Sam Mendes News

The Old Globe's 100th anniversary production of the George Bernard Shaw classic Pygmalion stars Tony Award winner Robert Sean Leonard (The Invention of Love, Born Yesterday) as Professor Henry Higgins and Charlotte Parry (The Importance of Being Earnest, The Real Thing) as Eliza Doolittle. The production coincides with the 100th anniversary of Pygmalion's 1913 premiere in Vienna, Austria. Directed by Nicholas Martin (Butley, Present Laughter), Pygmalion will run on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, through Feb. 17, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production in the photos below!

The first-rate creative outflow from the National Theatre of Great Britain to Arts Centre Melbourne continued today with the appointment of Sarah Hunt to the role of General Manager, Marketing and Audience Development at Australia's biggest performing arts centre.

Some of literature's most iconic figures will step into the light on SHOWTIME in PENNY DREADFUL, a psychosexual horror series created, written and executive produced by three-time Oscar nominee John Logan (Hugo, The Aviator, Gladiator) and executive produced by Oscar winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road) and Neal Street's Pippa Harris (Revolutionary Road, Call The Midwife), it was announced today by David Nevins, President of Entertainment, Showtime Networks. PENNY DREADFUL will begin production in London in the second half of 2013.

Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, Neal Street Productions and Kevin McCormick today announced further casting for Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which opens at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 25th June 2013, directed by Sam Mendes.

As reported by the Daily Mail, Nigel Planer and Myra Sands will play Grandpa Joe and Grandma Georgina in the West End's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, joining leading man Douglas Hodge as Willy Wonka. Previews begin May 18 at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, leading up to a June 25 opening.

Women's Project, the 35-year-old non-profit theater dedicated to producing plays written and directed by women, will present its 2012-2013 season of new plays featuring women theater artists at a new home, New York City Center Stage II, 131 West 55th Street, tonight, January 11 to May 19, Julie Crosby, Producing Artistic Director announced.

The full list of nominations has been announced for the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) which will take place on Sunday February 10th at London's Royal Opera House. In the category for Best Picture the nominees are Argo, Les Miserables, Life of Pi. Lincoln, and Zero Dark Thirty.

The full list of nominations has been announced for the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) which will take place on Sunday February 10th at London's Royal Opera House. In the category for Best Picture the nominees are Argo, Les Miserables, Life of Pi. Lincoln, and Zero Dark Thirty.

Long Wharf Theatre will present the world premiere of Laura Jacqmin's new play January Joiner: A Weight Loss Horror Comedy from tonight, January 9 through February 10, 2013 on Stage II.

The Carol Tambor Theatrical Foundation has announced the NY premiere of the critically-acclaimed production of MIDSUMMER [A PLAY WITH SONGS], written and directed by David Greig, with songs by Gordon McIntyre, from the Traverse Theatre in Scotland. MIDSUMMER comes to NY as the 2012 co-winner of the Best of Edinburgh Award given annually by the Carol Tambor Theatrical Foundation.

According to the BBC, stage and screen star John Barrowman was recently injured during a performance of Jack and the Beanstalk at the SECC Clyde Auditorium in Glasgow. Barrowman fell off of a live horse during the show, and was not seriously hurt.

EW reports that Kate Winslet has wed the nephew of Richard Branson, Ned Rocknroll (born Abel Smith) in a secret ceremony in New York earlier in the month.

We asked some of our favourite theatre stars for their top theatre tickets of 2013 - here's what they recommend you should go and see!

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team of its 100th anniversary production of the George Bernard Shaw classic Pygmalion. Starring Tony Award winner Robert Sean Leonard (The Invention of Love, Born Yesterday) as Professor Henry Higgins and Charlotte Parry (The Importance of Being Earnest, The Real Thing) as Eliza Doolittle, the production coincides with the 100th anniversary of Pygmalion's 1913 premiere in Vienna, Austria. Directed by Nicholas Martin (Butley, Present Laughter), Pygmalion will run on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, Jan. 12 - Feb. 17, 2013. Preview performances run Jan. 12 - Jan. 16. Opening night is Thursday, Jan. 17 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

Film Comment's annual end-of-the-year survey of film critics, journalists, film section editors, and past and present contributors was released today with Leos Carax's HOLY MOTORS, Paul Thomas Anderson's THE MASTER and Wes Andreson's MOONRISE KINGDOM taking the top spots among films released in 2012. Among films that made appearances at film festivals or special screenings worldwide, but haven't been picked up for stateside distribution as of yet, Joachim Lafosse's OUR CHILDREN, Song Fang's MEMORIES LOOK AT ME and Alan Berliner's FIRST COUSIN ONCE REMOVED received the top rankings.

The Public Theater presents VENICE, a new musical with book by Eric Rosen, music by Matt Sax, lyrics by Matt Sax and Eric Rosen, and additional music by Curtis Moore, for its 2013 spring season at the newly revitalized Public Theater at Astor Place. Directed by Eric Rosen, VENICE will run in The Public's Anspacher Theater beginning on Tuesday, May 28 through Sunday, June 23, with an official press opening on Thursday, June 13. VENICE is a next generation Broadway musical that uses the vocabulary of hip-hop while sampling Othello and Brecht to spin an epic tale of struggle and redemption. Watch a promo for the show below!

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced today that VENICE, a new musical with book by Eric Rosen, music by Matt Sax, lyrics by Matt Sax and Eric Rosen, and additional music by Curtis Moore, has been added to the 2013 spring season at the newly revitalized Public Theater at Astor Place. Directed by Eric Rosen, VENICE will run in The Public's Anspacher Theater beginning on Tuesday, May 28 through Sunday, June 23, with an official press opening on Thursday, June 13. Public Lab Member tickets for VENICE, priced at $12, are on sale now at (212) 539-8650.

Long Wharf Theatre will present the world premiere of Laura Jacqmin's new play January Joiner: A Weight Loss Horror Comedy from January 9 through February 10, 2013 on Stage II.

Check out the recently released commercial for the show below and meet the cast with videos of them from past productions and roles!