Murray Abraham News

ABC details its 12 drama pilots under consideration for next season.

Long Wharf Theatre will present My Name is Asher Lev, by Aaron Posner and adapted from Chaim Potok's 1972 novel,directed by Long Wharf Theatre Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein. The show will run from May 2 through May 27 on the Mainstage. The press opening will take place Wednesday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $40-$70. For a complete performance schedule, visit www.longwharf.org.

The cast of the American premiere of the Royal Court Theatre's Olivier Award-winning new production, COCK will star Jason Butler Harner as M, Amanda Quaid as W, Cory Michael Smith as John and Cotter Smith as F. Written by Mike Bartlett and directed by James Macdonald, COCK will open Off-Broadway at The Duke on 42nd Street, a NEW 42nd STREET project, 229 West 42nd Street, on Thursday, May 17 and previews will begin Thursday, May 1.

OBAMA IN NAPLES, written by Italian Claudio Angelini, is scheduled to play its world premier at the June Havoc Theatre April 25 to May 6.

Classic Stage Company's upcoming production of Bertolt Brecht's GALILEO (translated by Charles Laughton) starring Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham closes on Sunday, March 18.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick, has announced that Greg Reiner will join the acclaimed Off-Broadway theater as its new Executive Director beginning March 19. Reiner comes to CSC after an extremely successful tenure as Executive Director of Tectonic Theater Project, where, among many other achievements, he produced the world premiere of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later in 150 theaters on a single night, and oversaw the Tony nominated Broadway production of 33 Variations. Reiner succeeds Jessica R. Jenen, who departed CSC in the fall.

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), under the leadership of Julianne Boyd, Artistic Director, and Tristan Wilson, Managing Director, announces four new Associate Artists. Formed in 2010, the Associate Artists Program's inaugural honorees were composer/lyricist William Finn, actor/director Christopher Innvar and playwright Mark St. Germain. This year's new Associate Artists are music director Darren R. Cohen, actors Mark H. Dold and Debra Jo Rupp, and production stage manager Renee Lutz.

The Broken Heart, a 1629 tragic-comic play written by John Ford (Tis Pity She's a Whore), directed by Selina Cartmell in her American debut is Theatre for a New Audience's fourth production of the 2011 - 2012 theatre season.

Shortly into Bertolt Brecht's Galileo, the 17th Century Italian scientist shows his young companion a model of the Ptolemaic system of the universe, a gyroscope-looking creation depicting the sun and planets and other celestial bodies revolving on golden bands of orbits around the earth.  And if you choose that moment to take a look around you at Classic Stage Company's inviting new production, you'll notice how cleverly the environment created by set designer Adrianne Lobel replicates the look of the model, with large celestial globes suspended above the Earthlike playing area and hints of their golden orbits.

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week, or you're just in the mood for a recap of everything theatre, BroadwayWorld's feature, 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end of the week fix. Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to the West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more! For last week's biggest events: visit THIS WEEK IN PICTURES: February 11-17.

Classic Stage Company's production of Bertolt Brecht's GALILEO (translated by Charles Laughton) starring Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham, runs through Sunday, March 18. The official press opening for GALILEO is tonight, Thursday, February 23 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). GALILEO is directed by CSC's Artistic Director Brian Kulick. Ceck out just-released production shots below!

The Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) Awards recognize the extraordinary wealth of talent in the Boston theatre community, and this year's nominations have just been announced. IRNE Reviewers include among others David Brooks Andrews, Sheila Barth, Jules Becker, Kay Bourne, Beverly Creasey, Shirley Esthimer, Richard Fahey, Guy Giampapa, Norm Gross, Nancy Grossman, Bryce Lambert, Beatrice Lee, Kilian Melloy and Larry Stark.

Happy Birthday, Christopher Sieber! Sieber made his Broadway debut as Agis in the musical Triumph of Love with Betty Buckley and F. Murray Abraham. Following this role, he appeared as a replacement in the roles of Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, Trevor Graydon in Thoroughly Modern Millie and Billy Flynn in Chicago. Sieber played the role of Rapunzel's Prince and shared the role of the Wolf with Gregg Edelman in the revival of Into the Woods in 2002. In March 2005, Sieber originated the role of Sir Dennis Galahad in the Broadway musical Monty Python's Spamalot. He starred as Lord Farquaad in Shrek the Musical which opened on Broadway on December 14, 2008, after an out-of-town tryout in Seattle. On March 11, 2011, Sieber replaced Jeffrey Tambor as Georges in the Broadway production of La Cage Aux Folles opposite Harvey Fierstein.

The Broken Heart, a 1629 tragic-comic play written by John Ford (Tis Pity She's a Whore), directed by Selina Cartmell in her American debut is Theatre for a New Audience's fourth production of the 2011 - 2012 theatre season.

Curt Columbus directs a delightful, fast-paced production that is filled with first-rate performances.

Classic Stage Company has announced complete casting for their upcoming production of Shakespeare's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, which begins previews at CSC on Wednesday, April 4 for a limited engagement through Sunday, May 20. Joining two-time Tony Award winner Bebe Neuwirth (Hippolyta/Titania) and acclaimed film/television/stage star Christina Ricci (Hermia) in the cast are Jordan Dean (Demetrius), Nick Gehlfuss (Lysander), David Greenspan (Flute/Fairy), Halley Wegryn Gross (Helena), Anthony Heald (Theseus/Oberon), Erin Hill (Starveling/Fairy), Chad Lindsey (Snout/Fairy), Taylor Mac (Egeus/Puck), James Patrick Nelson (Snug/Fairy), Steven Skybell (Bottom) and Rob Yang (Quince/Fairy). Directed by Tony Speciale (Unnatural Acts), A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM has its official opening Sunday, April 29.

Next up in its continuing series Dark Nights, The New Group presents Re-imagining Baal today at 4:00pm.