Lincoln Center Theater News

Acclaimed theater company Playwrights Horizons recently announced additional performers participating in the return of its popular benefit evening STORIES ON 5 STORIES: Poetic Justice this evening, October 22.

Michael Weston replaces Justin Long in Center Theatre Group's production of the Tony-nominated "Other Desert Cities" by Jon Robin Baitz. Weston joins the previously announced Jeannie Berlin, Robert Foxworth, Robin Weigert and JoBeth Williams. Long has bowed out due to a film commitment.

Known for his thrilling live performances and irreverent style, award-winning musical troublemaker David Yazbek takes the stage with his band at 92YTribeca in a new series, presented the first Monday of each month. Yazbek - whose influences range from Captain Beefheart to Frank Loesser - plans to deliver musical pyrotechnics, new songs debuted at every show, and unexpected, thrilling guests from the worlds of theater, music, comedy and beyond. For his first show on November 5, Yazbek welcomes Tony award-winning lyricist and composer, longtime friend and former bandmate Adam Guettel (The Light in the Piazza) as well as his buddy comedian, film-director and web phenomenon David Wain (Wet Hot American Summer, Role Models.)

Conk and Bone, a new play by Joe Musso, has been set for a limited engagement at the Carrie Hamilton Theatre (upstairs at The Pasadena Playhouse) in Pasadena. Directed by Kappy Kilburn, the darkly comic Conk and Bone opens tonight, October 20 at 8:00. The strictly limited engagement will continue through November 4 only.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Justin Long has withdrawn from Center Theatre Group's production of Other Desert Cities at Mark Taper Forum due to 'a film commitment'. The production is scheduled to begin performances on November 28.

Acclaimed theater company Playwrights Horizons has announced additional performers participating in the return of its popular benefit evening STORIES ON 5 STORIES: Poetic Justice on Monday evening, October 22.

Lincoln Center Theater/LCT3's 2012-2013 season opens this Monday (October 22) at 7pm with Disgraced, a new play by Ayad Akhtar, directed by Kimberly Senior and featuring Heidi Armbruster, Erik Jensen, Aasif Mandvi, Omar Maskati, and Karen Pittman, at the Claire Tow Theater, LCT3's new home at Lincoln Center Theater (150 West 65 Street). All tickets are $20.

Dallas Theater Center continues its exciting and conversation-provoking 2012-2013 season with the regional premiere of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity. This unique experience will transport audience members into the thrilling and aggressive world of professional wrestling, complete with a wrestling ring, while weaving a story of power and class in America. The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity runs at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre tonight, October 19 - Sunday, November 11.

The Chicago Park District's Theater on the Lake: The Chicago Summer Theater Festival at Fullerton Avenue and Lake Michigan announces the new co-artistic curators to select the 2013 season: Halena Kays, artistic director of The Hypocrites, and Joanie Schultz, freelance opera and theater director.

SNL's Cast Member Taran Killam and two-time Tony nominated Jeremy Shamos join David Wain, Joe Lo Truglio and others for one-night-only reprise of SEX (a.k.a WEINERS AND BOOBS) by David Wain, Michael Showalter and Joe Lo Truglio on Monday, October 29th at 7:30pm at the 13TH Street Theater (CSC, 136 E. 13th St, NYC). The evening will also feature members of the original cast and special guests Shari Albert, Ian Helfer, Nina Hellman, Zak Orth, Peter Salett and more.

Barbara Cook returns to Carnegie Hall to celebrate her 85th birthday tonight, October 18 at 8:00 p.m. with a special performance in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage.

Kennedy Center Honoree Barbara Cook takes to the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall stage with a performance showcasing her silvery soprano voice on Saturday, November 3 at 8pm. In her first performance ever at the Meyerhoff, Ms. Cook will celebrate her 85th birthday through inspiring performances from jazz, swing and pop songs. Note: The BSO does not perform on this program. Please see below for complete program details.

Today we are talking to one of Broadway's biggest homegrown stars who has appeared in the original New York productions of many memorable modern-day classics, among them THE WHO'S TOMMY, AIDA, THE LAST FIVE YEARS and DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, in additions to highly-regarded turns in the first replacement cast of RENT, the Tommy Tune/Jeff Calhoun revival of GREASE, the Off-Broadway curiosity DEBBIE DOES DALLAS, the first (and only) LA mounting of Randy Newman's FAUST, as well as her starring role in the recent Lincoln Center Theater's production of WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, and, of course, her own rapturously-received, award-winning solo showpiece, EVERYDAY RAPTURE - the convivially mesmerizing, one-of-a-kind Sherie Rene Scott. Discussing the major transitions in her life, including her transformation from ingenue to leading lady to solo performer, Scott illustrates a unique and varied career as well as opens up about the themes, songs, stories, experiences and encounters that formed the basis for her new solo piece premiering at 54 Below this week, PIECE OF MEAT. Additionally, Scott touches upon her work as the co-owner of the revolutionary Sh-K-Boom Records with her husband, Kurt Deutsch, as well as her own album work over the years, in addition to stories related to the recording of many of their most celebrated titles and the composers whose work is prominently featured on their releases - Tom Kitt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Michael John LaChiusa and many more included. All of that, plus Mennonites, music and meat - and much, much more!

In the videos below, director Michael Wilson, playwright Christopher Shinn, Huntington's artistic director and cast members Toms Nellis and Grant MacDermott discuss the powerful personal relationships family drama that exist at the heart of the edgy political thriller NOW OR LATER, which plays through November 10 at the South End/Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA.

To coincide with the ongoing presidential campaign, the Huntington Theatre Company will stage the American premiere of Now or Later, Christopher Shinn's timely political drama about our freedoms. Drama Desk and Outer Critic's Circle Award winner Michael Wilson, who recently helmed the acclaimed Broadway production of Gore Vidal's presidential drama The Best Man, directs the new production. The production opens tomorrow, Wednesday, October 17 and runs through November 10. Get a first look at the cast onstage below!

Lincoln Center Theater's Platform Series, a forum for public discussion between Lincoln Center Theater artists and interested theatergoers, opens its 15th season on Thursday, November 1, at 6 pm with Christopher Durang and Nicholas Martin, the playwright and director of the new play VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE.

Tonight, October 17, {YOUR NAME HERE} presents a one-night only staged reading of "Love Poems for Dead Bodies" by Martha Jane Kaufman as part of their RADICAL ACTS series. The show will be held at TADA! Theater, 15 West 28th Street at 7 pm with a talkback immediately following moderated by Pulitzer finalist Sarah Ruhl (The Clean House, In the Next Room).