Frank Galati News

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey today announced a change to its previously announced 2009 Season. In announcing the change, Bonnie J. Monte, artistic director of The Shakespeare Theatre said, 'Recently, we announced an exhilarating and ambitious line-up of plays for 2009, and we are very excited about bringing these great works to life. However, in the last few weeks, like many non-profits, we've been informed of the loss of several grants from the corporate sector. We are committed to controlling costs and securing our future in these tough times, and therefore, we have made the decision to replace Shakespeare's Timon of Athens with Moli?re's The School for Wives.

Exigent Theatre presents HENRI GABLER, a new play by Alexander Burns adapted from Henrik Ibsen's masterpiece HEDDA GABLER, to be directed by Alexander Burns. The production will start previews on Friday, March 20th at 8pm and open on Sunday March 22nd at 7pm. Performances are Friday, March 20th through Sunday, April 5th.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company continues its 2008-2009 season, an exploration of the imagination, with The Tempest by William Shakespeare, directed by ensemble member Tina Landau - playing March 26 - May 31, 2009 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St. The Tempest features ensemble members Alana Arenas, K. Todd Freeman, Frank Galati, Jon Michael Hill, Tim Hopper, James Vincent Meredith, Yasen Peyankov, Lois Smith and Alan Wilder with Eric James Casady, Miles Fletcher, Stephen Louis Grush, Emma Rosenthal and Craig Spidle. The press performance is Saturday, April 4, 2009 at 3:00 p.m.

Robert Falls proudly names his longtime artistic collaborator Brian Dennehy-two-time Tony and Golden Globe Award winner and six-time Emmy Award nominee-the newest member of Goodman Theatre's Artistic Collective, a diverse group of outstanding American theater artists who make the Goodman their artistic home.

Broadway's most talked about new musical and the biggest Tony Award-winner in years is coming to Cleveland. Spring Awakening, the 8-time Tony Award? winning Broadway musical, will open at PlayhouseSquare's PalaceTheatre and play for 16 performances, March 3-15. Spring Awakening is part of the KeyBank Broadway Series at PlayhouseSquare. Spring Awakening swept the 2007 Tony Awards? winning eight out of its eleven nominations, including Best Musical, Best Director (Michael Mayer), Best Book (Steven Sater), Best Choreography (Bill T. Jones), Best Orchestrations (Duncan Sheik), Best Lighting Design (Kevin Adams), Best Featured Actor (John Gallagher Jr.).

Steppenwolf Theatre Company continues its 2008-2009 season, an exploration of the imagination, with The Tempest by William Shakespeare, directed by ensemble member Tina Landau - playing March 26 - May 31, 2009 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St. The Tempest features ensemble members Alana Arenas, K. Todd Freeman, Frank Galati, Jon Michael Hill, Tim Hopper, James Vincent Meredith, Yasen Peyankov, Lois Smith andAlan Wilder with Eric James Casady, Miles Fletcher, Stephen Louis Grush, Emma Rosenthal and Craig Spidle.The press performance is Saturday, April 4, 2009 at 3:00 p.m.

Artistic Director Bonnie Metzgar and Managing Director Rick Dildine today announced the postponement of the spring 2009 world premiere production of 'What Once We Felt,' a new play by Ann-Marie Healy to October-November 2009. Simultaneously, the About Face Theatre Board of Directors launched a national 'FACE THE FUTURE' campaign to save the organization by raising $300,000.

San Francisco's cutting-edge Cutting Ball Theater continues its 2008-09 season with the Bay Area Premiere of Will Eno's London and Off-Broadway hit THOM PAIN (based on nothing). Crowded Fire Artistic Director Marissa Wolf helms this Pulitzer Prize-nominated one-man meditation on the empty promises that life makes, starring Jonathan Bock. THOM PAIN (based on nothing) plays March 13 through April 5 (Press opening: Friday, March 13) at the Cutting Ball Theater in residence at Exit on Taylor (277 Taylor Street) in San Francisco. Will Eno will be in residence at Cutting Ball; there will be a special opening night reception and Q&A on March 13 at 6:30pm with Eno, director Marissa Wolf, and Cutting Ball Artistic Director Rob Melrose. For tickets ($15-30) and more information, the public may visit cuttingball.com or call 800-838-3006.

