Drama Department News

The Claire Trevor School of the Arts (CTSA) at the University of California, Irvine has announced the world premiere of a new play by award-winning playwright Luke Yankee.

A new play by award-winning playwright Luke Yankee will receive its world premiere at UC-Irvine this November. The Last Lifeboat is the untold story of J. Bruce Ismay, the owner of the White Star Line at the time of the sinking of the Titanic, whose decision to save himself rather than go down with the ship made him the scapegoat for one of the greatest disasters of all time. An ensemble cast playing multiple roles tells this epic tale which explores not only the tragedy itself, but the sensationalized trials and aftermath of the night that changed the world forever. The production will be directed and produced by Don Hill, Vice Chair of the UCI Drama Department.

As a play text, WOUNDS TO THE FACE is perhaps not as brutal an onslaught on audience reception as some of Howard Barker's other plays, but this production by the University of Cape Town's Drama Department certainly does reveal how challenging the piece is to realise as theatre, especially for young actors who can take away a great deal from engaging with a piece like this.

The University of Cape Town's Drama Department will present a production of Howard Barker's WOUNDS TO THE FACE, directed by Geoffrey Hyland, who recently directed a highly acclaimed production of the same playwright's SLOWLY.

Clever and full of campy humor, the world premiere Scary Musical The Musical has a dangerously speedy pace that will surely keep you on your toes as you enjoyably try to figure out whodunit. Now at the NoHo Arts Center and produced by NoHo ACE, the new musical has brilliantly skilled direction and choreography from James Mellon and boasts a truly killer cast, through November 9.

The University of Cape Town's Drama Department will present a production of Howard Barker's WOUNDS TO THE FACE, directed by Geoffrey Hyland, who recently directed a highly acclaimed production of the same playwright's SLOWLY.

Pink House Productions previously announced the New York City premier of YOU, ME AND THAT GUY, a hilarious 80 minute comedy about a recent college grad who uses the magic of a mystical open mic to heal her relationships with her technology saturated family and friends. Written by Stephen Sanow*, YOU, ME AND THAT GUY will open the 2014 Araca Project.

STRUCK SILENT, the second dynamic collaboration between the Baxter Theatre Centre and Sweden's Scenkonst Sormland will be performed at the Baxter Flipside for one week only.

Pink House Productions announced today the New York City premier of YOU, ME AND THAT GUY, a hilarious 80 minute comedy about a recent college grad who uses the magic of a mystical open mic to heal her relationships with her technology saturated family and friends. Written by Stephen Sanow*, YOU, ME AND THAT GUY will open the 2014 Araca Project.

DNAWORKS, in collaboration with Teatro Paraguas, will present the world premiere of 'Cascarones' by Irma Mayorga at Teatro Paraguas opening tonight, September 4, 2014 and running for 8 performances.

Gene O'Donovan, founder of Aurora Productions, one of Broadway's major companies for theatrical production management and technical supervision, has announced his retirement from his position as President of the company. O'Donovan founded Aurora Productions in 1994 and he remains with the company both as a consultant and to foster additional business development. Ben Heller, currently Vice President of Aurora, succeeds O'Donovan as President of the company.

Why do some actors make it and others don't? Ken Womble sets out to find the answer to this question, one that has fascinated and tormented him for years, in his new book, INSIDE ACT: How Ten Actors Made it and How You Can Too (Hansen Publishing Group, 373 pages, $24.99). To celebrate the release, BroadwayWorld will be featuring chapter previews from the new book. Today, hear from Richard Portnow!

A performance event that is one of the Western Cape's best kept secrets will once again light up the skies when the Clanwilliam Arts Project takes place this September. This will be the fourteenth time that approximately 40 facilitators from Magnet Theatre, the University of Cape Town's Drama Department, School of Fine Arts and College of Music, and talented individuals descend on Clanwilliam for a week of multidisciplinary arts magic.

International City Theatre trumpets its 30th Anniversary in 2015 with a season of five plays celebrating famous people, fiery stories and fun adventures. One of the few theaters in Los Angeles that has successfully made the step up from a 99-seat venue to a mid-sized, Equity House, ICT is Long Beach's resident professional theater company at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center.

DNAWORKS, in collaboration with Teatro Paraguas, will present the world premiere of 'Cascarones' by Irma Mayorga at Teatro Paraguas opening September 4, 2014 and running for 8 performances. Developed at the O'Neill Playwrights conference at the Eugene O'Neill Center in 2003, 'Cascarones' is directed by DNAWORKS co-founder Daniel Banks.

Cape May Stage, South Jersey's premiere Equity theatre, will welcome back two of its favorite performers: the husband-and-wife team of Michael Tucker and Jill Eikenberry. Beloved by Cape May audiences, this year these stars of NBC's L.A. Law return with a double header at the Robert Shackleton Playhouse on Monday, August 18 with the first show at 7 p.m. and an encore performance at 9 p.m.

Exeter Northcott Theatre has put its hardworking staff centre stage as it launches its autumn 2014 Season. To celebrate receiving Arts Council funding, the new brochure pays tribute to the fantastic team at the theatre as they make a trip back to the 1940s through the costume store.

In some aspects of American culture, weddings are considered amongst the most stressful episodes a person can endure. Despite the happiness associated with the affair, weddings offer a minefield of potential familial discord, monetary pressure, and the inevitable anxiety people feel surrounding their personal connection to the milestone...

New Perspectives Theatre Company (NPTC) has announced on the margin, the 7th Annual Women's Work Short Play Festival with six original scripts developed to that theme. The festival runs from Monday, August 4th to Saturday, August 9th with performances of two Programs alternating 4:00pm and 8:00pm curtain times.. on the margin performs at NPTC Studio, 458 West 37th Street (at 10th Avenue.)