Stage Alliance News

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2008-09 season Koret Visiting Artist Series with 'The Inner 'I': How Artists See Themselves,' a conversation with Lotfi Mansouri, celebrated opera director and the general director emeritus of the San Francisco Opera; Judy Kaye, the Tony Award-winning star of A.C.T.'s Souvenir; and the internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade. Moderated by A.C.T. Artistic Director Carey Perloff, the conversation will focus on the different ways artists view themselves and how these self-images affect their work. 'The Inner 'I' is presented in conjunction with A.C.T.'s production of Stephen Temperley's Souvenir, which tells the story of Florence Foster Jenkins, a New York socialite and tone-deaf diva who thought she was a great soprano. The conversation will be followed by a Q&A session with the audience. The hour-long event is free and open to the public and takes place on the A.C.T. stage on Monday, February 23, 2009, at 5:30 p.m. Doors will open at 5 p.m. For more information, please visit www.act-sf.org/koret.

Native Voices at the Autry proudly presents the world premiere of Wings of Night Sky, Wings of Morning Light by musician, poet, songwriter, and playwright Joy Harjo (Mvskoke). The play is a deeply compelling journey of struggle, displacement, self-discovery, and healing. Invoking spoken word, storytelling, music, and song, Harjo takes us on a wild theatrical ride where she tells it like it is with spirit and a mean jazz sax. An allegorical work of tremendous power, Wings demonstrates how theater and art can bring life full circle.

Native Voices at the Autry proudly presents the world premiere of Wings of Night Sky, Wings of Morning Light by musician, poet, songwriter, and playwright Joy Harjo (Mvskoke). The play is a deeply compelling journey of struggle, displacement, self-discovery, and healing. Invoking spoken word, storytelling, music, and song, Harjo takes us on a wild theatrical ride where she tells it like it is with spirit and a mean jazz sax. An allegorical work of tremendous power, Wings demonstrates how theater and art can bring life full circle.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) has announced its upcoming 25th anniversary season of new works offering a 3-play series celebrating female playwrights. The 2009-2010 Season will see the world premiere of A Lifetime Burning by Cusi Cram, and the New York premieres of Happy Now? by Lucinda Coxon, and Night Watcher by Charlayne Woodard at Primary Stages at59E59 Theaters (59 East 59 th Street). In a statement, Casey Childs, Founder & Executive producer, said, 'Primary Stages hasalways had a commitment to playwrights and we have been lucky to help nurture andenjoy the success of many extraordinary women writers. We are thrilled to premiere these new works by these three playwrights as a way to celebrate our 25th Anniversary.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) has announced complete casting for the New York premiere of Shipwrecked!

Ventura's new holiday tradition 'A RUBICON FAMILY CHRISTMAS' Conceived and Directed by Brian McDonald With Musical Arrangements by Steven Cahill Opens Saturday, December 6th at the Rubicon Theater in Ventura! Move over Scrooge...here comes Santa Claus! From December 4 through December 28, Rubicon Theatre Company swings and sings its way through the holidays with the delightful musical presentation of A Rubicon Family Christmas. Enjoy complementary warm cider and sweet treats as the stellar cast of Broadway performers and a choir of the region's brightest young stars serenade you with fanciful renditions of traditional Christmas classics and favorite holiday songs. This magical concert, framed in a glorious wintery wonderland is sure to bring a smile to the face and warmth to the heart.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) has announced complete casting for the New York premiere of Shipwrecked!

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) announces that Jane Anderson's The Quality of Life has received three LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards for its world premiere production at the Geffen Playhouse, including the award for Best Play in an Intimate Theater.

On September 22nd, the 2008 Ovation Award Nominees were announced. Now in its 19th year, the LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards will celebrate the 168 theatre companies, 390 registered productions, and over 2,000 individual artists who participated in the September 1, 2007 to August 31, 2008 season. The 2008 Ovation Awards took place on November 17th, 2008 in The Fine Arts Complex in Los Angeles, CA.

