Craig Lucas News

Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet returns to the Met stage for its first performances since 1897, with the powerful pairing of Simon Keenlyside in the title role and Marlis Petersen as Ophélie. Keenlyside's acclaimed interpretation of Hamlet in Geneva, London and Barcelona finally arrives in the United States, with a performance in the Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser production that was hailed by the British press as 'magnificent . . . sheer vocal genius.' Petersen, who steps in for Natalie Dessay, brings her haunting portrayal of Ophélie to the Met; she earned praise for the role during a 2006 run of Hamlet in Düsseldorf. Louis Langrée conducts a cast that includes Jennifer Larmore as Gertrude, Toby Spence in his Met debut as Laërte, and James Morris in the role of Claudius. Jane Archibald, in her Met debut, sings the role of Ophélie on April 5 and 9. The creative team is rounded out by Christian Fenouillat with set designs, Agostino Cavalca with costume designs, and Christophe Forey with lighting designs, all in their Met debuts. Performances run through April 9, with the March 27 matinee shown worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD

Performance dates, directors, initial casting and design team are set for the Cherry Lane Theatre's 12th annual Mentor Project - which includes the world-premiere of three plays by emerging writers: Ruth McKee's STRAY, directed by Giovanna Sardelli (BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO) and mentored by David Henry Hwang, performing March 16th through March 27th; Nate Rufus Edelman's THE BELLE OF BELFAST, directed by Eric Tucker (CLOSER) and mentored by Charles Fuller, performing April 27th through May 8th; and Winter Miller's PATERNITY, mentored and directed by celebrated playwright Craig Lucas, performing May 18th through May 29th, all at the Cherry Lane Theatre Studio Theatre (38 Commerce Street).

The New York Philharmonic will present SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert on March 15 and Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. This celebration of the 80th birthday of the great Broadway and film composer/lyricist will include his most enduring orchestral music and songs - performed, in some cases, by the stars of the original Broadway cast productions - in addition to rarely-heard material. Joining the celebration will be (in alphabetical order) Michael Cerveris, Victoria Clark, Jason Danieley, Nathan Gunn, George Hearn, Patti LuPone, Marin Mazzie, Audra McDonald, Donna Murphy, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, and others to be announced, including surprise guests. Paul Gemignani, Mr. Sondheim's longtime collaborator, will conduct the New York Philharmonic; Lonny Price is the director; and Mr. Price and Matt Cowart are the producers.

Asolo Rep announces the schedule and details for its inaugural new play festival, UNPLUGGED. Asolo Rep Associate Artistic Director and Director of the FSU/Asolo Conservatory, Greg Leaming, takes the lead as producer/curator for the festival, which includes a staged reading of a new play by Greenfield Prize winningplaywright Craig Lucas, two developmental workshops and three separate readings.

Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet returns to the Met stage for its first performances since 1897, with the powerful pairing of Simon Keenlyside in the title role and Marlis Petersen as Ophélie. Keenlyside's acclaimed interpretation of Hamlet in Geneva, London and Barcelona finally arrives in the United States, with a performance in the Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser production that was hailed by the British press as 'magnificent . . . sheer vocal genius.' Petersen, who steps in for Natalie Dessay, brings her haunting portrayal of Ophélie to the Met; she earned praise for the role during a 2006 run of Hamlet in Düsseldorf. Louis Langrée conducts a cast that includes Jennifer Larmore as Gertrude, Toby Spence in his Met debut as Laërte, and James Morris in the role of Claudius. Jane Archibald, in her Met debut, sings the role of Ophélie on April 5 and 9. The creative team is rounded out by Christian Fenouillat with set designs, Agostino Cavalca with costume designs, and Christophe Forey with lighting designs, all in their Met debuts. Performances run through April 9, with the March 27 matinee shown worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD

Broadway stars Stockard Channing and Timothy Hutton will star in the new film, Multiple Sarcasms, alongside Laila Robins. Multiple Sarcasm, which features a play within the film, additionally showcases contributions by Broadway producer Milton Justice. The film opens in theaters on May 7, 2010.

