Liesl Tommy News

The Riant Theatre's 28th Season of the Strawberry One-Act Festival will kick-off with nine eclectic plays covering a gamut of themes ranging from American slavery, Nazi Germany and Muslim women to friendly ghosts, dead artists and an interracial lesbian couple on Wednesday, August 5 at the Tato Laviera Theatre, 240 East 123rd Street, between Second and Third Avenues. These plays will also be performed on August 9. The tickets for the Strawberry One-Act Festival, from August 5 - 23 at the Tato Laviera, are $25.00 - $35.00  

The Riant Theatre's launch party for the 28th Season of the Strawberry One-Act Festival featured a special Pioneer of the Arts Award presentation to South African born, Obie Award winning director Liesl Tommy (Appropriate), who was recently tapped to direct Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o in her first New York play Eclipsed by playwright-actress Danai Guira (The Walking Dead.) Scroll down for photos from the party!

Primary Stages and Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Project present Informed Consent, a New York City premiere by Deborah Zoe Laufer (End Days, Leveling Up) and directed by Obie winner Liesl Tommy (Appropriate, The Good Negro). The limited engagement begins performances tonight, August 4, and continues through September 13, 2015 at Primary Stages at The Duke on 42nd Street - a New 42nd Street project.

Primary Stages and Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Project present Informed Consent, a New York City premiere by Deborah Zoe Laufer (End Days, Leveling Up)and directed by Obie winner Liesl Tommy (Appropriate, The Good Negro).  The limited engagement begins performances August 4 and continues through September 13, 2015 at Primary Stages at The Duke on 42nd Street - a New 42nd Street project.  Opening night is Tuesday, August 18 at 7PM.

BroadwayWorld has just learned that Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o will make her New York stage debut this fall in the NYC premiere of Danai Gurira's new drama ECLIPSED, just added to The Public Theater's fall season.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, presents DEAR EVAN HANSEN. The original musical, featuring a score by Tony Award nominees Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (Broadway's A Christmas Story, The Musical; Dogfight), a book by Steven Levenson (Masters of Sex) and directed by three-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Broadway's Rent, Next to Normal, If/Then), is a contemporary, intimate story of hope, heartache and the things in life we all need-friends, family and a place to call home. With choreography by Danny Mefford and music supervision, orchestrations and dance arrangements by Tony Award winner Alex Lacamoire, Dear Evan Hansen runs now through August 23, 2015, opening tonight, July 30, in the Kreeger Theater.

 The Riant Theatre will kick off the  Strawberry One-Act Festival with a launch party and reception  presenting Pioneer of the Arts Awards honoring  Liesl Tommy, Obie winning director from South Africa, and Peter Anthony Andrews, the first African American TV network entertainment vice president, on Sunday, July 26 at the Poet's Den Theatre, 309 East 108th Street from 3:00pm - 7:00pm.  Tickets for the event are $50.

 Tina Benko (Broadway's Irena's Vow, Top Girls, The Real Thing) joins Pun Bandhu (Wit, The Judge), Jesse J. Perez (Recent Tragic Events, American Splendor), DeLanna Studi (August: Osage County, Edge of America), and Myra Lucretia Taylor (Nine, 'Girls') in Primary Stages and Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Project's upcoming production, Informed Consent. The New York City premiere by Deborah Zoe Laufer (End Days, Leveling Up) and directed by Obie winner Liesl Tommy(Appropriate, The Good Negro) will play a limited engagement August 4 - September 13, 2015 at Primary Stages at The Duke on 42nd Street - a New 42nd Street project. Opening night is Tuesday, August 18 at 7PM.

The Riant Theatre gives audiences a look at plays presented at the August  2015 Strawberry One-Act Festival with an evening of nine excerpts of love themed plays from the anthology The Best Plays From The Strawberry One-Act Festival (iUniverse) tonight, July 15th at 6:30pm at 440 Studios, 440 Lafayette Street, 4th Floor, Black Box Theatre.

