Joe Mantello News

The funny thing about the truth is that it can be totally subjective and personal stories rarely involve just one person.  So, in Jon Robin Baitz's darkly comic drama, Other Desert Cities, when a depression-plagued writer tries curing the block following the success of her freshman effort with a book describing her view of her celebrity family's past tragedy, the holiday conversation crackles like a Yule log.

The company of the first North American tour of WICKED welcomes the return of Katie Rose Clarke as Glinda and Kyle Dean Massey as Fiyero on Tuesday, November 15 in Cincinnati, OH.

Frank Theatre will present THE SANTALAND DIARIES, the stage adaptation of David Sedaris' hilarious account of his stint as a Christmas elf in Macy's 'SantaLand' Nov. 27-Dec. 30 at the Assembly of the Woman's Club of Minneapolis, located on Loring Park at 410 Oak Grove Street, Mpls, MN 55403. The production features Twin Cities actor Joe Leary as 'Crumpet the Elf,' with scenery by Steve Rohde, costumes by Kathy Kohl, lighting by Mike Wangen and sound by Sarah Pickett with assistance from Katharine Horowitz.

The third annual production of The Santaland Diaries is set to return to Portland Center Stage's Ellyn Bye Studio with a new Crumpet the Elf in tow, actor Jim Lichtscheidl.

Last week, the Lincoln Center Production of Jon Robin Baitz's critically acclaimed new play OTHER DESERT CITIES directed by Joe Mantello opened at the Booth Theatre. The production stars Stockard Channing, Rachel Griffiths, Stacy Keach, Judith Light and Thomas Sadoski. Click below to hear from the company on opening night!

A day-of-performance lottery for a limited number of orchestra seats will be held daily for WICKED, performing from Wednesday, November 9 through Sunday, December 4 at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines.

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater has announced the cast and creative team for the world premiere of HORSEDREAMS, a new play written by and featuring award-winning and Pulitzer Prize finalist, Dael Orlandersmith. The third production of the company's 17th season, performances of HORSEDREAMS will begin Wednesday, November 9th at Rattlestick Theater (224 Waverly Place - off Seventh Avenue South, between Perry & West 11th Streets). The official opening night is set for Thursday, November 17th. The production is scheduled to run through December 11th. Gordon Edelstein directs.

Back by 'Popular' demand, Broadway's biggest blockbuster, WICKED will return to its Los Angeles home, the Pantages Theatre, for a strictly-limited engagement this holiday season running November 30, 2011 - January 29, 2012. When it first played the Pantages in 2005, it broke box office records and sold out in record time. WICKED returned two years later to begin an extended engagement that would go on to run two years, becoming one of the longest-running Broadway musicals in L.A. history.

The company of the first North American tour of WICKED welcomes the return of Katie Rose Clarke as Glinda and Kyle Dean Massey as Fiyero on Tuesday, November 15 in Cincinnati, OH.

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater announced today that its world premiere of Asuncion, the new comedy written by and starring Academy Award-nominee Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), will extend its run at The Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce Street). Originally scheduled to close on November 27, Asuncion will now play an additional three weeks and conclude following the Sunday, December 18th performance.

This Sunday, November 6 at 12:30 p.m. WHO-TV will air a 30 minute behind-the-scenes special of WICKED, Broadway's biggest blockbuster, which flies back in to Des Moines November 9 through December 4. The special presentation reveals never-before-seen backstage footage and commentary from cast and creative team members, providing a detailed look at how the best-selling 1995 novel by author Gregory Maguire was brought to the Broadway stage and became the phenomenon it is today.

The award-winning star of stage, screen and television Andrea Martin will bring her brand new one woman show Final Days! Everything Must Go!! to the Hangar Theatre stage for one night only, Saturday, November 12th at 8 PM.

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week, or you're just in the mood for a recap of everything theatre, BroadwayWorld's feature, 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end of the week fix. Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to the West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more! For last week's biggest events: visit THIS WEEK IN PICTURES: October 22-28.

While GLEE's Ryan Murphy's is working on a big screen adaptation of 'The Normal Heart', Larry Kramer is still looking to spread the message of the play on stage. Kramer told Metro Weekly: 'Daryl Roth has been the most amazing producer anyone could ever work with. She's just in love with this play, and she pledged to me that she would take it on tour and that she would get it done in England. And she's working toward both of those.

Performances began October 12 at 8 pm at the Booth Theatre for Jon Robin Baitz's critically acclaimed new play OTHER DESERT CITIES directed by Joe Mantello. This Lincoln Center Theater production features Stockard Channing, Rachel Griffiths, Stacy Keach, Judith Light and Thomas Sadoski. The production officially opened last night, November 3 and BroadwayWorld was on hand for the after party.

Performances began October 12 at 8 pm at the Booth Theatre for Jon Robin Baitz's critically acclaimed new play OTHER DESERT CITIES directed by Joe Mantello. This Lincoln Center Theater production features Stockard Channing, Rachel Griffiths, Stacy Keach, Judith Light and Thomas Sadoski. The production officially opened last night, November 3 and below, BroadwayWorld brings you photo coverage of the starry theater arrivals.

Broadway luminary, Seth Rudetsky, returns to Chicago with his hilarious one-man-show Deconstructing Broadway, featuring video and audio clips of memorable and hilarious musical theater moments.