Kenneth Lonergan News

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) will present the Florida premiere of Geoffrey Nauffts' contemporary drama Next Fall in FST's Keating Theatre (1241 N. Palm Avenue) on Wednesday, January 25 at 8:00pm.

Second Stage Theatre's Spring Gala celebration will honor Corporate Partner American Express, Artist Anna Deavere Smith, and Trustees Tavener Holmes Berry and Bambi Putnam for their extraordinary commitment to the arts and Second Stage on Monday, April 2, 2012 at Cipriani 42nd Street, 110 East 42nd Street.

Gilbert Films announced today that their next theatrical film project, YOU ARE HERE, will start production in May 2012 in North Carolina. The film, written and to be directed by Matthew Weiner (creator of Emmy and Golden Globe winning series MAD MEN, writer/executive producer of THE SOPRANOS) will star Owen Wilson (MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, WEDDING CRASHERS) and Zach Galifianakis (THE HANGOVER, DUE DATE).

Pine Box Theater Company kicks off its 2012 Season with THE JAMMER by Rolin Jones, directed by Artistic Director Vincent Teninty, playing May 19 - July 1, 2012 at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago.

Pine Box Theater Company today announced its 2012 Season, featuring THE JAMMER by Rolin Jones, directed by Artistic Director Vincent Teninty and the world premiere of 25 SAINTS by Ensemble Member JoshuaRollins, directed by Ensemble Member Susan E. Bowen. Tickets for THE JAMMERgo on sale Sunday, April 1 at www.pineboxtheater.org or by calling the Athenaeum Box Office at (773) 935-6875. The Athenaeum Box Office is open from 12 pm - last curtain, Wednesdays through Sundays.

Signature Theatre (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is pleased to announce casting for MY CHILDREN! MY AFRICA! by Athol Fugard and directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. The production runs May 1 - June 10, 2012 with a May 24 opening night in The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre at the Company's new home The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street between Dyer and 10th Avenues).

Due to popular demand, The New Group has announced a two-week extension for Russian Transport, which began previews on January 17 and had an Official Opening Night on January 30.

Deadline.com reports that actor Tate Donovan has joined the cast of the upcoming NBC drama pilot NOTORIOUS from Universal TV and BermanBraun. The project is penned by Liz Heldens.

Tune in for "Dinah Was" on Sunday, March 25 and be there when 90.7 FM KPFK launches L.A. Theatre Works' weekly radio theater series in its new Sunday night time slot. Beginning March 25, L.A. Theatre Works will air on KPFK every Sunday from8 pm - 10 pm.

Red Bull Theater are presenting Jean Genet's The Maids for a strictly limited engagement at Theater at St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues). Mr. Berger directs a company that features Ana Reeder, Jeanine Serralles, and J Smith-Cameron. The Maids will run 90 minutes, with no intermission. Their annual BENEFIT PERFORMANCE & PARTY was held Sunday, March 11th. Among the guests in attendance were playwrights Kenneth Lonergan and Nicky Silver, actors Michael Emerson, Matthew Rauch, and Oscar winner Estelle Parsons.

Off-Broadway theater company Playwrights Horizons will hold its annual Spring Gala on Monday evening, June 11th at the event space 583 Park Avenue. Titled "The Highest Standard", the evening will celebrate its five Pulitzer Prize-winning productions and honor the creators of these memorable works for the theater. The honorees are James Lapine (Sunday in the Park with George), Bruce Norris (Clybourne Park), Stephen Sondheim (Sunday in the Park with George), Alfred Uhry (Driving Miss Daisy), Wendy Wasserstein (The Heidi Chronicles) and Doug Wright (I Am My Own Wife).

Off-Broadway's The New Group honors David Rabe and Nancy Manocherian, founding Artistic Director of the cell theater in Chelsea, at the company's 2012 Gala, hosted by Janeane Garofalo & Morgan Spector. Rabe and Manocherian are recipients of the sixth annual Michael Mendelson Award for Outstanding Commitment to Theater. Founded in 2005, this award recognizes individuals who show outstanding commitment to the theatrical community. Past recipients include Wallace Shawn, Fred Wistow, Robyn Goodman, Ethan Hawke, Ruth and Stephen Hendel, Wendy Ettinger and Derek McLane.

Nicky Silver's play THE LYONS -- a critical and popular success when it debuted last fall at Vineyard Theatre -- will transfer to Broadway's Cort Theatre (138 W. 48 St.) with its entire original cast expected to be inteact, including the Tony Award-winning stars Linda Lavin and Dick Latessa, along with Kate Jennings Grant, Brenda Pressley and Gregory Wooddell. Michael Esper is in negotionations to return as well. The Vineyard Theatre production of THE LYONS will be presented on Broadway by producer Kathleen K. Johnson. Mark Brokaw directs.

The New Group will present the world premiere of An Early History of Fire, a new play by Tony Award-winning playwright David Rabe. Directed by Jo Bonney, this production features Deema Aitken, Gordon Clapp, Erin Darke, Jonny Orsini, Devin Ratray, Dennis Staroselsky, Theo Stockman and Claire van der Boom. Limited Off-Broadway engagement is slated April 5 - May 26 at The New Group @ Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street). Official Opening Night is set for Monday, April 23 at 7:00 PM. Lily Rabe, who was previously slated to star in the play will no longer be taking part in the production.

TOPHER GRACE and OLIVIA THIRLBY will co-star in Second Stage Theatre's production of Paul Weitz's world premiere comedy, LONELY, I'M NOT, directed by Trip Cullman. Preview performances are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, April 10 at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43rd street). The production will officially open on Monday, May 7. For tickets or more information, please visit www.2ST.com. Additional casting will be announced shortly.

Signature Theatre (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) has announced that performances begin tonight for the world premiere production of Katori Hall's HURT VILLAGE, directed by Patricia McGregor.

According to the New York Times, Playwrights Horizons will present FAR FROM HEAVEN, a new musical with book by Tony Award winner and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Richard Greenberg (Take Me Out, Three Days of Rain), music by Tony Award nominee Scott Frankel (Grey Gardens) and lyrics by Tony Award nominee Michael Korie (Grey Gardens, The Grapes of Wrath), in Spring 2013. The show will also play Williamstown Theatre Festival this summer. The musical was adapted from the acclaimed, award-winning 2002 Focus Features/Vulcan Productions motion picture Far From Heaven, written and directed by Todd Haynes.

Second Stage Theatre's current season continues with a new production of Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, directed by Kate Whoriskey and starring Norbert Leo Butz and Elizabeth Reaser. The show opens tonight, and you can get a first look with production highlights below!

Signature Theatre just announced that the company will produce the world premiere of Kenneth Lonergan's new play MEDIEVAL PLAY, which Lonergan will also direct. The production runs May 15 - June 24, 2012 with a June 7 opening night in The End Stage Theatre at the Company's new Frank Gehry-designed home The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues). Casting will be announced at a later date.