Studio Theatre News

In 'Voices of Swords' by Kari Floren, the late thirties son of a woman facing heart surgery hires a forty-something personal organizer to minister to his lonely yet indomitable mother. The organizer is already struggling unsuccessfully to reunite her own family. As she is sorely tested by this job, her growing toward the light is an object lesson to Baby Boomers, whose struggles to care for dependent parents are a preoccupation of our age. The comedic drama will be presented August 15 to September 7 by Right Down Broadway Productions at Walkerspace, 46 Walker Street. Eve Brandstein directs a cast of mostly Broadway regulars including Loni Ackerman, Bob Ari, Phillip Christian, Gillien Goll, Michael McKenzie and Celia Schaefer.

Two iconic female performers are remembered and honored in song and story at Florida Studio Theatre's Court Cabaret. The final show in FST's Summer Sidekicks Series, Somewhere Over the Rose: The Songs and Stories of Judy Garland and Bette Midler, opens August 5 and runs through August 31. Single tickets are on sale for $32. Tickets may be purchased online at FloridaStudioTheatre.org, by phone at (941) 366-9000, or by visiting the Box Office.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) will present The Music Box, An Evening of Lady Composers 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.

Studio 2ndStage's final production of the 2013-2014 season is the edgy and strangely charming Carrie: The Musical, co-directed by Studio 2ndStage Artistic Director Keith Alan Baker and Jacob Janssen. From Lawrence D. Cohen, Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford, 2ndStage's CARRIE stars Tony Award nominee Barbara Walsh as Carrie's mother, Margaret White, with Emily Zickler making her Studio Theatre debut playing the titular role. Scroll down for a look at the mother-daughter duo!

For Tonight, a new original musical, by creators Shenelle Williams, Spencer Williams and Whitney Rhodes is headed to New York City to participate in The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) as a developmental reading. For Tonight's story is inspired by the life of the writer's great-great-great-grandfather in the 1830's in Northern Wales/Liverpool. With its indie-rock inspired score and a completely original book, this story focuses on the universal themes of love, family and acceptance. The show will have three performances at The Studio Theatre at Theatre Row in July 2014.

The Colony Theatre is thrilled to present the first production of its historic 40thAnniversary season, the World Premiere of FAMILY PLANNING by Michelle Kholos Brooks. The production stars Christina Pickles and Bruce Weitz, who between them have a combined total of 14 Emmy nominations, and is directed by Cameron Watson, who has been heralded as 'one of our finest contemporary directors' by The Los Angeles Times, while The Wall Street Journal declared his work 'the best in the country.'

People's Light & Theatre presents the regional premiere of Itamar Moses' acclaimed comedy Bach at Leipzig running tonight, July 9-August 10, 2014 on the Steinbright Stage. Associate Artistic Director Pete Pryor directs. People's Light & Theatre is located at 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, PA 19355.

The 2014 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) production of BAYONETS OF ANGST will star Tony Award nominee J. Robert Spencer, set to play Abraham Lincoln in the world premiere. Joining him are Paul Whitty ('Once'), Herndon Lackey ('LoveMusik'), Brian Charles Rooney ('The Threepenny Opera'), Michael Abbott, Jr. ('Shotgun Stories'), Ian Lowe ('Murder for Two') and Ryan Andes ('Big Fish'). Scroll down for a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsal!

The Weston Playhouse Theatre Company lands another coup, bringing the 2013 Tony Award Winner for Best Play, Christopher Durang's Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, to area audiences beginning July 17. Dubbed "deliriously funny" by the New York Times, the comedy is becoming the most-produced play across the country following its celebrated Broadway run.

Point Park University's Conservatory Theatre Company will produce five works, including the world premiere of a new musical about the life of the legendary Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, in the 2014-2015 season.

The Warner Stage Company's Main Stage Musical Season continues Saturday, July 26th at 7:30 pm with the opening night of Peter Pan.

The Warner Theatre Jazz Series will continue Friday, July 18th with the Arti Dixson Group performing in the Nancy Marine Studio Theatre at 8 pm. Arti is a seasoned performance artist whose list of achievements spans a rich and diverse spectrum of both venue and genre. It was studying with Jack DeJohnette that inspired Arti to pursue a musical career.

From July 10th-27th, the 9th Annual Capital Fringe Festival will host the world premiere of Jean P. Bordewich's MARRIAGE, LIZARDS, AND LOVE. The performances will take place at Fort Fringe (607 New York Avenue. NW, Washington, DC).

The award-winning Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company's next production is a swashbuckler: the world premiere of 'Zorro!' based on Johnston McCulley's 'The Curse of Capistrano' (1919) adapted by James Rana. Spanish for 'fox,' Zorro fought the oppressive colonial government in Spanish California with a quick sword and wit. Wearing a mask, he kept his identity secret, even to the woman he loved. In 1939, Bob Kane and Bill Finger gave credit to McCulley's masked avenger, with his dual identity, as their inspiration for 'Batman.' Like Bruce Wayne and Batman, Don Diego and Zorro are never seen together at the same time.

The Maxwell C. King Center For The Performing Arts just announced four new shows this season, including Marc Antoine, Earth, Wind & Fire, Mary Chapin Carpenter and GUYS & DOLLS. Details below!

Mad Cat Theatre Company has announced its third annual Nine Lives Scholarship Awards to Cheyenne Nicole Hardy (Outstanding High School Senior) and Kayla Bussel (Outstanding College Senior).

To commemorate the centenary of World War One, Bang Theatre presents 'Killed: July 17th 1916', originally created by The Theatre in Education Company at the Belgrade Theatre, running Tuesday 5 to Saturday 9 August at 7.45pm.

An Official Selection of the New York Musical Theatre Festival Next Link Project The Travels, a new play with music by Aaron Riccardi is one of the first shows at the New York Musical Theatre Festival to be granted and extension to to early popular demand. The Travels features music by Kelly Hoppenjans, book and lyrics by Aaron Riccardi, directed by Travis Greisler and choreography by Misha Sheilds. Beginning performances on July 14, the show will run through July 26 at Ford Foundation Studio Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street). Scroll down for a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsals!

Magic and mystery come alive in FST's second show of the Summer Sidekicks Series, Clearly Invisible: Magic Up Close with Carl Seiger. Playing in the Court Cabaret today, July 8 through August 3, Seiger presents a show filled with sleight-of-hand magic, catchy jazz tunes, and heartwarming storytelling.

Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles (SCLA), under the artistic direction of Ben Donenberg, returns to the Japanese Garden at the Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare Campus for the third consecutive summer, with a Los Angeles-centric summer production of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet -- directed by Royal Shakespeare Company and Royal National Theatre alum Kenn Sabberton -- for seventeen performances only, today, July 8 to 26 (press opening July 13).