Playwrights Horizons News

According to published reports, NBC has picked up medical drama, 'Do Not Harm,' which will star stage veterans Steven Pasquale and Michael Esper. Michael Mayer directs the pilot episode, which is written by executive producer David Schulner. Peter Traugott and Rachel Kaplan also produce.

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.

TheatreWorks presents its 60th World Premiere, the GrooveLily musical WHEELHOUSE. The pop-rock trio GrooveLily, creators of the popular TheatreWorks/Off-Broadway hit Striking 12, stars in this irresistible autobiographical musical about traveling tunesmiths in desperate need of a tune-up as they rocket across the country in a worn-out Winnebago.

A Hollywood action star tries to prove himself in a serious Broadway play by Kafka, and he comes up against a new understudy with a chip on his shoulder and a tangled romantic past, in San Jose Rep's production of The Understudy, scheduled to run tonight, May 10 through June 3. Press Opening Night is May 16, 2012, at 7:30 pm.

59E59 Theaters welcomes Origin Theatre Company with the New York City premiere of TINY DYNAMITE, written by Abi Morgan and directed by Matt Torney. TINY DYNAMITE begins performances on Thursday, June 7 for a limited engagement through Sunday, July 1.

Playwrights Horizons begins accepting entries today, Wednesday, May 9, for its popular LIVEforFIVE online lottery for $5 tickets to the World Premiere of RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN, a new play by Pulitzer Prize finalist and Obie Award winner Gina Gionfriddo (Becky Shaw), directed by Peter DuBois (Becky Shaw, Sons of the Prophet, Measure for Pleasure, Jack Goes Boating, Artistic Director of Huntington Theatre Company).

Acclaimed Off-Broadway not-for-profit theater company Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced additional details for its 2012 special online Auction. Bidding for the auction, which already features an outstanding array of unique opportunities and experiences, is now underway at www.BiddingForGood/PlaywrightsHorizons. Online bidding continues through Monday, May 14 (with items staggered to close at 8PM and 9PM).

Rehearsals began today (5/8) for Women's Project off-Broadway world premiere play titled from the famous Ellen Stewart quote We Play for The Gods, a the seven-playwright, four-director, three-producer and five-actor collaborative show.

Playwrights Horizons has announced additional details for its 2012 special online Auction. Bidding for the auction is now underway at www.BiddingForGood/PlaywrightsHorizons. Online bidding continues through Monday, May 14 (with items staggered to close at 8PM and 9PM).

Jim Bredeson announces an invited presentation of excerpts from his new musical EVEN FOR ONE NIGHT. The concert style reading will take place on Monday, May 14th at 7:00 PM at Studio 353 (353 West 48th Street). Seating is extremely limited and requests can be made to attend by emailing evenforonenight@gmail.com. More information is available at www.evenforonenight.com.

Urban Stages, Frances Hill (Artistic Director) and the Board of Directors, to host the 28th annual Urban Stages benefit in the Central Park Boathouse on Monday, May 21st, 6:30 to 11PM, with celebrated performer KT Sullivan as the fabulous Master of Ceremonies.

The Huntington Theatre Company's production of Huntington Playwriting Fellow Kirsten Greenidge's The Luck of the Irish closed yesterday as the highest grossing and attended Huntington world premiere at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA since the fall of 2004. The Luck of the Irish played for a total of 41 performances from March 29 through May 6, including a one-week extension due to popular demand that was announced on April 13. Ticket demand for The Luck of the Irish was so high that an advanced waiting list was introduced in April and final extension performances were sold out.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre, called "a riotously funny and campy variety show" by Next Magazine, and 'a rollicking, wry affair complete with funny political commentary on current events' by Gay City News, will present their newest edition on Thursday, May 17 at 9:30 PM.

Burning Coal Theatre Company's Artistic Director, Jerome Davis, and Education Director Ian Finley teach this class on the art of public speaking. Dates and times are today, May 7 through May 28, 2012, Mondays from 6:30-9:30 pm. The class costs $120, due at the first class. Classes will take place at the Murphey School, 224 Polk Street, Raleigh, NC. For further information, visit www.burningcoal.org. To register, call 919-834-4001.

Signature Theatre closes out its 2011/12 season sporting funky legwarmers and wielding neon glow sticks with the Washington premiere of the musical comedy hit Xanadu. Beginning performances tonight, May 6th, Xanadu will be transforming Signature's MAX Theatre into one big disco-ball heaven - complete with satin shorts and roller skates! Nominated for four Tony Awards® (including "Best Musical"), the musical features a Book by Douglas Carter Beane, with Music and Lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar. Xanadu will play at Signature from tonight, May 6, 2012 through July 1, 2012. Tickets are now on sale.

Piece by Piece productions, Rising Phoenix Repertory, and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater have announced that the world premiere of 3C, written by David Adjmi and directed by Jackson Gay, will begin performances Wednesday, June 6 at 7pm at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, 224 Waverly Place. The opening night is set for Thursday, June 21 at 7pm.

Women's Project will end its 34th season with an off-Broadway show of epic proportions when seven playwrights, four directors, three producers and five actors collaborate on one world premiere play titled from the famous Ellen Stewart quote We Play for The Gods. We Play for The Gods stars Annie Golden, Amber Gray, Alexandra Henrikson, Irene Sofia Lucio and Erika Rolfsud. It begins performances Friday, June 1, at 8:00pm, opens Monday, June 11, at 7:30pm for a run through Saturday, June 23, at the Cherry Lane Theatre, 38 Commerce Street.

Paul Gross, one of Canada's acclaimed actors, leads the cast of Are You There, McPhee? a world premiere by John Guare at McCarter Theatre Center. Directed by Sam Buntrock, the production runs tonight, May 4 through June 3, 2012. (Opening Night: Friday, May 11.)

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, announces that digital-marketing pioneer and best-selling author Seth Godin will speak at the 22nd annual TCG National Conference in Boston from June 21 to 23, 2012. This multiday convening will bring 1,000 theater practitioners together from around the world to conclude TCG's year-long 50th anniversary celebration.

Tony Award-winner Julie White (THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED) is set to host the 2012 Page 73 Spring Benefit on Friday, May 11 at 7:00pm at City Winery (155 Varick Street) in Manhattan, it has been announced by Page 73's Executive Directors Liz Jones and Asher Richelli.