David Johnson News

The Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) continues its 2014-2015 mainstage season with one of William Shakespeare's late masterpieces,The Tempest. STC Affiliated Artist Ethan McSweeny, following his imaginative production of A Midsummer Night's Dream two seasons ago, applies his flair for visual panache to The Tempest, in which sprites, goddesses and fools hold court. The Tempest will play at the Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW) from December 2, 2014-January 11, 2015.

Auburn, Washington

American Psycho, following its cancelled U.S. premiere at Second Stage Theatre, will receive a developmental lab reading in January 2015 in New York City, according to a new Equity casting notice.

Now according to the New York Times, steps are being made to bring the show straight to Broadway in Fall 2015. Act 4 founder, David Johnson told NYT that the arrangements with Second Stage "just weren't in the best interests of the production and its continuing life." He also acknowledged that Broadway producers Jeffrey Richards and Jerry Frankel were amongst "several theater professionals" who advised that the new musical should move straight to Broadway. Both of which are currently in talks to be lead producers for the Broadway run. Richards told NYT: "I just felt the proposal by Second Stage was something that did not serve the best interests of the production. I heard from other producers that they also spoke with Act 4. We were all asked for advice, and we gave it. I saw 'American Psycho' in London, and I thought it was terrific."

American Psycho's anticipated U.S. premiere at Second Stage Theatre has officially been put to rest.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) just announced the U.S. premiere of the new musical, AMERICAN PSYCHO, featuring a book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (2ST's Good Boys and True, 'Glee,' Broadway's Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark), music and lyrics by Grammy and Tony-Award Winner Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening), directed by Rupert Goold (Broadway's Macbeth with Patrick Stewart, ENRON). AMERICAN PSYCHO is based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis.

The Pre-Broadway World Premiere of The Last Ship, the new musical with music and lyrics by 16-time Grammy Award winner Sting, and book by Tony winner John Logan and Pulitzer Prize-winner Brian Yorkey, ends its Chicago run today, July 13. The Last Ship will begin previews on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre (250 W. 52 St.) on September 29 prior to opening night on October 26, 2014.

The Pre-Broadway World Premiere of The Last Ship, the new musical with music and lyrics by 16-time Grammy Award winner Sting, and book by Tony winner John Logan and Pulitzer Prize-winnerBrian Yorkey, opened June 25 at the Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe) and plays through July 13, 2014. The Last Ship is directed by Tony winner Joe Mantello and has choreography by Olivier Award winner and Tony nominee Steven Hoggett. The Last Ship will begin previews on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre (250 W. 52 St.) on September 29 prior to opening night on October 26, 2014. Scroll down for photos from the opening night curtain call and more!

The Pre-Broadway World Premiere of The Last Ship, the new musical with music and lyrics by 16-time Grammy Award winner Sting, and book by Tony winner John Logan and Pulitzer Prize-winner Brian Yorkey, opened last night at the Bank of America Theatre

The Pre-Broadway World Premiere of The Last Ship, the new musical with music and lyrics by 16-time Grammy Award winner Sting, and book by Tony winner John Logan and Pulitzer Prize-winner Brian Yorkey, opens tonight at the Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe) and plays through July 13, 2014. The Last Ship is directed by Tony winner Joe Mantello and has choreography by Olivier Award winner and Tony nominee Steven Hoggett. The Last Ship will begin previews on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre (250 W. 52 St.) on September 29 prior to opening night on October 26, 2014. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in action below!

The Pre-Broadway World Premiere of THE LAST SHIP, the new musical with music and lyrics by 16-time Grammy Award winner Sting, and book by Tony winner John Logan and Pulitzer Prize-winnerBrian Yorkey, opens tonight, June 25, at the Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe) and plays through July 13, 2014. THE LAST SHIP is directed by Tony winner Joe Mantello and has choreography by Olivier Award winner and Tony nominee Steven Hoggett. THE LAST SHIP will begin previews on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre (250 W. 52 St.) on September 29 prior to opening night on October 26, 2014.

The Pre-Broadway World Premiere of THE LAST SHIP, the new musical with music and lyrics by 16-time Grammy Award winner Sting, and book by Tony winner John Logan and Pulitzer Prize-winner Brian Yorkey, opens tomorrow at the Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe) and plays through July 13, 2014. THE LAST SHIP is directed by Tony winner Joe Mantello and has choreography by Olivier Award winner and Tony nominee Steven Hoggett. THE LAST SHIP will begin previews on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre (250 W. 52 St.) on September 29 prior to opening night on October 26, 2014. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

As part of its Production Residencies program, FringeArts will host local theater ensemble The Berserker Residents for three weeks this June. From June 2 - 22, artists Justin Jain, David Johnson and Bradley K. Wrenn will revisit their 2013 Fringe Festival hit The Talkback, deconstructing and reworking three aspects of the piece in preparation for its upcoming presentation at the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the largest arts festival in the world. Free public showings will take place each Sunday of the residency (June 8, 8 p.m.; June 15, 7 p.m.; and June 22, 7 p.m.), offering audiences the opportunity to see the work as it develops and evolves. This program is funded by the Independence Foundation.

Identifying larval stages of marine fishes in the open ocean is difficult because the young fishes often bear little or no resemblance to the adults they will become. Confronted with a perplexing fish larva collected in the Florida Straits, Smithsonian scientists turned to DNA barcoding, which yielded an unexpected discovery—a match between the mysterious fish larva and adults of a new species of sea bass discovered off the coast of Curacao. The team's research is published in the May 13 issue of PLOS ONE.

Producers Jeffrey Seller and Kathryn Schenker announce that tickets for the new musical THE LAST SHIP on Broadway will be available for purchase on June 9 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000. Ticket prices range from $55 to $147. To book groups of 15 or more, visitbroadway.com/groups or call 1-800-Broadway x2.

The SRO Theatre Company in Association with The King Arts Complex present an American classic, A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry . The show runs June 5 - 15, 2014, at the Shedd Theatre in the Columbus Performing Arts Center, 549 Franklin Avenue, Columbus, OH 43215.

'The Optimist' by Jason Chimonides and directed by Will Wallace will have its West Coast Premiere at Elephant Stages in Los Angeles today, April 3rd. The show will run through April 20th.

Will Wallace will direct the West Coast Premiere of 'The Optimist' by Jason Chimonides at Elephant Stages in Los Angeles. Chris Bellant, Sarah Jes Austell, and Aaron David Johnson will star.

"The Optimist" by Jason Chimonides and directed by Will Wallace will have its West Coast Premiere at Elephant Stages in Los Angeles on April 3rd. The show will run through April 20th.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond: