Sam Mendes News

Artistic Director of the internationally acclaimed Donmar Warehouse, Michael Grandage, today announced new details surrounding the new Donmar season through until February 2011 including. Casting has been announced for Polar Bears; David Leveaux has been pronounced director of Simon Gray's The Late Middle Class; von Kleist's The Prince of Homburg has been added to the season; new events in celebration of Sondheim's 80th birthday - in addition to the production of Passion - have been revealed; and Michael Grandage has been confirmed to direct Derek Jacobi in King Lear.

Eric Rosen and Matt Sax, creators of the Rep's hip hop sensation Clay, are set to open their new musical, Venice, April 11-May 9 at Copaken Stage. Rosen, who is artistic director of Kansas City Rep, will direct. Choreography is by John Carrafa (Tony Award nominations for Urinetown and Into the Woods) and Tanisha Scott (video choreography for Sean Paul, Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, Rihanna and many additional recording artists).

The acclaimed, velvety croon of multiple Grammy Award winner Jon Secada, has resulted in numerous hits in English and Spanish establishing him as a major bilingual artist. So, it is no surprise that Secada has chosen to pay homage to some of the artists and songwriters who helped shaped his own musical history.

Tony Award winning actor Alan Cumming will be honored with the Out on the Edge Award at Theater Offensive's 'climACTS...Under A Big Top' on April 27. The event will take place at the Big Apple Circus tents in Boston City Hall Plaza and will benefit the Theater Offensive's unique programs.

The Old Vic announced today the final 100 participants selected to take part in The TS Eliot US/UK Exchange, a programme to nurture the best young British and American theatre practitioners.

David Burtka (Gypsy) and RJ Helton (First season American Idol finalist) will round out the performers joining composer Scott Alan for his all male concert at Birdland on Monday, April 12 at 7pm

The enchanting musical romantic comedy, 'She Loves Me,' with all the grace and spirit that established it as one of the all-time great Broadway classics, will begin Westport Country Playhouse's 80th anniversary season, April 20 - May 8. Featuring an alluring musical score and delightful lyrics by the Tony Award-winning team who created 'Fiddler on the Roof,' the production will be directed by Mark Lamos, Playhouse artistic director.

Video highlights of the 2010 Olivier Awards!

Stephen Sondheim turns 80 on Monday, March 22nd, 2010 and he will celebrate this landmark event with Roundabout Theatre Company at a special performance of Sondheim on Sondheim and star-studded tribute at Roundabout's 2010 Spring Gala: Sondheim 80.

All the news from the Grosvenor as UK theatre's most prestigious gongs are given out...Mark Rylance and Rachel Weisz win actor/actress, Iwan Rheon, Samantha Spiro and Aneurin Barnard win the musical awards, with Wicked picking up the brand-new audience award and Spring Awakening getting the nod for best new musical

The Olivier Awards take place on Sunday evening - and you can follow all the news here!

Ana Reeder, Mark Nelson and Tim Hopper have joined the cast of Long Wharf Theatre's upcoming production of Henrik Ibsen's A Dolls House, adapted and directed by Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein.

Rehearsals begin today at Kansas City Repertory Theatre for the world premiere production of Venice, an explosive new musical written by Rep artistic director Eric Rosen and Matt Sax, creators of the hit hip hop musical Clay.

A U.K. law firm has confirmed that screen star Kate Winslet, and her stage and screen director husband Sam Mendes have amicably separated. The pair had been married for seven years and have a son together (Winslet's daughter is from a previous marriage). According to their lawyers, the separation is 'entirely amicable and is by mutual agreement' and both Winslet and Mendes are 'fully committed to the future joint parenting of their children.'

The New York Philharmonic will present SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert on March 15 and Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. This celebration of the 80th birthday of the great Broadway and film composer/lyricist will include his most enduring orchestral music and songs - performed, in some cases, by the stars of the original Broadway cast productions - in addition to rarely-heard material. Joining the celebration will be (in alphabetical order) Michael Cerveris, Victoria Clark, Jason Danieley, Nathan Gunn, George Hearn, Patti LuPone, Marin Mazzie, Audra McDonald, Donna Murphy, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, and others to be announced, including surprise guests. Paul Gemignani, Mr. Sondheim's longtime collaborator, will conduct the New York Philharmonic; Lonny Price is the director; and Mr. Price and Matt Cowart are the producers.

The Bridge Project's second season concludes its engagement at BAM on Saturday, March 13th at the BAM Harvey Theater. The Bridge Project will next embark on an international tour visiting Asia and Europe before opening in London at The Old Vic in June 2010.

CLARE BURT - the acclaimed West End stage star who helped introduce London audiences to shows like Nine, Into The Woods, Sunday In The Park With George, and Passion - will make her New York performance debut next month.

The Andak Stage Company announces a seventh world premiere to open its fourth season. LIBERTY INN: THE MUSICAL is a full-length musical adapted from Goldoni's comic masterpiece La locandiera ('The Landlady') by Dakin Matthews (book and lyrics) and B. T. Ryback (music).

On Friday, March 12, 2010 at 8:00PM, Music Director Steven Reineke will lead The New York Pops in a festive celebration of St. Patrick's Day with renowned Irish vocalists Ronan Tynan and Meav. The beloved Irish tenor and the former star of Celtic Woman will headline this memorable night of Celtic music at Carnegie Hall alongside celebrated fiddler Liz Knowles and Uilleann piper Kieran O'Hare.

Stephen Sondheim turns 80 on Monday, March 22nd, 2010 and he will celebrate this landmark event with Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) at a special performance of Sondheim on Sondheim and star-studded tribute at Roundabout's 2010 Spring Gala: Sondheim 80.