Jo Bonney News

As the country prepares for the 2012 presidential election, Texas Performing Arts welcomes one of America's premiere artists, Laurie Anderson, performing her intimate but volatile piece, Dirtday! Anderson looks at politics, theories of evolution, families, history, and animals in this riotous and soulful collection of songs and stories. As Anderson says, "Politicians are essentially story tellers. They describe the world as it is and also as they think it should be. As a fellow story teller, it seems like a really good time to think about how words can literally create the world."

MCC THEATER today announced full casting for Don't Go Gentle and additional casting for Small Engine Repair, two productions in their upcoming 2012-13 season, which marks the company's 27th consecutive year producing and developing new work by today's most provocative and vibrant artists.

The New Group has announced complete casting for Francine Volpe's suspenseful drama The Good Mother. Darren Goldstein, Alfredo Narciso, Eric Nelsen and Bill Sage join Gretchen Mol (previously announced) in this world premiere directed by Scott Elliott. Previews for the play, which launches The New Group's 2012-13 season, begin October 29 in advance of an Official Opening Night on Thursday, November 15. A limited Off-Broadway engagement is slated through December 22 at The New Group @ Theatre Row (The Acorn Theatre / 410 West 42nd Street / Acorn Theatre).

Stage and screen star Sanaa Lathan (A Raisin in the Sun, Contagion) returns to the title role in Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage's By the Way, Meet Vera Stark for its West Coast premiere at the Geffen Playhouse. Lathan, who originated the character of Vera Stark in the critically acclaimed New York run, will once again take the stage as the 1930's era maid turned movie star, reunited with original cast member Kimberly Hebert Gregory (Spike Lee's Red Hook Summer) reprising her role as fellow aspiring African American actress Lottie. Broadway vet and Geffen alum Merle Dandridge (Spamalot, Rent, Aida) will take on the spicy role of Anna Mae, who fakes a Brazilian accent for a slice of fame, and former leading lady of ABC's Man Up, Amanda Detmer, will portray Gloria Mitchell, the white starlet dubbed "America's little sweetie pie" and Vera's first employer. Helmed by award-winning director Jo Bonney, the West Coast premiere cast also features Kevin Carroll (Paid in Full, Being John Malkovich), Spencer Garrett (Iron Man 3, Air Force One) and Geffen alum Mather Zickel (Extraordinary Chambers, Rachel Getting Married).

Denver Center Theatre Company (DCTC) took home four 2012 Henry Awards during the Colorado Theatre Guild's 7thAnnual Henry Awards on Monday, July 16 at the L2 Arts and Culture Center. DCTC was represented in 14 categories with 15 nominations and was honored with two special awards.

'Emotional Creature' exemplifies the spirit and heart of Ensler's best-selling book 'I am an Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls Around the World, shedding light on the joys and challenges as well as the violence faced by girls across the globe. 'Emotional Creature' is a theatrically lit match that will light a fire in your heart and has the potential to spark a girl revolution.

Producers Carole Black and Pat Mitchell announced today that EMOTIONAL CREATURE, the new play written by Tony Award®-winning playwright, performer, activist, and The Vagina Monologues author Eve Ensler, will get a New York premiere this fall.

'Emotional Creature' exemplifies the spirit and heart of Ensler's best-selling book 'I am an Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls Around the World, shedding light on the joys and challenges as well as the violence faced by girls across the globe. 'Emotional Creature' is a theatrically lit match that will light a fire in your heart and has the potential to spark a girl revolution.

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) today announced that Jon Bernthal (AMC's "The Walking Dead") and actor/playwright John Pollono will star in the New York Premiere of Small Engine Repair, by John Pollono, directed by Jo Bonney (Neil LaBute's The Break of Noon, Some Girl(s), Fat Pig). The production will be the third and final production of MCC's 2012-13 three-play mainstage season, which marks the company's 27th consecutive year producing and developing new work by today's most provocative and vibrant artists. Small Engine Repair will be performed at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) May 16 - June 23, 2013.

