David Ives News

By popular demand, Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director), has announced a one-week extension for the final production of the 2010-2011 season: the World Premiere of the new comedy, Black Tie by A.R. Gurney. Originally scheduled to end its limited run on Sunday, March 20th, Black Tie will now play through Sunday afternoon, March 27th at 3:00p.m.

In April of 1949, Rodgers and Hammerstein shocked the Theatre World by writing a song for their new musical professing that humans developed racial prejudice by nurture and not by nature.  Later that same year, a scene in the new musical by Maxwell Anderson and Kurt Weill showed two racially different young boys innocently striking up a quick friendship, unaware of why anyone would object.

Classic Stage Company's acclaimed new production of Anton Chekhov's THREE SISTERS sold out its entire engagement through March 6 within 24 hours of its opening this past Thursday, February 3. Directed by Austin Pendleton, the production features Maggie Gyllenhaal, Josh Hamilton, Jessica Hecht, Marin Ireland, Juliet Rylance and Peter Sarsgaard. Also featured in the cast are Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Anson Mount, Roberta Maxwell, Louis Zorich, George Morfogen, Paul Lazar, Gabriel Bettio and James Patrick Nelson.

As we come to the second week of February, I hope you had an opportunity to attend the couple of shows that have just closed - and have plans to attend some of the wonderful performances that are happening in the coming weeks at several of our California Central Coast live performance venues!

Harold Bloom, America's leading literary critic and author of the best-seller 'Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human," will join Classic Stage Company Artistic Director Brian Kulick in a rare public appearance on Monday evening, February 7 at 7 pm at CSC (136 East 13th Street) as a special one-night-only event to benefit CSC's ongoing Shakespeare programming.

The New York stage is often a haven for self-destructive couples on display, but rarely is that self-destruction so bluntly in view as in Rajiv Joseph's intriguing Gruesome Playground Injuries.  The work of this imaginative playwright, who'll be making his Broadway debut later this season with his Pulitzer finalist, A Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, grows more interesting with each new piece to hit town and director Scott Ellis' darkly funny Second Stage production is terrifically unsettling.

A haunting American classic, THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL marks the first Cleveland Play House production of a work by Pulitzer Prize- and Academy Award-winner Horton Foote, and the world-premiere performance of this play by an African-American cast. Receiving the blessing of Hallie Foote, daughter of the playwright, this co-production with Round House Theatre is helmed by Timothy Douglas and stars preeminent African-American actress Lizan Mitchell as Carrie Watts. THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL begins in the Drury Theatre at Cleveland Play House on Friday, February 4 and runs through Sunday, February 27, 2011. Tickets are available at Cleveland Play House box office by calling 216.795.7000 ext 4 or online at www.clevelandplayhouse.com. THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL is presented with support from US Bank, Turner Construction, Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, and the Ohio Arts Council.

InViolet Repertory Theater in association with New York Theatre Workshop presents the World Premiere of 40 WEEKS by Michael Henry Harris. Directed by Danton Stone (Broadway's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Next, Angels Fall, Fifth of July), previews begin February 22 at the 4th Street Theatre.

Classic Stage Company (CSC), under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, will present Tony Award winning actor Alan Cumming in a one night only staged reading of Tennessee Williams' THE NOTEBOOK OF TRIGORIN, a free adaptation of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, on Sunday evening, February 13 at 7 pm at CSC (136 East 13th Street).

Classic Stage Company (CSC), under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, continues its 44th season with DOUBLE FALSEHOOD, written by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher, adapted for the 18th Century stage by Lewis Theobald, and directed by Kulick.

Classic Stage Company (CSC) under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, has extended the run of its highly-anticipated production of Anton Chekhov's THREE SISTERS through Sunday, March 6 due to strong ticket demand. The production, which began previews on January 12, features Maggie Gyllenhaal (Masha), Josh Hamilton (Andre), Jessica Hecht (Olga), Marin Ireland (Natasha), Juliet Rylance (Irina) and Peter Sarsgaard (Vershinin). Also featured in the cast are Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Tuesenbach), Anson Mount (Solyony), Roberta Maxwell (Anfisa), Louis Zorich (Chebutykin), George Morfogen (Ferapont), Paul Lazar (Kulygin), Gabe Bettio (Rode) and James Patrick Nelson (Fedotik). No further extension will be possible. Production shots appear below!

A haunting American classic, THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL marks the first Cleveland Play House production of a work by Pulitzer Prize- and Academy Award-winner Horton Foote, and the world-premiere performance of this play by an African-American cast. Receiving the blessing of Hallie Foote, daughter of the playwright, this co-production with Round House Theatre is helmed by Timothy Douglas and stars preeminent African-American actress Lizan Mitchell as Carrie Watts. THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL begins in the Drury Theatre at Cleveland Play House on Friday, February 4 and runs through Sunday, February 27, 2011. Tickets are available at Cleveland Play House box office by calling 216.795.7000 ext 4 or online at www.clevelandplayhouse.com. THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL is presented with support from US Bank, Turner Construction, Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, and the Ohio Arts Council.

How do you discuss the undiscussable? Philadelphia Theatre Company presents the Philadelphia premiere of David Mamet's provocative play Race, running January 21 through February 13, 2011 at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets).

Philadelphia Theatre Company is pleased to announce that SCOTT ZIGLER will direct their production of David Mamet's hit Broadway play Race, running January 21-February13 at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets).

InViolet Repertory Theater in association with New York Theatre Workshop presents the World Premiere of 40 WEEKS by Michael Henry Harris. Directed by Danton Stone (Broadway's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Next, Angels Fall, Fifth of July), previews begin February 22 at the 4th Street Theatre.

Classic Stage Company (CSC), under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, will present Anton Chekhov's THREE SISTERS, featuring 2010 Academy Award nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal (Masha), Josh Hamilton (Andre) 2010 Tony Award nominee Jessica Hecht (Olga) and acclaimed actor Peter Sarsgaard (Vershinin).

Harold Bloom, America's leading literary critic and author of the best-seller 'Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human," will join Classic Stage Company Artistic Director Brian Kulick in a rare public appearance on Monday evening, February 7 at 7 pm at CSC (136 East 13th Street) as a special one-night-only event to benefit CSC's ongoing Shakespeare programming.

Classic Stage Company (CSC) under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, has extended the run of its highly-anticipated production of Anton Chekhov's THREE SISTERS through Sunday, March 6 due to strong ticket demand. The production, which begins previews this coming Wednesday, January 12, features Maggie Gyllenhaal (Masha), Josh Hamilton (Andre), Jessica Hecht (Olga), Marin Ireland (Natasha), Juliet Rylance (Irina) and Peter Sarsgaard (Vershinin). Also featured in the cast are Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Tuesenbach), Anson Mount (Solyony), Roberta Maxwell (Anfisa), Louis Zorich (Chebutykin), George Morfogen (Ferapont), Paul Lazar (Kulygin), Gabe Bettio (Rode) and James Patrick Nelson (Fedotik). No further extension will be possible.

Broadway In Chicago is proud to announce Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS will end its Chicago debut at the Bank of America Theatre on January 2, 2011.

How do you discuss the undiscussable? Philadelphia Theatre Company presents the Philadelphia premiere of David Mamet's provocative play Race, running January 21 through February 13, 2011 at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets).