Mark Bennett News

Variety is reporting that A STEADY RAIN starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman is already looking like a winner. The trade paper reports that industry insiders are 'buzzing' about the whopping $3 million in advance sales solely from the initial pre-sale offer for American Express cardholders. Tickets for the general public are not available until July 25th. The Amex pre-sale launched Saturday.

Producers Frederick Zollo, Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli, Raymond L. Gaspard, Frank Gero, Cheryl Wiesenfeld, Jeffrey Sine, Michael Rose and Robert Cole announced today that Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman will star together on Broadway in A STEADY RAIN, a critically acclaimed two-character play by Keith Huff. Directed by Tony Award nominee John Crowley, A STEADY RAIN begins previews on Thursday, September 10, 2009 and opens Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street) for a strictly limited 12 week engagement through Sunday, December 6, 2009.

'Revenge is a dish best served cold,' but at this dinner party it is served frozen. Dinner, an American Premiere written by Moira Buffini, is a wicked satirical comedy, where caustic comments fly like poisonous darts across the dinner table.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) will extend Christopher Durang's WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM one final week through Sunday, May 10. Directed by Nicholas Martin, this world premiere comedy opened to rave reviews and has been extended twice. Extension tickets are on-sale now at (212) 967-7555 or www.publictheater.org.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) will extend Christopher Durang?s WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM, directed by Nicholas Martin, through Sunday, May 10. The world premiere comedy recently opened to rave reviews.

Nominations for the 54th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced this morning at the New York Friars Club by Faith Prince and Jim Dale, multi-award winning stage stars. They were joined for the announcement by William Wolf, Drama Desk President, Barbara Siegel, Chairperson of the Drama Desk Nominating Committee, Robert R. Blume, Executive Producer of the Drama Desk Awards ceremony, and Randie Levine-Miller, Director of Special Events for the Drama Desk.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) will extend Christopher Durang's WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM one final week through Sunday, May 10. Directed by Nicholas Martin, this world premiere comedy opened to rave reviews and has been extended twice. Extension tickets are on-sale now at (212) 967-7555 or www.publictheater.org.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) will extend Christopher Durang?s WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM, directed by Nicholas Martin, through Sunday, May 3. The world premiere comedy recently opened to rave reviews.

Christopher Durang's comedy WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM opened at The Public Theater on Monday April 6. This world premiere, directed by Nicholas Martin, began previews March 24 and will run through April 26.

Laura Benanti is relishing the relish the challenge of 'being the not-crazy person in a crazy world.' Benanti stars in the new Christopher Durang comedy WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM, which opened on Monday.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) began previews on Tuesday, March 24 for Christopher Durang's comedy WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM. This world premiere, directed by Nicholas Martin, will run through April 26 with an official press opening on Monday, April 6 at 7 PM.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) began previews on Tuesday, March 24 for Christopher Durang's comedy WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM. This world premiere, directed by Nicholas Martin, will run through April 26 with an official press opening on Monday, April 6 at 7 PM.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) will begin previews on Tuesday, March 24 for Christopher Durang's comedy WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM. This world premiere, directed by Nicholas Martin, will run through April 26 with an official press opening on Monday, April 6 at 7 PM.

The American Theatre Wing today announced the recipients of the 2009 Jonathan Larson? Grants. The grants, given annually to honor emerging composers, lyricists and book writers, help to continue Tony Award-winning composer Jonathan Larson's dream of infusing musical theatre with a contemporary, joyful, urban vitality.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced complete casting today for Christopher Durang's WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM. Laura Benanti, Audrie Neenan, and Richard Poe will join the previously announced Amir Arison, David Aaron Baker, Kristine Nielsen, and John Pankow in this world premiere comedy, directed by Nicholas Martin. WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM begins previews on March 24 and runs through April 26 with an official press opening on Monday, April 6 at 7 PM.

The Old Vic announced a new line up of productions for 2009 that will begin in January with the World Premiere of the new play, COMPLICIT by Joe Sutton and directed in-the-round by Kevin Spacey. Following the hugely successful The Norman Conquests, which runs through to late December 2008, the new program brings further diversity and originality to one of London's oldest theatres.

Sam Mendes directs a transatlantic company of actors in a double-bill of classic works for The Bridge Project's inaugural 2009 season, which pairs a new version of The Cherry Orchard by Tom Stoppard with The Winter's Tale. A formidable transatlantic company and creative team will mount these two new productions for seven internationally renowned theaters. Simon Russell Beale leads the British/American cast, playing Lopakhin in The Cherry Orchard and Leontes in The Winter's Tale. He is joined by Sin?ad Cusack as Madame Ranevskaya and Paulina, Richard Easton as Firs and Old Shepherd, Rebecca Hall as Varya and Hermione, Josh Hamilton as Yasha and Polixenes, Ethan Hawke as Trofimov and Autolycus, and Paul Jesson as Gaev and Camilo.

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer) will present the official opening of SATURN RETURNS, a new play by Noah Haidle, directed by Nicholas Martin on Monday, November 10th 2008. Performances began Thursday, October 16. The cast of four features Rosie Benton, Robert Eli, John McMartin and James Rebhorn.

The Old Vic announced a new line up of productions for 2009 that will begin in January with the World Premiere of the new play, COMPLICIT by Joe Sutton and directed in-the-round by Kevin Spacey. Following the hugely successful The Norman Conquests, which runs through to late December 2008, the new program brings further diversity and originality to one of London's oldest theatres.

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer) will present SATURN RETURNS, a new play by Noah Haidle, directed by Nicholas Martin, which will begin performances Thursday, October 16 and open on Monday, November 10.