Lee Strasberg News

Berkshire Playwrights Lab will present a staged reading of James DeMarse's new play, Ceasefire, on Wednesday, August 22 at 7:30pm at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center (14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, Mass.). Directed by Joe Cacaci, the production will feature Tony Award-winning actors Ron Holgate and Roger Robinson, along with Kofi Boakye, Mickey Solis, and two actors to be announced. There is no charge for admission, however, Berkshire Playwrights Lab suggests a $10.00 donation to help offset its programming costs. For reservations, call 413.528.0100 or visit the Mahaiwe box office in person. For more information, see www.berkshireplaywrightslab.org.

Diversionary Theatre announced complete casting for its production of PIPPIN, the extraordinary musical journey with book & lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Roger O. Hirson and directed by James Vasquez. Performances begin at Diversionary Theatre (4545 Park Blvd San Diego, CA 92116) on September 6.

The award-winning Dreamhouse Theater Company returns after a four-year hiatus with a new season of shows and a new home. The first production as the new resident company at Jet Studios in North Hollywood, will be an emotionally-charged new look at Arthur Miller's extraordinary play, ALL MY SONS, directed by Dreamhouse Theater Company's Artistic Director Alex Sol. ALL MY SONS will open tonight, July 20 and continue through Sunday, September 2 at the Jet Theatre, 5126 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood.

The Glendale Centre Theatre continues its 2012 season with the heartwarming and poignant Tony Award-nominated On Golden Pond starring stage and screen veterans Andrew Prine and Salome Jens, tonight, July 12 through August 11, 2012 at the Glendale Centre Theatre in Glendale, Calif.

The award-winning Dreamhouse Theater Company returns after a four-year hiatus with a new season of shows and a new home. The first production as the new resident company at Jet Studios in North Hollywood, will be an emotionally-charged new look at Arthur Miller's extraordinary play, ALL MY SONS, directed by Dreamhouse Theater Company's Artistic Director Alex Sol. ALL MY SONS will open on Friday, July 20 and continue through Sunday, September 2 at the Jet Theatre, 5126 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood.

As part of the multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre's Summer Season, acclaimed US playwright Joshua Conkel makes his UK debut with the world premiere of the darkly comic The Sluts of Sutton Drive, opening at the Finborough Theatre for a strictly limited run of six Sunday and Monday performances from today, 24 June 2012 to the 9th of July.

The Glendale Centre Theatre continues its 2012 season with the heartwarming and poignant Tony Award-nominated On Golden Pond starring stage and screen veterans Andrew Prine and Salome Jens, July 12 through August 11, 2012 at the Glendale Centre Theatre in Glendale, Calif.

As BroadwayWorld reported earlier this week, David Mamet's 1984 play Glengarry Glen Ross is heading back to Broadway, this time starring Al Pacino as leading man, 'Shelly "The Machine" Levene.' Pacino previously played 'Richard Roma' the the 1992 film adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Daniel Sullivan is attached to direct the project. The New York Times has confirmed that the show will begin previews on October 16 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater. Opening night is set for November 11.

Yesterday, May 21, the Actor's Fund held its annual gala at the New York Marriott Marquis, honoring Tony and Emmy Award winning artist and activist Harry Belafonte, acting duo Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller, and real estate developer David Steiner. BroadwayWorld was there and brings you photo coverage below!

On the occasion of the Group Theatre's 80th anniversary, the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center (Frank Hentschker, Executive Director) presents a day of readings, panels, rarely-heard recordings and screenings of unseen footage all dedicated to understanding "The Group Theatre and How it Changed American Culture." All events are free, first-come-first-served, and take place in the Elebash Recital Hall at the Graduate Center, CUNY, at 34th Street and 5th Avenue.

As part of the multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre's Summer Season, acclaimed US playwright Joshua Conkel makes his UK debut with the world premiere of the darkly comic The Sluts of Sutton Drive, opening at the Finborough Theatre for a strictly limited run of six Sunday and Monday performances from Sunday, 24 June 2012 to the 9th of July.

The Actors Fund's annual gala tonight, May 21, 2012 at the New York Marriott Marquis, 1535 Broadway, will honor Tony and Emmy Award winning artist activist Harry Belafonte, acting duo Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller, and real estate developer David Steiner.

True friendship is a journey - there is no roadmap. Award-winning playwright Richard Martin Hirsch takes us back to the Summer of '69, exploring the fragile nature of friendship in a world premiere dramedy inspired by true events. Darin Anthony directs The Closeness of the Horizon for a six-week run tonight, May 18 through June 24, presented by CoffeeHouse Productions at the Odyssey Theatre in West Los Angeles.

Roundabout Theatre Company has announced a new Broadway production of Clifford Odets' The Big Knife, starring Emmy® Award winner and Tony Award® nominee Bobby Cannavale, directed by Tony Award winner Doug Hughes.

The Ridgefield Theater Barn offers an adult workshop on Thursday evenings, beginning tonight, May 3rd. 'Developing Your Acting Career' is taught by Susan Grace Cohen of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, where she has been a faculty member for 20 years. All levels of experience are welcome.

'I feel great - calm and good! My husband came in and told me this morning. We both had messages on our phones because we had them off. I try not to put too much pressure on the situation. He told me to wake up and it was a great way to start the day! This one feels different for me. I'm so excited and relieved- it makes you feel good and validated, though I hate to admit it. It feels very overindulgent because the show had been so fun, easy, and effortless. I love the people involved and it's been the icing on an already big cake. I'll do my show with my great cast and crew tonight and we'll all celebrate that we've been recognized. It's great- it makes you feel like you've already won.'

"Now, there's a movie star!" quoth Eileen (Anjelica Huston) of Rebecca Duvall (special guest star Uma Thurman) following her breathy and spastic performance of a new Julia/Tom musical number for the Marilyn Monroe-based musical-within-the-show on SMASH - BOMBSHELL - titled "Dig Deep". While last night's "The Movie Star" episode of NBC's musical dramedy series SMASH was light on the musical numbers - only Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Rebecca managed a musical moment - the drama was dense and delectable, with the rapport between the motley crew of characters comprising the enterprise improving by the week (and it started strong). Yet, despite the best efforts of Eileen, Tom (Christian Borle), Julia (Debra Messing) and Derek (Jack Davenport) in attempting to create a new version of the Marilyn musical that showcases her best (and limited) abilities. Rebecca is a tentative talent who lacks a lot in the vocal and dance departments - to say the least - yet it is undeniable that she also possesses a certain air of a star - perhaps because she is one; on SMASH (as in real life, given Thurman's A-list status), a big one. Portraying the movie star trying out a Broadway show for the first - and, most likely, last - time, Thurman brings a caustic, nutsy vibe to the seemingly bipolar screen siren - "36-ish", meaning more like 40-ish in actuality - and gives gravitas to the cartoonishly written role. Just as the Marilyn musical has shown its astonishing, chameleon-like adaptability in its iterations starring Karen and Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty) - not only in its star, but also in its style, sound, mood, conception and musical arrangements - now BOMBSHELL is being retrofitted for Rebecca. But, at what cost? Stripping the show of its big Broadway leading lady musical potential and showing off the supporting cast to take the focus off of the shaky star at the center, BOMBSHELL's "Dig Deep" yet again gave the simply astounding songwriting duo responsible for the songs of the shows-within-the-shows on SMASH (including all of the BOMBSHELL songstack heard and seen so far, as well as the glimpses at the previous Tom/Julia collaborations, HEAVEN & EARTH and THREE ON A MATCH) "Dig Deep" was a WEST SIDE STORY-esque hot jazz song complete with the syncopation and stylization implicit in the best songs of the Actors Studio era which the 50s-set scene set out to depict (Lee Strasberg and all).