Neil LaBute News

The one night only special event STANDING ON CEREMONY: THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS was held last night June 14th at the Angel Oresanz Center in NYC.

Emmy(R) Award nominee Maura Tierney ('ER') has joined 'The Whole Truth' as a series regular. The new drama series from Jerry Bruckheimer Television will air Wednesdays from 10:00-11:00 p.m., ET this fall on ABC. With a unique alternative narrative structure that chronicles the way a case is built from the perspectives of both the defense and prosecution, 'The Whole Truth' shows each side equally and keeps its audience guessing, shifting allegiances of guilt or innocence until the very final scene.

TopDog Productions in a co-production with the Elephant Theatre Company are thrilled to announce the Los Angeles Intimate Theatre Premiere of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, written by Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Marty Papazian.

The Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis announces the Midwest Premiere of Neil LaBute's bristling comedy Reasons to be Pretty. The play starts Thursday, July 8 and runs through August 1, 2010 on the Mainstage at the Phoenix Theatre in Indianapolis. The production is sponsored by Indianapolis Power & Light Company.

STANDING ON CEREMONY: THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS, a collection of short plays written for marriage equality to benefit Human Rights Campaign, Marriage Equality New York and New York Theatre Workshop will take place on Monday, June 14, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. at the Angel Orensanz Center, 172 Norfolk Street in New York City, between Houston and Stanton Streets. Dancing and a glamorous wedding reception will follow.

Central themes in The Shape of Things are questions on the nature of art, psychopathy and intimacy, explorations of love and people's willingness to do things for love. It is set in a small university town in the American Midwest and centers on the lives of four young students who become emotionally and romantically involved with each other.

She&Her Productions Presents THE SHAPE OF THINGS 6/3-12

Central themes in The Shape of Things are questions on the nature of art, psychopathy and intimacy, explorations of love and people's willingness to do things for love. It is set in a small university town in the American Midwest and centers on the lives of four young students who become emotionally and romantically involved with each other.

Pinch n' Ouch Theatre presents the regional premiere of REASONS TO BE PRETTY by Neil LaBute on the Hertz Stage at the Woodruff Arts Center (1280 Peachtree St. NE), June 9th thru June 27th. Evening performances are at 8 p.m. on Wednesday through Saturday and at 7 p.m. on Sunday; there is also a matinee performance at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Judd Hirsch, Kathy Najimy, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Debra Monk, Michael Stuhlbarg, Michael Longoria, Dan Butler, David Pittu, Jason Butler Harner, Jonathan Cake, Kristin Nielsen and Nancy Giles have joined the cast of STANDING ON CEREMONY: THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS, a collection of short plays written for marriage equality to benefit Human Rights Campaign, Marriage Equality New York and New York Theatre Workshop.

American Theater Company (ATC) celebrates its 25th Anniversary with The Silver Project, a year-long festival of 30 world premiere short plays penned by some of the country's leading playwrights. The Silver Project will run over ten evenings between February 8, 2010 and June 20, 2010 at American Theater Company, 1909 W Byron St, Chicago.

Starting tomorrow, April 14, Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) opens THE TAMING OF THE SHREW. Shakespeare's comedy, running thru June 6, is staged by London's Bush Theatre Artistic Director Josie Rourke, and incorporates new scenes written by one of America's leading dramatists, Neil LaBute.

?Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) on Navy Pier closes the 2010/11 Subscription Series with The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare's spark-filled comedy of an unconventional courtship. Returning to CST to direct the production is London's Bush Theatre Artistic Director Josie Rourke following her celebrated production of Twelfth Night last season. Rourke has assembled a top-notch ensemble, including some of Chicago's most highly regarded comedic actors and a world-class creative team for the production.

MCC Theater (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) today announced that Playwright-in-Residence Neil LaBute will direct three special benefit performances of his all new ‘shorts' series, Filthy Talk for Troubled Times: Scenes of Intolerance for the company.

$20 Preview Tickets Available Now! Beat the rush now and receive discounted tickets during our Preview Nights - June 9 & 10 at the Hertz Stage, Woodruff Arts Center!

Last night, June 3, MCC Theater kicked-off it's three day presentation of readings from Playwright-in-Residence Neil LaBute's FILTHY TALK FOR TROUBLED TIMES: SCENES OF INTOLERANCE. The company features Craig Bierko, Alice Eve, Johnny Galecki, Josh Hamilton, Justin Long, and Julia Stiles, who will take on a variety of plum LaBute roles in this series of 'shorts.' The readings continue tonight, June 4 and Saturday, June 5 at 7:00 p.m. at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. Proceeds will benefit MCC Theater's Playwrights' Coalition program, free PlayLab reading series, and literary development activities. BroadwayWorld brings you full coverage below of the opening after-party arrivals below!

Actresses Justina Machado and Nancy Travis are trying Love, Loss and What I Wore on for size. They join previously announced actresses Lucy DeVito, Conchata Ferrell and Rhea Perlman in the Geffen Playhouse's second cast of Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron's award-winning collection of stories.

Silver Spring Stage presents George Bernard Shaw's classic comedy PYGMALION, directed by Pauline Griller-Mtichell and produced by Richard Ley, when fussy English professor Henry Higgins wagers that he can transform a guttersnipe cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle into a lady of breeding, voice, and manners. Pygmalion will perform weekends June 4 to June 27.

The Open Fist Theatre Company presents the third show in their 2010 season, a new adaptation of Bertolt Brecht's classic THE GOOD WOMAN OF SETZUAN, translated by Eric Bentley with original music by Elizabeth Swados (Runaways), musical direction by Dean Mora and directed by Charles Otte (The Devil with Boobs).

On July 24, the Hudson Stage Company of Croton on Hudson, New York, will host its annual gala fundraiser, 'Divas on Hudson.' The event will be hosted on a Hudson River property in Montrose. It will be tented rain or shine and will have seating available, in addition to expansive grounds for picnicking. The evening will feature a sunset concert with Broadway singers, a silent auction, wine and cheese, dessert, coffee and the view. Performers at past events have included Audra McDonald, Ann Hampton Callaway, Lauren Kennedy, Liz Callaway, Barbara Walsh, and Shoshana Bean.