Rebecca Taichman News

MCC Theater announce the last day of school-the final performance of the encore production of the critically acclaimed , award-winning play School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, written by 2017/18 Tow Playwright-in-Residence, Jocelyn Bioh, and directed by Tony Winner Rebecca Taichman will be December 9, 2018.

Yesterday, December 3, Suzan-Lori Parks was honored with 2018 Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award.

There are some plays in the history of Broadway that you just scratch your head as to why they didn't have a longer run. Paula Vogel's Indecent is definitely one of those plays. It opened to rave reviews on Broadway, won the Tony Award for best direction and only ran 128 performances. The award win gave the show a considerable box office bump, but not enough to convince the show's producers to make a run of it in the summer heat. Thankfully, PBS preserved the Broadway production for posterity and the play is now getting a much deserved second life in regional theaters across the country.

Every role takes an actor on a journey. For Ben Cherry, the role of Lemml in Paula Vogel's play Indecent has taken him from Broadway to Minneapolis' Guthrie Theatre and, starting this week, to Washington's very-own Arena Stage.

Vineyard Theatre announces the opening of a new rehearsal space for both Vineyard productions and industry rental.

La MaMa is proud to present the Remote Theater Project production of Grey Rock, written and directed by Palestinian artist Amir Nizar Zuabi. This world premiere, which runs January 3-7, 2019, was commissioned by Remote Theater Project and marks the first time a U.S. theater company has commissioned a Palestinian artist to create an original work for American audiences. Grey Rock tells the story of a young Palestinian so enamored with the 1969 American moon landing that he muses, "shouldn't Palestine, the land of prophets, also have a presence on the moon?" Without money or technology, but with the help of his bemused West Bank neighbors, he sets out to build a space shuttle. Knowing full well that he can't succeed with this impossible, but necessary, task, the young man is visited by American heroes who guide him on his mission. Humorous and fantastical, Grey Rock explores the influence that America has had over Palestinian culture.

The League of Professional Theatre Women (Kelli Lynn Harrison & Catherine Porter, Co-Presidents) has published the fourth in a series of reports authored by Martha Wade Steketee with Judy Binus, on the status of women employed in New York City theaters. The fourth report, Women Count: Women Hired Off Broadway, available at theatrewomen.org/women-count/, analyzes employment in 13 professional roles - playwrights, directors, designers, stage managers, and others - in 515 Off- and Off-Off-Broadway productions by 22 theater companies for 5 complete seasons, 2013-14 through 2017-18 to show where women are and are not being hired. 

The Drama League announced today the 2019 line-up of DirectorFest, the only festival in the United States exploring the art of contemporary stage directing. For its 35th year, the festival will include six fully-staged productions, a showcase evening of a new musical, discussion forums, and conversations with America's notable directors. 

MCC Theater announced today the extension of the run of the encore production of the critically acclaimed, award-winning play School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, written by 2017-2018 Tow Playwright-in-Residence, Jocelyn Bioh, and directed by Tony Winner Rebecca Taichman. The encore production opened at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street) on October 22nd and was set to end performances on November 25th. Due to popular demand, the production will now play through December 9, 2018.

MCC Theater's return of the critically acclaimed, sold out, extended, award-winning play School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play, written by 2017-18 Tow Playwright-in-Residence Jocelyn Bioh, and directed by Tony Winner Rebecca Taichman opened last night, October 22nd. The encore production will be performed at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street) from October 16th through November 25th.

MCC Theater's return of the critically acclaimed, sold out, extended, award-winning play School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play, written by 2017-18 Tow Playwright-in-Residence Jocelyn Bioh, and directed by Tony Winner Rebecca Taichman opened last night, October 22nd. The encore production will be performed at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street) from October 16th through November 25th.

As the grand finale of their fourteen year residency at Christopher Street's Lucille Lortel Theatre, before moving to their brand new Hell's Kitchen digs, Manhattan Class Company brings in an encore engagement of Jocelyn Bioh's Lortel and Outer Critics Circle Award-winning drama from last season, the endearing and poignant School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play.

MCC THEATER just today announced the full cast and creative team for the return of the critically acclaimed, sold out, extended, award-winning play School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, written by 2017-18 Tow Playwright-in-Residence Jocelyn Bioh, and directed by Tony Winner Rebecca Taichman. The encore production will be performed at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street) from October 16th through November 25th. Opening night is set for October 22nd. Prior to the return, Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles will present the MCC production at the CTG Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City from September 2nd through September 30th.

Previews begin tonight, October 16, for MCC Theater critically acclaimed, sold out, extended, award-winning play School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, written by 2017-18 Tow Playwright-in-Residence Jocelyn Bioh, and directed by Tony® Winner Rebecca Taichman. The encore production will be performed at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street) through November 25th. Opening night is set for October 22nd. 

Playing On Air announced today the three winners of the inaugural James Stevenson Prize for comedic short plays. First Prize ($7,500, plus a Playing On Air recording for radio and podcast distribution) has been awarded to Hate Baby by Gracie Gardner. (Gardner is also the winner of the 2017 Relentless Award and author of the New York Times Critic's Pick Athena.) Second Prize ($2,000) has been awarded to Hedgehog Years by Lily Akerman. Third Prize ($1,000) has been awarded to Horse Latitudes (Who Wants to be an Equine Extra?) by Elizabeth Logun.

The Drama League (Executive Artistic Director, Gabriel Stelian-Shanks) has announced the roster of special guest performers for its 35th Annual Benefit Gala: A Musical Celebration of Broadway honoring film, television, theater icon and three-time Tony Award winner Nathan Lane. The black-tie evening, which will also celebrate theater producer Fran Weissler for Visionary Leadership in American Theater, will take place on Monday, November 5, 2018 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in New York City at The Plaza (768 Fifth Avenue). The Gala Co-Chairs are Kathy Henderson, Janet M. Kagan, and Joseph Pizza.

The New York premiere of Ngozi Anyanwu's GOOD GRIEF, directed by Awoye Timpo, will begin performances the Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) on Thursday, October 11.  Opening night is set for Tuesday, October 30th.

Today, influencer and talent manager ChiChi Anyanwu of the NYC Black Theater Network, Marcia Pendelton, President of Walk Tall Girl Productions/Black Theater Online, and the award-winning Vineyard Theatre (Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern, Artistic Directors; Suzanne Appel, Managing Director) announced BLACK PLAYWRIGHTS: THEY SPEAK. WHO LISTENS? A Black Theater Fall Preview: Off Broadway Edition. The event is scheduled at Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15th Street) on Monday, October 15, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. Four-time Tony Award-winning producer Ron Simons of SimonSays Entertainment (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Porgy & Bess, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Jitney) will host the program whose purpose is to bring attention to the unprecedented number of plays by black playwrights being produced Off-Broadway this season.

Today ChiChi Anyanwu of the NYC Black Theater Network, Marcia Pendelton, President of Walk Tall Girl Productions/Black Theater Online, and the award-winning Vineyard Theatre announced BLACK PLAYWRIGHTS: THEY SPEAK. WHO LISTENS? A Black Theater Fall Preview: Off Broadway Edition.

The Public Theater just opened the North American premiere of Girl from the North Country. Written and directed by Olivier Award winner and Tony Award nominee Conor McPherson with music and lyrics by music icon Bob Dylan, Girl from the North Country weaves the music of our greatest poet-singer-songwriter into a piercing drama about home, heart, and the searching determination of the American soul. This new musical has been extended three times and will now run through Sunday, December 23.