Oscar Wilde News

Signature Theatre presents two limited-run shows that bring the spirit of the holidays to the stage for family, friends, and music lovers of all ages. The fun begins this week with composer and Signature favorite Matt Conner (Crossing, The Hollow, Nevermore), who will warm up the intimate ARK Theatre with his new show A Matt Conner Christmas.

A large plaster bust of the celebrated twentieth century British actress Margaret Rawlings by sculptor Frank Dobson has been donated to the National Portrait Gallery Collection, it was announced today (Wednesday 11 December 2013).

English Touring Theatre announced today that Alan Bennett's internationally renowned play The History Boys has been voted the Nation's Favourite Play.

Six finalists have been announced for Leicester Square Theatre's The New Musical Project, which aims to find, nurture and develop new musical theatre writing talent and produce it.

Following the world premiere co-production at Kansas City Repertory Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse, playwright and performer Daniel Beaty brings The Tallest Tree in the Forest to Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Beaty, whose work has been seen at Arena Stage as a playwright with his play Resurrection and as a performer in his award-winning solo play Emergency, channels close to 40 characters in The Tallest Tree in the Forest in a "tour de force" (San Diego Reader) performance, giving audiences an intimate look at one of the most dynamic and controversial figures in history-artist and activist Paul Robeson. Tony Award nominee Moises Kaufman (playwright and director for Broadway's 33 Variations, which received its world premiere at Arena Stage in 2007) directs this music-infused new play that features 14 songs and an onstage band. Developed and produced by Tectonic Theater Project, The Tallest Tree in the Forest runs January 10-February 16, 2014 in the Kreeger Theater and will play the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles following the Arena Stage run.

The theatre in the St. James Studio has announced its Winter 2013-14 events. Details below!

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the acclaimed comedy/variety show hailed as 'rambunctious, uproarious and unpredictable' by The Wall Street Journal, 'delicious and delightfully droll' by The New York Post, and 'hilarious and sardonic' by The Village Voice - has moved to 54 BELOW for a six month run after four sell-out seasons in New York's West Village. The next show will be on Wednesday, December 18 at 9:30 PM. Justin Sayre and The Meeting*, known for a signature blend of outrageous comedy, politics, culture and everything in between, were named one of the Top 10 nightclub shows of 2011 by Time Out New York, received the 2012 Bistro Award for 'Comedy Artistry' and a 2011 MAC Award nomination for Best Male Comedy Performance.

Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner S. Epatha Merkerson ('Law & Order'), Screen Actors Guild Award winner Peri Gilpin ('Frasier'), Daniel Mitura and Jean Brassard are set for benefit reading of Kathleen McGhee-Anderson's new play A SHIFT IN GRAVITY, directed by Ricardo Khan today, December 9 at 8:30pm at The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theater at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street) in Manhattan. A SHIFT IN GRAVITY is presented by 651 ARTS and associated produced by Lorraine Rodriquez-Reyes.

Justin Sayre - the acclaimed writer and creator of The Meeting* - will make his solo debut at JOE'S PUB at The Public tonight, December 8 at 9:30 PM in an new original show, IN MY GIRLISH DAYS.

Visionbox, a professional actors' studio and intermedia Production Company in Denver, will present an open rehearsal of A Night of Laughs: American & British Comedy today, December 8. Doors will open for food and drink at 6:00pm. This Visionbox event will feature Visionbox Ensemble Members and Visionbox Actors. Join Visionbox for this free event at their location in the heart of the Art District on Santa Fe, 910 ARTS, in the Skylite Station courtyard and gallery. Nova Catering will provide delicious food.

Visionbox, a professional actors' studio and intermedia production company in Denver, will present an open rehearsal of A Night of Laughs: American & British Comedy on Sunday, December 8. Doors will open for food and drink at 6:00pm. This Visionbox event will feature Visionbox Ensemble Members and Visionbox Actors. Join Visionbox for this free event at their location in the heart of the Art District on Santa Fe, 910 ARTS, in the Skylite Station courtyard and gallery. Nova Catering will provide delicious food.

The first full song from the original cast recording Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Black and Christopher Hampton's highly anticipated new West End musical STEPHEN WARD has been unveiled - a spirited, swingin' ditty titled '1963', also featuring a dialogue scene and dramatic final coda.

2013 MIDWINTER'S TALES: SIMPLE GIFTS - A Celebration of the Season in Music and Musings, benefiting both Oak Park Festival Theatre and Prevail (formerly Oak Park River Forest Walk In Ministry) will be held at 7 PM, tonight, December 7, 2013, at the Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois.

Moises Kaufman's Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde continues the Hilberry Theatre's 51st season in Midtown Detroit. Playing January 10 through March 22, 2014, Kaufman's Lucille Lortel and Outer Critics Circle award-winning work is a fast-paced, historically accurate, documentary style piece of theatre that reveals the destructive powers of hate and prejudice. Tickets for Gross Indecency range from $12-$30 and are available by calling the Hilberry Theatre Box Office at (313) 577-2972, online at Hilberry.com, or by visiting the box office at 4743 Cass Avenue on the corner of Hancock Street.

The Michigan Shakespeare Festival is offering a 5% discount on tickets for all regular performances purchased through December 31, 2013. The offer extends to a variety of ticket types, including Flex Passes, Senior, Student and Group Tickets. "We wish to say a thank you to all of our loyal patrons who purchase their tickets early in the season. An MSF Flex Pass includes one ticket to each production and allows patrons to purchase now, but gives them the flexibility to choose their seats at a later date, so you don't have to have commit to a specific performance to take advantage of this deal" stated Artistic Director Janice L. Blixt. The offer doesn't extend to preview performance tickets. To redeem the offer, patrons will need to call the Potter Center Ticket Office at 517-796-8600 and mention ticket code MSF20132014. For walk up orders, the Potter Center Ticket Office is open Monday - Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and one hour prior to show time. The ticket office is located within the Potter Center at 2111 Emmons Road, Jackson MI 49201.

Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner S. Epatha Merkerson ('Law & Order'), Screen Actors Guild Award winner Peri Gilpin ('Frasier'), Daniel Mitura and Jean Brassard set for benefit reading of Kathleen McGhee-Anderson's new play A SHIFT IN GRAVITY, directed by Ricardo Khan on Monday, December 9 at 8:30pm at The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theater at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street) in Manhattan. A SHIFT IN GRAVITY is presented by 651 ARTS and associated produced by Lorraine Rodriquez-Reyes.

Internationally renown composer Andrew Lloyd Webber is set to make an appearance on popular British chat show THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW on Friday, with the intention of discussing his new West End musical STEPHEN WARD.

Anticipation is now building even further as Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Black and Christopher Hampton's new musical STEPHEN WARD has begun previews in London's West End and the first production photo has now been leaked via the show's official Twitter feed.

The School of Arts and Enterprise-Department of Theatre presents the inaugural show of their 2013-14 season, the award winning The Laramie Project, by Moises Kaufman, Leigh Fondakowski, Greg Pierotti, Andy Paris and Stephen Belber. The Laramie Project is directed by Phil Miller, The School of Arts & Enterprise New Director of Theatre. The Laramie Project features an 11-member cast comprised of some of the brightest young actors in the San Gabriel Valley.