Eric Simonson News

 Portland Opera’s 2022/23 season will feature the cultural touchstone Carmen; Thumbprint, a powerful new opera inspired by the story of Mukhtar Mai, a trailblazing Pakistani human rights activist; the company’s first production of the iconic and magical Dvořák opera Rusalka and more.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation’s premier ensemble theater company, is opening its stunning new in-the-round Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell with ensemble member Yasen Peyankov’s extraordinarily funny and lyrical adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s Seagull, April 28–June 12, 2022.

The Lucille Lortel Awards, the preeminent honor presented exclusively to recognize Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway, have confirmed their return to a LIVE in-person celebration on Sunday, May 1, 2022, at 7:00PM at NYU Skirball. All New York University.

San Diego Opera's 2021 2022 will close with the West Coast Premiere of Aging Magician a hybrid opera/theatre piece that combines singing, choral work, puppetry, and performance art to create an incredibly unique theatrical experience.

The season includes four mainstage productions at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Carmen, La traviata, The Shining, and Sondheim on Sondheim in addition to live performances of the holiday classic, Amahl and the Night Visitors and the Kansas City premiere of Listen, Wilhelmina!, an imaginative children's opera at the Michael and Ginger Frost Production Arts Building. All Kauffman Center performances will be accompanied by the Kansas City Symphony.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is opening its stunning new in-the-round Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell—the centerpiece of its recently unveiled Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center—with ensemble member Yasen Peyankov’s extraordinarily funny and lyrical adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s Seagull, April 28–June 12, 2022 (opening May 8).

Manhattan Theatre Club announced the lineup for the 2022 Ted Snowdon Reading Series. The readings kick off Monday, March 14 and will be held on Mondays through March 28. The readings will take place at New York City Center – Stage I (131 West 55th Street). All readings are free and open to the public, but space is limited and RSVPs are required.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot attended the dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting for Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s new Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center.

Since 2001, MTC has awarded a total of 100 commissions through the Sloan Foundation Program. Learn more about this year's commissions here!

In our new series, 'Where Are They Now?' we're taking a look back at some of our favorite original Broadway casts, and catching up with their careers!  First up, the original cast of In the Heights! 

Northlight Theatre continues to engage audiences with its commitment to developing new work with free Interplay readings.

Northlight Theatre continues to engage audiences with its commitment to developing new work with two new plays.

History may have its eyes on Hamilton, but today, we have our eyes on the history of its stars. Below take a deep dive into the career of the general himself, Christopher Jackson!

Getting on the phone with Albert Poland totally swept me away and into the world we love for a glorious 45 minutes...

Lynne Meadow (Artistic Director) and Barry Grove (Executive Producer) have announced this year's six recipients of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Initiative commissions. The commissioned writers are Kate Attwell, Mia Chung, Noah Diaz, Julia Izumi, Ife Olujobi, and Stacey Rose.

Minnesota Opera has announced its lineup for the 2020 Digital Opera series!

Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) has announced the lineup for the 2020 Ted Snowdon Reading Series.

Steppenwolf's world premiere production of LINDIWE, a collaboration between ensemble member Eric Simonson and acclaimed South African music group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, finds the most success in its musical moments. The production, co-directed by Simonson and Jonathan Berry, features new music from Ladysmith Black Mambazo to tell the love story of the titular Lindiwe and her boyfriend Adam. It helps that the narrative focuses on Lindiwe's experience as a singer touring with Ladysmith Black Mambazo-and, indeed, the group literally accompanies her at several moments throughout the production. Lindiwe explains that she never goes anywhere without her 'guys,' as she affectionately refers to them. Thus, Ladysmith Black Mambazo functions as a kind of Greek chorus underscoring the romantic storyline at the play's center. The conceit also allows for the play to utilize the group's original music.

Each year, Broadway champions works both new and old, welcoming a fresh crop of plays from playwrights both at home and abroad every season. Their works enrapture audiences, offering takes on comedy, drama, history and everything in between, dazzling in their relevance, sparkling in their spectacle, and often challenging in their complexity.