Susan Smith News

Bootless Stageworks is proud to present the Delaware premiere of Sarah Ruhl's award- winning (Glickman Prize, Pulitzer Prize finalist) and Tony nominated play, IN THE NEXT ROOM (OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY). This laugh out loud, provocative and touching play premiered at Berkeley Rep and subsequently marked Sarah Ruhl's Broadway debut in November 2009.

Seth Gordon, Associate Artistic Director of Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and director of past Stages productions The Whipping Man, The Spiritualist and The Unexpected Man, returns to Stages Repertory Theatre to direct the Regional Premiere of Lauren Gunderson's I AND YOU, running May 4 - 22, 2016.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre today announced the West Coast premiere of FOR PETER PAN ON HER 70TH BIRTHDAY by Tony Award-nominated playwright Sarah Ruhl and directed by Les Waters.

Two exceptional plays, one extraordinary playwright, THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY and Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, announce the fifth show of its 2015-2016 - 25th Anniversary Season, the World Premiere of JOHN IS A FATHER, written by Julie Marie Myatt and directed by Dan Bonnell. JOHN IS A FATHER will run in repertory with BIRDER, also by Julie Marie Myatt. JOHN IS A FATHER will begin previews on Monday, May 9 at 8pm; will open on Thursday, May 12 at 8pm and run through Sunday, July 3 at the Road on Lankershim, 5108 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood.

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE), Chicago's only Equity theatre dedicated to producing new work with women at the core, announces the midwest premiere of Dry Land by Ruby Rae Spiegel. The production, directed by RTE member Hallie Gordon, runs April 22 - May 28, 2016, at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 5779 N. Ridge Avenue in Chicago. The press opening is Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at 7:00pm.

Marin Theatre Company is pleased to announce Lauren Gunderson as its new playwright in residence for the next three years, which has been made possible by a generous grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Ms. Gunderson's has a long collaboration with MTC, which premiered her award-winning play I And You as a part of the National New Play Network's rolling world premiere in 2013, and will premiere her new play Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, co-authored with Margot Melcon, later this year.

The Lyric Stage Company of Boston's 2015-16 Season continues today, April 8 with MR. BURNS, a post-electric play by Anne Washburn, with a score by Michael Friedman and lyrics by Anne Washburn. Directed by A. Nora Long, the production also features music director Allyssa Jones and choreographer Yo-El Cassell. MR. BURNS runs through May 7, 2016, with the official opening slated for April 10.

The Huntington Theatre Company presents the world premiere of CAN YOU FORGIVE HER? by two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Gina Gionfriddo (Becky Shaw and Rapture, Blister, Burn) and directed by Huntington Artistic Director Peter DuBois (A Little Night Music and Smart People). Performances begin Friday, March 25 and continue through April 24, 2016 at the South End / Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA. 

After a critically acclaimed run at Lincoln Center's Mitzi Newhouse Theater in 2014, Sarah Ruhl's play THE OLDEST BOY is set to be read at leading regional theaters around the country for the one-year anniversary of the Nepal earthquake, as part of a national effort to raise relief funds for the victims of the disaster.

Two exceptional plays, one extraordinary playwright, THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY and Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, in association with CENTER THEATRE GROUP announce the fourth show of its 2015-2016 - 25th Anniversary Season, the World Premiere of BIRDER, written by Julie Marie Myatt and directed by Dan Bonnell.  BIRDER will run in repertory withJOHN IS A FATHER, also by Julie Marie Myatt.  BIRDER will begin previews on Monday, April 25 at 8pm; will open on Friday, April 29 at 8pm and run through Sunday, June 19 at the Road on Lankershim, 5108 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood.

Artistic Director Christopher Haydon today announces full casting for the world premiere of The Iphigenia Quartet which includes Agamemnon, written by Caroline Bird and directed by Christopher Haydon; Chorus, written by Chris Thorpe and directed by Elayce Ismail; Iphigenia by Suhayla El-Bushra and directed by Rebecca Hill and Clytemnestra by Lulu Raczka and directed by Jennifer Tang. In Agamemnon, Andrew French plays Agamemnon, Nigel Barratt plays Menelaus, Sharon Duncan-Brewster plays Clytemnestra and Louise McMenemy plays Messenger. The cast of Agamemnon will all play Voice in Chorus. In Iphigenia and Clytemnestra, Shannon Tarbet plays Iphigenia and Maid, Susie Trayling plays Clytemnestra and Professor, Dwane Walcott plays Achilles and Soldier and Anthony Barclay plays Agamemnon and Director. The Iphigenia Quartet opens at the Gate Theatre, on 3 May, with previews from 23 April, until 21 May. Agamemnon and Clytemnestra will play in rep with Iphigenia and Chorus as part of Nuclear: A Season about the Family.

PlayPenn, Philadelphia's nationally recognized professional new play development organization, will hold its 12th annual New Play Development Conference from July 5 - July 24 in Philadelphia at The Drake, a new home for new plays. The Conference, including three weeks of intensive work on six works-in-progress, will offer staged readings open to the public. The six selected plays and playwrights are:

The Huntington Theatre Company's 2016 Breaking Ground festival of new plays will be held April 14 - 17 at the Huntington's home for new work, the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA.

First Floor Theater (FFT) is thrilled to announce the third show of their fourth season, the Chicago premiere of Johnna Adams' WORLD BUILDERS, a funny, intimate portrayal of two individuals trying to balance mental illness and meaningful human connection, by the playwright of the Chicago hit, Gidion's Knot.

Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST) and Page Seventy-Three Productions (Page 73) have announced complete casting for KENTUCKY, written by Leah Nanako Winkler, and directed by Morgan Gould.

The Old Globe's 2016-2017 Season will blast off with a tale of boys, rockets, and big dreams: the West Coast premiere of OCTOBER SKY.

MediaRites, a nonprofit organization that provides innovative, award-winning radio, theatre and documentary programs, will produce The Language Archive, written by award-winning playwright and television writer, Julia Cho.

Perseverance Theatre presents In the Next Room or the vibrator play, by Sarah Ruhl. The play takes place at the dawn of the age of electricity and with that a groundbreaking piece of technology.  The perfect gentleman and inventor, Dr. Givings has created a device to treat "hysteria" in his patients by inducing "paroxysms" that attract the attention of his wife, who hears the sounds of success through the walls of his operating theatre.  Meanwhile, Mrs. Givings struggles with a new baby and her own urgent desires.  This modern comedy of manners is full of exploration and fulfillment.

The Huntington Theatre Company presents the world premiere of CAN YOU FORGIVE HER? by two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Gina Gionfriddo (Becky Shaw and Rapture, Blister, Burn) and directed by Huntington Artistic Director Peter DuBois (A Little Night Music and Smart People). Performances begin tonight, March 25, and continue through April 24, 2016 at the South End / Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA. 

Actors Bridge Ensemble's 20th anniversary season continues in April with the Nashville premiere of Meg Miroshnik's The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls, directed by Leah Lowe and running April 15-23 at the Belmont Black Box Theater.