Lucille Lortel News

American Theater Company continues its 2013-2014 Season with the Chicago Premiere of Sons of the Prophet, written by Stephen Karam, and directed by Artistic Director PJ Paparelli. Sons of the Prophet will run January 31 - March 9, 2014, at American Theater Company, 1909 W Byron St, Chicago, IL. Press opening is Tuesday, February 4, at 7:00 pm.

Tina Benko has received the annual St. Clair Bayfield Award presented by the Actors' Equity Foundation for her performance as Titania in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Julie Taymor as Theatre for a New Audience's inaugural production at its new home in Brooklyn. The announcement was made by Arne Gundersen, President of the Foundation.

Marc Elliot, playing Mr. McQueen, joins the previously announced Richard Fleeshman as Bobby Strong, Jenna Russell as Penelope Pennywise and Jonathan Slinger as Officer Lockstock in the multi Tony Award-winning URINETOWN The Musical, directed by Jamie Lloyd (Macbeth, The Hothouse, The Pride) at the St James Theatre.

Today, December 6th at 3:00pm, the Irish Repertory Theatre's 2013-2014 reading series will present a staged reading of Irish playwright Ed Malone's THE BALLAD of CHARLIE and CATE, directed by the playwright.

The Drama League has announced full casting for the 30th Annual DirectorFest, a festival of one-act plays staged by the Fall Directing Fellows, Elizabeth Carlson, Alexandru Mihail, Danny Sharron and Nicole A. Watson, for a limited 5-performance engagement, December 12 - 15, 2013 at TBG Theater (312 West 36th Street, between 8th & 9th Avenues).

The School of Arts and Enterprise-Department of Theatre presents the inaugural show of their 2013-14 season, the award winning The Laramie Project, by Moises Kaufman, Leigh Fondakowski, Greg Pierotti, Andy Paris and Stephen Belber. The Laramie Project is directed by Phil Miller, The School of Arts & Enterprise New Director of Theatre. The Laramie Project features an 11-member cast comprised of some of the brightest young actors in the San Gabriel Valley.

Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) has announced the dates, creative team and leading actress for its next production - the new musical ARLINGTON by Victor Lodato and Polly Pen - with previews set to begin Wednesday, February 12 prior to its official opening night on Sunday, March 2, according to Douglas Aibel, Artistic Director, and Sarah Stern, Co-Artistic Director.

Award-winning comedian, author, and filmmaker Mike Birbiglia returns to the stage with more painfully awkward stories in a show about jokes, and how they can get you in trouble. Join Birbiglia as he visits Cats-a-chusetts, argues with a stranger about her nut allergy, hosts an awards show for angry celebrities, and learns that Fozzie Bear is a tough act to follow.

Longtime songwriting team MARCY HEISLER (Author/Lyricist) and ZINA GOLDRICH (Composer) are set to make their 2014 Broadway debut with EVER AFTER, directed by Kathleen Marshall and produced by Kevin McCollum, Scott Landis and Philip Morgaman. They were the first women ever honored with the Fred Ebb Award for Musical Theatre Songwriting, and Heisler was awarded the 2012 Kleban Prize for Outstanding Lyrics.

The Real Americans, written and performed by Dan Hoyle, developed with and directed by Charlie Varon, will play Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette Street, NYC) for one night only on Thursday, January 16, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.

Lincoln Center Theater's Platform Series, a forum for public discussion between Lincoln Center Theater artists and interested theatergoers, continues its 16th season on Thursday, December 19 at 6pm with JEFF GOLDBLUM and LAURIE METCALF the stars of LCT's current Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater production of DOMESTICATED, the new play by Bruce Norris, directed by Anna D. Shapiro. DOMESTICATED, which opened on Monday, November 4, is running through Sunday, January 5.

The League of Professional Theatre Women (LPTW) presents Quarterly Networking Mondays, The Lowdown On Uptown: Opportunities for Women On and Off Broadway tonight, December 2, 2013 at 6:00 pm at the TheaterLab, 357 West 36th Street, 3rd Floor. The event is an opportunity to learn from seasoned theatre professionals and network with like-minded colleagues. Tickets are FREE for members, $15 for non-members, and available at http://LPTWNetworkingLowdown.brownpapertickets.com. Or call: 1-800-838-3006 or visit www.brownpapertickets.com.

The Old Globe presents a one-night-only event, Barry Edelstein In Conversation with Jack O'Brien, tonight, Monday, Dec. 2 at 7:00 p.m.

Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart star with Billy Crudup and Shuler Hensley in NO MAN'S LAND and WAITING FOR GODOT directed by Sean Mathias. This limited engagement repertory season is now playing at the Cort Theatre (138 West 48th Street) where it will run through March 2 only. For performance schedule and more information, visit TwoPlaysInRep.com.

It's back - the funny, smart, and irreverent musical Nerds! Philadelphia Theatre Company revisits the musical satire Nerds with book and lyrics by Jordan Allen-Dutton and Erik Weiner, music by Hal Goldberg, and a brand new cast and creative team. Directed by Casey Hushion with choreography by Joshua Bergasse, the ensemble features Stanley Bahorek, Matt Bradley, Briana Carlson-Goodman, Benny Elledge, Lexy Fridell, Raymond J. Lee, Alyse Alan Louis, Robert Morrison, Kevin Pariseau, Catherine Ricafort, and Blake Segal.

Back by popular demand, Todd Waite reprises his role as Houston's favorite holiday elf. A compact, one-character comedy, The Santaland Diaries is a hilarious cult classic featuring comic encounters during the height of the holiday crunch. NPR humorist and best-selling author of Me Talk Pretty One Day and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, David Sedaris has become one of America's pre-eminent humor writers. Recommended for mature audiences due to language and subject matter.

Following the sold out performances and overflow crowds for its Cino Nights presentations (including new plays by Gary Sunshine, Mando Alvarado, Courtney Baron, Florencia Lozano, Kristen Palmer, Emily DeVoti, Lucy Thurber, Jessica Dickey, Adam Szymkowicz, Laura Eason, Daniel Reitz, Megan Mostyn-Brown, Dael Orlandersmith, Keith Reddin, Crystal Skillman, Charlotte Miller, Brooke Berman, Cusi Cram, Daniel Talbott, Diana Stahl, Micheline Auger, Halley Feiffer, Steve DiUbaldo, Catya McMullen, Alec Silberblatt, and Emily Zemba), Rising Phoenix Rep continued the series on Tuesday, November 26th at 8 p.m. with a new play by Sarah Shaefer titled I Can't Explain It Better Than That. BroadwayWorld has photos from the show below!

Below you can check out photos of Mays in the BroadwayWorld.com series 'In The Spotlight' by acclaimed photographer Walter McBride!