James Lapine News

Big Noise Theatre Company, a division of Winnetka Theatre, presents Sunday in the Park with George April 24 through May 17 Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at The Prairie Lakes Theater 515 E. Thacker Street, Des Plaines.

The World Premiere of INKED BABY, a new play by 2007 Susan Smith Blackburn nominee Christina Anderson in her Off-Broadway playwriting debut. INKED BABY began previews on Thursday, March 5 at 7:30 PM at Playwrights Horizons' Peter Jay Sharp Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

World Premiere of INKED BABY, a new play by 2007 Susan Smith Blackburn nominee Christina Anderson in her Off-Broadway playwriting debut. INKED BABY began previews on Thursday, March 5 at 7:30 PM at Playwrights Horizons' Peter Jay Sharp Theater (416 West 42nd Street). Directed by Kate Whoriskey (Fabulation at Playwrights Horizons, the current hit Ruined), INKED BABY will have its official opening on Monday, March 23 at 7:00 PM and continue through Sunday, April 5.

JESSICA MOLASKEY, the Broadway musical actress, jazz singing sensation, recording artist and radio personality, will perform an exclusive week-long engagement at the legendary jazz club Birdland (315 West 44th Street in Manhattan) from March 31 to April 4. She will be joined by the John Pizzarelli Quartet featuring John Pizzarelli on guitar, Larry Fuller on piano and Martin Pizzarelli on bass, Aaron Weinstein on violin and Tony Tedesco on drums. The show will feature selections from her critically acclaimed albums that she hasn't performed live, in addition to the possibility of special surprise guests. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 9:00 PM and 11:00 PM. There is a $30 general admission cover charge and $40 premium seats, both with a $10 table minimum. For reservations and further information, please call (212) 581-3080 or visit www.birdlandjazz.com.

Playwrights Horizons, under the leadership of Artistic Director Tim Sanford and Managing Director Leslie Marcus, is proud to announce four World Premieres for its 2009/2010 Season. Presented at the theater company's home at 416 West 42nd Street.

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, a new musical based on the beloved Laura Ingalls Wilder series of classic American books, will launch a national tour in October at The Ordway Theatre in St. Paul, Minnesota, following a five-week engagement beginning September 10 at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, N.J. Melissa Gilbert, who rose to fame as a child playing ?Laura' in the hugely successful NBC television series 'Little House on the Prairie' during the 1970's, now continues her legacy ?on the prairie' by taking on the role of Ma. LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE will also star Steve Blanchard as Pa and Kara Lindsay as Laura.

The Laurie Beechman Theatre, located within The West Bank Caf? (407 West 42nd St.), is pleased to continue our Friday night soiree, THE AFTER PARTY. Now going strong it's third, THE AFTER PARTY is billed as 'a weekly schmoozefest for the theatrically inclined.' Every Friday from 10:30 pm until the wee hours, pros from Broadway and aspiring stars alike belt it out on the stage of The Laurie Beechman Theatre.

World Premiere of INKED BABY, a new play by 2007 Susan Smith Blackburn nominee Christina Anderson in her Off-Broadway playwriting debut. INKED BABY begins previews on Thursday, March 5 at 7:30 PM at Playwrights Horizons' Peter Jay Sharp Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

April is the cruelest - and most hilarious - month at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, when Les Waters lets loose with another shocking script from Martin McDonagh. In 2007, the Obie Award-winning director scored a direct hit with his extended run of The Pillowman; since then, the Academy Award-winning author released his first feature film, In Bruges. Now Berkeley Rep reenlists these seasoned artists for another vicious comedy: The Lieutenant of Inishmore. Staged in the state-of-the-art Roda Theatre, this edgy farce begins previews on April 17, opens April 22, and closes May 17. BART and Wells Fargo serve as season sponsors for Berkeley Rep's 41st year of fearless theatre, and the executive producers for this show are Marjorie Randolph, Betty and Jack Schafer, and Philip and Shirley Schild.

Acclaimed Off-Broadway theater company Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) will hold its annual Spring Gala Benefit on Monday evening, April 27th at Guastavino's (409 East 59th Street).

