Lucille Lortel News

Atlantic Theater Company (Neil Pepe, Artistic Director; Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director) is proud to announce casting and dates for the world premiere production of Academy Award® winning film maker Ethan Coen's OFFICES, directed by Neil Pepe (Speed-the-Plow).

Tony Award-winners Philip Bosco, Jim Norton and Ruben Santiago-Hudson, as well as Cheyenne Jackson, Kate Baldwin, and Jeremy Bobb star in Finian's Rainbow, the final production of New York City Center's 2008-09 Encores! season. Performances begin tonight March 26th, and runs through to March 29th.

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) will celebrate Douglas Turner Ward, founder of the Negro Ensemble Company, with their 2009 Annual Gala on Monday, March 30th at Espace (635 West 42nd Street). Cocktails will begin at 6:30pm with dinner at 7:30 PM and performance/tribute to follow. The evening will be hosted by Phylicia Rashad and Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Individual ticket prices range from $600-$1,200 with table prices ranging from $6,000-$25,000.

The new Broadway musical NEXT TO NORMAL will begin preview performances on Friday, March 27 at the Booth Theatre (222 West 45th Street). There will be a limited number of $25.00 rush tickets available in the front row and in the boxes for each performance. These rush tickets, which are available to all patrons, can be purchased at the box office only, beginning at 10:00am the day of the performance (12:00pm on Sundays). There is a limit of 2 tickets per person.

THE QUIET MAN TALES, a riveting new play presented by Libby Adler Mages (Mavin Productions II), Tony D'Angelo and Smock Alley Theater Company, will make its world premiere at The Chicago Theatre Downstairs, 175 N. State Street, Sunday, March 22. THE QUIET MAN TALES runs through May 24. Susan Felder will direct.

'reasons to be pretty' confronts America's obsession with physical beauty headlong. In Neil LaBute's new play, Greg's tight-knit social circle is thrown into turmoil when his off-handed remarks about a female co-worker's pretty face (and his girlfriend's lack thereof) get back to said girlfriend. But that's just the beginning.

Ghostlight Records is proud to confirm its release of the Original Broadway Cast Recording of the critically acclaimed new musical NEXT TO NORMAL. Digital release has been set for April 7th, followed by a Double-CD brick-and-mortar retail release on May 12th.

Atlantic Theater Company (Neil Pepe, Artistic Director; Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director) is proud to announce casting and dates for the world premiere production of Academy Award winning film maker Ethan Coen's OFFICES, directed by Neil Pepe (Speed-the-Plow).

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced today that the first preview of Craig Lucas' THE SINGING FOREST has been moved to Friday, April 10 due to the need for additional technical rehearsals. Directed by Mark Wing-Davey, THE SINGING FOREST was scheduled to begin previews on Tuesday, April 7 and open on Monday, April 27. The show will now open on Tuesday, April 28 at 7 PM.

Next to Normal star Aaron Tveit will guest star on the Monday, March 23 episode of 'Gossip Girl.' Tveit plays Tripp Vanderbilt, the cousin of Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford). 'Gossip Girl' airs at 8:00p.m. on The CW (channel 11 in NYC).

New York's OBIE Award-winning Epic Theatre Ensemble (Zak Berkman, Melissa Friedman, Ron Russell, Executive Directors) will present a two-evening event: As The Epic Turns, a benefit to support its esteemed after-school 'Shakespeare Bridge Project' programs. Under the direction of Zak Berkman, the 90-minute evening will feature two-time Emmy Award Winner, Martha Byrne, along with Paolo Seganti, and Tamara Tunie in a series of staged readings plus an exclusive screening of Paul Leyden's film Bye Bye Sally, followed by a reception with the cast and Epic Theater Ensemble artists.

New York's OBIE Award-winning Epic Theatre Ensemble (Zak Berkman, Melissa Friedman, Ron Russell, Executive Directors) will present a two-evening event: As The Epic Turns, a benefit to support its esteemed after-school 'Shakespeare Bridge Project' programs. Under the direction of Zak Berkman, the 90-minute evening will feature two-time Emmy Award Winner, Martha Byrne, along with Paolo Seganti, and Tamara Tunie in a series of staged readings plus an exclusive screening of Paul Leyden's film Bye Bye Sally, followed by a reception with the cast and Epic Theater Ensemble artists. Two performances are scheduled for 8:00 p.m. on Friday, April 17th and Saturday, April 18th at The Peter Sharpe Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

Friends In Deed will present a legendary trio as Charles Busch, Whoopi Goldberg and Lypsinka star in the first-ever New York presentation of the infamous Broadway-play-that-wasn't, LEGENDS!. Written by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner James Kirkwood (A Chorus Line), the play will be presented in a special One Night Only staged reading benefit on Monday evening, March 23 at 8PM at Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street).

THE QUIET MAN TALES, a riveting new play presented by Smock Alley Theater Co., in conjunction with Mavin Productions II and Pullinsi & D'Angelo Productions, will make its world premiere at The Chicago Theatre Downstairs, 175 N. State Street, previewing March 6 and opening Sunday, March 22 with performances at 2:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and running through May 24. Susan Felder will direct.

Variety is reporting that Cherry Lane Theater has struck a deal with Westbeth, the artists' community that until recently housed Bank Street Theater in its space. Cherry Lane will expand into the theater, renaming the 90-seat black box venue the Cherry Pit to become its third stage. Not only will the venue give Cherry Lane another base for its mentoring program reports Vairety, but it will also provide an additional revenue stream as homeless New York City theater troupes hunt for affordable performance space to rent.

THE QUIET MAN TALES, a riveting new play presented by Libby Adler Mages (Mavin Productions II), Tony D'Angelo and Smock Alley Theater Company, will make its world premiere at The Chicago Theatre Downstairs, 175 N. State Street, Sunday, March 22. THE QUIET MAN TALES runs through May 24. Susan Felder will direct.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, will present THE PROUST PROJECT, a new adaptation series featuring a set of staged readings based on Marcel Proust's Remembrance of Things Past. On four successive Monday evenings beginning March 23, CSC will present staged-readings of works inspired by Proust, giving audiences a unique guided tour through one of the 20th Century's greatest novels. Audiences may enjoy each reading as an independent evening or experience them together as a cycle.

Connecticut's premier outdoor summer theater, Shakespeare on the Sound, has appointed Joanna Settle as its new Artistic Director. Ms. Settle will be responsible for all of the company's artistic endeavors, including its annual summer production of a major Shakespeare play. She succeeds the company's founding artistic director, Ezra Barnes.

Theatre at the Center's Theatre for Young Audiences, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana, announces their upcoming production of the energetic and hilarious children's' favorite, Junie B. Jones. This exciting, fun and educational production will open April 21 and run through April 25. This new musical is based on four volumes in Barbara Park's Junie B. Jones series of books, illustrated by Denise Brunkus and published by Random House.

Our special series for Women's History Month continues with a profile of Irish Rep's artistic director and cofounder.