Ventura's new holiday tradition 'A RUBICON FAMILY CHRISTMAS' Conceived and Directed by Brian McDonald With Musical Arrangements by Steven Cahill Opens Saturday, December 6th at the Rubicon Theater in Ventura! Move over Scrooge...here comes Santa Claus! From December 4 through December 28, Rubicon Theatre Company swings and sings its way through the holidays with the delightful musical presentation of A Rubicon Family Christmas. Enjoy complementary warm cider and sweet treats as the stellar cast of Broadway performers and a choir of the region's brightest young stars serenade you with fanciful renditions of traditional Christmas classics and favorite holiday songs. This magical concert, framed in a glorious wintery wonderland is sure to bring a smile to the face and warmth to the heart.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director), Off-Broadway's preeminent theater company, will honor Tony Award-winning actress Patti LuPone and The Baruch-Routh-Frankel-Viertel Group at this year's Primary Stages 24th Anniversary Gala Benefit to be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel (109 East 42nd Street) on Monday, October 27, 2008.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director), Off-Broadway's preeminent theater company, will honor Tony Award-winning actress Patti LuPone and The Baruch-Routh-Frankel-Viertel Group at this year's Primary Stages 24th Anniversary Gala Benefit to be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel (109 East 42nd Street) on Monday, October 27, 2008.

Critically acclaimed theatre company Circus Theatricals proudly announces that playwright SHEM BITTERMAN has won the 2008 Pen USA Literary Award for Drama for his play HARM'S WAY. Past winners of the award include Sarah Rule, Luis Alfaro, Donald Freed, and Craig Volk.

Critically acclaimed theatre company Circus Theatricals proudly announces that playwright SHEM BITTERMAN has won the 2008 Pen USA Literary Award for Drama for his play HARM'S WAY. Past winners of the award include Sarah Rule, Luis Alfaro, Donald Freed, and Craig Volk.

This weekend, professionals from across America convene in the Bay Area for a national conference that will engage and mobilize the emerging leaders of American theatre. The event - New Leaders for a New Century - has been convened by three nationally respected organizations: Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Theatre Bay Area, and Theatre Communications Group. Participants meet on Sunday, October 5 at Berkeley Rep's Roda Theatre and on Monday, October 6 at the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in San Francisco.

On September 22nd, the 2008 Ovation Award Nominees were announced. Now in its 19th year, the LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards will celebrate the 168 theatre companies, 390 registered productions, and over 2,000 individual artists who participated in the September 1, 2007 to August 31, 2008 season

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director), in association with Martin Hummel, present the New York premiere of the new comedy, Love Child, written and performed by Daniel Jenkins (Mary Poppins, Big River) and Robert Stanton (The Coast of Utopia, All in the Timing), as an added event of the 2008-2009 season. Under the direction of Carl Forsman, performances are set to begin Sunday evening, October 12, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. and will run in repertory with A Body of Water by Lee Blessing for a limited engagement through November 19, 2008. Opening night is October 26, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.

Based on several high profile news stories, MAN.GOV centers around a senior arms inspector -- the quintessential government man -- whose life is turned upside-down when he is suspected of leaking damaging information to a celebrity reporter. Previews begin October 10 with opening night slated for October 17.

Arena Stage presents the world premiere of Daniel Beaty's Resurrection, a drama with a unique blend of music, poetry and dance. A co-production with Connecticut's Hartford Stage, Resurrection explores the interwoven lives of six African-American men struggling to make a living and to make their lives worth living. Beaty dazzled Arena audiences last summer with sold-out performances of his award-winning solo show Emergency (formerly Emergence-SEE!). He now returns to Arena with his first ensemble production-a talented cast of six actors led by director Oz Scott (director of Broadway's original for colored girls... and the Goodman Theatre's recent premiere The Ballad of Emmett Till). The production harmonizes with an innovative score by Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR), a Haitian-American composer who blends classical violin with piano and bass. To keep the interplay between text and score dynamic, Roumain's original score will be musically styled live each performance by his collaborator Elan Vytal a.k.a. DJ Scientific. Resurrection runs August 29-October 5, 2008 at Arena Stage in Crystal City. The press opening performance is Thursday, September 4 at 8:00pm.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director), Off-Broadway's preeminent theater company, will honor Tony Award-winning actress Patti LuPone and The Baruch-Routh-Frankel-Viertel Group at this year's Primary Stages 24th Anniversary Gala Benefit to be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel (109 East 42nd Street) on Monday, October 27, 2008.