David Lan News

Today the full programme of events has been announced around Fly The Flag, a major new project marking the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and brand new images of Ai Weiwei with young people have been released.

Last night Jaap van Zweden and the New York Philharmonic gave the World Premiere performance of David Lang's prisoner of the state - a fully staged reimagining of Beethoven's Fidelio, directed by Elkhanah Pulitzer. The program concludes the Orchestra's three-week Music of Conscience series, exploring how composers respond to the social and political issues of their times.

After captivating audiences in the San Francisco Bay Area, THE JUNGLE must close on Sunday, May 19, 2019. Presented by Sonia Friedman Productions with Tom Kirdahy, the Good Chance Theatre, National Theatre and Young Vic production of THE JUNGLE at San Francisco's Curran (445 Geary Street) "surpasses the hype" (48 Hills) and has been hailed as "one of the most visceral and haunting plays in recent memory" (The Mercury News). Written by Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson and under the direction of Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, the West Coast limited engagement of THE JUNGLE has been hailed as "A knockout: vibrantly theatrical and pointedly contemporary" (San Francisco Examiner). Tickets for THE JUNGLE are $25-$165 and are available at SFCURRAN.com/jungle. Curran has partnered with TodayTix to offer a limited number of $25 day-of rush tickets through a digital lottery.

Fly The Flag is a major new project marking the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In a unique collaboration, a wide-ranging group of arts organisations and human rights charities commissioned Ai Weiwei to design a new flag in response to the real and present dangers of a world changing at break-neck speed, to offer hope and to educate generations to come about the absolute importance of universal human rights.

Following widely-acclaimed, sensation-stirring, and sold-out engagements in London and New York, Carole Shorenstein Hays and Sonia Friedman Productions with Tom Kirdahytoday announced that the West Coast Premiere of the Good Chance Theatre, National Theatre and Young Vic production of THE JUNGLE by Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson, will take place at San Francisco's Curran this spring. Under the direction of Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, the strictly limited engagement begins Tuesday March 26, 2019 and will run through Sunday, May 19, 2019. Tickets for THE JUNGLE are $25-$165 and go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, January 29, 2019, with presale access available for existing Curran subscribers. Tickets will be available at SFCURRAN.com/jungle. $25 day-of rush tickets to THE JUNGLE will be made available through a partnership with TODAY TIX.

Following widely-acclaimed, sensation-stirring, and sold-out engagements in London and New York, Carole Shorenstein Hays andSonia Friedman Productions with Tom Kirdahy today announced that the West Coast Premiere of the Good Chance Theatre, National Theatre and Young Vic production of THE JUNGLE by Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson, will take place at San Francisco's Curran this spring.

Mark Shenton will hand over the reins, after nine years at the helm of the Drama Section, to incoming Chairman Henry Hitchings, Chief Theatre Critic of the London Evening Standard The Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2018 will take place at 1.00pm on Tuesday 29 January 2019 at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London's West End, hosted for a final year by outgoing Critics' Circle Drama Section Chairman Mark Shenton, with regular guest speaker Arthur Smith introducing the prestigious awards in much-loved tradition.

The upcoming national tour of THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL -the musical adaption of the New York Times best-selling novel written by Rick Riordan, is getting ready to launch from Chicago next month! Check out photos of the cast in rehearsals below!

The Acting Company (Ian Belknap, Artistic Director; Elisa Spencer-Kaplan, Executive Director) honored director and artistic leader Bill Rauch and the married civic leaders Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel and Ambassador Carl Spielvogel- individuals whose exemplary work aligns with the artistic and educational ideals of the storied repertory company that produces nationally recognized theater productions and arts education programs-at the Company's 2018 Fall Gala, on November 12. Held at the historic Metropolitan Club (One East 60th Street), the event raised nearly $400,000 and brought together awards, live entertainment, silent and live auctions, dinner, and cocktails in celebration of theater and its contribution to American society. Tony Award-winner and The Acting Company alumna Harriet Harris hosted, with performances by Joanna A. Jones (Hamilton) and Tatiana Wechsler, featuring Russ Kaplan's Broadway Jazz. 

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Founding Artistic Director Steven Maler, announced the cast of the first production of its 2018-19 Season: Universe Rushing Apart: Blue Kettle & Here We Go, two one-act plays by Caryl Churchill, directed by Bryn Boice. The production runs November 7-18 at the Black Box Theater, Sorenson Center for the Arts at Babson College in Wellesley.

Rehearsals are now under way for the highly anticipated West End engagement of The Inheritance, the new play by Matthew Lopez. Sonia Friedman, Tom Kirdahy and Hunter Arnold proudly present the Young Vic production for a strictly limited season in the West End, with previews at the Noel Coward Theatre from Friday 21st September and opening performances on Saturday 13th October.

The streets of Pittsfield, (more precisely Barrington Stage Co's Boyd Quinson Mainstage on Union Street) became the streets of 1957 New York City as one of the greatest Broadway Shows of all times, West Side Store had it's opening night performance.  Nowadays you don't have gangs fighting on Pittsfield streets but you do have theater goers fighting to get into the many productions of Barrington Stage Co. and the sold out season at Mr. (Bill) Finn's Cabaret.

Producers, Sonia Friedman and Nattering Way announce the West End transfer of the Young Vic production of The Inheritance by Matthew Lopez. Directed by multi Olivier Award winner Stephen Daldry, Lopez's major two-part world premiere will play a strictly limited season at the Noel Coward Theatre, beginning previews on 21st September with an official opening performance on Saturday 13th October.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater presents the world-premiere musical Snow Child, based on Eowyn Ivey's Pulitzer Prize-nominated novel. The show recently celebrated opening night, view the photos below!

The Olivier Awards were held last night, Sunday, April 8, at London's Royal Albert Hall. Check out photos below of all of the winners!

The lauded Lin-Manuel Miranda musical Hamilton led the way at the Olivier Awards 2018 ceremony, collecting seven awards from its record-breaking thirteen nominations.

Former Artistic Director of the Young Vic, director and playwright David Lan will be presented with the Special Award at the Olivier Awards 2018 with Mastercard ceremony on Sunday 8 April at London's Royal Albert Hall. The award will be presented in recognition of his outstanding contribution in leading the Young Vic since 2000, his work within the local community around the theatre, and his commitment to internationalism and diversity.

Director Sam Gold makes his Young Vic debut with the five-time Tony award-winning musical Fun Home. Casting includes: Kaisa Hammarlund as Alison; Eleanor Kane as Medium Alison; Jenna Russell as Helen; Ashley Samuels as Roy, Mark and Jeremy; Cherrelle Skeete as Joan and Zubin Varla as Bruce, Alison's father.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces the full cast and creative team for the world-premiere musical Snow Child, based on Eowyn Ivey's Pulitzer Prize-nominated novel. Infused with a score that combines Alaskan string band-traditions with contemporary musical theater, Snow Child follows a couple rebuilding their lives in the Alaskan wilderness when they meet a magical and mysterious snow child who transforms them.

Following universal critical acclaim, and a sold-out run at the Young Vic, producers Sonia Friedman Productions, Tom Kirdahy and Hunter Arnold are delighted to announce the West End transfer of the National Theatre and Young Vic co-production with Good Chance Theatre of Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson's The Jungle, directed by Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin. The production is set in Europe's largest unofficial refugee camp, the Calais Jungle, which in 2015, became a temporary home for more than 10,000 people. Previewing from 16 June, The Jungle will have an Opening Night on 5 July at the Playhouse Theatre. The first wave of tickets will go on general sale on 15 March.