Jeff Biehl News

Play On Shakespeare today announces an expansive list of compelling actors and dynamic directors confirmed to participate in the Play on! Festival, presented in association with Classic Stage Company (CSC) and Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF). Play on! features 39 readings of new, work-in-progress translations of Shakespeare's plays into contemporary modern English by some of today's most exciting playwrights-May 29-June 30 at the Lynn F. Angelson Theater at CSC (136 E. 13th Street). In 2015, Oregon Shakespeare Festival launched an ambitious 39-play, three-year commissioning project, Play on!, tasking 36 playwrights-more than half of whom were women and playwrights of color, each paired with a dramaturg-to translate Shakespeare's canon in celebration of the enduring impact of the Bard's work. Supported by a generous grant from the Hitz Foundation and inspired by long-time patron Dave Hitz's passion for Shakespeare, the project was and continues to be led by Lue Morgan Douthit. For more information, visit playonfestival.org.

In the past few weeks, we've watched the nominations roll in. Today the final crop of nominees have been revealed, all leading to next week's ultimate announcement- the 2019 Tony nominations.

Wheelhouse Theater Company is continuing its red-hot streak as rave reviews pour in for its New York premiere of Aaron Posner's LIFE SUCKS,which is sort of adapted from 'Uncle Vanya' by Anton Chekhov.  

A month ago I saw Austin Pendleton portray a teacher on Broadway in the fine play Choir Boy. Now he is the elderly Professor with a much younger third wife. They are visiting with Sonia and Uncle Vanya in this adaptation of Chekhov's play. Right from the start, the cast informs that LIFE SUCKS. is about love and longing, true to the spirit of its source material. The Professor notes 'it's also about the audacious, ludicrous and protean nature of the obstreperous and ever-feckless human heart.' Vanya points out 'he has a penchant for sesquipedalian elocution.' Fans of word play will lick their chops listening to some of this dialogue.

Fresh off the heels of their critically acclaimed revival of Happy Birthday, Wanda June, Wheelhouse Theater Company and its Founding Members, Matt Harrington, David Kenner, Michael Schantz, and Jeffrey Wise, has announced that it will present the New York Premiere of Aaron Posner's Life Sucks., March 22nd through April 20th at The Wild Project (195 East 3rd Street). The cast features Jeff Biehl, Nadia Bowers, Kimberly Chatterjee, Barbara Kingsley, Stacey Linnertz, Austin Pendleton, and Michael Schantz. Wheelhouse's Jeff Wise directs the production, which will have its official opening night on March 27th at 7:00PM. 

Page 73 announces complete casting for the first production in its 20th Anniversary Season, Catch as Catch Can, written by Mia Chung (You For Me For You) and directed by Ken Rus Schmoll (Judy, Grounded).  Performances begin on Monday, October 22 at the New Ohio Theatre for a limited run through Saturday, November 17.

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) is proud to announce full casting and creative team for the Theatre Company's World Premiere production of Zoey's Perfect Wedding.

Colt Coeur and WP Theater (formerly Women's Project Theater) announce casting for the fourth annual Parity Plays Festival reading series, celebrating the work of female and trans playwrights and directors.

The Playwrights Realm has announced that Sebastian Chacon will join the cast for the final performances in the Realm's World Premiere production of Michael Yates Crowley's acclaimed The Rape of the Sabine Women by Grace B. Matthias.

The World Premiere of Michael Yates Crowley's The Rape of the Sabine Women by Grace B. Matthias opened on Sunday, September 10 at The Duke on 42nd Street, a New 42nd Street project, and BroadwayWorld has photos from the festivities below!

The World Premiere of Michael Yates Crowley's The Rape of the Sabine Women, By Grace B. Matthias opens on Sunday, September 10 at The Duke on 42nd Street, a New 42nd Street project.

Led by Founding Artistic Director Katherine Kovner and Producing Director Roberta Pereira, The Playwrights Realm kicks off their 2017-18 season with the World Premiere of Michael Yates Crowley's The Rape of the Sabine Women, By Grace B. Matthias (August 25 - September 23) at The Duke on 42nd Street, a New 42nd Street project. Directed by Tyne Rafaeli, this complex collision of satire and dark comedy fearlessly explores rape culture in America and was previously developed as part of The Realm's 2014-15 Writing Fellowship.

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater has announced the line-up for NEW SONGS NOW, an unplugged concert series, presented in association with New Neighborhood and Rosalind Productions, Inc. taking place Sunday, July 23 through Thursday, July 27 at 8:30pm at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater (224 Waverly Place New York, NY 10014).

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater has announced its complete 2017/18 which will kick off with Diana Oh's {my lingerie play} 2017: Installation #9: THE CONCERT AND CALL TO ARMS!!!!!!!!! this September, presented in association with Rosalind Productions, Inc., music by Diana Oh, co-directed by Stephanie Ryan Johnstone and Oh, with music direction by Ryan McCurdy. The mainstage season will continue in January 2018 with Dael Orlandersmith's UNTIL THE FLOOD and Mashuq Mushtaq Deen's DRAW THE CIRCLE will be presented in repertory.

Two Seattle teenagers embark on an impulsive motorcycle journey to join a group of oil protesters on the east coast. But as they follow a major pipeline across the country, what began as two young activists' longing to belong to something greater than themselves gives way to Rain and Zoe discovering that the true danger in this world might just be growing up … no matter what the cost. A darkly comedic coming of age fairy tale, RAIN AND ZOE SAVE THE WORLD is a race to regain the possibility of change in a world whose days are numbered without it.

Yale Repertory Theatre, celebrating 50 years of daring artists, bold choices, and adventurous audiences, presents the world premiere of Scenes from Court Life, or the whipping boy and his prince by Sarah Ruhl, directed by Mark Wing-Davey, now through October 22 at Yale University Theatre (222 York Street). Opening Night is tonight, October 6.

Yale Repertory Theatre, celebrating 50 years of daring artists, bold choices, and adventurous audiences, presents the world premiere of Scenes from Court Life, or the whipping boy and his prince by Sarah Ruhl, directed by Mark Wing-Davey, tonight, September 30, through October 22 at Yale University Theatre (222 York Street). Opening Night is Thursday, October 6.

Yale Repertory Theatre, celebrating 50 years of daring artists, bold choices, and adventurous audiences, presents the world premiere of Scenes from Court Life, or the whipping boy and his prince by Sarah Ruhl, directed by Mark Wing-Davey, September 30-October 22 at Yale University Theatre (222 York Street). Opening Night is Thursday, October 6.

?Westport Country Playhouse will present a Script in Hand playreading of Sidney Howard's "The Late Christopher Bean," a comedy about paintings left to a family by a deceased artist suddenly skyrocketing in value, on Monday, June 27, at 7 p.m.  The play will be directed by Anne Keefe, Playhouse associate artist and curator of the playreading series. Tickets are $20 each. 

SPACE on Ryder Farm, the non-profit artist residency program located on Ryder Farm, an idyllic 200 year-old working organic farm in Brewster, New York announced its 2016 season for The Working Farm, Family Residency, Creative Solutions Symposium and Artistic Residency programs at The Players Club. In attendence were Josh Charles, David Bar Katz, Michael Urie, and Marsha Norman, as well as 2016 SPACE residents Cusi Cram, Daisy Foote, Adam Rapp, and recipients of the inaugural Relentless Award--Clare Barron and Sarah DeLappe.