John Turturro News

The Ford's Theatre 2009-2010 season opens with 'Black Pearl Sings!' by Frank Higgins, September 25-October 18, 2009. Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins makes her Ford's Theatre debut in the title role with Erika Rolfsrud as Susannah. Jennifer L. Nelson returns to direct for the first time since her critically acclaimed production of 'Jitney.'

It's that time of year again, when the city officially turns into the NY intelligencia's playground. Yes, I am referring to the New Yorker Festival, which takes place over the October 16 - October 18 weekend. Among the highlights: panel discussions an Q & As with stage and screen stars Stanly Tucci, Christine Baranski and Tilda Swinton, among others.

From September 8-16, BAMcinématek, the repertory film program at BAM Rose Cinemas, presents Robert Redford: Artist & Activist, a 16-film tribute to Redford's 50-year career in film. Robert Redford will be at BAM in-person to discuss his work as one of the 20th century's most celebrated actors and as an Academy-award winning director, as well as a leading environmental and social change activist, and champion of independent cinema as founder of The Sundance Institute.

Tonya Pinkins and Erika Rolfsrud to Star in Black Pearl Sings! at Ford's Theatre

The Lyric Theatre will be presenting The Big Lebowski on Saturday, September 5th at 6pm and 9pm. Tickets are $3 each and can be purchased online at www.lyrictheatre.com or by visiting the Lyric Theatre Box Office. General admission - seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Ford's Theatre 2009-2010 season opens with 'Black Pearl Sings!' by Frank Higgins, September 25-October 18, 2009. Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins makes her Ford's Theatre debut in the title role with Erika Rolfsrud as Susannah. Jennifer L. Nelson returns to direct for the first time since her critically acclaimed production of 'Jitney.'

Classic Stage Company (CSC), under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, has announced details for their upcoming 2009-10 season.

From September 8-16, BAMcinématek, the repertory film program at BAM Rose Cinemas, presents Robert Redford: Artist & Activist, a 16-film tribute to Redford's 50-year career in film. Robert Redford will be at BAM in-person to discuss his work as one of the 20th century's most celebrated actors and as an Academy-award winning director, as well as a leading environmental and social change activist, and champion of independent cinema as founder of The Sundance Institute.

The Lyric Theatre will be presenting The Big Lebowski on Saturday, September 5th at 6pm and 9pm. Tickets are $3 each and can be purchased online at www.lyrictheatre.com or by visiting the Lyric Theatre Box Office. General admission - seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

The New School for Drama has announced that the award-winning playwright Jon Robin Baitz will be the distinguished artist-in-residence for the 2009-2010 academic year. Baitz is a Pulitzer finalist, a Guggenheim and NEA fellow, and winner of an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award. A founding member and former artistic director of New York's Naked Angels theater company, Baitz has written a number of acclaimed plays, including The Film Society, The Substance of Fire, Three Hotels, A Fair Country, Ten Unknowns, Mizlansky/Zilinsky, a new version of Ibsen's Hedda Gabler (produced on Broadway in 2001), and The Paris Letter. Playwrights Horizons, the Roundabout Theatre Company, Lincoln Center Theater, and the Second Stage Theatre have produced Baitz's work in New York. His new play, Love and Mercy, will be produced next season on Broadway.

From September 8-16, BAMcinématek, the repertory film program at BAM Rose Cinemas, presents Robert Redford: Artist & Activist, a 16-film tribute to Redford's 50-year career in film. Robert Redford will be at BAM in-person to discuss his work as one of the 20th century's most celebrated actors and as an Academy-award winning director, as well as a leading environmental and social change activist, and champion of independent cinema as founder of the Sundance Institute.

It is with great honor that THE COLUMN Awards Board of Directors and the Executive Director/producer announce that TONY Award winning star Cady Huffman will be a special guest star at the 10th Annual COLUMN Awards Gala.

West Coast Ensemble presents YENTA: Straight from the Mouth, written and performed by Annie Korzen and Directed by Judy Chaikin. YENTA: Straight from the Mouth will open on Saturday, February 21 at 3:00pm and continue through Sunday, March 22 at the new home of West Coast Ensemble - the El Centro Theatre, 800 N. El Centro Ave. in Hollywood. Annie Korzen (SEINFELD's Doris Klompus) thinks the world would be a better place if everyone would just do what she says. Much to her amazement, the world doesn't seem to agree. An engaging evening of comedy. music and constructive criticism from the creator of the world-wide hit, YENTA UNPLUGGED. Mostly funny, sometimes serious, sometimes naughty: all of it scientifically calibrated to make you a better person!

West Coast Ensemble presents YENTA: Straight from the Mouth, written and performed by Annie Korzen and Directed by Judy Chaikin. YENTA: Straight from the Mouth will open on Saturday, February 21 at 3:00pm and continue through Sunday, March 22 at the new home of West Coast Ensemble - the El Centro Theatre, 800 N. El Centro Ave. in Hollywood. Annie Korzen (SEINFELD's Doris Klompus) thinks the world would be a better place if everyone would just do what she says. Much to her amazement, the world doesn't seem to agree. An engaging evening of comedy. music and constructive criticism from the creator of the world-wide hit, YENTA UNPLUGGED. Mostly funny, sometimes serious, sometimes naughty: all of it scientifically calibrated to make you a better person!

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen will present MONDAY NIGHT OTHELLO, an exciting theatrical experience in which acclaimed actors including Michael Cumpsty, John Turturro, Alan Cumming and Michael Potts will work through and explore a different act of Shakespeare's OTHELLO with an acclaimed director in front of an audience on four Monday evenings this winter at Classic Stage Company (136 East 13th Street). The directors are CSC Artistic Director Brian Kulick, former CSC Artistic Director Barry Edelstein and Michael Sexton.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen will present MONDAY NIGHT OTHELLO, an exciting theatrical experience in which acclaimed actors including Michael Cumpsty, John Turturro, Alan Cumming and Michael Potts will work through and explore a different act of Shakespeare's OTHELLO with an acclaimed director in front of an audience on four Monday evenings this winter at Classic Stage Company (136 East 13th Street). The directors are CSC Artistic Director Brian Kulick, former CSC Artistic Director Barry Edelstein and Michael Sexton.

For the role of prolific nonfiction writer James Reston, Jr., the author of 13 books, including 'The Conviction of Richard Nixon: The Untold Story of the Frost/Nixon Interviews' (which recounts the author's time spent as the prime Watergate researcher on the Frost interview team), Howard would turn to Sam Rockwell.

Oliver Platt was brought on board to play seasoned journalist Bob Zelnick. A former national bureau chief for NPR, Zelnick was placed in charge of researching Nixon's domestic and foreign policy for the Frost team. A virtual encyclopedia of Nixon knowledge, Zelnick played Nixon in the team's rehearsals for the interviews.

After starring on the Broadway stage in mega-hit Chicago , Vincent Pastore (The Sopranos), continues to shine as the lead, "Biggie," in the 1976 Tony Award-winning revival of Lamp Post Reunion. The play, set to open on November 7, 2008 has already sold out its run at the Arclight Theater. The play also stars Ricky Aiello, whose father Danny originated the award-winning part of "Biggie" on Broadway.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) presents the American premiere of HAPPY NOW? by Lucinda Coxon, directed by Liz Diamond, at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street). Opening Night is October 30 with performances running through November 15th.