Shakespeare & Company News

Harrisburg Shakespeare Company will continue its 2012-2013 Mainstage Season with Aaron Posner's MY NAME IS ASHER LEV, adapted from the novel by Chaim Potok, which will run Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from January 18 - February 3 at Gamut Classic Theatre, located on the Third Floor of Strawberry Square, Downtown Harrisburg.

Undo, the first full-length play from local playwright, actor and dramaturg Holly Arsenault, opens Annex Theatre's 26th season, running January 18th-February 16th.

Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced that the respected stage, film and television actor Patrick Stewart will co-host The Second City Guide to the Opera today, January 5 with internationally renowned soprano and Lyric Opera creative consultant Renée Fleming. The opera-themed comedy-variety show will take place at 8 p.m. in the Ardis Krainik Theatre of the Civic Opera House, N. Wacker Drive and Madison Street.

Join Mesa Arts Center and Southwest Shakespeare Company for 'The Bard's New Yeare,' Jan. 11, 6-10pm at the MAC, an outdoor mini-festival featuring a Juggling Jester, Shakespearean vignettes & song, Renaissance music, stilt-walkers & more! Performances will include selections from 'The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (abridged)', and songs from "The Tempest." The Taylor Family Circus will entertain with fire juggling and stilt-walking. Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum is open that evening, and admission, as always, is free! Shop for works of original art by Arizona artists at the MAC Store Cooperative Artists Gallery. "The Bard's New Yeare" is held in collaboration with Second Friday's 'Ye Olde Main Street Renaissance Faire,' also 6-10pm, which offers music, artist booths, costume contests and food along Main Street in Downtown Mesa.

The Atlanta Shakespeare Company at The New American Shakespeare Tavern presents The Tempest, directed by Laura Cole, tonight, January 4-27, 2013.

The Lyric Stage Company of Boston presents Moises Kaufman's 33 VARIATIONS, tonight, January 4 - February 2, 2013.

Bristol Riverside Theatre opens the New Year with the fun and sinister Deathtrap by Ira Levin, running January 29-February 24. Directed by Richard Edelman, the cast includes BRT favorites Keith Baker, Barbara McCulloh and Jo Twiss, joined by Mordecai Lawner and Robert Ross.

The Stage Newspaper's annual list, The Stage 100, now in its 16th year, has once again listed the top 100 most influential people in UK theatre.

The Trustus Side Door Theatre is bringing some cheer to the New Year as 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche comes to intimate 50-seat theatre. This unique show that was born from sketch comedy in Chicago comes to Columbia with an all-star Trustus cast. The show opens Thursday, January 17th, at 8:00pm in the Trustus Side Door Theatre, and runs through Saturday February 2nd.

The Washington Stage Guild continues its 27th season with the area premiere of TRYST by Karoline Leach. Tryst is set in 1912, England - the same setting as the Stage Guild's last hit production, George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. But while both plays deal with the sparks that fly when a man presumes to exploit a young woman for his own purposes, Tryst is a suspenseful cat-and-mouse game where it's not always clear who is the cat and who the mouse. Based on the true story of the mysterious Mr. George Love, Tryst was a West End hit in 1997, and had successful New York runs in both 2006 and 2011, but has never been produced in the DC area until now.

Pittsburgh CLO has announced the cast for the Pittsburgh Premiere of You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up!, which will run January 31 through May 5 at the CLO Cabaret. Tickets can now be purchased at CLOCabaret.com, by calling 412-456-6666 or by visiting the Box Office at Theater Square.

Top picks for 2013. Keep in mind that not all of the usual suspects have announced their seasons so I'll have more info to come, but for now, here's a look at some Southern California Shakespeare productions not to miss.

Since its founding in 1992, SITI Company has redefined contemporary theater in the United States through an innovative approach to actor training as well as collaboration and cultural exchange. Company members have taught at Harvard, Columbia, NYU, Juilliard, Bard, Emerson, Royal Shakespeare Company and UCLA, to name a few. As it begins its 20th anniversary season, SITI is proud to announce the establishment of the SITI Conservatory Program, a one-year program that will train the next generation of theater makers.

Jeanne Becquet is walking a tightrope without a net. She's trying to keep her family safe and provided for, which requires a certain level of 'cordiality' with the Nazi officer in command of a local occupying force. And she's been managing, however uncomfortably. But all that is about to change in Moira Buffini's Gabriel, beginning its run at Fort Worth's Stage West on Thursday, January 10. BroadwayWorld has a first look in the photos below!

Last spring, Josepha Penrose, Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction for Wildwood Public Schools asked artistic director, Gayle Stahlhuth, if East Lynne Theater Company would be interested in being part of an after-school program for Wildwood students. She was applying for the federally funded 21st Century Learning Centers grant. Since the Wildwood School District decided its theme would be visual and performing arts, Penrose believed ELTC would be a good partner. In late August, Penrose received word that the district was awarded the grant and the program must start on October 1.