Studio Theatre News

Artistic Director Daniel Evans today reveals Sheffield Theatres' spring season for 2014. The spring includes a season of work dedicated to playwright Brian Friel running across all three auditoria, the world premiere of a new dance-theatre adaptation of Kes, by Barnsley born director Jonathan Watkins; a major revival of fast-paced French farce Boeing Boeing, directed by Jonathan Humphreys, and The Sheffield Mysteries, the new Sheffield People's Theatre production directed by Daniel Evans. The company will also co-produce a brand new production with Third Angel, The Life and Loves of a Nobody.

Horse Trade Theater Group will present Less Than Rent Theatre's World Premiere of HOW LTR STOLE CHRISTMAS, a late-night smorgasbord of short plays, musical guests, and variety acts from all over the city curated by the LTR staff. The show will run Tuesdays, December 3rd, 10th, & 17th at The Kraine Theater (85 E 4th St. between 2nd Ave and Bowery) at 9pm. Tickets ($10) are available online at www.horseTRADE.info or by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444.

Renaissance Theaterworks (RTW) presents the 2nd show of its 21st season THE UNDERSTUDY a backstage comedy about artists pursuing what they love despite the odds against them. Directed by Mallory Metoxen, featuring Cassandra Bissell, Philip Sletteland and Ken Williams. Opening night is Saturday, January 18th at 8:00 pm. Running January 17 through February 09, 2014 at the Studio Theatre, 158 N. Broadway, tickets can be purchased for $36 (fee & taxes not included) in person at the Broadway Theatre Center Box Office, by telephone at (414) 291-7800, or online at www.r-t-w.com.

Ghosts abound at some of Central Pennsylvania's theatres. But some of the ones that don't claim any spectral visitations might surprise you. In time for Halloween, here's a rundown on places where the ghosts are, and aren't, only on stage.

Dr. Barbara Ann Teers's National Black Theatre (NBT) will open its 45th Season with the New York Premiere of The Last Saint On Sugar Hill, written by Keith Josef Adkins and directed by Seret Scottannounced NBT's Director of Theatre Arts Program, Jonathan McCrory. Preview performances begin tonight, October 29th at NBT, 2031 Fifth Avenue starting at 7:30pm. The opening night is set for Friday, November 1st at 7pm. The production will run through Sunday, November 24th.

Irish Repertory Theatre will continue its current season with a revival of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, The 1946 Live Radio Play, adapted by Anthony E. Palermo from the screenplay by Francis Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra and Jo Swerling. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, The 1946 Live Radio Play premiered last year at the Irish Repertory Theatre with a production directed by Charlotte Moore (JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK, DANCING AT LUGHNASA). Once again directed by Ms. Moore, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, The 1946 Live Radio Play will begin previews on Wednesday, December 4th and will play through Sunday, December 29th in The Irish Repertory Theatre's W. Scott McLucas Studio Theatre (132 West 22nd Street). The official press opening is Tuesday, December 10th.

Year of the Rooster by Youngblood playwright Eric Dufault, directed by John Giampietro, opens tonight at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 West 52nd Street. Year of the Rooster is a comic, mythic elevation of the gritty subculture of American cockfighting by a 25-year-old playwright and its opening marks the Ensemble Studio Theatre's 46th season.

Folie a deux Productions and From Ground Up Theatre Company in association with Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre present the world premiere of OPERATION CRUCIBLE by Kieran Knowles. Directed by Bryony Shanahan, the cast includes Salvatore D'Aquilla, Kieran Knowles, Joshua Mayes-Cooper, and Paul Tinto. The show runs Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays, 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17 December 2013

11th Hour Theatre Company continues its Next Step Concert Series with LIZZIE on November 23-25 at the Caplan Studio Theatre at the University of the Arts (211 South Broad Street). With music by Steve Cheslik-deMeyer and Alan Steven Hewitt, lyrics by Steve Cheslik-deMeyer and Tim Maner, and book by Tim Maner, Lizzie will be directed by Kate Galvan and feature 11th Hour veteran performers Alex Keiper, Cara Noel Antosca, Rachel Brennan, and Meredith Beck with Jamison Foreman leading the rock bank accompaniment.

Stellar acting is one reason to see the show even if the overall script is problematic.

Rising Circle Theater Collective kicks off its 2013-14 Season with The Refinery today, a workshop production of Matthew Paul Olmos' new play 'nobody rides a locomotive no'mo', directed by Mariana Carreno King. The cast includes Dacyl Acevedo (Will work for Food), Bernardo Cubria (so go the ghosts of mexico), Heather Velazquez (Pinkolandia).

Colt Coeur's Play Hotel series presents staged readings of a boy put this girl in a cage with a dog and the dog killed the girl by Clare Barron, directed by Stella Powell-Jones & Umma Lappa Soon by Claire Kiechel, directed by Adrienne Campbell-Holt. Today, October 28th, 6pm (Barron play) & 8pm (Kiechel play). Guests are welcome to attend one or both readings. There will be a reception between readings. Bernie B. Jacobs room 234 W. 44th Street, 11th Floor.

United Solo Theatre Festival presents HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE GARDAÍ otonight, 28th October 2013 7.30pm at the Studio Theatre, Theatre Row, 410 W. 42nd Street.

Gary Naylor finds out more about a Macbeth that incorporates multiple languages and dance to supplement the dark, familiar text.

The Alumnae Theatre Company is proud to present the first annual FireWorks Series. This is a brand new effort by the Company to showcase its homegrown talent in a further development beyond the very popular New Ideas Festival. Three full-length plays developed in-house will be staged in the Alumnae Studio Theatre from November 13 to December 1, 2013, and supporting events will allow audience members to engage with the dramaturgical process and intellectual themes.

The WaterTower Theatre has announced its calendar from December 2013 through February 2014. All performances held at The Addison Theatre Centre unless otherwise noted. Details below!