Lorraine Hansberry News

On February 2, 2015, Square One Publishers releases Black Broadway: African Americans on The Great White Way by six-time Tony Award winning producer and author Stewart F. Lane (La Cage aux Folles, A Gentleman's Guide..., War Horse).

PlayMakers Repertory Company continues its Mainstage Season Jan. 21-Feb. 8 with a scathingly funny backstage drama, 'Trouble in Mind,' by Alice Childress. PlayMakers is the professional theater in residence at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

I like the title of Harold Ellis Clark's WE LIVE HERE, winner of the NewWorks@TheWorks playwriting competition hosted by Playhouse on the Square and now playing at Theatre Works. If you emphasize the word WE, it offers two different interpretations: (1) It could refer to the racist white characters in the play, who don't relish the idea of ceding part of their predominately white neighborhood in Metarie to the black characters who have had the questionable luck of winning a post-Hurricane Katrina lottery; or (2) it could refer to the black characters themselves, who defiantly (and rightly) have planted their feet on new, if rocky, turf. In fact, any of the three words in the title could be emphasized and, consequently, offer a new facet inviting a different interpretation.

Dallas Theater Center heads back to the Kalita Humphreys Theater with The Book Club Play by Karen Zacarias. Meredith McDonough, who previously worked on the new hit musical Fly By Night, returns to make her DTC directorial debut in this comedy about books and the people who love them. The Book Club Play begins previews tonight, January 1, 2015 with a Pay-What-You-Can performance and runs through Sunday, February 1.

There is no doubt that race is a sensitive issue, as borne out by numerous events across the nation over the past six months. It can be difficult to explore, and while many politicians and social scientists call for a national conversation, it is often the arts world that leads the way in holding up a mirror to American society about this topic. While most take a serious approach, the Bergen County Players, one of the region's most acclaimed theatre companies, has decided it is also possible to face the subject head on by presenting the wickedly funny and provocative Tony and Pulitzer Prize award-winning play Clybourne Park.

Stuart Landon returns as Macys' most demented elf, the only slightly insane Crumpet.

Dallas Theater Center heads back to the Kalita Humphreys Theater with The Book Club Play by Karen Zacarias. Meredith McDonough, who previously worked on the new hit musical Fly By Night, returns to make her DTC directorial debut in this comedy about books and the people who love them. The Book Club Play begins previews on Thursday, January 1, 2015 with a Pay-What-You-Can performance and runs through Sunday, February 1.

Goodman Theatre, in collaboration with Chicago's various off-Loop theaters and Northwestern University, unveils partial programming in its spring 2015 citywide "August Wilson Celebration" -- an extensive retrospective of the late playwright's life, artistry and influence on American culture. The seven-week Celebration takes place in March and April 2015 on dual landmark occasions: the 70th anniversary of the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright's birth and the 10th anniversary of his death.

The Morrisson Theatre Chorus, under the musical direction of Cesar Cancino, will present its Holiday Concert: Special Songs for a Special Time of the Year tonight, December 11, December 12 and December 13 at 8:00pm and December 14 at 2:00pm. The Holiday Concert will feature a selection of sacred classical works, popular holiday songs, gospel and spiritual selections, as well as audience sing-a-long pieces.

Sometimes I'm amazed at the synchronicity that can occur when you see as many plays as I do. For instance, I've had weekends of shows in the past that appeared to be theme related, even though theatre companies are often mapping out their production schedules up to at least a year in advance, and tend to go in their own directions regardless of what other groups are doing. Which brings us to the Black Rep's powerful production of playwright/activist Lorraine Hansberry's work, A RAISIN IN THE SUN. At a time when our community finds itself fractured and unable to come up with solutions that can bring us together and make us whole again, we have the opportunity to see a play that shines a light on just how far we've come, and how far we still have to go.

The Morrisson Theatre Chorus, under the musical direction of Cesar Cancino, will present its Holiday Concert: Special Songs for a Special Time of the Year on December 11, December 12 and December 13 at 8:00pm and December 14 at 2:00pm. The Holiday Concert will feature a selection of sacred classical works, popular holiday songs, gospel and spiritual selections, as well as audience sing-a-long pieces.

Cutting Ball Theater opens its 16th season with the World Premiere of SUPERHEROES, written and directed by Sean San Jose. Featuring Myers Clark, Juan Amador, Donald E. Lacy, Jr., Britney Frazier, Ricky Saenz, and Delina Patrice Brooks, SUPERHEROES plays tonight, November 21 through December 21 (Press opening: December 2) at the Cutting Ball Theater in residence at EXIT on Taylor (277 Taylor Street) in San Francisco.

As previously reported, Village Voice theatre writer and creator of the Obie Awards, Jerry Tallmer passed away earlier this week on, November 9, 2014. He was 95 years old.

According to the New York Times, Village Voice writer and creator of the Obie Awards, Jerry Tallmer, passed away yesterday, November 9, 2014. He was 95 years old.

It is in this setting that the regional production of "Detroit 67", written by Detroit native Dominique Morisseau and produced by the African American Repertory Theater (AART) takes place. In what can be a story easily dismissed as regional, of interest only to people familiar with the rise and fall of the city, Morisseau's colorful and fluid writing style complete with vernacular of that period, along with great direction and blocking creates a theatrical setting in which one is completely absorbed into the story and its place in U.S. history.

Cutting Ball Theater opens its 16th season with the World Premiere of SUPERHEROES, written and directed by Sean San Jose. Featuring Myers Clark, Juan Amador, Donald E. Lacy, Jr., Britney Frazier, Ricky Saenz, and Delina Patrice Brooks, SUPERHEROES plays November 21 through December 21 (Press opening: December 2) at the Cutting Ball Theater in residence at EXIT on Taylor (277 Taylor Street) in San Francisco. For tickets ($10-50) and more information, the public may visit cuttingball.com or call 415-525-1205.

Erie Theater Company (ETC) is Erie, PA's newest theatrical entity. It was created this summer, to provide artists the opportunity to develop and perform in a venue that offers diverse, interesting favorites, and new works, to the wide variety of theater goers of Erie and the surrounding areas. They open tonight, November 6th.

Erie Theater Company (ETC) is Erie, PA's newest theatrical entity. It was created this summer, to provide artists the opportunity to develop and perform in a venue that offers diverse, interesting favorites, and new works, to the wide variety of theater goers of Erie and the surrounding areas. They open on November 6th.

Laura Pedersen, renowned author, is the playwright for Brightness of Heaven no onstage at Cherry Lane Studio Theatre in New York City through December 14th. Broadwayworld.com had the opportunity to interview Pedersen about some of her inspirations, her fascinating career and the show.

?New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) (Artistic Director James C. Nicola and Managing Director Jeremy Blocker) is currently accepting applications for the 2015/16 season of its 2050 Fellowship program for emerging playwrights and directors.