Melissa James Gibson News

Williamstown Theatre Festival (Mandy Greenfield, Artistic Director) has announced a casting update for the 2016 production of Wendy Wasserstein's An American Daughter.

Williamstown Theatre Festival hosts the opening night for its first two shows of the 2016 Season this Saturday, July 2nd at 8:00pm.

Both Melissa James Gibson's play THIS and Windy City Playhouse's production exist on a precipice. For the characters in Gibson's script, they stand on the ledge approaching forty and the onset of middle age, while also waxing nostalgic about the good old college days.These college friends-Jane, Marrell, and Alan (plus Marrell's spouse, Tom, and Jean-Pierre, a new, misplaced member of the circle)-stand firmly in that liminal space. The characters must navigate both the loss of a loved one (Jane is recently widowed) and the creation of new life (Marrell and Tom are parents to a newborn son). And while Gibson's characters seem to be contemplating major life experiences, she also paints them as exceedingly privileged and self-absorbed-in such a way that it becomes rather difficult to sympathize with them. Similarly, Windy City Playhouse's production (with direction by Artistic Associate Carl Menninger) occupies an in-between status-partly entertaining (with an occasional laugh-out-loud funny line delivery), partly striving towards deep emotional complexity. Unfortunately, THIS never swings far enough in either direction to be memorable. 

MEN ON BOATS, the critically-acclaimed comedy which premiered at Clubbed Thumb's 2015 Summerworks Festival, announced today casting for its return this summer in a co-production by Clubbed Thumb and Playwrights Horizons.

Manhattan Theatre Club, in partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, announces the upcoming Sloan Panel Discussion on INCOGNITO, which will be held following tonight's May 17 performance of the play at MTC at New York City Center-Stage I (131 West 55th Street), and is open to anyone attending the evening's performance.

Manhattan Theatre Club, in partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, announces the upcoming Sloan Panel Discussion on INCOGNITO, which will be held following the Tuesday, May 17 performance of the play at MTC at New York City Center-Stage I (131 West 55th Street), and is open to anyone attending the evening's performance.

Previews begin tonight, May 13 at 8PM for the Playwrights Horizons world premiere production of Indian Summer, a new play by Gregory S. Moss (Reunion; punkplay; Billy Witch; La Brea; Orange, Hat & Grace; House of Gold).

A friendly reminder! Previews begin next Friday, May 13 at 8PM for the Playwrights Horizons world premiere production of Indian Summer, a new play by Gregory S. Moss (Reunion; punkplay; Billy Witch; La Brea; Orange, Hat & Grace; House of Gold).

Windy City Playhouse, Chicago's most sophisticated new theater, presents the off-Broadway hit This, a tart 'melanchomedy' centering on four educated, artistically inclined thirtysomething New Yorkers whose longtime friendship is tested by an act of infidelity. Writer, director and playwright Carl Menninger (a former Deerfield native) returns home from Washington, D.C. to direct this piercing, beautifully crafted new play for lovers of language by Melissa James Gibson. Previews for This begin Wednesday, June 15 at Windy City Playhouse, 3014 W. Irving Park.

Atlantic Theater Company has announced commissions of six new plays by Jocelyn Bioh, Jennifer Haley, Paola Lazaro, Qui Nguyen, Heidi Schreck, and Simon Stephens and Mark Eitzel.

Acclaimed Off-Broadway theater company Playwrights Horizons will hold its annual Spring Gala on Monday evening, May 9 at the event space 583 Park Avenue.

Atlantic Theater Company presents the world premiere of Academy Award nominee and Pulitzer Prize finalist Kenneth Lonergan's latest play HOLD ON TO ME DARLING, directed by Atlantic Artistic Director Neil Pepe.

? Trinity Rep continues its 52nd season Rebels, Renegades and Pioneers with the world premiere of Arnie Louis and Bob by Katie Pearl directed by Melissa Kievman. Arnie Louis and Bob runs April 7-May 8, 2016. Tickets are on sale now by phone at (401) 351-4242, online at www.trinityrep.com, or in person at the theater's box office at 201 Washington Street, Providence.

Due to critical acclaim and popular demand, Playwrights Horizons has announced an extension of their New York premiere production of FAMILIAR, a new play by Obie Award-winner Danai Gurira (Eclipsed now on Broadway, In the Continuum, The Convert, Michonne on AMC's 'The Walking Dead'). Directed by Rebecca Taichman (Stage Kiss, Milk Like Sugar at PH; The Oldest Boy; Marie Antoinette; Luck of the Irish; Orlando), the play is the fourth production of the theater company's 2015/2016 Season.

Williamstown Theatre Festival has announced that HANNAH AND THE DREAD GAZEBO by Jiehae Park is the 2016 L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award recipient. Jiehae will also receive The Jay Harris Commission to write a new play, a prize worth $10,000.

Melissa James Gibson and Frank Pugliese, two senior writers who have been with HOUSE OF CARDS since 2014, have been promoted to showrunners of the award-winning Netflix original series, from Media Rights Capital.

Playwrights Horizons, under the leadership of Artistic Director Tim Sanford and Managing Director Leslie Marcus, just announced the six productions of its 2016/2017 Season. The six new works will be presented at the theater company's home at 416 West 42nd Street.

Williamstown Theatre Festival's annual Gala was just held at City Winery in New York City (155 Varick Street) last night, February 8, 2016. The evening  included cocktails, dinner, and live auction led by Charity Auctioneer Robbie Gordy of Christie's New York. Hosted by Jessica Hecht and David Hyde Pierce, the evening included special appearances and performances by: star of stage and screen Ana Gasteyer, Telly Leung (Broadway's Allegiance), Lindsay Mendez (Broadway's Wicked), New York's hottest new band Sky-Pony (led by Tony Award-nominated singer/actress Lauren Worsham and musician/writer Kyle Jarrow), and more. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the special night below!

?Atlantic Theater Company has to announced the world premiere production of George Brant's play with music, Marie and Rosetta, directed by Atlantic artistic director Neil Pepe, as part of its 2016-2017 season in the fall.

The New York premiere of Pulitzer Prize finalist and Emmy Award nominated writer Rolin Jones and Tony Award nominee and Grammy Award winning Green Day front man Billie Joe Armstrong's new play with music THESE PAPER BULLETS!, directed by Jackson Gay, opens tonight, December 15, at Atlantic Theater Company.