Mather Zickel News

Stage and screen star Sanaa Lathan (A Raisin in the Sun, Contagion) returns to the title role in Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage's By the Way, Meet Vera Stark for its West Coast premiere at the Geffen Playhouse. Lathan, who originated the character of Vera Stark in the critically acclaimed New York run, will once again take the stage as the 1930's era maid turned movie star, reunited with original cast member Kimberly Hebert Gregory (Spike Lee's Red Hook Summer) reprising her role as fellow aspiring African American actress Lottie. Get a first look at the stars onstage below!

Stage and screen star Sanaa Lathan (A Raisin in the Sun, Contagion) returns to the title role in Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage's By the Way, Meet Vera Stark for its West Coast premiere at the Geffen Playhouse. Lathan, who originated the character of Vera Stark in the critically acclaimed New York run, will once again take the stage as the 1930's era maid turned movie star, reunited with original cast member Kimberly Hebert Gregory (Spike Lee's Red Hook Summer) reprising her role as fellow aspiring African American actress Lottie. Broadway vet and Geffen alum Merle Dandridge (Spamalot, Rent, Aida) will take on the spicy role of Anna Mae, who fakes a Brazilian accent for a slice of fame, and former leading lady of ABC's Man Up, Amanda Detmer, will portray Gloria Mitchell, the white starlet dubbed "America's little sweetie pie" and Vera's first employer. Helmed by award-winning director Jo Bonney, the West Coast premiere cast also features Kevin Carroll (Paid in Full, Being John Malkovich), Spencer Garrett (Iron Man 3, Air Force One) and Geffen alum Mather Zickel (Extraordinary Chambers, Rachel Getting Married).

ABC has pulled its freshman comedy MAN UP! from its Tuesday lineup. Repeats of 'Last Man Standing' will fill the Tuesday, 8:30/7:30c half-hour for the rest of the month.

On Tuesday's epiosode of ABC's MAN UP! entitled 'Men and Their Chickens', Will hopes that adopting a baby chick for little Lucy will be a 'teachable moment' about where food comes from, but things get out of hand when all of the guys decide they want to adopt chicks too; Craig dates an attractive doctor (guest star Marisa Coughlan as Dr. Donna Perkins), but finds himself intimidated by her bully of a son.

On Tuesday night's episode of ABC's MAN UP! entitled, 'High Road is the Guy Road', Will struggles to take the high road after a kid at school starts bullying Nathan, especially after Theresa tells him the kid's mom is on the school board, which Theresa is lobbying for funding for the science club. But when he learns that the kid's dad is Dennis Mayder (guest star Dan Cortese), the same guy who mercilessly bullied Will and the gang back in the day, he looks to his friends - and Grant - for help.

In the upcoming episode of ABC's MAN UP! entitled, 'Acceptance', as a rite of passage, Will decides to buy his son, Nathan, a cell phone, which in turn gives Brenda the idea to also purchase one for Grant to upgrade his old brick phone.

On the November 8th episode of ABC's hit new show MAN UP! titled 'Wingmen', Kenny admits he hasn't had a date since his divorce from Brenda and that Brenda is the only woman he has ever slept with. The guys, including Grant, take him clubbing to jump start his love life. But things don't go as planned, especially when a friend of Theresa's sees Will and thinks he's stepping out on his wife.

In ABC's upcoming episode of 'Man Up' entitled, 'Finessing the Bromance', Kenny gets jealous when Will and Grant strike up an unlikely 'bromance.'

On the October 25 episode of ABC's MAN UP! entitled, 'Finessing the Bromance', Kenny gets jealous when Will and Grant strike up an unlikely 'bromance.' Things go from bad to worse when he finds out Grant is coming to the weekly Keen Sunday dinner. In an attempt to strike some common ground, the guys try a 'Star Wars' screening, a film Kenny is obsessed with, but Grant has never seen, on 'Man Up,' TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25 (8:30:9:30 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

In ABC's upcoming episode of 'Man Up' entitled, 'Finessing the Bromance', Kenny gets jealous when Will and Grant strike up an unlikely 'bromance.'

ABC kicked off its 2011-12 season pickups with five comedies - 'Apartment 23,' 'Last Man Standing' (formerly 'Tim'), 'Man Up,' 'Suburgatory,' 'Work It' - and seven dramas - 'Charlie's Angels,' 'Good Christian Belles,' 'Pan Am,' 'Revenge,' 'Once Upon a Time,' 'The River,' 'Scandal' - receiving series commitments.

The world premiere of David Wiener's Extraordinary Chambers, a thrilling drama about the consequences of one couple's seemingly innocuous business trip to Cambodia, will include Marin Hinkle (Two and a Half Men) and Mather Zickel (Rachel Getting Married) as Mara and Carter, the couple at the center of the story.

Deadline.com reports that Dan Fogler has joined the cast of the ABC pilot Man Up, written by Chris Moynihan. In Man Up, in which a group of male friends come to terms with being a man in the modern age. Deadline writes tha the story specifically revlves around: 'Happily married father of two Will (Mather Zickel), his brother-in-law Kenny (Fogler) and the lovelorn Craig (Chris Moynihan).

KEVIN ALLISON OF 'THE STATE' PRESENTS RISK! Wednesday, October 21 at 7:30 PM feat Margaret Cho, Tom Shillue, Jon Friedman, Casey Wilson & Rachel Dratch

KEVIN ALLISON OF 'THE STATE' PRESENTS RISK! Wednesday, October 21 at 7:30 PM feat Margaret Cho, Tom Shillue, Jon Friedman, Casey Wilson & Rachel Dratch

RISK!, a new stage show created by The States Kevin Allison will play Joe's Pub on October 14. The unique concept show will showcase creative people telling true stories in risky ways, talking about taking risks, and taking on risky subjects.

Joe's Pub has announced a full line-up of its upcoming events featuring some of the industry's greats in addition to up-and-comers not to miss.

RISK!, a new stage show created by The States Kevin Allison will play Joe's Pub on October 14. The unique concept show will showcase creative people telling true stories in risky ways, talking about taking risks, and taking on risky subjects.

The Playwrights Realm - under the leadership of Co-Artistic Directors John Dias and Katherine Kovner and Producing Director Stephanie Ybarra - and the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts present the 2009 WRITERS JAM SESSION - a week of readings by emerging artists, featuring such acting talents as Tovah Feldshuh (IRENA'S VOW, GOLDA'S BALCONY), Michael Cumpsty (DEMOCRACY, COPENHAGEN), Mather Zickel ('Rachel Getting Married,' 'I Love You, Man'), etc. free and open to the public - at the NYU Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program Center (113 2nd Avenue, between 6th and 7th Streets). For reservations please email jd1429@nyu.edu.

The Playwrights Realm - under the leadership of Co-Artistic Directors John Dias and Katherine Kovner and Producing Director Stephanie Ybarra - and the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts present the 2009 WRITERS JAM SESSION - a week of readings by emerging artists, featuring such acting talents as Tovah Feldshuh (IRENA'S VOW, GOLDA'S BALCONY), Michael Cumpsty (DEMOCRACY, COPENHAGEN), Mather Zickel ('Rachel Getting Married,' 'I Love You, Man'), etc. free and open to the public - at the NYU Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program Center (113 2nd Avenue, between 6th and 7th Streets). For reservations please email jd1429@nyu.edu.