Kenny Leon News

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College continues its 2017-18 Kumble Theater season with Daniel Beaty's solo theatrical tour-de-force, Emergency, on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at 8pm and Sunday, February 18, 2018 at 3pm.

According to The New York Times, the unique musical is getting a second chance at Atlanta's True Colors Theater Company, co-founded by 'Holler' director Kenny Leon in 2002.

 The American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University (AMTP) announces the 2017/2018 season of workshop readings written by award-winning music theatre creators, directed by leading regional theater and Broadway directors and performed by students in the AMTP program.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Today's big news: Lin-Manuel Miranda will be hosting a live #Ham4Ham in celebration of opening night of HAMILTON in LA and more!

Producer Hal Luftig announced today that Mark Medoff's landmark play, Children of a Lesser God, will return to Broadway this spring for the first time since its Tony Award-winning premiere production.  Starring Joshua Jackson and introducing Lauren Ridloff, both making their Broadway debuts, and directed by Tony Award-winner Kenny Leon, Children of a Lesser God will begin performances at Studio 54 (254 West 54th Street) on Thursday, March 22nd.  Opening night is set for Wednesday, April 11, 2018.

It has been a wild beginning to the week in terms of Broadway announcements, as not one, not two, but three shows announced main stem intentions for the next year. First, Monday brought a surprise Broadway announcement, as Ken Davenport and his fellow producers announced that the long-gestating original musical GETTIN' THE BAND BACK TOGETHER will be coming to Broadway's Belasco Theatre beginning in July of 2018.

The Acting Company has announced its 2017-18 season, which exemplifies the venerable organization's commitment to cultivating a national audience for the theater with exceptional touring productions of classical and new works; developing the best young American actors by giving them an opportunity to practice their craft in a wide-ranging repertory; and educating students that have limited access to the arts.

Hartford Stage Artistic Director Darko Tresnjak and Managing Director Michael Stotts announced today the cast and creative team for William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Tresnjak. The comedy, which runs September 7 through October 8, opens Hartford Stage's 2017-18 season. Actors Scarlett Strallen, Esau Pritchett, and John Lavelle lead the distinguished cast.

Second Stage Theater (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director, Casey Reitz, Executive Director) has announced complete casting for its upcoming production of Harvey Fierstein's TORCH SONG, directed by Moises Kaufman.

Second Stage Theater, the preeminent home for American plays and living American playwrights, has announced new Board of Trustees members Elin Nierenberg, Tamara Harris Robinson, Ira Schreck, Brooke Shields, Susan Wasserstein and Kara Young.

Roundabout Theatre Company presents the first new play of Roundabout Underground's expanded 2017-2018 season, the world-premiere production of Too Heavy For Your Pocket by Jireh Breon Holder, directed by Margot Bordelon, and featuring Eboni Flowers (Evelyn Brandon), Hampton Fluker (Tony Carter), Brandon Gill (Bowzie Brandon) and Nneka Okafor (Sally-Mae Carter).

Artistic Director Kenny Leon and True Colors Theatre Company presents the Atlanta premiere of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize winning dramedy, Between Riverside and Crazy written by Stephen Adly Guirgis and directed by Eric J. Little.

Single tickets for Second Stage Theater's production of Harvey Fierstein's TORCH SONG, directed by Moises Kaufman, will go on sale to the general public today, Tuesday, July 25 at 1:00pm at 2ST.com or by calling the Second Stage Box Office at (212) 246-4422.

Berkshire Theatre Group is currently presenting (through July 22) the Tony Award-winning Children of a Lesser God, directed by Tony Award-winner, Kenny Leon (A Raisin in the Sun). Now according to the New York Post, producers have their eyes on the show for Broadway. Michael Riedel writes that Hal Luftig is waiting to confirm a theatre for a spring 2018 transfer.

Artistic Director Kenny Leon and True Colors Theatre Company and TCTC Board of Directors announce the hiring of Chandra Stephens-Albright as their next managing director. 

NBC's HAIRSPRAY LIVE! was the recipient of seven Emmy nominations. Below, check out colorful images from the live broadcast featuring Emmy-nominated set designs, costumes, make-up, hairstyles and more, along with video which illustrates why HAIRSPRAY LIVE! was worthy of yesterday's high honors!

Berkeley Repertory Theatre today announced the full casting and creative team for the world premiere of AIN'T TOO PROUD-THE TEMPTATIONS MUSICAL. The musical stage production will be directed by Tony Award winner Des McAnuff. Berkeley Rep presents the show by special arrangement with Ira Pittelman and Tom Hulce (American Idiot, Spring Awakening).

Second Stage Theater has announced that the world premiere of GREG PIERCE's play, CARDINAL, directed by KATE WHORISKEY, has been added to the 2017-18 season. The production will open in Winter 2018 at the Tony Kiser Theater (305 West 43rd Street).

Juilliard Drama, celebrating its 50th anniversary, announces its 2017-18 season of fully staged productions featuring Juilliard's Group 47 acting students in their fourth and final year in the drama program.

National New Play Network, the country's alliance of nonprofit theaters that champions the development, production, and continued life of new plays, announces its 2017-18 grant recipients, including the 2017 Smith Prize for Political Theatre, seven Producer Residencies, and five Collaboration Fund awards that will support partnerships between multiple Member Theaters, playwrights, and other theater makers in various projects.