Signature Theatre News

Jason Robert Brown's wonderful musical is given top rate production.

theatreWashington just announced the 29th Helen Hayes Awards nominees today, January 28th, 2013 in The National Theatre's Helen Hayes Gallery. This year, for the first time, theatre lovers in Washington and around the world were able to watch the nomination announcements live via webcast at theatrewashington.org, Facebook, or on the Livestream. Rebecca Sheir of WAMU's Metro Connection and WTOP's Bob Madigan hosted. Scroll below for the full list of the 2013 nominees!

Signature Theatre presents the acclaimed musical The Last Five Years to this spring's programming. The production, directed by Washington's own Aaron Posner, is currently running through April 28, 2013 in the MAX Theatre. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production photos below.

Katori Hall's Olivier Award-winning drama The Mountaintop is now playing at the Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater following an acclaimed run at the Alley Theatre in Houston. Obie Award winner Robert O'Hara (Public Theater's Wild with Happy) makes his Arena Stage directorial debut with The Mountaintop, which is produced in association with the Alley Theatre and runs through May 12, 2013 in the Kreeger Theater. BroadwayWorld has a first look at highlights of the show below.

Liz Callaway (Miss Saigon, Baby), Kate Shindle (Legally Blonde, Cabaret), Betsy Wolfe (The Last Five Years, The Mystery of Edwin Drood), F. Michael Haynie (Wicked, Dogfight), Zachary Prince (On A Clear Day…) and Sam Heldt (Junie B. Jones) have joined the lineup of performers for musical theater writer Adam Gwon's upcoming concert at 54 Below tonight April 8, 2013 at 9:30pm. Heading up a five-piece band, Gwon will premiere brand-new songs and share fresh and funny tunes from his musicals Ordinary Days, Cloudlands, The Boy Detective Fails, and String.

At 6:30pm, tonight, April 8th producer Marty Richards' feast of friends and loved ones will gather in celebration of his extremely accomplished life at The Edison Ballroom (240 West 47th Street) where they will be served a magnificent four-course dinner and be entertained by a star-studded retrospective of show-stopping numbers from Mr. Richards' acclaimed Broadway musicals including Chicago, On The Twentieth Century, The Life, Grand Hotel, Sweeney Todd, La Cage Aux Folles, Sweet Smell Of Success, The Will Rogers Follies and Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life.

Last night, April 4, was the opening night celebration for THE MOUNTAINTOP at Arena Stage. Opening night fell on the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination. Scroll down for photos from the festivities, featuring notable guests playwright Katori Hall, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Congresswoman Donna Edwards and Former Congressman Harold Ford, Sr.!

To conclude its 45th season, Berkeley Repertory Theatre welcomes back a pair of acclaimed collaborators: Sarah Ruhl and Les Waters, the creators of Eurydice, Three Sisters, and In the Next Room (or the vibrator play), return to Berkeley Rep with another tale of love and longing in Dear Elizabeth.

Join playwright Beth Henley and Hartford Stage Senior Dramaturg & Director of New Play Development ElizaBeth Williamson as they discuss Henley's play, Abundance, immediately following the 8 p.m. performance tonight, April 5. Henley will only be in Connecticut for this one performance.

The Boston Theater Critics Association (BTCA) is pleased to announce Broadway icon CHITA RIVERA will be the recipient of the 2013 Elliot Norton Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's awards ceremony set for Monday May 13 (7pm) at the Paramount Center, 559 Washington Street, Boston.

The Off-Broadway League today announced nominations in 14 categories and two additional special awards for the 2013 Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway. The Lortel Awards will be handed out on Sunday, May 5, 2013 at NYU Skirball Center beginning at 7:00pm EST, and hosted by acclaimed stage and screen actors Aasif Mandvi and Maura Tierney. This year's event will once again benefit The Actors Fund.

New York's Rattlestick Playwrights Theater presents the Los Angeles premiere of the critically-acclaimed play Slipping, written and directed by Daniel Talbott, which begins previews tonight, April 4, 2013 at Elephant Stages' Lillian Theatre in Hollywood, CA. The five-week limited engagement is scheduled to open Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 7:00pm and run through Sunday, May 5, 2013.

Ford's Theatre and Signature Theatre have come together for a roof-raising revival of what might be the feel good musical of the year: their joint production of HELLO, DOLLY! Washington audiences should not miss this gorgeous looking show fabulously lead by Broadway veteran Nancy Opel as Dolly Levi. This is musical theatre heaven!

Hartford Stage, under the leadership of Artistic Director Darko Tresnjak and Managing Director Michael Stotts, today announced the cast of Abundance by Beth Henley, directed by Jenn Thompson, on stage from tonight, April 4 through April 28.

Left Field Productions, Neil Berg, Adam Friedson and MSC OPAS at Texas A&M University welcome veteran Broadway actor Marc Kudisch to direct the world premiere project that will close the 40th Anniversary OPAS Season at Texas A&M University - Neil Berg's The Phantoms of the Opera.