Michael Morpurgo News

Storytelling on stage is at its theatrical best when all the technical elements utilized blend together so smoothly that you take for granted that they are there at all. Such is the case with the amazing War Horse, based on a children's novel by Michael Morpurgo in which a young boy Albert (Andrew Veenstra) attempts to groom his foal Joey to adulthood as a farm horse, only to lose him to the ravages of World War I in England and France. Boy gets horse, boy falls in love with horse, boy loses horse, but... If you love animals and understand and respect what transpires deepdown between man and beast, you will love War Horse, as, in spite of the war horrors depicted, love is at the very core and champions above all else. Now in its US tour, War Horse is fortunately with us at the Ahmanson through July 29 only, and this beautiful production must not be missed.

"War Horse," like any fine stallion, has a award winning pedigree, and has won the trifecta in terms of the mediums in which it's tale has been told. It began as a novel 28 years ago, was staged as a play at the National Theatre in London 5 years ago, and last year received a motion picture adaptation courtesy of Steven Spielberg. On Friday, it finally made its Los Angeles theatre debut, with the premiere of the National Tour at LA's Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre.

The West Coast premiere of The National Theatre production of War Horse opened yesterday at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. Performances for the powerful drama will continue through July 29, 2012. View red carpet photos below!

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer) has announced that it will extend the run of its critically acclaimed production of Amy Herzog's 4000 MILES, directed by Daniel Aukin, for a second time, through Sunday, July 1 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater (150 West 65 Street). The original run of the production was extended through Sunday, June 17 after 4000 MILES opened to critical acclaim in early April.

The West Coast premiere of The National Theatre production of War Horse opens tonight, June 29 at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. Previews began June 14, and performances for the powerful drama will continue through July 29, 2012 before embarking on a national tour that will hit 30 U.S. cities during the 2012-2013 season. The winner of five 2011 Tony® Awards, War Horse has been seen by over 2 million people worldwide and is currently playing at New York's Lincoln Center Theater, in London's West End, and at Toronto's Princess of Wales Theatre. Future productions of War Horse are planned for Australia, Berlin and South Africa, as well as a UK Tour. Want to go behind the scenes of the stunning production? Click below!

Northern Stage and Live Theatre in Newcastle Upon Tyne are thrilled to announce that they are joining forces to revive Alan Plater's play CLOSE THE COALHOUSE DOOR as a memorial production following his death in 2010. Directed by Samuel West, the production will open at Northern Stage on Wednesday 18 April, with previews from 13 April and will then tour the UK until June.

The West Coast premiere of The National Theatre production of War Horse opens Friday, June 29 at 8 p.m. at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. Currently in previews, performances for the powerful drama will continue through July 29, 2012.

The Edinburgh International Book Festival today announced its programme for 2012. Charlotte Square Gardens will welcome Nobel Laureates, Booker and Pulitzer Prize winners and Poets Laureate as well as a stellar line up of the world's leading writers, poets, thinkers and commentators. With Guest Selectors, the Anobii First Book Award, the Edinburgh World Writers' Conference, the gamut of outstanding authors from Ali Smith to Zadie Smith, and a third year of the late night Unbound events, the Book Festival promises a summer of contemplation, inspiration and entertainment.

Broadway In Chicago has announced that tickets for the National Theatre's epic WAR HORSE, winner of five 2011 Tony Awards including Best Play, will go on sale to the public today, June 20, 2012, at 10 a.m. WAR HORSE will come to Chicago this December for a limited three-week engagement from Dec. 18, 2012 - Jan. 5, 2013 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph St.).

The LCT3 production of Slowgirl, a new play by Greg Pierce, directed by Anne Kauffman and featuring Željko Ivanek and Sarah Steele, makes its world premiere tonight, June 18, as the first production to be presented by LCT3 in its new home, The Claire Tow Theater, on the roof of Lincoln Center Theater's Vivian Beaumont Theater (150 West 65 Street). Slowgirl will run for six weeks only through Sunday, July 15. All tickets are $20.

Children's Laureate Julia Donaldson and Richmond resident Axel Scheffler's Tiddler & Other Terrific Tales comes to Rose Theatre Kingston tonight, Sat 16 & Sun 17 June.

Tickets for Bob Boyett and the National Theatre of Great Britain's epic WAR HORSE, winner of five 2011 Tony® Awards including Best Play, will go on public sale this Sunday, June 17th at 10AM. WAR HORSE will play a limited 2 week engagement at the Boston Opera House from October 10 - October 21, 2012 and is part of the Lexus Broadway In Boston Series.

Producers Bob Boyett and The National Theatre of Great Britain launch the first U.S. tour of the 2011 Tony® Award-winning Best Play and international sensation, War Horse, tomorrow, Thursday, June 14 at Los Angeles's Ahmanson Theatre. The national tour will bring the hit play to 30 U.S. cities during the 2012-2013 season. The winner of five 2011 Tony® Awards, War Horse has been seen by over 2 million people worldwide and is currently playing at New York's Lincoln Center Theater, in London's West End, and at Toronto's Princess of Wales Theatre. Future productions of War Horse are planned for Australia, Berlin and South Africa, as well as a UK Tour. Check out photos from the production below!

The National Theatre production of "War Horse" begins performances Thursday, June 14 at 8 p.m. at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. Performances for the powerful drama will continue through July 29, 2012. Opening is set for June 29.

Broadway In Chicago has announced that tickets for the National Theatre's epic WAR HORSE, winner of five 2011 Tony Awards including Best Play, will go on sale to the public on Wednesday, June 20, 2012, at 10 a.m. WAR HORSE will come to Chicago this December for a limited three-week engagement from Dec. 18, 2012 - Jan. 5, 2013 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph St.).

The National Theatre production of "War Horse" begins performances Thursday, June 14 at 8 p.m. at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. Performances for the powerful drama will continue through July 29, 2012. Opening is set for June 29.