Paul Newman News

Tickets for Westport Country Playhouse's (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director) five presentations of "Our Town," community gatherings to celebrate the life of Paul Newman, were sold out in a matter of hours yesterday (Monday, November 3).

Westport Country Playhouse announced that due to the exceptional ticket demand for 'Our Town,' a joyful gathering at the Playhouse for the community to celebrate the life of Paul Newman, two extra dates have been added on Thursday, November 20, and Friday, November 21.

Free-of-charge tickets can start being reserved via phone or in person as of 10 a.m. today (November 3) for 'Our Town,' a joyful gathering at Westport Country Playhouse (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, and Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director.

The lights were bright on Broadway on Monday night and the curtains raised at the Hudson Theater with Marvin Hamlisch headlining the Broadway Salutes Arts Horizons 30th Anniversary Gala.

Tony Award winner and Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter/composer Duncan Sheik will perform selections from his hit musical 'Spring Awakening,' winner of eight 2007 Tony Awards including Best Musical, along with captivating original materials, in a concert on Friday, November 14, 8 p.m.

Shuler Hensley ('Young Frankenstein: The New Mel Brooks Musical'), Keir Dullea ('The Good Shepherd') and other actors will read the Pulitzer Prize-winning play 'They Knew What They Wanted,' written by Sidney Howard and directed by Joanne Woodward, on Monday, November 10, 7 p.m., at Westport Country Playhouse

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater (David Van Asselt, Artistic Director and Sandra Coudert, Managing Director) has announced a change in casting for the World Premiere production of Geometry of Fire, by Stephen Belber.

A special performance of 'Tibetan Book of the Dead or How Not To Do It Again' by Jean-Claude van Itallie will be presented one night only, October 27, 2008 at La MaMa E.T.C. (Annex Theater), 66 East Fourth Street, Manhattan, to support the rebuilding of the century-old theater barn at Shantigar, the unique center for theater, meditation and healing located in Rowe, MA.

Neile McQueen Toffel (aka Neile Adams), the former Mrs. Steve McQueen, will be auctioning memorabilia and personal effects of her late husband, the legendary actor and movie star icon, Steve McQueen, at Bonhams & Butterfields auction, entitled Classic California and the 'King of Cool,' to be held at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 25, 2008. In addition to the auction itself, Neile McQueen Toffel (aka Neile Adams), will also be involved with the 25th Anniversary Love Ride, part of California Bike Week, to be held on Sunday, October 26, 2008, with Jay Leno presiding as Grand Marshal.

Esteemed lighting designer, theatre consultant, and author Richard Pilbrow is the winner of the 2008 Wally Russell Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be presented on Saturday evening, October 25, at the LDI Awards ceremony during LDI2008 in Las Vegas.

The American Theatre Wing and XM Satellite Radio proudly present an interview with Tony Award winner James Naughton, on their weekly theatrical interview show, 'Downstage Center,' on XM's On Broadway (XM Channel 28).

Westport Country Playhouse (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, and Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director) invites the community to 'Our Town,' a joyful gathering for the community to celebrate the life of Paul Newman followed by the film of Westport Country Playhouse's 2002 production of Thornton Wilder's 'Our Town' with Mr. Newman as the Stage Manager, on Saturday, November 22, 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., at the Playhouse.

A special performance of 'Tibetan Book of the Dead or How Not To Do It Again' by Jean-Claude van Itallie will be presented one night only, October 27, 2008 at La MaMa E.T.C. (Annex Theater), 66 East Fourth Street, Manhattan, to support the rebuilding of the century-old theater barn at Shantigar, the unique center for theater, meditation and healing located in Rowe, MA.

BC/EFA is proud to introduce their brand-new merchandise for 2008-2009. The web-store and the newly printed A Catalog of Giving (available upon request) are chock-full of exciting gift ideas for Broadway and theatre-lovers everywhere.

Arizona-based actress SUSAN CLAASSEN has just returned from a highly successful engagement on London's West End as legendary Hollywood designer Edith Head in 'A CONVERSATION WITH EDITH HEAD'.

Neile McQueen Toffel (aka Neile Adams), the former Mrs. Steve McQueen, will be auctioning memorabilia and personal effects of her late husband, the legendary actor and movie star icon, Steve McQueen, at Bonhams & Butterfields auction, entitled Classic California and the 'King of Cool,' to be held at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 25, 2008. In addition to the auction itself, Neile McQueen Toffel (aka Neile Adams), will also be involved with the 25th Anniversary Love Ride, part of California Bike Week, to be held on Sunday, October 26, 2008, with Jay Leno presiding as Grand Marshal.

Westport Country Playhouse (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director) will stage John Steinbeck's classic drama, 'Of Mice and Men,' directed by Mark Lamos. Peformances began October 7th and will run through November 1. Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 and the Pulitzer Prize for his 1939 novel 'The Grapes of Wrath.' The production will honor the late Paul Newman, who was married to Westport's Artistic Director Joanne Woodward and who participated in many Westport Playhouse productions.

Westport Country Playhouse (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director) will stage John Steinbeck's classic drama, 'Of Mice and Men,' directed by Mark Lamos, October 7 through November 1. Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 and the Pulitzer Prize for his 1939 novel 'The Grapes of Wrath.'

AQUILA THEATRE (Peter Meineck, Artistic Director) is proud to announce that John Lavelle will star as Yossarian in the World Premiere of the stage adaptation of Joseph Heller's Catch 22, adapted and directed by Peter Meineck. Performances begin November 14th, with opening night scheduled for November 23rd. This limited engagement continues through December 20th.

An adaptation of the renowned novel and film 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and a contemporary musical by the creator of 'Rent' will be part of the six-play 2009 season at Westport Country Playhouse (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director) in Westport, CT. The historic theatre's 79th season will run April 21 through December 2009.