Sam Shepard News

BrightSide Theatre wraps up their inaugural season with, "My Way: A Tribute to Frank Sinatra" conceived by David Grapes and Todd Olson and book by Todd Olson. Frank Sinatra is the icon of cool - from classic elegance to contemporary "fedora" hipster. "My Way: A Tribute to Frank Sinatra" celebrates the pivotal moments of Sinatra's life which would solidify his legendary status. The show runs from tonight, June 15, 2012 8 p.m. (reception following) at the Theatre at MeileySwallow Hall, North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth, Naperville, IL 60540 until Sunday, July 1, 2012. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m.

This June, three British talents bring one of the world's most beloved duos to Hollywood. Renowned Brit actors JOHN MAWSON and MARIO VERNAZZA, team up with the directing talents of one of London's most beloved theatre practitioners, AMIR KORANGY, head of acting at the prestigious Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London for 14 years, to present THE SECRET OF SHERLOCK HOLMES on Sat June 9th, 4:00pm (Preview), Thu June 14th 10:00pm, Sat June 16th 4:00pm, Thu June 21st 7:00pm, Sat June 23rd 7:00pm and Sun June 24th 2:30pm at Theatre Asylum, 6320 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles 90038.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) announces the casts of the upcoming plays in the 2012 TRU Voices New Plays Reading Series. The two plays yet to be presented are Appendage by Derek Murphy, produced by Tweiss Productions (Sharon Weiss & Eileen B. Weiss); and The Sin Eater by Michael Bettencourt, produced by Block & Tackle Productions, Inc. and Elfin Frederick Vogel. The selected plays will be read on Mondays, June 11, and 18 respectively, at 7pm at The Roy Arias Theatre, 300 W. 43rd Street, 5th Floor, Studio 500, NYC. Admission is FREE but reservations are required: email TRUStaff1@gmail.com or call 212-714-7628.

PushPush's SmallTall Youth Program will offer its signature camps this summer, allowing students to try their hand at work behind and in front of the lights. This year's program will be a unique blend of original modern stories and classic text.

Theater For The New City has announced the American premiere production of Alberto Bassetti's TWO SISTERS, TWO BROTHERS, directed by Mark Schneider and Valentina Fratti. TWO SISTERS, TWO BROTHERS will play a limited engagement at Theater for the New City (155 First Avenue, btw. 9th/10th). Opening Night is tonight, June 9 (8 p.m.).

The York Shakespeare Company presents Sam Shepard's TRUE WEST, directed by Seth Duerr. True West plays a three-week limited engagement at Theatre 54 @ Shetler Studios (244 West 54th Street, 12th Floor). Opening Night is tonight, June 9 (8pm). $18 tickets are available at www.smarttix.com.

The York Shakespeare Company is pleased to present Sam Shepard's TRUE WEST, directed by Seth Duerr. True West will play a three-week limited engagement at Theatre 54 @ Shetler Studios (244 West 54th Street, 12th Floor). Performances begin tonight, June 8 and continue through Saturday, June 23. Opening Night is Saturday, June 9 (8 p.m.). $18 tickets are available at www.smarttix.com.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) announces the casts of the upcoming plays in the 2012 TRU Voices New Plays Reading Series. The two plays yet to be presented are Appendage by Derek Murphy, produced by Tweiss Productions (Sharon Weiss & Eileen B. Weiss); and The Sin Eater by Michael Bettencourt, produced by Block & Tackle Productions, Inc. and Elfin Frederick Vogel. The selected plays will be read on Mondays, June 11, and 18 respectively, at 7pm at The Roy Arias Theatre, 300 W. 43rd Street, 5th Floor, Studio 500, NYC. Admission is FREE but reservations are required: email TRUStaff1@gmail.com or call 212-714-7628.

Theater For The New City has announced the American premiere production of Alberto Bassetti's TWO SISTERS, TWO BROTHERS, directed by Mark Schneider and Valentina Fratti. TWO SISTERS, TWO BROTHERS will play a limited engagement at Theater for the New City (155 First Avenue, btw. 9th/10th). Performances begin tonight, June 7 and continue through Sunday, June 24. Opening Night is Saturday, June 9 (8 p.m.).

One Old Crow Productions will present a site-specific production of COWBOY MOUTH, the play born out of the actual relationship between America's most celebrated dramatist, Sam Shepard and the godmother of Punk, Patti Smith. This play with original music composed in collaboration with the cast and director will take place in a grungy space above the bar Lucky Cheng's in the Lower East Side and will incorporate elements from the streets of New York. One Old Crow invites the audience into Cavale's apartment, where she has been holed up with Slim. The production will be directed by Leah Benavides (The 4th Graders Present an Unnamed Love-Suicide at The Tank; Member of the 2011 Lincoln Center Director Lab) and will feature Diana Beshara (The Love Letter You've Been Meaning to Write New York at 3LD) as Cavale and Geoffrey Pomeroy (Two Days 'til Dawn at the 2011 Planet Connections Festivity) as Slim.

Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington (Training Day, Unstoppable) and Ryan Reynolds (The Change-Up, Green Lantern) star as unlikely allies up against an unknown enemy in SAFE HOUSE, which will be available today, June 5, 2012, on Blu-ray.

Kathleen Turner returns to Long Wharf Theatre during the 2012-13 season, to star in and direct The Killing of Sister George, a new adaptation by Jeffrey Hatcher of the play by Frank Marcus.

Theater For The New City has announced the American premiere production of Alberto Bassetti's TWO SISTERS, TWO BROTHERS, directed by Mark Schneider and Valentina Fratti. TWO SISTERS, TWO BROTHERS will play a limited engagement at Theater for the New City (155 First Avenue, btw. 9th/10th). Performances begin Thursday, June 7 and continue through Sunday, June 24. Opening Night is Saturday, June 9 (8 p.m.).

La MaMa's popular series MONDAY NIGHTS AT LA MAMA -- featuring La MaMa artists in discussions about their careers and their work at La MaMa -- will conclude tonight, Monday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m. with the Tony-winning and Academy Award-nominated director Julie Taymor at La MaMa's Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 E. 4 St.)

The Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's DEATH OF A SALESMAN, starring Academy Award-winner Philip Seyour Hoffman as Willy Loman, ends its limited run at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre with its 8 p.m. performance tonight, June 2.

Artistic Director Les Waters and Managing Director Jennifer Bielstein today announced that award-winning playwright and director Adam Rapp will direct Sam Shepard's True West in Actors Theatre's 2012-13 Season.True West will run in the Bingham Theatre aspart of the Brown-Forman Series, November 13-December 9, 2012. Press opening is slated for November 16, 2012.

La MaMa's popular series MONDAY NIGHTS AT LA MAMA -- featuring La MaMa artists in discussions about their careers and their work at La MaMa -- will conclude on Monday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m. with the Tony-winning and Academy Award-nominated director Julie Taymor at La MaMa's Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 E. 4 St.)

Signature Theatre Company today announced a one-week extension for MY CHILDREN! MY AFRICA! by Athol Fugard and directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. The production will now play through Sunday, June 17 in The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre at the Company's new home The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street between Dyer and 10th Avenues).

Philip Seymour Hoffman, one of the nation's top acting talents known for playing extremely varied roles in film and on stage, including Truman Capote, which earned him an Oscar, and Father Brendan Flynn in Doubt, which earned him an Oscar nomination, speaks with Mo Rocca about his Tony Award-nominated performance as Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman on Broadway.