Michael Mayer News

Naked Angels in association with the Guild Hall will present a one night only benefit staged reading of long-time company member and celebrated playwright Warren Leight's Tony Award-winning play Side Man, starring Zachary Quinto and original Broadway cast members Jeff Binder, Kevin Geer, Michael Mastro, Angelica Torn, and Frank Wood. The reading will take place at Guild Hall in East Hampton, NY on Sunday, August 28 at 7pm. Proceeds will go towards Naked Angels' ongoing development of new work.

Robert Lindsay and Joanna Lumley will lead the cast in Trevor Nunn's production of James Goldman's The Lion in Winter. The Lion in Winter will run from 4 November - 28 January, with press night on 15 November 2011. The Lion in Winter is produced by the Theatre Royal Haymarket Company. Further casting will be announced shortly.

Signature Theatre Company's production of Tony Kushner's THE ILLUSION, directed by Michael Mayer begins its final week of performances tonight, July 12. The production, originally slated to run through July 10, 2011, was extended an additional week due to popular demand and will run through Sunday, July 17, 2011.

The New York Times reveals today that director Michael Mayer, a consulting producer on the upcoming NBC series, Smash, has invited the creative team involved in crafting SMASH's workshop episodes to his own developmental lab of On A Clear Day You Can See Forever at the Vineyard. According to the report, attendees include 'Mr. Grant, a former writer and producer on the ABC series 'Brothers and Sisters' who is also a playwright and Tony-nominated actor ('Angels in America'); Ms. Reingold, also a playwright ('String Fever') who most recently wrote for HBO's 'In Treatment'; Jason Grote ('Civilization'); and Elisa Zuritsky and Julie Rottenberg, a writing team who worked extensively on HBO's 'Sex and the City.' Head SMASH writer Teresa Rebeck will also be on hand.

Vineyard Theatre will produce a developmental lab of the newly imagined musical ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER - with music by Burton Lane, lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, a new book by Peter Parnell based on the original book by Alan Jay Lerner, and reconceived and directed by Michael Mayer - July 25 to July 30 at Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street), it has been announced by Vineyard Theatre artistic directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern.

The cast of the highly anticipated musical drama SMASH, recently visited NBC's upfronts, where they chatted up the new series. In the video below, Debra Messing, Anjelica Huston, Raza Jeffery and more talk about what to expect from the series!

Music Theatre of Connecticut presents 'You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.' The production will take place on Friday and Saturday, July 15 and 16 at 7:30pm at Toquet Hall, 62 Post Road East in Westport,?CT. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students, and reservations are suggested. All proceeds will benefit Music Theatre of Connecticut. For tickets, call Music Theatre of Connecticut at 203.454.3883 or visit www.musictheatreofct.com

Grammy and Emmy Award winner, Tony Award nominee and multi-platinum recording artist Harry Connick, Jr. will star in a reimagined production of ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER opening fall 2011 on Broadway at a theatre to be announced. The delightful Tony Award nominated score by Burton Lane (music) and Alan Jay Lerner (lyrics) is enhanced by classics from their film scores for On A Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970) and Royal Wedding (1951). With a new book by Peter Parnell based on the original book by Alan Jay Lerner, the musical is reconceived and directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer. Further casting and creative team to be announced shortly.

Katharine McPhee visited NBC's Finale of THE VOICE to offer a preview of her new musical drama SMASH, premiering in early 2012. We can't wait!

The production features scenic design by Christine Jones, costume design by Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Kevin Adams, sound design by Bray Poor and fight direction by Rick Sordelet. Production Stage Manager is Paul J. Smith. Michael Mayer directs. Check out a trailer for the production, which opened June 5th, below!

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) announces the following concerts going on sale this week.

92nd Street Y has announced that Jordan Roth, President of Jujamcyn Theaters, will continue his popular multi-evening 92nd Street Y conversation series, 'Broadway Talks with Jordan Roth' with Grammy Award-winning musicians Bono and The Edge, on the eve of the Opening Night of SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark. Roth, Bono and The Edge will discuss the Broadway show and the latest recording (Music from SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark) at 92nd Street Y (1395 Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street) on Monday, June 13th at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $35 and are available at www.92Y.org/BroadwayTalks or by calling 212.415.5500.

92nd Street Y has announced that Jordan Roth, President of Jujamcyn Theaters, will continue his popular multi-evening 92nd Street Y conversation series, 'Broadway Talks with Jordan Roth' with Grammy Award-winning musicians Bono and The Edge, on the eve of the Opening Night of SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark. Roth, Bono and The Edge will discuss the Broadway show and the latest recording (Music from SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark) at 92nd Street Y (1395 Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street) on Monday, June 13th at 8:00 p.m.

The team will once again bring IDIOT to audiences - this time in movie theaters, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Under the direction of Michael Mayer, and featuring Billie Joe Armstrong reprising his Broadway role as St. Jimmy, the film aims for a 2013 premiere under Tom Hanks' Playtone Productions.