George Orwell News

The Geffen Playhouse announces its production of The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord. Written by Scott Carter, executive producer and writer for Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect and Real Time, this whip-smart philosophical comedy features Larry Cedar (Deadwood, PBS's Square One TV), David Melville (Travel Channel Lawrence of America, film Ironclad) and Armin Shimerman (Quark on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Associate Artistic Director at The Antaeus Company) and will be again helmed by director, Matt August (Broadway How the Grinch Stole Christmas). Discord began previews on October 7 with the press opening tonight, October 15. The closing date is currently scheduled for November 16.

Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) presents the first production of its 2014/15 season, George Orwell's Animal Farm, a world premiere adaptation by Althos Low. Directed by SYA Artistic and Educational Director Hallie Gordon, the cast of professional actors features Will Allan, Jasmine Bracey, Lucy Carapetyan, Amelia Hefferon, Matt Kahler, Mildred Marie Langford, Blake Montgomery, Dana Murphy, Lance Newton and Sean Parris. Animal Farm runs today, October 15 - November 9, 2014; the press performance is on Saturday, October 18 at 3pm.

59E59 Theaters will welcome Godlight Theatre Company with the world premiere of James Dickey's DELIVERANCE, based on his acclaimed novel, adapted by Sean Tyler, directed by Joe Tantalo. DELIVERANCE begins performances tonight, October 10 for a limited engagement through Sunday, November 9.

The Geffen Playhouse announces its production of The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord. Written by Scott Carter, executive producer and writer for Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect and Real Time, this whip-smart philosophical comedy features Larry Cedar (Deadwood, PBS's Square One TV), David Melville (Travel Channel Lawrence of America, film Ironclad) and Armin Shimerman (Quark on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Associate Artistic Director at The Antaeus Company) and will be again helmed by director, Matt August (Broadway How the Grinch Stole Christmas). Discord begins previews tonight, October 7 with the press opening on October 15. The closing date is currently scheduled for November 16.

The West End smash hit adaptation of George Orwell's dystopian masterpiece 1984 will visit the Exeter Northcott Theatre in October.

The award winning team at shake & stir theatre co recreate one of the most haunting love stories in all of literature, Wuthering Heights, from today 1 to 18 October 2014, in the Cremorne Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).

Rehearsals are underway for Steppenwolf for Young Adults' (SYA) first production of its 2014/15 season: George Orwell's Animal Farm, a world premiere adaptation by Althos Low.

The world premiere musical REVOLUTION IN THE ELBOW… will conclude its Off-Broadway run Saturday evening, September 20th at the Minetta Lane Theatre. With book, music & lyrics by Ívar Pall Jonsson, the cast of REVOLUTION IN THE ELBOW… is headed by Tony Award winner Cady Huffman and Kate Shindle. Performances for this "sinister, politically spot-on new rock musical with roots in David Bowie and George Orwell" (NY Music Daily) began July 31st with the official opening on August 13th.

The Geffen Playhouse announces its production of The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord. Written by Scott Carter, executive producer and writer for Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect and Real Time, this whip-smart philosophical comedy features Larry Cedar (Deadwood, PBS's Square One TV), David Melville (Travel Channel Lawrence of America, film Ironclad) and Armin Shimerman (Quark on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Associate Artistic Director at The Antaeus Company) and will be again helmed by director, Matt August (Broadway How the Grinch Stole Christmas). Discord begins previews on October 7 with the press opening on October 15. The closing date is currently scheduled for November 16.

The world premiere musical REVOLUTION IN THE ELBOW… is entering the final week of its run tonight at the Minetta Lane Theatre. The closing performance will be this Saturday evening, September 20th.

Today OZ, Nashville's first contemporary arts center, announces its 2014-15 season, which runs today, September 12, 2014 - June 27, 2015. The season is bookended by premieres, beginning with two performances (September 12 & 13) of Tim Robbins' interpretation of A Midsummer Night's Dream, produced and acted by the company he founded and leads, The Actors' Gang, in the production's first U.S. engagement outside of the company's home theater in Los Angeles. OZ's 2014-15 program will conclude with the world premiere (June 18-20) of Memory Rings, the latest multi-media stage production from innovative New York City-based puppetry collective Phantom Limb Company.

