Rory Kinnear News

The longlist for the annual Evening Standard Theatre Awards has been announced, and includes Dame Judi Dench, Dame Helen Mirren, James McAvoy and Dominic West.

Today, October 22, 2013, marks the official 50th anniversary of the National Theatre of Great Britain. The National Theatre first opened its doors in 1963 at the Old Vic, under Laurence Olivier. 800 productions later, they are marking their half-century with a short season celebrating the remarkable people and plays that have made the NT one of the most cherished and creative of great British institutions.

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the National Theatre presents National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage, bringing together the best British actors for a unique evening of unforgettable performances, broadcast live from London to theatres and cinemas around the world.

Three award-winning plays will be broadcast Live in HD from Britain's National Theatre to The Ridgefield Playhouse in October. First up is Othello today, October 15, followed by Macbeth on Monday, the 21st, and Frankenstein on, very fittingly, Thursday, October 31, all at 6:30 p.m. The NTL in HD series brings the best of British theatre live to cinemas worldwide.

Helen Mirren, Benedict Cumberbatch and Christopher Eccleston have joined the starry cast for the National Theatre of Great Britain's 50th anniversary celebration "LIVE FROM THE NATIONAL THEATRE: 50 YEARS ON STAGE," directed by Nicholas Hytner. This special event will be broadcast by National Theatre Live to cinemas internationally on Saturday, November 2, 2013 (with many encore dates in U.S. cities). From Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead to The History Boys, from Antony and Cleopatra to Angels in America, from Guys and Dolls to London Road, this will be a thrilling evening of live performance and rare glimpses from the archive, featuring many of the most celebrated actors who have performed on their stages over the past five decades.

Writers and non-writers who refer to dictionaries to properly spell or pronounce a word will enjoy the hilarious stage production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," Oct. 25-Nov. 10, at Northwestern University.

Chicagoans can have the full Shakespeare experience this fall with three unique opportunities to attend viewings of Othello, Macbeth and Hamlet at the Music Box Theatre. The Music Box continues its partnership with the UK's National Theatre Live to exhibit captured live stage performances beamed to Chicago from the prestigious National Theatre in London. Macbeth brings Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn, Hamlet) back to the Shakespearean stage after a decade to perform the role of the Scottish king. Othello shows on Sunday, Oct 13, 11:30am, Macbeth is Saturday, Oct 26, 1:00 pm and Hamlet is Wednesday, Nov 20, 3:00pmat Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Avenue. Tickets to National Theatre Live events are $15 in advance at the Music Box Theatre box office and online at http://www.musicboxtheatre.com/collections/nt-live-2013; $18 at the door.

The epic production of National Theatre's "War Horse," based on the novel by English author, poet, playwright and librettist and 2003-05 Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo, is the latest addition to a series of hit London plays that will be broadcast this season at Northwestern University. Single tickets to "War Horse" go on sale today (Sept. 27).

Third Rail Repertory Theatre will present National Theatre's HD Screenings of Othello Starring Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear By William Shakespeare on Saturday, October 5 at 2pm and 7pm and Sunday, October 27 at 2pm and 7pm.

New York's the Met and London's National Theatre bring the best of their performances Live in HD to The Ridgefield Playhouse this fall. Diva Anna Netrebko stars with Mariusz Kwiecien in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin on Saturday, October 5, at 12:55 p.m. Shakespeare's Othello will star Tom Robertson and Rory Kinnear on Tuesday, October 15, at 6:30 p.m. William Kentridge storms the Met in Shostakovich's The Nose on Monday, October 28, at 6:30 p.m.

The second of Shakespeare's four history chronicle plays comprising 'The Hollow Crown' airs tonight, September 27 at 9 p.m. on THIRTEEN's 'Great Performances' on PBS stations (check local listings). Watch a preview below!

The second of Shakespeare's four history chronicle plays comprising 'The Hollow Crown' airs September 27 at 9 p.m. on THIRTEEN's 'Great Performances' on PBS stations (check local listings). Watch a preview below!

The Hollow Crown, the lavish new series featuring four of Shakespeare's most compelling history plays will air as the season premiere of Great Performances beginning Today, September 20 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS. Below, get a sneak peek at RICHARD II!

The Herd is an entirely engrossing, emotional affair which offers a window on a situation which is relatively unique, but one that is experienced in a very real way by characters who will immediately resonate with anyone who has ever had a family.

The National Theatre presents a major new production of William Shakespeare's Othello, a celebrated play about the destructive power of jealousy. This classic is screening at Riverside Theatres from Saturday, 12 till Sunday, 13 October as part of Riverside Screen.

British actress Billie Piper (Doctor Who,Secret Diary of a Call Girl) has just signed on to star in the highly anticipated SHOWTIME drama series PENNY DREADFUL, which will begin filming this fall for a 2014 premiere on the network.

Reeve Carney (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark), Rory Kinnear (Skyfall) and Harry Treadaway (The Lone Ranger) are the latest stars to join the cast of the highly anticipated Showtime drama series, PENNY DREADFUL, which will begin filming this fall for a 2014 premiere on the network. They join recently announced Josh Hartnett, Timothy Dalton and Eva Green. Reeve Carney will play Dorian Grey in a reprisal of Oscar Wilde's supernaturally attractive and decadent young hero. Rory Kinnear will play a mysterious character of haunting intensity. In an exciting new version of Mary Shelley's inspired and obsessed genius, Harry Treadaway will take on the role of Dr. Victor Frankenstein.

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE has just announced a live broadcast of the National Theatre of Great Britain's 50th anniversary celebration 'National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage,' to cinemas around the world. From Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead to The History Boys, from Antony and Cleopatra to Angels in America, from Guys and Dolls to London Road, this will be a thrilling evening of live performance and rare glimpses from the archive, featuring many of the most celebrated actors who have performed on their stages over the past five decades and directed by Nicholas Hytner. The celebration will be broadcast to cinemas internationally and in the UK on BBC Two on Saturday, November 2, 2013 (with many encore dates in U.S. cities).

The Daily Mail reports that Simon Russell Beale, Frances de la Tour, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Derek Jacobi, Alex Jennings, Rory Kinnear, Adrian Lester, Anna Maxwell Martin, Andrew Scott, Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton and more will be joining NATIONAL THEATRE: 50 YEARS ON STAGE on November 2, 2013.