Shuler Hensley News

As described in a brochure for WNET's 'Great Performances' series, the 2011-12 season will feature a slew of theatre productions. Included in the line-up is LET ME DOWN EASY- a one-woman show featuring Anna Deavere Smith, MEMPHIS- featuring original stars Montego Glover and Chad Kimball, and THE HANTOM OF THE OPERA- featuring Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess. Also included in this season will be Michael Tilson Thomas' THE THOMASHEFSKYS- starring Shuler Hensley and Judy Blazer, and 'The Divine Right'- a Sam Mendes miniseries about putting together Shakespeare's RICHARD II, HENRY IV Parts I & II and HENRY V. Air dates for the above programs have not yet been announced.

Atlanta's Alliance Theatre will produce the world premiere of Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, a chilling new musical with music and lyrics by John Mellencamp and book by Stephen King, as the closing show of the Alliance Stage Series set to open on April 4. A workshop of the show will be held beginning December 5, and will be led by Broadway veterans Emily Skinner, Shuler Hensley, Justin Guarini and Jake La Botz. The workshop will be directed by Susan V. Booth and feature musical direction by T Bone Burnett.

First look at Young Frankenstein in Paris.

Now, Michael Riedel reports in the New York Post that the play is getting closer to Broadway with a new reading set for Friday in New York, featuring Beau Bridges, his daughter Emily and Shuler Hensley. Riedel also reports that Justin Timberlake who has been looking for a theatre project will be 'approached' for the role of the show's young legal protege, Jack Brigance, played out of town by Sebastian Arcelus. There's no word on a potential timeline for the show, or if Timberlake is interested in the part.

Many of Broadway's best and brightest talents performed in Westport Country Playhouse's one-night-only fundraising gala, 'Playing Our Songs: Celebrating 80 Years of Musical Theater,' a fully orchestrated and choreographed retrospective of musicals that have been produced at The Playhouse since its founding in 1931, last night, September 19.

Many of Broadway's best and brightest talents will perform in Westport Country Playhouse's one-night-only fundraising gala, 'Playing Our Songs: Celebrating 80 Years of Musical Theater,' a fully orchestrated and choreographed retrospective of musicals that have been produced at the Playhouse since its founding in 1931, on Monday evening, September 19.

Last season, playwright Richard Nelson invited us to spend election night 2010 at the Rhinebeck home of schoolteacher Barbara Apple and her aging uncle, Benjamin as her left-leaning sisters and brother gathered for dinner and conversation about family matters and the country's political climate. Titled That Hopey Changey Thing after a sarcastic post-election quip Sarah Palin once directed at Obama voters, Nelson referred to it as a 'disposable' play, written quickly and heavily steeped in the national conversation of its time.

I've heard of some directors who, as soon as they've taken on a new play, grab a black marker and scratch out every stage direction the playwright wrote into the script, as though the author's only business was to write dialogue and allow each individual stager to create the rest.

Many of Broadway's best and brightest talents will perform in Westport Country Playhouse's one-night-only fundraising gala, 'Playing Our Songs: Celebrating 80 Years of Musical Theater,' a fully orchestrated and choreographed retrospective of musicals that have been produced at the Playhouse since its founding in 1931, on Monday evening, September 19.

The Public Theater announced the first Public Forum of the 2011-2012 season, 'The 9/11 Decade: New York and America After the Towers.' Moderated by Alec Baldwin, the discussion will immediately follow the 7:30 p.m. performance of Richard Nelson's Sweet and Sad at The Public Theater on Thursday, September 8. Additional guests to be announced at a later date.

The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Joey Parnes Interim Executive Director) has announced the line-up of the best-selling author and journalist Kurt Andersen, Pulitzer Prize-winner Carl Bernstein, and the playwright and director of Sweet and Sad Richard Nelson, for the first Public Forum of the 2011-2012 season, 'The 9/11 Decade: New York and America After The Towers.'

The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Joey Parnes Interim Executive Director) is proud to announce the line-up of the best-selling author and journalist Kurt Andersen, Pulitzer Prize-winner Carl Bernstein, and the playwright and director of Sweet and Sad Richard Nelson, for the first Public Forum of the 2011-2012 season, 'The 9/11 Decade: New York and America After The Towers.' Hosted by Alec Baldwin, the discussion will take place at The Public Theater on Thursday, September 8. Single tickets to this special event, which includes the 7:30 p.m. performance of Sweet and Sad and The Public Forum immediately following, are $25, and can be purchased by calling (212) 967-7555.

Amanda is the showgirl with a sweet tooth, and with a husband who's also a Broadway performer.

The Public Theater will begin previews for the world premiere of Richard Nelson's new play SWEET AND SAD on Tuesday, September 6. The first show in the 2011-2012 Public Lab season, SWEET AND SAD takes place over Sunday brunch on the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 with a cast that features Jon DeVries, Shuler Hensley, Maryann Plunkett, Laila Robins, Jay O. Sanders and J. Smith-Cameron.

Channel 2, WSB-TV announces the date and time of the 2011 telecast of the awards show, which celebrates excellence in greater Atlanta high school music theatre.

Channel 2, WSB-TV announces the date and time of the 2011 telecast of the awards show, which celebrates excellence in greater Atlanta high school music theatre.

The Public Theater announced the first Public Forum of the 2011-2012 season, 'The 9/11 Decade: New York and America After the Towers.' Moderated by Alec Baldwin, the discussion will immediately follow the 7:30 p.m. performance of Richard Nelson's Sweet and Sad at The Public Theater on Thursday, September 8. Additional guests to be announced at a later date.