Second Stage News

Artistic Director David Winitsky and Producer Jenny Levison, of the Jewish Plays Project have announced the plays that have been chosen for OPEN: The Festival of New Jewish Theater at the 14th Street Y. The performances and readings of these plays will be held June 10-30, 2013 at the Theater at 14th Street Y, 344 East 14th Street (between 1st and 2nd Ave), New York, NY.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presents the national tour of Roundabout Theatre Company's Anything Goes in the Kennedy Center Opera House from June 11 to July 7, 2013. Winner of the 2011 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, Roundabout Theatre Company's Anything Goes sails direct from Broadway under the direction of Kathleen Marshall, who won the 2011 Tony Award for Best Choreography. The production features music and lyrics by Cole Porter; original book by P.G. Wodehouse & Guy Bolton and Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse; and new book by Timothy Crouse and John Weidman. Press opening night is Thursday, June 13, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals along with Higher Ground Presents have announced the 3rd annual Grand Point North Music Festival will take place on Saturday, September 14 and Sunday, September 15, 2013.

Berkshire Theatre Group will celebrate its 85th Summer Theatre Season this year, making it the third oldest regional theatre in the country.

Making his Broadway debut, Derek Klena will assume the role of Fiyero in the Broadway production of WICKED on Tuesday, May 28, 2013. Mr. Klena has previously worked with both WICKED's newest Elphaba, Lindsay Mendez, and director Joe Mantello, in the off-Broadway world premiere musical, Dogfight.

Joe's Pub at The Public welcomes world premieres, highly-anticipated debuts and the return of many esteemed performers this May and June. Funny girl JULIE KLAUSNER makes her debut with two evenings of cabaret. Legendary downtown performance artist JOHN KELLY returns to premiere Rebel Songs. The 60s-inspired flight attendant PAM ANN returns for five nights in the Cockpit. Elsewhere: Tony Award-winners TONYA PINKINS and LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA, Once star CRISTIN MILIOTI, TAYLOR MAC'S epic exploration of popular music, a special appearance from Justin Vivian Bond, JOEY ARIAS, the greatest rapper in the world, CHAMPAGNE JERRY and more. Read on for more May and June cabaret, comedy, Broadway and musical theater highlights at Joe's Pub at The Public.

Lynne Meadow (Artistic Director), Barry Grove (Executive Producer), and Mandy Greenfield (Artistic Producer) previously announced that THE EXPLORERS CLUB, the world premiere comedy by Tony nominee Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde), will be directed by Marc Bruni (Ordinary Days, Old Jews Telling Jokes) featuring Obie Award winner Steven Boyer and Tony Award winner Richard Easton.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, May 12, 2013 - Sunday, May 12, 2013.

Today we are talking to a terrifically talented twosome who are being touted as the next songwriting duo to take New York by storm - and, with DOGFIGHT appearing Off-Broadway at Second Stage last year and A CHRISTMAS STORY setting Broadway alight for a limited run this past holiday season, they are certainly on the fast-track to success - Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Revealing their reaction to last week's 2013 Tony Award nominations for their stupendous score for the screen-to-stage adaptation of A CHRISTMAS STORY as well as all about the creation and ultimate execution of the show itself, Pasek & Paul open up about their creative process and illustrate what makes their music work so well in a theatrical milieu. Most importantly, the songwriters discuss DOGFIGHT - the inspiration for it, writing of it, the recent Off-Broadway production directed by Joe Mantello, and, now, the absolutely spectacular cast album now available on Ghost light - to say nothing of next week's concert celebrating the album release. Additionally, Pasek & Paul share stories of the songs that make up their popular and frequently-produced EDGES, new and old, as well as their plans for future shows. Plus, all about the new material recently written by the duo for NBC's musical drama series SMASH, details about their stage adaptation of Roald Dahl's seminal children's book JAMES & THE GIANT PEACH as well as opinions on fellow songwriting teams and other influential musical theatre icons, as well as much, much more!

