David Strathairn News

The Wilma Theater concludes its 2009 - 2010 Season with the U.S. Premiere of Leaving, by Václav Havel. The first play in 20 years from playwright and former Czech President Havel, Leaving will receive its U.S. Premiere production under co-Artistic Director Jiri Zizka's direction, with Academy Award® nominee David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck) starring in the role of ex-Chancellor Dr. Vil?m Rieger.

New Georges (Susan Bernfield, Artistic Director; Sarah Cameron Sunde, Associate Director), the OBIE Award-winning downtown theater company founded in 1992, and New Feet Productions will present the world premiere of Emily DeVoti's thought-provoking new play 'MILK,' directed by Jessica Bauman.

'I murdered Mozart!' rings out across Europe from Composer Antonio Salieri on his death-bed. Salieri had been the toast of Europe. He had been a devout Catholic all his life. He made a pact with God that he would be the vessel through which God's music would spring. All was good until Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart arrives in Vienna. In horror Salieri determines that it is Mozart instead who is his God's chosen voice.

On July 24, the Hudson Stage Company of Croton on Hudson, New York, will host its annual gala fundraiser, 'Divas on Hudson.' The event will be hosted on a Hudson River property in Montrose. It will be tented rain or shine and will have seating available, in addition to expansive grounds for picnicking. The evening will feature a sunset concert with Broadway singers, a silent auction, wine and cheese, dessert, coffee and the view. Performers at past events have included Audra McDonald, Ann Hampton Callaway, Lauren Kennedy, Liz Callaway, Barbara Walsh, and Shoshana Bean.

Powerhouse Theater, a unique collaboration between Vassar College and New York Stage and Film, will enter its second quarter-century this summer, continuing its mission to offer a haven for world-class artists to gather and explore new material in an atmosphere that is both protected and challenging.

The Wilma Theater concludes its 2009 - 2010 Season with the U.S. Premiere of Leaving, by Václav Havel. The first play in 20 years from playwright and former Czech President Havel, Leaving will receive its U.S. Premiere production under co-Artistic Director Jiri Zizka's direction, with Academy Award® nominee David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck) starring in the role of ex-Chancellor Dr. Vil?m Rieger.

Powerhouse Theater, a unique collaboration between Vassar College and New York Stage and Film, will enter its second quarter-century this summer, continuing its mission to offer a haven for world-class artists to gather and explore new material in an atmosphere that is both protected and challenging.

Everyman Theatre's Baltimore will close the 09/10 season with the premiere of Blackbird, Examines the Boundaries of Love, May 12 through June 13. Blackbird, a haunting, powerful drama that has left London and New York audiences breathless. The Baltimore premiere directed by Derek Goldman will star Everyman Resident Company member Megan Anderson and David Parkes in his Everyman debut. For tickets call the Everyman Theatre Box Office at 410.752.2208 or online at www.everymantheatre.org.

Everyman Theatre's Baltimore will close the 09/10 season with the premiere of Blackbird, Examines the Boundaries of Love, May 12 through June 13. Blackbird, a haunting, powerful drama that has left London and New York audiences breathless. The Baltimore premiere directed by Derek Goldman will star Everyman Resident Company member Megan Anderson and David Parkes in his Everyman debut. For tickets call the Everyman Theatre Box Office at 410.752.2208 or online at www.everymantheatre.org.

Inspired by the U.S. Premiere of Leaving, by Václav Havel, The Wilma Theater will conduct two symposium sessions exploring Havel's legacy and the historical and dramatic background of Leaving, his first new play in over 20 years.

Outfest, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing, showcasing and protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media, announced today that 'HOWL' has been selected as the Opening Night gala of the 28th Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.

