Martin McDonagh News

The New Electric Ballroom is wonderfully theatrical, creating a kind of sensual experience of pain/pleasure one is unlikely to forget - ever.

Profiles Theatre announces the Midwest premiere of Sweet and Sad by Richard Nelson, opening the company's 2012-2013 season. Sweet and Sad, directed by Joe Jahraus and featuring Co-Artistic Director Darrell W. Cox, runs August 17, 2012 - October 7, 2012 with the press opening on Friday, August 24 at 8:00 pm. Performances are held at Profiles newest venue, The Main Stage, 4139 N. Broadway.

Art and authority come head-to-head this August as Flat Earth Theatre stages its final production of the 2012 season, The Pillowman, at The Factory Theatre in Boston's historic South End. Written by noted Irish playwright Martin McDonagh, The Pillowman examines the complex relationship between the artist and the state, and ponders the culpability for acts inspired by works of art.

Juilliard's Drama Division announces the complete schedule for its 2012-2013 season of fully-staged productions featuring students in their fourth and final year of acting training in the drama program at Juilliard.

From the Tony Award-winning writer of Once comes Disco Pigs, a coming-of-age story that's anything but sweet. Teenagers Pig and Runt share everything: a birthday, secrets, and a darkness in their souls. But as they face adulthood, their dreams for the future will rip them apart.

CENTERSTAGE and Baltimore Performance Kitchen have launched Pub Labs, a series of readings and events designed as a platform for Baltimore performing artists of all disciplines to showcase, workshop, and explore new artistic ideas-beer in hand.

Nigel Redden, Director of Lincoln Center Festival, announced the Festival's line-up, which runs from tonight, July 5 through August 5, 2012. Theater offerings include Mikhail Baryshnikov in Dmitry Krymov's staging of a new play, In Paris, as well as Sydney Theatre Company's acclaimed production of Uncle Vanya directed by Tamas Ascher and adapted by Andrew Upton. The stellar cast includes John Bell, Cate Blanchett, Hayley McElhinney, Richard Roxburgh, and Hugo Weaving.

The Keegan Theatre has announced its line-up for the 2012-2013 season, the company's sixteenth. All performances will be at the Church Street Theater in Washington, DC. Artist and production information, performance dates/times, and ticketing information will be available all season long at www.keegantheatre.com.

Fells Point Corner Theatre announces auditions for A BEHANDING IN SPOKANE by Martin McDonagh, June 16-25.

Fells Point Corner Theatre announces auditions for A BEHANDING IN SPOKANE by Martin McDonagh, June 16-25.

Atlantic Theater Company presents world premiere of Fernanda Coppel's new play CHIMICHANGAS AND ZOLOFT, featuring Teddy Cañez, Zabryna Guevara, Alfredo Narciso, Xochitl Romero, and Carmen Zilles, directed by Jaime Castañeda.

Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV announce that the two nonprofit theaters will formally merge effective July 1, 2012 under a new name - Virginia Repertory Theatre (Virginia Rep). With a budget exceeding $5 million, four distinct venues, and an annual audience over 550,000, Virginia Rep will become the largest professional theater and one of the largest performing arts organizations in Central Virginia along with the Richmond Ballet, Richmond Symphony, and the Virginia Opera. Barksdale and Theatre IV celebrated the announcement and the unveiling of the new Virginia Rep sign today, May 20, at the November Theatre (formerly the Empire Theatre) at 114 West Broad Street at 4:00 p.m. after the closing of Seussical, thelast mainstage children's production under the Theatre IV name. Virginia Rep will transition into the new organization between now and July 1.

Silver Spring Stage presents The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh, directed and produced by Seth Ghitelman. Set in the Irish countryside, a lonely woman in her forties has her first and possibly last chance at love until her manipulative mother sets in motion a train of events that leads to a terrifying conclusion.The Beauty Queen of Leenane will perform weekends tonight, May 18 to June 9.

Written by Royal Court Theatre's Young Writers graduate, Jimmy Osborne, MEAT will preview at Theatre503 from 5 June with press night on 7 June.

Silver Spring Stage presents The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh, directed and produced by Seth Ghitelman. Set in the Irish countryside, a lonely woman in her forties has her first and possibly last chance at love until her manipulative mother sets in motion a train of events that leads to a terrifying conclusion.The Beauty Queen of Leenane will perform weekends May 18 to June 9.

McDonagh's plays are densely packed with vicious drama, wicked humor, savage truths, and deep humanity, while Senior uses her trademark vision, and Jack Magaw's in-your-lap design, to cram McDonagh's theatrical stew into a stage the size of a minivan-with no place to hide. McDonagh's twisted family dramas were born for the intimacy of Redtwist. And after Kimberly's uniquely creative staging of The Pillowman in 2009, it's her time again. The theatre requested the performing rights two years ago, but the two-week visit by Druid Theatre at Chicago Shakespeare tied up the rights for one year prior and three months after their March, 2011, production. The request was granted last June, and the production opens tonight May 13. See photos from the show below!

The Cripple of Inishmaan by Martin McDonagh, directed by Kimberly Senior, opens at Redtwist Theatre tonight, May 13, at 3pm.

McDonagh's plays are densely packed with vicious drama, wicked humor, savage truths, and deep humanity, while Senior uses her trademark vision, and Jack Magaw's in-your-lap design, to cram McDonagh's theatrical stew into a stage the size of a minivan-with no place to hide. McDonagh's twisted family dramas were born for the intimacy of Redtwist. And after Kimberly's uniquely creative staging of The Pillowman in 2009, it's her time again. The theatre requested the performing rights two years ago, but the two-week visit by Druid Theatre at Chicago Shakespeare tied up the rights for one year prior and three months after their March, 2011, production. The request was granted last June, and the production opens on May 13. See photos from the show below!

Inis Nua Theatre Company is finishing its season with the Philadelphia premiere of Enda Walsh's The Walworth Farce, a dark comedy by one of Ireland's most celebrated contemporary playwrights. The show runs tonight, May 8 through May 27 at the Off-Broad Street Theatre at First Baptist Church, 1636 Sansom Street. Opening night is Wednesday, May 9, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $20-$25 and are available by phone at 215-454-9776 or online at www.inisnuatheatre.org.

Inis Nua Theatre Company is finishing its season with the Philadelphia premiere of Enda Walsh's The Walworth Farce, a dark comedy by one of Ireland's most celebrated contemporary playwrights. The show runs May 8-27 at the Off-Broad Street Theatre at First Baptist Church, 1636 Sansom Street. Opening night is Wednesday, May 9, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $20-$25 and are available by phone at 215-454-9776 or online at www.inisnuatheatre.org.