KJ Sanchez News

California Shakespeare Theater opens its 2018 Season with the World Premiere of Quixote Nuevo, a music-filled, contemporary retelling of Miguel de Cervantes' classic Spanish novel Don Quixote. Celebrated Latino playwright Octavio Solis takes us on a journey to the fictional modern-day border town of La Mancha, Texas, where an aging Don Quixote loses himself in stories of chivalrous escapades and embarks on a quest of imagination, adventure, and Tejano music. Quixote Nuevo, directed by acclaimed documentary playmaker KJ Sanchez making her Cal Shakes debut, will feature Emilio Delgado, best known for his long-running role as Luis on Sesame Street, in the title role, and a cast of Latinx actors from the Bay Area and beyond. Quixote Nuevo plays June 13 - July 1 (press night: June 16); tickets are $20 - 92 and are available at calshakes.org or 510.548.9666.

California Shakespeare Theater (Cal Shakes) today announced key artists for its 2018 Season at the Bruns Amphitheater, including the Cal Shakes directorial debuts of KJ Sanchez (Quixote Nuevo) and Nataki Garrett (Everybody).

Wisconsin native Ayad Akhtar, winner of the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and newly elected Milwaukee Rep trustee, and Artistic Director Mark Clements will adapt Akhtar's critically acclaimed first novel American Dervish for the stage to make its World Premiere at Milwaukee Repertory Theater in an upcoming season as part of the John (Jack) D. New Play Development Program. The Rep's multi-year exploration of Akhtar's work, including The Invisible Hand (2015/16), Disgraced (2016/17), The Who & The What (2017/18) and the upcoming regional premiere of his new Broadway play Junk in the 2018/19 65th Anniversary Season, have delighted audiences and reinforced The Rep's commitment to producing entertaining and thought-provoking world class theater.

Artistic Director Blake Robison announced Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park's 2018-2019 season today, which features blockbuster musicals, contemporary comedies, world premieres and some of theatre's leading playwrights and directors.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) is proud to present the world premiere of Lost Laughs: The Slapstick Tragedy of Fatty Arbuckle, written by Andy Bayiates and Aaron Muñoz, directed by Nathan Keepers, with performances February 14 - March 11, 2018, at the Nancy L. Donahue Theatre located at 50 East Merrimack Street in historic downtown Lowell. In addition, MRT is hosting a panel discussion on the historical context of Lost Laughs titled "Women's Rights, Prohibition, and the Fall of Fatty," on Thursday, March 1, immediately after the 7:30 pm show (details below).

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) starts off 2018 with the latest in its 39th season: the world premiere production of Vichet Chum's KNYUM. Vichet Chum will make both his playwrighting and acting debut at MRT with his brand new, one-man play following the story of Guy, a hotel night clerk who spends the quiet hours of the night shift studying Khmer, the language of his family's home of Cambodia, in preparation for his first visit to the country his parents fled from decades before. Guy stumbles awkwardly towards fluency to awaken to parts of his heritage, both beautiful and excruciating, which shine through in his wildly luminous dreams.

Project: Theater is set to present the 8 year anniversary presentation of OUR BAR.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater to hold auditions for the second annual Professional Training Institute (PTI), an advanced actor training program for students in 8th-12th grade who may have an interest in pursuing a career as a professional theater artist. Participants will receive free training from some of the top theater professionals in the world, culminating in a capstone summer performance where they will be employed as paid, professional actors.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) announces a world-class lineup of teaching artists for 2017-18 Young Company, the one-of-a-kind youth program that has kids tell their own stories through theatre and stay connected with MRT all year long.

Last night at Milwaukee Repertory Theater's annual meeting, Artistic Director Mark Clements and  Managing Director Chad Bauman alongside Campaign chairs Judy Hansen and Catherine Robinson unveiled the "Created in Milwaukee" Capital Campaign to raise $10 million for several major initiatives over the next few years, which will solidify The Rep as a major player on the national theatrical scene and a cornerstone of Milwaukee's cultural community. 

Repertory Theater presents the inaugural Professional Training Institute's production of So Thrive My Soul, in the Stiemke Studio July 13 - 16, 2017. The Professional Training Institute (PTI) is a free yearlong advance actor training program for students in 8th-12th grade who may have an interest in pursuing a career as a professional theater artist.

The legendary story of Jane Eyre, written by Charlotte Bronte in 1847, arrives as artful, contemporary adaption by Polly Teale in Milwaukee Repertory Theater's season ending production at the Quadracci Powerhouse. Director KJ Sanchez follows Teale's lead and delves deeper into the psychology between Jane and Mr. Rochester's uninhibited, possible mad wife Bertha. The two characters, through actors, Margaret Ivey (Jane) and Rin Allen (Bertha) shadow each other throughout the production. In this adaptation, Bertha appears to mirror Jane's repressed Victorian feelings that literally ignite their lives and  English homestead, Thornfield. 

Milwaukee Repertory Theater presents a critically acclaimed adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's classic story Jane Eyre in the Quadracci Powerhouse, beginning April 25 through May 21. Directed by KJ Sanchez (Harvey, The Diary of Anne Frank), Jane Eyre is a passionate romance meets thrilling psychological drama performed by ten actors playing more than 20 roles. The production combines Victorian-era costumes with inventive staging to bring new creativity and vitality to the classic story, considered one of the most widely read novels in the English language. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) has announced its 2017-18 Season, the third under Artistic Director Sean Daniels.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater presents the critically acclaimed adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's classic storyJane Eyre in the Quadracci Powerhouse beginning April 25 through May 21. Directed by KJ Sanchez (Harvey, The Diary of Anne Frank), Jane Eyre is a passionate romance meets thrilling psychological drama performed by ten actors playing more than 20 roles.  The production combines Victorian-era costumes with inventive staging to bring new creativity and vitality to the classic story, considered one of the most widely read novels in the English language.

Refreshing and cleverly staged by K.J. Sanchez, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park's production of Jane Eyre, adapted by Polly Teale runs through April 8th.

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park brings Charlotte Bronte's timeless coming-of-age novel to life beginning March 11. The production combines Victorian-era costumes and romance with inventive staging to bring new creativity and vitality to the classic story, considered one of the most widely read novels in the English language.

HowlRound, a knowledge commons by and for the theatre community, and the New England Foundation for the Arts will host a special convening of key stakeholders from the arts, healthcare, and military communities for deep discussion on practices, learning, challenges and impact around creating and presenting arts projects addressing military and veterans issues.

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park announced today an exciting season of extravagant stage adaptations, powerhouse productions and world premieres, beginning with an adaptation of the Oscar-winning film SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE opening Sept. 2.

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park brings Charlotte Bronte's timeless coming-of-age novel to life beginning March 11. The production combines Victorian-era costumes and romance with inventive staging to bring new creativity and vitality to the classic story, considered one of the most widely read novels in the English language.