New York's OBIE Award-winning Epic Theatre Ensemble (Zak Berkman, Melissa Friedman, Ron Russell, Founding Executive Directors) today announced the cast and creative team for the New York premiere of Sarah Ruhl's Passion Play (In The Next Room… or the vibrator play) and directed by Mark Wing-Davey (The Singing Forest). The cast will include Brendan Averett, Polly Noonan, Daniel Pearce, Alex Podulke, Keith Reddin, Godfrey L. Simmons Jr., T. Ryder Smith, Felix Solis Jr., Kate Turnbull and Nicole Wiesner.

New Georges (Susan Bernfield, Artistic Director; Sarah Cameron Sunde, Associate Director), the OBIE Award-winning downtown theater company founded in 1992, and New Feet Productions will present the world premiere of Emily DeVoti's thought-provoking new play 'MILK,' directed by Jessica Bauman.

This May FOX delivers major television events, all-new episodes and big guest stars, including 'FOX Rocks,' a week of music-themed FOX programming April 29 through May 5; primetime broadcasts of NASCAR ON FOX races May 1 and May 8; two not-to-be-missed one-hour installments of FAMILY GUY, including the milestone 150th episode May 2 and the latest 'Star Wars' saga-inspired season finale May 23; a BONES episode written by best-selling author and series inspiration, Kathy Reichs, May 6; the two-part season finale of FRINGE, featuring the long-awaited face-off between Walter Bishop (John Noble) and William Bell (guest star Leonard Nimoy), May 13 and May 20; the May 18 GLEE episode directed by Joss Whedon and guest-starring Neil Patrick Harris, Molly Shannon, Idina Menzel and Jonathan Groff; a special preview of Matt Nix's ('Burn Notice') new action comedy THE GOOD GUYS May 19; the AMERICAN IDOL-themed 21st season finale of THE SIMPSONS with guest voices Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres May 23; the climactic and historic series conclusion of the groundbreaking and award-winning 24, May 24; and the three-hour, two-night season finale of AMERICAN IDOL, featuring the final performance show May 25 and the final live results show that's sure to captivate America May 26.

A world premiere, fully-staged production by John Patrick Shanley, the first professional production for playwright Tracy Thorne, and the newest musical project from the multi-award winning director Michael Mayer will be just a few of the many highlights of Vassar & New York Stage and Film's Powerhouse Theater season, June 25 - August 1, 2010.

The Wilma Theater concludes its 2009 - 2010 Season with the U.S. Premiere of Leaving, by Václav Havel. The first play in 20 years from playwright and former Czech President Havel, Leaving will receive its U.S. Premiere production under co-Artistic Director Jiri Zizka's direction, with Academy Award® nominee David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck) starring in the role of ex-Chancellor Dr. Vil?m Rieger.

New Georges (Susan Bernfield, Artistic Director; Sarah Cameron Sunde, Associate Director), the OBIE Award-winning downtown theater company founded in 1992, and New Feet Productions will present the world premiere of Emily DeVoti's thought-provoking new play 'MILK,' directed by Jessica Bauman.

New York's OBIE Award-winning Epic Theatre Ensemble (Zak Berkman, Melissa Friedman, Ron Russell, Founding Executive Directors) today announced the cast and creative team for the New York premiere of Sarah Ruhl's Passion Play (In The Next Room… or the vibrator play) and directed by Mark Wing-Davey (The Singing Forest). The cast will include Brendan Averett, Polly Noonan, Daniel Pearce, Alex Podulke, Keith Reddin, Godfrey L. Simmons Jr., T. Ryder Smith, Felix Solis Jr., Kate Turnbull and Nicole Wiesner.

Brand new monologues by prolific and controversial writer/director Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men, Nurse Betty, The Shape of Things and Reasons to be Pretty) and legendary playwright John Guare (House of Blue Leaves, Six Degrees of Separation) highlight a three-night presentation of new dramatic works at Dixon Place (161A Chrystie Street in Manhattan's Lower East Side).

Last night, Monday March 1, The Epic Theatre Ensemble held their 9th Annual Winter Gala (titled 'Spark'). This year's honoree was James Calleri, of Calleri Casting, for his longstanding support of adventurous independent Off-Broadway theatre and his helping spark the careers of many of America's finest actors.