Studio Theatre News

Ben Rimalower's addiction to spending beyond his means has driven him to extreme lengths all his life. In BAD WITH MONEY he charts his sometimes hilarious, sometimes harrowing struggle to overcome his problem-or get rich trying. Written and performed by Ben Rimalower and directed by Aaron Mark, BAD WITH MONEY premieres at The Duplex (61 Christopher Street at Seventh Avenue) from September 4 through November 6.

The Community Theatre of Little Rock opens its 59th Season with their Late Summer production 'A Series of One Acts'. Their One Acts will be "30 Minutes to Charlie" by Nick Zagone, "Pvt. Wars" by James McLure, 'Ways and Means' by Noel Coward and 'The Actor's Nightmare' by Christopher Durang. Show dates are August 22nd and 23rd at 7:30 pm and August 24th at 2 pm, to be held at their new home, The Studio Theatre, 320 West 7th Street.

Obie Award-winning actor/playwright Dael Orlandersmith returns to Weston for a limited run of Stoop Stories, a one-act drama that is powerful, intelligent and completely captivating. In the play, the Harlem native embodies a half-a-dozen characters - from an 81-year old Holocaust survivor recounting a chance encounter with Billy Holiday to a 13-year old Latina who succumbs to a sexy young gang member - united over the course of time by a ubiquitous city stoop. The show runs for just 10 days from today, July 24 - August 3 at the Weston Rod and Gun Club.

The play is based on the life of John Merrick, who lived in London during the 19th century. A victim of rare skin and bone diseases, he became the star freak attraction in traveling side shows. Found abandoned and helpless, he is admitted to a London's hospital. Under the care of a celebrated physician, Merrick is introduced to society and evolves from an object of pity to a witty favorite of the aristocracy.

The fourth annual edition of OC-centric: Orange County's New Play Festival introduces Southland audiences to four local playwrights emerging as powerful voices in Southland theatre, and a quartet of intriguing and satisfying plays from their imaginations - stories brought to life by actors and directors from across Southern California in collaboration with Chapman University theatre students. Join us in the Moulton Hall Studio Theatre for this destination new play event.

Second Generation Productions (2g), a major incubator and producer of Asian American theater, announced today that Julian Cihi (Romeo and Juliet, Classic Stage Company) and Diane Phelan (Bernarda Alba, Lincoln Center) lead the cast of 2g's commissioned musical, Galois, by Sung Rno and Aaron Jones, directed by Victor Maog and produced by Jane Jung. The creative team also includes Music Director J. Oconer Navarro (The Adding Machine), Choreographer Camille A. Brown (tick, tick...BOOM!) and Fight Director Jacob Grigolia-Rosenbaum (Peter and the Starcatcher).

Samuel French has announced a talented roster of judges for the Samuel French Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival (OOB Festival), the nation's premiere short play competition, running from August 5th-10th at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre.

Broadway veterans Sean McDermott and Sarah Litzsinger will join a cast of seasoned performers in The New York Musical Theatre Festival's (NYMF) The Music Box, An Evening of Lady Composers on July 23. Performances will take place at 6 and 9 PM at the Ford Foundation Studio Ford Foundation Studio Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center.

Old Norman Productions is pleased to announce the world premiere of SONNY UNDER THE ASSUMPTION, an original play by Edward Allan Baker (North of Providence, Dolores) debuting in Toronto, today, July 23-27 at the AKI Studio Theatre, Daniel Spectrum Artscape (250-585 Dundas Street). This powerful play investigates the realistic gap between the haves and have-nots, and questions whether individual people are truly capable of changing themselves - and thereby able to change the community they live in.

Broadway veterans Sean McDermott and Sarah Litzsinger join a cast of seasoned performers in The New York Musical Theatre Festival's (NYMF) The Music Box, An Evening of Lady Composers tonight, July 23. Performances will take place at 6 and 9 PM at the Ford Foundation Studio Ford Foundation Studio Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center.

Florida Studio Theatre announces the U.S. premiere of Taking Shakespeare, by John Murrell, the final show in the Summer Mainstage Season. The show will run in the Gompertz Theatre today, July 23 through August 17, 2014.

Founded in 2014, Bluebird Arts is a Non-Equity company established in Chicago by Luda Solomon, who will serve as Artistic Director. The nonprofit organization's purpose is to enrich, educate and entertain the community by sharing intimate stories, which focus on the genuine problems of real people. Dale Goulding, former Artistic Director of the European Repertory Company (ERC) will serve as Executive Director, and Jaimelyn Gray of TUTA Theatre Chicago will serve as Managing Director.

The Berkshire Playwrights Lab, continues its 2014 season of readings of innovative and exciting new plays with a presentation of Jennifer Maisel's Out of Orbit at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center (14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA) on July 30 at 7:30 p.m.

It's a lively, fun, yet moving musical that fits that needed niche between the young marrieds in "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" and the older "Menopause: The Musical" ladies.

Internationally-acclaimed playwright Conor McPherson's period drama The Veil is given its US premiere at Quotidian Theatre Company. The New York Times called McPherson 'the finest playwright of his generation'. The Veil made its world premiere at National Theatre in a production Evening Standard called 'atmospheric and haunting'. Quotidian has staged six prior productions of McPherson's work. The US premiere production runs through August 17 at The Writer's Center in downtown Bethesda.

Piece of My Heart: The Bert Berns Story, a new musical based on the life and songs of legendary songwriter Bert Berns, produced by Merged Work Productions (lead producers) and Jack Thomas (Executive Producer), opens tonight, July 21, 2014, at the The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center.

A dark comedy about a present-day Hitler lookalike who is abducted by two gay pastry chefs. Soon, they make him the idol of a Hitler-worshipping cult in a cathedral below the Queens-bound F Train. Playwright Assurbanipal Babilla was forced to flee Iran overnight because of a death warrant due to his controversial writing. In 2006, he was awarded a Hellman/Hammett grant in recognition of his courage in the face of political persecution. Assurbanipal Babilla (Bani) passed away in New York on March 30, 2011 during our previous NYC run at the Brick Theatre's Iranian Theatre Festival.. He dedicated his body to the Westchester Medical Center. The play was originally produced by David Cote with the Author starring in 1998.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) launches its first ever autism friendly series, in consultation with the Theatre Development Fund's Autism Theatre Initiative, the first of its kind for a festival.

As one of the largest theatrical events in the world, The New York International Fringe Festival boasts an impressive roster of world premieres yearly. Of them, Los Angeles native Joshua Metzger's new play Sitting Shiva will see its first three dimensional presentation this August. Christopher Scott will direct the 90 minute play. The Broadway and Regional vet cast includes Eddie Boroevich*, Neal Mayer*, and Jeffery Plunkett*. The Production Stage Manager is Katy Moore*, and the production will be designed by Joan Racho-Jansen. *Appearing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association. Sitting Shiva is an AEA-approved showcase.