Long considered one of America's premier community theater groups, Bergen County Players (BCP) has announced for 2013-14 another ambitious, passionate and playful year of audience-pleasing musicals and innovative plays for its 81st consecutive season. From toe-tapping musicals to hilarious comedies to intense dramas, BCP has garnered a reputation for outstanding quality productions at affordable prices. The new season kicks off with one of the best-loved musicals of a generation, the five-time Tony Award-winning Man of La Mancha (its principal song, 'The Impossible Dream' has become a standard). BCP's 81st season opener will once again feature a live orchestra and will be suitable for all ages.

Debra Jo Rupp stars in Becoming Dr. Ruth at TheaterWorks in Downtown Hartford. The comedy will run May 31 through July 7, 2013.

BENJ PASEK and JUSTIN PAUL have added a second show at Joe's Pub at The Public on Wednesday, May 15. An 11:30 PM show was just added due to popular demand after the 9:30 PM show sold out. The Tony Award nominated composer and lyricist team is celebrating the new Ghostlight Records cast recording of Dogfight. Both shows will features performances by the original cast of the Second Stage Theatre production and other special guests. Dogfight just won the 2013 Lucille Lortel Award for "Outstanding Musical." Tickets to Joe's Pub are $25 and on sale now at JoesPub.com.

The Old Globe presents the West Coast Premiere of Bekah Brunstetter's quirky and tender comedy Be a Good Little Widow. Directed by Hal Brooks, Be a Good Little Widow will run tonight, May 11 - June 9, 2013 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad PrebysTheatre Center. Preview performances run tonight, May 11 - May 15. Opening night is Thursday, May 16 at 8:00 p.m. Meet the cast in the photos below!

Closing Aurora Theatre Company's 21st season is the Bay Area Premiere of Neil LaBute's dark, edgy comic drama THIS IS HOW IT GOES, directed by Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross (A Delicate Balance). Ross helmed LaBute's The Shape of Things, the first LaBute play produced in the Bay Area, in 2003. Featuring Aldo Billingslea (Collapse), Gabriel Marin (Collapse, Jack Goes Boating), and Carrie Paff (A Delicate Balance, Collapse, Betrayal), THIS IS HOW IT GOES presents a one-two punch after LaBute's Fat Pig (staged at Aurora in 2009). Tweaking perspectives of truth and interpretation to broach sharp questions about race, love, and manipulation,THIS IS HOW IT GOES, about which the Chicago Tribune raved "Highly recommended! LaBute's play has a lot of sting and nothing is as it seems!" plays June 14 through July 21 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($35-60) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

A groundbreaking artistic-journalistic collaboration, which seeks to artistically explore investigative reporting through performances developed in front of live audiences, by Tides Theatre (Jennifer Welch, Producing Artistic Director and Cary Cronholm Rose, Associate Artistic Director), an innovative artistic collective in San Francisco, and The Center for Investigative Reporting (Phil Bronstein, Executive Chair and Robert J. Rosenthal, Executive Director), which believes that journalism that moves people to action is an essential pillar of democracy.

American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), in association with the Loeb Drama Center, begins performances of the runaway hit of the 2012 Emerging AmericaFestival, Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance, in a new adaptation by Sean Graney and Kevin O'Donnell, arranged by Kevin O'Donnell and the Cast. Performances begin tonight, May 10, 2013 with press opening on Wednesday, May 15, and runs through June 2, 2013.

Closing Aurora Theatre Company's 21st season is the Bay Area Premiere of Neil LaBute's dark, edgy comic drama THIS IS HOW IT GOES, directed by Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross (A Delicate Balance). Ross helmed LaBute's The Shape of Things, the first LaBute play produced in the Bay Area, in 2003. Featuring Aldo Billingslea (Collapse), Gabriel Marin (Collapse, Jack Goes Boating), and Carrie Paff (A Delicate Balance, Collapse, Betrayal), THIS IS HOW IT GOES presents a one-two punch after LaBute's Fat Pig (staged at Aurora in 2009).