Royal Court Theatre News

Acclaimed American improv stars The Pajama Men are the latest big name signings to be anounced for the eighth annual 50-Hour Improvathon, this coming weekend in London.

The first major revival of Ted Whitehead's Alpha Beta since 1972, directed by Unicorn Theatre Artistic Director Purni Morell, opens at the Finborough Theatre for a five week season on Thursday, 18 June, 2015 (Press Nights: Tuesday 23, June and Wednesday, 24 June at 7.30pm).

Artistic Director of the Gate Theatre, Christopher Haydon, today announces the cast for his production of the world premiere of Elinor Cook's Image of an Unknown Young Woman - Oliver Birch (Chorus), Susan Brown (Candace), Wendy Kweh (Nia), Emilie Patry (Chorus), Isaac Ssenbandeke(Chorus), Anjana Vasan (Leyla), Eileen Walsh (Yasmin) and Ashley Zhangazha (Ali). The production opens on 8 June, with previews from 4 June, and runs until 27 June.

Manhattan Theatre Club's world premiere of HEISENBERG, the new play by two-time Olivier Award winner Simon Stephens (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Punk Rock), directed by Drama Desk Award winner Mark Brokaw (The Lyons, How I Learned to Drive), starring Denis Arndt (The Night Alive at Geffen Playhouse, 'The Practice') and Tony & Emmy Award winner Mary-Louise Parker (Proof, 'Weeds'), will play a strictly limited 6-week engagement beginning tonight, May 19, and opening Wednesday, June 3 as part of MTC's 2014-2015 season of The Studio at Stage II -- Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Series at New York City Center.

NYU SKIRBALL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS (Michael Harrington, Executive Director) is proud to announce its 2015/2016 season. Continuing its mission to showcase and support diverse and eclectic talent from around the world, all while cultivating audiences for live performance through deeper engagement opportunities, NYU Skirball's twelfth season will include mainstage productions from both local and international artists and companies, featuring theater, dance, live music, contemporary circus and more.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents the world premiere of Shining Lives: A Musical. Directed by Jessica Thebus and developed through Northlight's Interplay Series, the musical is adapted from the Northlight-commissioned play These Shining Lives. The production will run at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie, from May 8 - June 14, 2015. Shining Lives: A Musical opens tonight, May 15 and 16, 2015.

The Drama League (Executive Director, Gabriel Shanks) gathers for the 81st Annual Drama LeagueAwards Ceremony, hosted by 2014 Tony Award nominee, Hand to God's Steven Boyer with special guest Tyrone, today May 15, 2015 in the Broadway Ballroom at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway).  Below, BroadwayWorld will be bringing you the complete list of winners live!

Director Walter Meierjohann has announced the cast of the world premiere of The Funfair, the first HOME production in its brand new home at First Street in Manchester. An adaptation by Olivier Award-winning playwright Simon Stephens of Ödon von Horvath's classic 1932 play Kasimir and Karoline, the production features a cast of 13 actors and actor-musicians.

The world premiere of South African playwright Jessica Sian's Klippies comes to Southwark Playhouse in May, presented by Rive Productions and directed by Chelsea Walker with designs by Holly Pigott. The production runs tonight 13 May - Saturday 6 June 2015. Press night: Monday, 18 May 2015 at 8pm.

The National Theatre's multi-award-winning production of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time makes its Kent premiere at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, this month.

With Tamara Harvey's production of Pride &Prejudice to open shortly in the Crucible, Artistic Director Daniel Evans today announces the cast for his production of Lucy Prebble's The Effect - Stuart Bunce (Toby), Priyanga Burford (Dr James), Ophelia Lovibond (Connie), Henry Pettigrew (Tristan). The production opens on 30 June, with previews from 25 June, and runs until 18 July.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents the world premiere of Shining Lives: A Musical. Directed by Jessica Thebus and developed through Northlight's Interplay Series, the musical is adapted from the Northlight-commissioned play These Shining Lives. The production will run at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie, from May 8 - June 14, 2015. Shining Lives: A Musical opens May 15 and 16, 2015.

Sideshow Theatre Company is pleased to announce its full 2015/16 Season, beginning this fall with the world premiere of Hansol Jung's surreal and mischievous new comedy NO MORE SAD THINGS, directed by Elly Green. Next winter, the season continues with another world premiere, David Jacobi's chilling new drama MAI DANG LAO directed by artistic associate Marti Lyons. The season concludes next spring with CAUGHT, a new, head-spinning collaboration with playwright Christopher Chen, Chicago's Xiong Art Gallery and director Seth Bockley. All three productions will be presented at Chicago's Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., where Sideshow continues its multi-year residency. For additional information and updates, visit www.sideshowtheatre.org.

The Contemporary American Theater Festival at Shepherd University has announced its newest quintet of plays to be presented this summer in rotating repertory. Ed Herendeen, the founder and producing director of the Theater Festival, has selected from the sea of scripts, five new plays from five celebrated playwrights: Johnna Adams, Sheila Callaghan, Steven Dietz, Barbara Hammond, and Michael Weller.

BAFTA Award-winning writer, Geoff Thompson's personal and haunting new play, The Pyramid Texts will be making its world stage premiere at Birmingham Repertory Theatre from 26 to 30 May. It will be performed by the prolific British actor, Christopher Fairbank and directed by twice Oliver Award-nominee, Michael Vale.

From the award-winning British playwright Simon Stephens comes Birdland, a piercing satire about celebrity obsession starring Mark Leonard Winter, Michala Banas and Peta Sergeant. Directed by MTC Associate Director Leticia Caceres, this sexy and revealing exploration of fame and stardom in the 21st century opens at 8pm Thursday 11 June 2015 at Southbank Theatre, The Sumner.

The latest piece of ambitious new writing at Theatre503 will be the politically fuelled EleXion, showing at the venue in May. This production, which has been co-authored by the emerging playwrights on the 503Five resident writer programme (Chloe Todd Fordham, Brian Mullin, Vinay Patel, Ella Greenhill and Neasa O'Callaghan), will explore the cross section of British experiences leading up to the General Election. The production will run at The Latchmere, 503 Battersea Park Road, London SW11 3BW from today 5th May - Saturday 9th May 2015, 7:45pm.

Nigel Terry, English stage and film actor best known by film audiences for his portrayal of King Arthur in John Boorman's Excalibur (1981) has died of emphysema at age 69.

Nick Gill's new short play: beneverunerstoost, directed by Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone, is to be given a one-off script-in-hand reading at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs on Wednesday 6 May 2015.

59E59 Theaters welcomes Dundee Rep Ensemble to Brits Off Broadway with the US premiere of IN MY FATHER'S WORDS, written by Justin Young, with Scottish Gaelic text translated by Iain Finlay MacLeod, and directed by Philip Howard. IN MY FATHER'S WORDS begins performances on Thursday, June 4 for a limited engagement through Sunday, June 28.  Press opening is Wednesday, June 10 at 7:15 PM.  The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7:15 PM; Friday at 8:15 PM; & Saturday at 2:15 PM & 8:15 PM; and Sunday at 3:15 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets are $35 ($24.50 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or go to www.59e59.org.