Lee Blessing News

The Cleveland Play House Artistic Director Michael Bloom announces the world premiere production of Thornton Wilder's novel Heaven's My Destination, adapted by award-winning playwright Lee Blessing. The play is the centerpiece of the fourth annual FusionFest, a multidisciplinary performing arts festival.

This evening's performance of 'Chasing Manet' at Primary Stages has been cancelled as cast member Vanessa Aspillaga rushes out of town to tend to a family emergency. Donnetta Grey, who recently appeared in 'Shipwrecked! An Entertainment,' will appear onstage, book in hand, when performances resume tomorrow evening at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters.

Profiles Theatre concludes its 20th Anniversary Season with the World premiere of the comedy/drama Graceland by Ellen Fairey, directed by Matt Miller. The production runs May 22-June 28, 2009, at Profiles Theatre, 4147 N. Broadway. The press opening is Thursday, May 28, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.

The Moonlight Cultural Foundation's free play-reading series, WordsWork, now in its fourth year, announces its upcoming series of Monday evening events. 'We are delighted to underwrite collaborations with some of the region's most notable and talented theatre companies and individuals

Variety reports that the American Theatre Critics Association honored E.M. Lewis' Song of Extinction as the recipient of the 2009 Harold and Mimi Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award, which rewards plays that debut at regional theaters outside New York City, on Saturday, April 4th at the Humana Festival in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Tony Award®-winning Old Globe presents the world premier of Cornelia, by Mark Victor Olsen (Big Love), directed by Ethan McSweeny (In This Corner), to run in the Old Globe Theatre May 16 - June 21 (press opening: Thursday, May 21 at 8pm).

Jackson Repertory Theatre will present NO SOLO MIO, written and performed by Carl Kissin, and STEPMOTHER IN A SARI, written and performed by Leslie Harrell Dillen, April 24-May 10. Jackson Rep is a new theater company in residence at The Garden School, 33-16 79th Street, Jackson Heights, Queens, NY. Tickets are $12/general and $10/students and seniors, and are available in advance at www.SmartTix.com (212-868-4444) or Inner Peace, 79-24 37th Ave in Jackson Heights.

The Cleveland Play House Artistic Director Michael Bloom announces the world premiere production of Thornton Wilder's novel Heaven's My Destination, adapted by award-winning playwright Lee Blessing. The play is the centerpiece of the fourth annual FusionFest, a multidisciplinary performing arts festival.

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) will celebrate Douglas Turner Ward, founder of the Negro Ensemble Company, with their 2009 Annual Gala on Monday, March 30th at Espace (635 West 42nd Street). Cocktails will begin at 6:30pm with dinner at 7:30 PM and performance/tribute to follow. The evening will be hosted by Phylicia Rashad and Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Individual ticket prices range from $600-$1,200 with table prices ranging from $6,000-$25,000.

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) will celebrate Douglas Turner Ward, founder of the Negro Ensemble Company, with their 2009 Annual Gala on Monday, March 30th at Espace (635 West 42nd Street). Cocktails will begin at 6:30pm with dinner at 7:30 PM and performance/tribute to follow. The evening will be hosted by Phylicia Rashad and Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Individual ticket prices range from $600-$1,200 with table prices ranging from $6,000-$25,000.

Profiles Theatre continues its 20th Anniversary Season with the acclaimed new dark comedy The Wonderful World of Dissocia by Anthony Neilson, directed by Profiles Associate Artistic Director Darrell W. Cox. The production runs March 26 - May 10, 2009, at Profiles Theatre, 4147 N. Broadway. The press opening is Thursday, March 26, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) presents the final production of the 2008-2009 Season: the world premiere of the comedy Chasing Manet by Tina Howe. Michael Wilson returns to Primary Stages to direct the seven member cast that features Tony Award-winner Jane Alexander as Catherine, Vanessa Aspillaga, Lynn Cohen as Rennie, Jack Gilpin, Julie Halston, David Margulies, and Robert Christopher Riley.

The award-winning playwright David Hare has announced that Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig is the recipient of the 2009 Yale Drama Series Award for Playwriting for her play Lidless. Ms. Cowhig's Yale Drama Series prize includes a $10,000 award from the David C. Horn Foundation, along with a staged reading of the work at Yale Rep in September 2009 (date TBA) and the publication of the play by Yale University Press.

The Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) production of Shipwrecked! An Entertainment - The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself) by Donald Margulies, a story-telling adventure suitable for all ages from the author of Sight Unseen, Collected Stories and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Dinner with Friends, in its New York Premiere, ends its limited engagement Saturday, March 7, 2009.W

For the fourth consecutive year, The Cleveland Play House presents FusionFest, the only multidisciplinary performing arts festival at a regional theatre in the country, from April 29-May 10, 2009. The festival will offer a sampling of international and 'other-worldly' works, including an ancient Japanese art form, Dogugaeshi, by master puppeteer Basil Twist, performances by Charles Ross of his One-Man Star Wars Trilogy, and a world-premiere adaptation of Thorton Wilder's comic novel Heaven's My Destination, by Tony-award nominee Lee Blessing and commissioned by The Play House expressly for FusionFest with support from The Roe Green Foundation.

The Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) production of Shipwrecked! An Entertainment - The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself) by Donald Margulies, a story-telling adventure suitable for all ages from the author of Sight Unseen, Collected Stories and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Dinner with Friends, in its New York Premiere, ends its limited engagement Saturday, March 7, 2009.W

Actors Theatre of Louisville is about to open its 33rd Humana Festival of New American Plays (March 1 - April 11) made possible by the Humana Foundation Inc. Past Humana Festival plays have gone on to win Pulitzer Prizes or receive regional theatre productions across the country and off-Broadway. Actors Theatre has been a major force in revitalizing American playwriting for the past 30 years in its presentation of the renowned Humana Festival.

The quirk-fest 'Quake' and the inter-generational study of three women 'Eleemosynary' are being staged this weekend at The University of the Arts. Special guests in attendance will include 'Quake' writer Melanie Marnich and 'Eleemosynary' writer Lee Blessing, who just happen to be husband and wife. After taking in their plays, they will take center stage with an open forum and post-show discussions.

Profiles Theatre continues its 20th Anniversary Season with the acclaimed new dark comedy The Wonderful World of Dissocia by Anthony Neilson, directed by Profiles Associate Artistic Director Darrell W. Cox. The production runs March 26 - May 10, 2009, at Profiles Theatre, 4147 N. Broadway. The press opening is Thursday, March 26, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.

Paul Adams, Artistic Director and Derek Jamison, Associate Artistic Director, present Emerging Artists Theatre's world premiere of THE CHISELERS by Mark Finley at TADA Theatre, beginning February 26, featuring Marie Wallace in the role of 'Beverley.' The production is directed by EAT member Melissa Attebery.