performed by Neimah Djourabchi, Anna Kull, Rey Lucas, Rory Lipede, Tiffany Villarin, with consulting dramaturgy by Suzy Fay, will premiere at HERE, with performances on March 23-25 at 7pm, March 25 at 2pm and a free panel discussion with undocumented youths and the artists on March 25 at 2pm.

Quintessence Theatre Group presents a one day only reading of Sophocles' OEDIPUS CYCLE, directed by Alexander Burns.

Flux Theatre Ensemble will present the World Premiere of August Schulenburg's (The Lesser Seductions of History with Flux; Dream Walker with Sweet Pea Productions) DEINDE, April 27-May 12 as part of BFG Collective's six month long residency at The Secret Theatre (44 02 23rd Street, Long Island City).

Topdog / Underdog is the story of two brothers, abandoned by their parents as adolescents, Lincoln and Booth. Both feeling powerless, they find themselves competing for the topdog position. Lincoln, the older brother, is now divorced, and living with Booth in a seedy, dilapidated room in a boarding house. They have no running water, but they have plenty of liquor. The room is furnished without comforts and with minimal furniture, including milk crates and a sheet of cardboard that serves as the card table for Booth to practice his 3-card monte hustle.

Quintessence Theatre Group presents a one day only reading of Sophocles' OEDIPUS CYCLE, directed by Alexander Burns.

Quintessence Theatre Group continues its second season with Jean Anouilh's 1943 adaptation of Sophocles' ANTIGONE, in a translation by Jeremy Sams, directed by Alexander Burns.

Quintessence Theatre Group continues its second season with Jean Anouilh's 1943 adaptation of Sophocles' ANTIGONE, in a translation by Jeremy Sams, directed by Alexander Burns.

Dream Acts, written collectively by Mia Chung, Jessica Litwak, Chiori Miyagawa, Saviana Stanescu and Andrea Thome, and directed by Kristin Horton, performed by Neimah Djourabchi, Anna Kull, Rey Lucas, Rory Lipede, Tiffany Villarin, with consulting dramaturgy by Suzy Fay, will premiere at HERE, with performances on March 23-25 at 7pm, March 25 at 2pm and a free panel discussion with undocumented youths and the artists on March 25 at 2pm.

When Patty Duke played the role of Helen Keller in the Broadway premiere of William Gibson's The Miracle Worker, she was ten years old, and when Madeleine Hall took the stage of the Franklin Theatre on Thursday night in the opening of Studio Tenn's exquisitely crafted revival of the modern American theater classic, she too was ten years old. And it should be noted that as portentous as Duke's debut came to be known, theater lovers still to come may very well consider Madeleine Hall's beautifully crafted performance just as revelatory and just as noteworthy.