EMOTIONAL CREATURE, written by Eve Ensler (Tony Award-winning author of The Vagina Monologues) makes its world premiere at Berkeley Rep now through July 15, 2012. The show stars Ashley Bryant, Molly Carden, Emily S. Grosland, Joaquina Kalukango, Sade Namei, and Olivia Oguma. Check out production photos of the girls on stage in EMOTIONAL CREATURE below!

Berkeley Rep presents the world premiere of a powerful new play from Tony Award-winner Eve Ensler. Staged by Obie Award--winning director Jo Bonney and performed by a talented ensemble of young women, Emotional Creature is made up of a original monologues and songs about and for girls. Placing their stories squarely center stage, it gives full expression to their secret voices and innermost thoughts, highlighting the diversity and commonality of the issues they face.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre announced the cast and creative team for its world premiere of Eve Ensler's EMOTIONAL CREATURE. This positive and propulsive new show - from the Tony Award-winning playwright, performer, and activist who created The Vagina Monologues - features a choreographer, a composer, four top designers, and an ensemble of talented young women. Directed by Obie Award-winner Jo Bonney, Emotional Creature plays only 36 performances in the Roda Theatre. The limited engagement at Berkeley Rep begins previews tonight, June 14, opens June 22, and runs through July 15. The lead producers of this premiere are Wayne Jordan and Quinn Delaney, Marjorie Randolph, and Jack and Betty Schafer; the executive producer is the Strauch Kulhanjian Family. The development of this production has been supported in part by The Mosse Artistic Development Fund.

EMOTIONAL CREATURE, written by Eve Ensler and directed by Jo Bonney, with music and music direction by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder and featuring choreography by Luam and designs by Myung Hee Cho (sets and costumes), Lap Chi Chu (lights), Jake Rodriguez (sound), and Shawn Sagady (video), is set to make its world premiere at Berkeley Rep June 14 through July 15, 2012. Check out photos of the playwright, director and cast below!

Nominations for the 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced at a news conference this morning by Drama Desk winners Donna Murphy and Brian d'Arcy James. The 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards took place tonight, Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 8:00 PM at The Town Hall in Manhattan.

Nominations for the 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced at a news conference on April 27 by Drama Desk winners Donna Murphy and Brian d'Arcy James. After weeks of anticipation, the ceremony is tonight, June 3, at The Town Hall and BroadwayWorld will be bringing you the full spectrum of coverage, of course!

Off-Broadway's The New Group has just announced its 2012-2013 season, featuring three world premiere productions. As the season launch in Fall 2012, Scott Elliott, Artistic Director of The New Group, directs Francine Volpe's The Good Mother, featuring Gretchen Mol. Jonathan Marc Sherman's new work Clive arrives in Winter 2013, directed by and featuring Ethan Hawke in the title role. Spring 2013 ushers in the premiere of a new musical at The New Group, Bunty Berman Presents..., by Ayub Khan Din (music, book, lyrics) and Paul Bogaev (music), directed by Scott Elliott.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre announced the cast and creative team for its world premiere of Eve Ensler's EMOTIONAL CREATURE. This positive and propulsive new show - from the Tony Award-winning playwright, performer, and activist who created The Vagina Monologues - features a choreographer, a composer, four top designers, and an ensemble of talented young women. Directed by Obie Award-winner Jo Bonney, Emotional Creature plays only 36 performances in the Roda Theatre. The limited engagement at Berkeley Rep begins previews on June 14, opens June 22, and runs through July 15. The lead producers of this premiere are Wayne Jordan and Quinn Delaney, Marjorie Randolph, and Jack and Betty Schafer; the executive producer is the Strauch Kulhanjian Family. The development of this production has been supported in part by The Mosse Artistic Development Fund.

Tonight, May 7, Women Behind Bars arrives at The New Group @ Theatre Row in a one-night-only benefit reading of the play by Tom Eyen. Directed by Scott Elliott, Women Behind Bars features: Charles Busch (The Matron), Janeane Garofalo (Louise), Nancy Giles (Jo-Jo), Josh Hamilton (the men), Natasha Lyonne (Cheri), Cynthia Nixon (Blanche), Rosie O'Donnell (Gloria), Rosie Perez (Guadalupe), Rhea Perlman (Granny, The Warden), Chloe Sevigny (Mary-Eleanor) and Jennifer Tilly (Ada).