Infamous Commonwealth Theatre closes their 2008-09 season dedicated to the topic Nature with Frank Galati's stage adaptation of John Steinbeck's THE GRAPES OF WRATH, directed by ICT Artistic Director and Jeff Citation winner Genevieve Thompson. NA?TURE (noun): native or inherent character: human nature; the instincts or inherent tendencies directing conduct: a man of good nature

Artistic Director Bonnie Metzgar and Managing Director Rick Dildine are pleased to announce About Face Theatre's second show of its 2008/2009 season, a dynamic, multimedia adaptation of 'Stupid Kids' by the late John C. Russell. The production, directed by Metzgar and Youth Theatre Program co- founder Megan Carney, will be presented at the Center on Halsted. 'Though set in the late '80s, our production incorporates very contemporary, interactive elements that kids are using today to express who they are- blogging, social networks, texting, personal video,' says co-director Metzgar. 'In fact, we will encourage audience members to leave cell phones on during the show and become a part of the action. We wanted to create a live collage of images and impressions from both eras to build a mash-up of these two generations.' To celebrate stupid stories about high school, About Face has launched the Stupid Kids Stuff Blog (http://stupidkidstuff.blogspot.com/), providing an opportunity for visitors to share their personal stories about being a 'stupid kid' and to participate in the Stupid Kids Multimedia Art Contest. Winning submissions will be featured in performances of the show and artists will receive complimentary tickets.

Yale Repertory Theatre (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) presents the east coast premiere of Lydia by Octavio Solis, directed by Juliette Carrillo at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street, at York Street) beginning February 6 through February 28. Opening Night is Thursday, February 12. Lydia features music composed by Chris Webb; sets by Andrew Boyce; costumes by Amanda Seymour; lighting by Jesse Belsky; sound design, additional music, and arrangements by David Molina; voice and dialect by Beth McGuire; fight direction by Rick Sordelet; dramaturgy by Matt Cornish; and stage management by Donald E. Claxon.

The Awards Gala The 25th Anniversary Helen Hayes Awards will be held on Monday, April 13, 2009 at the Warner Theatre and JW Marriott Hotel.

Broadway's most talked about new musical and the biggest Tony Award?-winner in years is coming to the Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis. Spring Awakening, the 8-time Tony Award? winning Broadway musical, will play a two-week engagement from February 10-22, 2009. Curtain times for the U.S. Bank Broadway Series presentation are Tuesdays through Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 & 8 p.m.; Sunday, February 15 at 2 & 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, February 22 at 2 p.m. There is also a weekday matinee on Thursday, February 19 at 1 p.m.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) presents the east coast premiere of LYDIA by OCTAVIO SOLIS, directed by JULIETTE CARRILLO at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street, at York Street) beginning February 6 through February 28. Opening Night is Thursday, February 12. LYDIA features music composed by Chris Webb; sets by Andrew Boyce; costumes by Amanda Seymour; lighting by Jesse Belsky; sound design, additional music, and arrangements by David Molina; voice and dialect by Beth McGuire; fight direction by Rick Sordelet; dramaturgy by Matt Cornish; and stage management by Donald E. Claxon. The cast of LYDIA includes Carlo Alb?n, Christian Barillas, Stephanie Beatriz, Armando Dur?n, Catalina Maynard, Onahoua Rodriguez, and Tony Sancho.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is excited to announce its 2009-2010 Subscription Season, exploring the theme of belief. Season subscriptions go on-sale to the public on Tuesday, February 3 at 11 a.m. Steppenwolf ensemble members currently confirmed for the 2009-2010 Season include: Alana Arenas, Kate Arrington, Ian Barford, Frank Galati, Jon Michael Hill, Francis Guinan, Tina Landau, Tracy Letts, Amy Morton, William Petersen, Rondi Reed, Anna D. Shapiro, Eric Simonson and Alan Wilder. Additional casting to be announced.