The Riant Theatre gives audiences a look at plays presented at the August  2015 Strawberry One-Act Festival with an evening of nine excerpts of love themed plays from the anthology The Best Plays From The Strawberry One-Act Festival (iUniverse) on Wednesday, July 15th at 6:30pm at 440 Studios, 440 Lafayette Street, 4th Floor, Black Box Theatre.

The Old Globe's presentation of Kiss Me, Kate, the classic musical comedy featuring a book by Sam and Bella Spewack and an iconic score by Cole Porter, begins tonight, July 1, on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center.

BroadwayWorld has confirmed that Tina Benko (Broadway's Irena's Vow, Top Girls, The Real Thing) will join Pun Bandhu (Wit, The Judge), Jesse J. Perez (Recent Tragic Events, American Splendor), DeLanna Studi (August: Osage County, Edge of America), and Myra Lucretia Taylor (Nine, 'Girls') in Primary Stages and Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Project's upcoming production, Informed Consent. The New York City premiere by Deborah Zoe Laufer (End Days, Leveling Up) and directed by Obie winner Liesl Tommy (Appropriate, The Good Negro) will play a limited engagement August 4 - September 13, 2015 at Primary Stages at The Duke on 42nd Street - a New 42nd Street project.  Opening night is Tuesday, August 18 at 7PM.

The complete cast and creative team have been announced for The Old Globe's presentation of Kiss Me, Kate, the classic musical comedy featuring a book by Sam and Bella Spewack and an iconic score by Cole Porter.

Primary Stages and Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Project (William Carden, Artistic Director; Paul Slee, Executive Director; Doron Weber, Sloan Foundation Vice President of Programs), announce casting for Informed Consent, a New York City premiere by Deborah Zoe Laufer (End Days, Leveling Up)and directed by Obie winner Liesl Tommy (Appropriate, The Good Negro).  The limited engagement runs August 4 - September 13, 2015 at Primary Stages at The Duke on 42nd Street - a New 42nd Street project.  Opening night is Tuesday, August 18 at 7PM.

The Riant Theatre celebrates the 28th Season of the Strawberry One-Act Festival this summer by bringing the eclectic theatrical awards competition to Harlem from August 5 - 23 at the Tato Laviera Theatre, 240 East 123rd St, between Second and Third Avenues.

Trinity Rep closes out Season 51: The Necessity of Human Connection with the world premiere of Tony-nominated playwright Sarah Ruhl and composer Todd Almond's Melancholy Play: a chamber musical, directed by Obie Award-winner Liesl Tommy. Melancholy Play: a chamber musical runs now through June 28, 2015 in Trinity Rep's Dowling Theater. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The Lilly Awards Foundation, celebrating and honoring women of distinction in American theater, held their 6th Annual Lilly Awards Ceremony last night, June 1, 2015 at Playwrights Horizons (416 West 42nd Street) that was hosted by twice nominated 2015 Tony Award nominee Lisa Kron (Fun Home).

Warm, dazzling sunshine and refreshing sea breezes signal the start of the summer arts season in Rhode Island. Once again, Ocean State performers have a busy season planned, as venues from Downcity to South County prepare to welcome stories and songs to their stages.

The 2015 winners of the Lilly Awards, celebrating and honoring women of distinction in American theater, were recently announced by The Lilly Awards Foundation. The winners will be celebrated at the 6th Annual Lilly Awards Ceremony tonight, June 1, 2015 beginning at 5:00 p.m. at Playwrights Horizons (416 West 42nd Street) and hosted by double 2015 Tony Award nominee Lisa Kron (Fun Home).

The American Theatre Wing and the Village Voice just presented the winners of the 60th Annual OBIE Awards. The Public Theater's Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda (including special citations for Andy Blankenbuehler, Thomas Kail, and Alex Lacamoire) received the OBIE Award for Best New American Theatre Work, which is accompanied by a $1,000 check. The Signature Theatre's Founding Artistic Director James Houghton received the OBIE Award for Sustained Achievement. The Awards were hosted by OBIE Award-winning actress Lea DeLaria ('Orange is the New Black'). BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the winners room below!