Acclaimed Off-Broadway theater company Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) will hold its annual Spring Gala Benefit on Monday evening, April 27th at Guastavino's (409 East 59th Street).

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.).

The Alliance Theatre announced yesterday the cancellation of its planned world premiere of iSondheim: aMusical Revue. iSondheim, with music by Stephen Sondheim and book and direction by James Lapine, was to begin performances April 15th. Bloomberg News reports on some of the behind the scenes efforts that were made before the 'plug was pulled' on the high-tech musical retrospective written and staged by James Lapine, a longtime Sondheim collaborator.

The Alliance Theatre regretfully announces the cancellation of its planned world premiere of iSondheim: aMusical Revue. iSondheim, with music by Stephen Sondheim and book and direction by James Lapine, was to begin performances Apr. 15.

Starting tomorrow, Wednesday, February 25 at 10:00 AM, Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) will be accepting entries for its popular LIVEforFIVE online lottery for $5 tickets to its next production, the World Premiere of INKED BABY, a new play by 2007 Susan Smith Blackburn nominee Christina Anderson in her Off-Broadway playwriting debut. A total of 40 tickets will be available via the online lottery.

West 43rd Street will become a little pinker, as will the Easter Parade (and all of New York City in general) when the actor Leslie Jordan arrives to bring his acclaimed solo show, My Trip Down The Pink Carpet, to the Westside Theatre (407 West 43rd Street) this Spring. Producer Bruce Robert Harris announced that performances will begin on Wednesday, April 15, with an official opening night set for Monday evening, April 20. David Galligan directs the 6-week limited engagement.

Lakewood Theatre Company will celebrate its 56th anniversary season. Season tickets for the 2009 season are on sale now and prices range from $140.00 - $150.00. Performances are Thursday -Saturday at 8:00 PM, Sundays at 7:00 PM and some Sunday matinees at 2:00 PM. Season tickets can be purchased at the LTC Box Office at 368 S. State Street in Lake Oswego. Box Office hours are 9-5 weekdays and 10-4 on Saturdays. Call 503-635-3901 to charge your order by phone. Tickets may also be purchased on line beginning April 15th at http://www.lakewood-center.org

Ma-Yi Theater Company in association with Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company, will present the world premiere production of 'SOUL SAMURAI,' written by Qui Nguyen and directed by Robert Ross Parker, with fight choreography by Mr. Nguyen, when it begins performances on February 14 at HERE Arts Center(www.here.org), 145 Sixth Avenue (between Spring and Broome Streets, enter on Dominick Street). 'SOUL SAMURAI' will officially open on Thursday, February 19 at 8:30 p.m. This Off Broadway limited engagement will run through Sunday, March 15.

Cooler than Kill Bill, hotter than Shaft! The OBIE Award-winning Ma-Yi Theater Company teams up with the NYIT Award-winning Vampire Cowboys for 'SOUL SAMURAI' the story of Dewdrop and her fight through the mean streets of a post-apocalyptic Brooklyn. After avenging her lover's murder in the heart of Coney Island, Dewdrop now must make it back home to the Lower East Side before the shoguns of Kings County find her. In a play that mixes hip-hop culture, blaxploitation, and the martial arts, this production dials it back old school with this seventies-inspired samurai story. This is one slick slice with a sharp sword and a score to settle! 'SOUL SAMURAI' is being sponsored by the 2009 New York Comic Con.

Phoenix Entertainment is pleased to announce that the Tony Award-winning musical comedy THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, is coming to Grand Rapids' DeVos Performance Hall from April 7-11, 2009 for 7 performances. Tickets are now on sale. SPELLING BEE is directed by James Lapine, the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winner (Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods) who also directed the Broadway production. The musical, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, with additional material written by Jay Reiss, features music and lyrics by Tony Award-winner William Finn (Falsettos, Elegies, A New Brain) and a Tony Award-winning book by Rachel Sheinkin. SPELLING BEE features scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Jennifer Caprio, lighting design by Charlie Morrison, sound design by Craig Cassidy and choreography by Dan Knechtges.