Broadway's most talked about new musical and the biggest Tony Award-winner in years is coming to Cleveland. Spring Awakening, the 8-time Tony Award? winning Broadway musical, will open at PlayhouseSquare's PalaceTheatre and play for 16 performances, March 3-15. Spring Awakening is part of the KeyBank Broadway Series at PlayhouseSquare. Spring Awakening swept the 2007 Tony Awards? winning eight out of its eleven nominations, including Best Musical, Best Director (Michael Mayer), Best Book (Steven Sater), Best Choreography (Bill T. Jones), Best Orchestrations (Duncan Sheik), Best Lighting Design (Kevin Adams), Best Featured Actor (John Gallagher Jr.).

Today Goodman Theatre becomes the first cultural institution to receive the Joyce Award for a second time, after receiving its first award in 2004. The Joyce Foundation announced this morning that the Goodman will receive a grant of $50,000 to support a new play by Latin American playwright Quiara Alegr?a Hudes. Tentatively titled The Jibaro Play, Hudes' new work draws on the cultural heritage of traditional Jibaro music and is due to premier at the Goodman during the 2011 season. The Joyce Foundation encourages cultural organizations to serve and represent the Great Lakes region's diverse population and fosters the development of new works in dance, music, theater and visual arts by artists of color. Goodman Theatre received the 2004 Joyce Award in theatre in support of Naomi Iizuka's play Ghostwritten which will have its world premiere April 4 - May 3, 2009, as part of the Goodman's 'Strong Women, Strong Voices' Owen Theatre Series. Ghostwritten tells the story of Susan, an acclaimed chef specializing in Asian cuisine and the mother of an adopted Vietnamese-born daughter, whose life changes forever when a mysterious stranger from her past returns to collect on an old debt. 'We are honored and thrilled to receive this award to support a new work by visionary Latin American playwright Quiara Alegr?a Hudes,' said Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Robert Falls. 'Diversity has long been at the core of our mission, and we are proud to welcome Quiara to the Goodman.' Other 2009 Joyce Award winners include Chicago's Ravinia Festival (Dance), the Detroit International Jazz Festival (Music) and the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (Visual Arts).

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) presents the east coast premiere of LYDIA by OCTAVIO SOLIS, directed by JULIETTE CARRILLO at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street, at York Street) beginning February 6 through February 28. Opening Night is Thursday, February 12. LYDIA features music composed by Chris Webb; sets by Andrew Boyce; costumes by Amanda Seymour; lighting by Jesse Belsky; sound design, additional music, and arrangements by David Molina; voice and dialect by Beth McGuire; fight direction by Rick Sordelet; dramaturgy by Matt Cornish; and stage management by Donald E. Claxon. The cast of LYDIA includes Carlo Alb?n, Christian Barillas, Stephanie Beatriz, Armando Dur?n, Catalina Maynard, Onahoua Rodriguez, and Tony Sancho.

Artistic Director Bonnie Metzgar and Managing Director Rick Dildine are pleased to announce About Face Theatre's second show of its 2008/2009 season, a dynamic, multimedia adaptation of 'Stupid Kids' by the late John C. Russell. The production, directed by Metzgar and Youth Theatre Program co- founder Megan Carney, will be presented at the Center on Halsted. 'Though set in the late '80s, our production incorporates very contemporary, interactive elements that kids are using today to express who they are- blogging, social networks, texting, personal video,' says co-director Metzgar. 'In fact, we will encourage audience members to leave cell phones on during the show and become a part of the action. We wanted to create a live collage of images and impressions from both eras to build a mash-up of these two generations.' To celebrate stupid stories about high school, About Face has launched the Stupid Kids Stuff Blog (http://stupidkidstuff.blogspot.com/), providing an opportunity for visitors to share their personal stories about being a 'stupid kid' and to participate in the Stupid Kids Multimedia Art Contest. Winning submissions will be featured in performances of the show and artists will receive complimentary tickets.

Broadway's most talked about new musical and the biggest Tony Award?-winner in years is coming to the Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis. Spring Awakening, the 8-time Tony Award? winning Broadway musical, will play a two-week engagement from February 10-22, 2009. Curtain times for the U.S. Bank Broadway Series presentation are Tuesdays through Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 & 8 p.m.; Sunday, February 15 at 2 & 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, February 22 at 2 p.m. There is also a weekday matinee on Thursday, February 19 at 1 p.m.