Stage Alliance News

California Institute of the Arts? (CalArts) Community Arts Partnership (CAP) has received a $1.25 million grant from The Eisner Foundation--the largest grant ever received by CAP and the largest arts grant the Foundation has ever issued to an arts institution.

As part of Center Theatre Group's DouglasPlus, Mike Daisey performs his acclaimed monologue 'How Theater Failed America' for four performances only at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, opening Wednesday, March 18 and continuing through Saturday, March 21 (all performances are at 8 p.m.). A special roundtable discussion will be held following the March 20 performance on the state of American theatre. Daisey will also workshop a new piece, 'The Last Cargo Cult' on Sunday, March 22 at 3 p.m.

A Noise Within (ANW), the acclaimed repertory theatre company, begins the second half of its 2008-09 season with Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, a rough and raucous ride on the road to romance and one of the Bard's most popular, high-spirited comedies, which opens Saturday, March 7 and runs through Sunday, May 17, 2009.

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.

A Noise Within (ANW), the acclaimed repertory theatre company, stages Henrik Ibsen?s Ghosts, a haunting tale of unrequited passion, revelation and horror, which opens Saturday, March 21 and runs through Saturday, May 9, 2009 (previews begin Saturday, March 14). Directed by Michael Murray, the cast features Mark Bramhall (Estrand), Alex Feldman (Oswald), Rebecca Mozzo (Regina), Deborah Strang (Mrs. Alving) and Joel Swetow (Manders).

A Noise Within (ANW), the acclaimed repertory theatre company, begins the second half of its 2008-09 season with Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, a rough and raucous ride on the road to romance and one of the Bard's most popular, high-spirited comedies, which opens Saturday, March 7 and runs through Sunday, May 17, 2009.

West 43rd Street will become a little pinker, as will the Easter Parade (and all of New York City in general) when the actor Leslie Jordan arrives to bring his acclaimed solo show, My Trip Down The Pink Carpet, to the Westside Theatre (407 West 43rd Street) this Spring. Producer Bruce Robert Harris announced that performances will begin on Wednesday, April 15, with an official opening night set for Monday evening, April 20. David Galligan directs the 6-week limited engagement.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) and gala co-chairs Carla Crane and Chandra Geiger Gordon are proud to announce A.C.T.'s 2008-09 season gala, Illuminate the Night, featuring an exclusive performance by Judy Kaye, Tony Award-winning star of A.C.T.'s Sweeney Todd and Souvenir. The entertainment for this wonderful evening also includes performances by A.C.T.'s own Master of Fine Arts Program and Young Conservatory students, created and directed by John Carrafa, the Tony Award-nominated choreographer of Urinetown, the Musical on Broadway and at A.C.T.

The 25th Annual Southland Theatre Artists Goodwill Event-S.T.A.G.E-will present THE BROTHERS GERSHWIN-GEORGE & IRA as its silver anniversary event on Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22 at the Wilshire Theatre Beverly Hills. S.T.A.G.E. is the world's longest continuously running AIDS benefit. Net proceeds from the annual event benefit AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA), an organization now in its 26th year of providing direct services and HIV/AIDS prevention education throughout Los Angeles County.

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.