Sophie Schulman News

The Alexandra Grimal Quartet plays tonight, 9/29, at 8:30 PM at the Cornelia Street Café. The Café is located at 29 Cornelia Street, NYC, New York.

When the curtain rises on this evening's opening night performance of Candide, Goodman Theatre launches its 10th season in the heart of Chicago's Theatre District established by Mayor Richard M. Daley. More than two million patrons have experienced 127 productions and presentations from an aesthetic and culturally diverse group of artists and companies-including nearly 30 world premieres, of which 25 were new-work commissions-and programs over the past decade.

BD Wong (PACIFC OVERTURES, YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN) and composer Adam Gwon (ORDINARY DAYS) will headline 'FAMILY CIRCLE: A CELEBRATION OF ASIAN AMERICAN THEATRE ARTISTS TO BENEFIT THE COALITON FOR ASIAN AMERICAN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES(CACF)' at the Daryl Roth Theatre's D-Lounge Cabaret, Monday, October 4th at 8pm. Timothy Huang produces.

Mary Gatchell celebrates her new CD, 'Saturn Return', at her CD Release Concert on the Leddy CPA on Friday, October 1, at 7:30pm. Joining Mary on stage, will be Grammy award winning Santana drummer, Rodney Holmes. Rodney is featured on Mary's new CD along with Craig Magnano, guitarist for WICKED, JERSEY BOYS and NEXT TO NORMAL on Broadway. Playing bass is renowned bassist, Steve Lucas.

Amas Musical Theatre will present free staged readings of NELLIE BEEZER'S MELTING POT FOLLIES OF 1922, a new musical written by Phillip George and Kathy Griffith, with additional material by Gerard Alessandrini and David Caldwell. The readings, also directed by Phillip George, will take place on Monday, October 11th at 6:00pm, and Tuesday, October 12th at 3:00pm and 7:00pm, at Ripley-Grier Studios, 520 Eighth Avenue (10th Floor).

Pioneer Theatre Company presents Bram Stokers DRACULA, an original adaptation by Charles Morey of the tale of a count with a diabolical secret, and the people who find him out - and hunt him down.

The Palladium Theatre opens their season with The New American Theatre's presentation of PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES, running October 1-3 and 7-10. Tickets range from $30.50-$41.50. For more information or to purchase tickets, call the New American Theater Box Office at 727-575-9241 or visit www.newamericantheater.org. You can also follow the The New American Theatre on facebook or twitter, or visit their blog at http://newamericantheater.blogspot.com

In the depths of the deep blue sea, a one-of-a-kind fish learns the value of sharing and friendship. ArtsPower National Touring Theatre brings THE RAINBOW FISH to Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2 and 4 p.m., as part of its Kelsey Kids Series. Kelsey Theatre is located on the college's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road.

SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET opens October 8 and runs through November 7 at the Vagabond Players in Fells Point, MD. With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler this musical thriller is perfect for the month of October. Stories of horror, revenge, and pure, innocent love intertwine with sensational music.

The Stella Adler Studio of Acting and the Harold Clurman Center for New York in Movement and Dance Theater will honor Alexandra Wells on Thursday, September 30th. The evening will feature performances by Sidra Bell Dance New York, Andrea Miller's Gallim Dance, Austin McCormick's Company XIV and more. Margie Gillis will present the MAD Spirit Award to Alexandra Wells. The event is a part of the Studio's Fifth Annual Harold Clurman Festival, which brings artists and activists together to discuss the relationship between art and social activism and which raises funds for the nonprofit.

Project Shaw has announced that their Sept. 27th production of CANDIDA has sold out. Those wanting to see the show can put their name on a waiting list at the theatre at 5:30 on the day of the performance. Tickets, which are $25, always on sale the first of every month. To purchase tickets for upcoming productions, call 212.352.3101 or visit www.projectshaw.com These performances are open to the public.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's new play reading series - Lend Us Your Ears - continues with The Good Woman of Szechwan by Bertolt Brecht, translated by Eric Bentley. The one-night-only reading, featuring a cast of prominent actors, will take place on Monday, October 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the Shakespeare Theatre's Main Stage, the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Ave. (at Lancaster Road) in Madison. Tickets are $15 for adults; $10 for students. For tickets or more information, call the box office at 973-408-5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org.

Philadelphia Theatre Company (PTC) announced today that Diane Claussen, Managing Director of the Company, will leave the organization next month to assume the role of Managing Director at Northwestern University's Theatre and Interpretation Center. She will also teach Arts Management in Northwestern's Department of Theatre.