Central Works concludes the 2014 season with 'Recipe,' a profoundly funny new work by Michael Gene Sullivan, opening with a press Night on Saturday October 18 at 8 pm and running through November 23 at the historic Berkeley City Club. Sullivan serves up the laughs in this delicious take on a circle of sweet old grandmotherly bakers, who just happen to be dedicated to the armed overthrow of the United States government. But baking pies and cakes isn't enough to satisfy these four intrepid refugees from the sixties, and their burning desire to 'Up the Revolution!' Directed by Gary Graves, 'Recipe'is Central Works 45th world premiere and features Velina Brown* (Diane), Tamar Cohn (Ruth), Phoebe Moyer* (Lillian), Lynne Soffer* (Helen) and Jan Zvaifler (Janice), (*member AEA). It's one thing to say 'The government is probably listening to my calls,' but what do you do when you find out it's true? If it seems that the government that you call 'a fascist, surveillance state' has specifically targeted you, is specifically watching YOU (it's not paranoia if they really are after you!), then what? How do you live your life knowing that all your fears may, actually, be true?

The world premiere musical REVOLUTION IN THE ELBOW… will conclude its Off-Broadway run Saturday evening, September 20th at the Minetta Lane Theatre. With book, music & lyrics by Ívar Pall Jonsson, the cast of REVOLUTION IN THE ELBOW… is headed by Tony Award winner Cady Huffman and Kate Shindle. Performances for this "sinister, politically spot-on new rock musical with roots in David Bowie and George Orwell" (NY Music Daily) began July 31st with the official opening on August 13th.

Central Works concludes the 2014 season with "Recipe," a profoundly funny new work by Michael Gene Sullivan, opening with a press Night on Saturday October 18 at 8 pm and running through November 23 at the historic Berkeley City Club.

59E59 Theaters will welcome Godlight Theatre Company with the world premiere of James Dickey's DELIVERANCE, based on his acclaimed novel, adapted by Sean Tyler, directed by Joe Tantalo. DELIVERANCE begins performances on Friday, October 10 for a limited engagement through Sunday, November 9. Press opening is Tuesday, October 21 at 7:30 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7:30 PM; Friday at 8:30 PM; Saturday at 2:30 PM & 8:30 PM; and Sunday at 3:30 PM. Please note, there is no performance on Sunday, October 19, and an added performance on Sunday, October 12 at 7:30 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets are $25 ($17.50 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or go to www.59e59.org.

The West End smash hit adaptation of George Orwell's dystopian masterpiece 1984 begins its UK tour at the Citizens Theatre opening tonight, 29 August and running until Saturday 6 September

Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) has announced casting for the first production of its 2014/15 season, George Orwell's Animal Farm, a world premiere adaptation by Althos Low. Directed by SYA Artistic and Educational Director Hallie Gordon, the cast of professional actors features Will Allan, Jasmine Bracey, Lucy Carapetyan, Amelia Hefferon, Matt Kahler, Mildred Marie Langford, Blake Montgomery, Dana Murphy, Lance Newton and Sean Parris. Animal Farm runs October 15 - November 9, 2014; the press performance is on Saturday, October 18 at 3pm. Performances Tuesday through Friday at 10am are reserved for school groups only; public performances are scheduled Friday at 7:30pm (except October 17), Saturday at 3 and 7:30pm and Sunday at 3pm. Single tickets ($20) are on sale now through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St), 312-335-1650 and steppenwolf.org. School group tickets are available through Education and Community Programs Coordinator Lauren Sivak at 312-654-5643.

Like many people, I was both 'appalled and wryly amused' by Amazon's recent misunderstanding, misquote and mis-invocation of George Orwell in its ongoing battle with Hachette. While it may just be coincidence that Orwell was name-dropped in the middle of a confrontation between an online retail giant and a publisher, it is also appropriate, given that he often wrote about his relationship to books and the book business.

The Headlong, Nottingham Playhouse and Almeida Theatre production of 1984 will have its final West End performance today, 23 August 2014.