Lucille Lortel News

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, will present its popular Books On Stage Reading Series, this season featuring stage adaptations of works by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Beginning today, November 12 at CSC (136 East 13th Street) at 7 pm, the company presents Crime and Punishment, featuring F. Murray Abraham, Michael Stuhlbarg and Joanne Tucker, directed by Anna Brenner.

The Vineyard Theatre presents a one-night-only reading of Becky Mode's acclaimed play FULLY COMMITTED - with Mark Setlock returning to his performance - tonight, Monday, November 12, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. at The Vineyard (108 E. 15 St., between Irving Place and Union Square East). FULLY COMMITTED is the first in a series of special celebrations during the Vineyard's 30th Anniversary Season, and the reading will benefit The Vineyard's productions and programs in 2012-2013.

NVA presents the heartwarming and hilarious holiday show PLAID TIDINGS. A Special Holiday Edition of Forever Plaid, PLAID TIDINGS marks the return of Sparky, Jinx, Smudge, and Frankie, a teenage singing group who've been sent down to earth by the heavenly Rosemary Clooney to put a little harmony into a discordant world.

Broadway stars Emily Padgett and Matthew Hydzik will star as "Alex" and "Nick" in the world premiere of FLASHDANCE - THE MUSICAL, the stage adaptation of the 1983 hit film that defined a generation. Padgett and Hydzik will be joined on stage by the legendary Rachelle Rak in the role of "Tess." Sergio Trujillo, director and choreographer for the production returned to the home of FLASHDANCE and launch of the world premiere, Pittsburgh's Heinz Hall, to announce the lead casting from a press conference. Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Kevin McMahon, CEO of Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, were also on hand to welcome the cast and creative team to Pittsburgh and to make a proclamation, naming January 1, 2013 as FLASHDANCE DAY. Celebrating its 30th Anniversary,FLASHDANCE kicks off a national tour January 1-6 at Heinz Hall and continues on to more than 20 cities with additional bookings to be announced:

The Chicago production of FREUD'S LAST SESSION, New York's long-running hit play by Mark St. Germain, will end its run this Sunday, November 11th at the Mercury Theatre. Starring Mike Nussbaum and Coburn Goss, FREUD'S LAST SESSION was extended several times by popular demand after opening on March 26th to unanimous rave reviews. Next up for the international hit play will be this winter's Los Angeles run, starring Judd Hirsch as Sigmund Freud and Tom Cavanagh as C. S. Lewis under the direction of Tyler Marchant, who helmed the New York and Chicago productions. Presented by The Broad Stage and CRC Productions, FREUD'S LAST SESSION will begin performances January 11th for a strictly limited engagement through February 10th at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, will present its popular Books On Stage Reading Series, this season featuring stage adaptations of works by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Beginning Monday, November 12 at CSC (136 East 13th Street) at 7 pm, the company presents Crime and Punishment, featuring F. Murray Abraham, Michael Stuhlbarg and Joanne Tucker, directed by Anna Brenner.

The Vineyard Theatre will present a one-night-only reading of Becky Mode's acclaimed play FULLY COMMITTED - with Mark Setlock returning to his performance - this coming Monday, November 12, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. at The Vineyard (108 E. 15 St., between Irving Place and Union Square East). FULLY COMMITTED is the first in a series of special celebrations during the Vineyard's 30th Anniversary Season, and the reading will benefit The Vineyard's productions and programs in 2012-2013.

Broadway producer Dede Harris has optioned the music catalogue of Diane Warren, one of the most popular and successful contemporary songwriters of our time, to create a new musical for the Broadway stage.

Prepare to experience The Nutcracker like never seen before as Flat Rock Playhouse, in partnership with Pardee Hospital and Pardee Hospital Foundation, presents the world premier of The Nutcracker, adapted by Chase Brock from E. T. A. Hoffman's story The Nutcracker and The Mouse King onstage November 28 through December 22 at Playhouse Mainstage. This new interpretation of the holiday all-dance classic is choreographed by Playhouse YouTheatre alum Chase Brock, choreographer of the Broadway hit, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.

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 December 3, Yazbek welcomes Tony award-winning lyricist and composer, longtime friend and former bandmate Adam Guettel (The Light in the Piazza).

Culture Project, in association with Innocence Project, Marc & Steven Kaplan, and Cheryl Wiesenfeld, welcomes Anthony Arkin (I'm Not Rappaport), Keir Dullea (Butterflies Are Free; 2001: A Space Odyssey) and Carol Kane (Wicked, Hester Street) to the rotating cast of the 10th anniversary production of the hit, award-winning play, The Exonerated, written by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, for one-week only November 6 - 11 at Culture Project (45 Bleecker Street at Lafayette Street) where performances began September 15 for a limited engagement through December 2nd. Marsha Mason will join the rotating cast November 13 -18.

The Huntington Theatre Company brings Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning Our Town home to Boston on its 75th anniversary in a landmark staging by Obie Award winner David Cromer (Tribes, Adding Machine). The remount of the acclaimed New York production that features a homegrown cast will inaugurate the Huntington's use of the intimate, 250-seat Roberts Studio Theatre in the Huntington's Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA.

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 Today 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 today, 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.)

Hurricane Sandy has caused the cancellation of much of New York's theatre over the past few days. All Broadway shows are back up and running as of today, Sunday, November 4th, with many offering post-hurricane discounts and special offers. Many of the city's off-Broadway and off-off Broadway theatres are still struggling. BroadwayWorld has compiled a list of what's on and what's not, plus the latest subway recovery map from the MTA.