David Rabe News

Vineyard Theatre Artistic Directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern have announced the upcoming 2018-2019 Season.

The Chain Theatre is thrilled to announce their NEW home base at 312 W. 36th street, steps from the 'Crossroads of the World' in Midtown Manhattan.

 Hunter College President Jennifer J. Raab announced today the inaugural production of the Hunter Theater Project, the New York premiere of Anton Chekhov's UNCLE VANYA at the Frederick Loewe Theater at Hunter College (E. 68th Street and Lexington Avenue), directed by Richard Nelson. Translated byRichard Nelson, Richard Pevear, and Larissa Volokhonsky. This production is the first time renowned Russian literature translators Pevear and Volokhonsky will have a work premiere in New York City, following the show's world premiere at The Old Globe in San Diego, California. Previews for UNCLE VANYA begin Friday, September 7. The production runs through Sunday, October 14, with an official press opening on Sunday, September 16. Tickets are on sale now.

The Off Broadway Alliance, an organization of Off-Broadway producers, theaters, general managers, press agents, and marketing professionals, just presented the 8th Annual Off-Broadway Alliance Awards, honoring commercial and not-for-profit productions that opened Off-Broadway during the 2017-2018 season. Winners included: Desperate Measures (Best New Musical), Transfers (Best New Play), The Government Inspector (Best Revival), KPOP (Best Unique Theatrical Experience), Billy Crudup, Harry Clarke (Best Solo Performance), Polka Dots: The Cool Kids Musical(Best Family Show). 

When Caroline Heffernan leaves Chicago for Los Angeles to share the title role in Amanda Peet's World Premiere, Our Very Own Carlin McClough at the Geffen Playhouse and attend UCLA as a Business Economics major in the fall of 2018, she will likely have spent more hours on Chicago's stages than any other kid in Chicago theatre history. She has starred in leading roles in World Premieres written by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning playwrights (Tracy Letts and David Rabe), guest starred on NBC's Chicago Med and played a lead in Lifetime Movie Channel's My Daughter Was Stolen, filmed in Chicago. She was Steppenwolf's only Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, Paramount Theatre's only Annie in Annie and Chicago Lyric's only Young Kim in Showboat.

The New Group celebrated Opening Night of Lily Thorne's Peace for Mary Frances last night, with Heather Burns, Johanna Day, Natalie Gold, Mia Katigbak, Paul Lazar, Brian Miskell, Melle Powers, Lois Smith and J. Smith-Cameron, in a world premiere production directed by Lila Neugebauer. A limited Off-Broadway engagement is slated through June 17 at The Pershing Square Signature Center (The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre, 480 West 42nd Street).

The New Group proudly presents Lily Thorne's Peace for Mary Frances, with Heather Burns, Johanna Day, Natalie Gold, Mia Katigbak, Paul Lazar, Brian Miskell, Melle Powers, Lois Smith and J. Smith- Cameron, in a world premiere production directed by Lila Neugebauer. Check out photos below!

Chrissy Metz, the Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominated star of the NBC drama This Is Us, will make her stage debut in Neil LaBute's critically acclaimed play Fat Pig at the Geffen Playhouse.

The Off Broadway Alliance, an organization of Off Broadway producers, theaters, general managers, press agents, and marketing professionals, has announced the winners for the 8th annual Off Broadway Alliance Awards, honoring commercial and not-for-profit productions that opened Off Broadway during the 2017-2018 season.

The York Theatre Company in association with Documentary Arts presents the world premiere of the new musical Lonesome Blues, based on the true story of legendary bluesman Blind Lemon Jefferson, created by Alan Govenar (Texas in Paris) and Akin Babatunde (Blind Lemon Blues), directed by Katherine Owens (How Is It That We Live or Shakey Jake + Alice), performed by Akin Babatunde with David Weiss on guitar.

The Gift Theatre is pleased to continue its 17th season with William Shakespeare's HAMLET. Directed by guest artist Monty Cole, this production of the Bard's great tragedy will crack open the mind of one of western drama's most fascinating and complex characters. HAMLET will play June 1 - July 29, 2018 at 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Jefferson Park neighborhood. Single tickets and season subscriptions are currently available by calling the Gift's box office at (773) 283-7071 or visiting thegifttheatre.org. 

The Geffen Playhouse today announced the full cast for its world premiere production of Amanda Peet's Our Very Own Carlin McCullough. The play will feature Mamie Gummer (The Good Wife, True Detective) as Cyn, Abigail Dylan Harrison (The Affair) as Carlin at 10, Caroline Heffernan as Carlin at 17, Tyee Tilghman as Saleef and Joe Tippett (Rise, Broadway's Waitress) as Jay. Tyne Rafaeli (Geffen's Ironbound, Actually) will direct.

The Off Broadway Alliance, an organization of Off-Broadway producers, theaters, general managers, press agents, and marketing professionals, has announced the nominees for the 8th Annual Off-Broadway Alliance Awards, honoring commercial and not-for-profit productions that opened Off-Broadway during the 2017-2018 season.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced today a two-week extension for the world premiere of MLIMA'S TALE. Written by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and directed by Obie Award winner Jo Bonney, MLIMA'S TALE continues The Public's Astor Anniversary Season at their landmark downtown home on Lafayette Street, celebrating 50 years of new work and the 50th Anniversary of HAIR. MLIMA'S TALE will now run two additional weeks through Sunday, June 3.

Join The Gift Theatre for a line-up of local writers, actors and musicians at giftLit, an evening of stories, wine and entertainment in the grand tradition of a Parisian salon on Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 8 pm at Community Tavern, 4038 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Jefferson Park neighborhood. May giftLit writers include Maggie Andersen, Katherine Bourne, Sherman Edwards and Shaina Warfield. Tickets, priced at $10, are currently available at thegifttheatre.org. Advance reservations are highly recommended.

Two powerful New York institutions, Long Island University (LIU) Brooklyn and the renowned theater company The New Group, have announced a new partnership to help train the next generation of great actors. A new B.F.A program in Acting for Theatre, Film and Television, starting in Fall 2018, will be founded on the studio model, where students will study stage acting, voice, and movement under the supervision and guidance of faculty in collaboration with the award-winning The New Group. 

The New Group has announced full casting and creative team for Lily Thorne's Peace for Mary Frances, with Heather Burns, Johanna Day, Natalie Gold, Mia Katigbak, Paul Lazar, Brian Miskell, Melle Powers and J. Smith-Cameron joining, as previously announced, Lois Smith in this world premiere production directed by Lila Neugebauer.

Second Stage Theater (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Casey Reitz, Executive Director) has announced that Golden Globe and two-time Emmy nominee Josh Charles, Kate Bornstein and Ty Defoe will join Armie Hammer and Tom Skerritt in the Broadway production of Young Jean Lee's dark comedy, STRAIGHT WHITE MEN, directed by Anna D. Shapiro.

The Wick Theatre is proud to present a dazzling homage to one of the most prolific and talented composers of our time, Jerry Herman. Renowned for shows such as Hello, Dolly!, Mame, Mack and Mabel and La Cage Aux Folles, Herman has created an array of iconic feme powerhouse characters.

On this episode, playwright David Rabe, producer/director Scott Elliott, Ed Harris and Amy Madigan discuss The New Group production of David Rabe's new work 'Good for Otto.' The play, in which Harris and Madigan play psychologists, is set in a community mental health center, and is now playing at the Pershing Square Signature Center. Guest host is producer/playwright Warren Leight.