Doug Wright News

Theatre Communications Group (TCG) has announced the U.S. release of The Oberon Anthology of Contemporary American Plays: Volume One, edited by Mark Subias, published by Oberon Books (London). This new volume brings together plays from four of the best young artists on the contemporary American playwriting scene. Volume One is introduced by André Bishop, Artistic Director of the Lincoln Center Theater, and each play is introduced by well-known and critically acclaimed writers.

Every era has its controversies. Since theatre represents the era from which it comes, here in the United States, attitudes about the women's movement were presented by feminist plays. The Black movement found African American writers sending forth their messages. Today, with the Gay rights movement in full swing, it is only logical that some of that community's issues reach the forefront.

Anyone who follows the theater scene in New York realizes that hardly a year goes by when actor Darren Pettie isn't appearing on Broadway, Off Broadway or regional theater. He's also been seen on television in "Mad Men", "Pan Am", "Castle", "Gossip Girl", "Brothers and Sisters" and a host of other shows. Not only is he one of New York's busiest actors, he's one of its finest, too. Take, for example, his performance two seasons ago in THE MILK TRAIN DOESN'T STOP HERE ANYMORE. As the enigmatic Christopher Flanders, Pettie was required to utter the single syllable word "Boom" to emulate the crashing of the waves upon the rocks surrounding Italy's Divina Costiera. Other actors in the role have faltered here, but Pettie imbued the line with authority and conviction that were never apparent in previous incarnations of the work. "Thanks," responds the actor via telephone. "There were some nights that I was very self conscious about that line."

The Moscow production of THE LITTLE MERMAID will open tonight, on the 175th anniversary of the first publication of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. This marks the first musical production to play the newly-renovated ROSSIA Theatre on Pushkin Square, now the largest theatrical venue in Moscow.

This season, Trustus Theatre is going on a "Sexploration" in their newly named Trustus Side Door Theatre. Not that all of the plays are explicitly about the act of sex, but they do explore sexuality. The Trustus Side Door kicks off its current season with I Am My Own Wife, a one-man show starring local favorite Paul Kaufmann who will portray over 30 characters in one evening. The show opens tonight, October 5th, at 8:00pm in the Trustus Side Door Theatre.

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) Artistic Director James C. Nicola and Managing Director William Russo have announced that tickets are on sale for A Civil War Christmas, written by Paula Vogel and directed by Tina Landau. Performances of this holiday-themed work begin Tuesday, November 13, 2012, at 7pm at NYTW, 79 East 4 Street, between Bowery and Second Avenue. Opening night is scheduled for Tuesday, December 4 at 7pm. A Civil War Christmas is scheduled to run through Sunday, December 30.

Producers Broadway Across America (John Gore, Thomas B. McGrath, Beth Williams), Barbara Whitman, Latitude Link, Dede Harris, Sharon Karmazin, and Howard and Janet Kagan have just announced that the La Jolla Playhouse production of the new American musical HANDS ON A HARDBODY will open Thursday, March 21, 2013 at Broadway's Brooks Atkinson Theatre (256 West 47th Street), following a preview period that begins Saturday, February 23, 2013. Ticket information will be announced shortly.

Previews begin Friday, October 12 for the Playwrights Horizons' production of THE WHALE, the New York premiere of a new play by Obie Award winner Samuel D. Hunter (A Bright New Boise). Directed by Davis McCallum (February House, A Bright New Boise, the upcoming Water By the Spoonful at Second Stage), the production has an Opening Night set for Monday, November 5 at 7PM at Playwrights Horizons' Peter Jay Sharp Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

The producers of the new musical HANDS ON A HARDBODY announced today that Benjamin Millepied has withdrawn from the production due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts and that, going forward, Sergio Trujillo (Memphis, Jersey Boys) will assume musical staging responsibilities for the show. Theatre, dates, and ticket information for the Broadway production of HANDS ON A HARDBODY will be announced shortly.

Gulfshore Playhouse is preparing their seventh season with a variety of diverse productions, presentation formats, and venues. Naples' first and finest professional theatre company is growing to six Mainstage productions this year, running from October through April.

The Sundance Institute Theatre Program is now accepting submissions for the 2013 Sundance Institute Theatre Lab, which will return to the Sundance Resort in Sundance, Utah. Under the supervision of Philip Himberg, Artistic Director, and Producing Director Christopher Hibma, the three-week Lab (July 8-28, 2013) is the centerpiece of the Theatre Program's year-round work and is designed to develop emerging and established artists and to create a place where their original work can be effectively mentored and challenged.

La Jolla Playhouse previously announced the cast and creative team for its upcoming production of David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning Glengarry Glen Ross, directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley, running tonight, September 18 - October 21, 2012 in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre.

This season, Trustus Theatre is going on a "Sexploration" in their newly named Trustus Side Door Theatre. Not that all of the plays are explicitly about the act of sex, but they do explore sexuality. The Trustus Side Door kicks off its current season with I Am My Own Wife, a one-man show starring local favorite Paul Kaufmann who will portray over 30 characters in one evening. The show opens Friday October 5th, at 8:00pm in the Trustus Side Door Theatre.

The Sundance Institute Theatre Program is now accepting submissions for the 2013 Sundance Institute Theatre Lab, which will return to the Sundance Resort in Sundance, Utah. Under the supervision of Philip Himberg, Artistic Director, and Producing Director Christopher Hibma, the three-week Lab (July 8-28, 2013) is the centerpiece of the Theatre Program's year-round work and is designed to develop emerging and established artists and to create a place where their original work can be effectively mentored and challenged.

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) Artistic Director James C. Nicola and Managing Director William Russo have announced that Red Dog Howls, written by Alexander Dinelaris and directed by Ken Rus Schmoll, begins performances tonight at 7pm at NYTW, 79 East 4 Street, between Bowery and Second Avenue. Opening night is scheduled for Monday, September 24 at 7pm. Award-winning actress Kathleen Chalfant (Angels in America, Wit) returns to New York Theatre Workshop in a landmark role, joining Florencia Lozano and Alfredo Narciso in the cast of this New York premiere.

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) Artistic Director James C. Nicola and Managing Director William Russo previously announced that Kathleen Chalfant will lead the cast of NYTW's production of Red Dog Howls, written by Alexander Dinelaris. Ken Rus Schmoll will direct the production, which opens the 2012-13 season, beginning performances tonight, September 4, 2012.

Today in 2009, The Little Mermaid closed at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, where it ran for 685 performances. The Little Mermaid is based on the animated 1989 Disney film of the same name and the classic story of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen. The musical's book is by Doug Wright, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by the late Howard Ashman (written for the film) and new lyrics by Glenn Slater. The original cast featured Sierra Boggess in the title role of Ariel, Sean Palmer as Prince Eric, Brian D'Addario and Trevor Braun alternate as Flounder, Norm Lewis as King Triton, Sherie Rene Scott as Ursula, Tituss Burgess as Sebastian, Tyler Maynard as Flotsam, Derrick Baskin as Jetsam, Jonathan Freeman as Grimsby, and John Treacy Egan as Chef Louis.

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced additional casting for its 2012/2013 Season, with initial casting for THE GREAT GOD PAN, the World Premiere of a new play by Obie Award winner Amy Herzog (After the Revolution at PH, 4000 Miles), directed by Carolyn Cantor (After the Revolution and Essential Self-Defense at PH, Pumpgirl, Orange Water Flower).