New Group News

Roundabout Theatre Company in association with Don Gregory, has announced the full company for the new Broadway production of Mary Chase's Harvey starring Jim Parsons (Elwood P. Dowd), Jessica Hecht (Veta Louise Simmons), Charles Kimbrough (William R. Chumley, M.D.), Larry Bryggman (Judge Omar Gaffney), Carol Kane (Betty Chumley), Peter Benson (E.J. Lofgren), Tracee Chimo (Myrtle Mae Simmons), Holley Fain (Ruth Kelly, R.N.), Angela Paton (Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet), Rich Sommer (Duane Wilson), Morgan Spector (Lyman Sanderson, M.D.) and directed by Scott Ellis.

Gotham Chamber Opera continues its 10th-anniversary celebration with a revival of Mozart's Il sogno di Scipione, which announced the company's arrival on the New York cultural scene ten years ago.

Theater for the New City (Crystal Field, Executive Director) will present Heathens, a new play by Heather Hill, directed by Stefanie Sertich, having its Off-Broadway premiere beginning March 1st and continuing through March 17th only.

The Asian American Performers Action Coalition (AAPAC) released preliminary findings today on the representation of minority actors on New York City's most prominent stages during the last five years. The full report, which will be released on Monday February 13th in conjunction with an industry roundtable, tallies the ethnic make-up of casts from all shows which opened on Broadway during this period and productions from sixteen of the largest not-for-profit theatres in New York City: The Atlantic Theatre Company, Classic Stage Company, Lincoln Center Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, MCC, The New Group, New York Theatre Workshop, Playwrights Horizons, Primary Stages, Public Theatre, Roundabout Theatre Company, Second Stage, Signature Theatre, Theatre for a New Audience, Vineyard Theatre and The York Theatre Company. It is the first report on minority casting in New York theatre ever to be released publicly.

The Sundance Institute Theatre Program has begun the 2012 Playwrights Retreat at Ucross Foundation. The 13th annual writing colony at the 20,000-acre working cattle ranch outside of Sheridan, Wyo. takes place through February 24 and provides a supportive environment for artists to create new work and receive guidance and reactions to it at an early stage.

ON KENTUCKY AVENUE, a stage musical based loosely on fact and mostly fiction about the people and performers who took the stage and filled the tables at the majestic Club Harlem "on Kentucky Avenue" in the north section of Atlantic City from the 1930s until the late 1980s, will be given a full staged reading on Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 8 PM at the Westminster Performing Arts Center in Bloomfield, NJ, as part of the Center's Black History Month activities.

Animal Planet is heating up your winter blues with a HILLBILLY HANDFISHIN' marathon on Wednesday, February 8 starting at 8 PM (et/pt), leading up to a brand-new episode at 10 PM (et/pt). Additionally, three new episodes follow on Sundays at 8 PM (et/pt), beginning February 12.

Alchemy Theatre Company of Manhattan (Robert Saxner, Producing Artistic Director) in association with Playwrights' Playground NYC presents Off Broadway* the world premiere of FLIGHT by Michel Wallerstein at the DR 2 Theatre, 103 East 15th Street - off Union Square. Previews begin March 2nd and the Opening is Wednesday, March 7th for a limited engagement The new play stars Maddie Corman, Maria Tucci, Jonathan Walker.

THE PEARL THEATRE COMPANY (J.R. Sullivan, Artistic Director) has announced the casting for Eugene O'Neill's haunting and passionate A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN. Beginning performances on March 6, 2012 at New York City Center Stage II, this masterpiece, written in the twilight of O'Neill's illustrious career, follows a moonlight encounter between two lonely souls. The production will be directed by J.R. Sullivan.

The Pearl Theatre Company has announced the casting for Eugene O'Neill's haunting and passionate A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN.

Manhattan Theatre Club has announced full casting for the upcoming world premiere of REGRETS by Matt Charman, directed by Carolyn Cantor.

Syfy announces that its critically acclaimed reality competition series Face Off will return for a 10-episode third season of special effects competition, offering a new group of rising SFX make-up artists with the opportunity to showcase their imagination and creativity. Production on season three will commence this Spring for a Summer 2012 premiere.

Due to popular demand, The New Group has announced a two-week extension for Russian Transport, which began previews on January 17 and had an Official Opening Night on January 30.

Red Bull Theater (Jesse Berger, Artistic Director) will present Jean Genet's The Maids for a strictly limited engagement beginning March 6th at Theater at St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues).

NOW.HERE.THIS. -- which last year received a Developmental Lab Production at The Vineyard - will be given a fully staged, world-premiere production with previews beginning March 7 prior to an official press opening of March 28 at the Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street), it has been announced by Artistic Director Douglas Aibel, and Co-Artistic Director Sarah Stern. The company met the press today, Feruary 6, and BroadwayWorld was there for the event. Check out a photo from the event below, and check back later for full coverage!

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, February 5, 2012 - Sunday, February 5, 2012.

The Sundance Institute Theatre Program today announced the seven artists selected for its 2012 Playwrights Retreat at Ucross Foundation which takes place from February 6 through 24, 2012.

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

The battle of the bands is on as Nickelodeon premieres its brand-new live-action comedy series, How to Rock (http://www.nick.com/shows/how-torock) on Saturday, Feb. 4 with back-to-back episodes airing at 8:30 and 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT). The series, featuring original music performed by Cymphonique Miller (http://www.nick.com/celebrity/cymphonique-miller.html), centers on Kacey Simon, a talented teenager who takes her rhythmic pop band to new heights as their lead singer, while navigating the shark-infested social waters of high school.