David Henry Hwang News

The Manatee Players' production of Disney's TARZAN will be the area premier of this family friendly musical! Disney's TARZAN opens at the Manatee Performing Arts Center on Thursday August 7 and plays through Sunday August 24.

Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950) got into writing as a lark, musing that he could produce stories that were better than the pulp fiction that was currently on display. Of course, the rest is history, with the prolific author producing a number of memorable series (Tarzan, John Carter, Pellucidar, etc) that are still selling today. His most famous creation, Tarzan of the Apes, became a cultural icon shrewdly marketed in comic strips, novelty items and motion pictures. But, I wonder how the writer would have felt about his hero singing on stage about his conflicts and feelings? Actually, I think he'd be pleased because the story, expanded and slightly altered here and there from Disney's animated film version of TARZAN, still remains true to his original concept (book by David Henry Hwang). And,the MUNY's current production is great family fun that tackles issues of loyalty and love against an action-packed jungle backdrop that cleverly brings to life the creatures that inhabit that world.

The Muny presents the second show of its 96th season, TARZAN, directed by John Tartaglia, choreographed by Chris Bailey, with musical direction by Rick Bertone. Nicholas Rodriguez stars in the title role, with Kate Rockwell co-starring as Jane. Joining them are Quentin Earl Darrington as Kerchack, Katie Thompson as Kala, Gregory Haney as Terk,Ken Page as Porter, Michael James Reed as Clayton, Spencer Jones as Young Tarzan, and Nathaniel Mahone as Young Terk. BroadwayWorld brings you highlights below!

The Muny presents the second show of its 96th season, TARZAN, directed by John Tartaglia, choreographed by Chris Bailey, with musical direction by Rick Bertone. Nicholas Rodriguez stars in the title role, with Kate Rockwell co-starring as Jane. Joining them are Quentin Earl Darrington as Kerchack, Katie Thompson as Kala, Gregory Haney as Terk, Ken Page as Porter, Michael James Reed as Clayton, Spencer Jones as Young Tarzan, and Nathaniel Mahone as Young Terk.

New York Stage and Film and Vassar College, this summer celebrating the 30th year of their Powerhouse Theater collaboration, announced that Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Kyra Sedgwick will lead the cast of Academy Award and Tony Award winner John Patrick Shanley's new play The Danish Widow, which will premiere July 16-27, 2014 at Hallie Flanagan-Davis Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College. Shanley also directs the cast which also includes multitalented Broadway vets Craig Bierko and Matt McGrath, as well as stage and screen actress Annika Boras.

The Muny presents the second show of its 96th season, TARZAN, directed by John Tartaglia, choreographed by Chris Bailey, with musical direction by Rick Bertone.

New York Stage and Film and Vassar College, this summer celebrating the 30th year of their Powerhouse Theater collaboration, presents the Powerhouse Theater Season, running from today, June 20 to July 27 at Vassar College (Poughkeepsie, New York).

Due to early ticket demand, Victory Gardens Theater adds an additional week of performances to the run of Death and the Maiden by Ariel Dorfman, directed by Artistic Director Chay Yew. Death and the Maiden now runs June 13 - July 20, 2014, with the press performance on June 20, 2014, at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.

Round House Theatre and the New York based company, The One-Minute Play Festival (#1MPF) have created a dynamic partnership to present The 1st Washington, D.C. One-Minute Play Festival, to be performed July 12 - 14, 2014 at Round House Theatre. Following sold-out performances in more than 20 cities, this festival aims to celebrate local voices and investigate the local zeitgeist through this exciting process. Performances are at 8pm on Saturday, July 12, Sunday, July 13, and Monday, July 14.

Piedmont Players Theatre (PPT) is proud to announce the line up for its 54th season! The 2014-2015 season will be a little different this year. Instead of the standard fall musical this year, PPT will collaborate with the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra on a truly spectacular production of Les Miserables which will take place Oct 17-19 at Keppel Auditorium on the campus of Catawba College. Although Les Miserables is not considered part of the season, 2014-2015 PPT Season ticket holders will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to Les Mis now. General tickets to the public will not go on sale until the first week of September; only PPT and SSO season tickets holders will be able to reserve seats for the Keppel performance until after Labor Day.

Carol Becker, Dean of Faculty of Columbia University School of the Arts, announced today the appointment of two acclaimed playwrights to the faculty of the Arts: David Henry Hwang, Associate Professor of Theatre in Playwriting and director of the Playwriting Concentration, and Lynn Nottage, Associate Professor of Theatre in Playwriting.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: Pose with a Tony Award at 'GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE', have a 'very' experience at the HEATHERS prom, and prep your piece for AMERICAN IDOL auditions, all starting today!

I love theater that challenges me as an audience member and An American Soldier does just that.

Theater Breaking Through Barriers (TBTB), the critically acclaimed theater company dedicated to advancing artists with disabilities and changing the image of people with disabilities from dependence to independence, presents its fourth annual short play festival, POWER PLAYS -- a collection of five world-premiere short plays by celebrated playwrights Bekah Brunstetter, Bruce Graham, John Guare, David Henry Hwang and Neil LaBu

Theater Breaking Through Barriers (TBTB), the critically acclaimed theater company dedicated to advancing artists with disabilities and changing the image of people with disabilities from dependence to independence, presents its fourth annual short play festival, POWER PLAYS -- a collection of five world-premiere short plays by celebrated playwrights Bekah Brunstetter, Bruce Graham, John Guare, David Henry Hwang and Neil LaBute -- with performances to run June 12-29 at Theatre Row's Clurman Theatre (410 West 42nd Street). The company is proud to announce that the 8pm performance today, June 14 will feature ASL interpretation by sign language interpreters Sarah Brandenburg and Craig Fogel.

A Noise Within (ANW), the acclaimed classical repertory theatre company, in partnership with East West Players presents a FREE reading of Hayavadana by Girish Karnad, directed by Snehal Desai on Monday, June 16 at 7:30 PM.

The fifth, and final, show of Palo Alto Players' 83rd season is The Farnsworth Invention. Written by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, Moneyball, The Social Network, A Few Good Men), this fast-talking, witty drama tells the story of two men locked in an epic competition to lay claim to the most influential invention of the last century: television.

Washington National Opera (WNO) presents the world premiere of An American Soldier, June 13-14, 2014 in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. An American Soldier features music by composer Huang Ruo and a libretto by David Henry Hwang. This new work, to be performed in English, is the second hourlong opera created under the auspices of the American Opera Initiative, WNO's commissioning program for contemporary American opera. An American Soldier is directed by David Paul and a chamber orchestra is conducted by Steven Jarvi; both are alumni of WNO's Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: HEDWIG hits the shelves, while IF/THEN holds a CD signing, THE BULLPEN and POWER PLAYS begin off-Broadway, featuring some amped up playwriting talent, and ATOMIC meets the press!