New York's OBIE Award-winning Epic Theatre Ensemble (Zak Berkman, Melissa Friedman, Ron Russell, Founding Executive Directors) today announced the cast and creative team for the New York premiere of Sarah Ruhl's Passion Play (In The Next Room… or the vibrator play) and directed by Mark Wing-Davey (The Singing Forest). The cast will include Brendan Averett, Polly Noonan, Daniel Pearce, Alex Podulke, Keith Reddin, Godfrey L. Simmons Jr., T. Ryder Smith, Felix Solis Jr., Kate Turnbull and Nicole Wiesner.

Barbara Manocherian, Richard Willis and Anthony Barrile in association with Naked Angels (Geoffrey Nauffts, Artistic Director; John Alexander, Managing Director; Andy Donald, Associate Artistic Director; Brittany O'Neill, Producer) are pleased to announce that the critically acclaimed original cast will return for the Broadway run of NEXT FALL, the new American play by Geoffrey Nauffts and directed by Sheryl Kaller. The production will open on Broadway on Thursday, March 11, 2010 with preview performances beginning Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at the Helen Hayes Theatre (240 West 44th Street).

Point Park University's Conservatory Theatre Company presents The Light in the Piazza at Point Park University's Pittsburgh Playhouse March 26 through April 3. A preview performance is open to the public on Thursday, March 25. The Light in the Piazza was written by Craig Lucas and Adam Guettel; it is directed by Scott Wise with musical direction by Camille Villalpando Rolla and choreography by Jeremy Czarniak.

Undermain Theatre presents the fourth and final production of its 26thseason: Samuel Beckett's iconic masterpiece ENDGAME directed by Stan Wojewodski, Jr. presented at Undermain Theatre, 3200 Main Street in Dallas. The production begins performances on Saturday, April 10 and runs through Saturday May 8. This is a rare opportunity to see this seminal work.

Michael Donald Edwards, Asolo Repertory Theatre's producing artistic director, announced today his selections for the 2010-2011 season. A major highlight of Asolo Rep's 52nd season is the pre-Broadway try-out production of Bonnie & Clyde opening on November 19, 2010.

EBE Ensemble (Eric Alba, Artistic Director; Montgomery Sutton, Executive Director) will present the third-annual installment of their award winning festival of new one-act plays, Elephants on Parade 2010. Performances will begin on Tuesday, March 9, opening Wednesday, March 10 through March 20 at New York's Teatro IATI (64 E. 4th street, between 2nd Avenue and Bowery).

An American architect gets a mysterious assignment from a Middle Eastern dignitary in the latest play from Howard Korder, which will have its world premiere March 7-28 on the Julianne Argyros Stage.

The Language Archive, Julia Cho's new romantic comedy about love and miscommunication, has its world premiere at South Coast Repertory March 26 through April 25.

The 34th annual Humana Festival of New American Plays, made possible by a generous grant from the Humana Foundation, will continue with the two full?length plays Ground, beginning performances March 2 and Phoenix beginning performances March 5. Both plays run through March 28.

The Huntington Theatre Company continues its 28th season - a season of American stories - with artistic director Peter DuBois' hit 2009 Off Broadway production of Becky Shaw, a wickedly funny black comedy about a blind date gone bad.

Full casting is set for the upcoming Arena Stage musical The Light in the Piazza, book by Craig Lucas, music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, based on the novel by Elizabeth Spencer.

Roundabout Theatre Company in association with Long Wharf Theatre is pleased to announce the full company for Tennessee Williams' play The Glass Menagerie, directed by Gordon Edelstein with Patch Darragh (Tom Wingfield), two-time Tony® Award winner Judith Ivey (Amanda Wingfield), Keira Keeley (Laura Wingfield), Michael Mosley (Jim O'Connor).

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) in association with Long Wharf Theatre presents Tennessee Williams' play The Glass Menagerie, directed by Gordon Edelstein with Patch Darragh (Tom Wingfield), two-time Tony® Award winner Judith Ivey (Amanda Wingfield), Keira Keeley (Laura Wingfield).

Performance schedules for the three world-premiere Mentor Project plays have been announced by the Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce St.), where the new plays STRAY by Ruth McKee, THE BELLE OF BELFAST by Nate Rufus Edelman and PATERNITY by Winter Miller will be performed this spring from March 16 to May 29.