Marsha Norman News

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) has just announced that Leslie Bibb (Iron Man, ABC's 'GCB') and Jenna Fischer (NBC's 'The Office') will be making their New York City stage debuts opposite Josh Hamilton (The Coast of Utopia) and Fred Weller (MCC's Still Life and In a Dark Dark House) in the world premiere of MCC Playwright-in-Residence Neil LaBute's new play, Reasons to Be Happy, which LaBute will also direct. Reasons to Be Happy is a companion piece to LaBute's critically-acclaimed award-winning play, Reasons to Be Pretty, first produced at MCC Theater in 2008 before moving to Broadway where it was nominated for three 2009 Tony Awards, including Best Play. Performances begin at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) on May 16, 2013 and continue through June 23, 2013. An official opening is set for June 11, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are now on sale.

The producing team behind The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Arts Theatre) and The Children of Eden Gala Concert (Prince of Wales Theatre), Aria Entertainment and Knockhardy Productions are delighted to announce that their concert revival of Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman's three times Tony Award winning musical The Secret Garden will transfer to the Greenwich Theatre for one night only as part of the Greenwich children's theatre festival following a successful run at The King's Head Theatre.

Broadway and Hollywood actress Frances Conroy has revealed exciting new details about her role on the upcoming third season of the mega-hit FX horror anothology series AMERICAN HORROR STORY, confirming that filming will commence in New Orleans later this year.

The Dramatists Guild Fund (DGF) announces that it will begin expanding its Dramatists Guild Fellows Program through collaboration with developmental theater organizations. Each resident theater program will select one playwright or writing team to join their workshop season.

New York's Rattlestick Playwrights Theater announces the Los Angeles premiere of the critically-acclaimed play Slipping, written and directed by Daniel Talbott, which will begin previews Thursday, April 4, 2013 at Elephant Stages' Lillian Theatre in Hollywood, CA. The five-week limited engagement is scheduled to open Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 7:00pm and run through Sunday, May 5, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsal below!

Jason Robert Brown's score is worth the visit.

With a score of jazz, ragtime, gospel and blues, the European premiere of THE COLOR PURPLE will be directed by John Doyle (Road Show at the Menier Chocolate Factory), adapted for the stage by Pulitzer Prize and Tony award winner Marsha Norman, with music and lyrics by Grammy award winners Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.

Every year, Stoneham Theatre seeks out stories and shows that will entertain, amuse, and surprise audiences. 'We pride ourselves on our variety,' Producing Artistic Director Weylin Symes shared. 'And this season is no different, with new and familiar titles and hopefully something a little unexpected.' Stoneham Theatre's Season 14 boasts a hip new comedy direct from Broadway, a fresh take on a classic horror story, a holiday favorite, a silly, murder mystery musical, a Tony Award-winning musical, and one show yet to be announced. 'We are very excited to present our 14th season of professional theatre right here in Metro North and pleased to share this new slate of shows with the public,' Managing Director Debra Rafson added.

The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize has announced 10 Finalists for its prestigious playwriting award, now celebrating its thirty-fifth year.

New York's Rattlestick Playwrights Theater announces the Los Angeles premiere of the critically-acclaimed play Slipping, written and directed by Daniel Talbott, which will begin previews Thursday, April 4, 2013 at Elephant Stages' Lillian Theatre in Hollywood, CA. The five-week limited engagement is scheduled to open Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 7:00pm and run through Sunday, May 5, 2013.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) today announced the selections for the 2013 Next Link Project, NYMF's primary writer service program. The Next Link Project empowers emerging musical theatre writing teams as both artists and entrepreneurs by providing the training and relationships needed to help them move their musicals from readings to fully-realized productions and to advance their careers by maximizing the exposure they receive in the Festival. Ten of the Festival's full production slots are reserved for participants in The Next Link Project.

The Dramatists Guild of America held their annual awards ceremony last evening at The Lambs Club in New York. The awards ceremony was hosted by Lisa Kron and featured a performance by Kenita Miller. BroadwayWorld has photos from the event below!

The Dramatists Guild Fund presented their Madge Evans and Sidney Kingsley Award to actress Linda Lavin and playwright Lynn Nottage this past Monday evening. The awards were presented by Dramatists Guild Fund Board Member Terrence McNally at an intimate salon with award-winning composer Charles Strouse. BroadwayWorld has a photo of the honorees below!

Artistic Director Jenny Gersten announced at a press conference in Williamstown today the roster of Main Stage and Nikos Stage productions for the 2013 Williamstown Theatre Festival (WTF) Season, the Festival's 59th season and third under Ms. Gersten's leadership.

In the past 40 years, The Acting Company has produced and performed 137 classic and new plays for audiences totaling 3.5 million in 48 states and 10 foreign countries.

MCC Theater has announced the extension of the New York premiere production of Paul Downs Colaizzo's Really Really, directed by David Cromer (the Obie Award and Lucille Lortel Award-winning director of hits Our Town, Adding Machine and Tribes). The production, which marks Colaizzo's New York playwriting debut, is now scheduled at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) through March 24, 2013. It was previously scheduled through March 10th. Tickets for the added performances are on sale now.

The Dramatists Guild Fund has announced this year's Madge Evans and Sidney Kingsley Award to actress Linda Lavin and playwright Lynn Nottage. The awards will be presented by Dramatists Guild Fund Board Member Terrence McNally on Monday, February 25, 2013 at an intimate salon with award-winning composer Charles Strouse. The event will also include remarks by Jeffrey Lyons, godson of Sidney Kingsley, and will be held at the home of lyricist and playwright Gretchen Cryer.

An audience of theatre enthusiasts waited in anticipation at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts last night, when Founding Artistic Director Robert Kelley and Managing Director Phil Santora of TheatreWorks, the nationally-acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, unveiled the thrilling line-up for its 2013-2014 season. Opening with a groundbreaking World Premiere developed at last season's New Works Festival, the line-up will also give Bay Area audiences their first look at a Broadway hit by playwright Jon Robin Baitz (The Substance of Fire, A Fair Country, Three Hotels); an Off-Broadway smash by Kenneth Lin (Fallow, Po Boy Tango); and a historical drama from Lauren Gunderson (Exit, Pursued by a Bear). Also announced is an enchanting musical journey told through little-known Stephen Sondheim gems.