Dion Boucicault News

"Out of every eight drops of my blood, seven are red, but one is black." In those words, spoken with despairing apology in An Octoroon by Zoe, the titular octoroon, the illegitimate daughter of a plantation owner, are revealed the most profound and internalized depths of racism. Like a root vegetable, where the substance of the plant is buried under the ground, it truly visible only when you yank it out to examine what has grown underneath. In this case, what's above ground is a brilliant adaptation by playwright, 2016 Pulitzer finalist (for Gloria), and DC-native Branden Jacobs-Jenkins of an 1859 play by Anglo-Irish Dion Boucicault; a play that caused controversy and sold-out houses in somewhat equal measure when it played at the Winter Garden Theatre in the looming shadow of the Civil War.

Today, Berkeley Repertory Theatre revealed that Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Obie Award- winning play, An Octoroon, will be the seventh and final production in its upcoming 2016-17 subscription season. The West Coast premiere of the reworking of the mid-19th-century play will be performed in the Peet's Theatre in June 2017.

One of the most romantic stories ever written, THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY won the 2014 Tony Awards® for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations. The musical adaptation of the best-selling novel and popular film will play at The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts April 26 - May 1. Tickets are on sale now.

What if all of the white actors in your play quit? AN OCTOROON begins tonight, March 16, 2016; and opens today, March 23, 2016.

The Windham-Campbell Prizes today announced the annual slate of nine prize recipients that have left their mark on the world of literature and theater or have been judged by their peers as exceedingly likely to do so.

Playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins has assaulted the fourth wall and countless racial stereotypes in his funny and audacious new play AN OCTOROON. Adapted from an 1859 melodrama titled "The Octoroon" by Irish playwright Dion Boucicault, Jenkins' piece weaves a biting contemporary narrative within Boucicault's stock storytelling to turn familiar antebellum tropes into jarring racial commentaries. Imagine "Gone with the Wind" down the rabbit hole and you get the idea.

What if all of the white actors in your play quit? AN OCTOROON begins on Wednesday, March 16, 2016; and opens on Wednesday, March 23, 2016.

The word octoroon is defined as 'a person of one-eight black ancestry.' THE OCTOROON is a 19th Century play by Irish playwright Dion Boucicault about which Wikipedia says, 'among antebellum melodramas, it was considered second only in popularity to Uncle Tom's Cabin.' AN OCTOROON is a new play by playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, who adapted the play and added himself as a character, writing the play and playing all the while male parts in white face, with the original playwright and his assistant playing roles in redface and blackface, while a rabbit seems to pull the strings behind the scenes. Got all that? Believe me, it's a lot to take in, and the play says some pretty profound things about race and racism in the past and present. But despite being a little perplexing and intentionally offensive (in a way that's not really offensive because it's satire), the whole thing is kinda brilliant in a crazy sort of way.

The Anti-Racism Group that Campaigns Against Exhibit B around the World are now demanding Galway International Arts Festival to cancel its run.

Mixed Blood Theatre has inhabited the historic firehouse on the West Bank for 40 years and is celebrating its anniversary with the first phase of a major venue renovation, a revitalized commitment to its West Bank community, and an ambitious season of new work!

The Wilma Theater has announced the four plays that will make up its upcoming 2015/16 Season. The Wilma will open the season with Sophocles' Antigone translated by Marinanne McDonald and directed by Theodorus Terzopoulos, the renowned founder of Attis Theatre in Athens, Greece.

Due to popular demand, Theatre for A New Audience's production of Soho Rep.'s An Octoroon has been extended again and will play through March 29, Theatre for a New Audience Founding Artistic Director Jeffrey Horowitz announced.

Theatre for A New Audience presents Soho Rep.'s An Octoroon. Branden Jacobs-Jenkins's widely acclaimed play, directed by Sarah Benson, Artistic Director, Soho Rep, opens tonight, February 26, and plays through March 15, 2015. Let's see what the critics had to say...

Theatre for A New Audience presents Soho Rep.'s An Octoroon. Branden Jacobs-Jenkins's widely acclaimed play, directed by Sarah Benson, Artistic Director, Soho Rep, has played to sold out houses since previews began on February 14 and as a result of strong ticket sales, has added eight additional performances. Originally scheduled to end its run on March 8, An Octoroon will now play through March 15 at Theatre for a New Audience, Polonsky Shakespeare Center, 262 Ashland Place, Brooklyn. Opening night is tonight, February 26. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Due to popular demand, Theatre for A New Audience has put a new block of tickets on sale for its production of Soho Rep.'s An Octoroon. An Octoroon will now play through March 15 at Theatre for a New Audience, Polonsky Shakespeare Center, 262 Ashland Place. Opening night is February 26.

Single tickets are now on sale for Theatre for A New Audience's production of Soho Rep.'s An Octoroon, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins's widely acclaimed new play directed by Sarah Benson, Artistic Director, Soho Rep. An Octoroon plays February 14 through March 8 at Theatre for a New Audience, Polonsky Shakespeare Center, 262 Ashland Place, Brooklyn. Opening night is February 26.

Soho Rep's AN OCTOROON will run February 14, 2015 - March 8, 2015 at Theatre for a New Audience's Polonsky Shakespeare Center (262 Ashland Place, Brooklyn). Written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, AN OCTOROON will be directed by Sarah Benson.

Off-Broadway's award-winning Irish Repertory Theatre announces that its current production, the revival of Gardner McKay's SEA MARKS, directed by Ciaran O'Reilly, will extend through Sunday, July 13, 2014 (the production was originally scheduled to be performed through June 15th). The romantic two-hander stars Tony and Drama Desk Award nominee Xanthe Elbrick (CORAM BOY, Irish Rep's CANDIDA) and Patrick Fitzgerald (Irish Rep's GIBRALTAR). SEA MARKS began performances on April 23rd and opened on May 5th. SEA MARKS is now playing on the Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage of the Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street).