Murray Abraham News

The Public Theater announced today that Shakespeare in the Park alumni F. Murray Abraham, Christine Baranski, John Cullum, David Harbour, Bill Irwin, Sandra Oh, Phylicia Rashad, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Sharon Washington will join Kevin Kline as Romeo and Meryl Streep as Juliet in a one-night-only benefit reading of ROMEO AND JULIET on Monday, June 18 - the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Over the past five decades, more than five million people have enjoyed over 150 productions of Shakespeare and other classical works and musicals at the Delacorte.

La MaMa's popular series MONDAY NIGHTS AT LA MAMA -- featuring La MaMa artists in discussions about their careers and their work at La MaMa -- will conclude tonight, Monday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m. with the Tony-winning and Academy Award-nominated director Julie Taymor at La MaMa's Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 E. 4 St.)

Celebrating 10 years, Resonance Ensemble (Eric Parness, Artistic Director; Rachel Reiner, Managing Director) will revel in classic fashion tonight, June 1, 2012 at the Judson Memorial Meeting Room (55 Washington Square South). This year's program is entitled 10 YEARS/10 DREAMS, featuring 10 ten-minute plays inspired by William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The Gala will begin with a cocktail reception and silent auction at 6PM, followed by performances at 7PM. Tickets range from $50-150, are tax-deductible and can be purchased by visiting http://www.resonanceensemble.org/events.

In addition to the previously announced new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's musical PASSION with Judy Kuhn and Melissa Errico, directed by John Doyle, CSC's 2012/2013 Season will feature Anton Chekhov's IVANOV, with Ethan Hawke, directed Austin Pendleton, and Bertolt Brecht's THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE, featuring a new score by acclaimed singer/songwriter Duncan Sheik and directed by Brian Kulick.

Paige Davis will host Red Bull Theater's gala, along with special guest NATASHA YVETTE WILLIAMS, on June 4.

La MaMa's popular series MONDAY NIGHTS AT LA MAMA -- featuring La MaMa artists in discussions about their careers and their work at La MaMa -- will conclude on Monday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m. with the Tony-winning and Academy Award-nominated director Julie Taymor at La MaMa's Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 E. 4 St.)

Celebrating 10 years, Resonance Ensemble (Eric Parness, Artistic Director; Rachel Reiner, Managing Director) will revel in classic fashion on Friday, June 1, 2012 at the Judson Memorial Meeting Room (55 Washington Square South). This year's program is entitled 10 YEARS/10 DREAMS, featuring 10 ten-minute plays inspired by William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The Gala will begin with a cocktail reception and silent auction at 6PM, followed by performances at 7PM. Tickets range from $50-150, are tax-deductible and can be purchased by visiting http://www.resonanceensemble.org/events.

THE LOWER EAST SIDE (LES) FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS celebrates its seventeenth year of bringing together under one roof, in just three days, over 100 performing arts organizations, local and international celebrities, independent artists, poets, playwrights, musicians, puppeteers, film makers and many others - all of whom reside, work or have their roots in the culturally diverse, willfully anarchistic Lower East Side - for New York City's most diverse FREE 3-day festival, from today, May 25 through Sunday, May 27, at Theater for the New City (155 1st Avenue, between E. 9th and 10th Sts.) in Manhattan. OBIE Award-winning actress Crystal Field is co-founder and Artistic Director of Theater for the New City.

The Tony Award-winning Hartford Stage, under the leadership of Darko Tresnjak, Artistic Director, and Michael Stotts, Managing Director, presents William Shakespeare's magical masterwork, The Tempest, directed by Darko Tresnjak, playing now through June 10, 2012 (press opening: Wednesday, May 16 at 7:30pm). Tony Award nominee Daniel Davis, best known for his recent NYC roles in Classic Stage's The Cherry Orchard, Lincoln Center's The Invention of Love, and the 2004 Broadway revival of La Cage aux Folles, as well as six seasons as Niles the Butler on TV's "The Nanny, plays Prospero. See photos of Davis and the rest of the cast on stage below!

Since its first production, The Seven Deadly Elements, premiered at La MaMa E.T.C. in 1977, the Soho-based Creation Production Company has worked to generate innovative forms of theatre.

Lucas Papaelias, of Broadway's ONCE is set to join the line up of the previously announced 17th annual LOWER EAST SIDE (LES) FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS. Papaelias is also known as LPfunK and is an actor/guitarist/composer who was nominated for a Drama Desk Award (Best Original Music in a Play) for his work in Adam Rapp's "Essential Self-Defense" at Playwrights Horizons. Most recently, he co-wrote the rock musical PYRAMIDICA: Songs of Freedom, which takes place live in a pyramid scheme company's "free" orientation, and was presented at the Vineyard Arts Project's New Writers / New Plays Festival. He also conceived of, and composed, the rock opera ITHACA: a Perpetual Shredfest, the story of a Lower East Side rock band performing their final concert, which had presentations at Joe's Pub and ARS Nova.

West End leading man and recording artist Jeremiah James will join the cast of The Fantasticks on Tuesday, May 8, 2012. He succeeds Edward Watts in the role of El Gallo.

Acclaimed Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) Artistic Director Michael Boyd will receive the Samuel H. Scripps Award at Theatre for a New Audience's Spring Gala Celebrating Shakespeare's 448th Birthday. The celebration, tonight, May 7, is at the Powerhouse at the American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street.

On Thursday, May 3, 2012 Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's romantic musical comedy The Fantasticks will celebrate its 52nd anniversary. The Fantasticks currently stars triple platinum recording artist Aaron Carter as Matt. Television and stage star John Davidson will join the cast as Henry on June 1.